The great Advaita saint, philosopher, and reformer, Adi Shankaracharya has left behind a voluminous body of work. The works of Adi Shankaracharya include numerous commentaries, philosophical treatises, and scores of Sanskrit stotras or devotional hymns. It is truly amazing that this great man who was born in Kalady, Kerala, thousands of years ago achieved so much in a short life span of just 32 years.

Works Of Adi Shankaracharya – Oceans Of Wisdom

The works of Shri Adi Shankaracharya can broadly be grouped as Bhashyas or commentaries on different ancient texts of Hindu philosophy and religion. Adi Shankaracharya has written commentaries on all the major Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Brahmasutra, and the Gayatri Mantra, among others.

The second grouping of the works of Sri Adi Shankaracharya is categorized as Prakarana Grantha or treatises. This group includes the famous Vivekacudamani and the Upadesasahasri.

The third grouping which connects directly with the masses is that of the stotras or hymns that Adi Shankaracharya wrote. These include the likes of Saundaryalahari and Kanakadhara Stotram. Here is a complete list of works of Adi Shankara.

Also read: Sacred Char Dham Temples Of India – Adi Shankaracharya’s Legacy

Complete List Works Of Adi Shankaracharya | Complete Works of Sri Sankaracharya  

This is a list of works of Adi Shankaracharya based on information available online. The list may not necessarily be complete and errors of omission and commission may be there. Readers are welcome to point these out and also add or subtract from the list based on their knowledge.

The Bhashyas – Complete List of Works of Adi Shankara

• Brahmasutra
• Kena Upanishad
• Isa Upanishad
• Prasna Upanishad
• Katha Upanishad
• Mandukya Upanishad
• Mandukya Karika
• Mundaka Upanishad
• Taittiriya Upanishad
• Aitareya Upanishad
• Chandogya Upanishad
• Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
• Sree Narasimha Taapaneeya Upanishad
• Bhagavad Gita
• Lalita Trishati
• Vishnu Sahasranama
• Sanat Sujatheeyam
• Hastamalakeeyam

Prakarna Granthas –  Complete List of Works of Adi Shankaracharya 

• Vivekachudamani
• Upadeshasahasri
• Aparokshanubhuti
• Swatma Nirupanam
• Vaakya Vritti
• Sarva Vedanta Sara Samgraha
• Atma bodha
• Laghu Vakyavritti
• Prapancha Saaram
• Prabodha Sudhakaram
• Swaatma Prakasika
• Advaita Anubhuti
• Brahma anuchintanam
• Prashnouttara Ratnamaalika
• Sadachara anusandhanam
• Yaga Taravali
• Anatmasree Vigarhanam
• Swaroopa anusandhanam
• Pancheekaranam
• Tattwa bodha
• Prouda anubhooti
• Brahma Jnanavali

Adi Shankaracharya Stotras | Devotional Hymns – Complete Works of Sri Sankaracharya 

• Sri Ganesa Pancharatnam
• Ganesa Bhujangam
• Subrahmanya Bhujangam
• Siva Bhujangam
• Bhaja Govindam
• Vishnu Bhujangam
• Sarada Bhujangam
• Sivananda Lahari
• Soundarya Lahari
• Ananda Lahari
• Mahishasura Mardini Stotram
• Devi Bhujangam
• Bhavani Bhujangam
• Sree Rama Bhujangam
• Uma maheswara Stotram
• Tripurasundari Vedapada Stotram
• Tripurasundari Manasapooja
• Tripurasundari Ashtakam
• Devi shashti upachara-pooja
• Mantra matruka Pushpamaala
• Kanakadhara Stotram
• Annapoorna Stotram
• Sivapaadaadi kesaanta varnana
• Siva kesaadi padaanta varnana
• Sree Vishnu-paadaadi-kesanta
• Veda Sara Siva StotramHara
• Siva Panchaakshara Stotram
• Sivaaparadha Kshamapana
• Dakshinamoorthy Ashtakam
• Dakshinamoorthy Varnamala
• Mrutyunjaya Manasa Pooja Stotram
• Siva Namavali Ashtakam
• Kaala Bhairava Ashtakam
• Shatpadee Stotram
• Siva Panchakshara Nakshatra Mala
• Dwadasa Ling Stotram
• Kasi Panchakam
• Hanumat Pancharatnam
• Lakshmi-Nrisimha Pancharatnam
• Lakshmi-Nrisimha Karunarasa Stotram
• Panduranga Ashtakam
• Achyuta Ashtakam
• Sree Krishna Ashtakam
• Hari Stuti
• Govinda Ashtakam
• Bhagavat Manasa Pooja
• Praata Smarana Stotram
• Jagannatha Ashtakam
• Guruvashtakam
• Narmada Ashtakam
• Yamuna Ashtakam
• Ganga Ashtakam
• Manikarnika Ashtakam
• Nirguna Manasa Pooja
• Eka Sloki
• Yati Panchakam
• Jeevan Mukta Ananda Lahari
• Dhanya Ashtakam
• Upadesa (Sadhna) Panchakam
• Sata Sloki
• Maneesha Panchakam
• Advaita Pancharatnam
• Nirvana Shatakam
• Devyapara-dha kshamapa stotra
• Ardhanareshwara Stotram
• Bhramanaamba Ashtakam
• Meenakshi Stotram
• Meenakshi Pancharatnam
• Gouri Dasakam
• Navaratna Malika
• Kalyana Vrishtistavam
• Lalitha Pancharatnam
• Maaya Panchakam
• Suvarna Mala Stuti
• Dasa Shloki

