MADHVA’S PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATION FOR BHAKTI

Author : Samuel Laldinsanga, B.Sc., B.Th., B.D.

: Gurukul Lutheran Theological College & Research Institute, Chennai
Year : 2022
 Madhva’s Philosophical Foundation for Bhakti | Samuel Laldinsanga

Table of Content

Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 2
1. Madhva’s Background ...................................................................................................... 2
1.1. Biographical Sketch ................................................................................................... 2
1.2. Avatar of Vayu........................................................................................................... 3
2. Madhva in Bhakti Movement ............................................................................................ 3
2.1. Influencer .................................................................................................................. 3
2.2. Contributions ............................................................................................................. 3
3. Madhva’s Philosophical Foundation for Bhakti................................................................. 4
3.1. Epistemology ............................................................................................................. 4
3.1.1. Scriptures ......................................................................................................... 5
3.1.2. Liberation ........................................................................................................ 5
3.2. Metaphysics ............................................................................................................... 5
3.2.1. God .................................................................................................................. 5
3.2.1.1. Viṣṇu .................................................................................................... 6
3.2.1.2. God and the Attributes.......................................................................... 6
3.2.2. Jīva (Soul)........................................................................................................ 6
3.2.2.1. Atat Tvam Asi ....................................................................................... 7
3.2.2.2. Classifications of Jīva .......................................................................... 7
3.2.3. World ............................................................................................................... 7
3.2.3.1. Fivefold Bheda ..................................................................................... 8
3.2.3.2. Ten Padarthas ...................................................................................... 8
3.3. Ontology .................................................................................................................... 8
3.3.1. Two Entities..................................................................................................... 8
3.3.2. Svarupa............................................................................................................ 9
4. Influence ........................................................................................................................... 9
Evaluation ............................................................................................................................. 9
Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 10
Bibliography ....................................................................................................................... 11
Books ............................................................................................................................. 11
Encyclopaedia ................................................................................................................ 11
Online Source ................................................................................................................. 12

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 Madhva’s Philosophical Foundation for Bhakti | Samuel Laldinsanga

Introduction
Madhva, a Hindu theologian, is one of the most influential Vedantic philosophers in the history
of Indian philosophy. He had a significant impact and is regarded as the founder of one of the
Vaiṣṇava bhakti movements. His conception of reality is wholly dualistic because he saw a
fundamental distinction between the all-powerful God and the unique soul. This paper deals
his philosophical foundation for bhakti along with his background, influencer, and his
contributions towards bhakti Movement in India.

1. Madhva’s Background
1.1. Biographical Sketch
Madhva Acharya (ca. 1197 - 1278 CE)1, according to Santideva, is generally assigned to the
13th century CE.2 He is also known as Purna Prajna and Ananda Tirtha, who was born in ca.
1197 CE. His birthplace is said to be the village of Pajaka near Udupi in Karnataka.
Traditionally, Madhva’s parents, Naddantillaya and Vedavati, named him Vasudeva at birth.
Later, the name Purna Prajna was given at the time of his initiation into sannyasa
(renunciation), as a teenager; when he became the head of his monastery, he was conferred the
name Ananda Tirtha.3 Achyutapreksha, a mendicant of Vaiṣṇava tradition, gave the title
‘Madhva’ by which he was more famously known.4

He is a Hindu philosopher and the chief proponent of the Dvaita5 school of Vedanta. He called
his philosophy as Tattvavada (the realist viewpoint).6 With the permission of his parents, he
was initiated into monastic life under Achyutapreksa,7 and began his philosophic studies,
however, dissatisfied with non-dualistic interpretation of Vedanta which developed into the

