THE THREE GREAT PHILOSOPHERS OF SOUTH INDIA WHO GAVE ADVAITHA, VISHISTADVAITHA AND DWAITHA PHILOSOPHIES

PART III : H.H. MADHWACHARAYA

Friends,

Having given a very brief biography and principles propounded by ADI SHANKARA and RAMANUJA , I am giving hereunder, a small biography and an entirely a new concept i.e.DWAITHA or DUALISM given by another great SAINT called MADHWACHAARYA.

In a tiny village called PAJAKA in Udupi district in Karnataka state, in the year 1238 AD, a boy was born on Vijaya Dashami day of the Lunar month Ashwin to a devout couple by names Madhyageha Bhatta and Vedavati. They named the child as VASUDEVA which is a synonym of Maha Vishnu., since he was born by the blessing of Lord Vishnu whom the couple prayed in varied ways for over 12 years. The story is that on hearing the prayers of the couple, Sriman Narayana asked VAYU to be born to the couple. In fact, Madhwas believe that he is the incarnation of VAYU like, BHEEMA and HANUMAN. In childhood itself Vasudeva was inclined towards spirituality and had great talents in grasping spiritual knowledge, He was very sturdy and well built. Madhwas have many stories to tell about the miracles Vasudeva perfomed as a child. Due to space constrain I shall narrate only one instance. When he was only ONE YEAR OLD once he accompanied his father’s bullocks by just holding them on their tips of tails and took them for grazing. His parents searched for the child but it was a vain attempt. However, the child returned home in the evening with the bullocks. This shows his great endurance power.

While he was a young boy of eleven years old i.e in the year 1149 AD. he chose to become a SANYASI under a great SANYASIN called ACHYUTHA PREKSHA who named VASUDEVA as PURNAPRAJNA. Here-in , I would like to state that PURNAPRAJNA TRUST, managed by MADHVAS is running many institutions for the benefit of mankind and their Educational Institutions are very famous for their excellence in teaching. This great Sanyasin , Poornaprajna had profound knowledge in SANSKRIT, VEDAS, UPANSHADS etc. and LOGIC OR THARKA SHASTHRA. Achyuta Preksha conferred upon Poornaprajna the title “ANANDA THEERTHA” for his knowledge in VEDANTHA and THARKA SHASTHRA through which he defeated VASUDEVA PANDITHA an eminent logician of his times, and, his disciples. In fact MADHWA is the PENNAME assumed by POORNAPRAJNA while writing his works on VEDAS. This is the exact reason why he is revered as MADHWACHARYA the author of DWITHA OR DUALISM and how he came to be known as MADHWACHARYA. As a teenager POORNAPRAJNA toured all over south which include Thiruvananthapuram, Kanyakumari, Rameshwaram and Srirangam He had no belief in superstitions and faught tooth and nail against it. He WAS SEVERELY CRITISIZED FOR HIS ATTACK ON ORTHDOXY. He then returned to UDUPI and there he wrote his BHASHYA or commentary on BHAGAVAT GITHA. This commentary . he took to BHADRINATH where daily after bath in the holy river GANGA observed MOUNA VRATHA for 48 days. Thereafter he went to VYASA BADRI and believied to have met the GREAT SAGE VEDA VYASA and presented him with his BHASHYA ON BHAGAVAT GITHA. In his original Bhashya, it is said that he had written that the Bhashya was written with the help of Veda Vyasa which was changed by Veda Vyasa himself as “I have written with my own capacity and not with the help of Veda Vyasa”.

UDUPI SHREE KRISHNA TEMPLE

Friends, it is now the right time to tell about this wonderful temple situated in UDUPI which is as famous as Sri Venkateshwara Temple of Tirupati , Srirangam Temple and Lord Krishna Temple of Guruvayur. It is said that Madhwacharya once noticed a ship which lost its direction in the sea at Malpe, a small coastal village near Udupi. Madhwacharya immediately took his saffron anga vasthram ( over-cloth) and waved it like a flag looking towards the ship. The captain of the ship noticed this and took the ship to shore. He was very much pleased with the Acharya’s action and in gratitude he asked Madhwacharya to take any thing which he liked from the ship. Madhwacharya who was a sanyasin had no much desires and hence he took a mound of dried GOPICHANDANA from the captain. On breaking open this mound he found a small and beautiful idol of Lord Krishna. This he installed in the Temple at Udupi which is now one of the famous temples of Lord Krishna. Madhwacharya, then formed eight Mutts and appointed eight Heads for these mutts to perform POOJA, which are given below and which are situated in UDUPI Ratha Veedhi or Car Street.

