VIDYARANYA (MADHVACHARYA), 1268-

VIDYARANYA (MADHVACHARYA), 1268-

Vidyaranya, (vidyAraNya) (ವಿದ್ಯಾರಣ್ಯ), an ascetic and a philosopher, credited with a pivotal role in the establishment of the Vijayanagara Empire in the fourteenth century is a historical personality attributed with super natural powers. He is deemed to be the guiding spirit and minister of Harihararaya-1 (Hakka) and Bukkaraya-1 the founder kings of the empire. Apparently, Vidyaranya was deeply concerned with the renaissance of the Hinduism against the onslaughts of the Muslim monarchs. It is allegedly on his advice that the empire was built at Hampi on the banks of the Tungabhadra River, sanctified by the presence of Lord Virupaksha. It is surmised that Hakka and Bukka named their capital as Vidyanagara in honour of their Guru. Vijayanagara is deemed as a later modification. These facts are disputed by many scholars. It is often argued that Vidyaranya the king maker and Madhavacharya the philosopher saint were two different persons. Some persons attribute the role of kingmaker to another person called ‘kriyAshakti panDita’. However, there are inscriptional references to Vidyaranya also.

Vidyaranya is a philosopher belonging to the monistic (Advaitha) school of the Vaidic religion. Records say that he took up asceticism in 1331 A.D. He was the pontiff in the Shringeri MaTha, established by Adi Shankaracharya the founder of the Advaitha School. About sixteen philosophical treatises in Sanskrit are attributed to Vidyaranya. ‘parAshara mAdhavIyam’, ‘jaiminIya nyAyamata’, vaishESika nyAyamAlA’ kAla nirNaya’, ‘sarvadarshanasangraha’, vEdAnta pancadashi’, ‘Drig drishya VivEka’, ‘anuBUti prakAsha’, ‘vivaraNa pramEya sangraha’ and ‘jIvanmukti vivEka’ are the more important ones among them. All of them provide ample evidences for his scholarship.

‘Sarvadarshanasangraha’ is a very important compendium delineating sixteen different schools of Hindu philosophy. They are ‘cArvAka’, buddha, arhata (Jaina), ‘nakulIsha-pAshupata’, ‘pUrNaprajna’, ‘shaiva’, ‘pratyabhijna’, ‘vaishESika’, (aulukya) ‘jaiminIya, ‘sAnKya’, ‘pANinIya’, AkAshapAda (nyAya), rAsEsvara, vedAnta and ‘pAtanjala’. This is is one of the few available sources of information about ‘lOkaayata’, the materialist system of philosophy in ancient India

‘parAshara mAdhavIyam’ is a commentary on ‘parAshara smriti’. It contains three chapters delineating the rituals and other intricacies of the dharmashastra. ‘kALa nirNaya’ gives appropriate and auspicious muhUrthas for various occasions. ‘SangIta sAra’ considered to be an important text on musicology is not yet found.

Vidyaranya passed away in 1386 A.D. (approx.) Some records aver that his ‘samAdhi’ is situated behind the Virupaksha temple at Hampi.