The ''Advaita Guru-Paramparā'' ("Lineage of Gurus in Non-dualism") is the traditional lineage ('' parampara'') of divine, Vedic and historical teachers of

Advaita Vedanta ''Advaita Vedanta'' (; sa, अद्वैत वेदान्त, ) is a Hinduism, Hindu sādhanā, a path of spiritual discipline and experience, and the oldest extant tradition of the Āstika and nāstika, orthodox Hindu school Ved ...

. It begins with the ''Daiva-paramparā'', the gods; followed by the ''Ṛṣi-paramparā'', the Vedic seers; and then the ''Mānava-paramparā'', with the historical teachers Gaudapada and Shankara, and four of Shankara's pupils. Of the five contemporary ''acharyas'', the heads of the five Advaita mathas, four acharyas trace their lineage to those four pupils and one to Adi Shankara himself. From mediaeval times, Advaita Vedanta influenced other Indian religions as well, and since the 19th century it came to be regarded as the central

philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...

of Indian religion. Several

Neo-Vedanta Neo-Vedanta, also called Hindu modernism, neo-Hinduism, Global Hinduism and Hindu Universalism, are terms to characterize interpretations of Hinduism that developed in the 19th century. The term "Neo-Vedanta" was coined by German Indologist ...

movements and teachers, most notably the

Ramakrishna Order The Ramakrishna Order (Bengali: রামকৃষ্ণ সংঘ) is the monastic lineage that was founded by Sri Ramakrishna, when he gave the ochre cloth of renunciation to twelve of his close disciples, in January 1886 at the Cossipore Hous ...

, trace their roots to Advaita Vedanta, while the

Inchegeri Sampradaya The Inchagiri Sampradaya, also known as Nimbargi Sampradaya, is a lineage of Hindu Navnath and Lingayat teachers from Maharashtra which was started by Bhausaheb Maharaj. It is inspired by Sant Mat teachers as Namdev, Raidas and Kabir. The ...

(

Nisargadatta Maharaj Nisargadatta Maharaj (born Maruti Shivrampant Kambli; 17 April 1897 – 8 September 1981) was an Indian guru of nondualism, belonging to the Inchagiri Sampradaya, a lineage of teachers from the Navnath Sampradaya and Lingayat Shaivism. ...

) and

Ramana Maharshi Ramana Maharshi (; 30 December 1879 – 14 April 1950) was an Indian Hindu sage and ''jivanmukta'' (liberated being). He was born Venkataraman Iyer, but is mostly known by the name Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi. He was born in Tiruchuli, Ta ...

are popularly considered as Advaita Vedanta, though rooted in respectively the

Nath Nath, also called Natha, are a Shaiva sub-tradition within Hinduism in India and Nepal. A medieval movement, it combined ideas from Buddhism, Shaivism and Yoga traditions in India.Advaita Vedanta ''Advaita Vedanta'' (; sa, अद्वैत वेदान्त, ) is a Hinduism, Hindu sādhanā, a path of spiritual discipline and experience, and the oldest extant tradition of the Āstika and nāstika, orthodox Hindu school Ved ...

is an Indian religious tradition of textual exegesis and yogic praxis, which states that the knowledge of the unity of ''Atman'' and ''Brahman'' is liberating. It is based on the textual exegesis of the

Upanishads The Upanishads (; sa, उपनिषद् ) are late Vedic Sanskrit texts that supplied the basis of later Hindu philosophy.Wendy Doniger (1990), ''Textual Sources for the Study of Hinduism'', 1st Edition, University of Chicago Press, , ...

, the

Brahma Sutras The ''Brahma Sūtras'' ( sa, ब्रह्मसूत्राणि) is a Sanskrit text, attributed to the sage bādarāyaṇa or sage Vyāsa, estimated to have been completed in its surviving form in approx. 400–450 CE,, Quote: "...we can ...

, and the

Bhagavad Gita The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700- verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic ''Mahabharata'' (c ...

. It traces its roots back to Vedic times, as described in the ''Advaita Guru Paramparā'', the Advaita version of the

Guru–shishya tradition The ''guru–shishya'' tradition, or ''parampara'' ("lineage"), denotes a succession of teachers and disciples in Indian-origin religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism (including Tibetan and Zen traditions). Each ''parampar ...

. Historically,

Adi Shankara Adi Shankara ("first Shankara," to distinguish him from other Shankaras)(8th cent. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya ( sa, आदि शङ्कर, आदि शङ्कराचार्य, Ādi Śaṅkarācāryaḥ, lit=First Shanka ...

is regarded as its most influential teacher. This influence goes back to medieval times, when Advaita Vedanta came to be regarded as the central philosophy of the post-Vedic religions, and its philosophy influenced several Indian religious traditions. In several Indian religious and philosophical traditions, all knowledge is traced back to the Gods and to the

Rishis ''Rishi'' () is a term for an accomplished and enlightened person. They find mentions in various Vedic texts. Rishis are believed to have composed hymns of the Vedas. The Post-Vedic tradition of Hinduism regards the rishis as "great yogis" or ...

who saw the

Vedas upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...

