Many Hindus often take a word like maTha for granted given its relative simplicity. But what is a maTha, really? A definition follows:
A maTha was essentially where both the diamond sword of scholarship & penetrating insights as well as compassion for strangers can be found. The above definition speaks volumes for the noble-mindedness of the text, the tradition the text comes from & followers of that tradition.
The above verses are from the kAmikAgama, the text which governs a large number of shivAlayas in Tamil Nadu even today.