<\/p>\n
MADHVACARYA<\/p>\n
\nMA’s father was Madhyageha Bhatta; he prayed at the Ananteswara Temple (a Siva
\ntemple) in Udipi for a son. Ananteswara is worshipped as the Supersoul of
\nSiva.<\/p>\n
MA is Vayuamsa. Vayu is a great Vaisnava preacher who came as Hanuman in the
\nTreta-yuga and Bhima in the Dvapara-yuga.<\/p>\n
There was a big festival in the Ananteswara temple. MGB went with his wife
\nand there they prayed. After that one man climbed up a pole in the temple and
\ndanced on it, shouting “Mukhya Prana (Vayu) will appear and destroy the
\ndemoniac impersonalism.” Then he fell.<\/p>\n
When MA was born he had the 32 signs of a mahapurusa. MGB wrapped up the baby
\nand went to Pajakaksetra, fearing some harm might come to the boy. A brahmin
\nwho was accompanying them got possessed by a brahmana-raksasa along the way,
\nwho cried through the mouth of the brahmin, “Let me touch Bhima’s feet! I’ll
\nbe delivered that way!” In PJ, MGB took special care to hide baby from
\nimpersonalists.<\/p>\n
During his early schooling, MA would correct his teachers and teach them the
\nlessons of one month ahead. Because this disrupted classes, the teachers
\nwould come to the house, but finally they had to quit – “He asks questions
\nno-one could answer!”<\/p>\n
One Puranika came to teach. Little boy (4 yrs) said “He’s lying” during his
\nrecitation. There was a big turmoil. Brahmana-raksasa haunts the boy, they
\nsaid. So the father asked the boy to explain, and he did. Father said, “Yes
\nthat’s very nice, but we Vaisnavas have no Brahma-sutra commentary to
\nestablish our viewpoints.” Boy stood on a pot and showed 2 fingers – “I will
\ndo it! The soul and God are two!”<\/p>\n
One day the boy was crying, so his sister went out to get the mother. The boy
\ncrawled into the horse gram dahl barrel and ate 40 kilos. Mother in shock
\nasked him, “Are you thinking there’s no difference between my breast milk and
\nthis dahl?” From inside the barrel he showed two fingers.<\/p>\n
When MGB was doing puja, the boy cried “Hungry!” Father answered, “Look, I
\nbought a bull. I have no money to satisfy your appetite; rather, I owe
\nmoney.” Soon the man who’d sold the bull came by to ask MGB to pay up. The
\nboy met the man and said, “I am responsible for this matter.” The man said
\njokingly, “Oh yes, I’ve heard about you, they say you are ghostly haunted.”
\n“Just tell me what it costs.” “300 gold coins.” The boy picked up some
\ntamarind seeds and they became gold. Satisfying the man, MA then opened the
\nrope tying the bull, pulled on his tail and went for a ride behind the running
\nanimal.<\/p>\n
When his sister got married, MA quickly tired of the prajalpa at the marriage
\nparty and walked out of the house. He went to a nearby Visnu temple, where
\nfolks saw this small boy paying o’s and offering prayers. He then went to a
\nSiva temple and did same, and preached to some people that Visnu is superior
\nto Siva. They were pleased with him and gave him sweets. He went all the way
\nto Udipi, a crowd behind him. In the Ananteswara temple he was preaching to a
\nspellbound crowd; at that time the parents came, anxiously looking for him.
\nThey found a huge crowd around their boy, crying and worshipping him. MGB
\ntried to break through the crowd, shouting “He’s my son!” But everybody
\npushed him back, saying “He’s our son! We all feel the same way! Why are you
\nso special!” So father waved his chadar over their heads; boy saw and cried
\n“I’m hungry!” Father, embracing the boy, said, “As long as you are hungry,
\nthen I can say I am your father.” The boy ate a huge amount.<\/p>\n
People were saying, “He should take sannyasa!” MA asked father, “What’s
\nsannyasa?” Father answered, “A fruit.” Boy said, “I want that fruit. Now I
\nam eating only roots, I should come to the fruit stage.”<\/p>\n
When MGB was giving class, he failed to explain one word in the verse: likuchi
\n(a tree). Boy, who was playing outside, called in “Father, you are cheating
\nyour students by not telling them that likuchi means lemon.” Everyone was
\namazed, “How is it he’s so smart he can even correct his father?” “He doesn’t
\neven know the four orders of life,” the boy answered. “He thinks sannyasa is
\na fruit.”<\/p>\n
Once a snake attacked the boy, biting him 3 times. His family and friends
\nprayed to Durga to save him. He called out to them, “She can’t save anybody!”
