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Smartism (or Smarta Sampradaya, Smarta Tradition, as termed in Sanskrit), a newly-coined term derived from the word smarta by the Shaivite Guru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami^[1], refers to a denomination of the Hindu religion. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is an umbrella term for a wide variety of related religious traditions native to India. Within Hinduism a large number of personalities or 'forms' are worshiped as Murtis. Hinduism comprises numerous Sects or denominations The main divisions in current Hinduism are Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism Hindu mythology is the large body of Mythology related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and Hindu philosophy is divided into six Sanskrit ''{{IAST|āstika}}'') schools of thought or darshanas (literally "views" Sankhya The Sanskrit term ( Devanāgarī: धर्म Pali transliteration dhamma) is an Indian spiritual and religious Artha ( Devanagari: अर्थ is a Sanskrit term meaning "purpose cause motive meaning notion" In Indian religions, Moksha ( Sanskrit: sa मोक्ष mokṣa) or Mukti ( Sanskrit: sa मुक्ति literally "release" Karma is a concept in Hinduism which explains Causality through a system where beneficial effects are derived from past beneficial actions Yoga ( Sanskrit: योग, IAST: yóga, joːgə refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India, to the Bhakti ( Devanāgarī: भक्ति) is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning devotion. Maya ( Sanskrit sa माया māyā) in Indian religions, has multiple meanings This article is about Hinduism. Puja or "pooja" may also refer to certain devotional practices performed by Balmikis Buddhists (see A Hindu temple or Mandir ( Sanskrit: मंदिर is a house of worship for Hindus followers of Hinduism. Literature regarded as central to the Hindu literary tradition was predominantly composed in Sanskrit, Indeed much of the morphology and linguistic "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. The Upanishads ( Devanagari: उपनिषद् IAST: upaniṣad also spelled "Upanisad" are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings The Rāmāyaṇa ( Devanāgarī: sa रामायण is an ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the Hindu sage ( Maharishi) Valmiki For other meanings see Purana (disambiguation. The Puranas ( Sanskrit: sa पुराण purāṇa, "of ancient times" The following is a bibliography of Hindu scriptures and texts. The percentage of Hindu population of each country was taken from the US State Department's International Religious Freedom Report 2006. These are some of the most noteworthy Gurus and Saints of Hinduism (in alphabetical order A Hinduism is going through a phase of regeneration and reform through the vehicle of several contemporary movements collectively termed as Hindu reform movements. Ayurveda ( Devanāgarī: आयुर्वॆद the 'science of life' is a system of Traditional medicine native to India, and practiced in other The Hindu calendar used in ancient times has undergone many changes in the process of regionalization and today there are several regional Indian Calendars, as This article deals with social and cultural criticism of Hinduism The following is a glossary of terms and concepts in Hinduism. Jyotiṣa ( Sanskrit jyotiṣa, from jyótis- "light heavenly body" also spelled Jyotish and Jyotisha in English In Hinduism, a sampradaya ( IAST sampradāya) can be translated as ‘tradition’ or a ‘religious system’ although the word commands much more respect Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical Shaivism, also spelled "Saivism" names the oldest of the four sects of Hinduism. A guru (गुरु গুরু is a person who is regarded as having great knowledge wisdom and authority in a certain area and uses it to guide others Church (disambiguation A religious denomination is a subgroup within a Religion that operates under a common name tradition and identity Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos The term Smarta refers to adherents who follow the Vedas and Shastras. "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. Śāstra (anglicized either shastra or sastra) is a Sanskrit word used to denote Education /knowledge in a general sense They mainly follow the Advaita Vedanta philosophy of Adi Shankara. Advaita Vedanta ( IAST Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit अद्वैत वेदान्त əd̪vait̪ə veːd̪ɑːnt̪ə is a sub-school of the Adi Shankara ( Malayalam: ആദി ശങ്കരന്‍ Devanāgarī: आदि शङ्कर Ādi Śaṅkara, aːd̪i ɕaŋkərə (see below But there have been instances when they have advocated or followed other philosophies.

In Sanskrit, Smārta means "relating to memory, recorded in or based on the Smrti, based on tradition, prescribed or sanctioned by traditional law or usage, (etc)", from the root smr ("remember"). Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical Smriti (Sanskrit स्मृति " that which is remembered " refers to a specific body of Hindu religious Scripture The root is the primary lexical unit of a Word, which carries the most significant aspects of semantic content and cannot be reduced into smaller constituents Smārta is a vriddhi derivation of Smriti just as Śrauta is a vriddhi derivation of Śruti. Vrddhi (वृद्धि) is a Sanskrit word meaning "growth" (from) Smriti (Sanskrit स्मृति " that which is remembered " refers to a specific body of Hindu religious Scripture Śrauta ( Devanagari sa श्रौत traditions are conservative Ritualistic traditions of Historical Vedic religion in Hinduism, based on If you are looking for the singer see Shruti Haasan. For other meanings see Śruti (disambiguation.

