The philosopher Trinity of India

Madhwa Navami is a highly important event for all Madhwas and it was held a few days ago. All mathas in Bangalore and Vaishnava temples celebrated the day with free food, religious discourses and special poojas.

It was on this day that Madhwacharya, the Viashnava saint philosopher of the 12^th century, disappeared amid a shower of flowers from the Anantheshwara Temple in Udupi after giving a lucid lecture on the Upanishad.

A master commentator, philosopher and writer, Madhwacharya is ranked among the trinity of saint-philosophers of India who have given a solid foundation to Indian philosophy and religion. The trinity are Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya and Madhwacharya. The first of the trinity was Shankaracharya who propagated the concept of  monoism or Adwaitha.

Shankara or Adi Shankara (788-820) wrote several works in Sanskrit and established the four Shankara Peethas across India to support his doctrine of Adwaitha Vedanta.

He preached the unity of the atma and and nirguna Brahman (one which has no attributes) and extensively based this concept on the Upanishads, Brahma Sutras and, of course, the Bhagawath Geetha. He took on the Mimamsa school of thought and pioneered what later came to be known as Shanmata tradition of worship.

His philosophy can be summarised in his own words as,

 

“ Brahma satyam jagat mithya, jivo brahmaiva naparah,”

meaning that Brahma (paramathma) is the only truth and that the world is an illusion  and that finally there is no difference between  Brahma and Atma (individual self).

After Shankara came Ramanujacharya (1017-1137) with his concept of  Vishistadwaitha. This concept stresses that Brahma is ultimate and that it has several attributes. Ramanuja says that Brahma or truth (paramathma) is different from the individual.

He further says that all jeevatmas will join Paramathma.

He set out five basic steps of his philosophy of Vedanta. They are 

Taapa or the branding of the symbols of conch and discuss on the shoulders of a person. These two symbols will help eliminate past sins and also serve as a reminder to the person that he is a servant of Narayana.

The second is Pundra or the application of sacred marks on twelve places on the human body. This, Ramanujacharya, said is protection against temptation and also a reminder that the body is a temple.

The third step is Dasya Nama or securing a name that constantly reminds one that the person is a servant of god. 

The fourth is Mantra Upadesha or instruction of the three sacred mantras and their meaning. Ramanajucharya was certain that recitation of these mantras will redeem one from the cycle of birth and death (Karma and rebirth).   

The fifth and last step was Yaga or complete surrender to Narayana.

The third of the trinity was Madhwacharya (1199-1287). It was Madhwacharya who for the first time opposed the concept of Shankara and his monoism.

Madhwa said the world is not an illusion as set out by Shankara. He said the world is not maya and that it is as real as a human being. The pain, suffering and desires of man were also as real as other human attributes. 

Madhwacharya preached what is known as Dwaitha or Bhedavada. This is also known as Tatwavada and Bimba-pratibimba-vada. He has a huge volume of works which are collectively known as Sarvamoola Grantha. He based his philosophy on the Vedas, Puranas, Ramayana, Mahabharatha and Pancharatra Agamas

Madhwacharya distinguishes between Atma or bodily soul and Paramathma, the supreme being and this is the essence of  his philosophy.

For Madhwacharya, the supreme being was none other than Narayana or Vishnu. For him, the soul of an individual was not created by God but nonetheless they depended on God for their existence or survival.

For the acharya, the supreme being is personal and one who has several attributes. This supreme being is none other than “brahmashabdashcha vishnaveva” or Vishnu.

Vishnu thus takes on the role of a guardian of the Universe and all others Gods are subordinate to him. It is in his “Vishnu tatwavinirnaya” that he establishes the supremacy of Vishnu.

Interestingly, Madhwacharya’s principle of Dwaitha is not similar to the concept of Western dualism. For Madhwacharya, the jeevatama or individual Jeeva or prana are dependent on Paramathma. Thus, he says there are two worlds and one is dependent on the other.

Madhwacharya enunciated five main differences and they are  the differences:

Between the individual soul (jeevatma) and God (Brahmatma or Vishnu).

Between matter (inanimate-jata) and God.

Among individual souls (jeeva)

Between matter (jata) and jeeva.

Among various types of matter (jata-jata).

