Kamakotipith

An important center for the Dashanami
sect of Sanyasi ascetics, located in the
southern Indian city of Kanchipuram.
According to local tradition, the
Kamakotipith was the first and most
important of the maths or monastic
centers, established by the philosopher
Shankaracharya, who later established
four other centers at Joshimath, Puri,
Shringeri, and Dwaraka. This claim to
primacy has generated fierce controversy.
Opponents who support one of the
other four maths, not only deny
Kamakotipith’s place as the first of the
maths, but also assert that Kamakotipith
is only a branch of the Shringeri math.
Support for these claims can be drawn
from the symbolism connected with the
number four—the four cardinal directions, the four sacred texts known as
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Kamakotipith
Vedas, and the four organizational
groups of the Dashanami Sanyasis
themselves. The number four symbolizes completion and totality, which
makes a fifth sacred center problematic. Despite their possible merit,
these contentions have not diminished
Kamakotipith’s status. It has a long history as an ascetic center, and its head
monk is routinely considered one of the
Shankaracharyas, the most important
modern Hindu religious leaders.
Kamakotipith’s importance probably
reflects the importance of Kanchipuram
itself, which was such a significant
sacred and political hub that any ascetic
center located there could gain considerable authority.