Hastamalaka was a direct disciple of Adi Shankaracharya. There is an interesting story about the life of Hastamalaka which was narrated by Adi Shankaracharya himself. When Adi Shankara was travelling in the western parts of India he once came to Srivali Village. A worried father of a 13-year-old son, approached Adi Shankara. He told the Great Guru that the boy had been dumb from his childhood, that he had no likes and dislikes, nor a sense of honour or dishonor, and that he was completely inactive. When Adi Shankaracharya asked the boy in a cheerful tone ‘Who Are You’, the boy, Hastamalaka, gave the famous reply which came to be known as the Hastamalaka Stotram. The boy told Adi Shankaracharya that he was Brahman through numerous examples. After listening to the 14 verses chanted by Hastamalaka, Adi Shankaracharya realized the greatness of the boy. He then told the father of the boy that he had become your son due to his incomplete austerities in previous birth. It is