1
The period of Madhva is debated. According to Tapasyananda, Madhva’s period is dated as ca. 1238-
1317 CE. Cf. Svami Tapasyananda, Sri Madhvacharya: His Life, Religion & Philosophy (Madras: Sri
Ramakrishna Math, 1990), 1.
2
Sadhu Santideva, The Doctrine of Hindu Mysticism (New Delhi: Cosmos Publication, 2000), 185.
3
Cited by Bhradwaj in his book “Hinduism: Bhakti Yoga,” according to Dehsen, “Perhaps there were two
individuals named Madhvacharya in 13th century India, with Anandatirtha, the younger Madhva being the most
important early disciple of the elder Madhvacharya, and their works and life overlapped in Udupi, Tattvavada
being the name adopted for Dvaita Vedanta by Anandatirtha.” Cf. Umesh Bhradwaj, Hinduism: Bhakti Yoga
(Allahabad: Om Publication, 2016), 145-146.
4
Madur, “The Religious Reformer – Madhvacharya,” Karnataka.com, 7 Oct 2011, accessed 30 Aug 2022,
https://www.karnataka.com/personalities/madhvacharya/.
5
The name Dvaita refers to Madhva’s dualistic interpretation of the Hindu canonical texts known as the
Upanishads, also known as Vedanta. Cf. Valerie Stoker, “Madhva,” Concise Routledge Encyclopedia of
Philosophy (New York: Routledge, 2000): 518.
6
Bhradwaj, Hinduism: Bhakti Yoga…, 143.
7
H. N. Raghavendrachar, “Madhva’s Brahma-Mimamsa,” in The Cultural Heritage of India: The
Philosophies, vol. III, edited by Haridas Bhattacharyya (Calcutta: The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture,
1953), 313.

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school of Dvaita Vedanta. His religion is personalistic theism. He worshiped Brahman in the
form of Viṣṇu and founded the sect of Sad-Vaisnavism or Brahma-Vaisnavism. He travelled
widely teaching his philosophy and religion and debating with his opponents. He convinced
Achyutapreksa, his former teacher. He died in ca. 1278 CE.8

1.2. Avatar of Vayu

Madhva proclaims himself to be the third avatar (incarnation) of Vayu, wind god, the son of
Viṣṇu. He asserted himself to be like Hanuman (the first avatar of Vayu) and Bhima (the second
avatar of Vayu). In one of his bhasya (commentary) on the Brahma-Sutras, he asserts that the
authority of the text is from his personal encounter with Viṣṇu. He believed himself to be an
intermediary between Viṣṇu and Dvaita devotees, guiding the latter in their journey towards
Viṣṇu.9

2. Madhva in Bhakti Movement

The Dvaita school founded by Madhva influenced Vaiṣṇavism, the bhakti movement in
medieval India, and has been one of the three influential Vedanta philosophies, along with
Advaita (non-dualism) Vedanta and Viśiṣṭādvaita (qualified non-dualism) Vedanta.

2.1. Influencer
Madhva was the exponent of the Dvaita school of Vedanta. Though his dualistic system of
Vedanta is different from that of Ramanuja, he was a strong upholder of Vaiṣṇava theism. His
teaching on Vaiṣṇavism marks an important epoch in the history of Vaiṣṇavism. Whether or
not he was directly influenced by Ramanuja, he has undoubtedly developed the bhakti
movement initiated by Ramanuja and further strengthened Vaiṣṇavism by asserting that Viṣṇu
is the Brahman and bhakti or supreme devotion to God is the means to moksa.10

2.2. Contributions
Madhva’s literary contribution to Vaiṣṇavism is significant. He wrote an independent work
known as Viṣṇu-tattva-nirnaya to establish the supremacy of Viṣṇu. His other work entitled
Tantrasara-sangraha, which deals with practical aspects of Vaiṣṇavism. He holds in high
esteem the Pancaratra Agamas (five nights’ tradition).11 He wrote a total of 37 treatises,

8
R. Puligandla, Fundamentals of Indian Philosophy (New Delhi: D.K. Printworld (P) Ltd., 1997), 268.
9
Bhradwaj, Hinduism: Bhakti Yoga…, 146.
10
T. Swami Raju, Basic Elements of Hinduism (Delhi: CWI, 2022), 171.
11
Raju, Basic Elements of Hinduism…, 171.

