Jyotir Math
| Acharya: Disputed | |
|---|---|
| Location | Jyotirmath |
| Founder | Adi Shankara |
| First Acharya | Totakacharya |
| Formation | 820 AD |
Jyotir Math or Jyotir Pitha is a monastery located in the city of Jyotirmath, India. Sometimes called uttarāmnāya matha or northern monastery, it is one of the four cardinal institutions established by Adi Shankara in the 8th century CE and its appointees bear the title of Shankaracharya. After its occupation by Svāmī Rāmakṛṣṇa Tīrtha in the 18th century it was leaderless for 165 years until the appointment of Swami Brahmananda Saraswati in 1941. Since Brahmananda's death in 1953 there have been several disciples and gurus who have been appointed, occupied or claimed to be the rightful occupant and leader of the monastery.
Jyotir Math is the uttaramnaya matha or northern monastery, one of four cardinal institutions established by Adi Shankara (c. 8th century CE), the reviver of Vedic Sanatana Dharma. 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. 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. As such they are the leaders of the Dasanami Saṃnyasins who are considered to have custody of Advaita Vedānta These four principle seats of learning are located in Purī (Orissa), Shringeri (Karnataka) and Dwarka (Gujarat) with the northern (Uttaramnaya) monastery being located in the city of Jyotirmaṭh.
Jyotir Math was occupied by Swami Ramakrishna Tīrtha 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. 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.
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