MADHAVCHARYA, 1238-1317 A

MADHAVCHARYA, 1238-1317 A.D.

Madhavcharya (madhvAcArya) (ಮಧ್ವಾಚಾರ್ಯ) was a philosopher/saint from Karnataka, well known for establishing the Dvaitha School (Proponents of dualism) of philosophy and the ‘AshTa maTha’s in and around Udupi town in the same district. He was born in a small village named ‘pAjaka’ (beLLe) near Udupi. His given name was vAsudEva. It was later changed to, ‘Purnaprajna’ when he when he became an ascetic. (sanyAsi) He was called ‘Anandatirtha’ by his guru (acyuta prEksha) when he defeated a number of scholars in philosophical debates. He was later venerated as Madhvacharya by the followers of the sect propagated by him. He was the third and the last in the series of three acharyas who gave variant interpretations to the Vedas, Upanishads, Brhamsutra and the Bhagavadgeetha, other two being Shankaracharya and Ramanujacharya.

Madhvacharya traveled extensively all over India before he returned to Udupi and composed his commentary of the ‘Bhgavadgeetha’. His philosophical tenets were admired and accepted widely because of their logical clarity and universal appeal. The distinction between ‘jeevaatma’ and ‘paramaatma’ propounded by him had a greater appeal in the context of Pan-Indian Bhakti Movement that was gaining grounds. Haridasa movement owes its inception to this particular school of philosophy which makes allowances for a distinct differences between the God and the human being. The five differences (Panchabheda) propagated by him are very crucial. Five fundamental differences are between: Brahman and matter, Brahman and Selves, a Self and another Self, Self and matter and one object and another. (ಜಡ-ಈಶ್ವರ, ಜೀವ-ಈಶ್ವರ, ಜೀವ-ಜೀವ, ಜಡ-ಜೀವ, ಜಡ-ಜಡ) These notions do give rise to a hierarchical structure of beings and things.

However, his followers could not transcend the sectarian boundaries and like many other religious schools madhvasiddhAnta also became a caste rather than an ever expanding and humane religion. The scholastic tradition stuck to Sanskrit and we had to wait for the Haridasas for simple translations of the basic tenets of madhva philosophy.

His entire life was spent in debates with scholars, itinerant travels around the country and writing very erudite and original philosophical treatises. He has written commentaries on all the ten principal Upanishads. ‘Bhagvatha Tatparya’ is another important work by Madhvacharya, delineating the crux of puranas. His expertise in music is also an established fact.

Madhvacharya has established eight ‘MAdhva maThas’ in the vicinity of Udupi. The renowned Krishna temple forms the nucleus of this pantheon of maThas. The eight mAThas are sOdhe, (sOndhe) PalimAru, kANiyUru, pejAvara, puttige, adamAru, shirUru and krishNApura. These institutions have grown enormously over the centuries and the sect established by Madhvacharaya has its followers all over the country even though its strong bases are found in the South Indian states of Karnataka, Andhrapradesh, Tamilnadu and Kerala.

Madhvacharya went to Badari in 1317 A.D. and he passed away in his eightieth year. Some of the more important works of Madhvacharya are as follows.

1. ‘gItA BASya’

2. gItA tatparya nirNaya

3. brahmasUtra BASya

4. aNuBAshya

5. anuvyAkhyAna

6. nyAyavivaraNa

7. Commentaries on kEna, kaTa, munDaka, satprashna, IshAvyAsa, mAnDUkya, aittarEya, taittirIya, bruhadAraNyaka and CAndOgya. Upanishads. (upaniSat prasthAna)

8. BAgavata tAtparyanirNaya

9. mahABArata tAtparya nirNaya

10. Rg BASya.

11. pramANa lakSaNa

12. kathA lakSaNa

13. mAyAvAda KanDana

14. tatva vivEka

15. prapanca mithyatva anumAna KanDana

16. narasimha naKa stuti

17. dvAdasha stOtra

18. kriSNAmruta mahAraNava

19. tantrasAra sangraha.

20. yatipraNavakalpa

This total body of knowledge is known by the name ‘sarvamUla’ also.