Category:Monastery
Theme Analysis
In the Vedic tradition, a monastery (or maṭha) is not a place for idle retirement but a dynamic center for spiritual culture and preaching. Śrīla Prabhupāda provides a historical overview of the great monasteries established by ācāryas like Śaṅkarācārya and Madhvācārya to preserve and propagate their sampradāyas. However, the primary focus of the teachings is instructional: a monastery must be an exclusive shelter for serious students of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It must not become a den for "rejected, lazy fellows." Furthermore, Śrīla Prabhupāda cautions sannyāsīs against the trap of ārambhan—the unnecessary endeavor to construct costly buildings—unless such facilities are strictly used to preach and provide shelter to sincere devotees.
- Historical Legacy: Śrīla Prabhupāda details the four principal monasteries established by Śaṅkarācārya (Jyotir-maṭha, Govardhana, Śāradā, and Śṛṅgeri) and the Udupi monastery of Madhvācārya.
- Strict Standards: Monasteries are strictly off-limits to "worthless clubs of crazy men." They are meant only for those serious about spiritual advancement.
- Preaching First: A sannyāsī's primary duty is preaching. Construction of temples and monasteries is secondary and should only be undertaken if it facilitates the spreading of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
- The Danger of Opulence: Building simply for the sake of philanthropic work or material opulence leads to entanglement.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Purpose and History of Vedic Monasteries.
Pages in category "Monastery"
The following 42 pages are in this category, out of 42 total.
B
- Brahmanas said, "How wonderful it is that although these women have undertaken no reformatory performances such as accepting the sacred thread, have not resided in the monastaries of the spiritual master-they still have attained the favor of Krsna"
- By his (Siddha Bhagavan dasa Babaji) order, Sri Madhusudana Mullik, one of the members of the aristocratic Mullik family of the Narikeladanga in Calcutta, established a patavati (monastery) there in the Bengali year 1256 - A.D. 1849
I
- Impersonalists undergo severe austerities to acquire knowledge to become one with the Lord. But ultimately they become dependent on some rich disciple who supplies them with money to build monasteries and temples
- In a list of temples and monasteries kept in Sankaracarya's monastery in Dvaraka, Bilvamangala is mentioned as the founder of the Dvarakadhisa temple there
- In Jagannatha Puri, or Purusottama-ksetra, there is a monastery known as Ganga-mata Matha that was established by Ananta Acarya. In the disciplic succession of the Ganga-mata Matha, he is known as Vinoda-manjari
- In the monastery at Srngeri, the surname Sarasvati is considered first class, Bharati second class and Puri third class
- In the temples and monasteries, gatherings of unnecessary, rejected, lazy fellows should be strictly disallowed. The temples and monasteries should be used exclusively by devotees who are serious about spiritual advancement in Krsna consciousness
- It is said that just three months before his disappearance, Sri Madhvacarya received these Deities (of Sita-Rama) and installed them in the Udupi temple. Since then the Deities have been worshiped by the Madhvacarya-sampradaya at that monastery
P
S
- Sankaracarya had four principal disciples, & he established four centers under their management. In North India at Badarikasrama, the monastery named Jyotir-matha was established. At Purusottama, the Bhogavardhana or Govardhana monastery was established
- Sankaracarya had four principal disciples, and he established four centers under their management. In Dvaraka, the Sarada monastery was established. And the fourth monastery, established in South India, is known as Srngeri-matha
- Sannyasis sometimes indulge in material opulence by unnecessarily constructing many temples and monasteries, but actually such endeavors should be avoided
- Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya lived on the southern side of the Jagannatha Temple. His home was practically on the beach and was known as Markandeya-sarastata. At present it is used as the monastery of Gangamata
- Somewhere He (Krsna) was seen engaged in public welfare activities, establishing deep wells for the water supply, rest houses and gardens for unknown guests, and great monasteries and temples for saintly persons
- Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura vehemently opposed the idea of constructing a temple in some quiet spot and leading a passive and uneventful life in the monastery
- Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura explains the word arambhan as meaning mathadi-vyaparan, which means "attempts to construct temples and monasteries
- Sripada Sankaracarya established four monasteries in India, in the four directions (north, south, east and west), and he entrusted them to four sannyasis who were his disciples
T
- Temples and monasteries should be strictly off limits to worthless clubs of crazy men
- The acaryas of the Madhva-sampradaya established Udupi as the chief center, and the monastery there was known as Uttararadhi-matha
- The Deity (of Krsna appeared from gopi-candana) was so heavy that not even thirty people could lift it. Yet Madhvacarya personally brought this Deity to Udupi. Eight of Madhvacarya’s sannyasa disciples became directors of his eight monasteries
- The disciple in the twelfth generation (after Sri Ananta Acarya) is presently in charge of the Ganga-mata monastery
- The first business of the sannyasi is to preach Krsna consciousness, but if, by the grace of Krsna, facilities are available, then he may construct temples and monasteries to give shelter to the serious students of Krsna consciousness
- The four different sects of these monasteries (established by Sripada Sankaracarya) are known as Anandavara, Bhogavara, Kitavara and Bhumivara, and in course of time they have developed different ideas and different slogans
- The monastery known as Srngeri-matha is situated in the state of Karnataka, in the district of Chikmagalur. This monastery is located at the confluence of the rivers Tunga and Bhadra, seven miles south of Harihara-pura
- The Tattvavadi sect belongs to Madhvacarya’s Vaisnava community, but its behavior differs from the strict Madhvacarya Vaisnava principles. There is one monastery named Uttararadhi, and one of its commanders was named Raghuvarya Tirtha Madhvacarya
- Then He saw the monastery known as Srngeri-matha, the abode of Acarya Sankara. He then visited Matsya-tirtha, a place of pilgrimage, and took a bath in the river Tungabhadra
- There are hundreds of branch monasteries under these four principal monasteries (established by Sripada Sankaracarya), and although there is an official symmetry among them, there are many differences in their dealings
- This monastery (Srngeri-matha) is located at the confluence of the rivers Tunga and Bhadra, seven miles south of Harihara-pura. The real name of this place is Srnga-giri or Srngavera-puri, and it is the headquarters of Sankaracarya
- To date, in the Udupi monastery there are another fourteen Madhva-tirtha sannyasis. As stated, Udupi is situated beside the sea in South Kanara, about thirty-six miles north of Mangalore
W
- When Haridasa Thakura went to Jagannatha Puri, he lived outside the temple, at a place called Siddhabakula. A monastery has now been erected there, known as Siddhabakula Matha
- While at the Udupi monastery, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu saw "dancing Gopala," a most beautiful Deity. This Deity appeared to Madhvacarya in a dream