A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar c19.s1.33

c19.s1.33

The philosophy of Dvaita (dualism) was elaborated by Madhva, also called Ānanda Tirtha (1198-1275), in his *Bhāshya* on the *Brahma-sūtras* and in the *Anuvyākhyā*, a further commentary supporting the conclusions of the *Bhāshya*; he also commented on the Upanishads and the *Bhagavadgītā*, and wrote an epitome of the *Mahābhārata* entitled *Bhāratatātparyanirṇaya*, besides a commentary on some hymns of the Rigveda called *Rigveda-vyākhyā*. He wrote also a number of polemical works rebutting the doctrines of rival schools. He relied for support more on the Purāṇas than on Vedic texts or logical proofs. Jayatirtha (*d.* 1388), a pupil of Madhva’s pupil Akshobhyatirtha and contemporary of Vidyāraṇya, was the greatest elucidator of the works of Madhvācārya, and earned for himself the title *Ṭīkācārya*. He also wrote two polemics, the *Nyāya-sudhā* on the *Brahmasūtra-bhāshya* of Madhva, and *Vādāvali*. The next great name in the history of Dvaita is that of Vyāsarāya (1447-1539) who was highly honoured by the great Krishnadeva Rāya of Vijayanagar. His *Bhedojjīvana* and *Tātparya-candrikā* are summary restatements of the doctrines of his school; *Nyāyāmṛita* was directed against Advaita, and *Tarka-tāṇḍava* against the conclusions of the logicians (Naiyāyikas). Vādirāja, a pupil of Vyāsarāya, wrote the *Yuktimallikā*, a critique of the doctrines of Śankara. Vijayīndra (1576), another pupil of Vyāsarāya, was held in great esteem by Śevvappa Nāyaka of Tanjore. He wrote commentaries on the works of Vyāsarāya besides the *Upasamhāravijaya*, and *Madhva-tantra-mukha-bhūṣaṇa*, refutations of Appaya Dikshita’s works of the opposite names, and *Paratattva-prakāśa*, an answer to the same writer’s *Śiva-tattva-viveka*. He spent his last days at Kumbakonam writing other works.