. The successive ''rishis'' and teachers of various Indian traditions are honoured in ''Guru- paramparās'', lists of teachers in the

Deva, Rsi and Manav Paramparā

The current Acharyas, the heads of the four maṭhas set up by Adi Shankara, trace their authority back to the four main disciples of Shankara. Each of the heads of these four maṭhas takes the title of

Shankaracharya Shankaracharya ( sa, शङ्कराचार्य, , "Adi Shankara, Shankara-''acharya''") is a religious title used by the heads of amnaya monasteries called mathas in the Advaita Vedanta tradition of Hinduism. The title derives from Adi ...

("the learned Shankara") after Adi Shankara.

Deva, Rsi and Manav Paramparā

The Advaita guru-paramparā (''Lineage of Gurus in Non-dualism'') begins with the mythological time of the Daiva-paramparā, followed by the vedic seers of the Ṛṣi-paramparā, and the Mānava-paramparā of historical times and personalities:http://www.vidya-ashramvidyaorder.org/index.V.html , Under Page: BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES ABOUT SANKARA AND GAUDAPAD ;Daiva-paramparā *

Nārāyaṇa Narayana (Sanskrit: नारायण, IAST: ''Nārāyaṇa'') is one of the forms and names of Vishnu, who is in yogic slumber under the celestial waters, referring to the masculine principle. He is also known as Purushottama, and is con ...

* Padmabhuva (

Brahmā Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...

) ;Ṛṣi-paramparā *

Vaśiṣṭha Vasishtha ( sa, वसिष्ठ, IAST: ') is one of the oldest and most revered Vedic rishis or sages, and one of the Saptarishis (seven great Rishis). Vashistha is credited as the chief author of Mandala 7 of the ''Rigveda''. Vashishtha an ...

Śakti In Hinduism, especially Shaktism (a theological tradition of Hinduism), Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; lit. "Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, capability") is the primordial cosmic energy, female in aspect, and re ...

Parāśara Parāśara (Sanskrit: पराशर; IAST: ) was a maharshi and the author of many ancient Indian texts. He is accredited as the author of the first Purana, the Vishnu Purana, before his son Vyasa wrote it in its present form. He was the gr ...

Vyāsa Krishna Dvaipayana ( sa, कृष्णद्वैपायन, Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana), better known as Vyasa (; sa, व्यासः, Vyāsaḥ, compiler) or Vedavyasa (वेदव्यासः, ''Veda-vyāsaḥ'', "the one who cl ...

Śuka Shuka ( sa, शुक , also Shukadeva ) is a rishi (sage) in Hinduism. He is the son of the sage Vyasa and the main narrator of the scripture ''Bhagavata Purana''. Most of the ''Bhagavata Purana'' consists of Shuka reciting the story to the ...

;'Mānava-paramparā *

Gauḍapāda Gauḍapāda (Sanskrit: गौडपाद; ), also referred as Gauḍapādācārya ("Gauḍapāda the Teacher"), was an early medieval era Hindu philosopher and scholar of the ''Advaita'' Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. While details o ...

Govinda bhagavatpāda Govinda Bhagavatpada (IAST ) was the Guru of the Adi Shankara. Little is known of his life and works, except that he is mentioned in all the traditional accounts (Shankara Vijayams) as the teacher of Adi Shankara. He was the disciple of Gaudapada ...

Śankara bhagavatpāda Adi Shankara ("first Shankara," to distinguish him from other Shankaras)(8th cent. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya ( sa, आदि शङ्कर, आदि शङ्कराचार्य, Ādi Śaṅkarācāryaḥ, lit=First Shanka ...

, and then Shankara's four disciples :*

Padmapāda Padmapadacharya was an Indian philosopher, a follower of Adi Shankara. Padmapāda's dates are unknown, but some modern scholarship places his life around the middle of the 8th century; similarly information about him comes mainly from Ha ...

Hastāmalaka Hastamalakacharya ( IAST ') (c. 8th century CE) was a disciple of Adi Shankara, the Advaita philosopher. He was made the first Jagadguru (''head'') of the Dvāraka Pīṭhaṃ, the monastery founded by Adi Shankara in Dwaraka. Hastamalaka fou ...

:* Toṭaka :* Vārtikakāra (

Sureśvara Sureśvara (also known as Sureśvarācārya, was a 9th-century Indian Philosophy, philosopher, who studied under Adi Shankara, Śankara. Śankara is said to have entrusted to Sureśvara his first monastic institution, the Sringeri Sharada Peet ...

