Source: TW
Shankaracharya tradition has faced a direct onslaught on its reputation, from reformists of all kinds, due to their orthodoxy based on shastras, since at least 1870s. Includes misrepresenting their stand by media, going as far back as 1920s.
The Shankaracharya tradition wields more influence on Hindus than you realize.
Many popular movements can be traced ultimately to this parampara…
Ramakrishna & SV Yogananda Sivananda Mahesh Yogi Chinmayananda Dayananda of Arya Samaj Sri Sri etc
This thread is basis the writings of Sir Jadunath Sarkar and Haripada Chakraborti, with some inputs from other sources.
maThas
How Shankara re-established the Advaita Vedanta and the Sanyasa parampara through a Dashanami order and 4 Mathas to reinvigorate dharma is well known. The 4 Matha (monastery) that he established were:
- Sringeri (KA)
- Puri (OR)
- Dvaraka (GJ)
- Jyotirmatha (UK)
These matha in 4 different corners of India not only stood for advaita in the 4 directions but also responsible for protecting a specific Veda. Eg Puri for Rigveda.
The Sanyasi that heads each of these 4 Mathas is called “Shankaracharya” of that Matha. He is the living Shankaracharya, and in fact it is only to distinguish him from the original Shankara that the adjective “Adi” is added to the name of Adi, the original, Shankaracharya.
10 suffixes
While only one Sanyasi can head the Matha, all that are initiated in the order are given one of the 10 suffixes to their new name when they take Sanyasa-
- bhAratI
- sarasvatI
- sAgara
- tIrtha
- purI
- AShrama
- giri
- parvata
- araNya
- vana
Since 10, hence the order is called “dashanAmI”. 10 have slightly different rules.
According to Jadunath Sarkar, upto some point in time, each of the 10 used to be affiliated to a specific of the 4 Mathas - however in our time such distinction doesn’t exist. Which means theoretically now all 10 can be seen in all 4.
The Sanyasis of the order do not have to be initiated by the Matha only. Anyone with authority of giving Sanyasa in parampara can initiate another.
In fact the Sanyasis are supposed to be itinerants roaming around in respective region (parivrAjaka) to spread Vaidika dharma. It is through such itinerant Sanyasis that many popular Gurus of modern times got Diksha such as Ramakrishna Paramahamsa or Svami Dayananda Sarasvati of Arya Samaj, etc. Even the head Sanyasi of the Matha, the Shankaracharya, has to be continuously traveling, except during the 4 months of the rainy season, the chaturmAsa, when Shankaracharya as well as the other Sanyasis reside at one place. Usually at an upa-matha in a city of their region, where they study and teach Shastras to lay people as well as discuss topics amongst themselves.
Akhara
As a historical development during medieval period, unique events of North India led to also a unique phenomenon of this order developing what came to be known as “Akharas”
There are 7 Akharas of this Parampara-
- jUnA
- niranjanI
- mahAnirvANI
- aTala
- AvAhana
- Ananda
- agni
These Akharas had various roles, but one of these was active engagement in society including militant & political activities. This can also be seen in a similar development of such institutions in other Sampradayas like Natha and Ramanandis. This is unique to North. (For example, the Nirmohi Akhara, that is in news for having fought for Rama Janma Bhumi for centuries — Nirmohi is an Akhara that belongs to the Ramanandi Sampradaya)
Each of the Dashanami Sanyasi belongs to an Akharas and a Matha - however more closely to the Akhara. Like head Sanyasi of Matha is called Shankaracharya, the head Sanyasi of an Akhara is called a Maha-Mandaleshvara.
Kumbha Mela is the event when all Sanyasis of all Akharas and Mathas gather to confer on matters. Recruitments are done and successions announced. These Mathas and their Sanyasis are not Shaiva per se.
Genericity
This is a common confusion amongst most lay people because of the word Shankaracharya. (Cf the recent comment by Champat Rai). This order equally venerates Shiva, Vishnu, Devi, Ganesha, Aditya and other deities. These Sanyasis are particularly known for their strict adherence to Vaidika Pramana and way of life.
They are historically known to excel in Sanskrit studies, Nyaya and wide scholarship in general.
While orthodox, they are known to be quite non-sectarian comparatively. In their writings and speeches they freely quote scholars and saints of other Sampradaya.
For instance in the literature of Puri and Dvaraka parampara Acharyas you can see profuse quotations from Goswami Tulasidas - who belonged to a very different parallel parampara.
Succession
The successor Shankaracharya of the Matha is usually nominated by the present Shankaracharya. There are qualifications also to be followed - most important being a scholarly reputation. The Shankaracharya needs to know Veda, Vedanga, Darshanas and be expert in Sanskrit etc
Coming back to succession. Only the Shringeri matha, representing South and Yajurveda, has an unbroken Shankaracharya lineage going back to Adi Shankara.
In case of the other 3 Mathas, Jadunath Sarkar and others note the times when no living Shankaracharya headed a Matha. Among the Mathas of Puri, Jyotish, and Dvaraka, the line of succession has been interrupted at times, for a variety of historical reasons.
The longest gap has been in case of the Matha representing North. Between 1776 and 1941 - there was no Shankaracharya at Jyotirmatha.
Shringeri is a Matha whose Shankaracharya has always been a Sanyasi that directly took Sanyasa from Brahmacharya without ever being a married person. In case of the others, there have been cases when a Shankaracharya had been once a Grihastha.
The 4 Mathas operate independent of each other without interfering in other Matha’s matters, unless invited to. However, in the last few centuries due to the political situation in North India, such interventions had been needed.
Because of relatively more stability in South and to some extent in East, Shringeri and some times Puri had to play some role in other Matha’s affairs, especially in case of North where a Shankaracharya had been absent for many decades.
New Shankaracharya of a Matha is nominated by present one, but installed by the Acharyas of the other 3. Report in Washington Post, Dec 9 1973 in words of a foreign correspondent who observed Swami Swarupananda Sarasvati being installed as the Jyotirmatha Shankaracharya.
Influence
Because of their deep erudition, non-sectarian attitude, and active engagement with society - Shankaracharyas have historically held influence in matters of Dharma beyond this Sampradaya.
Shankaracharya influence was also through its Gurukulas. Since each Matha was to propagate a Veda and its branches - they were to produce Vaidika scholars and operate networks of Gurukulas. In South, and to some extent East, this continues.
Hindu royals used to approach them for consultations and for deciding the matters.Shankaracharyas were also kingmakers during the Hindu sovereignty. Royals drew ritual authority from their blessings. Notice the epithet Shankaracharya of South uses. Contrast it with that of the Shankaracharya of North.
From letters written in same month of 1955. Their role in blessing the state was not forgotten. Dr. Rajendra Prasad, taking over as the first head of state of independent India, took blessings of the 4 Shankaracharyas. Here he is with Shankaracharya of Jyotirmatha, and despite being the President, sitting below him.
Shankaracharyas hold enough influence (at least used to until recent times) to mobilize masses on political or legislative causes. The report mentioned above remembers the massive mobilization by Shankaracharyas on Goraksha movement, only 5 years earlier.
Remember, President Dr. Rajendra Prasad, sitting beneath the Shankaracharya? No More. Here in this IE op-ed of 9/9/94, governments are criticized for giving official reception to Shringeri Shankaracharya visiting Delhi. Doing it for Pope is ok - but he is no Pope! In the same op-ed, written by Justice Sachar, it is reported how a Governor of a state refused to visit a Shankaracharya when former was told that convention was to sit beneath the Acharya. President of India did it in 1952 - but governors of 1980s can’t. Note the Change.