Padmanabha Tirtha

Last updated

Padmanabha Tirtha
Padmanabha.png
The Samadhi or Brindavana of Padmanabha Tirtha in Anegundi, Hampi
Personal
Born
Shobhana Bhatta

Puntamba (Present-day Rahata taluka, Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra) [1]
Religion Hinduism
Organization
Order Vedanta
Philosophy Dvaita Vedanta
Religious career
Guru Madhvacharya
Disciples

Padmanabha Tirtha was an Indian Dvaita philosopher, scholar and the disciple of Madhvacharya. Ascending the pontifical seat after Madhvacharya, he served as the primary commentator of his works and in doing so, significantly elucidated Madhva's terse and laconic style of writing. His pioneering efforts in expanding upon the Dvaita texts to uncover the underlying metaphysical intricacies was taken forward by the 14th Century philosopher, Jayatirtha. [2] Padmanabha is also credited with disseminating the philosophy of Dvaita outside the Tulunadu. [3]

Contents

Life

According to Narayana Pandita's Madhva Vijaya , Padmanabha, born Shobhanabhatta, a Deshastha Brahmin, was an accomplished scholar and logician. Shobhana Bhatta was native of Puntamba, a town on the bank of the river Godavari in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. [4] [5] After being won over by Madhva in a debate, he adopted Dvaita and was subsequently tasked by Madhva to disseminate the nascent philosophy across the subcontinent. [3] After that he took Brindavana at Nava Brindavana near Hampi. His disciple Narahari Tirtha succeeded him as the pontiff.

Works

15 extant-works have been ascribed to him, most of which are commentaries on the works of Madhva. His notable works include Nyayaratnavali, a commentary on Madhva's Vishnu Tattva Vinirnaya, Sattarkadipavali a gloss on Bramha Sutra Bhashya and Sannyayaratnavali on Anu Vyakhyana. Sharma notes "dignity, elegance, clearness, brevity and avoidance of digression and controversies mark his style". [6] Though Jayatirtha later diverges from Padmanabha's views, he eulogies the latter's pioneering work in his Nyaya Sudha and acknowledges his influence. Padmanabha's influence is also acknowledged by Vyasatirtha, who attempts, in his Tatparya Chandrika, to reconcile Jayatritha and Padmanabha's views.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raghavendra Tirtha</span> Hindu philosopher and theologian (c.1595–1671)

Raghavendra Tirtha, also referred as Raghavendra Swami, was a Vaishnava scholar, theologian, and saint. He was also known as Sudha Parimalacharya. His diverse oeuvre include commentaries on the works of Madhva, Jayatirtha, and Vyasatirtha, interpretation of the Principal Upanishads from the standpoint of Dvaita and a treatise on Purva Mimamsa. He served as the pontiff of the matha at Kumbakonam from 1621 to 1671. Raghavendra Tirtha was also an accomplished player of the veena and he composed several songs under the name of Venu Gopala. His memorial at Mantralayam attracts lakhs of visitors every year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madhvacharya</span> 13th century Hindu Dvaita philosopher

Madhvacharya, also known as Purna Prajna and Ānanda Tīrtha, was an Indian philosopher, theologian and the chief proponent of the Dvaita (dualism) school of Vedanta. Madhva called his philosophy Tattvavāda meaning "arguments from a realist viewpoint".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vyasatirtha</span> 16th-century Indian philosopher

Vyāsatīrtha, also called Vyasaraja or Chandrikacharya, was a Hindu philosopher, scholar, polemicist, commentator and poet belonging to the Madhwacharya's Dvaita order of Vedanta. As the rajaguru of Vijayanagara Empire, Vyasatirtha was at the forefront of a golden age in Dvaita which saw new developments in dialectical thought, growth of the Haridasa literature under bards like Purandara Dasa and Kanaka Dasa and an increased spread of Dvaita across the subcontinent. He himself composed many kīrtanas in Kannada and Sanskrit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jayatirtha</span> Hindu philosopher and saint

Jayatirtha, also known asTeekacharya, was a Hindu philosopher, dialectician, polemicist and the sixth pontiff of Madhvacharya Peetha from. He is considered to be one of the important seers in the history of Dvaita school of thought on account of his sound elucidations of the works of Madhvacharya. He structured the philosophical aspects of Dvaita and through his polemical works, elevating it to an equal footing with the contemporary schools of thought. Along with Madhva and Vyasatirtha, he is venerated as one of the three great spiritual sages, or munitraya of Dvaita. Jayatirtha is considered an incarnation of Indra with avesha of Adi Sesha in the Madhva Parampara.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narahari Tirtha</span> Dvaita philosopher

Narahari Tirtha was a Dvaita philosopher, scholar, statesman and one of the disciples of Madhvacharya. He is considered to be the progenitor of the Haridasa movement along with Sripadaraja. Though only two of his scholarly works are extant, they are characterised by their verbosity and lack of digressions. A few songs of his survive under the pen name Raghukulatilaka. As a minister of considerable influence to the Eastern Ganga rulers and later as the pontiff of the Madhvacharya matha, Narahari converted the Simhachalam temple into an educational establishment of renown and a religious centre for Vaishnavism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bannanje Govindacharya</span> Indian philosopher and Sanskrit scholar (1936–2020)

