Purvamnaya Sri Govardhana Peetham is a Hindu monastic institution or matha located in Puri, a city in the Indian state of Odisha. It is one of the four cardinal mathas established by Adi Shankaracharya, a 8th century Indian philosopher and theologian who revitalized Hinduism and propagated the Advaita Vedanta school of philosophy.
The Purvamnaya Sri Govardhana Peetham is one of the four mathas that represent the eastern direction and is also known as the Govardhana matha. The other three mathas established by Adi Shankaracharya are the Sringeri Sharada Peetham in the south, the Dwaraka Peetham in the west, and the Jyotirmath Peetham in the north.
The main purpose of these mathas is to preserve and promote the teachings of Adi Shankaracharya and Advaita Vedanta philosophy. The head of the Purvamnaya Sri Govardhana Peetham is called the Shankaracharya and is considered to be one of the most important spiritual leaders in India. The current Shankaracharya of the Govardhana matha is Swami Nischalananda Saraswati.
Purvamnaya Sri Govardhana Peetham follows the Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy, which was propagated by Adi Shankaracharya. Advaita Vedanta emphasizes the non-dual nature of reality and holds that the ultimate reality, Brahman, is the only reality and everything else is illusory.
The philosophy of Purvamnaya Sri Govardhana Peetham is based on the teachings of Adi Shankaracharya, who believed that the ultimate goal of human life is to attain liberation or moksha, which can be achieved through self-realization and the realization of the oneness of the individual self (Atman) and the universal self (Brahman).
The matha also emphasizes the importance of the Vedas, which are considered to be the ultimate source of knowledge in Hinduism. The Shankaracharya of the Govardhana matha is considered to be a scholar and teacher of the Vedas, and is responsible for imparting Vedic knowledge to the disciples and followers of the matha.
The matha also places great emphasis on the practice of yoga and meditation as a means of achieving spiritual growth and realization. The matha conducts various yoga and meditation programs and workshops for the benefit of its followers.
The ideology and philosophy of Purvamnaya Sri Govardhana Peetham is based on the Advaita Vedanta philosophy of Adi Shankaracharya, which emphasizes the non-dual nature of reality and the ultimate goal of attaining liberation through self-realization and the realization of the oneness of the individual self and the universal self.
