Shankaracharya Peethas

Adi Shankaracharya was one of the most notable philosophers as well as Savants of India. In his short life span of thirty-two years, he became one of the greatest teachers of the Vedas. He was a major proponent of the Vedanta tenet that 'Lord Brahma and men are of one essence and every individual should try to develop this vision of oneness'. As per him, God is one and the only way to achieve salvation is through the study of the Vedas. He founded four Shankaracharya Peethas (spiritual centers) in the four corners of India, which uphold his teachings.

Shankaracharya Ashrams in India Adi Shankaracharya established four peeths or maths in the four corners of India. Known as Amnaya Peethas, Shankaracharya Ashrams count amongst the most revered pilgrim destinations in the country. The heads of these four institutions are considered the principal Shankaracharyas in India.

Vedanta Jnana Peeth, Sringeri (South India) Sringeri is situated in Karnataka, on the embankment of river Tunga. Great sages like Vibhan-daka, Rishyashringa, etc have meditated here in the ancient times. The serene and calm environs of Sringeri charmed him and he established his first Vedanta Jnana Peetha here. He installed there the idol of Sri Sharada, the Goddess of Learning, and named Sureshwara as the Head of that Sharada Peetha.

The three other Adi Shankracharya Maths in India are as follows-

Govardhanamath is a monastery located in the city of Puri in Odisha state (India). It is associated with the Jagannath temple and is one of the four cardinal mathas founded by Adi Shankara in the 8th century CE. The deities here are Jagannath (Bhairava) and the devi is Vimala (Bhairavi). The mahavakya is Prajnana Brahma.There are shri vigraha of Goverdhananatha Krishna andArdhanareshwara Shiva installed by Adi Shankara.

Dwaraka pīţha or Dwarakamaţh is ancient monastery situated in the coastal city of Dwaraka, Gujarat, India. It is one of the four cardinal mathas or seats of learning founded by Adi Shankara in 8th Century CE, and is the pascimāmnāya matha, or western matha. It is also known as the Kālikā Matha, and per the tradition initiated by Adi Shankara it represents Sama Veda.

Jyotirmath is also called Jyotirmath is a city and a municipal board in Chamoli District in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is home to one of the four cardinal pīthas established by Adi Shankara. Adi Shankara established Badrinath as a pilgrimage site in the ninth century.