Bannanje Govindacharya was an Indian philosopher and Sanskrit scholar versed in Veda Bhashya, Upanishad Bhashya, Mahabharata, Puranas and Ramayana. He wrote Bhashyas (commentaries) on Veda Suktas, Upanishads, Shata Rudriya, Brahma Sutra Bhashya, Gita Bhashya and was an orator. He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sat Vaishnavism</span> Tradition in Hinduism linked to Dvaita Vedanta

Sat Vaishnavism, also referred to as Madhva Vaishnavism, the Madhva Sampradaya and the Brahma Sampradaya, is a denomination within the Vaishnavism—Bhagavata tradition of Hinduism. Sadh Vaishnavism was founded by thirteenth century philosopher-saint Madhvacharya, who developed the Tattvavada (dvaita) Vedanta sub-school of Hindu philosophy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uttaradi Math</span> Hindu monastery

The Uttaradi Math, is one of the main monasteries (matha) founded by Madhvacharya with Padmanabha Tirtha as its head to preserve and propagate Dvaita Vedanta (Tattvavada) outside Tulunadu region. Uttaradi Math is one of the three primary Dvaita monasteries or Mathatraya that descended from Madhvacharya in the lineage of Padmanabha Tirtha through Jayatirtha. After Jayatirtha and Vidyadhiraja Tirtha, Uttaradi Math continued in the lineage of Kavindra Tirtha and later in the lineage of Vidyanidhi Tirtha. The Moola Rama and Moola Sita idols worshipped in the Uttaradi Matha have a long history and are revered among adherents.

Sri Vyasaraja Math is one of the three premier Dvaita Vedanta monasteries (matha) descended from Jagadguru Śrī Madhvācārya through Jayatirtha and Rajendra Tirtha and their disciples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nava Brindavana</span>

Nava Brindavana ;, is located on an island in the Tungabhadra River at Anegundi, near Hampi, Karnataka, India. The Brindavanas of nine Hindu Madhva saints present in Nava Brindavana belongs to [ Nanjangudu Sri Raghvandra swami math] and Uttaradi Math, Vyasaraja Math and Raghavendra Math. All these saints are descended from Padmanabha Tirtha, direct disciple of Jagadguru Madhvacharya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akshobhya Tirtha</span> Hindu guru

Shree Akshobhya Tirtha was a Dvaita philosopher, scholar and theologian. Born as Govinda Bhatta, he received sannyasa from Padmanabha Tirtha and later succeeded Madhava Tirtha as the pontiff of the Madhvacharya peetha from. A non-extant work titled Madhva Tantra Samgraha is attributed to him. Sharma contends that Akshobhya retired to Pandharapur in his twilight years where he encountered a youth called Dhondu Pant on the banks of Bhima river, who would later go on to be his disciple and successor, Jayatirtha. His mortal remains rest at Malkhed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raghuttama Tirtha</span> Hindu guru

Raghuttama Tirtha ; IAST:Śrī Raghūttama Tīrtha), was an Indian philosopher, scholar, theologian and saint. He was also known as Bhavabodhacharya. His oeuvre include commentaries on the works of Madhva and Jayatirtha. He served as the fourteenth pontiff of Madhvacharya Peetha - Uttaradi Math from 1557 to 1595, which he occupied for thirty-nine years. He is considered to be one of the important seers in the history of Dvaita school of thought. His shrine at Manampoondi attracts thousands of visitors every year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vidyadhiraja Tirtha</span> Indian philosopher and Scholar

Vidyadhiraja Tirtha was a Hindu philosopher, dialectician and the seventh pontiff of Madhvacharya Peetha and served as peetadhipathi from.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Satyapriya Tirtha</span> Hindu guru

Satyapriya Tirtha was an Indian Hindu philosopher, guru, scholar, yogi, mystic and the pontiff of Uttaradi Math, a math dedicated to Dvaita philosophy. He was the successor of Satyavijaya Tirtha and the 24th pontiff of Uttaradi Math from 1737—1744.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vidyadhisha Tirtha</span> Indian philosopher and scholar

Vidyadhisha Tirtha, was an Indian philosopher, scholar, theologian, saint and dialectician. He served as the sixteenth pontiff of Uttaradi Math from 1619 to 1631. He is considered to be one of the important stalwarts in the history of Dvaita school of thought on account of his sound elucidations of the works of Madhvacharya, Jayatirtha and Vyasatirtha. He is also the most celebrated pontiff of Uttaradi Math after Padmanabha Tirtha, Jayatirtha and Raghuttama Tirtha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Satyanatha Tirtha</span> 17th-century Indian philosopher

