Sri Deva Sthanam

Where Faith and Scholarship Meet

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Institutions

The Great Madhva Acarya
(1238-1317 A.D.) 

Page 4 – Institutions  

Today the followers of Madhva, collectively known as the Madhvas, are governed by 23 religious organizations called mathas (commonly spelled mutt). The matha consists of a senior ascetic known as a svami along with his students and other followers, usually married couples. Such matha institutions govern the entire religious sect (sampradaya). The Madhva mathas can broadly be grouped by the language spoken by a majority of it’s followers: Tulu, Kannada, Marati, Telugu, and Konkani. These mathas also correspond to the geographic regions where the languages are spoken.

In 1278 Madhvacarya founded the Krishna Mutt in Udupi. In his later years he gave responsibility to eight of his senior disciples to conduct the worship and administrative affairs for his Krishna Mutt. These eight disciples gradually collected their own followers and established their own mathas that later became known as the asta-mathas (eight mutts) of Udupi. These eight mathas are named after the surrounding villages where they originally resided.

Down to the present time this succession of eight matha-svamis are the joint trustees of Madhva’s original Krishna Mutt. Consequently, they hold prestigious positions as custodians of the historical and spiritual center of the Madhvas. In a system of rotation lasting two years they hold office as High Priest for the Krishna Mutt. The change of office from one matha-svami to the next takes place four days after the annual makara-sankranti festival on January 14th of every even year. The festival that marks this change is known as theparyaya festival. The paryaya festival is still current today and is worth traveling to Udupi to see. In addition to the eight mathas of Udupi there are four other mathas, which govern the Tulu speaking followers of Madhva.

Outside of Madhva’s home territory there are 11 other mathas called the “out-country” or desastha-mathas. These mathas serve the needs of Madhva’s Kannada, Marati Telugu and Konkani speaking followers. Each of these mathas has their own rich spiritual and historical traditions.

Shukavak N. Dasa

Bibliography
Dasgupta, Surendranath. A History of Indian Philosophy. 4 Vols. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1975.
Tapasyananda, Svami. Sri Madhvacarya, His Life, Religion and Philosophy. Madras: Sri Ramakrishna Math, 1981.
Sharma, B. N. K. History of the Dvaita School of Vedanta and its Literature.Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1981.

 

 


A Madhva pujari (priest) sitting by the shrine
of Ganga Devi near the tank at Udupi, c. 1986

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Krishna Mutt in Udupi

Krishna Mutt in Udupi

 
This is Udupi Krsna, the deity of Krsna worshipped in the Udupi Krishna Mutt.

 
Ratha Cart in Udupi

Ratha Cart in Udupi. Used in temple parades during festivals.

Madhva

A Madhva sitting in one of the asta-mathas (eight Mutts) in Udupi, c. 1986.

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Followers

The Great Madhva Acarya
(1238-1317 A.D.)

 Page 3 – Followers

In the last 700 years there have been many great scholars and saints in the tradition of Madhvacarya. Here is a short biography of just a few of the earliest:

Jayatirtha (c.1388). After Madhva himself, Jayatirtha is the most important theologian in the dvaita tradition. During his time he wrote 22 works including many commentaries on Madhva. He is to Madhva what Vacaspati Misra was to Sankara. His depth of scholarship can be credited with raising the fledgling Dvaita School to a position of scholastic equality with advaita and visistadvaita. Jayatirtha’s most important work is hisNyaya-sudha, which is an exposition of Madhva’s Brahma-Sutracommentary, Anu-vyakhyana.

Vyasatirtha (Vyasaraja Svami) (1460 – 1539) Together with Madhva and Jayatirtha, Vyasatirtha is considered the third of the three founders (muni-trayam) of dvaita-vedanta. His writings include commentaries on the works of Jayatirtha and Madhva. He was the guru and spiritual advisor to the famous Krishnadevaraya and played an important role in the Vijaya Nagar Empire. He is credited in writing nine works, the most important of which is his Nyayamrta. Not only did his writing include polemics on Sankara’s advaita, but also an exhaustive refutation of the Nyaya-vaisesika school of logic in his Tarka-tandava. Vyasatirtha is also known for his involvement in the Hari-dasa order of itinerant singers.

Vadiraja Tirtha (1480 – 1600) Along with Jayatirtha and Vyasatirtha, Vadiraja Tirtha is considered the senior-most scholar of the Dvaita School. He was a prolific writer with more than a 100 works to his name. Using a less demanding writing style, it was Vadiraja who brought the beliefs ofdvaita to the general reader. His writings include a number of commentaries and well-known stotras. His most important work was the Yukti-mallika, which is a defense of the dvaita system. He also translated Madhva’sMahabharata commentary into Kannada, and has composed numerous devotional songs in that same language.

