MADHVA SECTS - SHASTIKAS

 Madhvas in Karnataka are mainly comprised of Deshastha and Aruvattokkalu sects. While some Deshasthas spoke Marathi in those areas, others spoke onlly Kannada. Shasthtikas are 60 families of various Gotras migrated to Karnataka from Ahichatrapura, Punjab, during Pre-Vijayanagar period.

ಷಾಷ್ಟಿಕ ವಂಶ ಪ್ರದೀಪ ( Aruvattu Okkalu) of Dr Ranya Raja rao, published in 1981 says Madhva Gurus like Sri Akshobhya tirtha, Jayatirtha, Sripadaraja, Vyasaraja, Vijayindra, Vibudhendra- Raghavendra Tirtha  (Bigamudre - of keeping keys ) were  born in the celebrated families of Ministers of Jamakhandi Province, ruled by various rulers. 

The ancestors of Yatis, belonging to 27 Gotras were highly intelligent, wise, some warriors, finance advisors, Commandants of the Empire. Sri Akshobhya was paternal uncle of  Jayatirtha, Rajendra Tirtha,  Sripadaraja, Brahmanya Tirtha, Vyasatirtha were born in matrilineal line of the family. The 227 Page book is now relegated to the background.

Sri Jayatirtharu ( 1365- 1388)

 

Sri Sri Jayatirtharu represents  second generation of madhva successors. Anyone desirous of keeping thoughts of Madhvacharya intact, will have to be highly grateful to his second generation successor Sri Jayatirtha. He is the Master Commentator on 18 works of Acharya Madhva which are the only source now to us to understand clearly  the cryptic style of Madhvacharya, unlike other Acharyas. He is rightly honoured as Tikacharya, master commentator to Madhva's works ( Sarvamula) 

We have only some stories about the great Saint’s life. Though we have 3 biographies- Vijaya Granthas, two by Vyasatirtha, his disciple and another by Chalari Sankarshan Acharya have more fiction than facts. Even his place of birth is not properly recorded, Mangalvedhe, near Pandharpur or  as Vrishtiketha instead of Manyakheta! He is believed as son of a local ruler, and himself a horse rider. He is said to have got married at about 17 to two girls from a  rich familiy. We have to believe it as a story and move on! 

We might be wrong in identifying his mother tongue as Marati, as the area where he was born and taught had Kannada as native language since Marathi is of later origin to prevail upon as a spoken, administrative language there. 

Sri Jayatirtha is the celebrated author of 22 books, out of which 18 are available  commentaries on Madhva texts. Nyayasudha,  Vadavali and Padyamala are his independent works. He is a master logician, grammarian and presenter of Madhva thought of all times, honoured rightly as Teekacharya. He is remembered with utmost respect by Sri Vyasaraja as:

चित्रैः पदैस्च गंभीरैः वाक्यैः मानामखन्दितैः  

 गुरु भावं व्यञ्जयन्ती भाति श्री जयतीर्थवाक् |

( Nyayamritam)

श्रीमध्वः कल्पवृक्षस्तु जयार्याः कामधेनवः 

चिन्तामणिस्तु व्यासार्यः मुनित्रयमुदाहृतम्  

( श्रीमुष्ण माहात्म्यम्) 

Sri Jayatirtha is one among 3 stalwarts of Madhva school, as is said along with Sri Madhvacharya and Sri Vyasatirtha as Munitraya. in fact, he is the common Acharya Yati for most of Madhva Mathas as exist now. His Sriman Nyayasudha is a master manual of Madhva philosophy which stands unique even today as an inspiration to all seekers who look to understand Acharya Madhva. 

His Aradhana is observed in all Madhva centers on Ashadha Panchami, each year with fervour and reverence. Sri Jayatirtha's Brindavan is at Malakheda along with his Guru Sri Akshobhya Tirtharu. 

 

 

 

 

 

Unidentified Madhva Brindavans

 

There are 25 Madhva mathas, with the present head as 34 or 35th in line of succession. Madhvas have a tradition of daily Puja, Naivedyam and Aradhanas, to their Samsthana Pratimas and also  earlier Gurus who have entered Brindavanas.  In case of vrundavanas in field, temples, river banks, which are occassionally under water, it is difficult to maintain daily rituals.

Famous Brindavanas like those of Sri Sripadaraja,  Vadiraja, Sri Raghavendra, Sri Satyabodha, Sri Raghuttama, and 9 Brindavanas at Anegundi  attract devotees round the year, 

Brindavanas of famous saints like Vidyadhisha Tirtharu, and many Udupi pontiffs ach ( direct disciples of Sri Madhva)  are not available now.  There are at least 50-60 unidentified such monuments, earlier possibly pujas done by local teacher/ archak, scholars or retired person of our community. with changed circumstances, youngsters have shifted to cities, and Puja stopped, or once a week. 

Only respective Mathas have a list of Gurus, and are supposed to take care of them. Government will not fund such things, Particularly in TN, AP, TS, Karnataka villages, we cannot expect any support. Each place needs at least 20000/ month to manage such monuments. It is up to Mathas to take up such projects so that tradition is not ignored.

Sri Svaapna Vrindavanakhyanam

लक्ष्मीकान्तं भूवराहं भजेऽहं बादरायणम्

वादिराज ह्रुदंभोज मन्दिरं वाजिकन्धरम् ||

Sri Svaapna Vrindavanakhyanam, is a highly spiritual effective Paarayana Text, an esoteric work on Sri Sri Vadiraja Swamiji and his immediate Mahimas, revealed in a Dream-experience, in 22 chapters composed by himself, after his disappearance from public view to a mooka brahmana, later brought to light by Sri Vedavedya tirtha, a later pontiff of Sode Vadiraja Matha, Udupi-Sode. This edition is published by Sri Vadiraja Matha, during Paryaya of Sri Vishvottama Tirtharu, in 1997. The Book serves as Parayana Book for daily chanting by ardent devotees of Sri Vadiraja Gurusarvabhoumaru.

The contents of this book are astonishing to a new reader as it is a highly mystic & confidential information on future occurrences in Madhva Matha circles, like Srinivasacharya, Mudgala Narasimhacharya as ardent devotees of Sri Vadirajaru born again as Sri Satyadharma Tirtharu and Srinivasacharya as Jagannatha Dasaru. . All the chapters are a good reading for a believer and others too with the help of another trusted devotee of Vadirajaru. Logic never works in such esoteric texts.