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Dashanami Sampradaya
Dashanami  Sanyasi (IAST Daśanāmi  Saṃpradāya "Tradition of Ten Names") is a Hindu monastic tradition of
"single-staff renunciation" (ēkadaṇḍisannyāsi)[1][2][3] generally associated with the Advaita Vedanta tradition.The
disciples of Adi Shankaracharya are also called "Dash Nam Sanyasi" as the Title is further divided into ten groups viz.
Giri, Puri, Bharti, Ban, Aranya, Sagar, Aashram, Saraswati, Tirth, and Parwat. These all dashnam Sanyasi are
associated with four Math in four corners of India, established by Adi Shankaracharya. Initially all the disciples were
Sanyasins who embraced sanyas either after marriage or without getting married.

Single-staff renunciates are distinct in their practices from Shaiva trishuldhari or "trident-wielding renunciates" and
Vaishnava traditions of Tridandi sannyāsis.[4][note 1][note 2]

In the 8th century a section of the ( Ēkadaṇḍisannyāsins ) were organized by Adi Shankara into four maṭhas. However,
the association of the Dasanāmis with the Shankara maṭhas remained nominal.[web 1] Any Hindu, irrespective of class,
caste, age or gender can seek sannyāsa as an Ēkadaṇḍi renunciate in the Dasanāmi tradition.

Contents
History
ēkadaṇḍis
Golden Age of Hinduism
Wandering Ēkadaṇḍi ascetics
Establishment of the Dasanami Sampradaya
Late-Classical Hinduism
Establishment
Expansion of the Dasanami Sampradaya
Naga Sadhus
Characteristics
Parampara
Ten Names
Standardised List of Notable Dasanāmīs
A
B
C
D
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
P
R
S
T
V
Y
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Notes
References
Written references
Web-references
Sources
External links

History

ēkadaṇḍis
ēkadandis were already known during what is sometimes referred to as
"Golden Age of Hinduism" (ca. 320-650 CE[5])

Golden Age of Hinduism

See also Gupta rule and Gupta and Pallava period

The "Golden Age of Hinduism"[5] (ca. 320-650 CE[5]) flourished during the
Gupta Empire[6] (320 to 550 CE) until the fall of the Harsha[6] (606 to 647
CE). During this period, power was centralized, along with a growth of long
distance trade, standardization of legal procedures, and a general spread of
literacy.[6] Mahayana Buddhism flourished, but orthodox Shrauta
Hinduism was rejuvenated by the patronage of the Gupta dynasty.[7] The
position of the Brahmans was reinforced[6] and the first Hindu temples Sannyasi, a Saiva mendicant -
emerged during the late Gupta age.[6] The Mahābhārata, which probably Tashrih al-aqvam'" (1825)
reached its final form by the early Gupta period (c. 4th century),[8] already
mentions "ēkadaṇḍi" and "tridaṇḍi".[9]

Wandering Ēkadaṇḍi ascetics

The Ēkadaṇḍis existed in the Tamil country during the south-Indian
Pandyan Dynasty (3rd century BCE - 16th century CE) and the South-
Indian Pallava dynasty (2nd - 9th centuries CE). Being wandering
monastics, they were not settled in the brahmadeyas or settlement areas for
Brahmins. There existed tax free bhiksha-bogams for feeding the Ēkadaṇḍi
ascetics in the ancient Tamil country.[10]

Ēkadaṇḍis and Tridandis were also active in Eastern India, and appear to
have existed there during the North-Indian Gupta Empire (320 to 550 CE
).[11]

According to R. Tirumalai, "There appears to have been no sectarian

segregation of the Shaiva (Ēkadaṇḍi) and Srivaishnava (Tridandi
Sannyāsins)".[12]

Dandi Sanyasi, a Hindu ascetic, in

Eastern Bengal in the 1860s
Establishment of the Dasanami Sampradaya

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At the beginning of what is referred to as "Late classical Hinduism",[13]

which lasted from 650 till 1100 CE,[13] Shankara established the Dasanami
Sampradaya.

Late-Classical Hinduism

See also Late-Classical Age and Hinduism Middle Ages

After the end of the Gupta Empire and the collapse of the Harsha Empire,
(Vidyashankara temple) at Sringeri
power became decentralized in India. Several larger kingdoms emerged,
Sharada Peetham, Shringeri
with "countless vassal states":[14] in the east the Pala Empire[14] (770-1125
CE[14]), in the west and north the Gurjara-Pratihara[14] (7th-10th
century[14]), in the southwest the Rashtrakuta Dynasty[14] (752-973[14]), in the Dekkhan the Chalukya dynasty[14] (7th-
8th century[14]), and in the south the Pallava dynasty[14] (7th-9th century[14]) and the Chola dynasty[14] (9th
century[14]).