) and others Each

Yuga A ''yuga'', in Hinduism, is generally used to indicate an age of time. In the ''Rigveda'', a ''yuga'' refers to generations, a long period, a very brief period, or a yoke (joining of two things). In the ''Mahabharata'', the words ''yuga'' and ...

has its own gurus or Acharyas: * In the Satya or Krata Yuga:

Lord Narayana Narayana (Sanskrit: नारायण, IAST: ''Nārāyaṇa'') is one of the forms and names of Vishnu, who is in yogic slumber under the celestial waters, referring to the masculine principle. He is also known as Purushottama, and is consi ...

and

Lord Brahma Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...

. * In the

Treta Yuga ''Treta Yuga'', in Hinduism, is the second and second best of the four ''yugas'' (world ages) in a ''Yuga Cycle'', preceded by '' Krita (Satya) Yuga'' and followed by '' Dvapara Yuga''. ''Treta Yuga'' lasts for 1,296,000 years (3,600 divine years ...

: Vasishta Maharishi,

Śakti Maharṣi Shakti Maharishi was son of Vaśiṣṭha and Arundhati. He was the father of Parāśara, mentioned in the ''Mahabharata''. There is a legend found in ''Mahabharata'' about Shakti Muni. Once King Kalmashapada, going hunting, killed many animals ...

and Parashara Maharishi. * In the

Dvapara Yuga ''Dvapara Yuga'' ( Dwapara Yuga), in Hinduism, is the third and third best of the four ''yugas'' (world ages) in a ''Yuga Cycle'', preceded by ''Treta Yuga'' and followed by ''Kali Yuga''. ''Dvapara Yuga'' lasts for 864,000 years (2,400 divine y ...

Veda Vyasa Krishna Dvaipayana ( sa, कृष्णद्वैपायन, Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana), better known as Vyasa (; sa, व्यासः, Vyāsaḥ, compiler) or Vedavyasa (वेदव्यासः, ''Veda-vyāsaḥ'', "the one who cl ...

and Sri Shuka Acharya * In the

Kali Yuga ''Kali Yuga'', in Hinduism, is the fourth and worst of the four ''yugas'' (world ages) in a ''Yuga Cycle'', preceded by '' Dvapara Yuga'' and followed by the next cycle's '' Krita (Satya) Yuga''. It is believed to be the present age, which is ...

: Sri Gaudapada Acharya,

Govinda Bhagavatpada Govinda Bhagavatpada (IAST ) was the Guru of the Adi Shankara. Little is known of his life and works, except that he is mentioned in all the traditional accounts (Shankara Vijayams) as the teacher of Adi Shankara. He was the disciple of Gaudapada ...

charya, Shri Shankarāchārya, and the subsequent lineage. Another famous sloka lists the essential ''Advaita Guru parampara'' as follows: :Sada Shiva Samarambham :Sankaracharya Madhyamam :Asmat aacharya Paryantham :Vande Guru Paramparaa Which translates as : :Beginning with lord Sadashiva, :With Sankaracharya in the middle, :And till my acharya, :I bow to the tradition of teachers

Jagadgurus of the four Advaita Mathas

According to tradition, Sankara organised a section of the ''Ēkadaṇḍisannyāsins'' into the Dashanami Sampradaya, establishing four mathas in north, west, east, and south India, to facilitate the teaching of Advaita Vedanta, and maintain the dharma. He entrusted his four disciples to each of these four mathas. Some of the famous and current Mathadhipatis titled 'Sankaracharyas' are listed below: *

Sringeri Sharada Peetham Dakṣināmnāya Śrī Śāradā Pītham or Śri Śringeri Maṭha (, ; sa, मठ, ) is one amongst the four cardinal pīthams following the Daśanāmi Sampradaya - the ''peetham'' or ''matha'' is said to have been established by acharya ...

** Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Narasimha Bharathi Mahaswami, Jagadguru of

(1865–1912); initiated many into Adi Shankaracharya's philosophy including Sacchidanandendra Saraswati- founder of Adhyatma Prakashana Karyalaya; known as "Abhinava Shankara" because of his many tours around Bharatvarsha spreading the Advaita Vedanta philosophy and

Hindu Dharma Hinduism () is an Indian religion or ''dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global pop ...

** Sri Chandrashekhara Bharathi Mahaswami, Jagadguru of

(1912–1954). ** Sri Abhinavavidya Tirtha Mahaswamiji, Jagadguru of

(1954–1989); A great

Yogi A yogi is a practitioner of Yoga, including a sannyasin or practitioner of meditation in Indian religions.A. K. Banerjea (2014), ''Philosophy of Gorakhnath with Goraksha-Vacana-Sangraha'', Motilal Banarsidass, , pp. xxiii, 297-299, 331 Th ...

and master of scriptures. In His many tours of Bharatvarsha and also Nepal He established many maths, shrines and temples. ** Sri Bharathi Tirtha Mahaswami, Jagadguru of

(1989- ); A sage and present Jagadguru of Shringeri Peetha, Sringeri,

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

. *

Jyotir Math Uttarāmnāya Śrī Jyotish Pītham or Jyotir Math is one amongst the four cardinal pīthams established by the 820 CE philosopher-saint Śrī Ādi Śaṅkara to preserve and propagate Sanātana Dharma and Advaita Vedānta, the doctrine of ...

