Misplaced Pages

#410589

94-630: Shri Chitrapur Math is the central math (community temple) for the Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin sect. It has been located at Shirali in the Bhatkal Taluk in the North Kanara district of Karnataka since 1757. The other maths of the community are located in Gokarna , Karla, Mangalore and Mallapur. All of the maths have the insignia of the saffron flag. The chief deity worshipped in

188-577: A prasutishala (maternity house), vaidya (physician), an arogyashala (health house) and a viprasattra (kitchen) with the religious center where people from all social background could be fed and cared for. The historical role of mathas as knowledge and services repository is attested in early Sanskrit texts, as well as many historical inscriptions found along the ruins of Indian temples and monasteries. For example, several stone inscriptions in Sanskrit and Western Chalukya era Kannada have been found near

282-506: A shishya (Disciple) to succeed Him as the Head of the community. (NOTE: In this article henceforth Swamiji will refer to Swami Parijñānāshram III ) Swami Parijñānāshram was born to Shantābai and Shankarnārāyan Laxman Shukla (Bhat) on June 15, 1947, at Shirali in Karnataka . He was named Ravīndra Shankarnārāyan Shukla (Bhat) . He did His primary schooling till the age of 6 at Shirali, under

376-638: A Shaiva matha , for example, dates to around 800 CE, which was attached to a temple. It hosted scholars and students for theosophical studies. Another inscription from about 1100 CE, states Hartmut Scharfe, attests that a matha was the center of medieval medical studies ( Charaka Samhita ) and of Vedic grammar in Tamil Nadu. Madhvacharya , the founder of Dvaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy, studied in an Advaita Vedanta monastery, but found Advaita unconvincing, and launched theistic Dvaita school of Vedanta interpretation, establishing Mathas (monasteries) by

470-487: A keen interest in archaeology and established an Archeology museum at Chitrapur. His sense of compassion was well known by people both within and outside the community. He would visit devotees in hospitals regularly irrespective of status or wealth. This development oriented mindset was something that was usually never anticipated from a religious figure. This progressive outlook did not go well with certain orthodox members of society. Swami Parijñānāshram felt restrained by

564-747: A militant group, trained in arms, rebelled against Islamic rule and at times cooperated with the British colonial officials as mercenaries. Known for his egalitarian views in a time of political uncertainty and Hindu-Islam conflicts, Ramananda and his matha accepted disciples without discriminating anyone by gender, class, caste or religion (he accepted Muslims). Traditional scholarship holds that his disciples included later Bhakti movement poet-sants such as Kabir , Ravidas , Bhagat Pipa and others, however some postmodern scholars have questioned some of this spiritual lineage while others have supported this lineage with historical evidence. His ideas also influenced

658-576: A museum. He started a school for the disabled in Bolinj at Virar near Mumbai . Swāmi Parijnānāshram III attained mahasamadhi in Bangalore in 1991. His Samadhi is located at Karla near Lonavla in Maharashtra. The samadhi enclave also contains a temple of Goddess Durga Parmeshwari and Shree Ganesha just like the other Swamijis. The previous Swamiji had not adopted a disciple ( shisya ). But some members of

752-595: A place for teaching the six systems of philosophy—namely the Nyāya, Vaiśeṣika, Mīmāṃsā, Sāṃkhya, Buddhist, etc.; a place for teaching the treatises on Yoga— namely the Lākulasiddhānta, the work of Patañjali, and others; a place for various [branches of] learning (vividhavidyāsthāna), such as the 18 Purāṇas, the Dharmaśāstras, all Kāvya compositions, drama, dance, and so on; a place for the provision of food (annadā- nasthāna) to

846-661: A pontiff, who is considered to be an authority on Saiva Siddhanta. Aadheenams are from the Vellalar community who are devout followers of Shaiva Siddhanta . Vellalars are a traditionally farmers and landowning community found in Tamil Nadu with a strong tradition of education and scholarship. There is also a Hawaii Adheenam , established by Srilankan Tamil immigrants in Hawaii. Nagarathars are also followers of Saiva Siddhanta. The history of Aadheenams in South India can be traced back to

940-576: A range of names such as Jogi (Yogis), Natha , Darshani , Kanphata of Gorakshanath sampradaya . Shaiva Siddhanta is a theistic school of Shaivism based on dualism (human soul and God are different), and it established matha at least from the middle of 1st millennium CE. Archeological evidence dated to 724 CE suggests the existence of an influential Saiva Siddhanta matha named after Mattamayura . Other historical evidence suggests that these Shaiva monks were active in Shaiva theosophical scholarship and

1034-556: A scholar variously dated to be from 11th to 13th century, proposed a compromise that was inclusive of all Vedanta schools, stating that everyone is right, that truth is simultaneously Advaita, Vishishtadvaita and Dvaita at the same time, calling his philosophy as Dvaitadvaita or Bhedabheda system. He moved to Vrindavan-Mathura, and launched a matha centered around loving devotion to Radha-Krishna (Radheshyam) worship. This group emphasized togetherness of community, public singing and constant bhakti. The Mathas of this group are: Ramananda

