Govardhan Math

According to tradition, as established in 415 BC, Govardhana Matha is one of four cardinal institutions established by Adi Shankara (c. 8th century CE), regarded by later tradition as the reviver of Vedic Hinduism. Shankara's four principal disciples, Padma-Pada, Hasta-Malaka, Vartika-Kara or Sureshvara, and Totakacharya, were assigned to these four learning centers in the north, south, east, and west of India. The subsequent leaders of each of these four monasteries are known as Śaṅkarāchāryas in honor of the math's founder, Adi Shankara. As such, they are the leaders of the Daśanāmī Saṃnyāsins who are considered to have custody of Advaita Vedānta These four principal seats of learning are located in Purī (Odisha), Śṛṅgeri (Karnataka), and Dvārakā (Gujarat), with the northern (Uttarāmnāya) monastery being located in the city of Jyotirmaṭh (also known as Joṣīmaṭh). ==History==

Padmapadacharya became the first leader of the math. The matha has historical connections with the Jagannath temple, which is also located in Puri. In 1992, he stepped down after nominating Nishchalananda Saraswati as his successor. Nishchalananda Saraswati was born in Darbhanga in 1943, the son of the raj-Pandita of the Maharaja of Darabhanga. He decided to enter sanyasa while being a student at the Tibbia College and spent time studying the shastras at Kashi, Vrindavan, Naimisharanya, Shringeri, etc. In 1974, he took diksha from Swami Karpatri, who gave him the name Nishchalananda. On 11 February 2018 silver jubilee (25th anniversary) of the pattabhisheka (coronation) of Swami Nishchalananda Saraswati was celebrated in Puri in the presence of chief minister of Orissa Naveen Patnaik, former Nepal king Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev; and Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb of Puri. ==Samudra Arati==

The Samudra Arati is a daily tradition started by the present Shankaracharya 9 years ago. The daily practise includes prayer and fire offering to the sea at Svargadvara in Puri by disciples of the matha. On Paush Purnima of every year the Shankaracharya himself comes out to offer prayers to the sea. ==See also==