One of the ten divisions of the Dashanami Sanyasis, who are
renouncers and Shiva worshipers (bhakta).
Shankaracharya, a ninth-century philosopher, is said to have
founded the Dashanamis in order to create a corps of erudite men who might
assist rejuvenate Hindu life.
Each division is given a separate name, such as tirtha
("holy location" in this instance).
This name is given to new members as a surname to their new
ascetic names during initiation, enabling for quick group identification.
These 10 "named" divisions are organized into four
broader organizational categories, apart from their unique identities.
Each group, as well as other religious organizations, has
its headquarters at one of the four monastic centers (maths) allegedly founded
by Shankaracharya.
The Tirtha Dashanamis are members of the Kitawara group, which
is associated with the Sharada math at Dwaraka, on the Arabian Sea's coast.
Only brahmins will be initiated by the Tirtha division,
which is one of the few.
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