Swaroopanand Saraswati Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati (2 September 1924 – 11 September 2022) was an Indian religious leader. In 1982, he became the Shankaracharya of Dwarka Sharada Peetham in Dwaraka, Gujarat and also caretaker of the Jyotir Math in Badrinath. Life ...

* Govardhan Peetham * Kalika Pitha

Acharyas known from literary sources

Ancient Acharyas

Yajnavalkya Yajnavalkya or Yagyavalkya ( sa, याज्ञवल्क्य, ) is a Hindu Vedic sage figuring in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (c. 700 BCE)., Quote: "Yajnavalkya, a Vedic sage, taught..."Ben-Ami Scharfstein (1998), ''A comparative histor ...

: taught Brahmavidya to his wife

Maitreyi Maitreyi ( sa, मैत्रेयी) ("Wise one") was an Indian philosopher who lived during the later Vedic period in ancient India. She is mentioned in the ''Brihadaranyaka Upanishad'' as one of two wives of the Vedic sage Yajnavalkya; sh ...

, which is recorded in

Brhadaranyaka Upanishad The ''Brihadaranyaka Upanishad'' ( sa, बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्, ) is one of the Principal Upanishads and one of the first Upanishadic scriptures of Hinduism. A key scripture to various schools of Hinduism, the ''Bri ...

. * Uddalaka: taught Brahmavidya to his son Svetaketu in

Chandogya Upanishad The ''Chandogya Upanishad'' (Sanskrit: , IAST: ''Chāndogyopaniṣad'') is a Sanskrit text embedded in the Chandogya Brahmana of the Sama Veda of Hinduism.Patrick Olivelle (2014), ''The Early Upanishads'', Oxford University Press; , pp. 166-16 ...

Pre-Badarayana Acharyas

Works of these Advaita Acharyas are not available now, but were quoted by Badarayana: * Badari (referred to in Br. Su. I.2.30, III.1.1, IV.3.7, IV.4.10) * Audulomi (referred to in Br. Su. I.3.21, III.4.45, IV.4.6) * Kasakrtsna (referred to in Br. Su. I.4.220 * Asmarathya (referred to in Br. Su. I.2.29, I.4.20) * Atreya (referred to in Br. Su. III.4.4) * Karsajini (referred to in Br. Su. III.1.9) * Badarayana, author of Brahmasutra, containing 555 sutras, that reconciles the apparent ambiguity of the Upanishads.

Post-Badrayana Acharyas

Works of the following Acharyas are available and are still being taught and studied: * Bodhayana (pre-Sankara) (''Bodhayana-vrtti'') * Brahmanandin (Vakyakara) (Commentary on ''Chandogyopanishad'') * Dravidacharya (Commentary on ''Brhadaranyakopanishad'') * Sundarapandya (Vartikakara) (Vartika on ''Sariraka-Mimamsa'') * Bhartrprapanca *

Gaudapada Gauḍapāda (Sanskrit: गौडपाद; ), also referred as Gauḍapādācārya ("Gauḍapāda the Teacher"), was an early medieval era Hindu philosopher and scholar of the ''Advaita'' Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy. While details o ...

(700–780 approx.) (Karika on ''Mandukyopanishad'') *

(750–850 approx.) (''Brahmasiddhi'') *

(Adi Shankara) (788–820) (Commentary on the Prasthana-traya and ''Upadesha-Sahasri'')

Post-Sankara Acharyas

* Sureswara (8th century), also known as Vartikakara. (Vartika on Sankara's ''Taittiriyopanishad''-Bhashya, ''Brhadaranyakopanishad''-Bhashyam, ''Naishkarmyasiddhi'', ''Manasollasa'') * Padmapada (8th century) (''Pancapadika'') * Hastamalaka (8th century) (''Hastamalakiyam'') * Vacaspati Mishra (841–900) (''Bhamati'', a Tika on Brahmasutra-Sankara-Bhashyam)) * Sarvajnatma Muni (850–950) (''Sankshepa-Sariraka'') *

Sriharsha Shri-harsha (IAST: Śrīharṣa) was a 7th century Indian philosopher and poet. Shri Harsha's works concern Advaita Vedanta, Nyaya and other themes in Hindu Philosophy. Early life Śrīharṣa was the son of Śrīhira and Mamalladevī. His fath ...

