Image Source : PTI Representative image India’s present-day Sanatan Dharm, as we know it, owes much of its foundation to Adi Guru Shankaracharya, who laid the cornerstone of its practices and principles. Born in the 5th century BCE, during a time when India faced great challenges, Shankaracharya’s efforts were pivotal in reviving and consolidating the essence of Hinduism amidst external invasions, religious and philosophical challenges, and internal divisions. The 5th century BCE in India was marked by an influx of foreign invaders lured by the country’s wealth, and many of these invaders either plundered its treasures or settled in the land, often influenced by the spiritual richness India offered. This period saw a deterioration of social order, with Eshwar, Dharma, and the Shastras being tested by external forces and internal disputes. It was during this tumultuous time that Shankaracharya took it upon himself to revive and fortify Sanatan Dharma. One of Shankaracharya’s significant contributions was the establishment of four major Peethas (centres of spiritual learning) across the country to unify the practice and propagation of …