Vidyamanya Tirtha

Purandara Dasa (1494 –1564) This saint among the Madhvas is widely renowned as the father of Karnataka music. He was also one of the founders of the Hari-dasa tradition that sought to spread the doctrine of dvaita through music and in the language of the ordinary people. He was a disciple of Vyasatirtha and a contemporary of Vadiraja Tirtha. He is regarded by Madhvas as an outstanding scholar and devotee. Purandara Dasa and his followers, the Hari-dasas, did in Karnataka what the Alvar movement did in Tamil Nadu. Purandara Dasa was a great musician and composer of popular songs that embody the devotional flame lit by Madhva.

Raghavendra Tirtha (c . 1671) Over forty works have been attributed to Raghavendra Tirtha. Most are commentaries on the works of Madhva, Jayatirtha and Vyasatirtha. Chronologically he is the last of the major commentators of the early school of dvaita. His writings cover the widest range and the most variety of topics. Although he ranks as one of the greatest scholars of dvaita, he is most known and worshipped by the masses as a source of solace in times of crisis.

Shukavak N. Dasa

Bibliography
Dasgupta, Surendranath. A History of Indian Philosophy. 4 Vols. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1975.
Tapasyananda, Svami. Sri Madhvacarya, His Life, Religion and Philosophy. Madras: Sri Ramakrishna Math, 1981.
Sharma, B. N. K. History of the Dvaita School of Vedanta and its Literature. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1981.

Vidyamanya Tirtha

The late Vidyamanya Tirtha performing arati.

 

 

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All rights reserved.
Jayatirtha

Jayatirtha
Vadiraja Tirtha

Vadiraja Tirtha
Raghavendra Tirtha

Raghavendra Tirtha

Vidyamanya Tirtha

The late Vidyamanya Tirtha sitting on the pitham in the simhasanasala in Udupi, c. 1986. He was the Palimar Swami and also head of Bhandakere Mutt.

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Writings and Theology

 The Great Madhva Acarya
(1238-1317 A.D.)

Page 2 – Writings and Theology  

The writings of Madhvacarya comprise thirty-seven works, collectively called the sarva-mula. They are divided into four groups. The first group includes his commentaries on the Upanisads, Bhagavad-gita and Vedanta-sutra. In this group there are ten Upanisad commentaries, two Gita commentaries and fourVedanta-sutra commentaries. The second group includes ten short works called the Dasa-prakaranas that outline the basic principles of Madhva’s theology and demonstrates his refutation of key aspects of advaita theology. The third group is Madhva’s commentaries on the Bhagavata-purana, theMahabharata and the Rg-veda. The fourth group is his miscellaneous works that includes important poems, writings on rituals, image worship and rules for the ascetic order.

Madhva’s writing style is straightforward, unembellished and terse. Were it not for the explanations of his later commentators, especially Jayatirtha in the 14th century, Madhva’s theology may have remained obscure due to its extreme brevity. Never does Madhva engage in long discussions like his predecessors,Sankara or Ramanuja. It was left to the work of his followers to bring forth the subtlety of his thoughts.

There is a controversy that hangs over Madhva’s writings. His works are filled with a great number of corroborating sources that are no longer extant. Consequently, the authenticity of his sources has been called into question. Madhva has even been accused of inventing many of his references. Over the centuries this has been an important issue for Madhva scholars. It is known that Madhvacarya had an extensive library of manuscripts and it has been argued that his references have been drawn from this collection of manuscripts. B. N. K. Sharma has elaborately discussed this criticism.

A Brief Synopsis of Madhva’s Theology

The school of theology that Madhva founded is commonly called the DvaitaSchool. It is also known as tattva-vada, the doctrine of categories. The worddvaita means duality. According to this view, reality is composed of only two basic principles: the independent (sva-tantra) and the dependent (para-tantra). God or the Supreme Being is the only independent reality. Everything else, soul (jiva), matter (prakrti), time (kala), action (karma), etc. are dependent realities. Although these dependent realities are eternal and distinct in their own right, they only exist through the consent and sanction of God.

Stated as tattva-vada, Madhva says that reality is composed of three basic categories (tattvas): God (isvara), soul (jiva) and matter (prakrti). All three of these categories are real and distinct, but with one essential qualification, soul and matter are dependent on God.