(1169–1225) (''Khandana-khanda-khadya'') * Prakasatma Yati (AD 1200) (''Pancapadika-Vivarana'') * Citsukha (AD 1220) (''Citsukhi'') * Ananda Giri - also known as the Tikakara. (Tikas on almost all the Bhashyas of Sankara. It is said nobody knows the mind of Sankara, better than Ananda Giri.) * Vimuktatma (AD 1200) (''Ishtasiddhi'') *

Amalananda Amalananda was a south Indian Sanskrit scholar who lived during the reign of Mahadeva, the Yadava ruler of Devagiri who ruled from 1260 to 1271. Not much is known about his life and background. Anubhavānanda is believed to have been his ...

(AD 1247) (''Vedanta-Kalpataru'', a commentary on ''Bhamati'' of Vacaspati Misra) * Bĥaratī Tīrtha (1328-1380), the teacher of Vidyaranya ('' Dŗg-Dŗśya-Viveka'') *

Vidyaranya Vidyaranya (IAST: Vidyāraṇya), usually identified with Mādhavācharya (not to be confused with Madhvacharya, Madhvāchārya (13th c.)), was Jagadguru of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham from ca. 1374-1380 until 1386 - according to tradition, a ...

(1350–1386) (''Pancadasi'') * Sadananda Yogindra (mid 15th century) (''Vedantasara'', the most popular introductory text in Advaita Vedanta) * Dharmaraja Adhvarindra (1550–1650) (''Vedanta-Paribhasha'', an epistemological work on Advaita Vedanta) * Nrsimha Ashrama (1500–1600) * Madhusudana Saraswati (1565–1650) (''Advaita-siddhi'') * Appaya Dikshita (AD 1603) (''Parimala'', ''Siddhanta-lesa-sangraha'') * Lakshmidhara Kavi (''Advaita-Makaranda'')

Neo-Vedanta

While strictly speaking only members of the Dashanami Sampradaya belong to the Advaita Guru Paramparā, Advaita Vedanta has attracted popular recognition since the 19th century, and

movements have developed with roots in, of similarities with, the Advaita tradition.

Ramakrishna Order

* Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa :*

Swami Vivekananda Swami Vivekananda (; ; 12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902), born Narendranath Datta (), was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. He was a key figure in the intro ...

(1863–1902), disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, wrote books on four Hindu

Yoga Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consciou ...

Bhakti Yoga Bhakti yoga ( sa, भक्ति योग), also called Bhakti marga (, literally the path of ''Bhakti''), is a spiritual path or spiritual practice within Hinduism focused on loving devotion towards any personal deity.Karen Pechelis (2014), ...

Jnana Yoga Jnana yoga (), also known as the jnana ''marga'' (), is one of the three classical paths ('' margas'') for moksha (liberation) in Hinduism, which emphasizes the "path of knowledge", also known as the "path of self-realization". The other two ...

Karma Yoga Karma yoga ( sa, कर्म योग), also called Karma marga, is one of the four classical spiritual paths in Hinduism, one based on the "yoga of action", the others being Jnana yoga (path of knowledge), Rāja yoga (path of meditatio ...

and

Raja Yoga ''Raja'' (; from , IAST ') is a royal title used for South Asian monarchs. The title is equivalent to king or princely ruler in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The title has a long history in history of South Asia, South Asia and History of ...

. The ''Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda'' contains a complete collection of transcribed lectures. He spoke at the

Parliament of the World's Religions There have been several meetings referred to as a Parliament of the World's Religions, the first being the World's Parliament of Religions of 1893, which was an attempt to create a global dialogue of faiths. The event was celebrated by another c ...

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

in 1893. :*

Disciples of Ramakrishna Ramakrishna Paramhansa Deva had sixteen direct disciples (other than Swami Vivekananda) who became monks of the Ramakrishna Order; they are often considered his apostles. In the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda movement, the apostles have played an impo ...

Mata Amritanandamayi Math

Mata Amritanandamayi Math The Mata Amritanandamayi Math (MAM) is an international charitable organization aimed at the spiritual and material upliftment of humankind. It was founded by Indian people, Indian spiritual leader and humanitarian Mata Amritanandamayi in 1981, ...

, founded by Sri Mata Amritanandamayi devi follows Advaita philosophy and traditions. The sanyasis are initiated in the Puri order of Dashanami Sampradaya. According to the tradition set forth by Adi Shankaracharya, the Puri Sannyasa tradition is characterised by the following – formal allegiance to the Shringeri Math * First Acharya (teacher) -

charya * Sampradaya (customs) - Bhurivara Sampradaya * Kshetra (Temple) –

Rameswaram Rameswaram (; also transliterated as Ramesvaram, Rameshwaram) is a municipality in the Ramanathapuram district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is on Pamban Island separated from mainland India by the Pamban channel and is about 40 kilo ...

* Deva (God) – Adi Varaha Swamy (The incarnation of Lord Vishnu in the form of a boar) * Devi (Goddess) –

Kamakshi Tripura Sundari (Sanskrit: त्रिपुरा सुन्दरी, IAST: Tripura Sundarī), also known as Rajarajeshwari, Shodashi, Kamakshi, and Lalita is a Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of supreme goddess Mahadevi m ...