Salient features of Smartism

Smartas are followers and propagators of Smriti or religious texts derived from Vedic scriptures. Smriti (Sanskrit स्मृति " that which is remembered " refers to a specific body of Hindu religious Scripture "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. It is from this that the name smarta is derived. This term is used with respect to a certain specialized category of Brahmins. It was Adi Shankaracharya who brought all the Vedic communities together. Adi Shankara ( Malayalam: ആദി ശങ്കരന്‍ Devanāgarī: आदि शङ्कर Ādi Śaṅkara, aːd̪i ɕaŋkərə (see below He removed the un-Vedic aspects that had crept into them. He said that any of the different Hindu gods could be worshipped, according to the prescriptions given in the smriti texts. He established that worship of various deities are compatible with Vedas and is not contradictory, since all are different manifestations of Brahman. His ideas were accepted as he succeeded in convincing brahmins of his day, that this is exactly what was indicated by the Vedas. "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation.

Advaita Vedanta

Main article: Advaita Vedanta

God, according to Smartas who happen to follow Advaita philosophy, is both Saguna and Nirguna. Advaita Vedanta ( IAST Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit अद्वैत वेदान्त əd̪vait̪ə veːd̪ɑːnt̪ə is a sub-school of the Saguna Brahman (lit "The Absolute with qualities") came from the Sanskrit saguṇa (sa सगुण "with qualities" Nirguna Brahman, (literally the attributeless Brahman, Devanagari: निर्गुण ब्रह्म refers to Supreme Reality which pervades through the As a Nirguna he is pure consciousness dissociated from matter. He (the gender itself is meaningless here) has no attributes, and has no form. As a Saguna, there is quality that can be attributed. He is infinite and thus can have a multitude of attributes. Accordingly, the scriptures hold that Vishnu and Shiva are ultimately the same. For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva The Smarta theologians have cited many references to support this point. For example, they interpret verses in both the Shri Rudram, the most sacred mantra in Shaivism, and the Vishnu Sahasranama, one of the most sacred prayers in Vaishnavism, to show this unity. The Shri Rudram Chamakam ( Sanskrit श्रि रुद्रम् चमकम् is a Vedic Stotra dedicated to Rudra (an early epithet Shaivism, also spelled "Saivism" names the oldest of the four sects of Hinduism. The Vishnu sahasranāma (literally "the thousand names of Vishnu " is a list of 1000 names for Vishnu, one of the main forms of God Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu or its associated avatars principally as Rama and Vishnu Purana carries a story about how Maha Vishnu becomes Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. MaHa is the Acronym of the comedy duo of Madan Krishna Shrestha and Hari Bansha Acharya of Nepal in Devanagari script Brahma is the Hindu god ( deva) of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. In other words, these forms and names are just different manifestations of Nirguna Brahman — the Ultimate Reality.

One of the previous Shankaracharya of Sringeri Math, Sri Chandrasekhara Bharati (1892 - 1954), commentating on this, said. Chandrashekara Bharathi III (born as Narasimha Shastri; 1892-1954) was the Jagadguru (literally teacher of the world, in Sanskrit; assigned "you cannot see the feet of the Lord, why do you waste your time debating about the nature of His face?" ^[2]

It is most essential for Smarta Brahmins to specialize in the Karma Kanda of the Vedas and associated rituals diligently, and to teach the subsequent generations. "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. This is the only reason that these families continue to be called Smartas.

