Uttarāmnāya Śrī Jyotish Pītham or JyotirMath is one amongst the four cardinal pīthams established by the Ādi Śaṅkara 2500 years ago to preserve Hinduism and Advaita Vedānta, the doctrine of non-dualism. Located in the city of Joshimath, Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India, it is the uttarāmnāya matha or Northern Āmnāya Pītham, amongst the four Chaturamnay Peethams - Kalady Kerala, birthplace of Adi Shankara with the others being the Sringeri Śārada Pīṭhaṃ (Karnataka) in the South, Dvārakā Śāradā Pītham (Gujarat , Dwarka) in the West and Purī Govardhanmaṭha Pīṭhaṃ (Odisha, Puri) in the east. Its appointees bear the title of Shankaracharya.[1] It is the headquarters of Giri, Parvata & Sagara sects of the Dasnami Sampradaya (monistic order). Their Vedantic mantra or Mahavakya is Ayamātmānam brahma (This Atman is supreme being) and as per the tradition initiated by Adi Shankara it holds authority over Atharva Veda. The head of the matha is called Shankaracharya, the title derives from Adi Shankara.
 3rd newly built Jyotir Math entrance gate | |
| Founder | Adi Shankara |
|---|---|
| Type | Religious |
| Headquarters | Jyotirmath |
| Location | |
First Shankaracharya | Totakacharya |
Current Shankaracharya | Swaamishreeh Avimukteshwaraanandah Saraswatee |
| Website | https://jyotirmath.com/ |
Deities worshipped in JyotirMath are Lord Narayana and Shakti-Purnagiri.[2]
History
editBackground
editJyotir Math is the uttaramnaya matha or northern monastery, one of four cardinal institutions established by Adi Shankara , the reviver of Vedic Sanatana Dharma.[1] Shankara's four principal disciples, Padma-Pada, Hasta-Malaka, Suresvaracharya 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 Shankaracharyas, in honor of the math's founder, Adi Shankara.[4] As such, they are the leaders of the Dasanami Saṃnyasins, who are considered to have custody of Advaita Vedānta[4] These four principle seats of learning are located in Purī (Odisha), Sringeri (Karnataka) and Dwarka (Gujarat), with[4] the northern (Uttaramnaya) monastery being located in the city of Jyotirmaṭh.[4]
1900 to 1940
editJyotir Math was occupied by Swami Ramakrishna Tirtha in the 18th century, but the monastery was inactive for 165 years following his death. During that time, a number of Gurus made claim to the Shankaracharya title and lawsuits representing the claimants and their representatives date back to the 1900s.[4] For a time, the head priest, Raval of the Badrinath Temple was thought by some to hold the Shankaracharya title there. However, the formal occupation of the Matha only officially began when the leaders of the other three Mathas convinced Brahmananda Saraswati to accept the position.[3]
1941 to 1953
editThe appointment of Swami Sri Brahmananda Saraswati Ji on 11 May 1941 was made by a group of monks and pandits BDM Bharat Dharma Mahamandal based in the city of Varanasi[5] with the endorsement of Swami Bharati Krishna Tirtha, the Shankaracharya of Puri and Swami Chandrashekhara Bharati the Shankaracharya of Sringeri.[4] Respected supporters of religious institutions, such as the rulers of the Garhwal, Varanasi and Darbhanga, also endorsed Brahmananda, and their recognition helped overcome opposition from previous claimants to the title. Brahmandanda was also perceived by his supporters as the embodiment of the qualifications mentioned in Vedic texts, and this assisted in his unhindered ascension to the position at the age of 70.[1][4]
Brahmananda was charged with reconstructing the temple and institution at Jyotir Math.[1] Through the assistance of the local Deputy Commissioner and parties responsible for his nomination, Brahmananda reclaimed the surrounding land that had been encroached upon by local farmers. Under his leadership, a two-story, 30-room building was constructed ( New 2nd Math) to serve as the Peeth Bhawan of Jyotir Math. He also supervised the final construction of the Shrine of Purnagiri Devi about 100 yards in front of the new monastery, which "the Darbhanga ruler" had begun, but not completed, just prior to his brahmaleena 20 May 1953 .[1][6] Brahmananda's leadership was instrumental in re-establishing the Jyotir Math as "an important centre of traditional advaita teaching in northern India",[5] and the monastery was visited by the president of India, Rajendra Prasad in December 1952.[1]
1954 to present