All these five differences go on to make up the universe which Madhwacharya calls prapancha.

However, the Jeeva or atma for Madhwacharya is not one. He not only attributes characters to them but also distinguishes them into three categories.

The souls are classified as Mukti (which can get liberated), nitya which means rebirth and andhatmas which are condemned to hell. This is the first time that an Indian philosopher makes such a distinction. No other Indian philosopher or theologician or even school of thought has held such thoughts or propagated them.

It was Jayatheertha or Teekacharya who interpreted the works of Madhwacharya so that even a common man could understand them. This was further simplified by Vyasa Raja (1447-1539).

Today, we have a huge volume of works on Dwaitha philosophy. The essence of this philosophy is Taratamya and the five-fold differences which is commonly called Pancha Beda.

Sri Krishnashtakam

One of the greatest Madhwa saints to have traversed all over India and the one who hailed from Karnataka is Vadiraja Theertha (1480-1600).

Vadiraja Theertha was a seer who adorned the Sode Matha, which today is also known as Sode Vadiraja or Vadiraja Matha. He was born at Gowri Gadde and he was a disciple of the venerable Vyasa Raja or Vyasa Theertha (1560-1539).

Vadiraja Theertha was a contemporary of  Purandara Dasa, Kanaka Dasa and Belur Vaikunta Dasa. His contribution to both Dasa Koota and Vyasa Koota is immeasurable.

He was a prolific writer and composer. He has several compositions on Udupi Krishna to his credit. The Sri Krishnashtakam is one of his best.

The lyrics of this composition in Kannada, English and Sanskrit are as follows:

 ಪಾಲಯಾಚ್ಯುತ ಪಾಲಯಾಜಿತ ಪಾಲಯಾ ಕಮಲಾಲಯ
ಪಲಯಾ ಧೃತಭೂಧರಾಂಬುರುಹೋದರ ಸ್ವಜನೋದರ |

ಮಧ್ವಮಾನಸಪದ್ಮಭಾನುಸಮಂ ಸ್ಮರಪ್ರತಿಮಂ ಸ್ಮರ
ಸ್ನಿಗ್ದನಿರ್ಮಲಶೀತಕಾಂತಿಲಸನ್ಮುಖಂ ಕರುಣೋನ್ಮುಖಮ್|
ಹೃದ್ಯಕಂಬುಸಮಾನಕಂಧರಮಕ್ಷಯಂ ದುರಿತಕ್ಷಯಂ
ಸ್ನಿಗ್ಧಸಂಸ್ತುತರೌಪ್ಯಪೀಠಕೃತಾಲಯಂ ಹರಿಮಾಲಯಮ್ ||೧||

ಅಂಗದಾದಿಸುಶೋಭಿಪಾಣಿಯುಗೇನ ಸಂಕ್ಷುಭಿತೈನಸಂ
ತುಂಗಮಾಲ್ಯಮಣೀಂದ್ರಹಾರಸರೋರಸಂ ಖಲನೀರಸಮ್|
ಮಂಗಲಪ್ರದಮಂಥದಾಮವಿರಾಜಿತಂ ಭಜತಾಜಿತಂ
ತಂ ಗೃಣೇ ವರರೌಪ್ಯಪೀಠಕೃತಾಲಯಂ ಹರಿಮಾಲಯಮ್ ||೨||

ಪೀನರಮ್ಯತನೂದರಂ ಭಜ ಹೇ ಮನಃ ಶುಭ ಹೇ ಮನಃ
ಸ್ವಾನುಭಾವನಿದರ್ಶನಾಯ ದಿಶಂತಮರ್ಥಿಸುಶಂತಮಮ್|
ಅನತೋಸ್ಮಿ ನಿಜಾರ್ಜುನಪ್ರಿಯಸಾಧಕಂ ಖಲಬಾಧಕಂ
ಹೀನೋತೋಜ್ಝಿತರೌಪ್ಯಪೀಠಕೃತಾಲಯಂ ಹರಿಮಾಲಯಮ್ ||೩||

