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<div>{{Short description|Hindu monastery in Tamil Nadu, India}}{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}} {{Use Indian English|date=October 2016}}<br />
{{Infobox organization|name=Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham|formation=482 BCE (disputed)|image=Kanchi matam.jpg|caption=Entrance tower of the Moolamnaya Sarvajna Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam|founder=[[Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada]]|type=Religious|location=[[Kanchipuram]], Tamil Nadu, India|leader_title=First Shankaracharya|leader_name=[[Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada]]|leader_title2=Current Shankaracharya|leader_name2=[[Vijayendra Saraswati Swamigal]]|affiliations=[[Hinduism]]|website={{URL|http://www.kamakoti.org/}}}}<br />
'''The Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham''', also called the '''Sri Kanchi Matham''',<ref group="web">{{Cite web|title=About the Peetham|url=https://www.kamakoti.org/peeth/aboutpeetham.html|access-date=2022-09-24|website=www.kamakoti.org}}</ref> is a [[Hinduism|Hindu]] institution, located in [[Kanchipuram]], Tamil Nadu. It is located near the [[Kamakshi Amman Temple|Kamakshi Ambal Temple]] of the [[Shaktism]] tradition, along with a shrine for the [[Advaita Vedanta]] teacher [[Adi Shankara|Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada]].{{sfn|Krishna|2006|p=100}}<br />
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The matham-tradition attributes its founding to [[Adi Shankara|Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada]], but this and the reliability of the matham's succession list has been questioned.{{sfn|Suthren Hirst|2005|p=25}}{{sfn|Clark|2006|p=224}} The Kanchi Matham was originally established as the Moolamnaya Sarvagna Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham in Kanchipuram, and later shifted south to the temple city of [[Kumbakonam]] in the mid-18th century during the rain of Chandrashekharendra Saraswathi V due to the on-going wars and persecution by the [[Arcot Nawabs]]. The matham returned to Kanchipuram in the 19th century after the sociopolitical situation calmed down in Kanchipuram.<br />
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The acharyas of the matham are known by the title of <nowiki>''Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharyavarya Jagadguru Shankaracharya''</nowiki>.<br />
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The matham is a living tradition, that continues to pursue spiritual scholarship in contemporary times.{{sfn|Cenkner|1995|p=117–121}} Since February 2018, the institution has been led by [[Vijayendra Saraswati Swamigal|Shankara Vijayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya Mahaswamigal]].<ref group="web">[https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/jayendra-saraswathi-latest-news-kanchipuram-shankaracharya-kanchi-kamakoti-peetham-narendra-modi-vijayendra-saraswati-swamigal-chandrashekarendra/203334 Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi passes away at 82; Vijayendra Saraswathi will succeed him], Times Now (28 February 2018)</ref><br />
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== History ==<br />
[[File:Sri_Kanchi_Kamakoti_Peetam._Kanchipuram._2010.jpg|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sri_Kanchi_Kamakoti_Peetam._Kanchipuram._2010.jpg|thumb|Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. [[Kanchipuram]]. 2010]]<br />
The founding of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam is traditionally attributed by its adherents to Adi Shankara, but this and the reliability of the matham's succession list has been questioned.{{sfn|Suthren Hirst|2005|p=25}} [[Sringeri matha|Sringeri Sarada Peetham]] rejects the claims of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, and does not count it among the mathas established by Shankara.{{sfn|Dalal|2014|p=Kanchipuram}} According to Clark, the story of the four cardinal mathas founded by mShankara dates from the 16th century, questioning the founding stories of all those mathas.{{sfn|Clark|2006|p=224}}<br />
