Madhvācārya and Vyāsatīrtha

Abstract

The article "Madhvācārya and Vyāsatīrtha" by Deepak Sarma offers a nuanced comparison between two towering figures of Dvaita Vedānta—its founder Madhvācārya and the later polymath Vyāsatīrtha—highlighting continuities and tensions in their approaches to dualist metaphysics and philosophical polemics. Sarma investigates how Vyāsatīrtha, while revering Madhva as an avatāra and philosophical authority, develops a more elaborate and dialogically sophisticated style of argumentation, particularly in response to Advaita and Nyāya objections. Drawing on key works such as Tarkatāṇḍava and Nyāyāmṛta, the article examines Vyāsatīrtha’s refined epistemological strategies and his engagement with rival schools, showing how he expands Dvaita’s intellectual reach while maintaining fidelity to Madhva’s theological core. Sarma also reflects on how hagiographical and doctrinal materials portray their relationship, revealing a productive tension between tradition-bound reverence and intellectual innovation. The study provides valuable insight into the Dvaita tradition’s evolution from charismatic revelation to scholastic sophistication.