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Jyotir Math

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with the city Joshimath.

JyotirMath
FounderAdi Shankara
TypeReligious
HeadquartersJyotirmath
Location
First Shankaracharya
Totakacharya
Websitehttps://badarijyotirmath.org/

Uttarāmnāya Śrī Jyotish Pītham or JyotirMath is one amongst the four cardinal pīthams established by the Ādi Śaṅkara 2500 years ago to preserve Hinduism and Advaita Vedānta, the doctrine of non-dualism. Located in the city of Joshimath, Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India, it is the uttarāmnāya matha or Northern Āmnāya Pītham, amongst the four Chaturamnay Peethams - Kalady Kerala, birthplace of Adi Shankara with the others being the Sringeri Śārada Pīṭhaṃ (Karnataka) in the South, Dvārakā Śāradā Pītham (Gujarat , Dwarka) in the West and Purī Govardhanmaṭha Pīṭhaṃ (Odisha, Puri) in the east. Its appointees bear the title of Shankaracharya.[1] It is the headquarters of Giri, Parvata & Sagara sects of the Dasnami Sampradaya (monistic order). Their Vedantic mantra or Mahavakya is Ayamātmānam brahma (This Atman is supreme being) and as per the tradition initiated by Adi Shankara it holds authority over Atharva Veda. The head of the matha is called Shankaracharya, the title derives from Adi Shankara.

After its occupation by Svāmī Rāmakṛṣṇa Tīrtha in the 18th century, it was vacant for 165 years until the appointment of Swami Brahmananda Saraswati in 1941 by his highly famed, top learned & devout Saint disciple "Dharm Samrat - KarpatriJi Maharaj".[1] Since Brahmananda's death in 1953, KarpatriJi had recommended Swami Krishna Bodhashram for the post as per most available information from living saints and Peeth Parishad headed by Puri peethadheeswar Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Nishchalanand Saraswati. The Allahabad (PrayagRaj) high court observed that Swami Shantanand had been made Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath Badrikashrama on June 12, 1953, by the then Shankaracharya Bramhanand Saraswati. But Swami Krishna Bodhashram was illegally appointed to the same post on June 25 that year. Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati had been appointed Caretaker shankaracharya of Joytirmath until a new shankaracharya is selected but Swami disciples and gurus who have been appointed, occupied or claimed to be the rightful occupant and leader of the monastery. This has led to multiple court cases and final settlement over the post is yet to be decided by the Court and consensus among dharmic leaders is yet to be established. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court had made Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati as shankaracharya of Joytirmath until the case is fina and gave stay, After his brahmaleena one of his disciple Avimukteshwaranand started claimed illegally Jyotirmath, tries to occupies the new asharam ( 3rd math ) built by Swaroopand Saraswati in the Jyotirmath city. However his coronation was stopped by Supreme Court of India after objection from Shankaracharya of Puri based on the Constitution under which Shankaracharya Mutt functions including appointments of new Shankaracharya.[2] While another claimant Swami Vasudevanad Saraswati who is also a member of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust occupies the historical asharam built by Late Shankaracharya Swami Brahmanand Saraswati in Jyotirmath city. ( 2nd Mah ) In September 2017, a court in Allahabad ruled in the third instance that Swami Vasudevananda has no claim to the Shankaracharya throne.[3] October 2022 Judgment, Highcourt observed that Swami Vasudevanand is not appropriately qualified. and not accepted for even a sanyai, in between out of 6 shishyas of Swami Sri Swaroopananda Saraswati Swamiji Maharaj ( 1 Sri Sadananda Saraswati, 2. Avimukteshwaraand 3 Ramakrishnananda Sarawati, 4 Amrutananda Saraswati, 5. Govindananda Saraswati, 6 Pragnyanananda Saraswati ) after knowing the cheating activities of Avimukteshwaranand he filed intervention in SC and even filed contempt of SC also against Sringeri Sri Bharati Teertha Swamiji, Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati, Swami Sadananda Saraswati, Swami Avimukteshwarananda, V.R Gowrishankar, Chandra Prakash Upadhyaya fake manager of Avimukteshwarananda,

Deities worshipped in JyotirMath are Lord Narayana and Shakti-Purnagiri.[4]