The kingdoms were ruled via a feudal system. Smaller kingdoms were dependent on the protection of the larger
kingdoms. "The great king was remote, was exalted and deified",[15] as reflected in the Tantric Mandala, which could
also depict the king as the centre of the mandala.[16]

The disintegration of central power also lead to regionalization of religiosity, and religious rivalry.[17][note 3] Local cults
and languages were enhanced, and the influence of "Brahmanic ritualistic Hinduism"[17] was diminished.[17] Rural and
devotional movements arose, along with Shaivism, Vaisnavism, Bhakti and Tantra,[17] though "sectarian groupings
were only at the beginning of their development".[17] Religious movements had to compete for recognition by the local
lords.[17] Buddhism lost its position, and began to disappear in India.[17]

Establishment
Shankara, himself considered to be an incarnation of Shiva,[web 1]

established the Dashanami Sampradaya, organizing a section of the

Ēkadaṇḍi monastics under an umbrella grouping of ten names.[web 1]

Several other Hindu monastic and Ēkadaṇḍi traditions remained outside

the organization of the Dasanāmis.[19][20][21]

Adi Shankara organized the Hindu monastics of these ten sects or names
under four maṭhas or monasteries, with headquarters at Dvārakā in the
west, Jagannatha Puri in the east, Sringeri in the south and Badrikashrama
in the north.[web 1] Each maṭha was headed by one of his four main
disciples, who each continued the Vedanta Sampradaya.

Monastics of these ten orders differ in part in their beliefs and practices, H.H Jagadguru Swami
and a section of them is not considered to be restricted to specific changes Nischalananda Saraswati, The
made by Shankara. While the Dasanāmis associated with the Shankara Shankaracharya of Puri
maṭhas follow the procedures enumerated by Adi Śankara, some of these
orders remained partly or fully independent in their belief and practices;
and outside the official control of the Shankara maṭhas.

The association of the Dasanāmis with the Smartha tradition or Advaita Vedānta is not all-embracing. One example is
the Kriyā Yoga tradition that considers itself eclectic (see: Eclecticism), with ancient[web 2] unchangeable beliefs, and
outside the ambit of differences in the understanding of Vedanta. Other examples are the Tantric Avadhūta

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Sampradāyas and Ekadaṇḍi sannyāsa traditions outside the control of the Shankara maṭhas[21] The Dasanāmis or
Ēkadaṇḍis also founded, and continue to found or affiliate themselves with, maṭhas, ashrams and temples outside the
control of the Shankara maṭhas.[web 2][web 3]

The Advaita Sampradaya is not a Saiva sect,[web 1][22] despite the historical links with Shaivism:

Advaitins are non-sectarian, and they advocate worship of Siva and Visnu equally with that of the other
deities of Hinduism, like Sakti, Ganapati and others.[web 1]

Nevertheless, contemporary Shankaracaryas have more influence among Saiva communities than among Vaisnava
communities.[web 1] The greatest influence of the gurus of the Advaita tradition has been among followers of the
Smartha Tradition, who integrate the domestic Vedic ritual with devotional aspects of Hinduism.[web 1]

According to Nakamura, these maṭhas contributed to the influence of Shankara, which was "due to institutional
factors".[23] The maṭhas which he built exist until today, and preserve the teachings and influence of Shankara, "while
the writings of other scholars before him came to be forgotten with the passage of time".[24]

The table below gives an overview of the four Amnaya maṭhas founded by Adi Shankara, and their details.[web 4]

Shishya
Direction Maṭha Mahāvākya Veda Sampradaya
(lineage)
Govardhana Prajñānam brahma
Padmapāda East Rig Veda Bhogavala
Pīṭhaṃ (Consciousness is Brahman)
Sringeri Śārada Aham brahmāsmi (I am Yajur
Sureśvara South Bhūrivala
Pīṭhaṃ Brahman) Veda
Dvāraka Sama
Hastāmalakācārya West Tattvamasi (That thou art) Kitavala
Pīṭhaṃ Veda
Jyotirmaṭha Ayamātmā brahma (This Atman Atharva
Toṭakācārya North Nandavala
Pīṭhaṃ is Brahman) Veda

Expansion of the Dasanami Sampradaya

According to the tradition in Kerala, after Shankara's samadhi at Vadakkunnathan Temple, his disciples founded four
maṭhas in Thrissur, namely Naduvil Madhom, Thekke Madhom, Idayil Madhom and Vadakke Madhom.

According to Pandey, the ēkadaṇḍis or Dasanāmis had established monasteries in India and Nepal in the 13th and 14th
century.[web 5]

Naga Sadhus
In the 16th century, Madhusudana Saraswati of Bengal organised a section of the Naga (naked) tradition of armed
sannyasis in order to protect Hindus from the tyranny of the Mughal rulers. These are also called Gusain, Gussain,
Gosain, Gossain, Gosine, Gosavi, Sannyāsi.

