TIRTHA PRABANDHA – AN YATI’S TRAVELOGUE Today is the 409th ArAdhana of Sri Vadiraja Tirtha who appeared on earth in physical form for 120 years. He witnessed the fate of Vijayanagara Empire from c.1480-1600. This thread is about his unique contribution to the world of Samskruta literature titled “Tirtha Prabandha.’ Vadiraja was a prolific writer in Samskruta,…
A PROVEN METHOD TO UNDERSTAND PURANA & ITIHASA Recently a heated debate raged over a Telugu piece on Sitadevi. The person who wrote that is a Xtian missionary & a known Hindu hater. I didn’t read that piece but read the snippets posted on the Facebook updates by a few friends. Such attempts are not…
BERTRAND RUSSEL ON BOLSHEVISM [COMMUNISM] & MOHAMMEDANISM Bertrand Russel wrote “Bolshevism [Communism] is to be reckoned with Mohammedanism.” He also said that “Both are practical, social, unspiritual, concerned to win the empire of this world.” [B. Russel, Theory & Practice of Bolshevism, 1921]. What Russel wrote in 1921 has become true in India. From 60’s which…
BHARATA TATPARYA NIRNAYA – ACHARYA MADHVA’S UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION On the sacred occasion of Madhva Navami, here is a brief introduction to an invaluable contribution of Acharya Madhva made to firm up the very foundation of Sanatana Dharma in the age of Kali. And that contribution’s name is “Sriman Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya.” BACKGROUND: As was done by…
This article is about an anecdote found in a Telugu book on Andhra literature in Vijayanagara which throws light on Sri Vyasatirtha’s persona. Tekumalla Achyuta Rao, a Telugu writer specialised in history of Telugu literature wrote a book titled “Vijayanagara mandali Andhra Vangmaya Charitramu” (విజయనగరమందలి ఆంధ్ర వాజ్ఞ్మయ చరిత్రము) which means “The History of Telugu Literature in…
Sri Vijayindra Tirtha is the bulwark of Dvaita Vedanta from post-Vyasatirtha period. This write-up is a humble contribution about a great yati who foresaw the difficult times for Vijayanagara Empire & forewarned Ramaraya to take measures. Vijayindra was born in c.1514 as ‘Vitthala.’ Got initiated into sanyAsa by Vyasatirtha as ‘Vishnutirtha.’ But subsequently…
For those readers who are new to this subject, I wish to give them the gist of the story. Sri Akshobhya Tirtha, the 4th successor of Acharya Madhva has ascended the Dvaita Vedanta Peetha in the year c.1350. He has succeeded Sri Mādhava Tirtha (Ascendance:1333 Brindavana: 1349/50) and prevailed over the Peetha till c.1365. The…
THE BELL IN HANUMAN’S TAIL [As told by Sri Vidya Vijaya Tirtha Sripadaru of Sri Vyasaraja Matha-Sosale] The Bell in Hanuman’s tail – is an interesting feature that can be seen not just in Vyasa-Anjaneya pratima-s but also in many pratima-s across Bharata bhUmi. I have learnt one legend associated with it from elders. Here is…
HISTORIC MEETING OF SRI RAGHAVENDRA TIRTHA & CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI This small write-up is about the historical meeting between Sri Raghavendra Tirtha of Mantralayam and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. As per tradition, he is the reincarnation of Sri Vyasatirtha who flourished during Vijayanagara’s golden epoch i.e. Krishnaraya’s reign. It is well documented that Vyasatirtha was the…
Recently, an audio clip that contained a legend associated with a popular polemical work titled Advaita Siddhi written by Madhusudana Saraswati from Sankara’s Advaita School gone viral. This Advaita Siddhi is a rebuttal of Vyasatirtha’s Nyanamruta. Here is a translation (not verbatim but the essence of the speech). “Madhusudana Saraswati was an erudite Advaita scholar. He wrote ‘Advaita Siddhi’…
