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.

Manimanjari - Not derogatory

 

वन्दे गोविन्दमानन्द ज्ञान देहं पतिं श्रियः |

श्रीमदानन्द तीर्थार्य वल्लभं परमक्षरं ||

MANI MANJARI of Narayana Panditacharya, is a Primer for Madhva students, giving a brief history of Dvaita School of thought, evolving from Bhagavata Vaishnava faith. The poem in 8 chapters with about 450 shlokas, gives a summary of concept of Creation of Universe, basic Tatvas, Prakriti, and nature of Jivas. It continues to narrate stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata leading to Bhagavata tradition with sages- Sanaka and others asV early Gurus, flowing down to teachers of Kaliyuga, Prajna Tirtha and disciples of Hamsa form of Vishnu. They are pious, meditating on banks of Ganga, later to Yamuna and Prayag, being troubled by followers of Advaita teachers in all inhuman ways, leading for them to hide out for spiritual practice. They were in fear of Advaita group, who invariably attack them, even killing a few among them, they moved to South, waiting for a crusader to be born as Madhva.

Before Madhva’s manifestation, the evils of followers of Shankara are narrated, as a passing reference. This is not an abusive text as believed by some. Some details of birth of Shankara at Kaladi find a place here only as per Shankara Vijayam of Anandagiri, and not Panditacharya’s creation.

The text in general is a beautiful example of a Primer in Madhva learning and Sanskrit language, giving Noun, Verbs and usage of this language to learn to understand Shastras. early Gurus, flowing down to teachers of Kaliyuga, Prajna Tirtha and disciples of Hamsa form of Vishnu. They are pious, meditating on banks of Ganga, later to Yamuna and Prayag, being troubled by followers of Advaita teachers in all inhuman ways, leading for them to hide out for spiritual practice. They were in fear of Advaita group, who invariably attack them, even killing a few among them, they moved to South, waiting for a crusader to be born as Madhva.

Before Madhva’s manifestation, the evils of followers of Shankara are narrated, as a passing reference. This is not an abusive text as believed by some. Some details of birth of Shankara at Kaladi find a place here only as per Shankara Vijayam of Anandagiri, and not Panditacharya’s creation.

The text in general is a beautiful example of a Primer in Madhva learning and Sanskrit language, giving Noun, Verbs and usage of this language to learn to understand Shastras.

Sri Vishnutirtharu, Sri Madhva's brother

 Sri Madhvacharya was visible for 79 years to all, and left for Badarikashrama when he was about 79 years of age. He is believed to be in an invisible form at Sri Ananteshvara temple, Udupi and visible in upper himalayas- Badarikashrama. He had a brother, whom he gave sanyasa deeksha, when the latter was struck by ill fate, death of parents as Vishnu Tirtha, head of Sonda Vadiraja Matha later. 

Nothing is known about Sri Vishnutirtha, except his Sanyasa Paddhati now published, earlier copied by one Dasacharya, Udupi, available in print format from 2008. Madhva Vijaya has some elaborate information on his character as a Saint, Tapasvi disciple of SRi Madhva. 

Sri Vishnutirtha was away from Udupi, engaged in meditation and Silence, and came back to Udupi after Madhva left the place on request of his disciple Aniruddha Tirtha. 

 श्रवणेन अनुवादेन मननेन अव्रुथा करोत् |

कालं वेदान्त शस्त्रस्य वेदान्त गुरुसोदरः |

प्रेमामृत प्रसन्नास्य स्मितन्गपङ्ग पूर्वकं 

श्री विष्णुतीर्थ नमास्मै प्रीति तीर्थः प्रदत्तवान् 

चतुरोसौ प्रवचने मनुसम्सिद्धिमान् मनः 

संख्या मां पूरणी मागान् मध्व दासमिति व्यधात् 

( म. वि. १५, ९८-१०२) 

tena samprartitho yatam Rupyapithamimam punah |

Krutajnam Kripaya sveshu sampraptam menire Prajaah ||

it is very difficult to track the history of Vishnutirtha, once he was back and disappeared from there again to the hills of Kumara Parvata. 

