Dasnami:
The Ten Names

Adi Shankaracharya (8th century CE) organized monks into into ten orders (dasa=ten, nami=names). Many, possibly most, although not all swamis are related to one of these. Each related to common characteristics of the monks of each of the orders, as it was at that time. In the past 1200 years, however, there is not such a close relationship to the underlying meaning of the name. For example, it may have been true at one time that the monks of the Puri order "lived in the cities", although that is not a requirement, and swamis today of Puri dasnami live any a diversity of locations, some in cities, and some not. The relation to the name is nominal, at best.

Swami Rama writes in Living with the Himalayan Masters: "Our tradition is Bharati. Bha means 'knowledge'; rati means 'lover.' Bharati means 'he who is the lover of knowledge.' From this comes the word Bharata, the land of spiritual knowledge, one of the Sanskrit names used for India." Swami Rama's linkage to Bharati comes from his initiation as Dandi (staff carrying) swami, which was given to him by a leader of swamis who was of the Bharati order. At that time Swami Rama became known as Dandi Swami Sadashiva Bharati. It was much later that he took the name Swami Rama.

Bharati: full of light

Giri: live in the mountains

Puri: live in the cities

Saraswati: scholars

Van: live in forests

Aranya: live in groves

Tirtha: live in pilgrimage places

Parvat: live in the high mountains

Sagar: live at the ocean

Nath: defenders of the faith

Source: http://www.swamij.com/dasnami.htm

Dashanami Sampradaya

Dashanami Sampradaya (IAST Daśanāmi Saṃpradāya "Tradition of Ten Names") is a Hindu monastic tradition of Ekadandi sannyasins (wandering renunciates carrying a single staff)[1][2][3] generally associated with the Advaita Vedanta tradition. They are distinct in their practices from the Saiva Tridandi sannyāsins or "trident renunciates" and from Vaisnava sannyāsins[4][note 1][note 2]
In the 8th century a section of the Ekadandis were organized by Adi Shankara in four maṭhas. However, the association of the Dasanāmis with the Sankara maṭhas remained nominal.[web 1] Any Hindu, irrespective of class, caste, age or gender can seek sannyāsa as an Ekadandi monk under the Dasanāmi tradition.

For more

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dashanami_Sampradaya

Dasanami's Math, Pada,Gotras,etc

	Dakshina- Amnaya (Southern)	Paschima- Amnaya (Western)	Purva-amnaya (Eastern)	Uttara-amanaya (Northern)
Math -Monastery	Shringeri	Dwaraka	JagannathPuri	Jyotirdham
Pada(Order)	Puri, Sarasvati, Bharati	Tirth, Ashram	Vana, Aranya	Giri, Parvat. Sagar
Acharya	Sureswar	Hastamalaka	Padmapada	Totakacharya
Sampradaya(Sect)	Bhurivara	Keeravara	Bhagavara	Anandavara
Kshetra	Rameswar	Dwaraka	Purushottam	Badri-kshetra
God(Deva)	Adi-Varaha	Siddheswar	Jagannatha	Narayana
Upanishad	Brihadaranyaka	Chhandogya	Taittiriya	Mandukya
Veda	Yajurveda	Samaveda	Rikveda	Atharva-Veda
Mahavakya	Aham-Brahmasmi	Tattvamasi	Prajnanum Brahma	AyamAtma Brahma
Goddess	Kamakshi (Sarada)	BhadraKali	Vimala	PurnaaGiri
Tirtha(River)	Tungabhadra	GomatiTirtha	Mahonadhi	Alakananda
Gotra	Bhaveswar	Adhigata	Kashyap	Bhrigu

Hinduism and Culture in Nepal

Dashnami Sanyasi

Dashnami are the hindu racial group in Nepal. Das or Dash being 10 in Nepali, dashnami includes people having 10 last names (Surnames/family names).

According to hindu mythology it is a Hindu monastic tradition of Ekadandi sannyasins generally associated with the Advaita Vedanta tradition. They are distinct in their practices from the Saiva sanyasi (Tridandi) and from Vaisnav sanyasi. TheTridandi sanyasi continue to wear Janai (the sacred thread  accross the shoulder) after renunciation, while Ekadandi sanyasi do not. Any Hindu, irrespective of class, caste, age or gender can seek sanyas as an Ekadandi monk under the Dasnami tradition.

Sri Adi Shankara of India (around 789 AD) organized a part of the Ekadandi monks under an umbrella grouping of ten names to provide an organized base for the growth of Hinduism. Later on these 10 groups became 10 surnames. But many of these branch are different and not in control of Shankara Math today. Some of the branch started their own tradition and beliefs during centuries.

Dasnamis in Nepal are :-

Giri  (Peak of mountain)
Puri (A town)
Bharathi (the Goddess of speech)
Ban or Van (the forest)
Tirtha (A shrine or pilgrimage)
Parvat (a mountain)
Sagar (the ocean)
Saraswati (the Goddess of learning)
Aashram (Hermitage)
Aranya (forest)