Narayana Panditacharya

  Narayana Panditacharya was the son of Trivikrama Pandita, earliest among  the  direct disciples of Sri Madhva. Narayanacharya was born in about 1280 AD, and is a  junior contemporary of Acharya Madhva.He was a born poet like his esteemed father: Kalabhaashana eva sooripota: Kavraaseet anavadyapadya vadee, in his early childhood he used to compose Shlokas in praise of God, thogh they might be followers of Bhagavata  under the control of Sringeri Mutt. Once Trivikramacharya was defeated in his debate with Acharya Madhwa when he was a scholar in the Court of Jayasimha Raja in Kumble Province, the family converted itself to Madhva Fold.

In the beginning of Madhva Vijaya, he says:

Maalaakriita: taccharikhya ratne asookshma drishterakutoohalasya

Poorvaaparam athaparam vaa kshaamyantu me hantamuhur maneeshina: ||

His epic work Madhwavijaya consists of 16 sargas or cantos, 1006 Shlokas,  and gives  an extensive insight into the life and philosophy of Sri Madhva. It is the only available,   authentic work available on life of Sri Madhva, as Narayana Panditacharya was a junior  contemporary of Sri Madhva. He has also written his own commentary on Madhvavijaya, Bhava prakashika,  in which he explains the real names of the Sanskritised Kannada and Tulu names of persons and places in Madhvavijaya. Without this commentary it would be difficult to understand the Kavya.

Sri Narayana Panditacharya has also written numerous other works such as Shiva Stuti, Narasimha Stuti, Narayana Stuti, Lakshmee Stuti,  Sangraha Ramayana and Prameya Nava Malika.

Sangraha Ramayana is a condensed form of Ramayana, basically in accordance with Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya  which has Ramayana story in 8 chapters.  with more than 3,000 slokas.

Sangraha Ramayana was printed in 1890 AD, has now been reprinted (in Nov. 2008) with Kannada translation by Dr. Vyasanakere Prabhanjanacharya. "Prameya Nava Malika" also known as "Anu Madhva Vijaya" is a condenced form of Sri Madhvacharya's Biograghy told in just 32 Slokas. Sri Raghavendra Swami has written a commentary on it in his Purvashrma days.

Manimanjari &; Shubhodayam  are his other kavyas. Manimanjari gives account of the history of Vaishava Acharyas before the advent of Sri Madhvacharya. It has eight cantos or sargas written in simple Sanskrit poetary. It is, in fact, one of the first Sanskrit poems thought in the traditional Madhva learning circles. In the first two sargas Ramavatara story is narrated briefly, Third and Forth sargas deals with the Krishnavatara story. The last four sargas deals with history of Vaishava Acharyas prior to Sri Madhvacarya and the eighth sarga ends with the advent of Sri Madhvacarya. Sumadhvavijaya is a continuation of this. There are about half a dozen Sanskrit commentaries on this and a couple of them are in print. Shubodaya is a Spiritual Poem  where the poet experiments with different meters.

To Sri Narayana panditacharya's credit is also a commentary on Sri Vishnutatvavinirnaya, less popular but the best of Dasha Prakaranas by Sri Madhvacharya. This tika is called as "Tattvamanjari". Hence he can also be regarded as "Prachina Tikakara".

His home is still there in Karsargod district of Kerala and is called "Kavu Mutt". His descendants still live there. The majestic icon of Srivasta Narayana handed over by Sri Madhvacharya to Sri Trivikrama Panditacharya is still worshipped there. There also a vrindavana there, where he was entombed. This also gives raise to a doubt that he might have been ordained as a sanyasi in his old age. 

There are two Brindavans which are  of  Trivikrama, and Narayana Paditacharya, the father and  his  son.

 His date is around 1350 AD.