Sri Sankara's Adhvaitha theory was a good reply to the theories of blind rituals of Poorva Mimamsa and to Buddhist teachings which were gaining acceptance in some areas. He also opposed the passive cause and effect theories of Sankhya and Buddhist theories against Vedic Gods. Sri Sankara said that as all is Brahman there is nothing apart from Brahman. Brahman, the Absolute, after creating the elements, enters them as the Light of the soul. It is ever pure, Absolute Reality. It is the material cause as well as the instrumental cause of the universe. Brahman develops Itself into the universe for Its own Lila or sporting, without undergoing any change and without ceasing to be Itself.

Other schools of Vedanta that arose and are prevalent in particular parts of our country during the later periods are only small deviations of Advaita teachings of Sri Sankara. To Sri Sankara belongs the distinction of having liquidated all other previous systems of practice, vaidika and advaidika alike. So conclusively convincing was the Advaita tatva, which he established as parama-taatparya the supreme import of the Upanishads that other thinkers willingly gave up their differing views, and acquiesced in it.

He wrote commentaries to Srimad Baghvad Gita to show Sri Krishna's opposition to blind ritualistic practices as practiced in Karma Mimamsa. In Sankara's Advaitha philosophy, the same Nirguna Brahman appears as Saguna Brahman for the pious worship of the devotees. It is the same Truth from two different points of views. The former is transcendental and the latter is relative.

The Jiva or the individual soul is relatively real. Its individuality lasts until it is bound by the unreal Upathis or limiting conditions due to Avidhyas. The Jiva identifies itself with the body, mind and the senses when it is deluded by the Avidhya or ignorance. Jiva merges one with the Brahman when it gets knowledge through annihilation of Avidhya.

To Sankara, the world also is only relatively real. If you get True knowledge or Jnãna, the Maya will vanish and the illusion of body and world will disappear. The unchanging Brahman appears like changing world through the mysterious Maya. In Vivartha-Vaada, the cause produces the effect without undergoing any change in itself. When Avidhya or the veil of ignorance is destroyed through knowledge of the Eternal, when Mithya-Jnana is removed by true knowledge, we shine in the Divine splendor and glory with the true vision of the Absolute.