Warrior-ascetics could be found in Hinduism from at least the 1500s and as late as the 1700s,[25] although tradition
attributes their creation to Sankaracharya[web 6]

Some examples of akhara currently are the Shri Panchadashanam Juna Akhara of the Dashanami Naga, Shri
Panchayati Mahanirwani Akhara, Shri Taponidhi Niranjani Akhara, Shri Taponidhi Anand Akhara, Shri Panchayati
Atal Akhara, Shri Panchadashnam Awahan Akhara, Shri Pancha Agni Akhara and Shri Panchayati Akhara at
Allahabad.[web 7] Each akhara is divided into sub-branches and traditions. An example is the Dattatreya Akhara
(Ujjain) of the naked sadhus of Juna Naga establishment.[web 8]

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The naga sadhus generally remain in the ambit of non-violence

presently, though some sections are also known to practice the sport of
wrestling. The Dasanāmi sannyāsins practice the Vedic and yogic Yama
principles of ahimsā (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (non-stealing),
aparigraha (non-covetousness) and brahmacārya (celibacy /
moderation). The Dasanāmis are generally believed to be celibate, and
grihastas or householder sannyāsis such as Lahiri Mahasaya and
Bhupendranath Sanyal (Sanyal Mahāsaya) were a rarity.

The naga sadhus are prominent at Kumbha mela, where the order in
Naga Sadhu performing ritual bath at
which they enter the water is fixed by tradition. After the juna akhara,
Sangam during Allahabad Ardh
the Niranjani and Mahanirvani Akhara proceed to their bath.
Kumbhmela 2007
Ramakrishna Math Sevashram are almost the last in the procession.[26]

Characteristics

Parampara
In the Indian religious and philosophical traditions, all knowledge is traced back to the Gods and to the Rishis who
primarily envisioned the Vedas.

The current Acaryas, the heads of the maṭhas, trace their authority back to the four main disciples of Shankara,[web 9]
and each of the heads of these four maṭhas takes the title of Shankaracharya ("the learned Shankara") after Adi
Shankara.

The Advaita guru-paramparā (Lineage  of  Gurus  in  Non­dualism) begins with the mythological time of the Daiva­
paramparā, followed by the vedic seers of the Ṛṣi­paramparā, and the Mānava­paramparā of historical times
and personalities:[web 9][note 4]

Daiva-paramparā
Nārāyaṇa
Sada Shiva
Padmabhuva (Brahmā)
Ṛṣi-paramparā
Vaśiṣṭha
Śakti
Parāśara
Vyāsa[note 5]
Śuka
Mānava-paramparā
Gauḍapāda
Govinda bhagavatpāda
Śankara bhagavatpāda, and then Shankara's four disciples

Padmapāda
Hastāmalaka
Toṭaka
Vārtikakāra (Sureśvara) and others

Ten Names

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Hindus who enter sannyāsa in the ēkadaṇḍi tradition take up one of the ten names associated with this sampradaya.

1. Bhāratī[28]
2. Giri[29]
3. Puri[30]
4. Saraswatī[31]
5. Tīrtha[32]
6. Aranya[33]
7. Asrama
8. Parvata
9. Sagara
10. Vana

Giri, Tīrtha and Bhāratī are associated with the Sringeri Sharada Peetham. Tīrtha and Asrama are associated with the
Dvaraka Pitha. Giri, Parvata and Sagara are associated with Jyotirmath. Vana and Aranya are associated with the
Govardhana matha at Puri.[web 11][web 1]

Standardised List of Notable Dasanāmīs
This section enumerates, in standardised manner, members of the Dasanāmī Order with articles in Wikipedia, listing
each under his formal title and name, without the use of the honorifics[34] so cherished by fawning devotees and
disciples. The word "swāmī" here is not an honorific. It is the title of an initiated member of the Dasanāmī Order.
Entries are listed in standard form: TITLE (SWĀMĪ) + PERSONAL NAME + SUB-ORDER NAME. A few entries have
the additional title (not honorific) of "Jagadguru Śankarācārya" which designates either one of the four supreme
leaders of the order (somewhat similar to the position of Pope in Catholic Christianity). "Mahanta" is an administrative
title designating an organizational position or office assigned to certain persons.

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Name Notability Reference

Swāmī Abhayānanda American self-appointed Vedānta teacher.
Puri
Swāmī Abhedānanda disciple of Rāmakrsna.
Puri
Swāmī Abhinavavidyā Jagadguru Śankarācārya of Śrngeri.
Tīrtha
Swāmī Achalānanda disciple of Vivekānanda.
Puri
Swāmī Adbhutānanda disciple of Rāmakrsna.
Puri
Swāmī Adidevānanda Ramakrishna monk.
Puri
Swāmī Advaitānanda Disciple of Rāmakrsna.
Puri
Swāmī Agehānanda Austrian American intellectual and expert on Indian
Bhāratī languages and phonology.
Swāmī Agnivesha Activist; reformer; interfaith dialog advocate.
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Akhandānanda Disciple of Rāmakrsna.
Puri
Swāmī Akhandānanda Preacher of Bhagavata Purana.
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Akshobhya Dvaitavādin.
Tīrtha
Swāmī Ānanda Tīrtha Preceptor of Dvaita.
Swāmī Ashokānanda Ramakrishna monk.
Puri
Swāmī Pīthādhipati of Kamakoti Math, Kanchipuram.
Atmabodhendra
Sarasvatī
Swāmī American Ramakrishna monk.
Ātmajñānānanda Puri
Swāmī Ātmasthānanda President of the Ramakrishna Mission.
Puri