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together known as the Sarvamuagranthah, Compendium of All the Fundamentals,12 where 13

are bhasya (review and commentary) on earliest principal Upanisads; a Madhva-bhasya on the
foundational text of Vedanta school of Hinduism – Brahma-Sutras; Gita-bhasya on Bhagavad
Gita; a commentary on 40 hymns of the Rig Veda; a review of the Mahabharata in poetic style;
a commentary called Bhagavata-tatparya-nirnaya on Bhagavata Purana; plus stotras (hymn
of praise), poems and texts on bhakti of Viṣṇu and the avatars. The Anu-Vyakhyana, a
supplement to Madhva’s commentary on Brahma-Sutra, is his masterpiece.13

Madhva travelled all over India and spread Vaiṣṇavism. The bhakti movement initiated by him
was carried on further and spread all over the country through his able disciples, Jayatirtha and
Vyasaraya. The later promoted the devotional movement known as Dasa-kuta comprising a
bond of saintly persons singing devotional songs. Notable among these are Purandara Dasa and
Kanaka Dasa whose song have greatly popularised the bhakti cult. Basically, the Vaiṣṇavism
of Madhva is not very different in respect of certain theological details. However, his Vaiṣṇava
theism had far-reaching influence on Caitanya and Maharashtra sants.14

3. Madhva’s Philosophical Foundation for Bhakti

3.1. Epistemology
The most important aspect of Madhva’s epistemology was the role he assigned to the saksin
(knowing self), which unifies the senses and simplifies their information. In order to support
his claim that experiential knowledge can validate itself, he described the saksin as being
infallible and capable of making the final decision regarding the validity of the information
supplied to it. Indeed, while Madhva advocated three means of knowledge (pramanas), viz.,
perception, inference and verbal testimony (especially sacred scripture) and he insisted that the
latter two pramanas should never be interpreted in a way that contradicts perception. Advaitins
looked it as ordinary experience. However, Madhva fiercely defended the revealed literature
(Veda) due to its ability to grant access to privileged domains of knowledge such as the nature
of duty (dharma) and liberation (moksa).15

12
Deepak Sarma, An Introduction to Madhva Vedanta (USA: Ashgate Publishing Ltd., 2003), 15. For more
detail cf. B. N. K. Sharma, History of the Dvaita School of Vedanta and its Literature (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass,
1981), 90-187.
13
Bhradwaj, Hinduism: Bhakti Yoga…, 147.
14
S. M. Srinivasa Chari, Vaisnavism: Its Philosophy, Theology, and Religious Discipline (Delhi: Motilal
Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited, 1994), 32.
15
Valerie Stoker, “Madhva,” Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, vol 6, edited by Edward Craig (New
York: Routledge, 1998): 32.

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3.1.1. Scriptures
For Madhva, the purpose and goal of all the scriptures (sad-agamas) is revealing and making
the supreme God known to people. The prime import (mahatatparya) of the sacred texts is
Viṣṇu. Not only the scriptures, but also every word in the language primarily signifies Viṣṇu
and refers only secondarily to other objects. The language of people is only to signify God with
regard to the attributes and qualities of the Supreme God, Viṣṇu.16 Therefore, the belief in God
must be based on the teachings of the scriptures, all of which aim at revealing the existence
and nature of God.17

3.1.2. Liberation
Madhva’s epistemological reflection was always in the service of soteriology, of attaining
liberation. Bhakti-yoga is the sole path to liberation.18 Liberation required a thorough
knowledge of the universe’s workings, including their epistemological aspects, and, most
significantly, a perfect understanding of the fundamental scriptures on the Supreme God. An
incorrect understanding of the Supreme God was the reason why sentient beings were reborn.
Such knowledge, combined with devotion (bhakti) and other practice, could eventually break
the cycle of birth and rebirth.19 Liberation comes from bhakti and Divine mercy when one
knows the true nature of self and the true nature of God.20

3.2. Metaphysics
Hiriyana cites Madhva’s general metaphysical position by the statement cited by Madhva,
“Diverse and of diverse attributes are all the things of the universe,”21 in simple way, “All
things in the universe are different and have different qualities.”

3.2.1. God
Madhva speaks of God as personal God who is the supreme person called Isvara. By dualism,
he does not mean two independent and mutually irreducible substances. For him, there are three
irreducible substances, only one independent substance, God, and the other two, the individual

16
Raju, Basic Elements of Hinduism…, 173.
17
Kenneth W. Morgan, ed., The Religion of the Hindus (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1987), 225.
18
Puligandla, Fundamentals of Indian Philosophy…, 271.
19
Deepak Sarma, Epistemologies and the Limitations of Philosophical Inquiry: Doctrine in Madhva
Vedanta (New York: Routledge Curzon, 2005), 23.
20
Bhradwaj, Hinduism: Bhakti Yoga…, 150.
21
M. Hiriyanna, Essentials of Indian Philosophy (UK: George Allen & Unwin Ltd., 1986), 187, citing
Bhinnasca bhinna-dharmasca padartha nikhila ami.

