The Hindu Article: "Illustrious guide of Dwaita philosophy"

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Illustrious guide of Dwaita philosophy

 

CHENNAI, JULY 18. Even a person gifted with extraordinary

intelligence is sure to require guidance to understand some of the

statements contained in the scriptures. He may come across portions

which may baffle him or appear as contradictory to one another. It is

to clear doubts that God has deputed outstanding spiritual leaders

equipped with the capacity to unfold the mysteries lying deep in the

sacred texts. Not only will they dispel the darkness in the minds of

people who aspire to gain knowledge about religious practices and

philosophy, they will also tender proper advice about personal

conduct.

One among such illustrious guides who had written commentaries for 18

out of 37 works of Sri Madhwacharya, has his name described as a

master in Sanskrit literature in a global reference book which covers

the history of mankind. He was Sri Jayatheertha (1345-1388). In a

previous birth, born as an animal (a bull), he used to carry the load

of books of Madhwacharya. Once when the saint's disciples asked him as

to whether he would write commentaries for his 37 texts, Sri Madhwa

pointed out to the ``bull''. Some jealous disciples poisoned it, but

it was resuscitated by the Acharya by reciting the ``Dwadasa Stotra''.

Later, born in a royal family as Dhondoo Rao, he was fond of horse

riding and as he stepped into a river to quench his thirst, he drank

water directly (from the river) thereby reminding one of his previous

births. Meanwhile, Akshobhya Theertha, a direct disciple of

Madhwacharya, who had a dream, was told of the prince's previous birth

when as a bull he served Sri Madhwa. Dhondoo Rao, enlightened about

his past and about the life's mission, studied under Akshobhya

Theertha, took to monastic order and became one of the torchbearers of

the Dwaita philosophy, said Sri R. Sridharachar in a lecture on

Jayatheertha's Aradhana last week. Because of his expertise in

commenting (Teeka) upon scriptural texts, he was popularly known as

Teekacharya. In one of his works, in the invocatory verse itself, he

had presented a summary of dualism.

Sri Jayatheertha argues that more than God's forms, His glorious

qualities like mercy are to be meditated upon, since He is the

personification of all the best traits, the most admirable among them

being His ``independence''. The Acharya points out that this

``independence'' is a ``compartment'' of which God is the sole

occupant, meaning thereby that all of us are absolutely dependent on

Him. His ``Nyaya Sudha'' is considered as a masterpiece on grammar

 

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