About 10 slokas are available in Madhva Vijaya of Narayana Panditacharya, but nothing personal information is known about him. 

His only available text has practically no information about him , his family lateron, as is the case with any sanyasi from a Matha. 

Sanyasa Paddhati - Sri Vishnutirtha

A view of Kumara Parvata, where Sri Vishnutirtharu is believed to be in Tapas. 

 

Image of Laksminarayana worshipped by Sri Vishnutirtharu at Sri Samputa Narasimha Swami Mutt, Subrahmanya.

Sri Madhvacharya was visible for 79 years to all, and left for Badarikashrama when he was about 79 years of age. He is believed to be in an invisible form at Sri Ananteshvara temple, Udupi and visible in upper himalayas- Badarikashrama. He had a brother, whom he gave sanyasa deeksha, when the latter was struck by ill fate, death of parents as Vishnu Tirtha, head of Sonda Vadiraja Matha later. 

Nothing is known about Sri Vishnutirtha, except his Sanyasa Paddhati now published, earlier copied by one Dasacharya, Udupi, available in print format from 2008. Madhva Vijaya has some elaborate information on his character as a Saint, Tapasvi disciple of SRi Madhva. 

Sri Vishnutirtha was away from Udupi, engaged in meditation and Silence, and came back to Udupi after Madhva left the place on request of his disciple Aniruddha Tirtha. 

 श्रवणेन अनुवादेन मननेन अव्रुथा करोत् |

कालं वेदान्त शस्त्रस्य वेदान्त गुरुसोदरः |

प्रेमामृत प्रसन्नास्य स्मितन्गपङ्ग पूर्वकं 

श्री विष्णुतीर्थ नमास्मै प्रीति तीर्थः प्रदत्तवान् 

चतुरोसौ प्रवचने मनुसम्सिद्धिमान् मनः 

संख्या मां पूरणी मागान् मध्व दासमिति व्यधात् 

( म. वि. १५, ९८-१०२) 

it is very difficult to know the history of Vishnutirtha, once he was back and disappeared from there again to the hills of Kumara Parvata. 

About 10 slokas are available in Madhva Vijaya of Narayana Panditacharya, but nothing personal information is known about him. 

His only available text has practically no information about him , his family lateron, as is the case with any sanyasi from a Matha. 

आनन्दतीर्थं विभुमप्रमेयं विद्यासुपूर्णं परतः परेशं |

नारायणं दैवतवन्द्यपादमनन्तभोगे शयितं नमामि ||

श्यामं नितंबार्पित तन्तुमेखलं विद्यानिधिं ज्ञानमहा गुनाड्यं 

निर्देशित ज्ञान महा सुमार्गं व्यासं मुनीनामहमानतोस्मि ||

( सन्यास पद्धतिः - श्री विष्णु तीर्थाः )

Sanyasa Paddhati is a text written by Sri Vishnutirtha, younger brother of Sri Madhvacharya. He is the first pontiff of Sonda- Subrahmanya Mutts. Sanyasa Paddhati deals with the rituals of recieving Sanyasa Deeksha, qualities of a disciple initiated into the 4th Ashrama.

It is a Manual for Madhva Yatis, brahmacharins, Grihasthas and Viraktas. there are 4 Chapters, 158 topics, running to 113 pages . In this Book, recently published ( 2008) by Sri Tirumala Kulkarni, PPVP. Bengaluru. it is an elaborate text on selection of a disciple by Guru, his qualities, tests to be conducted, preparedness for Sanyasa, Vaishnava Deeksha, Sri Madhva's philosophy neatly summarised,

The routine of new pontiff, Pujas to be conducted, fasting rules, types of food to be consumed, not to be consumed, rules for travel outside a Mutt, up to Brindavan rituals after death , to be observed, conducted by his by disciples.

Surprisingly, there is no shloka dedicated to Sri Krishna at Udupi, but Vedavyasa, Madhva are prayed respectfully. Maybe it was written before Krishna Pratishta, at Udupi.