* Veda –

Yajurveda The ''Yajurveda'' ( sa, यजुर्वेद, ', from ' meaning "worship", and ''veda'' meaning "knowledge") is the Veda primarily of prose mantras for worship rituals.Michael Witzel (2003), "Vedas and Upaniṣads", in ''The Blackwell C ...

* Upanishad – Kaṭhopaniṣad * Mahavakya (statement revealing the nature of Absolute Reality ) – Ahaṁ Brahmāsmi * Tirtha (Holy River) – Tungabhadra River * Gotra (descent or lineage) – Bhaveshavar Rishi Swami Amritaswarupananda Puri was the first to be initiated as Sanyasin by Sri Mata Amritanandamayi devi in this order. Swami Amritatmananda Puri, Swami Ramakrishnananda Puri, Swami Pranavamritananda Puri, Swamini Krishnamrita Prana and Swami Poornamritananda Puri are other few notable sanyasis initiated in this order.

Divine Life Society, Chinmaya Mission, Arsha Vidya Gurukulam

* Swami Tapovan Maharaj (1889–1957): A ''Virakta

mahatma Mahatma (English pronunciation: , sa, महात्मा, translit=mahātmā) is an honorific used in India. The term is commonly used for Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who is often referred to simply as "Mahatma Gandhi". Albeit less frequent ...

'', Guru of

Swami Chinmayananda Swami Chinmayananda Saraswati (born Balakrishna Menon; 8 May 1916 – 3 August 1993) was a Hindu spiritual leader and a teacher. In 1951, he founded Chinmaya Mission, a worldwide nonprofit organisation, in order to spread the knowledge of Advaita ...

post the latter's Sanyas Deeksha by

Swami Sivananda Sivananda Saraswati (or Swami Sivananda; 8 September 1887 – 14 July 1963) was a yoga guru, a Hindu spiritual teacher, and a proponent of Vedanta. Sivananda was born Kuppuswami in Pattamadai, in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. He stu ...

(1887–1963): Hindu Saint who founded the

Divine Life Society The Divine Life Society (DLS) is a Hindu spiritual organisation and an ashram, founded by Swami Sivananda Saraswati in 1936, at Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh, India. Today it has branches around the world, the headquarters being situated in Rishikes ...

in Rishikesh, India. Author of more than 300 works of theology and philosophy. According to his disciples, achieved

Moksha ''Moksha'' (; sa, मोक्ष, '), also called ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'' and ''mukti'', is a term in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, enlightenment, liberation, and release. In its soteriology, ...

upon death.Divine Life Society
Official Website Bestowed

sanyasa ''Sannyasa'' (Sanskrit: संन्यास; IAST: ), sometimes spelled Sanyasa (सन्न्यास) or Sanyasi (for the person), is life of renunciation and the fourth stage within the Hindu system of four life stages known as '' As ...

upon :*

Swami Krishnananda Swami Krishnananda Saraswati (25 April 1922 – 23 November 2001) was a disciple of Sivananda Saraswati and served as the General Secretary of the Divine Life Society in Rishikesh, India from 1958 until 2001. Author of more than 40 texts, ...

(1922–2001), Hindu saint who was the General Secretary of the Divine Life Society in Rishikesh, India from 1958 to 2001. Foremost disciple of Swami Sivananda. Author of more than 200 works of theology and philosophy. According to disciples, achieved Moksha upon death.Swami-Krishnananda.org
Official Website :*

(1916–1993), (1916–1993), ''

Sannyas ''Sannyasa'' (Sanskrit: संन्यास; IAST: ), sometimes spelled Sanyasa (सन्न्यास) or Sanyasi (for the person), is life of renunciation and the fourth stage within the Hindu system of four life stages known as '' A ...

diksha Diksha (Sanskrit: दीक्षा) also spelled diksa, deeksha or deeksa in common usage, translated as a "preparation or consecration for a religious ceremony", is giving of a mantra or an initiation by the guru (in Guru–shishya tradition) ...

'' bestowed by

Rishikesh Rishikesh, also spelt as Hrishikesh, is a city near Dehradun in Dehradun district of the Indian state Uttarakhand. It is situated on the right bank of the Ganges River and is a pilgrimage town for Hindus, with ancient sages and saints meditati ...

. Disciples founded the

Chinmaya Mission The Chinmaya Mission is a Hindu religious and spiritual organization engaged in the dissemination of Vedanta, the science of the self as expounded in the Vedas, particularly the Upanishads, and other Hindu scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita. ...

; 'Chinmaya' means "pure consciousness.". ::*

Swami Dayananda Saraswati Dayanand Saraswati () (born Mool Shankar Tiwari; 2 February 1824 – 30 October 1883) also known as Maharshi Dayanand is an Indian philosopher, social leader and founder of the Arya Samaj, a Hindu reform movement. His Magnum Opus is the book ...