History

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Background

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Jyotir Math is the uttaramnaya matha or northern monastery, one of four cardinal institutions established by Adi Shankara , the reviver of Vedic Sanatana Dharma.[1] Shankara's four principal disciples, Padma-Pada, Hasta-Malaka, Suresvaracharya and Totakacharya were assigned to these four learning centers in the north, south, east and west of India.[5] The subsequent leaders of each of these four monasteries have come to be known as Shankaracharyas, in honor of the math's founder, Adi Shankara.[6] As such, they are the leaders of the Dasanami Saṃnyasins, who are considered to have custody of Advaita Vedānta[6] These four principle seats of learning are located in Purī (Odisha), Sringeri (Karnataka) and Dwarka (Gujarat), with[6] the northern (Uttaramnaya) monastery being located in the city of Jyotirmaṭh.[6]

1900 to 1940

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Jyotir Math was occupied by Swami Ramakrishna Tirtha in the 18th century, but the monastery was inactive for 165 years following his death. During that time, a number of Gurus made claim to the Shankaracharya title and lawsuits representing the claimants and their representatives date back to the 1900s.[6] For a time, the head priest, Raval of the Badrinath Temple was thought by some to hold the Shankaracharya title there. However, the formal occupation of the Matha only officially began when the leaders of the other three Mathas convinced Brahmananda Saraswati to accept the position.[5]

1941 to 1953

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The appointment of Swami Sri Brahmananda Saraswati Ji on 11 May 1941 was made by a group of monks and pandits BDM Bharat Dharma Mahamandal based in the city of Varanasi[7] with the endorsement of Swami Bharati Krishna Tirtha, the Shankaracharya of Puri and Swami Chandrashekhara Bharati the Shankaracharya of Sringeri.[6] Respected supporters of religious institutions, such as the rulers of the Garhwal, Varanasi and Darbhanga, also endorsed Brahmananda, and their recognition helped overcome opposition from previous claimants to the title. Brahmandanda was also perceived by his supporters as the embodiment of the qualifications mentioned in Vedic texts, and this assisted in his unhindered ascension to the position at the age of 70.[1][6]

Brahmananda was charged with reconstructing the temple and institution at Jyotir Math.[1] Through the assistance of the local Deputy Commissioner and parties responsible for his nomination, Brahmananda reclaimed the surrounding land that had been encroached upon by local farmers. Under his leadership, a two-story, 30-room building was constructed ( New 2nd Math) to serve as the Peeth Bhawan of Jyotir Math. He also supervised the final construction of the Shrine of Purnagiri Devi about 100 yards in front of the new monastery, which "the Darbhanga ruler" had begun, but not completed, just prior to his brahmaleena 20 May 1953 .[1][8] Brahmananda's leadership was instrumental in re-establishing the Jyotir Math as "an important centre of traditional advaita teaching in northern India",[7] and the monastery was visited by the president of India, Rajendra Prasad in December 1952.[1]

1954 to present

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After the Brahmaleena of Swami Sri Brahmananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj in 1953, Swami Hariharananda Saraswati, a now deceased disciple of Brahmananda, was offered the title but refused to accept it.[6] Later, it was claimed that five months before his death, Brahamananda had made a will and registered it with the District Registrar in Allahabad.[9] The will named his disciple, 1) Sri Ramji Tripathi - Swami Shantanand Saraswati as his successor and Dwaraka Prasad Sastry - 2) Swami Dwarakeshananda Saraswati, 3) Swami Vishnudevananda Saraswati and 4) Swami Paramatmananda Saraswati as alternate choices.[6] As a result, Swami Shantanand Saraswati assumed the Shankarcharya-ship, but his authority was disputed by other 3 Shankaracharya's Puri, Dwaraka, Sringeri and several of Swami Sri Brahmananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj's disciples and followers who did not feel that Shantanand met the requirements described in the 2500 Yrs Adi Shankarachaya Mathamnaya Mahanushasana texts.[6] the Law of 4 Amnaya Peeths, Meanwhile, others claimed that Brahmananda's death was due to poisoning, and later it was found that the so-called "Will" ( 18th Dec 1952 ) was not authentic and fake, forgery, causing civil lawsuits to be filed by concerned parties.[6] successor to the office of Shankaracharya had to be chosen by a body "Maneeshas according to "Mathamnaya Mahanushasanam" not through a "Will" in "Mathamnaya Mahanushasan no where it is mentioned the concept of will, there should be some principals to be followed according to tradition, when there is no system of Will in Adi Shankarachaya Parampara how Swami Sri Brahmananda Saraswati writes a Will in faviour of any person ?, this it self proved that the claimed will is fake and fabricated, forgery, other 3 Shankaracharya's did not recognize alleaged "Will"

