Shankaracharya

This article is about a title used in the Advaita traditions. For the philosopher, see Adi Shankara.

Shankaracharya (Sanskrit: शङ्कराचार्य, IAST: Śaṅkarācārya, "Shankara-acharya") is a religious title used by the heads of amnaya monasteries called mathas in the Advaita Vedanta tradition of Hinduism. The title derives from Adi Shankara; teachers from the successive line of teachers retrospectively dated back to him are known as Shankaracharyas.

Adi Shankaracharya with his four disciples - Padmapadacharya, Sureshwaracharya, Hastamalakacharya and Totakacharya.

Etymology

The word Shankaracharya is composed of two parts, Shankara and Acharya. Acharya is a Sanskrit word meaning "teacher", so Shankaracharya means "teacher of the way of Shankara".^[1]

Establishment of the tradition

Adi Shankara, known as Adi Shankaracharya, set up four monasteries known as Mathas or Peethams, in the North, South, East and West of India, to be administered by realised men who would be known as Shankaracharyas. They would take on the role of teacher and could be consulted by anyone with sincere queries of a spiritual nature and they would guide the humanity in times of trouble and provide solace.^[2][3] Another monastery Kanchi Kamkoti Peetham in south India also derives its establishment and tradition to Adi Shankara. The table below gives an overview of the four main Shankaracharya Amnaya Mathas reputedly founded by Adi Shankara, and their details.^[4]

Shishya (lineage)	Direction	Maṭha	Mahāvākya	Veda	Sampradaya	Present Shankaracharya
Padmapāda	East	Puri Govardhanmaṭha Pīṭhaṃ	Prajñānam brahma (Consciousness is Brahman)	Rig Veda	Bhogavala	Swami Nischalananda Saraswati
Sureśvara	South	Sringeri Śārada Pīṭhaṃ	Aham brahmāsmi (I am Brahman)	Yajur Veda	Bhurivala	Sri Bharati Tirtha
Hastāmalakācārya	West	Dvāraka Sharada Pīṭhaṃ	Tattvamasi (That thou art)	Sama Veda	Kitavala	Swami Sadanand Saraswati[5]
Toṭakācārya	North	Badari Jyotirmaṭha Pīṭhaṃ	Ayamātmānam brahma (This Atman is Brahman)	Atharva Veda	Nandavala	Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati (disputed)[6]

Further reading

• Mukhyananda, Swami (2006) Sri Shankaracharya: life and philosophy: An elucidative and reconciliatory interpretation, 4th ed.; OCLC 426914596; Kolkata; Advaita Ashrama
• Esoteric Buddhism by A.P. Sinnett, pp 81 ISBN 1438503652

See also

• Adi Shankara
• Kalady, Kerala - Birthplace of Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya
• Govardhan Peetham (East), Puri, Odisha
• Dwarka Sharada Peetham (West), Dwarka, Gujarat
• Jyotirmaya Peetham (North), Joshimath, Uttarakhand
• Sringeri Sharada Peetham (South), Sringeri, Karnataka
• Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu
• Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, Shankaracharya of Kanchi
• Swami Abhinava Vidya Tīrtha, Shankaracharya of Sringeri
• Swami Bharati Tīrtha, Shankaracharya of Sringeri
• Swami Bharatikrishna Tīrtha, scholar; mathematician; first Sankaracharya to visit the West
• Swami Brahmananda Sarasvati, Srividya Siddh Sankaracharya of Jyotirmaya Pitha, Shankara Matha, Badrinath
• Swami Shantanand Saraswati, Shankaracharya of Jyotirmaya Pitha
• Swami Swarupananda Sarasvati, Shankaracharya of Jyotirmaya Pitha, Sankara Matha, Badrinath
• Swami Candrasekhara Bharati, Shankaracharya of Sringeri
• Swami Saccidananda Bharati, Shankaracharya of Sringeri
• Swami Sacchidananda Bharati, Shankaracharya of Sringeri
• Swami Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Nṛusimha Bharati, Shankaracharya of Sringeri
• Swami Vidyaranya Tīrtha, Shankaracharya of Sringeri
• Sri Sri Raghaveshwara Bharati, Jagadguru of Ramachandrapura Matha