He was made the first Jagadguru (head) of the Jyotir Pīthaṃ, the original northern maṭha founded by Ādi Śaṅkara in Uttarakhand.
One day, Giri was busy plucking flowers for pooja, when Ādi Śaṅkara sat down to begin a lesson on Advaita Vedānta.
The enlightened Giri composed extempore the Toṭakāṣṭakam, a Sanskrit poem in the toṭaka metre, in praise of the Guru Ādi Śaṅkara.
हृदये कलये विमलं चरणं भवशङ्कर देशिक मे शरणं ॥ १॥ hṛdaye kalaye vimalaṃ caraṇaṃ bhavaśaṅkara deśika me śaraṇaṃ ॥ 1॥ And I meditate on his clear holy feet in my heart.
अतिदीनमिमं परिपालय मां भवशङ्कर देशिक मे शरणं ॥ ५॥ atidīna mimaṃ paripālaya māṃ bhavaśaṅkara deśika me śaraṇaṃ ॥ 5॥ When I understood it is him, I became ecstasic with happiness, And requested, please dry the ocean of passion in me.