editAfter the Brahmaleena of Swami Sri Brahmananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj in 1953, Swami Hariharananda Saraswati, a now deceased disciple of Brahmananda, was offered the title but refused to accept it.[4] Later, it was claimed that five months before his death, Brahamananda had made a will and registered it with the District Registrar in Allahabad.[7] The will named his disciple, 1) Sri Ramji Tripathi - Swami Shantanand Saraswati as his successor and Dwaraka Prasad Sastry - 2) Swami Dwarakeshananda Saraswati, 3) Swami Vishnudevananda Saraswati and 4) Swami Paramatmananda Saraswati as alternate choices.[4] As a result, Swami Shantanand Saraswati assumed the Shankarcharya-ship, but his authority was disputed by other 3 Shankaracharya's Puri, Dwaraka, Sringeri and several of Swami Sri Brahmananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj's disciples and followers who did not feel that Shantanand met the requirements described in the 2500 Yrs Adi Shankarachaya Mathamnaya Mahanushasana texts.[4] the Law of 4 Amnaya Peeths, Meanwhile, others claimed that Brahmananda's death was due to poisoning, and later it was found that the so-called "Will" ( 18th Dec 1952 ) was not authentic and fake, forgery, causing civil lawsuits to be filed by concerned parties.[4] successor to the office of Shankaracharya had to be chosen by a body "Maneeshas according to "Mathamnaya Mahanushasanam" not through a "Will" in "Mathamnaya Mahanushasan no where it is mentioned the concept of will, there should be some principals to be followed according to tradition, when there is no system of Will in Adi Shankarachaya Parampara how Swami Sri Brahmananda Saraswati writes a Will in faviour of any person ?, this it self proved that the claimed will is fake and fabricated, forgery, other 3 Shankaracharya's did not recognize alleaged "Will"
Relevant organizations involved in reviving Jyotir Math, including a committee of pundits from Varanasi,[5] BDM proposed Swami Krishnabodha Ashrama Ji Maharaj as the Shankaracharya, despite Shantanand's claim and occupation of Jyotir Math on (25 June 1953). Ashrama attained Brahmasiddhi in 10 Sept 1973[5] and nominated Sri Brahmananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj's deekshita Shishya disciple Swami Sri Swaroopananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj, who had taken Swami Krishnabodha Ashrama as his guru after Swami Sri Brahmananda Saraswati Swamiji Maharaj's Siddhi death, as his successor. However, because Shantananda still occupied the Jyotir Math ashram built by Swami Sri Brahmananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj, then Swami Sri Swaroopananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj took new land and Built new Ashram in a nearby the 2nd Ashram built by Sri Brahmananda Saraswati ji Maharaj, said to be located near the former cave of Adi Shankara disciple, Totakacharya.[5]
Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati (2 September 1924 – 11 September 2022) was an Indian religious leader. In 1982, he became the Shankaracharya of Dwarka Sharada Peetham in Dwaraka, Gujarat and also of Jyotir Math in Badrinath.[1][2] He was the only person till now who have become Shankaracharya of two Peetha (Dwarkamath and Jyotirmath) simultaneously.
Swaroopanand Saraswati was born Pothiram Upadhyay on 2 September 1924 at Dighori village of Seoni district, Madhya Pradesh in a Kanyakubja Brahmin family.[3] A direct disciple of Shankaracharya Brahmananda Saraswati of Jyotir Math (1941–1953) and of Shankaracharya (disputed) Krishnabodha Ashrama of Jyotir Math (1953–1973), in 1950 his Guru Brahmananda made him a Dandi Sannyasi. Swami Swaroopanand became president of the Akhil Bharatiya Ram Rajya Parishad, established by Swami Karpatri. On Swami Krishnabodha Ashrama's demise in 1973 the title of Shankaracharya (disputed) of Jyotir Math, Badrinath passed to Swami Swaroopanand. Later he also became the Shankaracharya of Dwarka peeth in 1982. The title of Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math was disputed by some.[4]
He was at the forefront of the anti-Congress movement in 1950s. He served as the president of Ram Rajya Parishad. He was jailed three times between 1954 and 1970 in relation to the movement to ban cow slaughter.[5]
He ran ashrams in various parts of India.[6] His ashram in Singhbhum district of Bihar engaged in re-conversion of Christians to Hinduism.[5]
A lifelong supporter of Ram Janmbhoomi, he was jailed in 1990 when he attempted Shilanysa ceremony on 7 May, 1990.[7][8] At 19 years old he became a freedom fighter in the Quit India movement in 1942, and was known as "Revolutionary Sadhu". He was jailed for this, serving a prison sentence of nine months and another of six months.[14]
The present Jagadguru Shankaracharya Paramaradhya Paramadharmadhis Uttaramnaya Jyotishpeethadhishwar Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swamishri Avimukeshwarananda Saraswati'1008' is available to us today as the eternal reviver and highest authority of Shastras.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f Pasricha, Prem C. (1977) The Whole Thing the Real Thing, Delhi Photo Company, p. 59-63
- ^ "The Amnaya Peethams".
- ^ a b Love and God, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Age of Enlightenment Press, 1973 p. 9
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Unknown author (2005) Indology The Jyotirmatha Shankaracharya Lineage in the 20th Century, retrieved 4 August 2012
- ^ a b c d e Unknown author (5 May 1999) archived here. Accessed: 2012-08-30. or here%5D The Monastic Tradition Advaita Vedanta web page, retrieved 28 August 2012
- ^ Varma, Dr. Raj R. P. (1980) Self Published, Strange Facts About A Great Saint
- ^ Pasricha, Prem C. (1977) The Whole Thing the Real Thing, Delhi Photo Company, p. 71