Cobra Protects Frog - Sharadha Peetam

When Adi Shankara first came to Sringeri, he came to the banks of a river, looking for a place to build a temple.There was a torrential downpour and he saw a frog that was pregnant and struggling in labour. There was a cobra there. Although a natural sworn enemy of the frog, it had spread its hood and was providing shelter to the frog. When he saw this sight, then and there he decided that this was the ultimate “Kshetra” – the site for the temple.

We have each of us been given a Kshetra in the form of our body and it is in these temples that the Kshetrajna, the Lord is residing. We should therefore strive to make this Kshetra the best possible place for the Lord.

10 Mukhya Upanishads / More

10 oldest Upanishads, known to and are commented upon by Shankara

http://freeglobaluniversity.blogspot.com/search/label/Veda

Adi Sankara offers this prayer to the Lordess

1. ‘I wanted to perform abhishekam to you. But your tresses house the Ganga, the purest of rivers. So my performing abhishekam sounds ridiculous.
2. I wanted to adorn You with flowers and offer You neivedyam with the choicest fruits. But then I realized that all these are Your creations, it seems foolish to offer You what is already yours.
3. If I seek something from You, it may seem as if You are not already aware of it. God knows what is required of us and gives us what is needed at the right moment (Vendarthakkathu arivonai, Vendar muzhuthum tharuvonai).
4. I now realize that there is no prayer I can offer You. Please grant me the realization that You are within me, and help me comprehend Your immeasurable Grace.’

Adi Shankaracharya set up 10 monastic orders

1) Tirtha - Rivers
2) Ashrama - The Four Ashrams
3) Vana - The Four Work Divisions
4) Aranya - Festivals
5) Giri - Hills
6) Parvata - Mountains
7) Sagara - Oceans
8) Saraswati - Knowledge
9) Bharati - Protecting The Culture
10)Puri - The Seven Holy Cities

108 Upanishads with Upanishad Brahmam Commentary

http://www.archive.org/details/108UpanishadsWithUpanishadBrahmamCommentary

Adi_Shankara

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adi_Shankara