(1)Phal.imar mutt : hrishikEsha Theertha (2) adamAr Mutt : Narasimha Theertha (3) Krishnapura Mutt : Janaardhana theertha ( 4) Puttige Mutt : Upendra Theertha (5) Kaaniyoor Mutt : Vaamana Theertha (6) Sode mutt : Vishnu Theertha (7) Shiroor Mutt : Raama Theertha and (8) Pejawar Mutt : Adhokshaja Theertha.

The peculiarity of this Temple is that Lord Krishna’s idol in this temple is facing the west. Although no one can tell exactly, why this idol is facing west, according to some, there was a devotee called KANAKA DASA who was from a low caste and who could not enter the temple because of his being born in a low caste. Being a great devotee of Lord Krishna he used to stand daily on the western side of the temple and performed his prayers. Lord Krishna was well pleased with him and in order to give Darshan He turned towards the west. This is one belief. All my friends reading this might have heard about KANAKA DASAR KRUTHIS.

I can narrate many stories about this great saint who gave to the HINDUS the DWAITHA SIDDANTHA but due to space constraint I like to cut short this biography.

MADHWACHARYA’S DUALISM

The Dwaitha Siddantha differs from the other two theories on five counts They are :-

“ (1) JeevaiEEshwara Beda, or difference between the soul and Vishnu;
(2) Jada-EEshwara Bheda or difference between insentient and Vishnu;
(3) Mitha-Jeeva Bheda or difference between any two souls;
(4) Jada-Jeeva Bheda or difference between insentient and the soul;
(5) Mitha-Jada Bheda or difference between any two insentients..

To clarify: ISHWARA is a sentient being, and the JIVA is also sentient. However they are not fully alike. While ishwara is fully independent JEEVA is fully dependent. It is the energization by ISWARA that is responsible for the activity of the JIVA.

According to Madhwa ( Let us not forget his actual name after he was initiated in to SANYAS i.e POORNAPRAJNA ) as all the three saints believe, LORD VISHNU is supreme. Why I included Shankara Bhagavathpaadar also is, because of the difference with him only another great SAINT BHASAVESHWARA started his famous LINGA CULT called LINGAYATS as HH. Shankaracharya said that “SHIVA AND VISHNU ARE ONE AND THE SAME”. And in Sandhya Vandanam especially performed by BRAHMINS says “ AkAshAth pathitham thOyam yaththa gachchathi saagaram , sarvadevanamaskaarah: keshavam prathi gachchathi” meaning as all the waters fall from the sky go to the seas, in the same way all prayers towards all DEVAS ultimately reach KESHAVA. And in samarpanam or conclusion we say “Kaayena vaachaa manasEndriyair vaa bddyaathmanaavaa prakruthe swabhaavath, karOmi yadyath sakalam parasmai naaraayannayEthi samarpayaami. This is not intended to say that we are wrong but only to show as to why the great saints differ in their approach

Coming again to Madhwa’s teachings. He says further that the universe is real and the five differences are real, the leagues of Jeevas are cohorts of VISHNU and are superior or inferior among themselves; salvation is the experience of Jiva’s own joy; This can be achieved only by flawless devotion or Bhakthi towards Vishnu.. etc.

After establishing the Lord Krishna Temple and the Mutts, Madhwacharya again went to Badri. He has authored many books some of the important works are his commenries on VEDIC HYMNS like Rig Veda BHAASHYA, KARMANI MAYA , BHASHYA ON VARIOUS UPANSHADS, BHASHYA ON BHAGAVAT GITHA Etc. HH. Madwacharya lived for 79 years i.e till NAVAMI OF SHUKA PAKSHA (BRIGHTER HALF OF THE MOON ) in the month of Magha of PINGALA SAMVATHSARA. Madhwas believe that this great saint is still alive and guiding them in all spiritual matters.

