The Date of Shankaracharya

Summary

This note summarises scholarly debates about the lifetime of Śaṅkarācārya, the influential Advaita philosopher. It reviews arguments ranging from the fifth to the ninth century based on literary, epigraphic and traditional sources. The author weighs evidence from Shankara’s commentaries, references to historical events and the colophons of manuscripts, noting that definitive proof remains elusive. By comparing the Puri monastic lineage with lists of teachers in southern India, the note suggests that a date in the early eighth century may be most plausible but acknowledges that the question is far from settled.