Also read: Shankaracharya Peeth – Shankaracharya Math List | 4 Mutts

Here we dive deep into the ocean of wisdom that is Adi Shankaracharya’s legacy and come up with 10 gems from this infinite treasure – Shankaracharya works.

Works Of Adi Shankaracharya – Bhashyas (Bhāṣya) | Commentaries

Adi Shankaracharya, the prolific writer that he was, has written commentaries on the major ancient texts of Hinduism including the major and minor Upanishads. Here we take a brief look at a few of them.

Works Of Adi Shankaracharya – Commentary On Vishnu Sahasranama

The Vishnu Sahasranama is a hymn in Sanskrit that praises Lord Vishnu with a thousand names. The Vishnu Sahasranama is found in the great Indian epic, Mahabharata, and is authored by Veda Vyasa. Adi  Shankaracharya in his Bhashya has clearly explained each of the thousand names that form the Vishnu Sahasranama.

Works Of Adi Shankaracharya – Commentary On Brahmasutra

The Brahmasutra is an ancient text that is attributed to either Badrayana or Veda Vyasa. The Brahmasutra is itself a commentary on the Upanishads. It is a text which summarizes the ideas and precepts that are presented in the various Upanishads. The Brahmasutra is considered to be one of the three most important Vedanta texts, the others being the Mukhya Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita.

Adi Shankaracharya’s commentary on the Brahmasutra tries to synthesize seamlessly many of the diverse and even conflicting principles and precepts that are presented in the Upanishads.

Works Of Adi Shankaracharya – Commentary On Bhagavad Gita

The Bhagavad Gita is to Hindus, what the Bible is to Christians. It is an infinite pool of knowledge enunciated by Shri Krishna, himself. Gita Bhashya is Adi Shankaracharya’s commentary on this great religious text. It is the oldest commentary on the Gita that now exists.

Works Of Adi Shankaracharya – Commentary On Gayatri Mantra

The Gayatri Mantra is an ancient and sacred Mantra from the Rig Veda. It is found in various religious texts and forms an important part of Vedic worship. The Gayatri Mantra is dedicated to the Vedic God Savitr, and it is attributed to Sage Vishwamitra. Adi Shankaracharya explains and elucidates each syllable of the Gayatri Mantra and explains its metaphysical meaning in his commentary.

Also read: Adi Shankaracharya Quotes – Best Shankaracharya Teachings

Works Of Adi Shankaracharya – Treatises (Prakarna Granthas)

Adi Shankaracharya authored many treatises that were in essence teaching manuals on various aspects of Vedanta. These include Panchikarana which talks about the Vedantic theory of the creation of matter, Nirvanashtakam which talks about the basic principles of Advaita Vedanta, and many others which bring out the essence of Advaita. Here we talk about two of the most important of these treatises.

Works Of Adi Shankaracharya – Vivekachudamani

The authorship of Vivekacudamani is heavily debated with many historians attributing it to Adi Shankaracharya, while many are of the view that the style of this work does not point towards Adi Shankaracharya. Whatever the truth, no discussion about the works of Adi Shankaracharya can be complete without mentioning Vivekacudamani.

The Vivekacudamani which literally translates as, “Crest Jewel of Discrimination,” in English, talks about the different concepts of Advaita Vedanta. Vivekacudamani is made up of 580 Sanskrit verses and covers a wide range of topics about the life of Man, spirituality, and liberation. It discusses the path to self-knowledge and the aspects of Brahma and Atman. It also discusses meditation, Nirvikalpa Samadhi, and self-enquiry, along with other concepts.

Works Of Adi Shankaracharya – Upadesasahasri

Upadeśasāhasrī which literally means, “A Thousand Teachings,” is a treatise by Adi Shankaracharya and is considered to be one of his most important works. The Upadesasahasri is made up of two parts, one is in verse form, while the other is in prose. The text details the steps and methods towards the liberation of the soul.

Works Of Adi Shankaracharya – Adi Shankaracharya Stotras (Devotional Hymns) | Adi Shankaracharya Compositions

Of all the works of Adi Shankaracharya, those that have a popular appeal and whose notes resonate in temples and homes are the stotras or devotional hymns composed by him. He has written stotras in praise of many Gods and Goddesses of the Hindu pantheon and these include hymns for Vishnu, Shiva, Ganesha, Krishna, Narasimha, Bhavani, and Subrahmanya, among others. Here we take a brief look at some of the popular and important stotras composed by Adi Shankaracharya.

