Shankaracharya

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Shankaracharya, (IAST: Śaṅkarācārya, Shankara acharya) is a commonly used title of heads of monasteries called mathas in the Advaita Vedanta tradition. The title derives from Adi Shankara, a 9th century CE reformer of Hinduism. He is honored as Jagadguru, a title that was used earlier only to Lord Krishna. The popular view among historians is that there were four mathas established by Ādi Śankara:

• the Uttarāmnāya matha, or northern matha at Jyotir Math in the city of Jyotirmath
• the Pūrvāmnāya matha or eastern matha, the Govardhana matha, at Puri
• the Dakshināmnāya matha, or the Sringeri Sharada Peetham, the southern matha, at Shringeri
• the Paśchimāmnāya matha, or the Dvaraka Pitha, the western matha, at Dwarka .

The existence of such multiple mathas occurs because a Guru/or descendant of the Shankaracharya lineage could have had many disciples. This could have resulted in the branching out of the parent institution. It is also possible that a Guru might have died without naming a successor, leading to the formation of rival groups. For example, the Jyotir Math and Govardhan matha have had broken lineages and were later revived.

Shankaracharya is also seen as an avatar of Shiva(Shankara). Shankaracharya is responsible for founding many punyakshetras along the length and breadth of India, by taming avatars of Parvati and imprisoning her essence in Sri Chakras.

Kolkota: A Sri Chakra exists on the dietys tongue.

Further reading [edit]

• Mukhyananda, Swami (2006) Sri Shankaracharya: life and philosophy: an elucidative and reconciliatory interpretation, 4th ed.; ISBN 81-7505-283-X; Kolkata; Advaita Ashrama

See also [edit]

• Jagadguru of Sringeri Sharada Peetham
• Swāmī Abhinava Vidyā Tīrtha: Śaṅkarācārya of Śṛṅgeri
• Swāmī Bhāratī Tīrtha: Śaṅkarācārya of Śṛṅgeri
• Swāmī Bhāratīkṛṣṇa Tīrtha: respected scholar; mathematician; first Śaṅkarācārya to visit the West
• Swāmī Brahmānanda Sarasvatī: Śrīvidyā siddha; highly-respected Śaṅkarācārya of Jyotirmāyā Pīṭha, Śaṅkara Matha, Badrināth
• Swāmī Candrasekhara Bhāratī: Śaṅkarācārya of Śṛṅgeri
• Swāmī Kṛṣṇabodha Āśrama: Śaṅkarācārya of Jyotirmāyā Pīṭha, Śankara Matha, Badrināth
• Swāmī Saccidānanda Bhāratī: Śaṅkarācārya of Śṛṅgeri
• Swāmī Saccidānanda Bhāratī: Śaṅkarācārya of Śṛṅgeri
• Swāmī Saccidānanda Śivābhinava Nṛsiṁha Bhāratī: Śaṅkarācārya of Śṛṅgeri
• Swāmī Swarūpānanda Sarasvatī: Śaṅkarācārya of Jyotirmāyā Pīṭha, Śaṅkara Matha, Badrināth
• Swāmī Vidyāraṇya Tīrtha: Śaṅkarācārya of Śṛṅgeri

Esoteric Buddhism by A.P. Sinnett, pp 81 ISBN 1438503652

References [edit]

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Shankaracharyas

• An account of the four amnaya mathas, and the Dashanamī parampāra

v t e Śaṃkara Maṭhas Dvāraka Pīṭha Govardhana Pīṭha Jyotirmaṭha Pīṭha Śārada Pīṭha