Relevant organizations involved in reviving Jyotir Math, including a committee of pundits from Varanasi,[7] BDM proposed Swami Krishnabodha Ashrama Ji Maharaj as the Shankaracharya, despite Shantanand's claim and occupation of Jyotir Math on (25 June 1953). Ashrama attained Brahmasiddhi in 10 Sept 1973[7] and nominated Sri Brahmananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj's deekshita Shishya disciple Swami Sri Swaroopananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj, who had taken Swami Krishnabodha Ashrama as his guru after Swami Sri Brahmananda Saraswati Swamiji Maharaj's Siddhi death, as his successor. However, because Shantananda still occupied the Jyotir Math ashram built by Swami Sri Brahmananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj, then Swami Sri Swaroopananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj took new land and Built new Ashram in a nearby the 2nd Ashram built by Sri Brahmananda Saraswati ji Maharaj, said to be located near the former cave of Adi Shankara disciple, Totakacharya.[7]

During his tenure, Shantanand was "supportive" of another Brahamananda disciple, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi,[10] and "often appeared with him in public".[11] However, in 1980, Shantananda vacated the Shankarcharya position in favour of Swami Vishnudevananda Saraswati, an additional disciple that was named in Brahmananda's will as an alternate choice for the Shankaracharya-ship. Author Williamson writes that Shantanand was removed by the other Shankarcharya's due to his "incompetence" and speculates that his relationship with the Maharishi may have been a contributing factor.[11] However, Shantanand's successor, Vishnudevananda, also spoke well of the Maharishi[12] and publicly demonstrated his support by presiding over one of the Maharishi's publicized events in New Delhi in July 1986.[13][14] Vishnudevananda died in 1989 and Swami Vasudevananda Saraswati succeeded him. Former Shankaracharya, Shantanand, then died in 1997.[6]

Another claimant is Swami Madhava Ashrama Ji, who disputes the lineage of Swami Vasudevananda and Swami Swaroopananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj and who was appointed head of Jyotir Math in the 1960s. He contends that Swaroopananda cannot accept the title of Shankaracharya for both the western and northern mathas, in which case the title reverts to a subsequent disciple of Krishnabodha Ashrama. Swami Madhava Ashrama Ji was reportedly appointed leader of Jyotir Math under the auspices of Sri Niranjana Deva Tirtha Ji Maharaj, who was the Shankarcharya of Puri at that time.[7] However his appointment by made void and null by Allahabad High Court judgement.[15]

These events have resulted in three separate lineages at Jyotir Math, despite Swami Sri Swaroopananda Ji being endorsed by other Adi Shankara mathas.[7] These lineages include Swaroopananda Saraswati, the leader of the Dwarka Math in the West, and Madhava Ashrama (both disciples of Krishnabodha Ashrama), as well as Vasudevananda Saraswati, who occupies the monastery built by Brahmananda in 1941.[6]

A Sept. 23, 2017, court ruling held that both Shankaracharyas should step down and be replaced by another Swami within 3 months, noting that Swami Shantanand had been made Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath Badrikashram on June 12, 1953, by the then Shankaracharya, but that Swami Krishna Bodhashrama was illegally appointed to the same post on June 25 that year. In the meantime, Swaroopananda was appointed caretaker by the ruling judge; a successor was not appointed then.[16]

After the Brahmaleena of Badari Jyotirmath and Dwarka Sharada Math, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Sri Swaroopanand Saraswati Ji, Swami Avimukteshwaranand went to SC told lie saying that other 3 Shankarachaya's endorsed him, even Sadananda Saraswati also joind with Avimukteshwarananda and with forgery and fake Will started claiming Jyotirmath, Dwaraka . even sringeri Swamiji also joind with Avimukteshwaranand and Sadananda Saraswati announced dates for fake abhishekam on14th, 17th Oct 2022 then Tushar Mehata went to SC and reported then Supreme Court stopped Avimukteshwarananda's coronation as the new Shankaracharya for Jyotirmath based on the affidavit was filed by Puri Shankaracharya.[17] against Avimukteshwarananda, However many akharas including Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad and sadhus, Bharat Dharm Mahamandal, Kashividwat Parishad have not accepted his appointment as the new shankaracharya.[18][19]

Ever Swami Avimukteshwaranand has been in the center of controversies for making claims and allegations against political parties, specially against Bharatiya Janata Party and in favor of Indian National Congress. In 2024, he fielded a candidate against Narendra Modi in Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency.[20][21][22]