Works Of Adi Shankaracharya – Ganesha Pancharatnam

The Ganesh Pancharatnam is a stotra in praise of Ganesha. Five verses of the Stotra are like 5 jewels in the praise of Ganesha. The sixth and concluding verse of Ganesha Pancharatnam describes the benefits of reciting the mantra.

Works Of Adi Shankaracharya – Bhajagovindam

Bhajagovindam which is also known as Moha Mudgara is a very popular devotional hymn attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. The circumstances that led to Adi Shankaracharya composing this hymn make for very interesting reading. Once Adi Shankaracharya came across an old man who was almost on the verge of death, desperately trying to learn the rules of Sanskrit grammar.

Adi Shankaracharya took pity on the old man and asked him to turn his mind towards God, saying that only devotion to God would free him from the cycle of life and death. This incident was the inspiration that gave birth to Bhaja Govindam at the hands of Adi Shankaracharya.

Bhaja Govindam which is extant today consists of 31 verses, however, it is believed that only 12 of these were composed by Adi Shankaracharya, and the remaining were composed by his disciples. The Bhaja Govindam is believed to encapsulate the entire essence of Vedanta in its verses.

Works Of Adi Shankaracharya – Shivanandalahari

Shivanandalahari is a famous composition of Adi Shankaracharya dedicated to Shiva. The hymn was composed when Adi Shankaracharya was at Srisailam, where the Jyotirlinga temple is located. The deities of the Srisailam temple are Shiva who is worshipped as Mallikarjuna and Parvati who is worshipped as Brahmarambika. The Shivanandalahari consists of 100 verses and begins with verses that praise these two deities of Srisailam.

Works Of Adi Shankaracharya – Saundaryalahari

Saundaryalahari is a famous devotional hymn in praise of Tripura Sundari, a principal aspect of Mahadevi. According to legend the first part of Saundaryalahari was composed by Ganesha, himself on Mount Meru, while the second part was composed by Adi Shankaracharya. There are many myths and legends associated with Saundaryalahari. The literary work is not only a collection of devotional hymns but is also a tantric text that has instructions about the method of worshipping and the different Yantras associated with each Shloka.

Works Of Adi Shankaracharya – Kanakadhara Stotram

The famous Kanakadhara Stotram credited to Adi Shankaracharya has a fascinating legend associated with it. Once Adi Shankara, as a boy, arrived at a home in a village, some 20 kilometres from Kalady in Kerala. He begged for alms, the family living there were poor and did not have anything, the only thing they could find was a single gooseberry, which they offered to the divine boy.

Adi Shankara was so pleased with their devotion that he spontaneously sang a hymn in praise of Goddess Lakshmi. The stotram he recited was the Kanakadhara Stotram. The Goddess was so pleased that she released a wave of golden gooseberries that fell on the house. The house exists even today and is known as Swarnath Mana.

The Kanakadhara Stotram consist of 22 verses that praise Goddess Lakshmi.

Works Of Adi Shankaracharya – Mahishasuramardini Stotram

The very popular and famous Mahishasura Mardini Stotram (Aigiri Nandini….), is attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. However, there are some who credit it to Ramakrishna Kavi. This hymn is based on Devi Mahatmya and is dedicated to the divine Goddess or Shakti, who as Mahishasura Mardini, destroys the demon Mahishasura.

There are different extant versions of the Mahishasura Marding stotram, and the number of versions ranges between 2- to 27, based on the version.

Also read: Shankaracharya Birth Place | Life Of Sri Adi Shankaracharya

Famous Works Of Adi Shankaracharya – FAQ

Which are some of the famous works of Adi Shankaracharya?

Adi Shankaracharya has left a rich legacy of work that forms the core of Hindu spirituality and philosophy, especially Advaita Vedanta. Some of his great works include commentaries or Bhashyas and Stotrams or devotional hymns. Some of the great works credited to him include the Bhashyas of the Upanishads, Brahmasutra, and the Bhagavad Gita. His devotional hymns include Bhajagovindam, Kanakadhara Stotram, and the Mahishasura Mardini Stotram.

Who composed the famous Bhaja Govindam?

The main portion of Bhaja Govindam, 12 verses and chorus was composed by Adi Shankaracharya. The later verses were composed by his disciples.

Who composed Shivanandalahari?

Shivanandalahari was composed by Adi Shankaracharya when he was in Srisailam. The hymn is dedicated to Mallikarjuna and Brahmarambha, the deities of the Srisailam temple.

Even if you take a small dip in the infinite ocean of Adi Shankaracharya’s works – Adi Shankaracharya’s wisdom, you are sure to experience bliss beyond comprehension. We are sure that this selection of the great works of Adi Shankaracharya – works of Adi Shankara has appealed to you and you are excited to dive deeper into this ocean of wisdom in search of greater treasures and read the complete works of Sri Sankaracharya. Subscribe to our blog for more such inspiring content and do follow us on our social media channels too.

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