section_path: Traditional and historical views on Shankara/Hagiographies: Digvijaya - "The conquests of Shankara" (14th-17th century)/Early life
section_name: Early life
paragraph_text: Early life
  
  According to the oldest hagiographies, Shankara was born in the southern Indian state of Kerala, in a village named Kaladi sometimes spelled as Kalati or Karati. He was born to Nambudiri Brahmin parents. His parents were an aged, childless, couple who led a devout life of service to the poor. They named their child Shankara, meaning "giver of prosperity". His father died while Shankara was very young. Shankara's upanayanam, the initiation into student-life, had to be delayed due to the death of his father, and was then performed by his mother.