hastāmalakīyam

Hasta-āmalaka is meant to be ‘an amla berry (āmalakam) in the hand (hasta)’. Śaṅkarācārya used this berry as a metaphor to acknowledge Hastāmalaka’s ‘ripeness’ and his clarity of knowledge regarding Vedānta, and also to reveal the esoteric nature of the Vedāntic scriptures as a whole (to reveal knowledge that is ‘hidden’). Ādi Śaṅkarācārya had four primary, direct disciples whose works survive to the present day; Sureśvara, Padmapāda, Toṭaka and Hastāmalaka. Though numerous texts are available for study by Sureśvara, only this particular work by Hastāmalaka has survived.

It is believed that Hastamalaka was just seven years old when he narrated these 12 verses, in response to a question from Shankara. This remarkable story is detailed below. Shankara himself was compelled to write a commentary on the Hastamalakiyam. It is extraordinary that the master of masters would compose commentary upon the work of his young student.