Shanmata and influence on contemporary Hinduism

Adi Shankara propagated the tradition of Shanmata (Sanskrit, meaning Six Opinions). Adi Shankara ( Malayalam: ആദി ശങ്കരന്‍ Devanāgarī: आदि शङ्कर Ādi Śaṅkara, aːd̪i ɕaŋkərə (see below Shanmata ( IAST Ṣaṇmata) is the system of worship founded by Adi Shankara, the 8th century CE Hindu philosopher Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical In this six major deities are worshipped. This is based on the belief in the essential sameness of all deities, the unity of Godhead, and their conceptualization of the myriad deities of India as various manifestations of the one divine power, Brahman. See also List of deities A deity is a Postulated Preternatural or Supernatural Being, who is always Oneness is a spiritual term referring to the 'experience' of the absence of egoic identity boundaries and according to some traditions the perception of an absolute Within Hinduism a large number of personalities or 'forms' are worshiped as Murtis. Brahman ( bráhman-, Nominative bráhma sa ब्रह्म is a concept of Hinduism. Smartas accept and worship the six manifestations of God, (Ganesha, Shiva, Shakti, Vishnu, Surya and Skanda) and the choice of the nature of God is up to the individual worshipper since different manifestations of God are held to be equivalent. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. Ganesha ( Sanskrit: sa गणेश Gaṇeśa) also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh and also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva Shakti, meaning sacred force, power, or energy, is the Hindu concept or personification of the divine feminine aspect sometimes referred For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific In Hinduism, Surya ( Devanagari: सूर्य sūrya, lit "the Supreme Light" Malay: Suria; Thai: Many Hindus, who may not understand or follow Advaita philosophy, in contemporary Hinduism, invariably follow the Shanmata belief worshiping many forms of God. One commentator, noting the influence of the Smarta tradition, remarked that although many Hindus may not strictly identify themselves as Smartas but, by adhering to Advaita Vedanta as a foundation for non-sectarianism, are indirect followers. Advaita Vedanta ( IAST Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit अद्वैत वेदान्त əd̪vait̪ə veːd̪ɑːnt̪ə is a sub-school of the ^[3] Additionally, many of the Hindu teachers of the modern era such as Ramakrishna, with the notable exception of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Vaishnava founder of the Hare Krishna movement, all had teachings that were in accord with this tradition. Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa ( Bangla: রামকৃষ্ণ পরমহংস Ramkṛiṣṇo Pôromôhongśo) ( February 18, 1836 - Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada ( Sanskrit:, abhaya-caraṇāravinda bhakti-vedānta svāmī prabhupāda, Bangla: অভয়চরনাবিন্দ The Smarta view dominates the view of Hinduism in the West. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Smartas believe that Brahman is essentially attribute-less (nirguna), all attributes (gunas) equally belong to It, within empirical reality^[4]. Brahman ( bráhman-, Nominative bráhma sa ब्रह्म is a concept of Hinduism. Nirguna Brahman, (literally the attributeless Brahman, Devanagari: निर्गुण ब्रह्म refers to Supreme Reality which pervades through the The Sanskrit word guṇa has the basic meaning of "string" or "a single thread or strand of a cord or twine"

Differences with other Hindu denominations

Smartas believe that the worshipper is free to chose a particular aspect of God to worship. By contrast, a Vaishnavite considers Vishnu or Krishna to be the true God who is worthy of worship and other forms as his subordinates. Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu or its associated avatars principally as Rama and For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism Accordingly, Vaishnavites, for example, believe that only Vishnu or Krishna can grant the ultimate salvation for mankind, moksha. Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism In Indian religions, Moksha ( Sanskrit: sa मोक्ष mokṣa) or Mukti ( Sanskrit: sa मुक्ति literally "release" Similarly, many Shaivites also hold similar beliefs about Lord Shiva. Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva Notably, many Shaivites believe that Shakti is worshipped to reach Shiva, whom for Shaktas is the impersonal Absolute. Shakti, meaning sacred force, power, or energy, is the Hindu concept or personification of the divine feminine aspect sometimes referred In Shaktism, emphasis is given to the feminine manifest through which the male unmanifested, Lord Shiva, is realized. Shaktism ( Sanskrit: Śāktaṃ sa शाक्तं lit "doctrine of power" or "doctrine of the Goddess") is a denomination of

Smartas, like many Shaivites and Vaishnavites, consider Surya to be an aspect of God. In Hinduism, Surya ( Devanagari: सूर्य sūrya, lit "the Supreme Light" Malay: Suria; Thai: Many Shaivites and Vaishnavites, for example, differ from Smartas, in that they regard Surya as an aspect of Shiva and Vishnu, respectively. For example, the sun is called Surya Narayana by Vaishnavites. In Saivite theology, the sun is said to be one of eight forms of Shiva, the Astamurti. Additionally, Ganesh and Skanda for many Shaivites, would be aspects of Shakti and Shiva, respectively.

Smarta practices

Daily routine

The Smartas hold practice of Dharma more important than beliefs. The Sanskrit term ( Devanāgarī: धर्म Pali transliteration dhamma) is an Indian spiritual and religious This is a distinct feature of the Dharmic religions. Indian religions, also called Dharmic religions, are the related religious traditions that originated in the Indian subcontinent, namely Hinduism, The practices include mainly Yajnas. In Hinduism, Yajna ( Devanagari यज्ञ IAST yajña; also anglicized as Yagna, Yagya or Yadnya The daily routine^[5] includes performing

• Snana (bathing)
• Sandhyavandanam
• Japa
• Puja (see Panchayatana Puja, below)
• Aupasana
• Agnihotra