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According to the Kanchi matham's tradition and various eminent scholars, their monastery was founded in Kali 2620 (482 BCE) by [[Adi Shankara]].{{sfn|Dalal|2010|p=376}} According to the Sri Kanchi matham documents, the ''matham'' relocated completely to Kumbakonam in the mid-18th century to escape wars and persecution.{{sfn|Dalal|2010|p=192}} According to Jonathan Bader and other scholars, the monastic tradition gives "fear of Muslim atrocities" from Nawab of Arcot, Mysore's Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan as the reason, but the details remain unclear.{{sfn|Bader|2000|p=289–290}}{{sfn|Kasturi|Madhavan|2007|pp=173–174}}{{sfn|Sarasvati|Mahadevan|2003|pp=436–437}} According to [[T. A. Gopinatha Rao]], copperplate inscriptions show that the matham was located at Kanchipuram until 1686 CE,{{sfn|Rao|1916|p=2}} and relocated to Kumbhakonam, Tajore, in the 18th century.{{sfn|Rao|1916|p=3}} According to Rao, based on the oldest record found in the respective mathas (1291 and 1346 respectively), Kanchipuram matham ''may'' be older than Sringeri Pitham.{{sfn|Rao|1916|p=6}} The matham returned to Kanchi in the 19th century.{{sfn|Dalal|2010|p=192}}<br />
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The successive heads of the Kanchi and all other major Hindu Advaita tradition monasteries have been called Shankaracharya leading to confusion, discrepancies and scholarly disputes. The chronology stated in Kanchi matham texts recognizes five major Shankaras: Adi, Kripa, Ujjvala, Muka and Abhinava. According to the Kanchi matham tradition, it is "Abhinava Shankara" that western scholarship recognizes as the Advaita scholar Adi Shankara.{{sfn|Dalal|2010|p=376}} Scholars such as William Cenkner, Christopher Fuller and David Smith dispute this traditional belief, though they accept that the Kanchi Shankaracharyas are his direct "spiritual descendants".{{sfn|Scheifinger|2016|p=106}}<br />
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The 70th Shankaracharya, Sri Sankara Vijayendra Saraswati Mahaswamigal is the current Shankaracharya, before which, the matham was headed by [[Jayendra Saraswathi|Sri Jayendra Saraswathi]], the 69th Shankaracharya.{{sfn|Meena|1974|p=46}}<ref group="web">{{cite news|title=Leaders mourn Kanchi seer Jayendra Saraswathi's death|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/kanchi-seer-jayendra-saraswathi-passes-away/article22875781.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|date=28 February 2018|access-date=12 July 2019}}</ref><br />
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The Kanchi monastery, along with its sister monasteries across India, has also been an important preserver and source of historic palm leaf manuscripts.<ref>{{cite book|author=National Mission for Manuscripts (India)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ADk_IFkV4WIC|title=National Mission for Manuscripts: Report of the Third Year, 7 February 2005 - 7 February 2006|publisher=National Mission for Manuscripts|year=2006|pages=42–43}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Saṃskr̥ta Āyoga|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R7CvAAAAIAAJ|title=Report of the Sanskrit Commission, 1956-1957|publisher=Manager of Publications, Government of India|year=1958|page=63}}</ref><br />
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== Sankararaman murder case ==<br />
{{main|Sankararaman murder case}}<br />
In 2004, Jagadguru Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Mahaswamigal and his junior Vijayendra Saraswati were arrested in connection with the [[Sankararaman murder case]] on [[Diwali]] day.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/kanchi-seer-jayendra-saraswathi-a-spiritual-colossus-till-his-arrest-in-2004/articleshow/63106383.cms|title=Kanchi seer Jayendra Saraswathi, a spiritual colossus till his arrest in 2004, dies - Times of India ►|website=[[The Times of India]]|date=28 February 2018|access-date=1 March 2018}}</ref> The court said that the complainant failed to support the prosecution and he was given bail. The trial went on till 2013 when he was acquitted by the court.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Kanchi-seer-Sri-Jayendra-Saraswathi-others-acquitted-in-auditor-assault-case/articleshow/52039635.cms|title=Kanchi seer Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, others acquitted in auditor assault case - Times of India ►|website=[[The Times of India]]|date=May 2016|access-date=1 March 2018}}</ref><br />
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== Chronological list of Shankaracharyas ==<br />
According to the Peetham, the chronological list of Guru Paramapara of the matham is follows:<ref>{{cite web|title=History of the Kanchi Sankaracharya Math and Acharaparampara|url=http://www.kamakoti.org/peeth/origin.html|website=www.kamakoti.org|access-date=1 November 2016}}</ref>{{better source|date=September 2018}}<br />
