The most celebrated philosophical debate in Indian history occurred at Mahishmati (Bihar) between the young Shankara and the elderly Mandana Mishra, premier scholar of the Mimamsa school. Mandana, disciple of Kumarila Bhatta, defended ritualism and rejected renunciation. The stakes were high: the loser would become the winner's disciple. Mandana's wife Ubhaya Bharati—herself considered an incarnation of Saraswati—served as judge. Each contestant wore a flower garland; the first to wither would indicate defeat. For six months (some sources say 17 days) they debated the nature of reality, the path to liberation, and the role of action versus knowledge. Shankara argued that Brahman alone is real, ritual action leads to bondage, and only knowledge (jnana) liberates. Mandana's garland withered. True to his word, he became Sureshwaracharya, the first head of Sringeri Matha, and wrote important Advaitic works including the Naishkarmya Siddhi.