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Shri Madhvacharya
Period : 1238 to 1317
Place of Birth : Pajaka , Udupi
Guru : Achyuta Prekshaka
Names :
  1. Vasudeva, as named by his parents
  2. Shri Madhvacharya, named after
    attaining sainthood
  3. Poornapragna, One who knows
    everything
  4. Anandateertha, One who brings
    joy through his preachings
Avatars (believed) :
  1. Hanuman
  2. Bhima


Shri Madhvacharya,(1238-1317), was the chief propounder of the Dvaita or dualistic school of Hindu philosophy, one of the three influential Vedanta philosophies. He was one of the influential philosophers during the Bhakti movement. Madhvacharya is believed to be the third incarnation of Vayu, after Hanuman and Bhima.

1 Formative Years

Shri Madhvacharya was born as Vasudeva to Madhyageha Bhatta (father) and Vedavati (mother) at Pajaka in Udupi.

2 Dualistic Philosophy

Shri Madhvacharya, like Ramanuja believed that the Brahman was endowed with attributes and is a personal God, Vishnu. By Brahman, he referred to the the the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent Utimate Reality and not the sub-caste.

Dvaita, also known as Bheda-vāda, Tattva-vāda, and Bimba-pratibimba-vāda, is the doctrine propounded by Ananda Tīrtha (also known as Madhvacharya) that asserts that the difference between the individual soul or jīva, and God,(Īshvara or Vishnu), is eternal and real. Actually, this is just one of the five differences that are so stated -- all five differences that constitute the universe are eternal. The five are given by:

jiiveshvara bhidA chaiva jaDeshvara bhidA tathA |
jiiva-bhedo mithashchaiva jaDa-jiiva-bhidA tathA |
mithashcha jaDa-bhedo.ayam prapaJNcho bheda-pa.nchakaH ||
- paramashruti

"The difference between the jīva (soul) and Īshvara (Creator), and the difference between jaDa (insentient) and Īshvara; and the difference between various jīvas, and the difference between jaDa and jīva; and the difference between various jaDas, these five differences make up the universe." From the Paramopanishad a.k.a. Parama-shruti, as quoted by Ananda Tīrtha in his 'VishNu-tattva-vinirNaya'

Another way of saying this is that these five fundamental differences are between: Brahman and matter, Brahman and SelvesOne's consciousness of one's own being or identity; The essential qualities distinguishing oneself from others; one's sense of individuality. Many quotations assert that to truly know oneself is the most difficult thing to achieve. See also: Thoughts With, SelvesOne's consciousness of one's own being or identity; The essential qualities distinguishing oneself from others; one's sense of individuality. Many quotations assert that to truly know oneself is the most difficult thing to achieve. See also: Thoughts With, a Self and another Self, and one object and another

This is the reason why some refer to the doctrine of Tattvavāda (the preferred name) as 'Dvaita'. However, 'Dvaita' is thought to be inadequately representative of the true grain of Tattvavāda.

The doctrine of Tattvavāda is considered to be eternal (in a flow-like sense, just as Creation is eternal); in historical times, it was revived by Ananda Tīrtha, who is also known as Madhvāchārya. Because of this, followers of Tattvavāda are called Mādhvas, meaning followers of Madhva.



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