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Name Notability Reference

Swāmī Bhāratī Tīrtha Jagadguru Śankarācārya of Śrngeri.
Swāmī Bhāratīkrsna Jagadguru Śankarācārya of Puri and scholar of Indian
Tīrtha mathematics. First Śankarācārya to visit the West. Authored
Vedic Mathematics.
Swāmī Bhaskarānanda Scholar and anchorite of Benāres.
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Bhūmānanda Social reformer. Teacher of Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavata
Tīrtha Purana.
Swāmī Bhuteshānanda President of the Ramakrishna Mission.
Puri
Swāmī Bodhānanda
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Bodhendra Pīthādhipati of Kamakoti Math, Kanchipuram.
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Brahmānanda Senior disciple of Rāmakrsna; President of Ramakrishna
Puri Mission; one of the six iśvarakoti.
Swāmī Brahmānanda Highly-respected Jagadguru Śankarācārya of Jyotirmāyā
Sarasvatī Pītha, Badrināth.

Name Notability Reference

Swāmī Pīthādhipati of Kamakoti Math, Kanchipuram.
Chandrachudhendra
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Candrasekhara Jagadguru Śankarācārya of Śrngeri.
Bhāratī
Swāmī Pīthādhipati of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, Kanchipuram.
Chandrasekharendra Featured in Paul Brunton's A Search in Secret India.
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Chidānanda disciple of Svāmī Śivānanda Sarasvatī; President of Divine
Sarasvatī Life Society; interfaith advocate.
Swāmī Chidānanda founder of temples in Australia, Canada, Europe, and the
Sarasvatī USA.
Swāmī Ramakrishna monk; prolific author.
Chidbhavānanda Puri
Swāmī disciple and designated successor of Muktānanda; sister of
Chidvilasānanda Nityānanda.
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Hindu missionary. Disciple of Swāmī Śivānanda Sarasvatī
Chinmāyānanda and Swāmī Tapovanam Giri. Founder of Chinmaya Mission.
Sarasvatī

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Name Notability Reference

Swāmī Dayānanda Socio-religious reformer. Founder of the Arya Samaj.
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Dayānanda Vedānt ācārya; founder of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam.
Sarasvatī

Name Notability Reference

Swāmī Gahanānanda President of the Ramakrishna Mission.
Puri
Swāmī President of the Ramakrishna Mission.
Gambhirānanda Puri
Swāmī Ganapati long-lived yogī of Benāres.
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Ganeshānanda Yoga teacher. Pupil and sannyās initiate of Swāmī
Sarasvatī Śivānanda Sarasvatī. Pupil of Swāmī Suraj Giri.
Swāmī Advaitin.
Gangadharendra
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Ghanānanda Ramakrishna monk who was active in Europe.
Puri
Swāmī Ghanānanda Ghanaian disciple of Svāmī Krishnānanda Sarasvatī;
Sarasvatī possibly first Black African convert to Hinduism.
Swāmī Gītānanda Giri Indian Canadian physician; yoga teacher; Mahanta of the
Brighu Order; "Lion of Pondicherry".
Swāmī Gñānānanda Long-lived yogī; guru of French Catholic monastic
Giri Abhishiktānanda.
Swāmī Govindānanda Long-lived yogī; traveled around the world; met Queen
Bhāratī Victoria.

Name Notability Reference

Swāmī Haridāsa Giri Disciple of Svāmī Gñānānanda Giri.

Swāmī Hariharānanda noted Samkhya Yogī. [web 12][web 13]

Āranya
Swāmī Hariharānanda Kriyā Yoga teacher. Pupil of Śrījukteśvara, Bhupendranāth
Giri Sanyal, Yogānanda, Satyānanda, and Bijoy Krishna.
Swāmī Hariharānanda respected Vedānt ācārya; disciple of Svāmī Brahmānanda
Sarasvatī Sarasvatī; met Yogānanda at Kumbh Mela.

Name Notability Reference

Swāmī Indravesha sociopolitical activist.
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Isvara Puri Dvaitavādin.

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Name Notability Reference

Swāmī Janakānanda Danish disciple of Svāmī Satyānanda Sarasvatī; founder of
Sarasvatī Skandinavisk Yoga och Meditationsskola.
Swāmī Jaya Tīrtha Dvaitavādin.
Swāmī Jaya Tīrtha Dvaitavādin.
Swāmī Jayendra Disciple of Svāmī Chandrasekharendra Sarasvatī.
Sarasvatī Pīthādhipati of Kamakoti Math, Kanchipuram.
Swāmī disciple of Svāmī Śivānanda Sarasvatī; founder of Yoga
Jyotirmāyānanda Research Foundation, Miami, Florida.
Sarasvatī

Name Notability Reference

Swāmī Kalyanānanda
Puri
Swāmī Kirtidānanda
Puri
Swāmī Krishnānanda
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Kriyānanda Giri
Swāmī Krsnacaitanya
Bhāratī
disciple of Vivekānanda.
Ramakrishna monastic.
disciple of Śivānanda; General Secretary of Divine Life
Society.
American disciple of Yogānanda; founder of Ananda World
Brotherhood Colonies.
Vaisnava teacher and scholar of Bengal; regarded as an
avatār in Bangla Vaisnavism. Called "Caitanya Mahaprabhu"
by devotees.