\nThen he killed the snake himself. He declared, “Only this snake is a rope!
\nAll the other snakes will be defeated by my bhasya!”<\/p>\n
MA became student of Acyuta Preksa, who was a Bhagavata. Though coming in
\nmayavadi line, his guru had told him from the deathbed, “I’m not brahman, nor
\nwere 10 gurus before me.” AP was 65 years old when MA came to him. AP was
\npraying fervently to the Lord – “What is brahman?” MA, arriving for the first
\ntime, announced “What is Brahman? I will tell you!”<\/p>\n
MGB went to AP and pleaded, “Don’t take my son.” AP said, “I won’t give him
\nsannyasa unless you give permission. AP would teach about brahman as he’d
\nlearned it; MA would sneeze and AP would reprimand him – “That’s very inaus-
\npicious!” MA would retort “Not as inauspicious as your explanation.” Then he
\nwould explain; AP was so happy he got fat as a result.<\/p>\n
MGB and wife had another son, so at age 12 MA (then known as Vasudeva) took
\nsannyasa. Got the name Purna Prajna. Then he lectured for 4 days on one
\nSanskrit verse. AP danced with MA on his shoulders and sat him on the Vedanta
\nseat, saying “You are my guru.” Just then Vadisimha and Buddhisagara,
\nproponents of Vaisesikha and Buddhism, arrived at matha. These dudes could
\nargue on any subject from 18 different angles of attack. They challenged AP
\nand MA returned the challenge; as it was sunset, they offered to take up the
\ndebate the next morning but MA said, “No. NOW!” Madhva broke all their
\narguments into bits and pieces. BS said at midnight, “According to Vedic
\nprinciples we should stop now. We will continue tomorrow.” MA said, “Why
\ntomorrow? What kind of men are you?” They split that night, but left a palm
\nleaf that said, “You should write your own opinion on Vedanta.” And AP
\nconfirmed. So MA first wrote a Gita-bhasya.<\/p>\n
AP went with MA on a south Indian tour during which MA defeated many pandits.
\nHis entourage increased until he had 1000 pandits following him. He stayed
\nfor 4 months in Rameswaram. There he told to some pandits, “The Vedas have 3
\nmeanings; the Mahabharata 10 meanings and the Visnusahasranama 100 meanings.
\nThey were curious to hear how VSN could have 100 meanings. He launched into
\nan explanation that went on for 9 days. “Stop!” they finally cried.<\/p>\n
MA chanted Vedas perfectly; by his pronunciation alone, the meaning of the
\nwords was clear.<\/p>\n
Then he went back to Udipi; after taking permission from AP, he went on to
\nBadrinatha.<\/p>\n
He offered a book he’d written to Badrinarayana; while reading the first
\nverse, the Deity objected, because MA had written “I have explained to my
\ncapacity.” Deity said, “Even I will have to think twice if you explain
\nsomething to your full capacity. Better to say, ‘I’ve revealed a little
\nbit.'”<\/p>\n
MA told his disciples to stay at Badrinatha while he went onward. But his
\ndisciple Satyatirtha stuck by; he sent him to get flowers and left a leaf that
\nsaid: “There’s no truth higher than Visnu; no scripture higher than the Veda;
\nno explanation higher than mine; no place higher than Uttara Badrinatha. Don’t
\nfollow.” ST tried to follow; got stuck among the peaks; he was blown back to
\nBadrinatha.<\/p>\n
At UB MA saw Vyasa with big-gun rishis. V called MA closer – the rishis were
\nwaiting to Vyasa, but MA got a special darsana. V said, “I want to hear
\nyour Gita darsana. As MA read it V would make comments: “That’s nice…why
\ndidn’t you say more here? Add this…” In the end V pronounced, “I approve.”