, (1930–2015) Founder of 'Arsha Vidya' tradition. He has set up Gurukulams in Rishikesh, Coimbatore, Nagpur, Saylorsburg (USA), has taught ten long-term courses in Advaita Vedanta, and has initiated more than 200 disciples into Sannyasa, among them being; Swami Paramarthananda and Swami Tattvavidananda. The advaita teacher and author Sri Vasudevacharya is also a disciple. :*

Swami Chidananda Chidananda Saraswati (24 September 1916 – 28 August 2008) was President of the Divine Life Society, Rishikesh, India. He is well known in India as a yogi, dnyani and spiritual leader. He succeeded as President of the Divine Life Society in 1 ...

(1916–2008) :* Swami Shantananda Saraswati (1934-2005)

Other teachers

Mannargudi Raju Sastri Raja Mannargudi Mahamahopadhyaya Thyagaraja Mahi Raju Sastrigal (28 May 1815 – 4 March 1903), also known as Mannargudi Raju Sastri or Mannargudi Periyaval, was a Hindu scholar. He was born in the Bharadwaja Vamsa, as a descendant of Adayappaa ...

(1815–1903), Formed 'The Advaita Sabha' for propagating the tenets of the Advaita faith. *

Sri Narayana Guru Narayana Guru, , (20 August 1856 – 20 September 1928) was a philosopher, spiritual leader and social reformer in India. He led a reform movement against the injustice in the caste-ridden society of Kerala in order to promote spiritua ...

(1856–1928)- Vedic scholar, mystic philosopher, prolific poet and social reformer, from the present-day

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

. *

Sri Aurobindo Sri Aurobindo (born Aurobindo Ghose; 15 August 1872 – 5 December 1950) was an Indian philosopher, yogi, maharishi, poet, and Indian nationalist. He was also a journalist, editing newspapers such as ''Vande Mataram''. He joined the ...

(1872–1950) Bengali philosopher-sage who synthesized Advaita thought with Western philosophical theories of

evolution Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These characteristics are the expressions of genes, which are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Variation ...

. *

Tibbetibaba Tibbetibaba also known as Mahasadhak Tibbetibaba or Paramhamsa Tibbetibaba, alternative spellings Tibbatibaba, Tibbati Baba, Tibbeti Baba, Tibbotibaba or Tibboti Baba ("Tibetan Baba" or the Monk from Tibet, when translated into English.) b ...

(-d.1930) - Hindu

Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...

Saint whose life was based on both Advaita Vedanta and Mahayana principles. * Swami Atmananda (1883–1959) lived in

. *

Prajnanapada Prajnanapada, popularly known as Swami Prajnanapada or Swami Prajnanpad (1891–1974) of Channa Ashram (located at Channa village), was one of the eminent disciples of Niralamba Swami, the great yogi and Guru of India. He was born on 8 February ...

(1891–1974), disciple of Niralamba Swami and a great exponent of Advaita philosophy. He was in charge of Channa Ashram in West Bengal, India. *

Bhagawan Nityananda Bhagawan Nityananda (November/December, 1897 – 8 August 1961) was an Indian guru. His teachings are published in the "Chidakash Gita". Nityananda was born in Koyilandy (Pandalayini), Madras Presidency, British India (now in Kozhikode di ...

(1897?–1961) was an Indian guru. His teachings are published in the "Chidakash Gita". Nityananda was born in Koyilandy (Pandalayini), Kerala, South India. His teachings are simple and on the nonduality. *

Swami Karpatri Dharm samrat swami Hariharanand Saraswati (1907–1980) popularly known as Swami Karpatri (so called because he would eat only what would come in his palm 'kara', as the bowl 'pātra'), was born as Hari Narayan Ojha into a Saryupareen Brahmin fa ...

(1905–1980), a well-known ''

sannyasi ''Sannyasa'' (Sanskrit: संन्यास; IAST: ), sometimes spelled Sanyasa (सन्न्यास) or Sanyasi (for the person), is life of renunciation and the fourth stage within the Hindu system of four life stages known as '' As ...

'' of

Varanasi Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. * * * * The city has a syncretic t ...

Swami Parthasarathy Avula Parthasarathy, popularly known as Swamiji (born 8 June 1927), is an Indian philosopher and exponent of Vedanta, one of the ancient philosophies of India. He translates the subtle philosophical themes into a practical technique of living. He ...

(1927- ), Popularly referred to as 'Swamiji', Parthasarathy is known as the modern exponent of Vedanta. He has written 10 books in all, including commentaries on

, Atmabodha,

Bhaja Govindam "Bhaja Govindam" ( sa, भज गोविन्दं, meaning "Praise/Seek Govinda"), also known as "Moha Mudgara" ("Destroyer of illusion"), is a popular Hindu devotional poem in Sanskrit composed by Adi Shankara. This work of Adi Shankara ...

and many other books. His ashram is situated around 100 km from

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

in the hills of Malavli, near

Lonavla Lonavala (ISO: Loṇāvaḷā) is a hill station town and a Municipal Council in the Pune district, Maharashtra, India. It is about west of Pune and to the east of Mumbai. It is known for its production of the hard candy ''chikki'' and is also ...

