Lord Bhavānīshaṅkar - Lord Shaṅkara (Parama Shiva) with His Shakti – Devī Bhavānī - is the presiding deity - the Ārādhya Devatā of the Chitrāpur Sāraswat community.  

Spiritual sources reveal that Lord Bhavānīshaṅkar manifested as the first Guru in His resplendent youthful form as Lord Dakshiṇāmūrti under a banyan tree to impart self-realization in total silence to the four Mānasa putra-s: the 'mind born' sons of Lord Brahmā. 

The steadfast faith and sincere search of the Chitrāpur Sāraswat community for the perfect path to discover the Ultimate Truth and attain self-realization is rooted in the Advaita (non-dual) philosophy propagated by the world-renowned 8th century spiritual giant - Shrī Ādi Shaṅkarāchārya.