Adi Sankara, at the age of five, after the performance of his Upanayana (spiritual initiation) ceremony, approached his preceptor and within three years was able to master the four Vedas and the six Shastras. Through earnestness, anything can be accomplished. From his studies, Sankara realised that Ekatvam (oneness) is the essence of all knowledge. This is the doctrine of Advaita, ‘Ekam Evadvitiyam Brahma’ (The absolute is one alone, not two). There is no second, but there is the appearance of an enormous multiplicity. How, then, can oneness be claimed? Here is an example. You have the number one and the number nine. Of the two numbers which is the bigger? The natural answer will be: nine. But this is not so. One is really the bigger number 1+1+1+1....up to nine, make up nine. Hence, the Vedas declare: ‘Ekoham Bahu Syam: (I am One; I willed to be many). Only the one exists. But it has assumed numerous forms. Sankara declared that anekatvam (the many) is subsumed by the one-this is the unity in diversity. There may be many stalks of sugar cane, but the juice from all of them has the same sweetness. Beings are many, but the breath is the same. Nations are many, but the earth is one.

In this manner, Sankara proclaimed to the world the unity that underlies the apparent diversity. He used the analogy of the same sweet juice that is present in all sugar cane stalks.

Ramanuja asked the question: ‘How long can the sweetness of the juice last?’ Not for long. If the sugarcane juice is converted into some other lasting form, it could be used for sweetening many things. The conversion should be in the form of sugar, which could then be used for making any sweet preparation. Without the sugar cane juice there can be no sugar. The sugar cane juice represents the Advaitic principle and sugar represents the Vishishtadvaita principle.

Then came the declaration of Madhva: ‘Pishtadhi gunasamparkat.’ The variety of sweet preparations is the result of the bringing together of Pishta (flour) and sugar. Without some kind of flour, the sugar itself cannot appear in different forms. Flour of the sort or another, combined with sugar, can serve to produce any number of sweets. However, it is not the flour that is the source of sweetness. It is the sugar in the sweet that is made out of the flour which accounts for the sweetness. This is the analogy employed to explain Dvaitam (the dualistic doctrine).

Sankara, as the exponent of Advaita (Non-dualism). Ramanuja as the exponent of Vishishtadvaita (Qualified Non-dualism) and Madhva, as the expounder of Dvaita (Dualism), stood out as great teachers who taught the path of spirituality to the world. However, there is common sweetness in all the three schools of philosophy.

Sankara insisted on the recognition of the unity that underlies all diversity.

सुवर्णमालास्तुती

ईश गिरीश नरेश परेश महेश बिलेशय भूषण भो

साम्ब सदाशिव शम्भो शङ्कर शरणं मे तव चरणयुगम्

“Isha, Girisha, Naresha, Paresha, Bilvesha Namo Samba sadashiva Shambho Shankara sharanam may tava charanayugam,’ declared Adi Sankara (in Sri Sankaracharya kruta swarnamalya Stuti), in praise of Shiva. In listing the different attributes of Shiva, the Acharya declared that Shiva is everything, by whatever name He is called. Thereby, the omnipresence of the Lord is proclaimed.

The Advaitic doctrine of Sankara propagated the view that bodies are manifold, and in these separate bodies the one Divine is present. With regard to Advaita, however, it is possible only to experience it as bhava (a conscious feeling), but not to apply non-dualism on carrying out one’s activities in daily life. There is the divine in a tiger, a snake and a human being. You can recognise this as a concept, but on that account, you cannot go and embrace a tiger. The tiger must be treated as a tiger and a snake must be treated as a snake. The human being must be given the status that is appropriate to the human. You must have the faith that the same Divine dwells in all beings. This is indicated by the presence in all beings of three divine characteristics: Asti, Bhati and Priyam, (existence, recognisability and utility). This is also expressed in other terms as: Sat-cit-ananda (Being-Awareness-Bliss). Sat refers to That which is unchanging. This is a Divine attribute. Cit refers to total Awareness to know the complete nature of anything. When Sat and Cit are together, there is ananda (Bliss). This Bliss is unchanging. It is described as Brahmanandam (Supreme Bliss). It is like mixing sugar with water, resulting in a syrup.

Sat-cit-ananda (Being-Awareness-Bliss) is Divinity that is unchanging. Forms and names are continually changing. They are transient and momentary. (SSS Vol.26, p.146-149)