In the Indian religious and philosophical traditions, all knowledge is traced back to the Gods and to the Rishis who saw the vedas. Thus, the advaita guru-paramparā (Lineage of Gurus in Non-dualism) begins with the Daiva-paramparā, followed by the Ṛṣi-paramparā, which includes the vedic seers Vaśiṣṭha, his son Śakti, his son Parāśara, his son Vyāsa, (the famous redactor of the vedas, he is also traditionally identified with Bādarāyaṇa, the composer of the Brahmasūtras), and Vyāsa's son Śuka. After Śuka, we turn to the Mānava-paramparā, which brings us to historical times and personalities.
For Advaita Guru Paramparā (Lineage of Gurus of Advaita), the following well known Sanskrit śloka among Smārtas provides the list of the early teachers of the Advaita Vedānta.,
There is another famous sloka of Advaita Guru parampara which is as follows:-
Sada Shiva Samarambham
Sankaracharya Madhyamam
Asmat aacharya Paryantham
Vande Guru Paramparaa
Thus, starting from the Great Lord Shiva, through Sankaracharya and my aacharya, the guru parampara eternally flows….
The above advaita guru paramparā verse salute the prominent gurus of advaita, starting from Nārāyaṇa/Shiva through Adi Sankara and his disciples, up to the Acharyas of today. The paramparā thus lists:
Each Yuga has its own gurus or Acharyas: