What can one of the greatest saints in the world, Shankaracharya, learn from a humble Chandala and his four dogs? Was the Chandala Shiva himself or was this a story concocted to continue denying the rights to oppressed classes? I promise you that was not how this article was supposed to begin. I was planning to write a simple story about Shiva, but sometimes nature has other ideas for you.
Before we dive deep into the situation in which Adi Shankaracharya met the Chandala, let’s examine the situations in his life that led him to this meeting.