\nNow write an MB commentary – give the correct commentary of the correct text.”
\nHe put his hand around MA’s shoulder and brought him to see Nara-Narayana
\nRishi. NN told V to give MA instruction; so V explained the 24 incarnations.
\nNN said MA should write a commentary on SB. Getting their blessings, MA went
\nback.<\/p>\n
Established Vedic sacrifices without animal killing.<\/p>\n
He saved a boat by waving his chadar and breathing in, sucking it to shore.
\nMerchant wanted to reward him; he said give me gopi chandan from the ballast.
\nThe six sailors could not lift it. MA picked it up with one hand and jumped
\nfrom the boat to the ocean. He put the chandan in a tank and it broke to
\nreveal a murti of Krsna holding churning rod ropes.<\/p>\n
This was Rukmini-devi’s Deity. It was originally worshipped by the gopis of
\nVrndavana. After destruction of Dwaraka, Uddhava brought this Deity to the
\nforest, and it gradually got encased in mud.<\/p>\n
Once a king named Iswara Deva was digging a big pond; he would impress every
\npasser-bye in that service. MA talked the king into digging; then water was
\nstruck.<\/p>\n
Madhva forded a river with disciples in tow when they couldn’t get a boat due
\nto Hindu-Muslim tensions. The Muslim king, seeing this, shouted “Allah!” and
\nfainted. MA spoke with him in Persian.<\/p>\n
He again went to Uttara Badrinatha and presented his Brahma-sutra commentary.
\nV responded with “aha-kara” again and again during the reading. He jumped in
\necstasy and gave him 12 salagram Deities; one Nrsingha salagram is being
\nworshipped at Subrahmanya Ksetra.<\/p>\n
From UB he went down through Bengal to Puri and into Andra. He wrote 10
\nUpanisad commentaries and the Visnu Tattva Nirnaya.<\/p>\n
Mayavadis at the Srngeri Matha became agitated and sent Pundarika Puri and
\nPadmatirtha for debating MA. They ran away after meeting him. They decided
\nto do something nasty, so they arranged for his library to be stolen. MA went
\nto King Jayasimha and complained. JS went to Srngeri and demanded the books,
\nwhen they answered “We don’t know where they are”, he replied “In your
\nphilosophy, knowing and not knowing are the same. So give!” Jayasimha became
\nthe librarian. MA did Caturmasya at JS’s place. Trivikrama Pandit became his
\ndisciple.<\/p>\n
Dictated 4 chapters of a book to 4 disciples simultaneously in 8 days – this
\nis the Anuvyakena, which contains arguments against all philosophies. He
\nrefuted 21 commentators of BS.<\/p>\n
Heard astrology at the start of every day.<\/p>\n
In the Ananteswara temple he explained the BS and the devas showered flowers.
\nAt one point in his explanation the people couldn’t understand it anymore. The
\nflowers piled up and covered him. The explanation stopped. When the people
\ncame forward to remove the flowers, he was gone.<\/p>\n
\nCOMPARISON OF MADHVA PHILOSOPHY WITH LORD CAITANYA’S EXPLANATION:<\/p>\n
MADHVA LORD CAITANYA<\/p>\n
Jiva is sarvata bhinna Simultaneous oneness and difference
\n(always different)<\/p>\n
Attaining lotus feet of Visnu is the Prema Pumartho Mahan
\nhighest goal<\/p>\n
Bhakti is liberation One should follow in the footsteps of
\nthe residents of Vrndavana.<\/p>\n
Evidence is pratyaksa, anumana, sabda SB is only evidence<\/p>\n
Miscellaneous details:<\/p>\n
First bhedha-abhedhi philosopher was Asmaradhya (he was rejected by Vyasadeva
\nas an Advaitist.<\/p>\n
MA: Sva Kapola Kalpitah Matah: Mayavadi philosophy comes from their own
\nKapolas (skulls)<\/p>\n
YAD ACARA TE BRAHMA – “HE WHO FOLLOWS BRAHMA” (Brahmacari)<\/p>\n
\nNIMBARKACHARYA<\/p>\n
Bhavisya, Skanda, Padma Puranas and Visnu Yamala give info that Nimbarka lived
\nmuch before Sankara. He wrote the Parijata Bhasya and his disciple Srinivasa
\nwrote the Parijata Saurava; Srinivasa was a pandit in the court of Vajranabha,
\nKrsna’s grandson.<\/p>\n
N was greatly influenced by the Alwars; he uses words from the DP; the
\nteachings of Nama Alwar and Godadevi are stressed; his Dasasloki follows Nama
\nAlwar.<\/p>\n
His parents were Aruni Rsi and Jayanti devi. This Aruni Rishi had a famous
\nasrama. N was amsa of Sudarsana – he is known as Sudarsana Acarya.<\/p>\n
He moved to the north and lived at Govardhana. He took three preaching tours.
