Sri Govardhan Math- Bhogavardhan Peetham

Sri Govardhan Math (Peetham), located in the Eastern Indian state of Odisha is 2492 years old established by Bhagvatpaada Adi Shankaracharya with an aim of rejuvenating the Vedic Sanatan Dharma and establishing the “Dharma” regulated, unbiased and extortion-free regime. The details of the Peetham and its activities are elaborated below as per the information maintained by the tradition and old records.

Bhagvatpada Adi Shankaracharya established the eastern monastery associated with Rigved called as “Poorvamnaya Sri Govardhan Math- Bhogavardhan Peetham” on the shore of Mahodadhi (Bay Of Bengal) in the Holy Dham of Puri in B.C. 486. The whole of the Eastern India viz. Bihar, Jharkhand, Chittasgarh, Andhra till Rajmahendri, Orissa, Bengal, Nepal, Bangladesh (Undivided India), Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Sikkim, Bhutan, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, Uttarapradesh till Prayaga including Gaya and Varanasi are considered as the territory of Sri Govardhan Peetham.

On the auspicious day of Vaishakha Shukla Dashami B.C. 483 the Holy Lotus Hands of Adi Shankaracharya restored and reinstalled the holy idol of Lord Jagannatha and on the same day He ordained his first disciple “Padmapadacharya” as the first “Jagadguru Shankaracharya” of Puri Peetham. Adi Shankaracharya installed the seat of transcendental wisdom in the Peetham and established Lord Ardhanarishwar and Lord Govardhan-nath. The Peeth is world-renowned as one of the 51 Shakti-Peethas also where the naval-part of Bhagavati Sati fell. As per the tradition the Jagadguru Shankaracharya opf Puri Govardhan Peetham presides over the Mukti-Mandap and inaugurates the Internationally reputed “Ratha Yatra”.

Padmapadacharya’s term was full of vigour and illuminatory activities. He authored the illustrated book named “ Panchapadika” and wrote a commentary on the the work name “Prapanchasara” written by Adi Shankaracharya.

The following Shankaracharyas also had very illustrious terms. On of the Shankaracharyas of Puri Peetham named Shankar Swami promoted Vachaspati Mishra to write a “Teeka” on the Brahma Sutra Shaankara Bhaashya. This “Teeka “ named as “Bhamati Teeka” be very much lauded in the field of Vedanta. Similarly the reknowned “Shridhari Teeka” on “Shrimad Bhagavatam” was composed by Shridhara Swami who belonged to the Govardhan Math Guru- Shishya tradition, who resided in its branch at “Shankarananda Math”.