The idea of two orders of reality, one independent and the dependent, and the real differences that exist between the various categories of reality are the hallmarks of Madhva’s dvaita. Madhvacarya is often depicted in a sitting posture with his hand raised showing two fingers. The gesture of two fingers indicates duality (dvaita). Madhva’s theology is based on a strict realism. For Madhva the differences that we see in this world are real and not due to illusion (maya). Madhva’s duality, therefore, greatly contrasts Sankara’s theology of oneness, advaita.

In fact Madhva describes five basic differences: the difference between the soul and God, the difference between matter and God, the difference between one soul and another, the difference between matter and the soul, and finally, the difference between one element of matter and another. Suffering in this world is the result of improperly understanding these differences. One who correctly understands these five differences has attained knowledge and is fit for moksa (liberation).

Another notable feature of Madhva’s theology is his tripartite classification of souls. According to Madhva there are an infinite number of souls that can be divided into three groups. Some of them qualify for liberation, some are condemned to eternal hell, and others are subject to eternal rebirth. Madhva’s tripartite classification of the soul is unique in Hindu theology, but one that he and his followers maintain can be substantiated from Vedic scripture.

Hierarchy of Devatas According to Madhvas

1. Sri Visnu (Read Sri before all names)

2. Laksmi devi

(Please note that all of the following represent ‘posts’ and not

individual souls)

3. Brahma, Mukhya-prana , All Rjus [200 in number in every creation]

4. Sarasvati, Bharati, Rjus-patnis

5. Garuda, Sesa, Rudra

6. Krsna’s San-mahisis:

a. Jambavati

b. Bhadra

c. Nila

d. Kalindi

e. Mitravinda

f. Laksana

7. dharmapatnis of #5

Sauparani, Varuni, and Parvati

8. Indra, and Kama (includes their avataras like

Arjuna, Vali, Pradyumna, Bharata, etc.)

9. Ahankarika prana

10. Svayambhu Manu, Daksaprajapati, Brhaspatyacarya, dharmapatnis of # 8 ÐSachidevi, Rati and Aniruddha (Son of Kama).

11. Pravaha Vayu.

12. Vivasvan nama surya, Candra and Yama

Satarupi (dharmapatni of Svayambhu Manu).

13. Varuna

14. Narada

15. Bhrgu, Agni, and Prasuti (dharmapatni of Daksaprajapati)

16. a. Brahma-putras: Marici, Atri, Angirasa, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Vasista, and b. Vaivasvata Manu and Visvamitra

17. Mitra Nama Surya, Nirrti, Pravahi (dharmapatni of Pravaha Vayu) Tara(dharmapatni of Brhaspatyacarya).

18. Visvaksena, Ganapati, Asvini devatas, Kubera, and Sesa satasta devas (6 Adityas (out of 12) except Devasarma, Urukrama, Varuna, Mitra, Vivasvan and Parjanya), 47 Maruts (out of 50), 7 Vasus (except Agni), 10 Rudras (except Parvati pati), 10 Visvadevas and Asvini Devatas

19. Karmaja Devatas: a long list including Prahlada, Dhruva, Jayanta, Kasyapa, 11 Manus, 7 Indras including Bali, great Cakravartis like Dusyanta, Prthu, Mandata, Haricandra, Bharata, etc.

20. a. Parjanya Nama Surya (Meghabhimani),
b. Ganga (dharmapatni of Varuna)
c. Sajj-a (dharmapatni of Vivasvan Surya).
d. Rohini (dharmapatni of Candra).
e. Usa (dharmapatni of Vayu’s son Aniruddha).
f. Samala (dharmapatni of Yama)

21. Kurmadi Devatas

22. Svaha (dharmapatni of Agni. (Mantrabhimanini)

23. Budha (Jalabhimani).

24. Devaki, Yasoda and Usa, the Namabhimanini (dharmapatni of AsviniDevata‘s).

[I am not sure of the numbering below, but the order is the right one]

25. Sanaiscara and Dhara Devi

26. Puskara (karmabhimani)

27. Ajanaja devatas

28. Cirapitrs

29. Gandharvas

30. manusya-gandharvas.

31. manusa-cakravarti’s.

32. manusyottama’s

Shukavak N. Dasa

Bibliography
Dasgupta, Surendranath. A History of Indian Philosophy. 4 Vols. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1975.
Tapasyananda, Svami. Sri Madhvacarya, His Life, Religion and Philosophy. Madras: Sri Ramakrishna Math, 1981.
Sharma, B. N. K. History of the Dvaita School of Vedanta and its Literature.Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1981

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Copyright © SRI Publications 2002
All rights reserved.
Madhva Acarya

Madhvacarya is generally shown with two fingers upraised. This indicates his philosophy of dvaita or duality.

