Śaṅkara sets off on his own towards Kāśi, at the behest of his Guru who tells him to spread the knowledge of the Vedas in Kāśi, because Kāśi is the epicenter of Dharma, the place where Śiva, dwells in every stone, tree, building, air, water, and soil.
Chapter 15 of Śaṅkara Charitam, titled Guru Parampara, takes us through the experience of Śaṅkara taking his leave from his Guru Govinda Bhagavatpāda and embarking on his journey to Kasi. The Guru Parampara, the lineage of the Gurus who preceeded Śaṅkara, is explored.
The Jagannatha Ratha Yatra of Puri, Odisha, while not the only such event in the country, is certainly the most prominent and important one. The siblings Jaganatha, Balabhadra and Subhadra (Krishna with His elder brother and younger sister) are brought out and travel to their aunt's house, known as the Gundicha temple, where they stay for a two week period.
Ratnakar Sadasyula throws light on the lesser known aspects of the Ratha Yatra, its traditions and procedures, in detail.
Chapter 14 of Śaṅkara Charitam, titled Aja Bakṣiṭha Bāśyaṃ, takes us through the experience of Śaṅkara’s Guru Govinda Bhagavatpāda learning from Gauḍapāda, cursed to be in the form of Brahmarākṣasa. What happens after the lessons are over, where destiny takes each of them - Śaṅkara, his Guru Govinda Bhagavatpāda, and his Guru's Guru Gauḍapāda; will be revealed in this chapter.
Chapter 13 of Śaṅkara Charitam takes us through Śaṅkara’s experience with his Guru, Govinda Bhagavatpāda, the completion of his education, and Guru's blessings and final teachings for Śaṅkara to take with him in the world and tackle the thick forest of ignorance enveloping the minds of the people.
Gauḍapāda as Brahmarākṣasa finds Govinda Bhagavatpāda acceptable as a disciple, and the teaching starts atop the pipal tree in which the Brahmarākṣasa resides..........
Chapter 12 of Śaṅkara Charitam takes us through Śaṅkara’s meeting with his Guru, and the Guru's acceptance of Śaṅkara as his disciple.
Govinda Bhagavatpāda asks the boy standing at the foot of the cave, inside which he meditated for centuries, to introduce himself and Śaṅkara calls himself - "Śivaḥ kevalo’ham".
The life of Gauḍapāda as a Brahmarākṣasa and his meeting with Govinda Bhagavatpāda is also mentioned in this chapter.
The boy Śaṅkara continues on his path, in search of his Guru. Meanwhile, Patañjali Mahaṛṣi, who is Śānta-svarūpa of the ugra-rūpa of Ādiśeṣa, aims to teach a thousand students at once; and places two conditions in front of his students. Both conditions are violated by his students, and the aftermath and its ramifications on the journey of Śaṅkara are discussed.
In the 10th Chapter of Śaṅkara Charitam, Śaṅkara starts his life as a saṃnyāsi and takes his first steps toward his Guru, his destiny. Shri Ramesh Venkatraman also delves into evidence regarding Śaṅkara being an avatāra-puruṣa, the active and vocal aspect of Śiva.
In the 9th Chapter of Śaṅkara Charitam, Shri Ramesh Venkatraman takes us to the moment of Śaṅkara's Saṃnyāsa. The unfolding of events is captured; as well as the pre-requisites, eligibility and implications for Śaṅkara after taking the pledge of Saṃnyāsa.
In the 8th Chapter of Śaṅkara Charitam, Shri Ramesh Venkatraman leads us to the events preceding and foreshadowing Śaṅkara's Saṃnyāsa.