One of Shankara's most significant social reforms was Shanmata (six religions) unification through Panchayatana Puja (five-deity worship). He integrated worship of six deities—Shiva, Vishnu, Shakti (Divine Mother), Ganesha, Surya (Sun), and Kartikeya—into a coherent system. His revolutionary argument: all forms are manifestations of the same Brahman; sectarian conflicts arise from ignorance of underlying unity. Devotees could choose their preferred deity (ishta devata) while recognizing others as equally valid paths. This created the Smarta tradition, reducing violent conflicts between Shaivites, Vaishnavites, and Shaktas that had plagued medieval India. Shankara himself composed devotional hymns to all deities—Soundarya Lahari to the Divine Mother, Shivananda Lahari to Shiva, various Vishnu stotras—demonstrating that non-dualistic philosophy and devotional practice are complementary, not contradictory.