SECTION 10

#1732917011411

1128-460: A task that is difficult by normal standards. He was probably the first sanyasi to obtain such a license. He was also an active user of the amateur radio. Swami Parijñānāshram's regime was filled with lots of opposition from many quarters. His dynamic and progressive outlook was something that was never expected from a sanyasi like Him. The large scale industrial, commercial and technical development did not go well with certain orthodox sections of

1222-499: Is a Sanskrit word that means 'institute or college', and it also refers to a monastery in Hinduism . An alternative term for such a monastery is adheenam . The earliest epigraphical evidence for mathas related to Hindu-temples comes from the 7th to 10th century CE. The most famous Advaita Vedanta mathas or peethams , which came to be affiliated with the Advaita tradition in

1316-541: Is a monastery, often with numerous students, many teachers and an institutionalized structure to help sustain and maintain its daily operations. Their organization is more sophisticated than an Ashrama or Gurukul which is usually boutique and caters to a smaller group of students. A matha , like a college, designates teaching, administrative and community interaction functions, with prefix or suffix to names, with titles such as Guru , Acharya , Swami and others. In Lingayat Shaiva mathas for example, teachers are Gurus ,

1410-521: Is an active Shaivism monastery named after the medieval saint, Gorakhnath of the Nath sampradaya. The matha and town of Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh is named after him. The monastery and the temple performs various cultural and social activities and serves as the cultural hub of the city. The monastery also publishes texts on the philosophy of Gorakhnath. Parijnanashram III Swami Parijñānāshram III

1504-606: Is as fond of Sahasranāmavali ( Sahasranama -Set of 1000 or more names of a God ) as of Ashtōttara (Collection of 8 names of a God). This Mahasabha should decide whether Swamiji should act as per the Sahasranāmavali or the Ashtōttara . To our mind, if you want the Parampara founded by Adi Parijnanashram to continue, then we should come back as Mathadhipati. Even if we are to be Chitrapur Math Mathadhipati, we would not interfere with

1598-537: Is in Kanchi, from the 4th-century CE. The matha tradition of Hinduism attracted royal patronage, attracting endowments to support studies, and these endowments established, states Hartmut Scharfe, what may be "the earliest case on record of a university scholarship". Some of these medieval era mathas of Hinduism in Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , Kerala and Tamil Nadu , were for Vedanta studies, but some mathas from

1692-650: Is located in Mallapur . The disciple chosen by him hailed from the Talgeri family and was given the name of Shri Keshavashram. He began acquiring land and other agricultural assets for the math . Swami Keshavashram ordained a young disciple once again from the Shukla family under the name Shri Vamanashram, who entrusted day-to-day matters of the math to the priests. He attained mahasamadhi in Mangalore . A disciple adopted by him from

1786-688: Is one of the legendary monasteries in the Nath tradition which attracted converts from Buddhism and infusion of Buddhist ideas into Shaivism, and it continues to be a part of the Nath Shaiva tradition, particularly during the Kumbh Mela celebrations in modern times. The Nath Siddha tradition of Shaivism is credited with establishing numerous Shiva Hindu temples and monasteries, particularly in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, north Bihar, and Nepal. The Gorakhnath matha

1880-468: Is one's spiritual guide, who helps one to discover the same potentialities that the guru has already realized. The guru concept is traceable to ancient Vedic times, found in traditional schools as well as a matha . The oldest references to the concept of guru are found in the earliest Vedic texts of Hinduism . The guru , and gurukul – a school run by guru , were an established tradition in India by

1974-564: Is our resolve that no other Shishya who is initiated by any other Sanyasi will be acceptable to the community. Despite these decisions, the Kshamāyāchana (Letter of forgiveness) by members of the Karla Math (People who were strong supporters of Swamiji) to the present head of the Chitrapur Math, Swami Sadyojāt Shankarāshram in 2005, led to the mending of relations between the two sections of

SECTION 20

#1732917011411

2068-436: Is someone who is a " teacher , guide or master" of certain knowledge. He or she is someone more than a teacher, traditionally a reverential figure to the student, with the guru serving as a "counselor, who helps mold values, shares experiential knowledge as much as literal knowledge, an exemplar in life, an inspirational source and who helps in the spiritual evolution of a student." The term also refers to someone who primarily

2162-625: Is the eleventh of this lineage of Gurus which began in 1708. Swami Parijnanashram I is believed to have been a direct avatar of Shiva himself and he came down from somewhere in the North (probably Varanasi ). Not many details are known about this Swami, since record-keeping within the math started in about 1722. Swami Shankarashram hailed from the Harite family. He was consecrated by Shri Parijnanashram Swami in 1720 (Sharvari Chaitra Sh-15). He attained mahasamadhi in 1757 (Ananda, Phalgun Sh-5). At this point

2256-636: The Vishishtadvaita philosophy include Parakala Matha at Mysore , Karnataka; Ahobila Matha at Ahobilam , Andhra Pradesh ; and Srimad Andavan Ashramam at Srirangam , Tamil Nadu. Other major and influential mathas belong to various schools of Hindu philosophy, such as those of Vaishnavism and Shaivism. The monastery host and feed students, sannyasis (monks, renouncers, ascetics), gurus and are led by acharyas . These monasteries are sometimes attached to Hindu temples and have their codes of conduct, initiation and election ceremonies. The mathas in