 
Murti of Madhvacarya
Murti of Madhvacarya located outside of the Krsna Deity at the Mutt in Udupi.

 

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The Great Madhva Acarya

The Great Madhva Acarya
(1238-1317 A.D.)

Page 1 – Biography

Sri Madhvacarya, also known as Vasudeva, Ananda Tirtha and Purnaprajna, is one of India’s greatest theologians. He is the founder of dvaita philosophy, and along with Sankaracarya, is one of the most important commentators on the Upanisads, Bhagavad-gita and the Brahma-sutras. His doctrine asserts that this world is real and that there is an eternal and immutable difference between the individual soul and God.

What is known of Madhva’s personal life is largely taken from the Madhva-vijaya, a work by Narayana Bhatta, who was the son of a direct disciple of Madhva. Madhvacarya was born of Tulu speaking parents in the Karnataka region of South-west India near present day Udupi. (See accompanying map.) The Madhva-vijaya mentions how the young Vasudeva, Madhva’s boyhood name, expressed a desire to become an ascetic as early as age 8.

Madhva’s parents naturally objected and so it was not until he was about 16 years of age that Madhva was able to leave home and become a sannyasi. From then on the young Vasudeva became known as Ananda Tirtha, the name given to him by his sannyasa guru. Ananda Tirtha later assumed the name Madhva by which he is most commonly known today. In many of his writings Madhva openly identifies himself as the third incarnation of mukhya-prana (Primal Breath) alluded to in the Rg Veda. It is said that mukhya-prana takes the form of the wind-god (Vayudeva) and descends into this mortal world in three successive incarnations: as Hanuman, the follower of Rama, as Bhimasena, one of the Pandava, and finally as Madhva, who in Kali-yuga appears in the guise of a sannyasi. Ananda Tirtha’s followers readily accept and worship him as Madhva, the incarnation of Vayudeva. Sometimes Ananda Tirtha is also known as Purnaprajna due to his display of vast learning.

Madhva’s childhood, like most great saints in this world, is filled with much hagiographic information including miracles and wondrous events. On one such occasion Madhva’s father safely carried him as an infant through a jungle infested with man-eating tigers in order to dedicate him at the temple of Anantesvara in Udupi. It is said that Madhva, as a child, often went missing from home only to by found worshipping God and discussing philosophy with the priests in the nearby temples. Madhva once saved his father from a debt collector by miraculously satisfying the man with a handful of seeds instead of coins. It is said that Madhva had no need to learn the alphabet. Instead he spent his time wrestling and swimming. When the examinations came the young Madhva easily passed, much to the consternations of his teachers.

There is some controversy over the date of Madhva’s birth. However all sides agree that he lived for 79 years. B. N. K. Sharma gives the date of his birth as 1238. Older estimates suggest the date of 1199. For a detailed account of the dates of Madhva’s birth see B. N. K. Sharma’s History of the Dvaita School of Vedanta and its Literature (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1981), p. 79.

As Aristotelian logic dominated education during the medieval days of Europe, so Sankaracarya’s advaita-vedanta dominated Hindu education during the days of Madhva. We are told how Sankara’s advaita–vedanta produced a profound dissatisfaction in the mind of the young Madhva, which often brought him into conflict with his teachers. In fact Madhva’s objection toadvaita-vedanta became the most compelling force in this life and he spent much of his adult life arguing against this view of the world.

After studying in Udupi, Madhva traveled east to Tamil Nadu where he continued to meet and debate with advaita scholars. Throughout his life, wherever Madhva traveled, he vigorously engaged in debate, not only with advaitins, but also Jains, Buddhists and nyayayikas. This first tour was most important for Madhva because it allowed him to see firsthand that the followers of Ramanuja also objected to Sankara’s advaita-vedanta. He witnessed how they had attacked Sankara, and he realized that the monolithic walls of advaita were not impervious after all. As a result Madhvacarya became determined to establish his own school of Vedic thought, free of what he considered the blunder of Sankaracarya’s interpretation of the Vedas.

Madhva soon returned to Udupi, but after a short time he again found himself yearning for more travel. This time he desired to make a pilgrimage to North India. In particular, he wanted to visit Veda Vyasa at Badari in the northern Himalayas. In those days it was thought that Vyasa still resided on earth in a remote place in these mountains. Not much is known about the route Madhva took or what occurred along the way, but after arriving in Badari he mysteriously disappeared one night. We are told that he had ascended alone to the mythical abode of Vyasa at Mahabadari. Many months passed and Madhva’s followers thought that he had perished in the desolate mountains. When he finally appeared he was resplendent and joyful. He had received the blessings of Vyasa. Upon his return to Udupi, he immediately began to write his famous Brahma-sutra commentary.

