Vijayendra Tirtha

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Brundavana of Vijayendra Tirtha

Vijayendra Tīrtha (also known as Vijayīndra Tīrtha) (1514-1593) was a Hindu philosopher, dialectician and 15th Pontiff of Sri Vijayendra Mutt;which is now popularly known as Raghavendra Matha.Literary sources like 'Vijayeendra Vijaya', document his life and literary works on Madhva Siddhanta. He is also revered for his triumphs in theological debates, significantly over Appayya Dikshita and Lingarajendra. He is famously known as Chathushashti kalaakovida [knower of 64 vidyas] and has written over 104 Granthas consisting of commentaries on the works of Madhva siddantha and several independent treatises criticizing the tenets of contemporary schools, especially Advaita, while simultaneously elaborating upon the Dvaita thought.^[1]

Birth and early life

He was born in 1514 as Vittalacharya. There is no information about his family history. After renouncing the worldly life for the life of a saint, he was given the name “Vishnu tirtha” at the age of eight, ” by Sri Vyasa Raya or Vyasa Tirtha, a scholar noted for his works Nyayamruta, Tarkatandava and Tatparyachandrika. Under the tutelage of Vyasa tirtha, he is supposed to have learnt 64 arts^[2] and “tarka-meemansa-vedanta” shastras. Later, he was named “Vijayendra tirtha” by his second guru Shri Surendra tirtha, the pontiff of the Sri Kaveendra Teertha Parampara.^[3]

Literary works

Vijayendra tirtha is credited with as many as 104 literary works. He became an active proponent of Dvaita school of thought in South India during the Thanjavur Nayak rule in Tamil Nadu. At that time,Dvaita school was threatened by a combined onslaught of Advaita, Vishishtadvaita and Shaiva schools,and Vijayendra Tirtha triumphantly established Dualistic realism (Dvaita). Many of his books are refutations or “khandanam” of other schools of thought.^[4][5]

Honors

• Venkatapati Raya,the ruler of Vijayanagara Empire honored Vijayendra tirtha with a Counch and other emblems of victory for his victory over his opponents in disputations.^[6]

Later life

Vijayendra Tirtha remained the pontiff of Vibhudendra Tirtha Mutt. He tutored and appointed Shri Sudhindra tirtha as his successor. He died in 1593 (Manmatha Samvatsara) and his brindavana in Kumbhakonam, India.

References