Sri Vyasaraja Theertharu (VYASARAJA MUTT)

Sri Vyasa Theertharu is probably the scholar of Tattvavâda held in highest esteem next to Sri Jaya Theertharu. His work has been to write detailed commentaries on the works of Sriman madhvacharyaru and Sri Jaya Theertharu, and to show Tattvavâda as being placed on a firm logical footing; his work is considered to be of the highest significance, particularly because it is accepted even by his opponents that his understanding of their schools is second to none. Thus, there is no possibility of claiming Sri Vyâsa Tîrtha's critiques to be invalid on account of his having misstated the positions he wishes to criticize. Sri Vyasa Theertharu also keeps a tempo that is hard for the less skilled to even conceive of, let alone match. His logic is exceptionally hard to beat, because of his uncanny knack of knowing exactly what the opponent is going to say, and using this information to lead the opponent on to traps of logic that are dozens of steps deep, and impossible to work through or around. One feels that while one gropes in the dark and tries to guess where one is and struggles to find one's way, Sri Vyasa Theertharu not only knows one's present position to a nicety, he also knows all the possible ways one might proceed, in advance of oneself, and has a proper plan of action already planned out for any further move one might make. Thus, holding one's own in a debate with Sri Vyasa Theertharu is very similar to making one's way across a field laid with mines; one does not know where to put one's foot next, and very often, even a secure retreat to a former safe position is impossible, after one has taken a few steps down in hopes of making progress. In summation, it is hardly a stretch to say that Sri Vyasa Theertharu is the very personification of mastery of skill in dialogue and debate, that every logician and philosopher wishes to be.

In addition to his pellucid and luminescent writings, Sri Vyasa Theertharu is also known for the influence he had on the Vijayanagara empire, especially for the fact that it was under his tutelage that it had its heyday, and produced its greatest ruler. Perhaps even more importantly, it is noted that he was responsible for providing a healthy atmosphere in which the Hari-dasa tradition could sprout and flourish; he disregarded all highbrow disapprobation of the lower castes, as he showed by his acceptance of the low-caste Kanaka Dasaru as a shishya, on par with his other students, and by his even arranging to prove to them that Kanaka Dâsa was a greater devotee than any of them.

Sri Vyasa Theertharu was born around 1460 in Bannur which is in the Mysore district in the modern Karnataka state. He and his brother and sister were born as a result of the blessings of Sri Brahmanya Theertharu, and the young Yatiraja (the future Sri Vyasa Theertharu) was presented to Sri Brahmanya Theertharu after he had completed the a comprehensive study of subjects like Kavya, Nataka, Alankara, and Vyakarana. Having been impressed with the young Yatirâja's quick mind and great aptitude for learning, Sri Brahmanya Theertharu secretly meditated to ordain him into the sanyasa order. Yatiraja, though respectful of his Guru, had his doubts about receiving such dîksha, and finally consented after receiving a vision in which Vishnu Himself instructed him not to try to avert his destiny.

Shortly after Yatiraja's ordination as Sri Vyasa Theertharu, Sri Brahmanya Theertharu passed on. Sri Vyasa Theertharu left for Kanchi after his succession to the pitha and spent many years there studying the six systems of philosophy, and thus gave the finishing touches to his mastery of subjects like Advaita, Vishishtadvaita, and Navya-Nyaya, in addition to Tattvavada. After Kanchi, he continued his studies at Mulbagal which was the seat of Sri Sripadaraja Theertharu and a hub for learning like Kanchi. There he studied Vedanta for about five to six years.

Around this time, he distinguished himself at the court of Saluva Narasimha at Chandragiri by winning several debates against renowned opponents. During this time he was entrusted the worship of Lord Srinivasa at Tirupati, a task that he performed for twelve years, from 1486-1498. Sri Vyâsa Tîrtha left for Vijayanagara after persistent invitations by its royalty and ministers, and stayed there for the major part of the rest of his life. Among the several debates he had at Vijayanagara, a notable one is that with Basava Bhatta of Kalinga which lasted for thirty days, before Basava Bhatta lost comprehensively. However the 'golden period' of Sri Vyasa Theertharu's life started after Krishnadevaraya ascended the throne of Vijayanagara, for what were the one-and-twenty greatest years of the kingdom's history. Krishnadevaraya had a lot of regard for Sri Vyasa Theertharu, as is evident from the historical evidence that shows Krishnadevaraya regarded Sri Vyasa Theertharu as his Kuladevata, as well as from several honorific references in the writings of Krishnadevaraya.

Once Sri Sripadarajaru asked Sri Vyasa Theertharu to conduct the daily puja in his absence. Sri Vyasa Theertharu saw that one Sampusta (box containing divine vigrahas) had never been opened so far. Out of curiosity, he tried to open it, and succeeded immediately. He was astounded when a beautiful icon of Lord Gopala Krishna came out of the box and began to dance in front of him.

He was so engrossed that he used the Saligrama Sila as Tala. When Sri Sripadarajaru entered the puja hall, Krishna froze in the middle of the dance. Sri Sripadarajaru presented this icon to Sri Vyasa Theertharu and told him "I could not open the box, only you were destined to open it. So this vigraha morally belongs to you". Even today, this miraculous vigraha, with its unusual pose, is worshipped by saints of the Sri Vyasaraya mutt.

Sri Vyasa Theertharu is responsible for the continuation of the high regard and recognition earned by the system started by Sriman Madhavacharyaru. He has been respected by many scholars from other schools, including the likes of Appaya Dikshita, Pakshadhara Mishra, Madhusûdana Sarasvati, and Basava Bhatta. He is known for his warm-heartedness and sympathy even toward proponents of other systems of philosophy, while being a staunch Madhva himself. In fact, his elucidation of the principles of Advaita and Vishishtâdvaita were so outstanding that he even had pupils of these doctrines, who learned those from him in preference to learning it from a guru in their own tradition.

Among his nine major works, his most important ones are Nyayamrta, Tarkatandava, and Chandrika, collectively known as Vyasa-Traya. In his magnum opus Nyâyâmrta, he justifies the philosophy of Tattvavâda and shows that Monism is untenable on every ground, and that the reality of the world cannot be rejected, compromised, or diluted for any reason -- physical, rational, or spiritual. The Tarkatandava is a refutation of the principles of Nyaya-Vaisheshika. Tatparya-Chandrika, or Chandrika as it is known for short, is a commentary on Sri Jaya Theertharu's Tattva Prakashika and deals with the Sutra-Prasthana of Tattvavada. It is, in fact, a significant contribution to the literature on the analysis of the Brahma-Sutra, because it makes an in-depth comparative study of the Bhashyas of Shankaracharyaru, Ramanujacharyaru, and Madhvacharyaru.

He has composed beautiful devotional songs in Kannada, thus contributing significantly to the Dasa-Sahitya. He was also the Guru of Purandara Dasa and Kanaka Dasa, two outstanding luminaries of the Hari-Dasa tradition, the former also the founder of modern Karnataka music, and is probably the greatest singer-saint in history.

He cast off his mortal body on the 8th of March, 1539. His Brndavana is at Nava-Vrndavana, which is located on an island in the Tungabhadra river, near Anegondi, very close to Hampi. Here, in the company of eight other eminent Mâdhva ascetics, he continues to meditate, and to bless devotees with true knowledge.