Sri Sankara learnt that there was a great learned person by the name Mandana Mishra who lived in Mahishmati and who followed the Karma Mimaamsa method of devotion. When Sri Sankara arrived at his house Mandala Mishra was performing some rituals inside his house and kept the doors closed. Sri Sankara entered the house by using his powers. Mandala Mishra became very angry and shouted at Sri Sankara. But Sri Sankara smiled and explained the uselessness of such rituals. However, Mandala Mishra admired the intelligence of Sri Sankara and started discussions with the condition that who ever lose will become the disciple of the other.

Sri Sankara said that there should be a judge to decide the winner and suggested that Sarasawani, the wife of Mandala Mishra, to be the judge. Sarasawani, who was extremely intelligent and learned, realized that Sri Sankara was none other than Lord Shiva. Naturally, Sri Sankara won. She quietly told her husband "Please invite your Guru to have dinner with us". As per the original condition, Mandala Mishra became an ascetic and started to leave the house. Unable to bear the separation, Sarasawani stood transfixed and told Sri Sankara that according to our faith, the husband and wife, even though have two bodies, are spiritually one and she would be incomplete without her husband. Sri Sankara accepted this and started discussion with this lady. Saraswani showered questions like rain and Sri Sankara gave very beautiful answers and Sarasawani acknowledged him, and followed Sri Sankara's footsteps along with her husband.

In their travels, they reached Sringeri in Karnataka, on the banks of Tungabadra. There, Sarasawani stayed, standing on the sands of Tungabadra. Sri Sankara created a seat for her for spreading the Advaita. This seat is today called the Sharada Peetham or the Seat of Sharada. This was the first Mutt installed by Sri Sankara. When Sri Sankara was in Sringeri, he divined by his superior powers that his mother was in her deathbed, and as per his promise while taking Sanyas that he would be by her side while she breathes her last, he came back to Kaladi, and made His mother Aryambal happy during her last days. Sri Sankara prayed to Lord Venkateswara who appeared there and blessed Aryambal. Sri Sankara did the last rites for his mother in spite of objection from his village people.

During his travels, he arrived at Mukambi, a religious place in Karnataka. A poor brahmin came to Sri Sankara with his deaf and dumb son and prostrated before Sri Sankara. Sri Sankara asked the boy, "Who are you?" The dumb and deaf child, for the first time, opened his mouth and explained, "The body is not me, it is the Paramatma who is my body." Sri Sankara was pleased with his answer and he gave an amla fruit and named this boy as Hastaa-amalakan. (Hastaa means hand and Amalakan means amala). Hastaamalaka became one of the principle disciples of Sri Sankara.

Sri Sankara, with his three principle disciples, namely, Padmapadar, Sureshwarar (Mandala Mishra) and Hastaamalaka, went from place to place, and preached Advaita. Sri Sankara gave intense training to his disciples. One of the other disciples, Giri, while listening to the discourses, would be silent all the time. Some of the other disciples thought that this Giri was a dumb idiot. One day, all the disciples were ready to listen to Sri Sankara's discourses. Sri Sankara waited for Giri to arrive.