ಹೈಮಕಿಂಕಿಣಿಮಾಲಿಕಾರಶನಾಂಚಿತಂ ತಮವಂಚಿತಂ
ಕಮ್ರಕಾಂಚನಚಿತ್ರವಸ್ತ್ರಕಟಿಂ ಘನಪ್ರಭಯಾ ಘನಮ್|
ನಮ್ರನಾಗಕರೋಪಮೋರುಮನಾಮಯಂ ಶುಭಧೀಮಯಂ
ನೌಮ್ಯಹಂ ವರರೌಪ್ಯಪೀಠಕೃತಾಲಯಂ ಹರಿಮಾಲಯಮ್ ||೪||

ವೃತ್ತಜಾನುಮನೋಜ್ಞಜಂಘಮಮೋಹದಂ ಪರಮೋಹದಂ
ರತ್ನಕಲ್ಪನಖತ್ವಿಷಾ ಹೃತಹೃತ್ತಮಸ್ತತಿಮುತ್ತಮಮ್|
ಪ್ರತ್ಯಹಂ ರಚಿತಾರ್ಚನಂ ರಮಯಾ ಸ್ವಯಾಗತಯಾ ಸ್ವಯಂ
ಚಿತ್ತ ಚಿಂತಯ ರೌಪ್ಯಪೀಠಕೃತಾಲಯಂ ಹರಿಮಾಲಯಮ್ ||೫||

ಚಾರುಪಾದಸರೋಜಯುಗ್ಮರುಚಾಮರೋಚ್ಚಯಚಾಮರೋ-
ದಾರಮೂರ್ಧಜಭಾರಮಂಡಲರಂಜಕಂ ಕಲಿಭಂಜಕಮ್|
ವೀರತೋಚಿತಭೂಷಣಂ ವರನೂಪುರಂ ಸ್ವತನೂಪುರಂ
ಧಾರಯಾತ್ಮನಿ ರೌಪ್ಯಪೀಠಕೃತಾಲಯಂ ಹರಿಮಾಲಯಮ್ ||೬||

ಶುಷ್ಕವಾದಿಮನೋತಿದೂರತರಾಗಮೋತ್ಸವದಾಗಮಂ
ಸತ್ಕವೀಂದ್ರ ವಚೋವಿಲಾಸಮಹೋದಯಂ ಮಹಿತೋದಯಮ್|
ಲಕ್ಷಯಾಮಿ ಯತೀಶ್ವರೈಃ ಕೃತಪೂಜನಂ ಗುಣಭಾಜನಂ
ಧಿಕ್ಕೃತೋಪಮರೌಪ್ಯಪೀಠಕೃತಾಲಯಂ ಹರಿಮಾಲಯಮ್ ||೭||

ನಾರದಪ್ರಿಯಮಾವಿಶಾಂಬುರುಹೇಕ್ಷಣಂ ನಿಜರಕ್ಷಣಂ
ತಾರಕೋಪಮಚಾರುದೀಪಚಯಾಂತರೇ ಗತಚಿಂತ ರೇ|
ಧೀರ ಮಾನಸ ಪೂರ್ಣಚಂದ್ರಸಮಾನಮಚ್ಯುತಮಾನಮ
ದ್ವಾರಕೋಪಮರೌಪ್ಯಪೀಠಕೃತಾಲಯಂ ಹರಿಮಾಲಯಮ್ ||೮||

ರೂಪ್ಯಪೀಠಕೃತಾಲಯಸ್ಯ ಹರೇಃ ಪ್ರಿಯಂ ದುರಿತಾಪ್ರಿಯಂ
ತತ್ಪದಾರ್ಚಕವಾದಿರಾಜಯತೀರಿತಂ ಗುಣಪೂರಿತಮ್|
ಗೋಪ್ಯಮಷ್ಟಕಮೇತದುಚ್ಚಮುದೇ ಮಮಾಸ್ತ್ವಿಹ ನಿರ್ಮಮ
ಪ್ರಾಪ್ಯ ಶುದ್ಧಫಲಾಯ ತತ್ರ ಸುಕೋಮಲಂ ಹೃತಧೀಮಲಮ್ ||೯||

||ಇತಿ ಶ್ರೀ ವಾದಿರಾಜಯತಿ ವಿರಚಿತಂ ಕೃಷ್ಣಾಷ್ಟಕಮ್||

The lyrics in English is as follows:

pālayācyuta pālayājita pālayā kamalālaya
palayā dhr̥tabhūdharāṁburuhōdara svajanōdara |

madhvamānasapadmabhānusamaṁ smarapratimaṁ smara
snigdanirmalaśītakāṁtilasanmukhaṁ karuṇōnmukham|
hr̥dyakaṁbusamānakaṁdharamakṣayaṁ duritakṣayaṁ
snigdhasaṁstutaraupyapīṭhakr̥tālayaṁ harimālayam ||1||

aṁgadādisuśōbhipāṇiyugēna saṁkṣubhitainasaṁ
tuṁgamālyamaṇīṁdrahārasarōrasaṁ khalanīrasam|
maṁgalapradamaṁthadāmavirājitaṁ bhajatājitaṁ
taṁ gr̥ṇē vararaupyapīṭhakr̥tālayaṁ harimālayam ||2||

pīnaramyatanūdaraṁ bhaja hē manaḥ śubha hē manaḥ
svānubhāvanidarśanāya diśaṁtamarthisuśaṁtamam|
anatōsmi nijārjunapriyasādhakaṁ khalabādhakaṁ
hīnōtōjjhitaraupyapīṭhakr̥tālayaṁ harimālayam ||3||

haimakiṁkiṇimālikāraśanāṁcitaṁ tamavaṁcitaṁ
kamrakāṁcanacitravastrakaṭiṁ ghanaprabhayā ghanam|
namranāgakarōpamōrumanāmayaṁ śubhadhīmayaṁ
naumyahaṁ vararaupyapīṭhakr̥tālayaṁ harimālayam ||4||

vr̥ttajānumanōjñajaṁghamamōhadaṁ paramōhadaṁ
ratnakalpanakhatviṣā hr̥tahr̥ttamastatimuttamam|
pratyahaṁ racitārcanaṁ ramayā svayāgatayā svayaṁ
citta ciṁtaya raupyapīṭhakr̥tālayaṁ harimālayam ||5||

cārupādasarōjayugmarucāmarōccayacāmarō-
dāramūrdhajabhāramaṁḍalaraṁjakaṁ kalibhaṁjakam|
vīratōcitabhūṣaṇaṁ varanūpuraṁ svatanūpuraṁ
dhārayātmani raupyapīṭhakr̥tālayaṁ harimālayam ||6||

śuṣkavādimanōtidūratarāgamōtsavadāgamaṁ
satkavīṁdra vacōvilāsamahōdayaṁ mahitōdayam|
lakṣayāmi yatīśvaraiḥ kr̥tapūjanaṁ guṇabhājanaṁ
dhikkr̥tōpamaraupyapīṭhakr̥tālayaṁ harimālayam ||7||

nāradapriyamāviśāṁburuhēkṣaṇaṁ nijarakṣaṇaṁ
tārakōpamacārudīpacayāṁtarē gataciṁta rē|
dhīra mānasa pūrṇacaṁdrasamānamacyutamānama
dvārakōpamaraupyapīṭhakr̥tālayaṁ harimālayam ||8||

rūpyapīṭhakr̥tālayasya harēḥ priyaṁ duritāpriyaṁ
tatpadārcakavādirājayatīritaṁ guṇapūritam|
gōpyamaṣṭakamētaduccamudē mamāstviha nirmama
prāpya śuddhaphalāya tatra sukōmalaṁ hr̥tadhīmalam ||9||

The composition in Sanskrit is:

पालयाच्युत पालयाजित पालया कमलालय
पलया धृतभूधरांबुरुहोदर स्वजनोदर ।

मध्वमानसपद्मभानुसमं स्मरप्रतिमं स्मर
स्निग्दनिर्मलशीतकांतिलसन्मुखं करुणोन्मुखम्।
हृद्यकंबुसमानकंधरमक्षयं दुरितक्षयं
स्निग्धसंस्तुतरौप्यपीठकृतालयं हरिमालयम् ॥१॥

अंगदादिसुशोभिपाणियुगेन संक्षुभितैनसं
तुंगमाल्यमणींद्रहारसरोरसं खलनीरसम्।
मंगलप्रदमंथदामविराजितं भजताजितं
तं गृणे वररौप्यपीठकृतालयं हरिमालयम् ॥२॥

