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Mandana Mishra is thought to have lived in the ancient Indian town of Mahishamati (Madhya Pradesh) during the time of Adi Sankara (although there is considerable debate about the exact years in which Adi Sankara lived). Being a follower of the Karma Mimamsa school, he was a Ritualist and performed all of the ritualistic duties prescribed by the Vedas .


MEETING WITH ADI SANKARA


A legend describes how Mandana Mishra is said to have first met Adi Sankara. It was customary in the time of Sankara and Mandana for learned people to debate the relative merits and demerits of the different systems of Hindu philosophy. Sankara sought out Mandana to debate the merits of their respective schools of thought. While trying to find the house of Mandana, Sankara asked for directions and was told the following:

:"You will find a home at whose gates there are a number of caged parrots discussing abstract topics like — 'Do the Vedas have self-validity or do they depend on some external authority for their validity? Are karmas capable of yielding their fruits directly, or do they require the intervention of God to do so? Is the world eternal, or is it a mere appearance?' Where you find the caged parrots discussing such abstruse philosophical problems, you will know that you have reached Mandana's place."

Sankara finds Mandana, but the first meeting between them is not pleasant. According to Vedic ritualistic rules it is forbidden to see an ascetic on certain days and Mandana is angered to see an ascetic on such a day. Mandana initially hurls insults at Sankara, who camly replies to every insult with wordplay. The people in Mandana's house soon realize Sankara's brilliance and advise Mandana to offer his respect. Finally, after a verbal duel, Mandana agrees to debate with Sankara.


DEBATE ON THE VEDAS


Mandana and Sakara agreed that Mandana's wife Ubhaya Bharathi would be the arbiter for the debate, and that the vanquished would become a disciple of the victor and accept his school of thought. The debate spanned many days and ranged across many different subjects within the Vedas, and the arguments of both competitors were compelling and forceful. Sankara finally emerged victorious. But Mandana's wife, who was the judge, would not accept an ascetic as having complete knowledge since he did not have any knowledge about kama sastras (rules about marital life). Sankara was then permitted to research certain aspects of sex-love sciences and then resume the debate. Later, after obtaining the necessary knowledge, the debate resumed. After a long debate, Mandana accepted defeat.


MANDANA BECOMES SANKARA'S DISCIPLE


As agreed, Mandana becomes a disciple of Sankara and assumed the name Suresvaracharya . Along with Hastamalaka , Padmapāda , and Totakacharya , he was one of the four main disciples of Sankara and was the first head of Sringeri Mutt , one of the four Matha s that Sankara later establised.