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{{Short description|Hindu monastery in Tamil Nadu, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham
| image = Entrance gopuram of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Advaita Hindu monastery.jpg
| caption = Entrance tower of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam monastery
| founder = [[Adi Shankara]]<ref name="Dalal2010p376">{{cite book|author=Roshen Dalal|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC&pg=PA376|year=2010|publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|page=376}}</ref>
| type = Religious
| location = [[Kanchipuram]], Tamil Nadu, India
| leader_title = First Jagadguru
| leader_name = [[Adi Shankara]]
| leader_title2 = Present Jagadguru
| leader_name2 = [[Vijayendra Saraswati Swamigal]]
| affiliations = [[Hinduism]]
| website = http://www.kamakoti.org/
}}

'''Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham''', also called the '''Kanchi matha''' or the '''Kanchi monastery''', is a [[Hinduism|Hindu]] institution, located in [[Kanchipuram]], [[Tamil Nadu]]. It is located near a temple dedicated to goddess Kamakshi (Durga, Kamakoti) of the [[Shaktism]] tradition, along with a shrine for the Advaita Vedanta teacher [[Adi Shankara]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Nanditha Krishna|title=Kanchipuram: a heritage of art and religion|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d18MAQAAMAAJ|year=2006|publisher=Aiyar Foundation|isbn=978-81-901484-1-2|page=100}}</ref> Its founding is traditionally attributed to Adi Shankara who it is said lived some of his final years here.<ref name="Dalal2010p376">{{cite book|author=Roshen Dalal|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC&pg=PA376|year=2010|publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|page=376}}</ref>

The Kanchi matha shifted south to the temple city of [[Kumbakonam]] in mid-18th-century to escape Islamic persecution and atrocities. It returned to Kanchi in the 19th-century when theo-political stability returned during the British colonial rule.<ref name=dalal192>{{cite book|author=Roshen Dalal|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DH0vmD8ghdMC|year=2010|publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-14-341421-6|page=192}}</ref> The matha is a living tradition, that continues to pursue spiritual scholarship in contemporary times.<ref>{{cite book|author=William Cenkner|title=A Tradition of Teachers: Śaṅkara and the Jagadgurus Today|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LsD9oPZA2OMC|year=1995|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0932-1|pages=117–121}}</ref> 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)|title=National Mission for Manuscripts: Report of the Third Year, 7 February 2005 - 7 February 2006|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ADk_IFkV4WIC|year= 2006|publisher= National Mission for Manuscripts|pages= 42–43}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author= Saṃskr̥ta Āyoga|title=Report of the Sanskrit Commission, 1956-1957| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=R7CvAAAAIAAJ|year= 1958|publisher= Manager of Publications, Government of India|page=63}}</ref> The head of the ''[[matha]]'' is also referred to as a "Sankaracharya". Since February 2018, the institution has been led by [[Vijayendra Saraswati Swamigal|Vijayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya Swamigal]].<ref>[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 (February 28, 2018)</ref>

==History==
[[File:Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Kanchipuram. 2010.jpg|400px|thumb|Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. [[Kanchipuram]]. 2010]]
Adi Shankara is traditionally believed in the Kanchi matha tradition to have founded it. According to the Kanchi matha's tradition, their monastery was founded in Kali 2593 (509 BCE) by an ascetic named [[Adi Shankara]].<ref name="Dalal2010p376"/>

The successive heads of the Kanchi and all other major Hindu Advaita tradition monasteries have been called Shankaracharya leading to some confusion, discrepancies and scholarly disputes. The chronology stated in Kanchi matha texts recognizes five major Shankaras: Adi, Kripa, Ujjvala, Muka and Abhinava. It is "Abhinava Shankara" that western scholarship recognizes as the Advaita scholar Adi Shankara, states the Kanchi matha tradition.<ref name="Dalal2010p376"/>

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".<ref>{{cite book |author=Heinz Scheifinger |chapter=Online Connections, Online Yatras |editor1=Ajaya Kumar Sahoo |editor2=Johannes G. de Kruijf |title=Indian Transnationalism Online: New Perspectives on Diaspora |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5i83DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA106 |date=23 May 2016 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-11740-7 |page=106 }}</ref>

The ''matha'' relocated completely to Kumbakonam in mid-18th century to escape wars and persecution.<ref name=dalal192/> 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.<ref>{{cite book|author=Jonathan Bader|title=Conquest of the Four Quarters: Traditional Accounts of the Life of Śaṅkara|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q6XWAAAAMAAJ|year=2000|publisher=Aditya Prakashan|isbn=978-81-7742-002-9|pages=289–290}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author1=Prema Kasturi|author2=Chithra Madhavan|title=South India heritage: an introduction|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=_HwMAQAAMAAJ|year=2007|publisher=East West|isbn=978-81-88661-64-0|pages=173–174}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author1=Jayēdra Sarasvati|author2=T. M. P. Mahadevan|title=Preceptors of Advaita|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OMLWAAAAMAAJ |year=2003|publisher=Samata Books |pages=436–437}}</ref> The matha returned to Kanchi in the 19th-century.<ref name=dalal192/>

The 70th Shankaracharya, Vijayendra Saraswati is the current Shankaracharya, before which, the matha was headed by [[Jayendra Saraswathi]], the 69th Shankaracharya.<ref name=Meena>{{cite book|title=Temples in South India|last=V.|first=Meena|publisher=Harikumar Arts|location= Kanniyakumari| year=1974| edition=1st|page=46}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |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 |website=www.thehindu.com |publisher=The Hindu |access-date=12 July 2019}}</ref>

The Kamakoti Peetam is named after Kamakshi, referred locally as Kamakoti, or Goddess [[Durga]]. Kancheepuram is referred to as Kanchi. The Vyakarana Mahabhashya of [[Patanjali]] uses the word 'Kanchi' and it can be thus understood that the word Kanchi also has a [[Sanskrit]] base. Under the guidance of Sureshvarachaya, Adi Shankara appointed Sarvajnatman as the third Peetadhipathi.