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selves (jīva) and the material world (jaḍa) are dependent upon God.22 In other words, there are
two kinds of reality, independent (svatantra) and dependent (paratantra). Brahman is the
independent reality; individual souls and the world are dependent realities. Brahman is
completely independent, perfect, absolute and pure consciousness who possesses infinite
qualities and assumes various manifestations.23 The four primary manifestation of Brahman
are Vasudeva, Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Sankarasana which are respectively responsible for
the redemptive, creative, sustaining and destructive aspects in the universe.24

3.2.1.1. Viṣṇu
For Madhva, the supreme God is Viṣṇu who possesses all auspicious, blessed, infinite and
eternal attributes. In relation to the souls, Viṣṇu is the liberator and the primary cause of the
bondage of the chain of existence (samsara) for the soul. The so-called apparent causes of
bondage such as ignorance (avidya), action (karma) and the subtle body (linga-sarira) are only
the secondary causes of the chain of existence. Ultimately God’s grace (prasada) is needed for
removal of bondage though the efforts are fruitful initially from the part of the jīva.25
3.2.1.2. God and the Attributes
The relation between God and the attributes is governed by the principle of viśeṣā
(distinguishing properties), by virtue of which a thing is distinguished from its permanent
attributes though they are identical in essence. There is no fundamental distinction between
God and the attributes. God is the supreme reality possessing all excellences like infinite
knowledge, bliss, power, etc. God manifests in various forms, incarnates as avataras and is
present in the sacred images. God is apprehensible through the Vedas (sruti) though not fully
comprehensible. As any theistic understanding would go the supreme God is everything in
relation to the world.26

3.2.2. Jīva (Soul)

Madhva defended the distinction and plurality among the jīvas. This becomes a feature of his
realism. Jīva, by essence, is spiritual consciousness that is part-less. This jīva possesses
knowledge and bliss. In this possession, jīva is similar to God but is dependent on God. God is

22
Daniel P. Sheridan, The Advaitic Theism of the Bhagavata Purana (Madras: Motilal Banarsidass, 1986),
119.
23
Raju, Basic Elements of Hinduism…, 173.
24
Bhradwaj, Hinduism: Bhakti Yoga…, 149.
25
Peter V. John, “Unit-3 Dvaita Vedanta,” eGyanKosh, accessed 22 Aug 2022,
https://www.egyankosh.ac.in/handle/123456789/34676.
26
Raju, Basic Elements of Hinduism…, 173.

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the perfect jīva, and the individual jīvas are only images of God.27 There is no soul like another.
All souls are unique, reflected in individual personalities.28
3.2.2.1. Atat Tvam Asi
Tat tvam asi (Thou art That) found in verse 6.8.7 of the 700 BC text Chandogya Upanishad is
one of the great sayings (mahavakyas) in Hinduism, which is interpreted to mean that there is
no difference between the soul within (Thou) and the Brahman (That). Madhva reinterpreted
this section, by parsing the Sanskrit text as Atat tvam asi (Thou are not That), asserting that
there is no Sanskrit rule which does not allow such parsing. He acknowledged that Tat tvam
asi was how tradition and earlier scholars had all understood the scripture, but he argued that
there is no philosophical or logical reason for him to agree.29

3.2.2.2. Classifications of Jīva

For Madhva, there are three kinds of jīvas. The first kind of jīvas are those who are eternally
free (nitya-mukta). The second kind of jīvas are those who have freed themselves from
mundane existence, the recurrent round of birth and death (mukta) such as gods and
humankind, sages and ancestors. The third kind of jīvas are souls that are still bound (baddha).
By making such a distinction (taratamya) among the jīvas, Madhva tries to give an original
solution to the problem of evil, and to lift God (Viṣṇu) above all blame for evil in the world.30
For Madhva, the total devotion and self-surrender to God is the only means of liberation.31
3.2.3. World
The world is prakṛti (primal matter) and is not created by God as it has eternal existence. The
external world is affirmed to be ultimately real (satya) and continues to exist at all times. The
world process is beginning less and eternal (anadi and nitya). All the material products
originate from prakṛti. Sattva (pure), rajas (active) and tamas (inaction) are its three gunas
(quality).32 The Dvaita conception of causation is known as Sad-asat-karya vada (the theory
of non-existent effect), the effect is considered as neither existent only nor non-existent. It
exists as the cause, but not as the effect.33

