"Sadaashiva samaarambaam Sankaracharya Madhyamaam                                                                        Asmath Aacharya Paryanthaam Vandhe Guru Paramparaam"

which means "I bow down to the lineage of Gurus starting from Lord Shiva (Dakshinaa morthi), Adi Sankaracharya unto my own Guru"

Lord Dakshinamoorthi is one of the forms of Lord Siva , in sitting posture under a banyan tree, facing south, educating the advaita gnana (knowledge of non-duality) to great learned sages like Sanaka, Sananthana, Sanaathana and Sanathkumara, sons of Lord Brahma. "Dakshina" means south. He is called as Dakshinamoorthi because this form (moorthi) is facing south which direction is said to be the direction of Lord Yama (God of death). This signifies that one who has attained the knowledge of non-duality has crossed the fear of death.

The Lord made the sages to understand this knowledge of high order, without uttering a single word and by showing only "chinmudhra" - joining of the thumb and the first finger of his right arm and leaving the three fingers aside freely. This sign denotes that one who wishes to attain this non-duality, oneness with the Ultimate, should leave three types of ill qualities like Ahankaara (ego), Bondage due to wordily attached work and Maayaa (illusion) and join the Supreme Being as the first finger joins with thumb. The demon who is suppressed under the right feet of the Lord is the embodiment of evil thoughts.