2350-484: The Mahasabha reached the conclusion that the guru parampara would be continued by that person whom Swamiji had accepted as a shishya (disciple) and that any other person anointed as the head of the community would not be part of the original Guru Parampara that started in 1708. Given below are parts of the āshirvachan (spiritual discourse) Swamiji gave to the Mahasabha . The statements in parentheses are not part of

2444-623: The Mahā-samādhi , He took over as the sovereign head of the community of Sāraswats. This long period of tutelage under His guru allowed Parijñānāshram to attain a great command over the Sanskrit scriptures. He toured along with His guru everywhere and thus could attain hands-on experience in the matters of spirituality as well as administration. Swamiji took charge of the finances of the matha and used it for large scale developmental projects. These projects were not just aimed at social development but also technical improvements. His eagerness to make

2538-526: The Shāntisukhada are proof in that respect. On August 27, 1991, Swamiji, suddenly left for Bangalore to be at the Chitrapur Math there, the place where His Guru Swami Ānandāshram had died. Two days later, on August 29, 1991, Swami Parijñānāshram III died at the young age of 44. He had not accepted a shishya (disciple) to succeed Him as the head of the community and continue the Guru Parampara as

2632-560: The math is Shri Bhavanishankar , a form of Shiva . The other 6 sanctorums of the temple are of the Samadhis of the previous GuruSwami's of the community. Daily puja is carried out at the shrine of Bhavanishankar as well as the other Swamijis. As of 2023 Shri Sadyojat Shankarashram Swamiji is the head of the math , having ascended the Peetha in February 1997. Shree Sadyojat Shankarashram Swamiji

2726-502: The mathādhipati very clear to the community. He wanted the community to be one and the divisions to be mended. Swamiji had received several letters asking him to go back to become the head of the community. This was so that the Guru parampara could be continued if He accepted a shishya (disciple). He stated that some people still considered Him as an excommunicated guru and any disciple of His too would be considered as excommunicated. Later

2820-506: The 10th-century attached medical care along with their religious and educational roles. This is evidenced by various inscriptions found in Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and elsewhere. An inscription dated to about 930 CE states the provision of a physician to two matha to care for the sick and destitute. Similarly, a stone inscription in Andhra Pradesh dated to about 1262 CE mentions the provision of

2914-642: The 13th century, with its matha headquarters in Gorakhpur , Uttar Pradesh. Many of their mathas are found in the northern, central and western states of India particularly in the Himalayas, but archeological inscriptions suggest their mathas existed in south India as well. The early Nath monks received endowments in Karnataka, for example, between the 10th and 13th century, which later became a temple and Shaiva matha hub for them near Mangalore . The Kadri matha, for instance,

Chitrapur Math - Misplaced Pages Continue

3008-566: The 14th century, are Govardhanmaṭha Pīṭhaṃ at Puri , Odisha ; Śārada Pīṭhaṃ at Sringeri , Karnataka ; Kalika Pīṭhaṃ at Dvāraka , Gujarat ; Jyotirmaṭha Pīṭhaṃ at Badari , Uttarakhand ; and Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham at Kanchi , Tamil Nadu . The most famous and influential Dvaita Vedanta mathas or peethams are Ashta Mathas at Udupi , Karnataka; Uttaradi Matha at Bangalore , Karnataka; Vyasaraja Matha at Sosale , Karnataka; and Raghavendra Matha at Mantralayam , Andhra Pradesh. Famous mathas or peethams professing

3102-629: The 14th century, to propagate Shankara's view of Advaita. According to another tradition in Kerala, after Sankara's samadhi at Vadakkunnathan Temple, his disciples founded four mathas in Thrissur, namely Naduvil Madhom , Thekke Madhom, Idayil Madhom and Vadakke Madhom. Other Advaita Vedanta mathas following Smarta Tradition include: Shaiva mathas were established at least from the 1st millennium onwards, in Kashmir, Himalayan regions such as Nepal and throughout

3196-512: The 18th and 19th centuries. They were instrumental in the revival of Saiva Siddhanta philosophy during the 19th century, and they also played a major role in the Indian independence movement. Aadheenams continue to play an important role in South Indian society today. They are centers of learning and spirituality, and they provide social services to the community. Aadheenams are an important part of

3290-662: The 1st millennium BCE, and these helped compose and transmit the various Vedas , the Upanishads , texts of various schools of Hindu philosophy , and post-Vedic Shastras ranging from spiritual knowledge to various arts. The mathas hosted these teachers and their students as they pursued their studies. By about mid 1st millennium CE, archaeological and epigraphical evidence suggest numerous larger institutions of gurus existed in India, some near Hindu temples, where guru-shishya tradition helped preserve, create and transmit various fields of knowledge. The first epigraphical evidence of

3384-508: The 6th century CE. The first Aadheenam was founded by the Hindu saint Appar , who is considered to be one of the three Nayanars, or great saints, of Saiva Siddhanta. The other two Nayanars were Sundarar and Tirugnanasambandar . Aadheenams flourished during the 16th and 17th centuries, during which time they played a major role in the spread of Saiva Siddhanta philosophy. Aadheenams continued to play an important role in South Indian society during

