Dwarka Sharada Peetham is a Hindu monastery and a seat of learning located in the city of Dwarka in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is one of the four peethams (or seats of learning) established by Adi Shankaracharya, a great Indian philosopher and theologian, in the 8th century CE. The other three peethams are located in Sringeri (Karnataka), Puri (Odisha), and Jyotirmath (Uttarakhand).
The Dwarka Sharada Peetham is dedicated to the worship of the goddess Sharada, who is considered to be the goddess of knowledge and learning in Hinduism. The monastery is known for its extensive library of ancient manuscripts and texts, which are considered to be some of the most valuable resources for the study of Hindu philosophy, religion, and culture.
The peetham is also famous for its association with the famous Hindu philosopher and saint, Swami Dayananda Saraswati, who was the founder of the Arya Samaj movement. Swami Dayananda Saraswati was the head of the monastery from 1866 to 1873, and his teachings have had a profound impact on Hinduism and Indian society.
Today, the Dwarka Sharada Peetham is still an important center of learning and scholarship in India, and it continues to attract scholars and students from all over the country and the world.
The ideology and philosophy of Dwarka Sharada Peetham are rooted in the teachings of Adi Shankaracharya and the Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. Advaita Vedanta is a non-dualistic school of thought that emphasizes the unity of the individual soul (Atman) with the ultimate reality (Brahman).
According to this philosophy, the true nature of the individual soul is not separate from the ultimate reality, but rather it is identical to it. The goal of human life is to realize this identity and achieve liberation (moksha) from the cycle of birth and death.
The Dwarka Sharada Peetham upholds this philosophy and promotes the study and practice of Vedanta as a means to attain spiritual enlightenment and liberation. The monastery also emphasizes the importance of devotion (bhakti) to the divine as a means to achieve this goal.
The peetham also places a great emphasis on the pursuit of knowledge and education, particularly in the study of the ancient texts and scriptures of Hinduism. The extensive library of the peetham contains rare and valuable manuscripts and texts on a wide range of subjects, including philosophy, religion, literature, and science.
The ideology and philosophy of Dwarka Sharada Peetham can be summarized as a combination of Advaita Vedanta philosophy, devotion to the divine, and a commitment to the pursuit of knowledge and education.