Friends, let us prostrate before all these three great saints with all reverence who made HINDUISM a most DYNAMIC RELIGION.

Regards to one and all.

P.R.RADHAKRISHNAN

THE THREE GREAT PHILOSOPHERS OF SOUTH INDIA
WHO GAVE ADVAITHA, VISHISTADVAITHA AND DWAITHA PHILOSOPHIES
PART : II

RAMANUJACHARYA

Friends,

Having given a brief biography of HH. Shankara Bhagavath Paada, I would like to tell about HH Ramanuchacharya who came up with his theory of VISHISHTTAADVAITHA..

Ramanuja was born in the year 1017 AD. To a very pious couple by name S.Sri. Keshava Somayaji and Kanthimathi in a village called Sriperumbudur near Kancheepuram, where Sri. Rajeev Gandhi’s Samadhi is built now. His father and mother gave him the name as Ilaya Perumal, meaning younger Maha Vishnu. He was born and brought up as a Vaishnavaite Brahmin. His father died when he was very young. Afterwards he went to Kancheepuram to learn Vedas under an ADVAITHA teacher called Yadava Prakasha. But , he was not very happy with his teacher since Yadava Prakasha committed many mistakes while teaching Vedas.

Ramanuja had a very good memory power and hence tried to correct his teacher which was not liked by his teacher as well as co-students. Even thy tried to kill Ramanuja but this information was leaked out somehow and he miraculously escaped from this bid..

In south India the Vishishtaadwaitha philosophy was very well established by the end 10th century. Yamunacharya, a great scholar and a sage was in charge of the Vaishnavate Mutt at Shrirangam. Many vaishnavate temples came up in places like Tiruppathy, Srirangam Kancheepuram and other places. Kanchipurna who was a Shoodra was his ardent deciple and he was serving in the Shrirangam Mutt. Ramanuja was influenced by this Kanchopurna. We can see a temple at Kancipuram dedicated to this great person. Ramanuja had great respect for this great man and learned many things from him. One day he invited this Kancipurna to his house for Lunch. Unfortunately, the day Kanchipurna came, Ramanuja was not in the house. However, he was received well by Ramanuja’s, wife and other family members. Immediately after Kanchpuna left the house , they started washing the house since a shoodra had entered the house and as soon as they finished washing the house, Ramanuja returned. Seeing this, Ramanuja was disgusted with his wife and family and abandoned them, to become a SANYSIN. This shows that although Ramanuja was a Brahmin by caste and believed in VARNAASRAMA, never believed in untouchability even before becoming a SANYASIN.

Vaishnava Cult established well by about 10th Century A.D.H.H. Yamunacharya was the head of Srirangam Mutt at Thiruchchi. In the interest of readers I like to state that Srirangam temple Gopuram is the tallest in South India. This Yamunacharya was highly learned, a profound scholar and a great sage. However, since he was getting old and wanted to install a suitable person as the Head of the Mutt. He found only Ramanuja as his heir. Ramanuja wanted to see this great saint and hence he came to Srirangam by which time HH. Yamunacharya had attained SAMADHI. At Srirangam, he was told by others that the late Swamiji wishes that Ramanuja should succeed him. However , he could not do so because the CHOLA KING (KULOTHTHUNGA CHOLAN I) of that time was a staunch SHAIVATE who did not allow him to stay in Srirangam unless Ramanuja also became a SAIVATE. The legend goes on that the disciples of Ramanuja KUresha and Mahapurna went to the king to submit that Maha Vishnu was supreme GOD. Instead of listening them the King ordered his men to torture them and to remove their eyes. SUCH WAS THE HATRED BETWEEN SHAIVATES AND VAISHNAVATES DURING THAT PERIOD. Till the death of Kuloththunga Chola, Ramanuja stayed in earst while MYSORE STATE whom he converted in to VAISHNAVISM. He also converted many persons in to VAISHNAVISM and constructed many temples for Maha Vishnu. At Melkote Temple which he constructed, he allowed HARJANS ( SC/ST) right of entry to the Temple on certain days. This again shows that here is a GREAT SAINT WHO NEVER BELIEVED IN UNTOUCHABILITY but believed very much in VARNASRAM DHARMA.

