Toshali Sands

In other words it is called Bhogo Vardhan Matha, established by AdiSankaracharya who visited Puri in 9th century when the Somavamsi Kings were ruling Orissa. He was very much satisfied to see Lord Jagannath appearing to him as the Brahma of the Vedanta on which he was overwhelmed with joy and wrote- ‘Bhaja Govindam Smara Govindam Govindam Bhaja Mudhamate’. Though basicaly he was a Saiva, he did not hesitate to pray to Govinda or Vishnu when he was convinced that in the supreme stage of the Brahman. Siva and Visnu are the same and one. For - “Yo Vai rudrah sa vai Visnu yo rudra visnu reba sah. Ubhayorantaram nasti Pavanakasayaoriv”. Thus after visualising the eternal truth in the Darubrahma- Jagannath he established his famous seat at Puri and arranged to prescribe a number of Bhogas in the Temple of Jagannath. In course a number of Bhogas in the Temple of Jagannath. In course of time this Bhoga vardhan or Govardhana Matha represented one of the four Maths established in the four Dhamas (Caturadhama) of India. This is an Advaita vadi Matha. Most of the Mathas of Puri were established by different saints like Sankara, Ramanuja, Madhava, Nimbarka, Vallabha, etc. who had paid visits to this sacred place during their life time and e4stablished their seats here. Therefore we see at Puri varieties of Mathas of different philosophies like the Advita Matha of Sankara, Visistadvaita Matha of Ramanuaja, Dvaita Matha, Acintyabhedabheda, Goudiya Matha and so on. Even the non Hindu Mathas like Kabir Matha and Nanak Matha established here emphasised the secular attitude of the religious centre of Lord Jagannath Dham.

There is a marble stone image of acharya Sankara found in this Govardhan Matha. The followers and the devotees of Sankara visit this place and pay homage to Sankaracharya here. This Matha also renders some service to the rituals of Lord Jagannath. Now the Sankaracharya of Puri is regarded as an esteemed religious teacher of Hindu Philosophy.