Vidyaranya

 

Sri Vidyaranya Swamy is remembered as   Advaita pontiff,  at Sringeri Pitha,  who mainly toured Karnataka. Many believe he is same as Minister Madhavacharya in his Purvashrama, who is a renowned author in Vedanta and Public affairs. He is known as brother of Sayanacharya, commentator on Vedas. Works written by him under his sanyasa name Vidyaranya Muni, such as Panchadashi, Puraanasara and Jivanmukti Viveka are well known in Pundit circles. His notable commentary on Parashara Smriti goes by the name Parashara Madhaviyam. however, there only one inscription at Mulabagilu in the name of Kriyashakti Vidyaranya during the reign of Harihara and Bukkaraya, dated 1323. 

Quite surprisingly except a couple of copper plates, no stone inscriptions are preserved in the name of Sri Vidyaranya. Few books about Vidyaranya in Kannada, Telugu and Hindi have more stories, historical details or inscriptional data absent or confusing !! 

The latest Book by Dr R Ganesh in Kannada also repeats earlier information on the saint, except his birth place as Balegunchi Agarahara, Hassan district, based on a local lore, which says Sri Chandrashekharendra Saraswati of Kanchi Mutt also hailed from the same Agarahara. But Kanchi matha maintains he was born in Villupuram, though he was a Kannada speaking Hoysala Karnataka, his ancestors having migrated to Tamil region long ago.

A number of anecdotes connected to him are popular. Telugus claim his nativity to  ( Ekashila Nagari_ Warangal, and others to a place near Sringeri. Both Kudali and Sringeri Mathas claim him in their line of pontiffs. We can say since both Kudali and Sringeri were a single institution, often changing headquarters frequently, on the banks of Tunga and Tungabhadra rivers. There are at least two Vidyaranyas another going by the name ‘ Kriyashakti’, who belonged to Kalamukha group.    TN Mallappa, historian opines both Kriyashakti and Madhava Vidyaranya are identical ( Bangalore University, 1945, Kriyashakti Vidyaranya). Another Historian  Dr Srikanta Shastry says he is same as Madhava Mantri.  Paul Hacker another historian opines that Matha tradition started only after 1450 or so, and as such .  

Dr Vasundhara P., another eminent researcher says Vidyaranya has nothing to do with Kannada Saamrajya at Hampi.  Further research is needed in accordance with historical evidence, but the issue seems to be closed. R Ganesh, however vehemently argues in his book that Vidyaranya was instrumental in establishing a Hindu Kingdom at Hampi, when Sangama brothers Harihara and Bukkaraya  ruled the province after the fall of Hoysala rule.