3478-654: The 700 to 1000 CE period predominantly focussed on Shaivism, Vaishnavism, military, martial arts, music, painting or other fields of knowledge including subjects related to Buddhism and Jainism. There is evidence, states Hartmut Scharfe, of mathas in eastern and northern India from 7th century CE onwards, such as those in Kashmir , Uttar Pradesh particularly in the Hindu holy city of Kashi , Madhya Pradesh , Bihar and Odisha , but these are not from ancient temple inscriptions, but implied from traveller records (Chinese) who visited these regions. Brahmins were likely involved in

3572-722: The Advaita leaning of the Sannyasa Upanishads , the major monastries of the early medieaval period belonged to the Advaita Vedanta tradition, preserving and possibly adapting the Sannyasa Upanishads with their Advaita leaning. Mathas , as simple huts for wandering ascetics, are mentioned in chapter 12.139 of the Mahabharata and section 3.1 of Baudhayana Dharmasutras . Matha-s were regionally known by other terms, such as Ghatika-s and Khandika-s . The oldest verifiable Ghatika for Vedic studies, from inscription evidence

3666-950: The Deccan region under Kakatiya dynasty sponsorship, many of which were destroyed in Hindu-Muslim wars that ended the Kakatiya rule. The origins of Golaki matha of central India has been traced to more ancient monasteries in Kashmir. In Karnataka, historical evidence suggests that Queen Alhanadevi established the Shaiva monastery called Kodiya matha which included a temple, monastic lodging and study hall, with scholarship on Vedas, Shastras and Puranas . The Chola dynasty sponsored many influential Shaiva mathas. While many Shaiva monasteries had attached temples, some did not and were entirely dedicated to education and scholarship. Adheenams are ancient Tamil Saiva Siddhantha monasteries and mutts in South India and Srilanka. Aadheenams are typically headed by

3760-573: The Hindu tradition have not been limited to religious studies, and historical evidence suggests that they were centers for diverse studies such as medieval medicine, grammar and music. The term matha is also used for 'monastery' in Jainism , and the earliest monasteries near Jain temples are dated to be from about the 5th-century CE. Matha (Sanskrit: मठ) refers to 'cloister, institute, or college', and in some contexts refers to 'hut of an ascetic, monk or renunciate' or 'temple for studies'. The root of

3854-720: The Mathadhipati. Unfortunately some people have misinterpreted this in their own way. Let the Mahasabha decide on this question. We shall abide by its decision. The Mahasabha then recorded a resolution : RESOLVED that the only way to continue the present parampara founded by Adi Parijnanashram Swamiji is to install H.H.Parijnanashram Swamiji III as the Mathadhipati and accept a Shishya initiated by Him. Further RESOLVED that as per tradition, custom and usage, Chitrapur Saraswat community has accepted only that Shishya who has been initiated by our own Guru and in view of this tradition, it

Chitrapur Math - Misplaced Pages Continue

3948-521: The Nagarkar family was ordained for Sannyasa under the title of Shri Krishnashram. During the reign of Shri Krishnashram most of the disciples were brought round from Vaishnava practices, land was purchased and reforms introduced. The Rath Utsava (chariot festival) was started. He was a scholar in Sanskrit and the shastras . The disciple ordained by him was Shri Pandurangashram. Shri Pandurangashram, of

4042-502: The Nagarkar family, was the eighth sant , and reigned for over fifty years. He was ordained into Sanyasa at 12 years of age and was trained under the Guruswami for five years. The greater part of the math was rebuilt and all the Samadhis of his predecessors were reconstructed with silver under this tutelage. He built a school, a post office and other structures of necessity in the village. He

4136-578: The Panchavati Hills near Shirali, the weather became very cyclonic. He noticed two fishermen trying to battle the cyclonic conditions in the Arabian Sea but they failed after their boat capsized and they drowned. This incident deeply hurt Swamiji as He was helpless and could not help the fishermen. Thus came the idea of starting a wireless station at Pachavati that could be used for communication in times of emergency. A wireless transmitter-receiver station

4230-638: The Pandit family was considered a worthy person for this position. He was ordained Shri Parijnanashram-II. He adopted a disciple from the priestly family of Shukla, assigning him the name of Shri Shankarashram-II, and spent his life in Kollur in Dhyan (intense meditation), though he often visited Shirali. His Samadhi is located to the right of the Main Samadhi at Shri Chitrapur Math, Shirali.. The samadhi of Swami Shankarashram-II

4324-600: The Shiva temple and monastery in a village near Dharwad district (northwest Karnataka–Maharashtra border). These slabs have been dated to between 1094 and 1215 CE. One of these includes the role of Kodiya–matha – also referred to as the Dakshina Kedarasvera matha . It states: There is the Kōḍiyamaṭha, the place of Dakṣiṇakēdāra (dakṣiṇakēdārasthāna), location of a beautiful field of crops [which are] like hairs bristling for

4418-413: The administration. It is only when we as Mathadhipati initiate a Shishya that the present Guruparampara founded by Adi Parijnanashram Swamiji will continue. Or else any Shishya initiated by any other Mathadhipati will be starting a new parampara and the old one will end with Us. This parampara has lasted for over 200 years. Now if a Shishya initiated by any other Mathadhipati is accepted, you will be breaking