The last two named Yajnas are performed in only a few households today. Sandhyavandanam (Sanskrit sa संध्यावन्दन saṃdhyāvandana is a religious practice performed by Hindu men initiated into the rite by the ceremony Japa ( Sanskrit: जप is a Spiritual discipline involving the meditative repetition of a Mantra or name of God. This article is about Hinduism. Puja or "pooja" may also refer to certain devotional practices performed by Balmikis Buddhists (see Aupasana is a Yajna performed on a daily basis by Hindus who have been initiated during Marriage for this Agnihotra (अग्निहोत्र is a Vedic Yajña (ritual or sacrifice performed by Orthodox Hindu communities In Hinduism, Yajna ( Devanagari यज्ञ IAST yajña; also anglicized as Yagna, Yagya or Yadnya

Brahmacharis perform:

• Agnikaryam

instead of Agnihotra or Aupasana. Brahmacharya (brʌmatʃərɪə Devanagari: ब्रह्मचर्य is the first ashram in Vedic culture in which a person is dedicated to the quest for self realization Agnikaryam is the Yajna performed in a loukika agni (worldly fire by Brahmacharis (celibate bachelors Agnihotra (अग्निहोत्र is a Vedic Yajña (ritual or sacrifice performed by Orthodox Hindu communities Aupasana is a Yajna performed on a daily basis by Hindus who have been initiated during Marriage for this

The other rituals followed include Amavasya tarpanam and Shraddha. Amavasya is the Indic name for a New moon. The word Amavasya is common to many Indian languages especially Sanskrit, Hindi, Bengali

See also: Nitya karma and Kaamya karma

Panchayatana Puja

Most Smartas worship at least one of the following Gods: Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesha, Surya, Durga, and/or Skanda. Nitya karma refers to those karmas (or rituals which have to be performed daily by Hindus Kaamya karmas refer to those Karmas (or rituals in Hinduism which are performed with a specific objective in view Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific Ganesha ( Sanskrit: sa गणेश Gaṇeśa) also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh and also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar In Hinduism, Surya ( Devanagari: सूर्य sūrya, lit "the Supreme Light" Malay: Suria; Thai: In Hinduism, Durga ("the inaccessible" or "the invincible" or Maa Durga (Mother Durga is a form of Devi, the supreme Goddess

Adi Shankaracharya recommended the Smartas to follow Panchayatana worship. Panchayatana puja ( IAST Pañcāyatana pūja) is the system of worship in the Smarta Sampradaya of Hinduism. This puja or worship includes the worship of the first five deities mentioned above. This article is about Hinduism. Puja or "pooja" may also refer to certain devotional practices performed by Balmikis Buddhists (see (In Tamil Nadu Skanda is also worshipped). In this form of worship, the favorite family deity is placed in the center. All other Gods were placed around this central God and worshipped.

There are different sets of rules for each stage of an individual's life. The stages of life prescribed in the Vedic scriptures are Brahmacharya Ashrama, Grihastha Ashrama, Vanaprastha Ashrama and Sannyasa Ashrama. Ashrama redirects here See Ashram for the Hindu hermitages An Ashrama ( āśrama) in Hinduism is one of four stages Brahmacharya (brʌmatʃərɪə Devanagari: ब्रह्मचर्य is the first ashram in Vedic culture in which a person is dedicated to the quest for self realization Ashrama redirects here See Ashram for the Hindu hermitages An Ashrama ( āśrama) in Hinduism is one of four stages Grihasthya refers to the second phase of an individual's life in the Vedic ashram system. A Vanaprastha ( Sanskrit वनप्रस्थ is a person who is living in the forest as a Hermit after partially giving up material desires "Sanyasi" redirects here For the motion picture see Sanyasi (1975 film Sannyasa, ( Devanagari: संन्यास

Other practices

All Smartas who take up the Brahmacharya Ashrama by undergoing Upanayana, are expected to learn the Vedas and Shastras besides leading a celibate Life. Brahmacharya (brʌmatʃərɪə Devanagari: ब्रह्मचर्य is the first ashram in Vedic culture in which a person is dedicated to the quest for self realization Ashrama redirects here See Ashram for the Hindu hermitages An Ashrama ( āśrama) in Hinduism is one of four stages Upanayana, sometimes known outside India by the name "sacred thread ceremony" is commonly known for being a Hindu rite-of-passage ritual "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. Śāstra (anglicized either shastra or sastra) is a Sanskrit word used to denote Education /knowledge in a general sense They are expected to adhere to a sattvic diet and adhere to other rules of the Smriti tradition of their respective families. A sattvic diet, also referred to as a yoga diet or sentient diet, is a diet based on foods which according to Ayurveda and Yoga, are strong Smriti (Sanskrit स्मृति " that which is remembered " refers to a specific body of Hindu religious Scripture

Smartas are recommended to follow the Brahma form of Vedic marriage (a type of arranged marriage). The marriage ceremony is based on Vedic prescriptions. Women acquire the traditions of her husband's family.