. *

G. Balakrishnan Nair G. Balakrishnan Nair (1929–2011) was an Indian academic, author and Sanskrit scholar. He worked extensively on the philosophical works of Narayana Guru. Life Nair was born on 5 February 1923 in Peroorkada, Thiruvananthapuram to Govinda Pill ...

Vedanta scholar, Sanskrit academician, philosopher, author and interpreter of the scriptures and Vedanta. * Vagbhatananda Kunjikkannan (1885-1939). intellectual figure, Social Reformer and Advaitin.

Advaita Vedanta interpreted

Inchegeri Sampradaya

The Inchegeri Sampradaya is rooted in the

Nath Nath, also called Natha, are a Shaiva sub-tradition within Hinduism in India and Nepal. A medieval movement, it combined ideas from Buddhism, Shaivism and Yoga traditions in India.Siddharameshwar Maharaj Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj (1888–1936) was a guru in the Inchagiri Sampradaya founded by his guru Bhausaheb Maharaj, a branch of the Navnath Sampradaya, the 'Nine Masters' tradition in India. His disciples included Nath teachers Nisargadat ...

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj Nisargadatta Maharaj (born Maruti Shivrampant Kambli; 17 April 1897 – 8 September 1981) was an Indian guru of nondualism, belonging to the Inchagiri Sampradaya, a lineage of teachers from the Navnath Sampradaya and Lingayat Shaivism. ...

(1897–1981) - A 20th-century master of

Advaita ''Advaita Vedanta'' (; sa, अद्वैत वेदान्त, ) is a Hindu sādhanā, a path of spiritual discipline and experience, and the oldest extant tradition of the orthodox Hindu school Vedānta. The term ''Advaita'' (lit ...

from

, ''

I Am That ''I Am That'' is a compilation of talks on Shiva Advaita ( Nondualism) philosophy by Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, a Hindu spiritual teacher who lived in Mumbai. The English translation of the book from the original Marathi recordings was done by Maur ...

'' (1973, collected talks) ::*

Ramesh Balsekar Ramesh S. Balsekar (25 May 1917 – 27 September 2009) was a disciple and principle translator of the late Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, a renowned Advaita master. From early childhood, Balsekar was drawn to Advaita, a nondual teaching, particularl ...

(1917–2009)

Ramana Maharshi

Ramana Maharshi underwent a profound

religious experience A religious experience (sometimes known as a spiritual experience, sacred experience, or mystical experience) is a subjective experience which is interpreted within a religious framework. The concept originated in the 19th century, as a defens ...

when he was 16, whereafter he left home to become a sanyassin. While his own (spare) writings reveal his Tamil Saivite background, devotees with a Brahmon and/or Neo-Vedanta background have interpreted him in an Advaita Vedanta framework. His popularisation in the west was initially aided by a Theosophical framework, while his devotee Poonja spawned the

Neo-Advaita Neo-Advaita, also called the Satsang-movement and Nondualism, is a New Religious Movement, emphasizing the direct recognition of the non-existence of the "I" or "ego," without the need of preparatory practice. Its teachings are derived from, but ...

movement, which was also influenced by

Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh Rajneesh (born Chandra Mohan Jain; 11 December 193119 January 1990), also known as Acharya Rajneesh, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, and later as Osho (), was an Indian godman, mystic, and founder of the Rajneesh movement. He was viewed as a controv ...

. * Shri Ramana Maharshi (1879–1950) the silent sage of

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...

who had a profound realization of nonduality. :* Sri H.W.L. Poonja (1910–1997), or Papaji. Devotee of Sri Ramana Maharshi, he denied being part of any formal tradition, and remained always available, welcoming newcomers to his home and satsangs.

Notes

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Advaita Guru Parampara Hindu philosophical concepts Advaitin philosophers Schools and traditions in ancient Indian philosophy Lists of Hindu religious leaders Advaita Vedanta Hinduism-related lists

Deva, Rsi and Manav Paramparā

Deva, Rsi and Manav Paramparā

Jagadgurus of the four Advaita Mathas

Acharyas known from literary sources

Ancient Acharyas

Pre-Badarayana Acharyas

Post-Badrayana Acharyas

Post-Sankara Acharyas

Neo-Vedanta

Ramakrishna Order

Mata Amritanandamayi Math

Divine Life Society, Chinmaya Mission, Arsha Vidya Gurukulam

Other teachers

Advaita Vedanta interpreted

Inchegeri Sampradaya

Ramana Maharshi

See also

Notes

References

Sources