Swami Sri Govindananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj Badari, Dwaraka Peetha Jagadguru Shankaracharya Dharma Samrat Swami Sri Swaroopananda Saraswati Maharaj's Paramahamsa Parivrajaka Deekshita Sanyasi Shishya of the Jyotirmath, said that Varanasi court had issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him and the case is pending in the Supreme Court. Swami Govindananda Saraswati Maharaj further said that Congress was supporting Avimukteshwaranand by addressing him as shankaracharya in a letter from Priyanka Gandhi.[23][24][25][26] These statements came after Avimukteshwaranand's political comments in support of Uddhav Thackeray, which received heavy backlash from other seers.[27]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Pasricha, Prem C. (1977) The Whole Thing the Real Thing, Delhi Photo Company, p. 59-63
  2. ^ PTI (15 October 2022). "SC stops coronation of Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati as Shankaracharya of Jyotish Peeth". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  3. ^ Allahabad High Court : - Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati Disciple vs Jagat Guru Shankarcharya Jyotishpeeth , on 22 September 2017; Bench: Sudhir Agarwal, Kaushal Jayendra Thaker
  4. ^ "The Amnaya Peethams".
  5. ^ a b Love and God, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Age of Enlightenment Press, 1973 p. 9
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Unknown author (2005) Indology The Jyotirmatha Shankaracharya Lineage in the 20th Century, retrieved 4 August 2012
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Unknown author (5 May 1999) archived here. Accessed: 2012-08-30. or here%5D The Monastic Tradition Advaita Vedanta web page, retrieved 28 August 2012
  8. ^ Varma, Dr. Raj R. P. (1980) Self Published, Strange Facts About A Great Saint
  9. ^ Pasricha, Prem C. (1977) The Whole Thing the Real Thing, Delhi Photo Company, p. 71
  10. ^ Mason (1994) p. 57 Note: "On Tuesday, 30 May 1961, eight years to the day after his master's death, the Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math, Swami Shantanand Saraswati graced the teacher training course with his presence and was received with all due ceremony. Arriving at the site where the new Academy was being built, he addressed the Maharishi and the gathered meditators . . . . He commended the practice of the Maharishi’s meditation, describing it as a 'master key to the knowledge of Vedanta' and added, 'There are other keys, but a master key is enough to open all the locks."
  11. ^ a b Williamson, Lola (2012) New York University Press, Transcendent In America, page 87
  12. ^ Coplin, J.R. (1990) p. 62-63 Note: "Swami Vishnudevanand (the current Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math) speaks very highly of Maharishi and sees his teaching as a reflection of their master's. Both he and Shantanand (his immediate predecessor) were frequent guests of the Maharishi and personally endorsing his mission."
  13. ^ Unknown author (July 26, 1986) Yogic Flying Demonstration, Press Trust of India
  14. ^ Unknown author (July 21, 1986) United News of India
  15. ^ "Badrinath shrine dispute ends". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  16. ^ : "Badrinath shrine dispute ends"
  17. ^ PTI (15 October 2022). "SC stops coronation of Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati as Shankaracharya of Jyotish Peeth". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  18. ^ PTI (15 October 2022). "Akhara Parishad chief asks seers not to attend coronation of Avimukteshwaranand as Shankaracharya". ThePrint. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  19. ^ "U'khand: Sanyasi akharas refuse to accept Avimukteshwaranand's appointment as new Shankaracharya". The Indian Express. 24 September 2022. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  20. ^ "Swami Avimukteshwaranand: Shankaracharya Who Loves Congress, Fought Elections, Making News for Anti-BJP Stand". Zee News. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  21. ^ "Who Is Swami Avimukteshwaranand? Jyotish Peeth Shankaracharya & His Key Controversies". Times Now. 21 July 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  22. ^ Mishra, Ishita (15 July 2024). "Priests in Uttarakhand miffed over construction of Kedarnath temple in Delhi". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  23. ^ Online, E. T. (21 July 2024). "Mukteshwaranand is a fake baba, Cong backing him, alleges Swami Govindananda Saraswati Maharaj". The Economic Times. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  24. ^ "'Avimukteshwaranand Is Killing, Kidnapping People': Govindananda Swami's Big Charge Against Shankaracharya". Times Now. 21 July 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  25. ^ "अविमुक्तेश्वरानंद फर्जी बाबा हैं, कभी भगोड़ा घोषित हुए थे; शंकराचार्य पर गोविंदानंद सरस्वती के गंभीर आरोप". Hindustan (in Hindi). Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  26. ^ ""Swami Avimukteshwaranand is fake; Congress backing him": Swami Govindananda Saraswati Maharaj". ANI News. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  27. ^ "'Mukteshwaranand is a fake baba, Congress backing him': Swami Govindananda Saraswati Maharaj's scathing attack". Business Today. 21 July 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
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