Research on Tattvavadis

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MEANING OF TATTAVAVADI

 

Cc Madhya 9.11

 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura points out that the word

"Tattvavadi" refers to the followers of Srila Madhvacarya. To distinguish

his disciplic succession from the Mayavadi followers of Sankaracarya, Srila

Madhvacarya named his party the Tattvavadis. Impersonal monists are always

attacked by these Tattvavadis, who attempt to defeat their philosophy of

impersonalism. Generally, they establish the supremacy of the Supreme

Personality of Godhead. Actually the disciplic succession of Madhvacarya is

known as the Brahma Vaisnava sect; that is the sect coming down from Lord

Brahma.

 

GAUDIYA VAISNAVAS DIFFER FROM TATTVAVADIS ON:

 

(1) TATTVAVADIS STICK TO VARNASHRAMA DHARMA WHICH INVOLVES FRUITIVE ACTIVITY

WHEREAS GAUDIYAS STRESS ON HEARING & CHANTING

 

Cc Madhya 9.258

 

According to the Tattvavadis, the best process for achieving the highest

goal of life is to execute the duties of the four varnas and asramas. In the

material world, unless one is situated in one of the varnas (brahmana,

ksatriya, vaisya or sudra) one cannot manage social affairs properly to

attain the ultimate goal. One also has to follow the principles of the

asramas (brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa), since these

principles are considered essential for the attainment of the highest goal.

In this way the Tattvavadis establish that the execution of the principles

of varna and asrama for the sake of Krsna is the best way to attain the

topmost goal. The Tattvavadis thus established their principles in terms of

human society. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, however, differed when He said that

the best process is hearing and chanting about Lord Visnu.

 

Cc Madhya 9.277

 

The Tattvavada sampradaya of the Madhvacarya school sticks to the principle

of varnasrama-dharma, which involves fruitive activity. Their ultimate goal

(mukti) is simply a form of material desire.

 

(2) POSITION OF LAKSHMIDEVI

 

SB 6.19.13 Purport

 

Madhvacarya, the acarya of the Tattvavadis, has described this verse in the

following way: "Visnu is described as yajna personified, and mother Laksmi

is described as spiritual activities and the original form of worship. In

fact, they represent spiritual activities and the Supersoul of all yajna.

Lord Visnu is the Supersoul even of Laksmidevi, but no one can be the

Supersoul of Lord Visnu, for Lord Visnu Himself is the spiritual Supersoul

of everyone."

 

According to Madhvacarya, there are two tattvas, or factors. One is

independent, and the other is dependent. The first tattva is the Supreme

Lord, Visnu, and the second is the jiva-tattva. Laksmidevi, being dependent

on Lord Visnu, is sometimes counted among the jivas. The Gaudiya Vaisnavas,

however, describe Laksmidevi in accordance with the following two verses

from the Prameya-ratnavali of Baladeva Vidyabhusana.

 

"O best of the brahmanas, Laksmiji is the constant companion of the Supreme

Personality of Godhead, Visnu, and therefore she is called anapayini. She is

the mother of all creation. As Lord Visnu is all-pervading, His spiritual

potency, mother Laksmi, is also all-pervading." Lord Visnu has three

principal potencies-internal, external and marginal. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

has accepted para-sakti, the spiritual energy of the Lord, as being

identical with the Lord. Thus she is also included in the independent

visnu-tattva."

 

"Although some authoritative Vaisnava disciplic successions count the

goddess of fortune among the ever-liberated living entities (jivas) in

Vaikuntha, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in accordance with the statement in the

Visnu Purana, has described Laksmi as being identical with the visnu-tattva.

The correct conclusion is that the descriptions of Laksmi as being different

from Visnu are stated when an eternally liberated living entity is imbued

with the quality of Laksmi; they do not pertain to mother Laksmi, the

eternal consort of Lord Visnu."

 

(3) TATTVAVADIS DO NOT ACCEPT BRAHMA-VIMOHANA LILA

 

Cc Madhya 9.11

 

Consequently the Tattvavadis, or followers of Madhvacarya, do not accept the

incident of Lord Brahma's illusion, which is recorded in the Tenth Canto of

Srimad-Bhagavatam. Srila Madhvacarya has purposefully avoided commenting on

that portion of Srimad-Bhagavatam in which brahma-mohana, the illusion of

Lord Brahma, is mentioned.