The Shrauta Tradition

Main article: Shrauta

Traditionally the Smartas also follow the Shrauta tradition. Śrauta ( Devanagari sa श्रौत traditions are conservative Ritualistic traditions of Historical Vedic religion in Hinduism, based on Śrauta ( Devanagari sa श्रौत traditions are conservative Ritualistic traditions of Historical Vedic religion in Hinduism, based on The Shrauta tradition emphasises on performance of Yajnas which are described in the Vedas. In Hinduism, Yajna ( Devanagari यज्ञ IAST yajña; also anglicized as Yagna, Yagya or Yadnya "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. Today there are not many Smartas who follow Shrauta tradition. However in the southern states the Shrauta tradition is believed to be strong.

Religious institutions

The few of the traditional Smarta religious institutions are:

• Sharada Pītha
• Jyotirmaţha Pītha
• Govardhana Pītha
• Dwaraka Pītha
• Kanchi Kamakoti Pitha

Some modern Hindu missions that can be said to follow Smarta tradition are:

• Chinmaya Mission
• Divine Life Society

Contributions

Advaita Vedanta

The Smarta worldview is influenced by Advaita philosophy. Location The maţha is in the temple town of Sringeri (also spelled Shringeri) on the banks of river Tunga, in the Chikmagalur district of the Karnataka state WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Jyotirmath ( ज्योतिर मठ) also called Jyotir Math and Joshimath ( जोशी The Govardhana Maţha is located in the city of Puri in Orissa state ( India) and is associated with the Jagannath temple The Dwaraka pīţha or Dwaraka maţha is situated in the coastal city of Dwaraka, Gujarat — which itself is a popular destination of pilgrimage for the A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Chinmaya Mission was founded in 1953 by Swami Chinmayananda. It is administered from Central Chinmaya Mission Trust Mumbai. The Divine Life Society was founded by Swami Sivananda Saraswati at Rishikesh, India in 1936 Advaita Vedanta ( IAST Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit अद्वैत वेदान्त əd̪vait̪ə veːd̪ɑːnt̪ə is a sub-school of the Adi Shankaracharya, who founded the Advaita Mathas in Sringeri (Sharada Pītha), Dvaraka (Dwaraka Pītha), Puri (Govardhana Pītha) and Badrinath (Jyotirmaţha Pītha)kama, is considered to be the fountainhead of the Smarta tradition as it stands today. Adi Shankara ( Malayalam: ആദി ശങ്കരന്‍ Devanāgarī: आदि शङ्कर Ādi Śaṅkara, aːd̪i ɕaŋkərə (see below A maţha (also written math, matha or mutt) is a term for monastic and similar religious establishments of the Hindu and Sringeri ( Kannada: ಶೃಂಗೇರಿ also written as Shringeri, Śŗngeri and Śŗngagiri is a taluk located in Chikmagalur district in Location The maţha is in the temple town of Sringeri (also spelled Shringeri) on the banks of river Tunga, in the Chikmagalur district of the Karnataka state WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Dwarka, also spelled Dvarka, Dwaraka, and Dvaraka, is a city and a Municipality The Dwaraka pīţha or Dwaraka maţha is situated in the coastal city of Dwaraka, Gujarat — which itself is a popular destination of pilgrimage for the WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Puri is a city in the east Indian state of Orissa. The Govardhana Maţha is located in the city of Puri in Orissa state ( India) and is associated with the Jagannath temple WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Badrinath is a Hindu holy town and a Nagar panchayat in Chamoli district in the state WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Jyotirmath ( ज्योतिर मठ) also called Jyotir Math and Joshimath ( जोशी All the Jagadgurus (heads) of the Advaita Mathas (also known as Shankara Mathas) are Smartas.

Prominent advaitins

Some of the prominent Smarta Advaitins are:

• Adi Shankaracharya and his four disciples,
• Hastamalakacharya
• Sureshwaracharya
• Padmapadacharya
• Totakacharya

Some of the later advaitins include:

• Madhusudana Saraswati
• Appaiah Dikshitar
• Vachaspati Mishra
• Chandrashekarendra Saraswati, Jagadguru of kanchi kamakotimutt