Name Notability Reference

Swāmī humanitarian social relief worker of Orissa; assassinated by
Laksmanānanda suspected Christian Maoists.
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Dvaita Vaisnava teacher.
Laksmīnārāyana
Tīrtha

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Name Notability Reference

Swāmī Madhavānanda President of the Ramakrishna Mission.
Puri
Swāmī Madhavendra Dvaitavadin. Disciple of Lakshmipati Tirtha.
Puri
Swāmī Madhusūdana Advaita Vedānt ācārya.
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Mahādevendra Pīthādhipati of Kamakoti Math, Kanchipuram.
Sarasvatī
Swāminī Ayurveda teacher.
Māyātitānanda
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Muktānanda Meditation teacher. Founded the SYDA (Siddha Yoga Dham)
Sarasvatī organization, with several ashrams and centers. Author.

Name Notability Reference

Swāmī Nāmānanda Disciple of Haridasa Giri.
Giri
Swāmī Narahari Tīrtha Dvaitavādin. Disciple of Swāmī Ānanda Tīrtha.
Swāmī Ramakrishna monk; rāja yoga teacher in Denmark.
Nārāyanānanda Puri
Swāmī Nigamānanda bhakta, gyānī, yogī, tantrika of Eastern India.
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Nikhilānanda Ramakrishna monastic; Vedānta teacher in the USA.
Puri
Swāmī disciple of Rāmakrsna; one of the six iśvarakoti.
Nirañjanānanda Puri
Swāmī disciple of Satyānanda; head of Bihar School of Yoga.
Nirañjanānanda
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Nirmalānanda disciple of Rāmakrsna.
Puri
Swāmī Nischayānanda disciple of Vivekānanda.
Puri
Swāmī Nrsimha Incarnation of Dattatreya.
Sarasvatī

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Name Notability Reference

Swāmī Padmanabha Dvaitavādin. Disciple of Swāmī Ānanda Tīrtha.
Tīrtha
Swāmī Paramānanda Ramakrishna monk; Vedānta teacher in the USA.
Puri
Swāmī Ramakrishna monk; Vedānta teacher in the USA.
Prabhavānanda Puri
Swāmī Prakāshānanda Ramakrishna monk; Vedānta teacher in the USA.
Puri
Swāmī Prakāshānanda Rādhā-Krsna devotee, convict and fugitive in the USA;
Sarasvatī disciple of Rādhā-Krsna bhakta Kripalu Maharaj.
Swāmī Prakāshānanda Hindu teacher in Trinidad.
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Prameyānanda Ramakrishna monk.
Puri
Swami Pranavānanda Founder of Bharat Sevashram Sangha.
Giri
Swāmī Pranavānanda disciple of Śivānanda; Yoga-Vedānta teacher, Divine Life
Sarasvatī Society, Malaysia.
Swāmī Premānanda disciple of Rāmakrsna; one of the six iśvarakoti.
Puri
Swāmī Purnānanda Advaita Vedantin.
Tīrtha
Swāmī Purnaprajñā Preceptor of Dvaita.
Tīrtha
Swāmī Ramakrishna monk.
Purushottamānanda
Puri

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Name Notability Reference

Swāmī Raghavendra Vaisnava missionary of Tamil Nadu.
Tīrtha
Swāmī Advaita Vedāntin. 36th Pīthādhipati of Ramachandrapura
Raghaveshwara Math, Hosanagara, Shimoga, Karnataka.
Bhāratī
Swāmī Rāma Bhāratī Yogī; founder of Himalayan International Institute of Yoga
Science and Philosophy, Honesdale, Pennsylvania.
Swāmī Rāma Tīrtha Teacher of "Practical Vedanta".
Swāmī Disciple of Rāmakrsna.
Rāmakrishnānanda
Puri

Swāmī Rāmakrsna Temple priest, ascetic, mystic of Bengal. Regarded as an [35][36][37]

Puri avatar (a "descent" or physical incarnation of God) by
devotees.
Swāmī Rāmānanda activist in Hyderābād.
Tīrtha
Swāmī President of the Ramakrishna Mission.
Ranganāthānanda Puri
Swāmī Rudrānanda Ramakrishna monk in Fiji.
Puri
Swāmī Rudrānanda American spiritual teacher.
Sarasvatī