4512-474: The administrative functions the responsibilities of Acharyas, and the community relations of Swami . A similar organization is found in Vaishnava mathas . The word Acharya in Hindu monastic tradition refers to either a Guru of high rank, or more often to the leader of a monastery and sampradaya (teaching institution, denomination). This position typically involves a ceremonial initiation called diksha by

4606-406: The colonial era scholars trying to rediscover historic Indian literature. The four major Advaita mathas state in their founding documents that the respective responsibility of the mathas was to preserve one Veda each. Some Hindu monasteries offered hospice care for pilgrims and various forms of assistance to their local communities. Hindu mathas and temples – like Buddhist monasteries – had by

4700-606: The community found out that a Saraswat youth had taken Sannyas and was in Mount Abu . They requested him to ascend the Peetha ; he agreed, and became the 11th Guru. The lineage of all Swamis of this Math is called The Guru Parampara. All these books are internal publication and are available with the Chitrapur Math Matha Traditional A matha ( /mʌt/ ; Sanskrit : मठ , maṭha ), also written as math , muth , mutth , mutt , or mut ,

4794-482: The community. Moreover, Swami Sadyojāt Shankarāshram accepted Swami Parijnānāshram III as his guru. (See Mending of relationships ) After abdication, Swamiji settled down at the Jnānānand , an ashram He had constructed in the town of Karla in Maharashtra. He continued His pursuits of welfare, but with the freedom of extending it to all people irrespective of creed, caste or status. The Vocational Centre at Virar and

SECTION 50

#1732917011411

4888-570: The construction of an ashram by name Jñānānand in the town of Kārla in Maharashtra. He used this as a retreat while touring in Maharashtra and eventually as His abode after His abdication. He also constructed a temple for goddess Durga called the Sri Durga Paramēshwari Mata Madir . The samādhi (Shrine) of Swamiji is also located at Karla. The other projects undertaken during the regime of Swamiji were aimed at commercial, industrial and technical progress. The main project

4982-472: The construction of housing societies, starting an institution for the physically and mentally challenged children as well as construction of temples and a matha . Ānandāshraya provided these "orphaned" elders a place to stay and enjoy the last days of their lives with love, dignity and self-respect. They could attend all the activities at the Chitrapur Math which helped quell their spiritual desires. This

5076-571: The criticism and opposition are mentioned as follows: Swamiji was tired of the constant opposition He faced. So as an act of grace, He did the ultimate sacrifice ( Tyāga ) of relinquishing the title of head of the community and the matha by 1981. This was reminiscent of the Tyāga made by Swami Vāmanāshram . On December 24, 1989, the Mahasabha (grand gathering/meeting) of the Sāraswats took place at Mumbai where Swamiji made His position regarding becoming

5170-770: The early 13th century. There are twenty four Madhva mathas set up all over India , including those in Udupi. The twelve Mathas that are descended through Madhvacharya's direct disciples, Adhokshaja Teertha, Hrishikesha Teertha, Narasimha Teertha, Upendra Teertha, Rama Teertha, Vamana Teertha, Janardhana Teertha and Madhva's brother Vishnu Tirtha in Tulu region are the Pejawara Matha , Palimaru Matha, Adamaru Matha, Puttige Matha, Sodhe Matha, Kaniyooru Matha, Shiroor Matha, Krishnapura Matha , Bhandarakeri Matha, Subramanya Matha, Chitrapura Matha, Bhimanakatte Matha. Out of these twelve Madhva Mathas,

5264-425: The education and oral culture of textual transmission in ancient India through the gurukul tradition, but inscription evidence collected by E. Hultzsch suggests that at least some matha attached to temples were dominated by non-Brahmins by the early 2nd millennium CE. The mathas and attached temples routinely hosted debating, Vedic recital and student competitions, and these were part of community festivals in

5358-519: The education of young Ravīndra was done at Poddar High School, Santa Cruz in Mumbai. He studied there till He was ordained to be the shishya of Anandashram Swami . As a child He was an avid collector of stamps and coins- a hobby He pursued even after becoming the Head of the Community. At the age of 12, Parijnanashram was chosen by the incumbent guru Anandashram Swami to be his shishya (disciple). He

5452-545: The fabric of South Indian society, and they continue to play a vital role in the Hindu faith. Some of the most famous Aadheenams includes The Nath tradition is a syncretic Yoga and Vedanta schools of Hindu philosophy based Shaiva tradition, that reveres Shiva and Dattatreya . Its founding is attributed to the ideas of Matsyendranath and Gorakshanath , developed further with an additional seven other Siddha Yoga Gurus called "Naths" (literally, lords). The Nath Yogi sampradaya and monastic organizations grew starting with

5546-682: The financial position of the math , which had dwindled during his early years, by making payments of vantiga (donations) almost mandatory. He reigned for 51 years and traveled widely. He attained mahasamadhi in Bangalore in 1966. A disciple was adopted by Sri Anandashram Swamiji in 1959, once again from the Shuklakar family. His name was Swāmi Parijnānāshram III . He restarted the Rathotsava since it had been discontinued by previous Swamis for financial reasons. He collected antiques and artifacts to set up

