Shivavatar Bhagavatpada Sri Adi Shankaracharya established four religious and spiritual capitals in four cardinal directions of Bharat. Srimajjagadguru Shankaracharya Svami Sri Nischalananda Sarasvatiji Maharaja, The Shankaracharya of Puri, has shared with us, some details of the same.
The purpose of the four Amnaya Pithas
To prevent the vedic traditions from getting distorted and destroyed, Shivavatar Bhagavatpada Sri Adi Shankaracharya consecrated the four pithas or seats of the Devi, according to the vedic tradition. Through the four Amnaya pithas (centres of sacred tradition), also known as Vyasapitha, he intended to keep the bright light of sanatana dharma burning and ensure that Bharat remains secure and prospers. Four maṭhas were established at these pithas and made the spiritual and religious capitals of the world, and later Bharat. The heads of these pithas – the Shankaracharyas, are to be considered the form of Shankara, and are responsible for guiding those who are ruling Bharat.
What is a pitha?
From a part of Sri vigraha of Bhagavati Sati Yogamaya Yoganidra (Supreme Goddess) – the pithas manifested (as centres of Shakti).
A maṭha (traditional institute) integrated with Shakti is called a ‘pitha’.
The four maṭhas established by Bhagavatpada Sri Adi Shankaracharya are – Govardhana matha, Sringeri matha, Dvaraka maṭha, Jyotir maṭha are also ‘pitha’ (since they all are centres of Shakti too).
The creation of the four pithas is according to vedas and other granthas (sacred literature). Other than the Upanishads, the Devī Bhagavata, Matsya Purana, Tantrachadamani, Rudrayamala, Kalika Purana, etc., reflect upon the four sacred traditional pithas.
According to the Yogashikhopaniṣad, the body containing the four pithas and four traditions, along with Shakti is the abode of Hari. When the upasana or worship of Sri Hari is done along with Shakti upasana, then the attainment of perfection or siddhi is definite.
Brief explanation
There are two explanations given for the four pithas:
First explanation –
In the beginning of time, Bhagavan Saccidananda Svarapa Sarveshvara, planted veda vidya or the knowledge of the vedas in the heart of Brahmaji.
The vedas are manifested from the four faces of Brahmaji, as follows: Rigveda from eastern face, Yajurveda from southern, Samaveda from the western, and Atharvaveda from northern face.
Second explanation –
From the view of circumambulation the direction goes as purva (east), dakshia (south), pashchima (west), and then uttara (north). Taking the support of this too, we can say that Rigveda manifested from east, Yajurveda from south, Samaveda from west and Atharvaveda from north.
Overview of the four pithas
Bhagavatpada Sri Adi Shankaracharya established Govardhan Math, Puri pitha in the east, linked to Rigveda and Purushottama (Jagannathakshetra), in the south he established Sringeri Math affiliated with Rameshvaramkshetra and linked with Yajurveda, in west it was Dvaraka Math linked with Dvarakadhisha and the Samaveda, and in north he established Jyotir Math connected with Badarinath and the Atharvaveda. Sri Adi Shankaracharya re-consecrated the mandirs of Dvarakadhish, Badarinath, Rameshvaram and Jagannath. Each of these four centres are Shakti pithas.
The four maṭha are responsible for the propagation of the four Mahavakyas or great aphorisms derived from the Upaniṣads of the four Vedas.
The four maṭhas function with the well structured system of dashanami sannyasis who are responsible for education, spiritual knowledge, protection and preservation of the wealth of forests, mountains, oceans etc, taking care of security and welfare of the people residing in these spaces, maintaining a healthy social order, ensuring that society flourishes with the shrama system, preservation and propagation of vedic knowledge, etc.
He made his four students the Acharyas of each of these pithas – Padmapadacharya, Sureshvaracharya, Hastamalakacharya, Totakacharya. The traditional lineages from these Acharyas is still functioning.
Responsibility of the four Shankaracharyas
It is the responsibility of the four Shankaracharyas to ensure governance of Bharat is based on sanatana dharma, it is unbiased and free of any kind of exploitation, and for the welfare of all. To make such a government available should be the constant effort of the Shankaracharyas.
One fourth of the whole world comes under the spiritual and religious jurisdiction of each of the four Shankaracharyas since during Bhagavatpada Sri Adi Shankaracharya there was no Christianity or Islam. If we think of the contemporary world, then at least in the region of Bharat, Nepal and Bhutan it must be ensured that those opposing dharma must not succeed and within four of the kṣetras in Bharat, the respective Shankaracharyas must keep up the work of upholding the values of Sanatana vedic arya dharma.
They must keep the faith of people in sanatana vedic arya values strong by doing yatras, and propagating and preaching. If they need to enter each others regions, this maybe done by coordination between the Shankaracharyas
The protection of dharma, method of – education, defence, agriculture, commerce, cow protection; the process of constitution; projects of services and industries; food, clothes, accommodation, education, health, transportation, festivals, process of providing justice – to ensure that all these function according to sanātana culture and dharma in Bharat, Nepal and kshetras of aryas (noble people) should be the tireless effort of Shankaracharyas . Those against dharma must not succeed.