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on him. He wanted to be victorious over all the philosophers.
It is the same desire as Alexander the Great had, in a different direction. He wanted to be the conqueror of the world, and Shankara wanted to be the conqueror of all the thinkers and philosophers. What is the difference? The desire, the longing is the same. The ego needs the same nourishment.
He entered into the house, a little nervous. And Mandan Mishra had thousands of disciples -- he was very old. He received Shankara with great love, welcomed him, knowing perfectly well that he has come to challenge him.
Shankara said, "Do you understand my purpose in coming so far to meet you? You are the last person I have to conquer. I want to challenge you for a long discussion."
Mandan Mishra said, "It is perfectly okay. But do you have a judge who will decide who is the winner?"
Shankara had nobody with him, but he had heard much about Mandan Mishra's wife, Bharti. He had heard that she was as great a thinker as Mandan Mishra, so he said, "There is no problem. Your wife, Bharti, can preside and be the sole judge."
The discussion lasted for six months, and finally Bharti gave the judgment that Shankara had been the winner. And this was the tradition of those days: the one who is defeated becomes the disciple of the one who is the winner. So Mandan Mishra said, "If Bharti says that you are the winner, then I am ready to be your disciple."
But Bharti said, "Wait." In India it is a tradition that a man and a woman are only half and half of one whole -- only together are they complete. Bharti said, "Wait. You have won only half of Mandan Mishra; half is still to be defeated. Then we will both become your disciples."
Shankara was amazed. The woman was really courageous: first to declare her husband defeated, and second to prevent Shankara from being victorious until she was defeated. And she was certainly a very clever woman.
Shankara was only thirty-three years of age, and a so-called celibate. I say "so-called" because nobody can be a celibate, it is against nature -- unless you are impotent.
Bharti was very clever. She started the discussion,
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