5640-809: The first eight are referred to as Ashta Mathas of Udupi . These eight surround the Anantheswara Krishna Hindu temple . These mathas are laid out in a rectangle, the temples on a square grid pattern. The monks in the matha are sannyasis , and the tradition of their studies and succession ( Paryaya system) were established by Madhvacharya. Along with twelve mathas, there are ten mathas that are descended through Madhvacharya 's direct disciples, Padmanabha Tirtha , Narahari Tirtha , Madhava Tirtha , Akshobya Tirtha and Akshobya Tirtha's disciple Jayatirtha . They are Uttaradi Matha , Vyasaraja Matha , Raghavendra Matha , Sripadaraja Matha, Kanva Matha, Baligaru Matha, Kudli Matha, Tambehalli Matha (also known as Majjigehalli Maṭha), Kundapur Matha, Sagarakatte Matha. Out of

5734-444: The founding of Sikhism in 15th century, and his teachings are included in the Sikh scripture Guru Granth Sahib . Shri Ramcharitmanas is a key text of this matha . While Shankara is traditionally regarded as the founder of the most famous monasteries in Hinduism, there are no records of those mathas before the 14th century. In the 14th century, the founders of the Vijayanagara Empire started to patronize Sringeri matha . In

SECTION 60

#1732917011411

5828-499: The function of mathas to include feeding the poor and devotees who visit, hosting marriages and community festivals, farming temple lands and flower gardens as a source for food and worship ingredients, being open to pilgrims as rest houses, and this philanthropic role of these Hindu monasteries continues. In the 15th-century, these monasteries expanded by establishing Ramanuja-kuta in major South Indian Sri Vaishnavism locations. Some Srivaishnavism monasteries include: Nimbarka ,

5922-532: The headquarters at Kanchi matha . Dwarka in the West, Jagannatha Puri in the East, Sringeri in the South and Badrinath in the North. Each math was headed by one of his disciples, called Shankaracharya, who each independently continued the Advaita Vedanta Sampradaya. The ten Shankara-linked Advaita monastic orders are distributed as follows: Bharati, Puri and Saraswati at Sringeri, Aranya and Vana at Puri, Tirtha and Ashrama at Dwarka, and Giri, Parvata and Sagara at Badrinath. According to tradition, each math

6016-463: The history of South Asia. These mathas were also the centers where many new texts were composed, as well as the libraries and repository of ancient and medieval manuscripts, where the old texts were preserved and decaying copies replaced over the centuries. The Thiruvavaduthurai Adhinam – a Shaiva matha about twenty kilometers northeast of Kumbhakonam , for example, was a major source of preserved palm-leaf manuscripts of ancient Tamil literature for

6110-406: The issue of location of his Samadhi came up, and the Nagarkatti family offered their house in Chitrapur, Shirali for construction of the Samadhi and the Temple, which stands till today. Shri Shankarashram-I had not adopted any disciple which caused some concern as to the continuity of this lineage. The threat of property takeover by the regional authorities loomed large over the Math, and a member of

6204-457: The lack of acceptance from certain sections of society and which finally resulted in His abdication of the post of the Head of Chitrapur Math ( Mathādhipati ) in 1979. He relinquished the title of the Head of the Community fully by 1981. After this, He travelled all across India and even went abroad (The first guru of the community to do so), before He settled down in a matha constructed under his regime, at Karla . He continued His service for

6298-575: The largest monastic Hindu renunciant community in modern times. The monasteries of these ascetics are found particularly in the northern and western states of India, in Nepal, but they are also found as wandering monks. The largest mathas of the Ramanandi tradition are in Ayodhya and Varanasi , and Ramanandi monks are also known as Bairagis or Vairagis (literally, detached ones), their groups called Akharas . The Ramanandi mathas are historically notable for being part of warrior ascetics movement in medieval India, where monks metamorphosed into

6392-441: The late 15th century, the patronage of the Vijayanagara kings shifted to Vaisnavism. Following this loss of patronage, Sringeri matha had to find others means to propagate its former status, and the story of Shankara establishing the four cardinal mathas , as cast in the wholly legendary digvijaya genre, may have originated in the 16th century. These Advaita mathas have hosted the Daśanāmi Sampradāya under five Maṭhas, with

6486-580: The lion's share in the task of developing and propagating the philosophy of Madhva . For this reason they can unhesitatingly be regarded as the intellectual heirs to the legacy of Madhva , Jayatirtha and Vyasatirtha . The main center of Madhva's tradition is in Karnataka . The monastery has a pontiff system, that rotates after a fixed period of time. The pontiff is called Swamiji , and he leads daily Krishna prayers according to Madhva tradition, as well as annual festivals. The process and Vedic mantra rituals for Krishna worship in Dvaita monasteries follow

6580-591: The monastery he founded. The monastery include kitchens, bhojan-shala , run by monks and volunteers. These serve food daily to nearly 3,000 to 4,000 monks, students and visiting pilgrims without social discrimination. During succession ceremonies, over 10,000 people are served a vegetarian meal by Udupi bhojan-shalas . Other Dvaita Mathas include: Ramanuja , the Sri Vaishnavism philosopher, studied at an Advaita Vedanta monastery with Yadava Prakasha before disagreeing with Advaita idealism, and launching his Vishishtadvaita (qualified Advaita) philosophy. Ramanuja