पीनरम्यतनूदरं भज हे मनः शुभ हे मनः
स्वानुभावनिदर्शनाय दिशंतमर्थिसुशंतमम्।
अनतोस्मि निजार्जुनप्रियसाधकं खलबाधकं
हीनोतोज्झितरौप्यपीठकृतालयं हरिमालयम् ॥३॥

हैमकिंकिणिमालिकारशनांचितं तमवंचितं
कम्रकांचनचित्रवस्त्रकटिं घनप्रभया घनम्।
नम्रनागकरोपमोरुमनामयं शुभधीमयं
नौम्यहं वररौप्यपीठकृतालयं हरिमालयम् ॥४॥

वृत्तजानुमनोज्ञजंघममोहदं परमोहदं
रत्नकल्पनखत्विषा हृतहृत्तमस्ततिमुत्तमम्।
प्रत्यहं रचितार्चनं रमया स्वयागतया स्वयं
चित्त चिंतय रौप्यपीठकृतालयं हरिमालयम् ॥५॥

चारुपादसरोजयुग्मरुचामरोच्चयचामरो-
दारमूर्धजभारमंडलरंजकं कलिभंजकम्।
वीरतोचितभूषणं वरनूपुरं स्वतनूपुरं
धारयात्मनि रौप्यपीठकृतालयं हरिमालयम् ॥६॥

शुष्कवादिमनोतिदूरतरागमोत्सवदागमं
सत्कवींद्र वचोविलासमहोदयं महितोदयम्।
लक्षयामि यतीश्वरैः कृतपूजनं गुणभाजनं
धिक्कृतोपमरौप्यपीठकृतालयं हरिमालयम् ॥७॥

नारदप्रियमाविशांबुरुहेक्षणं निजरक्षणं
तारकोपमचारुदीपचयांतरे गतचिंत रे।
धीर मानस पूर्णचंद्रसमानमच्युतमानम
द्वारकोपमरौप्यपीठकृतालयं हरिमालयम् ॥८॥

रूप्यपीठकृतालयस्य हरेः प्रियं दुरिताप्रियं
तत्पदार्चकवादिराजयतीरितं गुणपूरितम्।
गोप्यमष्टकमेतदुच्चमुदे ममास्त्विह निर्मम
प्राप्य शुद्धफलाय तत्र सुकोमलं हृतधीमलम् ॥९॥

॥इति श्री वादिराजयति विरचितं कृष्णाष्टकम्॥

By the way, centuries earlier, Adi Shankara had also composed a similar composition. Here, Shankaracharya calls Krishna as Jagadguru and this is a composition of eight cantos.

The story of philosophy

Philosophy is rather a very difficult and complex subject and more so if it is closely linked with religion as it is in India.

India is not only a diverse country in terms of geography but its philosophy too has a distinct and diverse touch. There are six main streams of philosophy in India, each different from the other and all of them tracing their origin to the compositions of the Upanishads and the Vedic Ages.

One of the India’s modern philosophers, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan himself has acknowledged that the oldest of the Upanishads composed during the later Vedic Age constitute “the earliest philosophical compositions of the world”.

The period in north India between 1000 BC and 600 BC is generally accepted as the Later Vedic period. This is also called as the Epic Age because the two great epics- Ramayana and Mahabharata- came to be written during this period.

By then the centre of Aryan civilization had shifted from the Saraswathi to the Ganges. It was during this time that the philosophical streams slowly emerged from the Upanishads.

The central theme of the Upanishads or rather earlier philosophy  was to seek unity in diversity. Truth was the overriding concept and earlier philosophy is indebted to Ajatashatru of Kashi, Janaka of Vaidehi and Asvapathi of Kaikeya and Pravahana Jaivali of Panchala who contributed in no insignificant manner to the earlier philosophical concepts.

The principle of Karma and rebirth first came into existence during this period. Though Janaka was a Kahstriya, his learning was highly respected. There is a story about how he taught a Brahmin the philosophy of life.

There was once a great sage and his disciple. The sage sent his disciple to the court of King Janaka and told him that Janaka would tell him the secret of meditation.

