Jyotir Math

Uttarāmnāya Śrī Jyotish Pītham or Jyotir Math is one amongst the four cardinal pīthams established by the Ādi Śaṅkara to preserve and propagate 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 and in later period, Moolamnaya Sarvajna Peetham was declared as Moolamnay by disciples which is in Kalady, Kerala, birth place of Adi Shankar.

with the others being the Sringeri Śārada Pīṭhaṃ (Karnataka , Tunga-bhadra Sangama Kudali) 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. 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". 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 Allahabad High Court had made Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati as caretaker shankaracharya of Joytirmath until a new shankaracharya is selected by a dharm shabha. After his death one of his disciple Swami Avimukteshwaranand was crowned as Shankaracharya of Joytirmath, evidence provided by secretary of earlier Shankaracharya and now Swami Avimukteshwaranand occupies the asharam built by Swaroopand Saraswati in the Joytirmath 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 functionsincluding appointmentsof new Shankaracharya. 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 Joytirmath city. October 2022 Judgment, Highcourt observed that Swami Vasudevanand is not appropriately qualified.

Deities worshipped in Jyotir Math are Lord Narayana and Shakti-Purnagiri.