See also: Jagadguru of Sringeri Sharada Peetham

Carnatic music

The Music Trinity (Sangeetha Mummoorthigal, in Tamil) in Smartism are Sri Muthuswamy Dikshitar, Sri Shyama Shastry, Sri Tyagaraja. Adi Shankara ( Malayalam: ആദി ശങ്കരന്‍ Devanāgarī: आदि शङ्कर Ādi Śaṅkara, aːd̪i ɕaŋkərə (see below Hastamalakacharya ( IAST Hastāmalakācārya) (BC 5th century CE) was a disciple of Adi Shankara, the Advaita philosopher Sureśvara (also known as Sureśvarācārya) c 750 CE) was an Indian philosopher, who studied under Śankara. Padmapadacharya (fl 8th century CE) was an Indian Philosopher, a follower of Adi Shankara. Totakacharya ( IAST Toţakācārya) (c 8th century CE) was a disciple of Adi Shankara, the Advaita philosopher Madhusūdana Sarasvatī (c1540&ndash1640 was an Indian philosopher in the Advaita Vedānta tradition Appayya Dikshitar ( IAST Appayya Dīkṣitar) 1520&ndash1593 CE, was a performer of yajñas as well as an expositor and practitioner of the Vācaspati Miśra (900&ndash980 CE) was an Indian Philosopher who founded one of the main Advaita Vedanta schools the Bhāmatī school His Holiness Jagadguru Shankaracharya Shri Chandrashekarendra Saraswati Swamigal ( May 20, 1894 &ndash Jagadguru of Sringeri Sharada Peetham is the head presiding over the Sringeri Sharada Peetham. Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. Muthuswami Dikshitar ( Tamil: முத்துஸ்வாமி தீக்ஷிதர் March 24[[ 775]] &ndash October 21 1835) Thyāgarāja (శ్రీ త్యాగరాజ స్వామి May 4, 1767 - January 6, 1847) was a composer of Carnatic music The famous song on Krishna, alaipayude is by Utthukadu Sri Venkatasubba Iyer, a Smarta. Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism Many major carnatic musicians including Semmangudi Srinivassa Iyer, Lalgudi Jayaraman, Violin maestro Kunnakudi Vaidiyanathan, Veena Balachandar, Balamuralikrishna, Maharajapuram Santhanam, D. The violin is a bowed String instrument with four strings usually tuned in Perfect fifths It is the smallest and highest-pitched member Veena (also spelled 'vina' Kannada: ವೀಣ Malayalam: വീണ Tamil: வீணா Telugu: వీణ is a Plucked stringed K Pattamal and Mandolin Srinivas are all Smartas. A mandolin is a musical instrument in the Lute family (plucked or strummed

Other philosophies

• Sreekanta was the founder of Siva Advaita.

• Tyagaraja, a Smarta, was a Bhakti Saint and musical genius who inspired Hindus of many different sects. Thyāgarāja (శ్రీ త్యాగరాజ స్వామి May 4, 1767 - January 6, 1847) was a composer of Carnatic music Deeply immersed in Bhakti, this devotee of Lord Rama, was acceptable to even non Smartas. In his compositions, the Saint is a simple and humble Bhakta. In one of his compositions he asks which one is better "Dvaita or Advaita?". Dvaita ( Kannada: ದ್ವೈತ Devanagari:द्बैत is a dualist school of Vedanta Hindu philosophy. Advaita Vedanta ( IAST Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit अद्वैत वेदान्त əd̪vait̪ə veːd̪ɑːnt̪ə is a sub-school of the He leaves the question open. He belonged to that category of saints who believe in Bhakti as the path to God. In this sense his teachings were suitable to people of all the three major south Indian sects- Smartas, Sri Vaishanavas and Madhvas. His music was said to be so enchanting that even people of all sects, castes and creeds flocked to listen to him.

• The modern philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti, who was born in a Smarta Niyogi family, refused to be tied down by his own tradition. Jiddu Krishnamurti ( Telugu: జిడ్డు కృష్ణ మూర్తి or J Do not politicise --> Niyogis are a sect of Brahmins and are predominantly Telugu speakers Initially influenced by theosophy, he later moved away from even this. This article is about the philosophy introduced by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky He believed in independently evaluating all spiritual questions and refusing to be tied down by any sect or tradition.

