Madhva Sampradaya

Sad Vaishnavism
The Entrance to Sri Krishna Matha at Udupi
Regions with significant populations
Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil nadu, Andhra Pradesh
Religions
Vaishnavism (Hinduism)
Scriptures
Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavat Gita, Brahma Sutra, Sarvamula Granthas
Languages
Sanskrit, Kannada

The Madhva Sampradaya is a denomination within the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism, founded by the thirteenth century philosopher Madhvacharya. This denomination follows the Madhva tradition, also known as Sad Vaishnavism.[1][2] Philosophically, this denomination follows the Dvaita Vedanta school of thought established by Madhvacharya.

Etymology

The term Madhva is derived from the name of the tradition's founder, Madhvacharya. The term sampradaya refers to a Hindu religious tradition. The term Sad Vaishnavism is derived from sad, meaning "true", and the Hindu deity Vishnu, whose worshipers are known as Vaishnavism; this name of the tradition may thus be translated as "true Vaishnavism"[3][4][5] The followers of Sad Vaishnavism are known as Sad Vaishnavas.[6]

Philosophy and theology

According to Madhvism, the Divine and the soul are completely distinct from each other.[7] Madhva Sampradaya worships Vishnu as the highest Hindu deity and regards Madhva, whom they consider to be an incarnation of Vishnu's son, Vayu, as an incarnate saviour.[8] Madhvism regards Vayu as Vishnu's agent in this world, and Hanuman, Bhima, and Madhvacharya to be his three incarnations; for this reason, the roles of Hanuman in the Ramayana and Bhima in the Mahabharata are emphasised, and Madhvacharya is particularly held in high esteem.[9] Vayu is prominently shown by Madhva in countless texts.[10][11]

Madhvacharya, was a staunch Vaishnava who pushed strongly the belief that Vishnu was the highest of Hindu deities, and refused to accept any claims that other Hindu deities, such as Brahma or Shiva, might be equally the highest among the deities. Madhvacharya says that in the beginning there was only one God and that was Narayana or Vishnu.[12] Madhvacharya states that the ultimate divine reality, which Hindu traditions refer to as Brahman, and the individual souls, known as jīvātmans, exist as independent realities, and that these are distinct. Madhvacharya asserted, yathecchasi tatha kuru, which Sharma translates and explains as "one has the right to choose between right and wrong, a choice each individual makes out of his own responsibility and his own risk".[13]

Madhvism rejects not only the Advaita Vedanta, or monism, of Shankaracharya, but also the Vishistadvaita, or qualified monism, of Ramanujacharya.[14] Madhva rejects Shankara's conception of the Nirguna Brahman--that is, Brahman without characterisations--and accepts the conception of the Saguna Brahman--that is, Brahman with characterisations--as the ultimate divine reality. In Madhva philosophy, Brahman possess all positive qualities; at the root of these are existence, consciousness, and bliss. An impersonal Brahman, such as Shankara's Nirguna Brahman cannot perform these functions. For Madhva, the personal Brahman is not different from Vishnu, whom Vaishavas consider to be the creator, the maintainer and destroyer of the world. According to the Madhva viewpoint, nothing can condition Brahman. According to Madhva, Brahman is neither the limited infinite divine reality of the Nyaya school nor a being in inseparable relation with matter and selves as in the philosophy of Ramanuja. Rather, Brahman is viewed as completely independent, but whilst the jivas are viewed as dependent upon Brahman for activity, knowledge, and existence. According to the Vaishnava viewpoint, Vishnu creates the world by his will and brings into existence the world of objects and selves. Objects and selves, the though real and irreducible to each other, are dependent on Brahman. At the time of dissolution of the world, material and objects are considered to be transformed into undifferentiated matter and selves into disembodied intelligence by Brahman; it is believed, even in the state of dissolution, that Brahman, matter, and the jivas remain distinct from one another, and do not merge with one another.[15][16]

Institutions

Madhvacharya established many Mathas by defeating various acharya's of different sampradaya's.

Monasteries

Out of these 24 Mathas, the first eight are part of the Ashta (eight) mathas of Udupi who take turns once every two years (Paryaya) to worship Lord Krishna in at Udupi.The mathas which Madhva built exist until today, and continue the teachings and influence of Madhva[17]

The table below gives an overview of the Eight largest Dvaita Mathas founded by Madhva, and their details.Madhva established more mathas locally for Vedanta studies and its propagation.[18]

Ashta Mathas of Udupi
Matha First Swamiji
PejavaraAdhokshaja Teertha
PalimaruHrishikesha Teertha
AdamaruNarasimha Teertha
PuttigeUpendra Teertha
Sodhe Vishnu Teertha
KaniyooruRama Teertha
ShirurVamana Teertha
KrishnapuraJanardhana Teertha

The remaining Dvaita Vedanta mathas following Madhva Tradition include:

  • Uttaradi Matha
  • Raghavendra Matha
  • Bhandarakeri Matha
  • Subramanya Matha
  • Chitrapura Matha
  • Bhimanakatte Matha
  • Madhva Kanva Matha
  • Sagarakatte Vyasaraja Matha
  • Kashi Matha
  • Partagali Jeevottama Matha
  • Sosale Vyasaraja Matha
  • Kundapura Vyasaraja Matha
  • Baligaru Arya Akshobhya Tirtha Matha
  • Kudli Arya Akshobhya Tirtha Matha
  • Tambehalli Madhava Tirtha Matha
  • Mulbagalu Sripadaraja Matha

Out of these Uttaradi Matha, Vyasaraja Matha and Raghavendra Matha enjoy the status of Matha-traya or the three premium madhva mathas descended from Jayatirtha.[19]

Prominent Madhva teachers

Some of the prominent Madhva teachers include:

See also

References

  1. ↑ Guy L. Beck (2012). Alternative Krishnas: Regional and Vernacular Variations on a Hindu Deity. SUNY Press. p. 74.
  2. ↑ Suresh K. Sharma, Usha Sharma (1999). Rajasthan Through the Ages: Art, architecture and memoirs. Deep & Deep Publications. p. 333.
  3. ↑ Sabapathy Kulandran (2004). Grace in Christianity and Hinduism. James Clarke & Co. p. 179.
  4. ↑ Saints of India. Jagadguru Kripaluji Yog. 2014. p. contents.
  5. ↑ Stephan Schuhmacher (1994). The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion: Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Zen. Shambhala. p. 397. ISBN 978-0-87773-980-7.
  6. ↑ Vivek Ranjan Bhattacharya (1982). Famous Indian sages: their immortal messages. Sagar Publications. p. 356.
  7. ↑ Ignatius Puthiadam (1985). Viṣṇu, the Ever Free: A Study of the Mādhva Concept of God. Dialogue Series. p. 227.
  8. ↑ Encyclopedia Americana: M to Mexico City. Scholastic Library Publishing. 2006. p. 59.
  9. ↑ Prāci-jyotī: Digest of Indological Studies, Volume 13. Kurukshetra University. 1977. p. 245.
  10. ↑ Helmuth von Glasenapp (1992). Madhva's Philosophy of the Viṣṇu Faith. Dvaita Vedanta Studies and Research Founda. p. 154.
  11. ↑ Indian Culture: Journal of the Indian Research Institute, Volume 3, Issues 3-4. I.B. Corporation. 1984. p. 505.
  12. ↑ Vivek Ranjan Bhattacharya (1982). Famous Indian sages: their immortal messages. Sagar Publications. p. 356.
  13. ↑ Sharma 1962, p. 361.
  14. ↑ Subodh Kapoor (2002). The Indian Encyclopaedia: La Behmen-Maheya. Genesis Publishing. p. 4425.
  15. ↑ Nagendra Kr Singh; A. P. Mishra (2005). Encyclopaedia of Oriental Philosophy and Religion: Hinduism : J-R. Global Vision Publishing House. p. 473. ISBN 9788182200739.
  16. ↑ Thomas Padiyath. The Metaphysics of Becoming: On the Relationship between Creativity and God in Whitehead and Supermind and Sachchidananda in Aurobindo. Walter de Gruyter. p. 157. ISBN 9783110342772. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  17. ↑ Vasudeva Rao (2002). Living Traditions in Contemporary Contexts: The Madhva Matha of Udupi. Orient Blackswan. p. 30.
  18. ↑ Lavanya Vemsani Ph.D. Krishna in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names: An Encyclopedia of the Hindu Lord of Many Names. ABC-CLIO. p. 165. ISBN 9781610692113. Retrieved 13 June 2016.
  19. ↑ Sharma 2000, p. 197.

Bibliography

  • Bryant, Edwin Francis (2007), Krishna: A Sourcebook, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-803400-1
  • Flood, Gavin (2003). The Blackwell Companion to Hinduism. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. p. 251. ISBN 0-631-21535-2.
  • Goswami, S.D. (1976). Readings in Vedic Literature: The Tradition Speaks for Itself. S.l.: Assoc Publishing Group. pp. 240 pages. ISBN 0-912776-88-9.
  • Jones, Constance; Ryan, James D. (2006), Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Infobase
  • New Zealand Hare Krishna Spiritual Resource Network. "Padmanabha Tirtha". New Zealand Hare Krishna Spiritual Resource Network. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  • Padmanabhachar, C.M. The Life and Teachings of Sri Madhvacharya (PDF). Retrieved 28 July 2011.
  • Sharma, B. N. Krishnamurti (1962). Philosophy of Śrī Madhvācārya. Motilal Banarsidass (2014 Reprint). ISBN 978-8120800687.
  • Sarma, Deepak (2005). Epistemologies and the Limitations of Philosophical Enquiry: Doctrine in Madhva Vedanta. Routledge.
  • Sharma, B. N. Krishnamurti (2000). A History of the Dvaita School of Vedānta and Its Literature, 3rd Edition. Motilal Banarsidass (2008 Reprint). ISBN 978-8120815759.
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