An Independent spritual being who is perfect in every way is the core of all existance. He is Purusottama, the Supreme
Person, Narayana. The entire vedantic philosophy of Sri Madhva centre round this fundamental concept. In the world of
experience there are everywhere astonishing signs of design and purpose pointing to an intelligent source. Modern science,
both biological and physical, affords ample evidence for this. "My religion", says the eminent physieist, Einstein, "consists
of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior sprit who reveals Himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with
our frail and feeble minds. That deeply emotional conviction of the presence of a superior reasoning power, which is
revealed in the in comprehensible univers forms my idea of God".

Here it is pertinent to examine the implications of the pregnant statment by one of the greatest physicists of all times, if not
the greatest. Notice the expression the 'illimitable sprit who reveals Himself'. To me the use of the word Himself with a
capital 'H' is most significant. Behind this world we perceive there is a personal being, to whom we have to trace the wonder
discovers by experimentation and mathematical reasoning. Whether Einstein had a personal being in mind is more than
doubtful, but his words unmistakably imply the existance of such a being, Again there are the words 'a superior reasoning
power'. Reasoning must belog to a person who reasons. Surely there can be noreasoning without a reasoner. Again notice
the language in which he refers to the mental power of the greatest physicists in comparison with the reasoning power of the
'the superior spirit' he is thinking of.He says 'our frail and feeble minds'. The superior power or spirit is far above the
subtlest human reasoner.

Now What does Acharya Himself say ?

Bahu-chitra-jagad-bahudha karant |

Para-shati-rananta-gunah Paramah ||

The supreme Being is endowed with exalled powers and numorous eminent attributes for He has created this extremely
wonderful world of infiniti variety'. What the modern man of science was dmly the Acharya saw inwardly with crystal
clearness centuries ago when science in the modern sence of that word was unknown.

The world open to our inspection is reality is real but its reality is rooted in God. This idea Madhva conveys to us by saying
that tattva (reality) is twofold one, Independent Reality and the other, dependent. There is only one independent Reality
and all else is dependent on this single self-dependent Being Dependence does not simply non-difference in any form. The
world of sentient and insent entities is separate from God but is entirely dependent on Him. The world cannot exist in any
form without the sustaining presence of the God with in. In all forms of materialsm the reverse is the case, that is, matter is
fundamental and all phenomena, both physical and mental, are the effects of its modification.

Inview of what has been said above it is obvious that it would be wrong to say that Madhva's school of thought is more
materialistic than others. On the other hand it is out and out spiritual as according to it the ground of all existance is a
Supreme Intelligent Being. If by 'materialistic ' is meant that the religion of Madhva has the tendency of turning the mind
of man towards the material things of life the answer is that this is not so. On the other hand it has the effect of
spiritualising life. It is clear to all those he draws inspiration from the Gita and in many places has declared that this system
agrees in all respects with what Krishna has taught Arjuna in it. The following are the words of Krishna addressed to
Arjuna:-

Ye hi samsparshaja bhoga, duhkka - yonaya yeva te,

Adyanta vantah kaunteya nateshu ranante budha"-h

O| son of Kunti, pleasures that result from sense contact have a beginning and hence are only the source of misery. The wise
person does not delight in them".

Tani sarvani samyamya- yukta asita mat - para - ha'

Vashe hi yasyen -dri - yani-tasya prajna pratishtita".

Having controlled all the senses and knowing Me as the highest, let one stay with mind fixed on Me. Verify his spiritual
vision is firm whoses senses are under his control'.

The dvaita philosophy of Madhva stands for a way of life based on a true conception of the glory of God. The yogin is he
who has realised that the world that he lives in is thetheatre in which God has pleased him to play his due part and serve
God with loving devotion believing that such devoted service is the highest form of worship. Dvaita Vedanta does not ask
the aspirant to shun the world, rather it teaches that he should play his part in it and thus serve the purpose for which he is
given life and oppurtunities. This is what Lord Krishna teaches Arjuna:

Yatah pra-vrittir-bhuta-nam yena-sarva-midam taram |

Sva-karmana tam-abhyarchya, siddhim Vidati manavaha ||

From whom is the activity of all being and whom all this is pervided worshipping Him by performing one's enjoined duty
one attains beatitude'.

It is evident from the following words of Sri Madhva that his message is identical with that Sri Krishna in the Gita:

Kuru bhukshva cha karma nijam niyatam

hari - pada vinamra -- dhiya satatam

Hari - reva paro hari - reva guruhu

hari - reva Jagat - Pitru - Matru - Gati-hi

With mind ever firmly fixed on the feet of HAri do your appointed task and enjoy what is assigned to you by Him. Hari is
indeed the most High. He is the Father and Mother (of all) and the ultimate goal to be reached'.

Madhva lived just as he has asked us to live. He performed all the duties prescribed for his order of sannyasinis, travelled
throughout the land from Kanya-Kumari in the south to the snow bound summits of the Himayas in the north teaching his
system of Vedanta and holding discussions with people of all shades of opinion with the object of proclaiming the religion
he believed to be the true one.

Is it too much to saythat India wants now , as ever, this practical philosophy of MADHVA which teaches that religion is
divorced from life ?





Sovenir, " Sri Ananda Thirtha " , Sri Vyasaraja Mutt 1990