Akhadas, and Maths

 Akhadas, and Maths

Origins and Development of Saint System

The origins of sainthood as old as creation of world, ancient religious scriptures has given beautiful story about how saint system has started from the beginning of creation. When Brahma decided to create humans on earth he produced four sons from his mind. The called Manasputra: Sanak, Sandan, Sanatan and Sanat kumar. Brahma given order to them that through sex they start creation on earth but they refused and renounced the world. Lord Vishnu initiated them in Sainhood. Because, they do no have interest in worldly mundane activities so the called, Udaseen. They started worship of five deities in the beginning. To renounce worldly pleasures so they called Sanyashin, not taking interest in any activity they called Vyairagi. Those how start following Yaga tradition called Yagi, and those who engrossed in deep mind called Muni. Upnishads divided them in sex categories: Kutichark, Bahudak, Hans, Paramhans, Turiyateet, and Abdhut. Those who live in Ashrams called Rishi. Later own when different methods have starting using to solve different problems three categories have emerged: Udaseen, Sanyasin, and Vairagies. For here Smpraday have started and later on became Akharas. In Upnishads give three systems for getting enlightened: Gyan Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Karma Yoga. According to this description Udaseen was the oldest tradition in which Vishnu has given diksha to Sanatkumar, they have given to Narad, Gautam Muni, Vyas, Durvasha, etc. have prominent reference about their achievements and work in religious texts.

The Traditions

2.2 The Traditions

Akhada means a field prepared for wrestling. But when Sanskrit word “Akhand” or total become Akhada that means an organization of militant Nagas, when the Dasnami Sanyasins took arms. No reliable information is available about the origin of different Akhadas but when foreign invaders started coming in India, to protact Sanatan Dharama saint have taken the arms for protecting the religious places and religioun. Before 1750 AD. Swami Sadananda Giri mentions that the emergence of various Akhadas seems to have occurred during Muslim rule. Akhara are the symbol of Santan Dharma, culture and social organization of Hindu religion. Every Akhara have an organizational structure and hierarchy among its members. Mainly Shri Mahant, Main Mahant, Sthaniy Mahant [Thanapati], Secretary, Officer, Karvari, Kothari, Pujari etc. are the posts in it. The main objectives of Akharas are to protect traditional values, life style, practice religious disciplines prescribed for members. Due these Akhara Indian culture is still strong in society.

2.3 Adi Shankaracharya

Adi Shankara born in 8th century, he was a philosopher, theologian who has consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta. He has created and unified and established current Hinduism. After becoming saint he traveled extensively all over Indian subcontinent. His works in Sanskrit and propagated the theory of unity of Atman and without attributes Parmatman. He wrote copious commentaries on the Vedic canon like Brahma Shutra, Upnishdas, and Bhagvat Gita. He died when he was 32 years.

2.4 Akharas

Adi Shankracharya classified the Adwaitvadi Sadhus in ten groups: Giri, Puri, Bharti, Tirtha, Wan, Arnya, Parwat, Ashram, Sagar, and Saraswati. This organization called Dashnami Sangh. There are main 13 Akharas out of that seven belong to Sanyasins, three Vashnav, two Udaseen, and one Nirmal sect. These are regular parcipant in Kumbha Melas. They aslo classified in three groups:

Shambhu Dal

Sanyashin: 1. Shri Panchadashanam Awahan Akhara

Shri Panchayati Atal Akhara

Shri Mahanirmani Akhara

Shri Taponidhi Anand Akhara

Shri Taponidhi Niranjani Akhara

Shri Panchadashanam Juna Akhara

Shri Pancha Agni Akhara

Naya Udaseen Akhara

Shri Ramanandiy Nirmohi

Shri Ramanandiy Jhadiya Nirmohi

Shri Ramanandi Maladhari Nirmohi

Shri Ramanandi Mahanirvani Nirmohi

Shri Ramanandi Santoshi Nirmohi

Shri Radhavallabhi Nirmohi

Shri Hari Vyasi Santoshi

Shri Hari Vayasi Mahanirmani

Dadu Panthi

Shri Ramji Degamber

Shri Shyamji Degamber

Udaseen: 8. Bada Udaseen Akhara

Rama Dal

Shri Panch Ramanandiy Nirmohi Ani:

Shri Panch Ramanandiy Digamar Ani:

 

Shri Panch Ramanandiy Nirvani Ani:

Shri Ramanandiy Nirvani

Shri Ramanandiy Khaki

Shri Ramanandiy Nirmbali

Shri Ramnandiy Tatambari

Shri Hari Vaysi Nirmani

Hsri Vyasi Khaki

Balbhadrari

Nirmal Dal

Nirmal Panchati Akhara

 

2.5 Brief History of Main Akharas

Shri Panchadashanam Awahan Akhara: This Akhara was established in year 547 by Marich Giri and Uday Puri etc. The deity of this Akhara is Ganeshji. Headquarter of this Akhara is in Prayag Allahabad and branches are Ujjain, Varanasi, Haridwar and Triyambak.

 

Shri Panchayati Atal Akhara:

Bankhandi Bharti, Sagar Bahrti etc, established this Akhara in the year 646. Headquarter of this Akhara in Varanasi with branches in Prayag Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain, Triyambak, Aaraj and Baroda.