27
Raju, Basic Elements of Hinduism…, 174.
28
Bhradwaj, Hinduism: Bhakti Yoga…, 149.
29
Bhradwaj, Hinduism: Bhakti Yoga…, 150.
30
Bibhu Padhi and Minakshi Padhi, Indian Philosophy and Religion: A Reader’s Guide (New Delhi: D.K.
Printworld (P) Ltd., 1998), 331-332.
31
Puligandla, Fundamentals of Indian Philosophy…, 271.
32
The sattva dominated souls go to heaven, the rajas dominated revolves in the samsaric cycle, and tamas
dominated go to hell. Cf. Padhi and Padhi, Indian Philosophy and Religion…, 331.
33
Raju, Basic Elements of Hinduism…, 174.

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3.2.3.1. Fivefold Bheda

Madhva accepts fivefold bheda (difference) in reality, viz., the difference between God and
soul (Isvara and Jīva), between soul and soul (Jīva and Jīva), between God and matter, between
soul and matter, and between different material objects. However, the difference does not mean
independence. God (Viṣṇu) alone is independent reality (svatantra-tattva), and all other beings
are dependent on God (Paratantra-tattva).34

3.2.3.2. Ten Padarthas

Madhva accepts ten Padarthas (category), viz., substance (dravya), attribute (guna), action
(karma), universals (samanya), specialty (visesa), the specified (visista), the whole (amsin),
potency (sakti), similarity (sadrsya) and non-existence (abhava). Substances are twenty in
number. Of these, Brahman and souls are sentient (cetana). The rest are insentient (acetana).
The twenty substances are Brahman, Laksmi, Jīvas, space (akasa), time (kala), primal matter
(prakṛti), and its eight volutes, the cosmic egg (brahmanda), ignorance (avidya), speech sounds
(varna), darkness (timira), mental impressions (vasana) and reflection (pratibimba).35

3.3. Ontology
Madhva’s view of reality is purely dualistic, in that he understood a fundamental variation
between the ultimate Godhead and the individual soul, and the system is hence called Dvaita
(dualistic) Vedanta.36 He maintained that the universe is indeed a real and is not fundamentally
an illusion. All things in the universe are therefore self-existent in and of themselves.37

3.3.1. Two Entities

Within the reality, there are two kinds of entities, viz., asvatantra (dependent entities) and
svatantra (independent entity). Dependent realities include the plurality of souls (jīvas), as well
as Prakṛti. Meanwhile, Viṣṇu is the sole independent entity in the universe; all other things
depend on him. Viṣṇu is the pinnacle of reality and governs all real things existing within it,
living or dead, as well as all the events which can potentially occur. This bifurcated nature of
reality marks a fundamental dualism between creators and created, hence affording Madhva’s
Vedanta the name Dvaita, dualism.38

34
Raju, Basic Elements of Hinduism…, 174-175.
35
K. R. Paramahamsa, Dvaita Vedanta: Madhva’s Vaishnava Theism (Tirupati: TTD, 2012), 14-16.
36
Rajeev Verma, Faith and Philosophy of Hinduism (Delhi: Kalpaz Publication, 2009), 155.
37
Raju, Basic Elements of Hinduism…, 175.
38
Raju, Basic Elements of Hinduism…, 175.

