Ancient wisdom shaped India’s identity, says Home Minister

Gandhinagar/Ahmedabad | Special Correspondent: Arun Sharma

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday hailed Adi Shankaracharya as the towering force behind India’s spiritual unity, stating that the eighth-century philosopher-saint played a decisive role in establishing and elevating the banner of Sanatan Dharma across the length and breadth of the country.


Speaking at the launch of the Shankaracharya Granthavali in Ahmedabad, Shah said Adi Shankaracharya’s life and work were instrumental in shaping India’s civilisational identity. Despite his short lifespan, Shankaracharya undertook extensive journeys on foot across the country, spreading the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta and binding the nation through a shared spiritual and intellectual framework.


Shah expressed confidence that the complete works of Adi Shankaracharya, published in 15 volumes, would serve as a guiding light for the youth, particularly in Gujarat. “These texts offer answers to the fundamental questions that society faced then—and continues to face even today,” he said, adding that very few individuals in history have accomplished so much in such a short span of life.


Highlighting the enduring legacy of the saint-scholar, Shah said the four monasteries (mathas) established by Adi Shankaracharya in the four directions of India were not merely religious centres, but enduring institutions of knowledge, philosophy and cultural continuity. Under their guidance, the Vedas were preserved, propagated and given a permanent place in India’s intellectual tradition.


The Home Minister noted that Adi Shankaracharya addressed the doubts and debates surrounding Sanatan Dharma at a time when multiple philosophical schools—such as Buddhism, Jainism, Kapalika and Tantric traditions—were gaining prominence. Through reasoned discourse and spiritual clarity, he offered convincing answers that strengthened the foundations of Sanatan thought.


“Adi Shankaracharya did not just offer ideas; he gave India a synthesis of thought,” Shah said. “He imparted knowledge, shaped it into a coherent philosophy and showed not only the concept of liberation, but also the path to attain it.”


The event was attended by scholars, spiritual leaders and dignitaries, who described Adi Shankaracharya as a unifying force in India’s civilisational journey—one whose influence continues to resonate across centuries.