\nHe stayed at Simanta-dwipa in Mayapur where Lord Siva appeared in a dream and
\ntold him to go to Bilva Paksa, a forest of Bilva trees, which have leaves like
\nSiva’s eyes (in groups of three). Siva told him, “In that forest you’ll get
\nthe darsana of your previous acaryas.” So when he went there he saw the 4
\nKumaras there. They blessed him and requested him to start the Kumara
\nsampradaya (or Hamsa sampradaya because in the form of Hamsa Lord Visnu gave
\ninstruction to the 4 K’s). They gave him a mantra to chant: “Gaur-a”. By
\nchanting this he got darshana of Lord Caitanya, Who expressed great happiness
\nwith N. He told him, “When I appear, you’ll also come and I’ll cure you of
\nthe false pride that you will exhibit at that time as part of the lila.” N
\nappeared in Caitanya lila as Keshava Kashmiri (Dig Vijaya Pandita), who after
\nmeeting LC became the big acarya in the Nimbarka line.<\/p>\n
When N was 6 years old he was known as Nirmananda. A tridandi sannyasi came
\nto his house while his father was away; he’d been walking a long way and
\nwouldn’t eat after sunset. As it was already afternoon, and as he was hungry,
\nhe requested N’s mother to quickly prepare something. She made kichari, but
\nthought this wasn’t enough, so she made bhaja, then chutney, then a sweet. By
\nthis time the sun was on the horizon. When N was bringing out the preps for
\nSwamiji, he was chanting his gayatri. When he finished he said, “I’m very
\nsorry but I don’t eat after sunset.” N said, “No, it’s not sunset, look
\nthrough the leaves of that tree.” When the swami looked through the tree (a
\nneem tree) he saw the arka (sun) shining – this was actually Sudarsana-chakra.<\/p>\n
That swami blessed N by throwing aksara on his head; N bowed head to receive
\nit and when he looked up again, he saw the swami with 4 heads (Lord Brahma),
\nwho told him, “Teach the Veda.”<\/p>\n
For 12 years he lived only on neem leaves and he performed anga pradaksina
\n(rolling around Govardhana with whole body) each day. He went to Dwaraka,
\nAllahabad and Bengal (when he had darsana of 4 K’s and LC).<\/p>\n
As Kesava Kasmiri, he appeared in Kasmir 38 years before Lord Caitanya. He was
\nan extremely erudite scholar, but was a conquering pandit before he met Lord
\nCaitanya. Then he became the foremost exponent of the Nimbarka siddhanta
\nafter that.<\/p>\n
\nComparison of philosophies:<\/p>\n
NIMBARKA LORD CAITANYA<\/p>\n
“Svabhavika bheda-abheda” “Acintya bheda-abheda”
\nSupreme goal is Radha-Krsna sambandha S.g. is pure love of RK
\nSpirit\/matter = cause\/effect Krsna has 3 energies
\nGopal mantra Hare Krsna Mantra (GM is namatmika)
\n\u001a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MADHVACARYA MA’s father was Madhyageha Bhatta; he prayed at the Ananteswara Temple (a Siva temple) in Udipi for a son. Ananteswara is worshipped as the Supersoul of Siva. MA is Vayuamsa. Vayu is a great … Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":81,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21463","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-english"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-01 11:12:55","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21463","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/81"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21463"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21463\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21463"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21463"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21463"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}