PascimāmnāyaŚrī Śāradā Pītham or Dwarka Sharada Math,[2][note 1] is one amongst the four cardinal peethams established by the saint Adi Shankara to preserve and propagate Sanatana Dharma and Advaita Vedanta, the doctrine of non-dualism. Located in the city of Dwaraka, Gujarat, India it is the pascimāmnāya matha, or Western Āmnāya Pītham[4] amongst the four Chaturāmnāya Pīthams. It is also known as the Kālikā Matha. Their Vedantic mantra or Mahavakya is Tattvamasi (That thou art) and as per the tradition initiated by Adi Shankara it holds authority over Sama Veda. The head of the matha is called Shankarayacharya, the title derives from Adi Shankara.
H.H. Swami Sadanand Saraswati, The Shankaracharya of Dwarka Sharada Peetham Math
Structure
Dvaraka Pitha, one of the four peeths (religious centers) established by Adi Shankaracharya (686-717) who pioneered unification of Hindu religious beliefs in the country. It is a four storied structure representing four peeths established by Shankaracharya in different parts of the country. There are paintings on the walls here depicting the life history of Shankaracharya while the dome has carvings of Shiva in different postures.[5][6]
Shri Trivikrama Tirtha was the head of the monastery until 1921 when he was succeeded by Sri Bharati Krishna Tirtha.[citation needed]
Shri Bharati was invited to lead the Puri matha in 1925 after the position had become vacant.[citation needed]
Shri Bharati was succeeded by Shri Swaroopananda Saraswati.
Shri Swaroopanand was succeeded by Shri Sadanand Saraswati in 2022.[7]
1945 - Present
In 1945, Shri Abhinava Saccidananda Tirtha was nominated to the position. Before assuming his position at Dvaraka, Abhinava was the head of the Mulabagal matha in Karnataka, which was the 17th century branch of the Dvaraka matha. As a result, the cumulative lineage of Mulabagal matha was merged with Dvaraka when Abhinava took office there. Years later[when?] Shri Saccidananda helped to mediate the Shankarcharya successions at Puri and Jyotir Math.[8]
Since Abhinava died in 1982, this peeth has been led by Swami Swarūpānanda Saraswatī[8][9] who is one of the claimants to the position of Shankaracharya of the northern matha called Jyotish Pitha or Jyotir Math.[10]
After the death of Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, who was the Shankracharya of Dwarka Sharad Math, Swami Sadanand Saraswati was made the Shankaracharya of Dwarka Sharada Math.[1]
H.H. Late Swami Swarupananda Saraswati, Previous Shankaracharya of Dwarka Sharada Peetham Math
Notes
^Dvaraka Peeth, located in the west, and Sringeri Sharada Peetham, located in the south, are both called "Sharada Peeth".[3]
^ abUnknown author (5 May 1999) archived here. Accessed: 2012-08-30. or here%5D The Monastic Tradition Advaita Vedanta web page, retrieved 28 August 2012
