Shankaracharya
Religious title in the Advaita tradition
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Etymology
The word Shankaracharya is composed of two parts, Shankara and Acharya. Acharya is a Sanskrit word meaning "teacher", so Shankaracharya means a "teacher in the tradition of Shankara".
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Establishment of the tradition
Adi Shankara, the first Shankaracharya, set up four monasteries, known as Mathas or Peethams, in the North, South, East and West of India, to be headed by Self-realised men who would be known as Shankaracharyas. They would take on the role of teacher and could be consulted by anyone with sincere spiritual inquiries, and they would guide humanity in times of trouble and give solace. Apart from the four, another monastery, Kanchi Kamkoti Peetham in South India, is also believed to have been established by Adi Shankara. The table below gives an overview of the four main Shankaracharya Amnaya Mathas famously founded by Adi Shankara.