In Search of a Guru
The young samnyasin, just eight years old, dressed in Kasaya and holding a staff started walking all alone northwards towards Omkaranath situated on the banks of river Narmada in pursuit of his teacher. He continued his morning & evening prayers during his journey. He would seek bhiksa at noon and rest under a tree or in a temple or in pilgrims’ shelter.
After travelling a long distance, one day he witnessed a magical sight. It was a sunny day and he decided to rest under a tree. This is when he noticed few frogs that were basking in the sun deciding to jump into the water as the rock they were sitting on had became too hot. This is when a cobra appeared from behind the rock and spread its hood over the frogs casting a shade for them. The frogs enjoyed the shade for some time and then jumped back into the water. The cobra retreated as well. Sankara was sure that a sight of bonding between creatures which by true nature don’t gel could only happen with a higher grace. In his enquiry he met an old ascetic who mentioned that the place was sanctified by the penance of the great Maharsi Rsya Srnga whose ashram once existed in the same place. This is when a throught flashed in Sankara’s mind that if he ever had an opportunity to set up a matha or an ashrama, he would do it in his blessed location. And ten years later when Sankara was passing through the same area with his disciples, he indeed founded his first matha here which was later known as Srngeri Matha.
Meeting Guru