 

(4) THE HIGHEST GOAL OF LIFE

 

Cc Madhya 9.258

 

According to the Tattvavadis, the highest goal is returning home, back to

Godhead, but in Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's opinion the highest goal is

attaining love of Godhead, in either the material world or the spiritual

world. In the material world this is practiced according to sastric

injunction, and in the spiritual world the real achievement is already

there.

 

ORIGIN OF TATTVAVADA IN THE MADHVA SAMPRADAYA

 

(From an article by Jaya Tirtha das JPS)

 

It is said that Sripad Vidyadhiraja Tirtha (Vidyanidhi, 13th acarya in our

parampara) was extremely sick at the time, and so he sent word to his dear

disciple Rajendra Tirtha (14th acarya in our parampara) to come immediately,

but he was not in the immediate area at the time and so did not get the

message for quite some time. The 'Guru', feeling his life passing, and his

departure immenent, he ordained another disciple who happened to be there at

the time to at least guarantee that he would have a successor. That

devotees' name was Kavindra Tirtha. There is some controversy as to why

things happened as they did. B.N.K. Sharma suggests that, "It is not

possible to ascertain now what precisely was the reason for the second

ordination. The reason of the disciple's absence during the 'Guru's' illness

given for the bifurcation is not convincing. An interim arrangement could

well have been made, even as reported during the second bifurcation,

similarly under Ramachandra Tirtha. The true reason was probably to satisfy

the growing regional needs and expectations. The branches resulting

therefrom have come to stay and have contributed to the development and

glory of 'Dvaita' literature and philosophy."(B.N.K.Sharma. 1961. History of

the Dvaita School of Vedanta. page 452.)

 

In this way some say that Vidyadhiraja Tirtha called Kavindra Tirtha due

to a need for the preaching to spread due to his talents in that direction,

but one cannot guess the reasons why - a pure Vaisnava acts. We do know,

that it is only to satisfy the Lord, that much we can ascertain. The line

coming from Rajendra Tirtha is now represented by Sripad Vyasa Tirtha (18th

acarya in our parampara) (Vyasaraya Mutt) and Sosale Mutt, and those lines

still continue.

 

The other, or second line (that from Kavinda Tirtha) continued on to

Vagisa Tirtha and Ramacandra Tirtha, but at the time of Ramacandra there

was some heavy disagreements at the time of his passing that apparently

nearly stopped the line at that time. This is the second bifurcation that

B.N.K. Sharma refers to which inevitably it caused a big spilt and now

those lines come down via his two disciples, Vibudhendra Tirtha of

Raghavendra Swami Mutt and Vidyanidhi Tirtha of Uttaradi Mutt.

 

It is said that Vibudhendra Tirtha (1400-1470.) who took the

pontiffical seat in the Raghavendra Swami Mutt between (1435-1470.), was

also a disciple of Sripad Rajendra Tirtha, and the great Sripadaraj Tirtha

was Vibudhendra Tirtha's student(B.N.K. Sharma.1961. History of the Dvaita

School of Vedanta. page 210.).

 

However, whatever happened, it was recitified - but what he did was

carefully forgotten by the mutt listings and even BNK Sharmas' eagle eye

for research. (We could take a few lessons here!!!)

 

(...and by the time that Vadiraj Tirtha and Vyasa Tirtha appeared to

re-establish some of the basic principles that Madhwa taught, and that had

kind of become secondary to being a brahmin, etc. i.e. Raghavaryu Tirtha

who spoke with Lord Chaitanya......!)

 

 

Comment: It is supposedly at the above described bifurcation in the Madhva

sampradaya, the fruitive Tattvavadi worship entered, whose influence could

not be removed even by the powerful preaching of Vyasa Tirtha (the 18th

acarya in our line) and continues till the present day. Ofcourse Lord

Caitanya defeated the Tattvavada philosophy many times during His tour to

South India.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Your servant,

Nayana-ranjana das