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Name Notability Reference

Swāmī Saccidānanda Jagadguru Śankarācārya of Śrngeri.
Bhāratī
Swāmī Saccidānanda Jagadguru Śankarācārya of Śrngeri.
Bhāratī
Swāmī Saccidānanda Jagadguru Śankarācārya of Śrngeri.
Śivābhinava Nrsimha
Bhāratī
Swāmī Sadānanda disciple of Vivekānanda.
Puri
Swāmī Sadaśivendra scholar, yogī-siddha, poet, avadhūta; mentioned in
Sarasvatī Yogānanda's Autobiography.
Swāmī Sahajānanda Indian nationalist.
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Sahajānanda South African spiritual teacher; disciple of Śivānanda.
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Samyamindra Mathadipathi of Kashi Math.
Tīrtha
Swāmī Śaradānanda disciple of Rāmakrsna; author of the Śrī Śrī Rāmakrsna
Puri Līlaprasanga.
Swāmī Satchidānanda disciple of Śivānanda; founder of Satchidananda Ashrams,
Sarasvatī USA.
Swāmī Vedānt ācārya.
Satcidānandendra
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Sathyānanda yoga teacher.
Saraswathī
Swāmī Satyānanda Kriyā Yoga teacher; disciple of Śrījukteśvara.
Giri
Swāmī Satyānanda disciple of Śivānanda; founder of Bihar School of Yoga.
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Satyapramoda Dvaitavadin.
Tīrtha
Swāmī Satyātmā 42nd pontiff of Uttaradi Matha.
Tīrtha
Swāmī Ramakrishna monk.
Shambhavānanda Puri
Swāmī President of the Ramakrishna Mission.
Shankarānanda Puri
Swāmī American disciple of Muktānanda.
Shankarānanda
Sarasvatī
Swami Siddhayoga teacher. Founder, Shankar Math, Uttarkashi.
Shankarapurushottama
Tirtha
Swāmī Shantānanda disciple of Śivānanda; spiritual guide in Kuala Lumpur,
Sarasvatī Malaysia.
Swāmī Shivānanda disciple of Rāmakrsna.
Puri
Swāmī Shivom Tīrtha Siddhayoga teacher.
Swāmī Hindu social activist; assassinated by a Muslim.

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Shraddhānanda
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Shubhānanda Disciple of Vivekānanda; sannyās initiate of Brahmānanda.
Puri
Swāmī Shuddhānanda President of the Ramakrishna Mission.
Puri

Swāmī Śivānanda founded Divine Life Society and Yoga-Vedanta Forest [web 14]
Sarasvatī Academy, Rishikesh; authored 200 books.
Swāmī Śivānanda Canadian yoga teacher; disciple of Sivānanda.
Rādhā Sarasvatī
Swāmī Smaranānanda Ramakrishna monk. President of the Ramakrishna Order.
Puri
Swāmī Śrījukteśvara Kriyā Yoga adept; disciple of Shyāmacharan Lahirī; guru of
Giri Yogānanda.
Swāmī Subodhānanda disciple of Rāmakrsna.
Puri
Swāmī Sudhindra Mathadipathi of Kashi Math.
Tīrtha
Swāmī Sukrathindra Mathadipathi of Kashi Math.
Tīrtha
Swāmī Swahānanda Ramakrishna monastic.
Puri
Swāmī Swarūpānanda disciple of Vivekānanda.
Puri
Swāmī Swarūpānanda Jagadguru Śankarācārya of Jyotirmāyā and Dwarka Pītha.
Sarasvatī

Name Notability Reference

Swāmī Tapasyānanda Ramakrishna monastic.
Puri
Swāmī Tapovanam Giri reclusive yogī of Uttar Kashi.
Swami Tejomayananda Current Head of Chinmaya Mission Worldwide.
Saraswati
Swāmī Totā Puri wandering anchorite; taught advaita and meditation to
Rāmakrsna.
Swāmī disciple of Rāmakrsna.
Trigunatitānanda Puri
Swāmī Turiyānanda disciple of Rāmakrsna.
Puri
Swāmī Tyagānanda Ramakrishna monk; Hindu chaplain of MIT.
Puri

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Name Notability Reference

Swāmī Vadirāja Tīrtha Dvaita Vaisnava teacher.
Swāmī
Vasudevānanda
Sarasvatī
Swāmī disciple of Śivānanda; founder of Sivananda Ashrams in
Venkateśānanda South Africa and Mauritius.
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Ramakrishna monk and mathematician.
Vidyanāthānanda Puri
Swāmī Telugu Hindu teacher.
Vidyāprakāśānanda
Giri
Swāmī Vidyāranya Jagadguru Śankarācārya of Śrngeri.
Tīrtha
Swāmī Vidyātmānanda Ramakrishna monk.
Puri
Swāmī Vijayendra Disciple and designated successor of Jayendra Sarasvatī.
Sarasvatī
Swāmī Vijayendra Dvaita Vaisnava teacher.
Tīrtha
Swāmī Vijñānānanda disciple of Rāmakrsna.
Puri
Swāmī Vimalānanda Disciple of Vivekānanda.
Puri
Swāmī Vipulānanda Srī Lankān Ramakrishna monastic and Hindu revivalist.
Puri
Swāmī Virajānanda President of the Ramakrishna Mission.
Puri
Swāmī President of the Ramakrishna Mission.
Vireshwarānanda Puri
Swāmī Vishnu Tīrtha Siddhayoga teacher.
Swāmī yogī; most famous disciple of Svāmī Śivānanda Sarasvatī
Vishnudevānanda (the two of them are the most well-known members of the
Sarasvatī Sarasvati sub-order); founder of worldwide Sivananda Yoga
Vedanta Centres; authored The Complete Illustrated Book of
Yoga.
Swāmī President of the Ramakrishna Mission.
Vishuddhānanda Puri
Swāmī Vivekānanda most famous of disciples of Ramakrishna (the two of them
Puri are the most well-known members of the Puri sub-order);
most famous figure at first Parliament of the World's
Religions (Chicago, 1893); organizer of the Ramakrishna
Mission; one of the six iśvarakoti.
Swāmī Vyāsa Tīrtha Dvaita Vaisnava teacher.
Swāmī Vyāsachala Pīthādhipati of Kamakoti Math, Kanchipuram.
Mahādevendra
Sarasvatī