{{Div col|small=yes}}<br />
# [[Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada]] (482 BCE–477 BCE)<br />
# [[Suresvaracharya]] (477 BCE–407 BCE)<br />
# Sarvajnatmanendra Saraswati (407 BCE–367 BCE)<ref>{{cite book|author=Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies|title=Advaita Vedānta from 800 to 1200|year=2006|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishers|isbn=978-81-208-3061-5 |page=435}}</ref><br />
# Sri Sathyabodhendra Saraswati (367 BCE–268 BCE)<ref>{{cite web|title=Schools of Philosophy|url=http://www.hindupedia.com/en/Schools_of_Philosophy|website=hindupedia.com|access-date=1 November 2016}}</ref><br />
# Sri Jnanandendra Saraswati (268 BCE–205 BCE)<br />
# Sri Suddhanandendra Saraswati (205 BCE–124 BCE)<br />
# Sri Aanandaghanendra Saraswati (124 BCE–55 BCE)<br />
# Sri Kaivalyanandayogendra Saraswati (55 BCE–28 CE)<br />
# Sri Krpa Sankarendra Saraswati (28 CE–69 CE)<br />
# Sri Sureswara Saraswati (69 CE–127 CE)<br />
# Sri Sivananda Chidghanendra Saraswati (127 CE–172 CE)<br />
# Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati (172–235)<br />
# Sri Satchidghanendra Saraswati (235–272)<br />
# Sri Vidyaghanendra Saraswati (272–317)<br />
# Sri Gangadharendra Saraswati (317–329)<br />
# Sri Ujjvala Sankarendra Saraswati (329–367)<br />
# Sri Sadasivendra Saraswati (367–375)<br />
# Sri Shankarananda Saraswati (375–385)<br />
# Sri Martanda Vidyaghanendra Saraswati (385–398)<br />
# Sri Muka Sankarendra Saraswati (398–437)<br />
# Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati II (437–447)<br />
# Sri Bodhendra Saraswati (447–481)<br />
# Sri Satchisukhendra Saraswati (481–512)<br />
# Sri Chitsukhendra Saraswati (512–527)<br />
# Sri Satchidanandaghanendra Saraswati (527–548)<br />
# Sri Prajnaghanendra Saraswati (548–565)<br />
# Sri Chidvilasendra Saraswati (565–577)<br />
# Sri Mahadevendra Saraswati I (577–601)<br />
# Sri Purnabhodhendra Saraswati (601–618)<br />
# Sri Bhodhendra Saraswati II (618–655)<br />
# Sri Brahmanandaghanendra Saraswati (655–668)<br />
# Sri Chidanandaghanendra Saraswati (668–672)<br />
# Sri Satchidananda Saraswati (672–692)<br />
# Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati III (692–710)<br />
# Sri Chitsukhendra Saraswati (710–737)<br />
# Sri Chitsukhanandendra Saraswati (737–758)<br />
# Sri Vidyaghanendra Saraswati III (758–788)<br />
# Sri Abhinava Sankarendra Saraswati (788–840)<br />
# Sri Satchidvilaasendra Saraswati (840–873)<br />
# Sri Mahadevendra Saraswati II (873–915)<br />
# Sri Gangadharendra Saraswati II (915–950)<br />
# Sri Brahmanandaghanendra Saraswati (950–978)<br />
# Sri Anandaghanendra Saraswati (978–1014)<br />
# Sri Purnabhodhendra Saraswati II (1014–1040)<br />
# Sri Paramasivendra Saraswati I (1040–1061)<br />
# Sri Sandranandabhodhendra Saraswati (1061–1098)<br />
# Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati IV (1098–1166)<br />
# Sri Advaitanandabodhendra Saraswati (1166–1200)<br />
# Sri Mahadevendra Saraswati III (1200–1247)<br />
# Sri Chandrachudendra Saraswati I (1247–1297)<br />
# Sri Vidyateerthendra Saraswati (1297–1385)<br />
# Sri Sankaranandendra Saraswati (1385–1417)<br />
# Purnananda Sadasivendra Saraswati (1417–1498)<br />
# [[Vyasachala Mahadevendra Saraswati]] (1498–1507)<br />
# [[Chandrachudhendra Saraswati II]] (1507–1524)<br />
# Sri Sarvajna Sadasiva Bhodhendra Saraswati (1524–1539)<br />
# Sri Paramasivendra Saraswati II (1539–1586)<br />
# [[Atma Bodhendra Saraswati]] (1586–1638)<br />
# [[Bodhendra Saraswathi]] (1638–1692)<br />
# Sri Advaitatma Prakasendra Saraswati (1692–1704)<br />
# Sri Mahadevendra Saraswati IV (1704–1746)<br />
# Sri ChandrasekharendraSaraswati V (1746–1783)<br />
# Sri Mahadevendra Saraswati V (1783–1813)<br />
# Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati VI (1813–1851)<br />
# Sudarsana Mahadevendra Saraswati (1851–1891)<br />
# Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati VII (1891 – 7 February 1907)<br />
# [[Mahadevendra Saraswathi V]] (7 February 1907 – 13 February 1907)<br />
# [[Chandrashekarendra Saraswati]] (20 May 1894 – 8 January 1994)<br />
# [[Jayendra Saraswathi]] (3 January 1994 – 28 February 2018)<br />
# [[Vijayendra Saraswati Swamigal|Shankara Vijayendra Saraswati]] (28 February 2018 – Present)<br />
{{Div col end}}<br />
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== Recent Shankaracharyas ==<br />
<gallery><br />
File:Maha periyava.jpg|68th Shankaracharya Sri [[Chandrashekarendra Saraswati|Chandrashekharendra Saraswati]] Mahaswamigal<br />
File:Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal.jpg|69th Shankaracharya Sri [[Jayendra Saraswathi]] Mahaswamigal<br />
File:Sri sankara vijayendra saraswathi swamingal.jpg|70th Shankaracharya Sri [[Vijayendra Saraswati Swamigal|Vijayendra Saraswathi]] Mahaswamigal<br />
</gallery><br />
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== See also ==<br />
<br />
* [[Adi Shankara]]<br />
* [[Shankaracharya]]<br />
* [[Kalady|Kalady, Kerala - the holy birthplace of Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya]]<br />
* [[Govardhan Math|Govardhan Math Peetham (East), Puri, Orissa]]<br />
* [[Dvaraka Pitha|Dwarka Sharada Peetham (West), Dwarka, Gujarat]]<br />
* [[Jyotir Math|Jyotir Math Badrikashram (North), Joshimath, Uttrakhand]]<br />
* [[Sringeri Sharada Peetham|Shri Sringeri Sharada Peetham (South), Sringeri, Karnataka]]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
<references responsive="0"></references><br />
<br />
== Sources ==<br />
<br />
; Printed sources<br />
{{refbegin}}<br />
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* {{cite book|last=Bader|first=Jonathan Bader|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q6XWAAAAMAAJ|title=Conquest of the Four Quarters: Traditional Accounts of the Life of Śaṅkara|publisher=Aditya Prakashan|year=2000|isbn=978-81-7742-002-9}}<br />
<!-- C --><br />
* {{cite book|last=Cenkner|first=William|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LsD9oPZA2OMC|title=A Tradition of Teachers: Śaṅkara and the Jagadgurus Today|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|year=1995|isbn=978-81-208-0932-1}}<br />
* {{Citation|last=Clark|first=Matthew|year=2006|title=The Daśanāmī-saṃnyāsīs. The Integration Of Ascetic Lineages Into An Order|publisher=BRILL}}<br />
<!-- D --><br />
* {{Citation|last=Dalal|first=Roshen|year=2010|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|publisher=Penguin|isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC&pg=PA376}}<br />
* {{Citation|last=Dalal|first=Roshen|year=2014|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|publisher=Penguin UK}}<br />
<!-- K --><br />
* {{cite book|last1=Kasturi|first1=Prema|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_HwMAQAAMAAJ|title=South India heritage: an introduction|last2=Madhavan|first2=Chithra|publisher=East West|year=2007|isbn=978-81-88661-64-0|pages=173–174}}<br />
* {{cite book|last=Krishna|first=Nanditha|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d18MAQAAMAAJ|title=Kanchipuram: a heritage of art and religion|publisher=Aiyar Foundation|year=2006|isbn=978-81-901484-1-2}}<br />
<!-- M --><br />
* {{cite book|last=Meena|first=V.|title=Temples in South India|publisher=Harikumar Arts|year=1974|edition=1st|location=Kanniyakumari}}<br />
<!-- R --><br />
* {{Citation|last=Rao|first=T. A. Gopinatha|year=1916|title=Copperplate Inscriptions of the Kamakothi Pita|publisher=The Law Printing House|url=https://kamakotikosh.org/books/copper-plate-inscriptions-of-the-kamakoti-pitha/}}<br />
<!-- S --><br />
* {{cite book|last1=Sarasvati|first1=Jayēdra|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OMLWAAAAMAAJ|title=Preceptors of Advaita|last2=Mahadevan|first2=T. M. P.|publisher=Samata Books|year=2003|isbn=9788185208510}}<br />
* {{cite book|last=Scheifinger|first=Heinz|title=Indian Transnationalism Online: New Perspectives on Diaspora|date=23 May 2016|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-11740-7|editor1=Ajaya Kumar Sahoo|chapter=Online Connections, Online Yatras|editor2=Johannes G. de Kruijf|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5i83DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA106}}<br />
* {{Citation|last=Sharma|first=Varanasi Rajgopal|year=1987|title=Kanchi Kamakoti Math - A Myth|publisher=Ganga-Tunga Prakashan}}<br />
* {{cite book|last=Suthren Hirst|first=Jacqueline G.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YsN-AgAAQBAJ|title=Samkara's Advaita Vedanta: A Way of Teaching|publisher=Routledge|year=2005|isbn=978-1-134-25441-5}}<br />
<!-- V --><br />
* {{Citation|last=Veeramani|first=K.|year=1988|title=Kanchi Sankarachariar, Saint Or Sectarian?|publisher=Dravidar Kazhagam}}<br />
{{refend}}<br />
<br />
; Web-sources<br />
<references group="web" responsive="1"></references><br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
<br />
* http://www.kamakoti.org/<br />
<br />
{{coord|12.843214|79.700834|display=title}}{{Hinduism footer small}}<br />
[[Category:Hindu monasteries in India]]<br />
[[Category:Hinduism in Tamil Nadu]]<br />
[[Category:Advaita Vedanta]]</div>Srikar