When Ramanuja received the news about the death of KULOTHTHUNG CHOLA, he came back to Srirangam and took charge of Srirangam Mutt. He converted more than a lakh of people to his Vishistadwaitha Philosophy irrespective of caste or creed or colour.
It is said that he had about 700 Sanyasins under him. He was also instrumental in constructing many more VISHNU temples in Tamil Nadu..


RAMANUJA’S VISHISTADWAITHA

In fact Ramanuja’s Vishishtadwaitha was not new. However the credit of codifying the principles go to him. VISHISTADWAITHA means QUALIFIED MONOISM It means although GOD is only ONE , according to Ramanuja HE has attributes. Ramanuja believed that attributes and GOD co-exist. In other words Ramanuja believed in SAVISHESHA BRAHMAN or SAGUNA BRAHMAN and that GOD is MAHA VISHNU. Of course, Shankara also is inclined to this fact. But he says ” sarvadEvanamaskara: kEshavam prathigachchathi “ It means GOD IS ONLY ONE irrespective of which form you pray. But his definition of GOD is that HE is NIRGUNA. But Ramanuja’s definition of BRAHMAN is KALYANA GUNA SAMPANNA. RAMANUJA believed that the BRAHMAN is qualified by all chit and achit physical existences asHis body mode and attributes which has no parallels . In short NARAYANA is anantha kalyana gunakara..

Here, I would like to state there are two schools of thought among Vaisnavates, called VADAKALAIS AND THENKALAIS.

According to Vadakalais, Mahalaksmi is the feminine part of BRAHMAN and hence She is infinite in nature just as NARAYANA and equal to NARAYANA in all respects.

According to Thenkalais MAHALAKSHMI plays only a part as mediator to attain salvation of JIVA and not a means.. They also belief that She is not infinite as LORD NARAYANA but only a JIVA like any of us.

Here-in , I like to state that all these philosophers based their faith on NARAYANA whom they consider as BRAHMAN. That is the reason why some of the philosophers went against them and started VEERASHAIVSM among whom I can mention KAPALIKAS and LINGAYATS, KASHMIRI SHAIVATES. Readers are requested to go through my early write up on LINGA CULT.

Vaishnava Cult established well by about 10th Century A.D.H.H. Yamunacharya was the head of Srirangam Mutt at Thiruchchi. In the interest of readers I like to state that Srirangam temple Gopuram is the tallest in South India. This Yamunacharya was highly learned, a profound scholar and a great sage.

