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We know that Adi Shankaracharya has written three type of texts:

  1. Bhashya (भाष्य)
  2. Prakarana Grantha (प्रकरण ग्रंथ)
  3. Stora (स्तोत्र)

You can find the full list here and here. But I've heard that not all texts are believed to be authentic work of Adi Shankaracharya. (Some works may be written by his shishya which have been also known as Shankaracharya).

I want to discuss about Prakarana Grantha of Adi Shankaracharya. You can find them with list at here - 1, 2, 3 and at sringeri.net.

I've read some Prakaran Grahtha but later on heard scholars don't believe Sarva Vedanta Sidhaanta Saar Sangrah as authentic work of Adi Shankaracharya.

So, Let me ask a question: Which Prakaran Grantha are believed to be an authentic work of Adi Shankaracharya by scholars?

Note: I know that this question can be considered opinion based at some extent but I think it is important to find and know about the fact.

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  • Only Upadesa sahasri is authentic.
    – user16581
    Feb 16, 2019 at 7:09

1 Answer 1

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This site has compiled a list of works of Adi Shankara and divided them into which are considered authentic and doubtful by scholars. The following are the works which are considered authentic:

Philosophical Works: Considered Authentic:

upadeSa sahasrI (because it’s concept matches Brahmasutra and ajata vada)

Atma bOdh - Commentary (Tika) by svAmI madhUsudan sarasvatI, hence authentic.

viveka cUuDAmaNI – Commentary by Sri candraSekhara bhArati, SankarAcArya of Sringeri, hence confirmed. John Grimes in his scholarly way has refuted the reasons for not accepting viveka chUDAmaNi as not authored by AdI Sankara in his book.

vAkya Vritti - Quoted by srI vidyAraNya svAmI in PanchadaSI 7.71-78 relating to vAkyavRRitti verses 44, 45, 46, 47, 38, 39, 40, 41

aparOkshAnubhUtI - aparOkshAnubhUtI TIkA by srI vidyAraNya svAmI

praSnottara ratnamAlIka - Basic important text, in simple and short Q & A format, some say it was written by Adi Sankara but some sloka-s were added later by his followers. Advaitins reject this claim.

And these are the ones which are seen as doubtful:

Philosophical Works: Authenticity doubtful

While these are accepted by western scholars, they discard some popular works like

tatva bOdh - Basic Text, considered very important

panjikaraNa - Important work, dealing with creation and Advaita, work attributed to vidyAraNya svAmI

prabOdha sudhAkara - stresses on surrender to krishna and vairAGYa, two forms of Brahman, kruShNa and nirguNa.

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  • 1
    Great answer, thank you.
    – user13262
    May 5, 2019 at 8:25

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