Sri Adi Sankaracharya in order to protect the Advaita Philosophy and the Vedas he established four mutts in the four corners of India. He also established the desa nama sampradaya (the ten title), which the sanyasis studying in the mutt will receive after completing their formal education in the mutt. In this article, we will see about the mutts established by Sri Adi Sankaracharya and the desa nama sampradaya.
In the east, he established a mutt near the city of Puri, in the state of Odisha. It is known as the Govardhana peeta. He a started a system of Vedanta education and named it as Poorvamnaya. His disciple Padmapada was the first acharya in that peeta or Mutt. The sanyasis in the mutt after completing their formal education receive the title vana and aaranya. After receiving this title they were given the name Prakasha. They study and practice the Sama Veda and the mahavakya they practice is “Tat Tvam Asi”.
In the north, in the town near Joshimath, in the state of Uttarakhand, Sri Adi Sankaracharya established a Mutt known as Jotir mutt. The system followed there is known as Uttaramnaya, and his disciple Todakacharya is the first acharya of the mutt. The titles given to the sanyasis are Giri, Parvata and Sagara. After getting the title the name given to the sanyasis is Aananda. They study and practice Atharva veda and the mahavakya they practice is “Ayam Atma Brahma”.
In the west, in the town near Dwaraka, in the state of Gujarat, Sri Adi Sankaracharya established a Mutt known as Kalika peeta. Later the sanyasis changed the name as Sarada peeta. The system followed there is known as Paschimamnaya, and his disciple Hastamalaka is the first acharya of the mutt. The titles given to the sanyasis are Thirtha and Ashrama. After getting this title the name given to the sanyasis is Swarupa. They study and practice Rig veda and the mahavakya they practice is “Prajnanam Brahman”.
In the south, in the town Sringeri, in the state of Karnataka, Sri Adi Sankaracharya established a Mutt known as Sarada peeta. The system followed there is known as Dakshinamnaaya, and his disciple Sureshwaracharya is the first acharya of the mutt. The titles given to the sanyasis are Puri, Bharati and Saraswati. After getting this title the name given to the sanyasis is Chaitanya. They study and practice yajur veda and the mahavakya they practice is “Aham Brahma Asmi”.
Apart from this, it is said that Sri Adi Sankaracharya started a mutt for himself, in the town of Kancheepuram, in the state of Tamil Nadu. It is known as the Kanchi Mutt. The title given to the sanyasis there is Saraswati. To identify them as unique they join a name Indra along with their title.
Later on the sanyasis who belonged to the desa nama sampradaya, they formed seven akharas to protect the Vedas, the mutts, temples and the sanyasis from the invaders of India. The sanyasis belonging to the akharas trained themselves in martial arts and trained themselves as warriors and fought the invaders. The famous naga sanyasis belong to these akharas. The head of the akharas is known as the maha mandaleshwar.
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