• Besides these there were a number of other Non Advaitic Scholars among Smartas prior to Shankaracharya. Ramanujacharya, Madhavacharya, Vallabhacharya were only some of the Smartas who broke away from the parent group and founded their own sects. Ramanuja ( traditionally 1017&ndash1137 also known as Ramanujacharya, was a Theologian, Philosopher, and Scriptural Exegete. For Madhvacharya the proponent of Dvaita philosophy see Madhvacharya. Sri Vallabhacharya (1479 &ndash 1531 was a devotional Philosopher, who founded the Pushti sect in India, following the philosophy of Shuddha The philosophy of the new sects was directed against the teachings of Advaita philosophy. The new sects distinguished themselves and separated from Smartas. These new groups followed different philosophies like Dvaita (dualism) and Vishishtadvaita (qualified monism) and also changed their rituals. Dvaita ( Kannada: ದ್ವೈತ Devanagari:द्बैत is a dualist school of Vedanta Hindu philosophy. VishishtAdvaita Vedanta ( IAST Viśishṭādvaita Vedanta; Sanskrit: विशिष्टाद्वैत is a sub-school of the Vedānta Appaiah Deekshita, a Smarta Iyer, followed Sreekanta's Sivadvaita philosophy in his early days. Appayya Dikshitar ( IAST Appayya Dīkṣitar) 1520&ndash1593 CE, was a performer of yajñas as well as an expositor and practitioner of the Iyer (aiʝar Tamil: அய்யர் Malayalam:അയ്യര (variously spelt as Iyer, Ayyar, Aiyar, Ayer or This philosophy was similar to Vishishtadvaita of the Sri Vaishnavas. VishishtAdvaita Vedanta ( IAST Viśishṭādvaita Vedanta; Sanskrit: विशिष्टाद्वैत is a sub-school of the Vedānta Siva Advaita, however, considers Shiva to be the supreme God. Communities like the Sri Vaishnavas, Madhvas and Veera Saivas are some of the other Hindu sects which have branched/broken away from the Smarta stream. A distinctive feature of these communities is the fact that none of them subscribe to Advaita. Some of these sects have also accepted people who came from outside the Smarta Brahmin fold; indeed, the Veera Saiva community includes non-Brahmins. Lingayatism or Veerashaivism is a Hindu religious sect in India but a Dharma. Another feature of these sects is that they follow rituals recommended by their lineage of Gurus, which are different from the rituals of the Smartas.

Scriptures followed

Smartas follow the Hindu scriptures. Literature regarded as central to the Hindu literary tradition was predominantly composed in Sanskrit, Indeed much of the morphology and linguistic These include:

The Vedas (Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda). "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. The Rigveda ( Sanskrit sa ऋग्वेद ṛgveda, a compound of ṛc "praise verse" and veda "knowledge" The Yajurveda ( Sanskrit यजुर्वेदः, a Tatpurusha compound of yajus "sacrificial formula' + veda The Samaveda ( Sanskrit: सामवेद sāmaveda, from sāman "melody" + veda "knowledge") is third (in the usual The Atharvaveda ( Sanskrit: अथर्ववेद atharvaveda, a Tatpurusha compound of {{IAST|atharvan}}, an ancient Rishi These are considered primary spiritual resources; every Brahmin family is affiliated to one or more of the Vedas. Brahmin ( Brāhmaṇa, sa ब्राह्मणः is the class of educators scholars and preachers in Brahminical Hinduism. The Upanishads, which are part of the Vedas, are often mentioned separately, given their especial importance as products of past intellectual ferment. The Upanishads ( Devanagari: उपनिषद् IAST: upaniṣad also spelled "Upanisad" are Hindu scriptures that constitute the core teachings "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. The Smritis" are religious books based on Vedas and are written by important Sages/Rishis of the past. A rishi (ṛṣi denotes a Vedic poet by whom Vedic hymns were composed or according to post-Vedic tradition a "sage" to whom they were "originally revealed" (Ṛṣis Each of them contains recommendations and practices unique to itself. The Book an individual followed depended on his family. Thus, ritual practices sometimes varied from family to family, depending on family tradition. Some of the more common religious law books were the Manu Smriti, the Apastamba Smriti and the Bodhyayana Smriti. The Manu Smriti ( Sanskrit: मनुस्मृति is a work of Hindu law and ancient Indian society The Puranas contain the lore and explanations of the theology of the Vedas. For other meanings see Purana (disambiguation. The Puranas ( Sanskrit: sa पुराण purāṇa, "of ancient times" "Veda" redirects here For other uses see Veda (disambiguation. They are basically a collection of sacred historical events that were passed from one generation to the next in the form of mythological stories. Smarta philosophers use the puranas to get a better understanding of Vedas, but do not consider them as completely authentic texts. However, the eighteen Puranas are revered by Smartas, just like any other Hindus. Today the Puranas are the main inspiration for many Smartas.

