List of teachers of Advaita Vedanta
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Schools
Samkhya · Yoga · Nyaya · Vaisheshika · Purva Mimamsa · Vedanta (Advaita · Vishishtadvaita · Dvaita · Achintya Bheda Abheda) |
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Advaita Vedanta has had many teachers over the centuries in India and other countries. This article lists some of the major teachers. Adi Shankaracharya was the most prominent in the tradition of Advaita Vedanta to formulate its doctrine in his many works.
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[edit] Sages and saints
- Marichi
- Angiras
- Atri
- Yajnavalkya
- Pulastya
- Vashishta
- Kashyapa
- Vishwamitra
- Jamadagni
- Gautama
- Bharadwaja
- Bhrigu
- Agastya
- Shri Dattatreya
- Shri Ashtawakra
- Vyasa
[edit] Recent Jagadgurus of Peethams
- Sringeri Sharada Peetham
- Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Narasimha Bharathi Mahaswamiji, Jagadguru of Sringeri Sharada Peetham [1] (1865-1912); a realised Yogi; initiated many into Adi Shankaracharya's philosophy including Sacchidanandendra Saraswati- founder of Adhyatma Prakashana Karyalaya ;known as "Abhinava Shankara" because of his many tours around Bharatvarsha spreading the Advaita Vedanta philosophy and Hindu Dharma
- Sri Chandrashekhara Bharathi Mahaswamiji, Jagadguru of Sringeri Sharada Peetham (1912-1954); A well known Jivanmukta; said to be one of the greatest saints ever to take birth in India
- Sri Abhinavavidya Tirtha Mahaswamiji, Jagadguru of Sringeri Sharada Peetham (1954-1989); A great Yogi and master of scriptures; blessed with realisation early in life; In His many tours of Bharatvarsha and also Nepal He established many maths, shrines and temples.
- Sri Bharathi Tirtha Mahaswamiji, Jagadguru of Sringeri Sharada Peetham (1989- );A distuinguished sage and present Jagadguru of Shringeri Peetha, Sringeri, Karnataka.
- Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham
- Sri Chandrashekharendra Saraswathi Mahaswamiji Jagadguru of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam (1894-1994)
[edit] Other prominent teachers
- Shri Totapuri Maharaj, One of the Dasanami order sanyasis who initiated Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa into Advaita Vedanta.
- Sri Ramakrishna (1836-1886) well-known modern proponent of Advaita; the primary source book, Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna (Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita), was written by an eyewitness devotee Mahendranath Gupta. It documents his later life and conversations with disciples and devotees and serves as the key reference for his philosophy and teachings
- Shri Ramana Maharshi (1879–1950) the silent sage of Tamil Nadu who had a profound realization of nonduality
- Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, wrote books on four Hindu Yogas: Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga and Raja Yoga. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda contains a complete collection of transcribed lectures. He spoke at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago in 1893.
- Sri Narayana Guru (1856-1928)- Vedic scholar, mystic philosopher, prolific poet and social reformer, from the present-day Kerala.
- Sri Aurobindo (1872–1950) Bengali philosopher-sage who synthesized Advaita thought with Western philosophical theories of evolution.
- Sri Swami Tapovan Maharaj - A virakta mahatma
- Sri Swami Sivananda (1887—1963), Divine Life Society. Bestowed samyasa initiation of Swami Chinmayananda, scholar, and author of over 300 books on Hinduism, many available on the web.
- Swami Karpatri (1905-1980), a well-known sannyasi of Varanasi
- Shri Swami Chinmayananda Jnana diksha bestowed under Sri Swami Tapovan Maharaj in Uttarkashi. Disciples founded the Chinmaya Mission. 'Chinmaya' = "pure consciousness of bliss".
- Shri Swami Dayananda Saraswati, (c. 1824-1883) a contemporary Advaitin who united disparate Hindu sects under a single body known as the Arya Samaj.
- Swami Dayananda Saraswati, (c.1930-) originally student of Chinmaya above. He has set up many traditional gurukula (vedanta schools) in India and Western countries.
- Sacchidanandendra Saraswati, a profound Advaitin and the founder of the Adhyatma Prakasha Karyalaya in Holenarasipura
- Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj A twentieth-century master of Advaita from Mumbai
- Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi (c. 1838-1918), a great philosopher of Maharashtra who propagated the oneness of God and urged harmony amongst the various religions.
- Sathya Sai Baba (1926-today) - a great guru from Andhra Pradesh believed by his followers to be the next incarnation of Sai of Shirdi and an Avatar of God
- Shri Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of the Transcendental Mediation programme and movement, which have practices and philosophy firmly routed in the Advaita tradition. The TM initiation puja references Adi Shankara and the monastery set up by his devotee Totakacharya at Jyotir Math. This was the same monastery re-established by Sri Brahmananda Saraswati, Maharishi's master, often referred to as "Guru Dev."
- Sri H.W.L. Poonja (1910-1997), or " Papaji“. Disciple of Sri Ramana Maharshi, he denied being part of any formal tradition, and remained always available, welcoming newcomers to his home and satsangs.
- Satguru Samartha Madhurinath (1958-today) - a great guru from Maharashtra believed by her followers to be the next incarnation of Atreya Datta and an Avatar of God
- Maitreya Ishwara (1949-today) - transformative blend of meditation, advaita-based teaching and high energy