The disciple was surprised that his master had asked him to go to a Kshatriya. What would a non-Brahmin teach him, he sneered. However, he had to go and he went reluctantly to meet the King.

When the disciple reached the court of  Janaka, he saw the King living in luxury. He appeared disgusted and he did not want to stay in the palace any further. Janaka understood his mental turmoil and he said the disciple could leave the next day, provided he spent the night in the palace.

The disciple agreed and he was escorted to a beautifully furnished bed room. The disciple went to sleep and when he looked above the bed, he found a sword hanging by a thin stand of hair. Even the slightest breeze would make the sword begin to shake. The disciple spent the entire night trembling with fear and he did not even sleep a wink.

The next day, he went to the Janaka and raged against him. Janaka told him that was the way to meditate. Stay awake when while you meditate and understand the nuances of the world.
The sword, Janaka said, represented death and death is inevitable. “Learn to accept death and spend the time before it in learning”, was his philosophy.
This was Janaka, the philosopher king of Videha whose capital was Mithila, the present Janakapura in Terai of Nepal. He is more known as a philosopher more than as a King. So he is aptly called a philosopher-king. He is still remembered for his outstanding contribution to Hindu philosophy.

Janaka was the disciple of  Yajnavalkya and attended his discourses regularly. One day, when Janaka was listening to the Karma and rebirth theory being expounded by Yajnavalkya, a royal messenger came and informed the gathering that the royal palace had caught fire.

Many of the disciples and people who had gathered to hear the sage, ran to the palace. If some were worried about the fate of their relatives and friends, others wanted to loot. Janaka was unperturbed and continued listening to the lecture.

The royal messenger once again repeated the message. He thought that his King had not heard him. Janaka said he had heard the messenger but said he would not come. He said the pearls of wisdom are more valuable and more important pearls of  wealth.  Therefore, I am not disturbed. Besides, if the people loot the palace, it cannot be reversed. What is bound to happen, will happen. Every thing depends on God.

Janaka further said he had people to guard the palace. Let them do their job and I will do mine, he said. Even Yajanavalkya was  surprised at the words of wisdom. This is why Janaka is even regarded as one of the greatest sage kings of  India.

The Upanishads mention that Janaka convened a philosophical discourse under the leadership of Yajnavalkya. Many scholars, seers, philosophers and logicians participated in the event in which woman philosophers like Gargi and Maitrei of Mithila also gave discourses.

The women philosophers even challenged Yajnavalkya on the issue of Atma (Soul) and Parmatma (God). This Janaka was none other than the father of Sita.

The Brihadaranyaka upanished says Janaka was highly generous and he gifted Yajnavalkya a royal prize in 5 padas of gold attached to each of the horn of 1,000 cows.  

Ajatasatru of Kashi (his capital was the legendary Magadha) propounded the theory that consciousness as prajnatma pervades the human body and also ensures that the senses remain alert. However, prajnatma  absorbs the functions of the organs and withdraws into the space within the heart when one goes to sleep.

Another King, Pratardana, the son of Divodasa of Kasi, asserted that Prajnana, the right understanding, is what controls all other faculties and senses such as sight, sound, speech, breath, limbs and  even mind. He spoke about employing the symbolism of the Yajna and self-control (samyama) as an inner sacrifice (antaram agnihotram). Many of these concepts are in the Kausitaki Upanishad but Pratardana managed to further add to it.

He argued that breathing is essential for a living being but, breathing is only a symbol of  prana. One can hold his or her breath for some time, and still be alive, but one cannot be alive even for an instant, without prana. “Death occurs when prana departs and when it resumes, life arises”.

Another seminal concept of  Pratardana is that one cannot breathe and speak simultaneously. When a man speaks he cannot breathe and when he breaths he cannot speak.

 Similarly, King Asvapathi Kaikeya put forward his own theory of vaisvanara vidya or super soul which pervades all existence as Atma - vaisvanara.

Many Brahmin scholars learnt the doctrine of atma from Asvapathi. The Vaisvanara concept is explained as a higher form of meditation.  

Pravahana Jaivali, the King of Panchala, was extremely well versed in Udgitha or  recital of Sama. Many of his theories are about the path taken by the dead and how the departed soul fares on its way to rebirth. He was of the view that rebirth is only after the merits of earlier birth.