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Name Notability Reference

Swāmī
Yatīśwarānanda Puri
Swāmī Yogānanda Giri
Swāmī Yogānanda Giri
Swāmī Yogānanda
Puri
Ramakrishna monk; spiritual teacher.
Kriyā Yoga adept. Granted the honorific Paramahamsa by
his guru Śrījukteśvara. Most well-known Dasanami Swami in
the West. Founder of Self-Realization Fellowship Church
and the Yogoda Satsanga Society of India. Authored
Autobiography of a Yogi. Most well-known member of the
Giri sub-order.
Leading Hindu of Italy. Disciple of Gītānanda.
disciple of Rāmakrsna; one of the six īśvarakoti.

Notes
1. The Tridandi sannyāsins continue to wear the sacred thread after renunciation, while Ekadandi sannyāsins do not.
2. Ek means "one", ekadandi means "of single staff", tridandi means "of three staffs".
3. This resembles the development of Chinese Chán during the An Lu-shan rebellion and the Five Dynasties and
Ten Kingdoms Period (907–960/979), during which power became decentralized and new Chán-schools
emerged.[18]
4. The following Sanskrit Verse among Smarthas provides the list of the early teachers of the Vedanta in their
order:[web 10][27] "

"
"nārāyanam padmabhuvam vasishtam saktim ca tat-putram parāśaram ca
vyāsam śukam gauḍapāda mahāntam govinda yogīndram athāsya śiṣyam
śri śankarācāryam athāsya padmapādam ca hastāmalakam ca śiṣyam
tam trotakam vārtikakāram-anyān asmad gurūn santatamānato’smi
Advaita-Guru-Paramparā-Stotram",
The above advaita guru paramparā verse salute the prominent gurus of advaita, starting from Nārāyaṇa through
Adi Sankara and his disciples, up to the Acharyas of today.
5. the famous redactor of the vedas, he is also traditionally identified with Bādarāyaṇa, the composer of the
Brahmasūtras

References

Written references
1. Journal of the Oriental Institute (pp 301), by Oriental Institute (Vadodara, India).
2. Govind Sadashiv Ghurye, Indian Sadhus
3. Lalit Kishore Lal Srivastava, Advaitic Concept of Jīvanmukti
4. A. C. Bhaktivedānta Swāmi, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam
5. Michaels 2004, p. 40-41.
6. Michaels 2004, p. 40.
7. Nakamura 2004, p. 687.
8. Van Buitenen; The Mahabharata – 1; The Book of the Beginning. Introduction (Authorship and Date)
9. Swāmi Parmeshwarānand, Encyclopaedia of Śaivism, p.82
10. Shanmuga Velayutham Subramanian, Heritage of the Tamils: temple arts, p.154
11. Bhagwati Charan Verma, Socio-religious, Economic, Literary Condition of Bihar
12. R. Tirumalai, The Pandyan Townships : The Pandyan townships, their organisation and functioning
13. Michaels 2004, p. 41-43.
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14. Michaels 2004, p. 41.

