As a Brahmachari, he went house to house for his "biksha" food. On a Dwadasi day, Sankara happened to go to a house of a very Poor Lady. "Bhavathi Biksham Dehi", he asked, and the poor lady opened the door. She did not have a single grain of rice or any food to offer. However, she brought one dried Amla fruit - gooseberry as her offering. Realizing her poverty and selflessness at the same time, Sankara prayed to Goddess Sri Lakshmi a beautiful sloka, now called "Kanakadhaara Stothram".

There, Laksmhi appeared in person showering gold coins in the house of the poor woman. As he grew up, the Rishis came to Him reminding of His duty to spread the spiritualism in the land. Now Sankara is eager to become a Sanyasi. He realizes that he has only eight years of life span allotted to Him, but his mother, not knowing this, does not want her son to become a Sanyasi or leave her house. One day, as he was bathing in the river behind their house, he was caught by a crocodile. Sankara pleaded to his mother that his life was nearing its end and he wanted her permission for an instant Sannyas so he could start a new life as a Sanyasi. She granted the same, not knowing what else to do. He got a lease of another eight years of life as a sanyasi.

Then, he goes in search of a Guru to be formally initiated as a Sanyasi and to learn the Dharma. On the banks of Narmada he meets his Guru Sri Govinda Bhagavadpada, who is the pupils of the first exponent of Adhvaitha Sri Gaudapada. After teaching all the Vedas and Advaitha he advised Sankara to go around spreading the message to everyone in the country. Then Sri Sankara went to Kasi, by the time has gained lots of disciples. One of them was Sanandhaya who was drying clothes for his Guru at the river bank. When Sankara called him urgently he came walking across the water, little realizing that he might drown in the water. However, the grace of his Guru resulted in a lotus materializing wherever he was keeping his foot and supporting him across the river. Sri Sankara named him as Padma Paadar [Lotus feet].

Once in Kasi when Sri Sankara was going to the Viswanatha Temple, his path was blocked by an "untouchable" who was accompanied by his wife and four dogs. The disciples of Sankara shouted at him to make way and to keep a distance. The untouchable smiled and said, ""According to your principle of Advaita, which you practice, all the Jivatmas are same as God. Why do you ask me to go? How am I different from your Paramacharya? What you say is unreasonable. How can I go away from myself?" Sri Sankara realized that it was not an ordinary person and that it was Lord Shiva himself who had come along with His consort and the four Vedas.

He prostrated before the Lord and sang five slokas called "Manisha Panchakam". Lord Shiva presented Himself along with Visalakshi and blessed Sri Sankara. When Sri Sankara was 16, a very old Brahmin of ill health started arguments with him about Brahmasutra bashyam which Sri Sankara had written. The arguments continued for days together and the more Sri Sankara argued, his ideas crystallized more and more. He understood that the old man was none other than Vyasa Rishi himself, who was the creator of Brahmasutra. Sri Sankara said that he had done a great disrespect to the sage by entering into an argument. Vyasa Rishi said "I fully agree with your bashyam and I wanted to establish that yours is correct. I bless that you should live another 16 years and you should spread this Advaita throughout the country."