With the emergence of this important commentary, Madhva had something positive to add to his otherwise destructive debates with his opponents. With the zeal of Hanuman he began his missionary work. As his youth Madhva was a superb athlete in wrestling and water-sports. As an adult he now used his physical stamina and sonorous voice to travel and preach. Madhva was so effective in his teaching that he soon won the conversion of his former teachers and many other learned men to his new school of Vedic thought.

The Madhva-vijaya describes the effect Madhva had on his audience: “People came in large numbers to see that Madhvacarya, who shone like the moon with his gentle smile, lotus-eyes, golden complexion and words of blessing. He had the gait of a young lion, feet and hands like sprouts, nails like rubies; thighs like the trunk of an elephant, a broad chest and long muscular arms. Indeed, those who made sacred images considered him the model for their art.”

Soon Madhva started his own temple in Udupi by installing a beautiful image of Bala Krsna, the child form of God. It is said that he obtained this image by rescuing a ship in distress near the coast of Udupi. Madhvacarya signaled the ship to shore by waving lamps and flags. Convinced that it was through the grace of Madhva that the ship was saved, the ship’s captain offered him a gift. Madhva chose the clay (gopi-candana) that was used for the ship’s ballast. Upon washing the clay, Madhvacarya discovered a beautiful image of Sri Krsna, which He personally carried to Udupi and began to worship. This image of Krsna is still worshipped today in the central temple of Udupi, The Krishna Mutt. Madhva’s Udupi temple is one of the most important Krsna temples in all of India. It is said that the lamp beside this image of Krishna was lit by Madhvacarya himself and has never been extinguished.

The force of Madhva’s personality, the clarity of his thought and the appeal of his vast learning brought many followers. But his rising success also brought great resistance and even hostile attacks from his opponents. We read of a raid on his huge collection of manuscripts. He was also attacked for instituting religious and social reforms in the Udupi region that included an end to animal sacrifice and the prohibition of liquors during religious ceremonies.

Madhvacarya later made another tour to Badari and the modern-day cities of Delhi and Benares. He also made numerous tours throughout his own region of south India. Along the way he continued to spread this new faith and increase the number of his followers.

During his lifetime, Madhvacarya wrote many important commentaries on theUpanisads, Bhagavad-gita, Brahma-sutras, Mahabharata and the Bhagavata-purana. In addition, he wrote many original works that dealt with important aspects of his new doctrine. In all, he wrote 37 works. Not only did Madhvacarya’s powerful literary output help to establish his teachings during his own lifetime, it has inspired a vast literary tradition that continues to the present day.

The final years of Madhva were spent in teaching and worship. In the end he instructed his followers not to sit still, but to go forth and preach. His biographers tell how Madhvacarya disappeared one evening while reciting his favorite text, the Aitareya Upanisad. Gandharvas and other heavenly beings gathered in the sky above him and showered flowers. They describe how he suddenly disappeared from underneath this mass of flowers and now he now resides, beyond ordinary vision, with Veda Vyasa at the high mountain hermitage of Badari.

Shukavak N. Dasa

Bibliography
Dasgupta, Surendranath. A History of Indian Philosophy. 4 Vols. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1975.
Tapasyananda, Svami. Sri Madhvacarya, His Life, Religion and Philosophy. Madras: Sri Ramakrishna Math, 1981.
Sharma, B. N. K. History of the Dvaita School of Vedanta and its Literature.Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1981.

 

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Copyright © SRI Publications 2002
All rights reserved.
Madhva Acarya

Madhva Acarya

 
the wind-god, Vayudeva.
This illustration shows the triple descent of Mukhya-prana as the wind-god, Vayudeva. The first descent is as Hanuman, the follower of Rama; second as Bhimasena, one of the Pandava; and finally as Madhva Acarya who appears as a sannyasi and great philosopher.
Map of India

Map of India

Bala Krsna

Image of Bala Krsna, the child form of God. It is said that Madhva obtained this image by rescuing a ship in distress near the coast of Udupi. Madhvacarya signaled the ship to shore by waving lamps and flags. Convinced that it was through the grace of Madhva that the ship was saved, the ship’s captain offered him a gift. Madhva chose the clay (gopi-candana) that was used for the ship’s ballast. Upon washing the clay, Madhvacarya discovered a beautiful image of Sri Krsna, which He personally carried to Udupi and began to worship. This image of Krsna is still worshipped today in the central temple of Udupi, The Krishna Mutt.

Copyright © SRI Publications 2002
All rights reserved.