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3.3.2. Svarupa
For Madhva, difference is the svarupa (essence) of any given apprehended object, the quality
which distinguishes said object from other objects. He notes that if svarupa is not characterized
by difference, then no differentiation would ever occur between objects; moreover, one could
not perceive themselves as different from other things. Contrary to the idealistic schools like
Yogacara (yoga practice), Madhyamika (intermediate), Buddhism or Advaita, Dvaita maintains
the difference rather than sameness in the very nature of the universe.39

4. Influence
Madhva’s ideas led to the founding of Haridasa sect of Vaiṣṇavism in Karnataka, also referred
to as Vyasakuta, Dasakuta or Dasa Dasapantha, known for their devotional songs and music
during the bhakti Movement. Other influential sub-schools of Vaiṣṇavism such as the Caitanya
sub-school, whose Jiva Gosvami asserts only Kṛṣṇa is Svayam Bhagavan (original form of
God), in contrast to Madhva who asserts that all Viṣṇu avatars are equal and identical with both
sharing the belief that emotional devotion to God is the means to spiritual liberation.40
According to Sharma, the influence of Madhva’s Dvaita ideas have been most prominent on
the Caitanya school of Bengal Vaiṣṇavism and in Assam.41 Also, the subsect of Gaudiya
Vaiṣṇava from Orissa and West Bengal claim to be followers of Madhva.42

Evaluation
The fundamental distinction between the human soul (atman) and the ultimate reality,
Brahman, is one of the key tenets of Madhva’s Dvaita Vedanta. This differs significantly from
the older Advaita Vedanta, which Madhva frequently and vehemently criticised. According to
Sankara’s Advaita (non-dualist) Vedanta, the atman and Brahman are utterly the same thing.
When the atman is affected by the illusory force of maya, it develops a false feeling of diversity
and uniqueness. The sole actual reality is Brahman, while maya has the ambiguous ontological
condition of neither being real nor unreal. A soul becomes liberated from the cycle of rebirth
(punar-janma) by realizing that its very experience of samsara is an illusion; its true identity
is the singular objectless consciousness that constitutes pure being or Brahman. Madhva

39
New World Encyclopedia, s.v., “Madhva,” accessed 22 August 2022,
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Madhva.
40
Bhradwaj, Hinduism: Bhakti Yoga…, 153.
41
Sharma, History of the Dvaita School…, 527.
42
Bhradwaj, Hinduism: Bhakti Yoga…, 153.

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rejected Ramanuja’s Visistadvaita Vedanta (qualified non-dualism) system, it changes

Sankara’s view on the soul’s unity with Brahman. Ramanuja argues that there are many
different individual souls, each of which retains its individuality even after attaining freedom,
but he maintains that they all share Brahma’s fundamental essence. Brahman, who serves as
their source and maintains its transcendence, emits immortal particles known as souls.
Ramanuja affirms Viṣṇu’s fundamental distinctiveness from the human soul and his supremacy
as creator and redeemer. He equates Brahman with Viṣṇu, contending that unlike Sankara’s
attribute-less (Nirguna) Brahman, Brahman is possessing qualities (Saguna).43

Conclusion

Madhva’s profound influence on Hindu philosophy, particularly through his establishment of

the Dvaita school of Vedanta, has left an indelible mark on the trajectory of Vaiṣṇavism and
the broader Bhakti Movement in medieval India. As a key proponent of dualism, Madhva’s
philosophical foundation for bhakti emphasized a fundamental distinction between the supreme
God, Viṣṇu, and individual souls, shaping the theological landscape of Vaiṣṇava theism. His
extensive contributions, encompassing numerous treatises, commentaries, and hymns,
underscore the depth and breadth of his scholarship, reinforcing the theological underpinnings
of the bhakti tradition.

Madhva’s legacy extends beyond intellectual discourse, as he played a pivotal role in the
propagation of Vaiṣṇavism across India. His disciples, notably Jayatirtha and Vyasaraya,
continued the dissemination of his teachings, fostering the development of the Haridasa sect
and influencing subsequent Vaiṣṇava sub-schools, including the Caitanya school in Bengal.

While Madhva’s philosophy diverged from other Vedantic traditions, such as Advaita and
Visistadvaita, his emphasis on the personalistic theism of Viṣṇu and the centrality of bhakti as
a path to liberation resonated deeply within the rich Hindu thought. Madhva’s enduring impact
endorses his status as a seminal figure in the evolution of Indian philosophical and religious
discourse.

43
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, s.v., “Madhva,” accessed 30 Aug 2022,
https://iep.utm.edu/madhva/.

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 Madhva’s Philosophical Foundation for Bhakti | Samuel Laldinsanga

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