6674-539: The monastery, where the earlier leader anoints the successor as Acharya . In large denominations that ran a collection of historical monasteries, an Acharya may refer to the leader of a regional monastery school operated in that denomination. Alternate titles of the heads of Hindu monasteries are Jeer , Jiyar or Ciyar . The chief of a collection of large Hindu monasteries in a sampradaya has been sometimes referred to as Jagad guru . The matha host not only students but many Guru . A Guru , in Hindu tradition,

6768-440: The original lecture but added to give more information to the reader. Regarding Mathadhipatya, We have been receiving hundreds and thousands of letters praying that We should resume Mathadhipatya. On the other hand, We have also been receiving a few letters (108) damning Us as Brishta Sanyasi (Excommunicated sanyasi ) and that they would take every step to prevent Us from becoming a Mathadhipati of Shri Chitrapur Math. Lord Shiva

6862-583: The parampara founded by Adi Parijnanashram Swamiji and in any case it will not be the original Bhanap parampara. Even if we want to be the Mathadhipati, we have no desire to stay in Shirali. So the only purpose of our agreeing to come back as Mathadhipati is to enable the continuation of our present Guruparampara. If we were to initiate a boy as it is into sanyās , the same persons might call him as Brishta and prevent him from being Mathadhipati and hence Our wish to resume Mathadhipatya; otherwise We have no desire to be

6956-594: The poor, the helpless, the crippled, the blind, the deaf, story-tellers, singers, musicians, flute-players, dancers, Vaitāḻikas, the naked, the injured, the mendicants coming from various regions, like Jain mendicants, those bearing a single or triple staff, the haṃsa and paramahaṃsa mendicants; a place for the medical treatment (bhaiṣajyasthāna) of the diseases of the many helpless and sick; a place for offering protection (abhāyapra- dānasthāna) to all living beings.– Stone inscription (1162 CE), Shiva temple and monastery, Sanskrit-Kannada hybrid (Tr: Florinda De Simini) The matha

7050-501: The procedure written by Madhvacharya in Tantrasara . The succession ceremony in Dvaita school involves the outgoing Swamiji welcoming the incoming one, then walking together to the icon of Madhvacharya at the entrance of Krishna temple in Udupi, offering water to him, expressing reverence then handing over the same vessel with water that Madhvacharya used when he handed over the leadership of

7144-432: The society, especially certain people within the Chitrapur Math. This group tried to mobilise support against Swamiji and thus created a rift within the community. Two sections emerged - those supporting Swamiji and those against. Tired of all the opposition and accusations he had to face, Swamiji graciously relinquished the title of Mathādhipati or Head of the matha and community by 1981. Certain aspects that caused

7238-621: The spread of Shaiva ideas in north and west India till about the 12th century. Other major monasteries include the Golaki matha that existed by the 10th century, famed for its round temple shape, probably near modern Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh. This monastery featured a cluster of Shiva temples, a hospital, college and lodging for students. The Golaki matha was a center for Vedic studies with parallel studies of Buddhist literature. Inscription evidence suggests set up numerous Shaiva monasteries in

7332-605: The subcontinent such as in Tamil Nadu . Many of the monasteries and attached temples, particularly in the northwest Indian subcontinent, were destroyed by Islamic armies after the 12th-century, and Shaiva monastic network severely disrupted from the consequent violence. In some cases, the Hindu monasteries were converted into Islamic ribats or madrasa (soldier barracks , schools) during the medieval period. The Shaiva monasteries have been from diverse schools of Shaivism, ranging from nondualist to theistic schools, and regionally went by

7426-509: The ten, the first three, the Uttaradi Matha , Vyasaraja Matha and Raghavendra Matha , are considered to be the three premier apostolic institutions of Dvaita Vedanta and are jointly referred as Mathatraya . It is the pontiffs and pandits of the Mathatraya that have been the principle architects of post-Madhva Dvaita Vedanta through the centuries. As a matter of fact, these have taken

7520-492: The various institutions under the community self-sufficient was His ultimate aim. So that way, even if the generosity of the community waned, the institutions would not suffer. There were a number of social development schemes executed under the aegis of Swamiji. He was responsible for the restarting of the Rathōtsav ("Car Festival") in 1973 which had been suspended for 35 years due to financial insecurity. Other ventures included

7614-495: The watchful eyes of the incumbent Head of the community Swami Ānandāshram . Even before He was born, His mother Shāntabai claims to have known that her offspring was Divine, even while she was pregnant. Claims include she having dreams like the Vision of a 7 hooded serpent, the impulse to offer her offspring to Lord Bhavānishankar during the aarti and so on. In 1953, Shankarnārāyan Shukla (Bhat) and his family shifted to Mumbai where

7708-453: The welfare of the people even though He was not Mathādhipati of the community. This allowed Him to extend His welfare programs to the down-trodden people irrespective of community, caste, creed or status. Swami Parijñānāshram died on August 29, 1991, while He was staying at Bangalore. His body was later flown to Karla where his samādhi is situated (at the Karla Math). He had not accepted