Satyanatha Tirtha ; IAST:Śrī Satyanātha Tīrtha), also called Abhinava Vyasaraja, was a Hindu philosopher, scholar, theologian, logician and dialectician belonging to the Dvaita order of Vedanta. He served as the twentieth pontiff of Uttaradi Math from 1660 to 1673. He was a fiery and prolific writer and very ambitious of the glory of Dvaita Vedanta. He is considered to be one of the stalwarts in the history of the Dvaita school of thought, on account of his sound elucidations of the works of Madhvacharya, Jayatirtha and Vyasatirtha. Three of his polemically themed doxographical works are reminiscent of "Vyasatraya". His refutation work Abhinava Gada is a devastating criticism of Appayya's Madhvamathamukhamardhana. His independent treatise Abhinava Chandrika is considered a brilliant work relating to the Brahma Sūtras, being a commentary on Jayatirtha's Tattvaprakashika. His work Abhinava Tarka Tandava refuted the works of rival systems, especially those of Prabhākara of Mimamsa, Ramanuja's Visistadvaita, and Gangesha Upadhyaya, Raghunatha Siromani of the Nyaya school, on the same lines as Vyasatirtha's Tarka Tandava. Indologist B.N.K.Sharma wrote, "His energy and determination to crush out the rivalry of Monism is reflected even in the choice of the titles of some of his works, four of which go by the name "Paraśus" ".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Satyanidhi Tirtha</span> Hindu guru

Satyanidhi Tirtha was a Hindu philosopher, scholar and saint. He served as the pontiff of Shri Uttaradi Math from 1638–1660. He was the 19th in succession from Madhvacharya. Satyanidhi Tirtha ruled the pontificate with a remarkable distinction. His life was a saga of supreme spiritual achievements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Satyadhyana Tirtha</span> Hindu guru

Satyadhyana Tirtha was an Indian Hindu philosopher, scholar, yogi, mystic, theologian and saint. He was the 38th pontiff of Uttaradi Math and served the pontificate from 1911-1942. He was considered most active and zealous pontiffs of 20th century. He was an untiring propagandist, the best debater of his days and almost a terror to his adversaries in philosophical polemics. It was at his initiative and inspiration that a splendid Marathi translation of Madhva's Brahmasutra Bhashya, with the Tatvaprakashika of Jayatirtha was published for the benefit of a large number of followers of Madhvacharya in Maharashtra. He made extensive tours all over India, held disputations and published polemical tracts and pamphlets in many languages in North and South India for free distribution. He started, Sriman Madhva Siddhanta Abhivruddhikarini Sabha around 1905-06 and registered in 1930 to promote the study of Sanskrit literature and philosophy, particularly the study of Dvaita Philosophy, to hold meetings and conferences of Madhva scholars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Satyabodha Tirtha</span> Hindu guru

Satyabodha Tirtha was an Indian philosopher, scholar, yogi, mystic and saint. He was the 25th pontiff of Uttaradi Math and served the pontificate from March 1744 - 9 March 1783. Satyabodha Tirtha was a great yogi and was honoured by both Hindu and Muslim rulers of his time. Satyabodha Tirtha enjoyed a good fame as a miracle-man. Almost all the princes of the South India used to worship him and were his ardent disciples. Murari Rao of Gooty, Raghoji Bhosale and Fateh Singh Rao Gaekwad, were his great disciples. Satyabodha Tirtha Swamiji's mission of peace has played a prominent role during this time. He earned a reputation as the greatest of Madhva saints of his time for his un-rivaled scholarship, miraculous achievements and dynamism as the pontiff of the Uttaradi Math. So many were his achievements and so well was he liked, admired and respected by people of all castes and creeds, rich and poor, that the Uttaradi Math in Savanur got the name as Satyabodha Math after him. Satyabodha Tirtha is believed to be the incarnation of Markandeya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">B. N. K. Sharma</span> Sanskrit writer from India

Bhavani Narayanrao Krishnamurti Sharma, commonly known as B. N. K. Sharma or B. N. Krishnamurti Sharma, was an Indian writer, scholar, professor, and Indologist. Sharma was a professor and Head of the Department of Sanskrit in Ruparel College, Bombay from (1953–1969). Sharma was one of the foremost exponents of Madhvacharya's school of Dvaita Vedanta. B. N. K. Sharma learned the art of debates under Satyadhyana Tirtha of Uttaradi Math. Sharma travelled along with Satyadhyana Tirtha from, learned all philosophical knowledge from him and also used to rectify his doubts from Satyadhyana Tirtha.

References

  1. Bannanje Govindacharya (1968). Vādaratnāvalī. Dvaita Vedanta Adhyayana Samshodhana Pratisthanam. p. VII. district was visited by Madhva during his tours and was the native district of the celebrated Padmanabha Tirtha and that the families of the great Anandabhattaraka and Tarangini Ramacharya also hailed from the town of Puntamba in the...
  2. Sharma 2000, p. 294.
  3. 1 2 Wilson 1876, p. 82.
  4. Bannanje Govindacharya (1968). Vādaratnāvalī. Dvaita Vedanta Adhyayana Samshodhana Pratisthanam. p. VII. district was visited by Madhva during his tours and was the native district of the celebrated Padmanabha Tirtha and that the families of the great Anandabhattaraka and Tarangini Ramacharya also hailed from the town of Puntamba in the...
  5. Sharma 2000, p. 293.
  6. Sharma 2000, p. 295.

Bibliography