Madhwacharya

The teaching

Reality has five eternal differences (panchabheda): God-soul, God-matter, soul-soul, soul-matter, matter-matter. Souls are individually graded — some destined for liberation, some for endless cycling, some for darkness — a doctrine unique to Madhwa within Vedanta. Bhakti directed at Vishnu (with Vayu as His chief intermediary) is the only path to liberation; even at moksha, the soul retains its individual identity and serves God as a junior person serves a senior.

Major works

• Brahma Sutra Bhashya — commentary on the Brahma Sutras
• Anuvyakhyana — extended exposition of the Brahma Sutras
• Gita Bhashya and Gita Tatparya Nirnaya — commentaries on the Gita
• Bhashyas on the ten principal Upanishads
• Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya — the meaning of the Mahabharata
• Rigveda Bhashya (first three suktas) — only Vedanta acharya to comment on the Veda Samhita itself
• Dasha-prakaranas — ten short philosophical tracts

What he changed

• Established the Krishna temple at Udupi (Sri Krishna Matha) and the Ashta Mathas — the eight monasteries that take rotational charge of Udupi worship in two-yearly paryaya cycles
• Identified himself as the third avatar of Vayu (after Hanuman and Bhima) — making him the divine messenger of Vishnu
• The Haridasa movement of Karnataka (Purandara Dasa, Kanaka Dasa, Vijaya Dasa, Jagannatha Dasa) flowed directly from his lineage and gave South India its devotional musical tradition

Living lineage today

The eight Udupi mathas (Pejavara, Palimaru, Adamaru, Krishnapura, Puttige, Shirur, Sodhe, Kaniyooru) continue active service today. Pejavara Matha is currently among the most visible. The Akhila Bharata Madhwa Mahamandala publishes scholarly editions.

Where to read more

• Akhila Bharata Madhwa Mahamandala (Bangalore) — Sanskrit-Kannada-English editions
• B.N.K. Sharma · "History of the Dvaita School of Vedanta and Its Literature" (Motilal)
• B.N.K. Sharma · "Philosophy of Sri Madhvacharya" (Motilal)
• Deepak Sarma · "An Introduction to Madhva Vedanta" (Ashgate)