15. michaels 2004, p. 41.
16. White 2000, p. 25-28.
17. Michaels 2004, p. 42.
18. McRae 2003.
19. Karigoudar Ishwaran, Ascetic Culture
20. Wendy Sinclair-Brull, Female Ascetics
21. H.A. Rose, Ibbetson, Denzil Ibbetson Sir, and Maclagan, Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and
North West Frontier Province, page 857
22. Nakamura 2004, p. 782-783.
23. Nakamura 2004, p. 680.
24. Nakamura 2004, p. 680-681.
25. A history of Dasnami Naga Sanyasis, Sir Jadunath Sarkar, Sri Panchayati Akhara Mahanirvani, Allahabad,
http://dspace.wbpublibnet.gov.in:8080/jspui/bitstream/10689/9526/5/Chapter%201_1%20-%20108p.pdf
26. Naga sadhus steal the show at Kumbh, Nandita Sengupta, TNN Feb 13,
2010://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-02-13/india/28140014_1_naga-sadhus-juna-akhara-holy-dip
27. Book: Shri Gowdapadacharya & Shri Kavale Math (A Commemoration volume). P. 38.
28. The most well-known member of this sub-order has been Krsnacaitanya.
29. Most swamis in the Bābājī Kriyā Yoga tradition belong to the Giri sub-order, not as a rule, but because they
descended from Srījuktesvara. Pranavānanda was also in this sub-order, although he was not descended from
Srījuktesvara.
30. Swāmīs in the Rāmakrishna tradition are accepted as belonging to the Puri sub-order, descending from Swāmī
Totā Puri, sannyāsa guru of Rāmakrsna who gave the ochre robe to his close disciples. The most well-known of
course are Rāmakrsna and Vivekānanda.
31. The most well-known members of this sub-order have been Sivānanda of Rishikesh, Vishnudevānanda of
Canada, Satchidānanda of the USA, and Satyānanda of Bihār.
32. Monks of Madhvacharya's lineage belong to the Tīrtha sub-order – although this sub-order is not exclusive to
Madhva's followers. Outside the Madhva lineage, the most well-known Tīrtha is probably Jagadguru
Sankarācārya Swāmī Bhāratīkrsna Tīrtha.
33. The most well-known member of this sub-order has been Swāmī Hariharānanda Aranya.
34. e.g.: śrī, shri, shrii, shree, śrī śrī, śrī śrī śrī, śrīla, śrīman, jī, jiew, joo, jiu, swāmījī, mahātma, mahārsi, mahāyogī,
mahāsaya, mahārāj, mahārājjī, prabhu, prabhujī, mahāprabhu, gurudev, gurujī, guru mahārāj jī, sāheb, sāhebjī,
bābā, bābājī, mā, māta, mātajī, bhagvan, prabhupāda, bhaktipāda. Aside from these, "Paramahamsa" is also one
of the most abused honorifics. Lots of unfit characters want to claim it; lots of adoring disciples apply it to their
guru. It was used by the ISKCON rtvik/guru-ācāryas. However, the case of Swāmī Yogānanda Giri is a unique
one, since his appellation "Paramahansa" was not given to him by adoring disciples.
35. Śrī Śrī Rāmakrsna Līlaprasanga
36. Śrī Śrī Rāmakrsna Kathāmrta
37. Bibliography of Ramakrishna

Web-references
1. Devasthananam, Sankara Acarya Biography: Monastic Tradition (http://sanskrit.org/monastic-tradition/)
2. Kalyanagiri (http://www.kataragama.org/docs/kalyanagiri.htm)
3. Prajnana Mission (http://www.prajnanamission.org/AboutUs.shtml)
4. "Adi Shankara's four Amnaya Peethams" (https://web.archive.org/web/20060626233820/http://www.sringerisharad
apeetham.org/html/History/amnaya.html). Archived from the original (http://www.sringerisharadapeetham.org/html/
History/amnaya.html) on 2006-06-26. Retrieved 2006-08-20.
5. The maṭhas of Dasanami Sanyasis of Lalitpur, Kathmandu Valley (http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Pandey,+Ram+Ni
was+2059+VS.+The+Mathas+of+Dasanami+Sanyasis+of...-a0183984498)

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6. Nagas: Once were warriors. Gautam Siddharth, TNN Jan 15, 2013 (http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/201
3-01-15/allahabad/36352194_1_naga-sadhu-akharas-hindus)
7. Prem Panicker, Where did the Akharas come from? (http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/jan/25spec1.htm)
8. divinerevelation.org, Kumbh Melas in Haridwar and Ujjain (http://www.divinerevelation.org/KumbhMelaUjjain.html)
9. "The Advaita Vedânta Home Page — Advaita Parampara" (http://www.advaita-vedanta.org/avhp/advaita-parampar
a.html). Advaita-vedanta.org. 1999-05-05. Retrieved 2012-09-10.
10. Under Page: BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES ABOUT SANKARA AND GAUDAPAD (http://www.vidya-ashramvidyaorder.
org/index.V.html)
11. The Dashanami Sampradaya- the Monastic Tradition (http://www.advaita-vedanta.org/avhp/ad-today.html)
12. http://www.samkhyayoga-darshana.com/monks.html#HA
13. http://www.kapilmath.com/monks.html
14. The official website of Divine Life Society (http://www.sivanandaonline.org/public_html)

Sources
McRae, John (2003), Seeing Through Zen. Encounter, Transformation, and Genealogy in Chinese Chan
Buddhism, The University Press Group Ltd, ISBN 9780520237988
Michaels, Axel (2004), Hinduism. Past and present, Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press
Nakamura, Hajime (2004), A History of Early Vedanta Philosophy. Part Two, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers
Private Limited

External links
Sringeri Math (http://www.sringeri.net/)
advaita-vedanta.org, Danasami Sampradya- The monastic tradition (http://www.advaita-vedanta.org/avhp/ad-toda
y.html)
Devasthanam, The Monastic Tradition (https://web.archive.org/web/20120508091224/http://www.sanskrit.org/ww
w/Shankara/shankar4.html)

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