Madhvacharya in the 21st century

[Guest guest]

Madhvacharya in the 21st century

 

Was Madhva inspired by Christianity and other religions existing at

that time? ....AH, NO HE WASN'T (VP)

Lokkur Vasanthi Rao finds out more about the saint.

 

 

 

Dhirendra Mohan Datta, in his forward to Dr B N K Sharma's book

Madhva's Teachings in his own words, refers to Madhva as, "Vedantic

Master, the versatile genius" who was not just a teacher but a

constructive exponent of the whole body of spiritual classics who

initiated a socio-political/religious movement, known as

the `Devotional' movement.

 

The ideal of devotion of a favoured deity was known and practiced by

few for 2000 years, but it was Madhva who popularised it in the

Deccan.

 

Every major religion lays emphasis on `Devotion'— submission to God—

but this was an outcome of his quest, dialectics, knowledge,

experience and conclusion— not easy if one reads the philosophies and

theologies of various religions. In this bottomless ocean of

knowledge, to arrive at `reality', was no easy task.

 

 

It creates problems in understanding. Everything gets lost in misty

mysticism and incomprehensible abstractions.

 

Madhva's task was not easy, he had to contend with Shankar's `Monism'

and various other philosophies and their teachers. These did not deal

with simple faith and belief, but complex systems of speculation,

argument, let alone interpretation of Vedanta. This involved

inconceivable physical effort. Madhva went further than others both

in his scholarship and research. The issue, essentially centered

around God, world, soul and the truth about these.

 

It is to the credit of the democratic spirit prevailing in the

spiritual world of ancient India that interpreters who founded their

own sects had different views, all of which were accepted, on equal

terms, as the common source was the same though the interpretation

differed.

 

It was a purification exercise from the inside i.e. within the

Brahmanical systems. The society Madhva was born into was

disintegrating. Theistic efforts of his predecessors had not

succeeded, except in pockets. There was disunity and Hinduism was

cocooned in self denial in various forms. The vitality that Hinduism

enjoyed thousands of years earlier as in Vedic times was missing.

 

Revolutionary stand

 

Submission to fate was not acceptable to him. Man was responsible for

his life. This was a bold revolutionary stand and it happened in

various parts of the country, which Madhva explored several times on

foot!

 

The Vaishnavaite theism was a direct influence of Madhva philosophy.

 

This had its roots in ancient heritage. Vaishnava reformers, carried

the message of the individual soul as being distinct from the soul of

the Almighty, which ran counter to the monistic philosophy of

Advaita.

 

First Chaitanya developed his own activism, originally inspired by

Madhva and then Swami Vivekananda who was a true Madhva in action— as

in its philosophy where the physical world is real, there is emphasis

on action. Madhvas practice virtue in thought, word and deed.

 

Extraordinary child

 

Madhva's date of birth differs from 1199 to 1238. He was born into a

Tulu Brahmin family in Pajaka Kshetra in a village sixty miles north

of Mangalore. There are eye-witness reports about his extraordinary

capabilities, bordering on super human even as a child. He was also

known as Ananda Threetha and Purna Prajna Vasudeva.

 

According to Theos Bernards, the account of his life and work are

Narayanacharya's Madhva Vijaya and Manimanjari. Much can be gleaned

from the study of Jayathirtha's commentary on Madhva's Sutra Bhasya

and others.

 

Madhva Philosophy has stirred up heated controversies in recent

times, one of his critics was Appayadikshita, another contemporary

Varadaguru, according to Roque Mesquita did Madhva lie about his

sources? – one is not in a position to judge as the real life of the

great sage throws light on this. He knew atleast four languages. His

works were burned, some of which were reclaimed. He chose his

disciples only after discussion, and he had the mind of an

experimentalist.

 

The idea of Avatar is not acceptable as such, but, the insider's

view, was simply, "like to & so", not be taken too seriously in

simple English, it should be understood as "God's gift". He drew from

more sources than just the traditional ones and used terse language

which might have led to misinterpretation by modern Sanskrit

scholars.

 

The European Indologists according to Roque Mesquita were of the

opinion that Madhva by no means would have dared to falsify his

sources since Madhva's contemporaries would have challenged him.

 

Was Madhva inspired by Christianity and other primitive religions

existing in that area at that time?

 

His banning of animal sacrifices, systematising rituals to promote

healthy living, introducing dance music, and public service and such

other `action' are in contrast to some of the most prominent

achievers in contemporary India.

 

The one who had declared the `phenomenal world' an illusion— Madhva—

`died', disappeared at the age of 79.

http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/feb52006/artic15468200622.asp