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Sankara
Sankara was born in Kaladi, a village in Kerala, India to pious parents, by the grace of Lord Shiva. It would be lessening his fame to call this saint a philosopher.
Some history of Sri Sankaracharya. He is considered an incarnation of Lord Shiva. He lived for 32 years, the boy who was destined to die when he was 8, got his life extended to 16 years when he said "I have renounced" and took to 'Sannyasa' or renunciation. His life got extended to 32 years when he had the Vision of Sage Vyasa, an incarnation of the Lord Narayana, before whom Sankara requested to leave the mortal coil but who extended the life span of Sankara in order that he, Sankara may do good to mankind by his commentaries. Sankara was one of the few saints (others being Vikramaditya a king, Thirumoolar a great saint, Hastamalaka, another great saint) who could transfer their souls (actually what is called the Antarvaha Sarira or purer, subtler causal body) to another body (I think the body should be a dead one!) and return back. Sankara is the exponent of the 'Advaita', the philosophy identifying man with God.
A great saint of Bharath (India) and a pinnacle of wisdom and virtue.
Click here to read the Bhaja Govindam of Sankara and some more of his history
Thiruvalluvar
He is a great Tamil poet saint. Thiruvalluvar is considered by some spiritualists to be an incarnation of Brahma, the father of man. His 1330 verses in Tamil have timeless knowledge in them. He was a votary of God, a wise man, a sage whose vision could see God's existence. I have included his tamil verses separately and my translation (I have to read the simpler explanation in Tamil first and then render it in English!) for those who love to read Tamil.
Valluvar's great work is the 'Thirukkural',
called the 'Common Laws for the World' by Tamils. It would be classified (if it is good to
classify any great work at all) under Ethics and Morality or even Metaphysics (some of his
verses attempt to deal with the nature of Reality).
Here is a summary of some of his verses, and his philosophy.
There are laws by which one has to lead this mortal life. These are eternal and imperishable laws. If one wants happiness, spiritual growth and material growth one should according to these inviolable laws of ethics. God is the Supreme overseer worthy of any and every good of the world. We have to submit to his lotus feet. He resides in our hearts. Grace is the greatest protection for one, not other skills like martial arts. Materials and money are not superior because they are found even with ignorant and bad people, but Grace is the most superior gift we should acquire by doing good.
Non-enviousness, non-anger, non-lust, and not speaking (thinking included) bad words form the right way of living. Preserving good character of onself has to be given priority above one's life... and such others form his ethics.
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