7802-484: The word is math , which means 'inhabit' or 'to grind'. The oldest meaning of matha is "hut" or "hovel," "the hut of a nomadic arya." In time, it came to mean "the residence of various ascetics or religious scholars, sometimes attached to a grand temple." Patrick Olivelle mentions the absence of organized ascetic or monastic institutions within Brahmanism until the early medieval period. According to Olivelle, noticing

7896-409: The worship of the Śivaliṅga; the established place (niṣṭhitasthāna) for the ritual practice of the Śaiva ascetics who are perpetual chaste students; a place for the self-recitation (svādhyāyasthāna) of the four Vedas —the Ṛg, Yajus, Sāma, and Ātharva— along with their ancillary treatises; a place for teaching (byākhyānasthāna) grammar, like the systems of Kumāra, Pāṇini, Śākaṭāyana, and the Śabdānuśasana;

7990-561: Was a 14th-century Vaishnava devotional poet sant of Bhakti movement , in the Ganges river region of Northern India . He studied in an Advaita Vedanta monastery, joined the Ramanuja's Sri Vaishnavism tradition, then proceeded to start god Rama -based Vaishnavism movement from Hindu holy city of Varanasi. The Hindu tradition recognizes him as the founder of the Ramanandi Sampradaya ,

8084-560: Was a scholar of Vedic astrology and the Vedas . He attained mahasamadhi in 1915. The peetha was then ascended by Shri Anandashram Swamiji, who hailed from the Haridas Family. He was ordained hardly 8 days prior to the mahasamadhi of Shri Pandurangashram Swamiji. Since his initiation in Sanyasa took place at very early age, he was not able to be personally guided by the Guruswami. He improved

8178-604: Was a unique project pursued by Swamiji after His abdication. This institute was a revolutionary project completed in conjecture with the State and Central Government on October 31, 1985. It is an actively functioning institution which runs on funds from the Government and large number of charitable institutions/individuals. It can now accommodate 302 children who are given training in life skills by 56 professionally trained teachers. See their webpage here Swamiji personally supervised in

8272-476: Was an animal lover and constructed deer parks, top quality cow-sheds and regularly visited and cared for the animals there. He was a person who was highly interested in technical spheres of knowledge. He possessed a first grade Ham Radio license (Probably the first religious saint to possess such a license in India). Under His regime, a wireless station and an observatory post were established near Shirali . He kept

8366-406: Was established with the help of people like Badakere Dutt, Kallianpur Ramanand etc. An observatory post was also established which was manned all throughout the day and night, to guide ships and boats through the jagged rocks that adorn the coastline of Shirali , especially at night. Swamiji also studied and obtained a first grade amateur radio license within a period of 3 months of applying for it,

8460-434: Was first headed by one of his four main disciples, and the tradition continues since then. Yet, according to Paul Hacker, no mention of the mathas can be found before the 14th century CE. Until the 15th century, the timespan of the directors of Sringeri Math are unrealistically long, spanning 60+ and even 105 years. After 1386, the timespans become much shorter. According to Hacker, these mathas may have originated as late as

8554-915: Was nominated as the leader of the Srirangam matha, after the death of Yamunacharya, though they never met. Along with his philosophy, Ramanuja is famous for his organizational skills and the lasting institutional reforms he introduced at Srirangam paralleling those at Advaita monasteries of his time. He also travelled and founded many Sri Vaishnavism mathas across India. The Sri Vaishnavism tradition believes that Ramanuja started 700 mathas, but historical evidence suggests several of these were started later. The Sri Vaishnavism mathas over time, subdivided into two, those with Tenkalai (southern) tradition and Vadakalai (northern) tradition of Sri Vaishnavism. The Tenkalai-associated mathas are headquartered at Srirangam, while Vadakalai mathas are associated with Kanchipuram. Both these traditions have from 10th-century onwards considered

8648-596: Was one who had a keen thirst for knowledge - be it Vedic or technical. His progressive outlook resulted in large scale development which gave the community and its head matha (Monastery) - The Chitrāpur Matha the financial stability it needed. He aimed at making the Chitrapur village a self-sustaining viable township with an agricultural, industrial and commercial life of its own with an underlying spiritual base. His progressive outlook also included compassion. Under his regime, several health-care facilities were developed. He

8742-489: Was ordained as the successor to Swami Ānandāshram in a grand ceremony of initiation as a disciple at Shivaji Park, Mumbai on March 1, 1959. At this ceremony, he was christened Parijñānāshram . This ceremony was attended by over 10,000 devotees. The religious heads of other Saraswat mathas were present at the ceremony and they blessed Him too. He studied under His guru for a long period of 7 years until Swami Ānandāshram attained Mahā-samādhi on September 16, 1966. After

8836-568: Was the Chitrapur Gram Vikas Yojna (Chitrapur village development scheme). Other projects have been mentioned below: This was a project that aimed at making Chitrapur Village a self-sufficient viable township with a blend of agricultural, commercial and industrial life with an underlying base of spirituality. This project aimed at utilising the land around the Chitrapur Math for socio-economic development. The various sub-projects that resulted from this Scheme are: Once on His visit to

#410589