Having given a brief history of the BRAHMAN the ultimate GOD as defined by Shri. Shankara and Shri. Ramanuja I shall reproduce on which counts Ramanuja differed from
Adi Shankara in his philosophy. Ramanuja raised SEVEN objections to Shankara”s ADVAITHA I am giving below the extract from Ramanuja’s biography published by
Sri Ramakrishna Mutt.
“ The Seven objections to Shankara's Advaita
Ramanuja picks out what he sees as seven fundamental flaws in the Advaita philosophy to revise them. He argues:
I. The nature of Avidya. Avidya must be either real or unreal; there is no other possibility. But neither of these is possible. If Avidya is real, non-dualism collapses into dualism. If it is unreal, we are driven to self-contradiction or infinite regress.
II. The incomprehensibility of Avidya. Advaitins claim that Avidya is neither real nor unreal but incomprehensible, {anirvacaniya.} All cognition is either of the real or the unreal: the Advaitin claim flies in the face of experience, and accepting it would call into question all cognition and render it unsafe.
III. The grounds of knowledge of Avidya. No pramana can establish Avidya in the sense the Advaitin requires. Advaita philosophy presents Avidya not as a mere lack of knowledge, as something purely negative, but as an obscuring layer which covers Brahman and is removed by true Brahma-vidya. Avidya is positive nescience not mere ignorance. Ramanuja argues that positive nescience is established neither by perception, nor by inference, nor by scriptural testimony. On the contrary, Ramanuja argues, all cognition is of the real.
IV. The locus of Avidya. Where is the Avidya that gives rise to the (false) impression of the reality of the perceived world? There are two possibilities; it could be Brahman's Avidya or the individual soul's {jiva.} Neither is possible. Brahman is knowledge; Avidya cannot co-exist as an attribute with a nature utterly incompatible with it. Nor can the individual soul be the locus of Avidya: the existence of the individual soul is due to Avidya; this would lead to a vicious circle.
V. Avidya's obscuration of the nature of Brahman. Sankara would have us believe that the true nature of Brahman is somehow covered-over or obscured by Avidya. Ramanuja regards this as an absurdity: given that Advaita claims that Brahman is pure self-luminous consciousness, obscuration must mean either preventing the origination of this (impossible since Brahman is eternal) or the destruction of it - equally absurd.
VI. The removal of Avidya by Brahma-vidya. Advaita claims that Avidya has no beginning, but it is terminated and removed by Brahma-vidya, the intuition of the reality of Brahman as pure, undifferentiated consciousness. But Ramanuja denies the existence of undifferentiated {nirguna} Brahman, arguing that whatever exists has attributes: Brahman has infinite auspicious attributes. Liberation is a matter of Divine Grace: no amount of learning or wisdom will deliver us.
VII. The removal of Avidya. For the Advaitin, the bondage in which we dwell before the attainment of Moksa is caused by Maya and Avidya; knowledge of reality (Brahma-vidya) releases us. Ramanuja, however, asserts that bondage is real. No kind of knowledge can remove what is real. On the contrary, knowledge discloses the real; it does not destroy it. And what exactly is the saving knowledge that delivers us from bondage to Maya? If it is real then non-duality collapses into duality; if it is unreal, then we face an utter absurdity.
Even though Bhagavad Ramanuja taught his followers to highly respect all Sri Vaishnavas irrespective of caste, he firmly believed in the tenets of Varnashrama Dharma.
His Saranagati philosophy emphasises that anyone, irrespective of colour, creed, caste, sex and religion can surrender their mind, body and soul to the Lotus feet of Lord Narayana and the God would accept him/her. But if one surrenders to any other deva than Vasudeva, such as Siva or Ganesha, he will have to be reborn as a vaishnava.

Even though Bhagavad Ramanuja taught his followers to highly respect all Sri Vaishnavas irrespective of caste, he firmly believed in the tenets of Varnashrama Dharma. His Saranagati philosophy emphasises that anyone, irrespective of colour, creed, caste, sex and religion can surrender their mind, body and soul to the Lotus feet of Lord Narayana and the God would accept him/her. But if one surrenders to any other deva than Vasudeva, such as Siva or Ganesha, he will have to be reborn as a vaishnava.

Cited from Sri Ramanuja, His Life, Religion, and Philosophy, published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, India.”
It is said that H.H. RAMANUCHACHARYA completed full PRUSHAYUS i.e. 120 years of age and then attained SAMADHI. According to Dr Saroja Ramanujam, He was born in 1017 and attained Samadhi in 1137. She cites many references to this. This ight or might not be an exaggeration , but he lived long life remains a fact. His SAMADHI can be seen even now within SRIRANGAM TEMPLE COMPLEX. It is said that the mortal remaind of SAINT RAMANUJA can be seen even now at Srirangam temple complex where his body is covered with Sandal paste and other medicines applied on it, and if we observe closely, we can see the nails of this GREAT SAINT. This shrine is opened to the public and every day lakhs of pilgrims visit this HOLY SHRINE.

Friends, being H.H. Adi Shankara’s followers most of us maight disagree with his principles,But let us all acknowledge his wisdom and vision which have attracted many devotees into His SRIVAISHNAVA AND VISHISHTADVAITHA CULT. I prostrate before this great saint and beg his Asirvadams.

Last but not least I acknowledge, the valuable suggestion and certain guidances given to me with great respect to Dr. Saroja Ramanujam who went through this brief biography of a great saint. But for her help, I could not have completed this small biography of such an eminent Saint.

P.R.Radhakrishnan