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Shankaracharyas aplenty, but not all are real

M I Khan in Bhubaneswar

Swami Adhokshajananda is not the only claimant to the title of shankaracharya of Puri's Govardhan Peeth. He is just one among many others. For that matter, he is just one among a dozen claimants for the title of shankaracharya in the four maths established by the Adi Shankaracharya in various parts of the country.

While revealing this, secretary general of the Bharat Sadhu Samaj Swami Harinarayannanda said that the increasing number of imposters or self-styled shankaracharyas have to be dealt with strictly. The recent controversy in Puri was not an isolated case. "These tussles have been going on for quite some time now," he said.

There are over a dozen cases pending before the courts in various states and the Supreme Court in this connection, he informed. Even Swami Adhokshajananda has warned Swami Nischalanand Saraswati, the Puri shankaracharya, that he will take recourse to legal means to prove his claims.

Puri's Govardhan Peeth is one of four such established by Adi Shankaracharya in various parts of India. They are the Govardhan Peeth in Puri (Orissa), Jyotir Peeth in Badrinath (Uttar Pradesh), Shringeri Peeth in Shringeri (Karnataka) and Sharada Peeth - Dwaraka (Gujarat). Besides this, there are two upa-peethas - Kanchi Kamakothi Peeth in Kanchi (Tamil Nadu) and Kashi (Uttar Pradesh).

Swami Gopalanand of Govardhan Peeth, a deputy of the Puri shankaracharya, Swami Nischalanand Saraswati, told rediff.com, "There are cases of imposters having set up new peethas, like Prayag (Allahabad) in UP," he said.

Criticising the misuse of the shankaracharya title, Swami Harinarayannanda said that the BSS had urged the government to introduce a legislation regarding appointment of shankaracharyas to avoid controversies.

The shankaracharya of any peetha is appointed as per the will and decree of his predecessor. This practice, however, has led to increasing number of controversies. "There is a need for an Act to spell out rules and regulation regarding their appointment," Swami Harinarayannanda said.

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