Pravahana was thus among the first to propound the concept of  karma and rebirth.

It was also during this period that the orthodox and  non-orthodox forms of philosophy emerged. This classification depended on whether the Vedas were regarded as an infallible source of knowledge.

There are six schools of orthodox philosophy and three unorthodox or heterodox schools. The orthodox schools are Nyaya or logic, Vaisesika or atomist school, Samkhya or enumeration, Yoga or the metaphysical school of Patanjali,  Purva Mimamsa or Vedic rituals and Vedanta which is based on Vedic texts and Upanashids.

The Heterodox are Jain, Buddhist and materialist or Carvaka. However, Vidyaranya, the guru of  Hakka and Bukka,  classifies Indian philosophy into sixteen schools where he includes schools belonging to Shaiva and Rasesvara thought with others.

The main schools of Indian philosophy were formalised chiefly between 1000 BC to the early centuries.

The Vedanta school is further divided into six sub-schools: Adwaitha (monoism or nondualism) which also includes the concept of Ajativada, Visishtadwaitha (monism of the qualified whole), Dwaitha, (dualism), Dwaithadwaitha (dualism-nondualism), Suddhadwaitha, and Achintya Bheda Abheda schools of thought. Besides these schools, Vidyaranya also includes Pasupata or school of Shaivism by Nakulisa: Shaiva, the theistic Sankhya school: Pratybhijna, the recognitive school: Rasesvara, the mercurial school and Panini Darsana, the grammarian school.

If Shankara was the chief proponent of Adwaitha, Madhwacharya propounded the Dwaitha school of thought and Ramanajucharya the Srivaishnava school.

Madhwacharya termed his Tatwavada the philosophy of reality.

The Madhwa line of thought gave a new turn to Indian Philosophy. Madhwa's philosophy accepts pluralism.

He accepts accepts three sources of  knowledge: Pratyaksha or perception, Anumana or inference and sabda or testimony. Another important thought was that God can only be known through the scriptures.

Madhwa said there are two tatwas or categories of reality-swatantra tatwa  or independent reality and asvantantra tatwa  or dependent reality. Vishnu, as creator of the universe, is the independent reality and his created universe is the dependent reality. The created universe comprises of jiva and matter.

Madhwa then comes up with his famous five fold division or Panchabeda concept between God, Jiva and matter. The crux of his philosophy is that no one man is like another. Just as each man is different, man and god too are different.

Madhwa  stresses on the supremacy of Hari or Vishnu. For him, the world is not maya or illusory as per Shankara but real. Bhakti is the sure way to God.

Madhwa is considered one of the most influential theologians in Hinduism. His philosophy led to the birth of bhakti or dasa movement in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Bengal and Assam.

The Dasa Koota and Vyasa Koota trace their thought to Madhwa, and Vyasa Raja, Vadiraja, Sripadaraja, Purandara, Kanaka, Vijayadasa, Jagganatha Dasa were some of the most important Vaishnava poet-composers.

Others like Jayatheertha, Raghuttama, Raghavendra Swamy, Vadiraja, Sripadaraja, Vyasa Raja, Vijendra Theerta took forward the concept of  Madhwa.

Nimbarka, Vallabhacharya, Chaitanya were also influenced by Madhwa. The Madhwa seer, Vyasa Raja was the guru of  Chainatya.

Madhwa offered a new insight and analysis of  classical Vedantic texts like the Vedas, Upanashids, Brahmasutras, Puranas, Mahabharata and Ramayana.

He laid emphasis on Taratamya or gradation of Gods and put Hari in the supreme position.

He finds a difference between atma and paramatma and says both cannot be the same. He also attacks the Adwaitha concept that God is Nirguna or without attributes.

For Madhwa, God is supreme and there is a world of difference between atma and paramatma.

“Yadhi Namaparo Na bhavet SriHari,

khathamasya vashet Jagatedabhoot.

Yadhi Namanatasya Vashe Sakalam,

Khathamevath nitya sukham Na Bhaveth.”

What this shloka means is that if man and God are one and the same, then how come man is not always happy. Why is man subject to pain and sorrow and this cannot be if man is in control of everything