1)Thread #GuruPurnima2020 on :-

Adi Guru Shree Gaudapadacharya & the Gaudapadacharya Sansthan Math aka Shree Kavale Matha - the Oldest Matha in Sanatana Dharma

2)Sanatana Dharma has survived ravages of time predatory cultures/faiths & hostile rules

Credit for this largely rests with our Mathas or Peethas who ensured Dharma was protected

Many of us know the role played by ParamaGuru Shri Adi Shankaracharya who established the 4 Mathas

3)These 4 Mathas were established in 4 parts of India & wr assigned to preserve & propagate 1 each of the 4 Vedas

Govardhana Matha,Puri (East), Rig Veda
Sharada Peetha, Shringeri (South), Yajur Veda
Dwarka Peetha, (West), Sama Veda
Jyotir Matha, Chamoli (North), Atharva Veda

4)However the oldest Matha/Peetha is Kavale Matha at Ponda, Goa

It was founded by Shri Gaudapadacharya in 740 AD

In Kali Yuga Shri Gaudapadcharya is the 1st exponent of Advaita Vedanta

He is the Guru of Govinda Bhagavatpadacharya who in turn is the Guru of Adi Shankaracharya

5)Gaudapadacharya authored the Maṇḍukya or Gauḍapada Karika aka Agama Shastra-the earliest available systematic treatise on Advaita Vedanta

It is a treatise in verse form on the Mandukya Upanishad, one of the shortest but most profound Upanishads

6)The Gaudapada Karika is divided into 4 chapters

1st chptr-Agama Prakarana explains how Advaita is supported by the shruti and smruti

2nd chptr-Vaitathya Prakarana proves the unreality of the phenomenal world & its duality & stresses on the noumenon which underlies everything

7)3rd chptr-Adavaita Prakarana establishes non-duality or Advaita

4th chptr-Alatasanti Prakarana establishes the Atman or soul as the only reality underlying the phenomenal existence

8)Around 780 AD-Adi Guru Shri Gauḍapadacharya was on a pilgrimage to Kashi with his Sishya Shri Govinda Bhagavatpadacharya

A boy called Shankara who was in search of a Guru reached the ashram

Shri Bhagavatpadacharya asked who he was-Shankara replied in 6 stanzas

9)These stanzas summarized the entirety of Advaita Vedanta & is called the Atma Shatakam or Nirvana Shatakam

"Chidananda Rupaha Shivoham Shivoham"

Shri Gauḍapadacharya from his power of Tapasya found out that Shankara was an incarnation of Lord Shiva

10)He also saw that Shankara was born to uplift the Vedas & Sanatana Dharma & asked Shri Govinda to give him deeksha

He instructed Shankarachaya to write a commentary on Brahma Sutras & propagate Advaita

Shri Shankarachaya stayed with his Guru for a while & mastered Vedanta

11)Shri Bhavanishankar Mahadeva is the Aradhya Devata of the Kavale Matha

The present Mathadheesh is H.H. Shrimad Shivananda Saraswati Swamiji & the followers of this Matha are called Gaud Saraswat Brahmins aka GSB's