==Chronological list of Shankaracharyas==

The chronological list of Guru Paramapara of the matham 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|publisher=www.kamakoti.org|access-date=1 November 2016}}</ref>{{better source|date=September 2018}}
{{Div col|small=yes}}
# [[Adi Sankara]] Bhagavatpada (482 BC–477 BC)
# [[Suresvaracharya]] (477 BC–407 BC)
# [[Sarvajnatman]] (407 BC–367 BC)<ref>{{cite book|author=Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies|title=Advaita Vedānta from 800 to 1200|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishe, 2006|isbn=978-81-208-3061-5 |page=435}}</ref>
# Sathyabodhendra Saraswati (367 BC–268 BC)<ref>{{cite web|title=Schools of Philosophy|url=http://www.hindupedia.com/en/Schools_of_Philosophy|website=hindupedia.com|publisher=hindupedia.com|access-date=1 November 2016}}</ref>
# Jnanandendra Saraswati (268 BC–205 BC)
# Suddhanandendra Saraswati (205 BC–124 BC)
# Aanandaghanendra Saraswati (124 BC–55 BC)
# Kaivalyanandayogendra Saraswati (55 BC–28 AD)
# Krpa Sankarendra Saraswati (28 AD–69 AD)
# Sureswara Saraswati (69 AD–127 AD)
# Sivananda Chidghanendra Saraswati (127 AD–172 AD)
# Chandrasekharendra Saraswati (172–235)
# Satchidghanendra Saraswati (235–272)
# Vidyaghanendra Saraswati (272–317)
# Gangadharendra Saraswati (317–329)
# Ujjvala Sankarendra Saraswati (329–367)
# Sadasivendra Saraswati (367–375)
# Shankarananda Saraswati (375–385)
# Martanda Vidyaghanendra Saraswati (385–398)
# Muka Sankarendra Saraswati (398–437)
# Chandrasekharendra Saraswati II (437–447)
# Bodhendra Saraswati (447–481)
# Satchisukhendra Saraswati (481–512)
# Chitsukhendra Saraswati (512–527)
# Satchidanandaghanendra Saraswati (527–548)
# Prajnaghanendra Saraswati (548–565)
# Chidvilasendra Saraswati (565–577)
# Mahadevendra Saraswati I (577–601)
# Purnabhodhendra Saraswati (601–618)
# Bhodhendra Saraswati II (618–655)
# Brahmanandaghanendra Saraswati (655–668)
# Chidanandaghanendra Saraswati (668–672)
# Satchidananda Saraswati (672–692)
# Chandrasekharendra Saraswati III (692–710)
# Chitsukhendra Saraswati (710–737)
# Chitsukhanandendra Saraswati (737–758)
# Vidyaghanendra Saraswati III (758–788)
# Abhinava Sankarendra Saraswati (788–840)
# Satchidvilaasendra Saraswati (840–873)
# Mahadevendra Saraswati II (873–915)
# Gangadharendra Saraswati II (915–950)
# Brahmanandaghanendra Saraswati (950–978)
# Anandaghanendra Saraswati (978–1014)
# Purnabhodhendra Saraswati II (1014–1040)
# Paramasivendra Saraswati I (1040–1061)
# Sandranandabhodhendra Saraswati (1061–1098)
# Chandrasekharendra Saraswati IV (1098–1166)
# Advaitanandabodhendra Saraswati (1166–1200)
# Mahadevendra Saraswati III (1200–1247)
# Chandrachudendra Saraswati I (1247–1297)
# Vidyateerthendra Saraswati (1297–1385)
# Sankaranandendra Saraswati (1385–1417)
# [[Purnananda Sadasivendra Saraswati ]](1417–1498)
# [[Vyasachala Mahadevendra Saraswati]] (1498–1507)
# [[Chandrachudhendra Saraswati II]] (1507–1524)
# Sarvajna Sadasiva Bhodhendra Saraswati (1524–1539)
# Paramasivendra Saraswati II (1539–1586)
# [[Atma Bodhendra Saraswati]] (1586–1638)
# [[Bodhendra Saraswathi]] (1638–1692)
# Advaitatma Prakasendra Saraswati (1692–1704)
# Mahadevendra Saraswati IV (1704–1746)
# ChandrasekharendraSaraswati V (1746–1783)
# Mahadevendra Saraswati V (1783–1813)
# Chandrasekharendra Saraswati VI (1813–1851)
# [[Sudarsana Mahadevendra Saraswati]] (1851–1891)
# Chandrasekharendra Saraswati VII (1891 – 7 February 1907)
# [[Mahadevendra Saraswathi V]] (7 February 1907 – 13 February 1907)
# [[Chandrashekarendra Saraswati]] (13 February 1907 – 8 January 1994)
# [[Jayendra Saraswathi]] (3 January 1994 – 28 February 2018)
# [[Vijayendra Saraswati Swamigal|Shankara Vijayendra Saraswati]] (28 February 2018 – Present)
{{Div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*http://www.kamakoti.org/

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{{Hinduism footer small}}

[[Category:Hindu monasteries in India]]
[[Category:Hinduism in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Advaita Vedanta]]

Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham - Revision history

Terrence5904: edit

Srikar: new edition information

>Ts12rAc: Undid edits by 106.208.67.84 (talk) to last revision by John Hill: nonconstructive edits