Madhva

Madhvacharya, commonly known as Madhva, was an Indian philosopher-saint who founded the Dvaita (dualism) tradition of Vedanta. He is traditionally dated to the 13th century, approximately 1238–1317 CE, and is believed to have been born in Pajaka, a village near Udupi in present-day Karnataka.

Philosophy and teaching: Madhva propounded a strictly dualistic theism in which Vishnu (Krishna) is the supreme reality and all individual souls (jivas) and the material world (jagat) are real and eternally dependent on Vishnu. He argued that the relationship between God and the souls is real in terms of difference, while also describing an inconceivable unity in the sense of dependence on the divine. He rejected Advaita’s non-dualism and maintained that liberation comes through devoted bhakti to Vishnu, aided by divine grace and correct knowledge. His philosophy influenced ritual practice, theology, and social organization within Vaishnavism and Hindu thought more broadly.

Writings and influence: Madhva authored numerous philosophical treatises and commentaries on the Prasthanatrayi—the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Brahma Sutras—along with various independent works on theology, ethics, and practice. He organized the Dvaita tradition around a network of monastic centers and established the Ashta Mathas at Udupi, forming a lineage that continues to train teachers and oversee temple rites; the Paryaya festival system is a notable institutional legacy.

Legacy: Madhvacharya’s teaching established a major strand of Vedanta that remains influential in Vaishnavism, particularly in Karnataka and surrounding regions. His ideas continue to be studied by scholars and practiced by followers within the Dvaita tradition and related devotional communities.