Administration and Social Life under Vijayanagar c14.20

c14.20

According to the *Guruparamparā*, Vidyāraṇya, the *Advaita* teacher, and Akṣobhyamuni, the follower of the *Dvaita* philosophy, had a controversy regarding their respective doctrines of illusion (*māyā*) and reality (*tattva*). Both of them sent their contentions through the king of Vijayanagar to Vēdānta Dēśika (then at Śrīraṅgam) for arbitration. But the *Viśiṣṭādvaita* teacher decided in favour of Akṣobhyamuni. Though the chronology contained in the story is not above suspicion yet “the story...... sufficiently illustrates the state of conflict between the two schools of philosophy.”¹⁰ But such hot controversies and differences of opinion in regard to highly philosophical questions did not prevent the rival schools from working together for the preservation of their religion. The activities of Vidyāraṇya who was on very intimate terms with the royal house of Vijayanagar are known to us better. He helped Bukka I and Harihara II in the task of religious revival and tried to do his work with their help. He added to his religious undertakings others of a political nature and boldly played the part of a statesman and empire builder.¹¹ Vidyāraṇya is said to have invited Vēdānta Dēśika who was living at Satyamangalam to Vijayanagar perhaps to work together. But the Dēśika appears to have preferred a life of seclusion whence he could work for the emancipation of the country to one of active participation in the political movements of the period, in which respect he was a shining contrast to the great *Advaita* techer of the fourteenth century.