JAGATGURU ADI SANKARACHARYA PEETHAMS

ADI SANKARACHARYA ESTABLISHED FOUR PEETHAMS (MUTT, MATH, PEETH, PITH, PEETHA, MATAM, MUTH) AT FOUR DIRECTIONS OF INDIA

1) POORVAMNAYA SHRI GOVARDHAN PEETHAM (RIGVEDA- EASTERN MONASTRY) --- LOCATED AT JAGANNATH PURI, ORISSA. THE FIRST SHANKARACHARYA OF PURI PEETH WAS SWAMI PADMAPADA ACHARYA AND PRESENT SANKARACHARYA IS SWAMI NISCHALANANDA SARASWATHI.

2) PASCHIMAMNAYA SHRI SHARADA PEETHAM (SAMAVEDA-WESTERN MONASTRY)--- LOCATED AT DWARKA, JAMNAGAR, GUJRAT. THE FIRST SHANKARACHARYA OF DWARKA PEETHA WAS SWAMI SURESHWARA ACHARYA (MANDANA MISHRA) AND PRESENT SHANKARACHARYA IS SWAMI SWAROOPANANDA SARASWATI.

3) UTTARAMNAYA SHRI JYOTISH PEETHAM (ATHARVA VEDA-NORTHEN MONASTRY)--- LOCATED AT BADRI, UTTARAKHAND.THE FIRST SHANKAR ACHARYA OF JYOTEESH PITH WAS SWAMI TOTAKA ACHARYA AND PRESENT SHANKARACHARYA IS SWAMI SWARUPANAND SARASVATI.

4) DAKSHINAMNAYA SRI SARADA PEETAM (YAJURVEDA-SOUTHERN MONASTRY)--- LOCATED AT SHRINGERI, KARNATAKA.THE FIRST SANKARACHARYA OF SARADA PEETH WAS SWAMI HASTAMALAKA ACHARYA, AND PRESENT SHANKARACHARYA IS SWAMI BHARATI TEERTHA.

Sankara continued to travel with his disciples all over the land, all the while composing philosophical treatises and engaging opponents in debate. It is said that none of his opponents could ever match his intellectual prowess and the debates always ended with Sankara's victory. No doubt this is true, given the unrivaled respect and popularity that Sankara's philosophical system enjoys to this day. In the course of his travels, Sankara stayed for a long time at the site of the old ASrama of the Rshis vibhAndaka and RshyaSRnga, in the place known as SRngagiri (Sringeri). Some texts mention that Sankara stayed at Sringeri for twelve years. A hermitage grew around him here, which soon developed into a famous maTha (monastery). sureSvara, the disciple whom he had won after long debate, was installed as the head of this new ASrama. Similar maThas were established in the pilgrim centers of Puri, Dvaraka and Joshimath near Badrinath, and padmapAda, hastAmalaka and troTaka were placed in charge of them. These are known as the AmnAya maThas, and they continue to function today. Their heads have also come to be known as SankarAcAryas, in honor of their founder, and revered as jagadgurus, or teachers of the world. Sankara also organized the community of ekadaNDI monks into the sampradAya of daSanAmI sannyAsins, and affiliated them with the four maThas that he established.