Govardhana matha

Goverdhana matha main gate

The Govardhana matha is a monastery located in the city of Puri in Odisha state (India). It is associated with the Jagannath temple[1] and is one of the four cardinal mathas founded by Adi Shankara in the 8th century CE.

The deities here are Jagannath (Bhairava) and the devi is Vimala (Bhairavi). The mahavakya is Prajnana Brahma.There are shri vigraha of Goverdhananatha Krishna and Ardhanareshwara Shiva installed by Adi Shankara.

Background

The Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi with the Shankaracharya of Puri

Govardhana matha is one of four cardinal institutions established by Adi Shankara (c. 8th century CE), the reviver of Vedic Sanatana Dharma.[2] Shankara's four principal disciples, Padma-Pada, Hasta-Malaka, Vartika-Kara and Totakacharya were assigned to these four learning centers in the north, south, east and west of India.[3] The subsequent leaders of each of these four monasteries have come to be known as Śaṅkarāchāryas in honor of the math's founder, Adi Shankara.[4] As such they are the leaders of the Daśanāmī Saṃnyāsins who are considered to have custody of Advaita Vedānta[4] These four principle seats of learning are located in Purī (Orissa), Śṛṅgeri (Karnataka) and Dvārakā (Gujarat) with[4] the northern (Uttarāmnāya) monastery being located in the city of Jyotirmaṭh (also known as Joṣīmaṭh).[4]

History

Padmapadacharya became the first leader of the matha. The matha has historical connections with the Jagannath temple, which is also located in Puri.[1] It is called the Govardhanathatha, and has sub-location in Puri called the Sankarananda Math. Bharati Krishna Tirtha, who was then the leader at the Dvaraka matha, took the leadership position at the Govardhana matha in 1925. Shankara Prushottama Tirtha supervised the Matha on his behalf while he visited the Self Realization Fellowship in the USA.[1] After Bharati attained Mahasamadhi in 1960, "he was succeeded by Yogeswaranda Tirtha" who attained Mahasamadhi a year later. in 1961. In 1964, after a "period of uncertainty" Niranjana Deva Tirtha, a disciple named in Bharati's will, was installed by Aghinava Saccindananda Tirtha of Dvaraka.[1] Nirnjana Deva Tirtha became known for his unpopular political views affecting the Hindu people.[5] In 1992, he stepped down after nominating Niscalananda Saraswati as his successor in the 1990s.[1][6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Unknown author (May 5, 1999) archived here (Accessed: 2012-08-30) or here The Monastic Tradition Advaita Vedanta web page, retrieved August 28, 2012
  2. ↑ Pasricha, Prem C. (1977) The Whole Thing the Real Thing, Delhi Photo Company, p. 59-63
  3. ↑ Love and God, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Age of Enlightenment Press, 1973 p. 9
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Unknown author (2005) Indology The Jyotirmaṭha Śaṅkarācārya Lineage in the 20th Century, retrieved August 4, 2012
  5. ↑ http://www.rediff.com/news/2000/aug/28sankra.htm
  6. ↑ (1994) SUNY Press, A Survey of Hinduism By Klaus K. Klostermaier

External links