Shri Mahanirmani Akhara

This Akhara was stabilished by Roop Giri, Uttam Giri etc. in year 759. The kapil Muni is the main deity of this Akhara. Headquarter of this is Prayag Allahabad with the branches in Haridwar, Omkareshwar, Varanasi, Karnal, Trayabak, and Udaypur.

Shri Taponidhi Anand Akhara

Katha Giri, Hari Giri etc, established this in year 856. The main deity of this Akhara is God Sun. Headquarter is in Varanasi with branches in Haridwar, Prayag, Ujjain, Triyambak, etc.

Shri Taponidhi Niranjani Akhara

Atri Giri established this, Sarju Giri etc. in year 904. Headquarter of this is Haridwar with braches in Prayag, Varanasi, Ujjain Triyambak etc. main deity is Kartikeya.

Shri Panchadashanam Juna Akhara

This was stabileshed in year 1156 by Surder Giri Dalapat Giri etc. The main deities of this are God Sun and Bhairav but now Datratraya is the prominent.

 

Shri Pancha Agni Akhara

This was established in year 1136. Main deities are Gayatri and Agni Dev. Headquarter of this is in Varanasi with branches in Haridwar, Ujjain, Prayag, Triyambak, Bareli, Ahmadabad, Junagarh etc.

Shri Panchayati Akhara Bada Udaseen

Pritam Das established this in year 1768 in Allahabad Kumbh. The main deity is Goddess Laxmi. Headquarter is in Prayag with the branched in Haridwar, Ujjain, Gyaji, Varanasi, Kurukshetra, Patiyala, Hyderabad, Traiyambak etc. There is not any Acharya in this Akhara because after Shri Chandracharya they have end this system.

Shri Panchayati Akhara Naya Udaseen

Sur Das Ji established this in year1902. There is no tradition to appoint Acharya in this Akhara. Headquarter is in Kankhan Haridwar. Other branches are in Prayag, Kurushetra, Triyambak etc. Main deity is Vishnu.

Shri Panchayati Nirmal Akhara

Mahant Baba Mahtab Sigh established this in year 1856. The Guru Nanak first disciple bhai Bhagirath Sigh ji propagated this Akhara. When Tenth Guru Govind Singh Ji sent his five disciples for learning in Varanasi they became famous by Nirmal sect. Main deity of this is the book Guru Granth Sahib. Head office of this Akhara is in Haridwar with branches in Prayag, Ujjain, Triyambak, Nasik etc.

 

Vaishnav Akharas and Anies:

Varagees have four divisions: first- Shri Sampraday – Shri Ramanuj and Ramanandacharya 36 dware. Second- Rudra Sampraday- Shri Vishnu swami acharya- 2 dware, Third- Brahm Sampraday- Shri Madhvachary 2 dware, and Fourth- Sankadi Sampraday- Nimbkacharya 12 dware. Total 58 Dware and Seven Akharas.

In the year 1475 Anubhavanandchary has called a meeting of four Sampradays in Vrindavan for forming Akhara, they established after remodeled all Sangh and Mandals and form a Akharas called Shri Panch Ramanandiy Nirmohi Ani, Shri Panch Ramanandiya Digamber Ani

and Shri Panch Ramanandiya Nirvani ani, there are total 18 Anis and different Khalasas under these Akharas. Apart from these three there are Khaki, Niralaban, Mahanirvani and Santoshi Akharas also but Akhara Parishad has recognized only three.

 

2.6 Maths

Adi Shankara founded the Dasnami Sampradaya. He unified the theistic seats into a common framework of Shanmata System. He founded four Mathas with the headquarter at Jyother Math in north with Athurveda at Badrikarashama, Sarada Math in south with Yajurveda at sringeri, Goverdhan Math in east with Rigveda at Jaganath Puri and Kalika Math in west with Samaveda at Dwarika.

Ramanujacharya estabilished seven maths, Madhavacharya eight maths, and Shri Ramanandji Nimbal, Vallabhachrya Chaitanya Maha prabhu etc. aslo estabilished their math.

 

2.7 Nath sampraday

There were 8 Naths and 84 Sidhas in this sect. Guru Gorkhnath was the main saint. This sect has 12 Sampraday: 1. Satya Nathi, 2. Dharm Nathi, 3. Ram Nathi, 4. Lakshaman Nathi, 5. Kapilani, 6. Ai Panthi, 7. Dariya Nathi, 8. Ganga Nathi, 9. Rawal Panthi, 10. Mannathi, 11. Pagal Panthi, and 12. Kakad Panthi.

Apartform this in 15 century against Muslim invasion many Panth have started like: 1. Nank Panthi, 2. Dadu Panthi, 3. Bavari Panthi, 4. Niranjani Panthi, 5. Kabir Panthi, 6. Lali Panthi, 7. Dhami Panthi, 8. Satnami, 9. Dharnishwari, 10. Dariya Dasi, 11. Dariya Panthi, 12. Shivanarayani, 13. Charndasi, 14. Gareebdasi, 15. Gareeb Panthi, 16. Panap Panthi, 17. Ramsanehi, 18. Anandmargi, 19. Rampiyare, 20. Varkary, 21. Nirarkari, 22. Swami Narayan, 23. Beej Margi, 24. Maluk dasiye, 25. Ayappa Margi, 26. Khalsa Panthi, 27. Wahe Guru, 28. Radha Swami, 29. Radha B

allabhi, 30. Keena Rami, 31. Aghori, 32. Buddhya Margi, 33. Nitya Nandi, 34. Aiyavari, 35. Meahi Sampraday etc.