The Dvaita School of Vedanta

Abstract

The article "The Dvaita School of Vedanta of Sri Madhvacarya: A Trilogy" by B N K Sharma positions Dvaita Vedanta as a crucial philosophical system that provided robust opposition to Advaita's monism and acosmism. The author argues that while Advaita has received disproportionate attention in Western scholarship, Dvaita, despite being chronologically later and having a smaller following, stands out for its metaphysical realism and strong emphasis on theism, aligning with older textual traditions.

The article highlights the significant contributions of Dvaita thinkers, particularly Jayatirtha and Vyasatirtha, to Indian logic and dialectics, influencing later schools like the Caitanya Sampradaya and the Haridasa movement. It traces the historical and ideological background of Madhva's revival of Vedantic realism, emphasizing his critical and comparative approach to existing schools and scriptural interpretations. Sharma asserts that Madhva consistently interpreted the Upanishads to convey the transcendental majesty of Brahman as the supreme, all-encompassing, and independent creator and controller of the universe, directly countering interpretations that equate the individual self (atman) with Brahman. This rigorous focus on a distinct, infinitely perfect Supreme Being as the primary subject of the Upanishads defines the core of Madhva's unique contribution to Vedanta.