Smartas also recite Shlokas or Stotras (devotional hymns) composed by various Hindu saints and poets. A Sanskrit term shloka (श्लोक also spelt sloka specifically denotes a metered and often rhymed poetic verse or phrase In Hinduism a Stotra is a hymn of praise These hymns praise aspects of the divine such as Devi, Siva, or Vishnu. A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical

See also: Shastras

Communities

Smarta communities of South India are:

• Karnataka
  • Ulucha Kamme
  • Babboor Kamme
  • Sankethi ^[6]
  • Sthanika Brahmins
  • Hoysala Karnataka
  • Badaganadu
  • Kota
  • Havyaka Brahmins
  • Mulukanadu

See:Kannada brahmins

• Tamil Nadu
  • Iyers

• Kerala
  • Namboothiris^[7],

• Andhra Pradesh
  • Vaidiki
    • Mulukanadu
    • Velanadu
    • Venginadu
    • Telanganya
  • Niyogi
    • Arvel Niyogi

• Chitrapur Saraswats of Shirali, Karnataka. Śāstra (anglicized either shastra or sastra) is a Sanskrit word used to denote Education /knowledge in a general sense The Babburkamme (alternate spellings "Bobburukamme", "Babboor Kamme") community is a caste of Smarta Brahmins The Sankethis are Smartha Brahmins residing in Karnataka. They are one of the groups related to the Tamil Iyers. Sthānika Brāhmins ( Kannada: ಸ್ಥಾನಿಕ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣರು are Smartha Brahmins and come under the classification of Tuluva Brahmins The Hoysala Karnataka Brahmins are one of the prominent communities of Kannada -speaking Smartha Brahmins Badaganadu's are a Brahmin community that mainly reside in Karnataka and now due to the advent of globalization they are spread throughout the world Kota Brahmin s hail from the Kundapur and surrounding areas of Udupi district in Karnataka. Mulukanadu Brahmins ( Telugu:మూలకారణం బ్రహ్మానందం are a sub-sect of Telugu speaking Vaidiki Smartha Brahmins Kannada Brahmins are Brahmins whose mother-tongue is the Kannada language Iyer (aiʝar Tamil: அய்யர் Malayalam:അയ്യര (variously spelt as Iyer, Ayyar, Aiyar, Ayer or The Nambudiri Brahmins ( Malayalam: ml നമ്പൂതിരി ml-Latn nambũdiri, also transliterated Namputiri, Namboothiri) are the Mulukanadu Brahmins ( Telugu:మూలకారణం బ్రహ్మానందం are a sub-sect of Telugu speaking Vaidiki Smartha Brahmins Velandu is a name of the region on the banks of River Krishna in the ancient Telugu country Chitrapur Saraswats are a Hindu, Brahmin community in India. The Chitrapur Math, Shirali with its line of Gurus (called
• Gaud Saraswats of Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra, and Karnataka
• Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins
• Daivajna

See also

• Advaita Vedanta
• Hinduism
• Ishta-deva

Notes

1. ^ Dancing with Siva, Mandala 2: Hinduism
2. ^ Advaita Vedanta FAQ
3. ^ Heart of Hinduism: The Smarta Tradition
4. ^ Advaita Vedanta FAQ
5. ^ A day in the life of a Brahmin
6. ^ Sankethis.com
7. ^ Namboothiri Websites Trust

External links

• Adi Sankaracharya and Advaita Vedanta Library
• Advaita Vedanta Homepage
• Jagadguru Mahasamsthanam, Sringeri Sharada Peetam
• Shankara Sampradayam
• Hinduism Today - Description of Smartism among the four major divisions of Hinduism.
• Overview of the three major divisions, from the book, Hindu Dharma, Saivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, and the three other schools devoted to Ganesh, Skanda and Surya. Saraswat Brahmins are descended from a Brahmin caste mentioned in ancient Hindu scriptures as inhabiting the Saraswati River valley the geographic Rajapur/Bhalavalikar Gauda Saraswat Brahmans (RSB, as they are known belong to the "Pancha (five Gauda Brahmana" groups or "Gaudadi Panchakas" Daivajna ( Sanskrit: दैवज्ञ also spelled Daivadnya and pronounced Daivagna in Karnataka Daivadnya in Goa and Maharshtra) Advaita Vedanta ( IAST Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit अद्वैत वेदान्त əd̪vait̪ə veːd̪ɑːnt̪ə is a sub-school of the Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Within Hinduism, an Ishta-deva or Ishta devata (Sanskrit iṣṭa-deva(tā, literally "cherished divinity " from iṣṭa Shaivism, also spelled "Saivism" names the oldest of the four sects of Hinduism. Shaktism ( Sanskrit: Śāktaṃ sa शाक्तं lit "doctrine of power" or "doctrine of the Goddess") is a denomination of Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu or its associated avatars principally as Rama and Ganesha ( Sanskrit: sa गणेश Gaṇeśa) also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh and also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar In Hinduism, Surya ( Devanagari: सूर्य sūrya, lit "the Supreme Light" Malay: Suria; Thai:
• Six schools of smarta hinduism
• Oneness of God
• Description of smarta tradition.