Satyanatha Tirtha | |
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_Sri_Sri_Satyanatha_Tirtha_of_Uttaradi_Math.jpg) Brindavana (tomb) of Satyanatha Tirtha atVeeracholapuram | |
| Personal life | |
| Born | Narasimhacharya Avadhani 1648 (1648) Miraj(present-daySangli district,Maharashtra) |
| Died | 1674 (aged 25–26) Veeracholapuram (present-dayViluppuram district,Tamil Nadu) |
| Resting place | Veeracholapuram |
| Parents |
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| Honors | Abhinava Vyasaraja,Abhinava Chandrikacharya |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Order | Vedanta (Uttaradi Math) |
| Philosophy | Dvaita,[note 1]Vaishnavism |
| Religious career | |
| Guru | Satyanidhi Tirtha |
| Successor | Satyabhinava Tirtha |
Disciples
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| Part ofa series on |
| Dvaita |
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Satyanatha Tirtha (also known asSatyanatha Yati[4][5]) (Sanskrit:सत्यनाथा तीर्थ);IAST:Śrī Satyanātha Tīrtha) (c.1648 –c.1674[4]), also calledAbhinava Vyasaraja, was aHinduphilosopher, scholar,theologian,logician anddialectician belonging to the Dvaita order ofVedanta.[6] He served as the twentiethpontiff ofUttaradi Math from 1660 to 1673.[7] He was a fiery and prolific writer and very ambitious of the glory ofDvaita Vedanta. He is considered to be one of the stalwarts in the history of the Dvaita school of thought, on account of his sound elucidations of the works ofMadhvacharya,Jayatirtha andVyasatirtha.[5][8] Three of hispolemically themeddoxographical works (Abhinavamruta,Abhinava Chandrika andAbhinava Tarkatandava) are reminiscent of "Vyasatraya" (the three eyes of the man-lion ofMadhva Siddhāntha).[9] Hisrefutation workAbhinava Gada is a devastating criticism ofAppayya'sMadhvamathamukhamardhana.[note 2][note 3][12][13] His independent treatiseAbhinava Chandrika is considered a brilliant work relating to theBrahma Sūtras, being a commentary on Jayatirtha'sTattvaprakashika.[14][15] His workAbhinava Tarka Tandava refuted the works of rival systems, especially those ofPrabhākara ofMimamsa,Ramanuja'sVisistadvaita, andGangesha Upadhyaya,Raghunatha Siromani of theNyaya school, on the same lines as Vyasatirtha'sTarka Tandava.[16]IndologistB.N.K.Sharma wrote, "His energy and determination to crush out the rivalry ofMonism is reflected even in the choice of the titles of some of his works, four of which go by the name "Paraśus" (the Axe)".[12]
Born into a family of scholars, Satyanatha Tirtha studied thesix orthodox schools ofHinduism and subsequently, the philosophy of Dvaita underSatyanidhi Tirtha of Uttaradi Math, eventually succeeding him as the pontiff. B.N.K.Sharma wrote, "Satyanatha Tirtha made a bold pronouncement that women andShudras are eligible forAparokshajnana exclusively through shravana ofTantra". Sharma also wrote, "Satyanatha holds the memory of Vyasatirtha in warm admiration and refers him reverentially asVyāsatīrthasrimaccaranah".[12] He composed 12 works, consisting of commentaries on the works of Madhva, Jayatirtha and Vyasatirtha, and several independent treatises criticizing the tenets of contemporary schools, especiallyAdvaita, while simultaneously elaborating upon the Dvaita thought.[12] His dialectical skill and logical acumen is often compared with that of Vyasatirtha.
Information about Satyanatha Tirtha is derived fromhagiographies:Satyanāthabhyudaya byChalāri Saṁkarṣaṇacārya (a disciple ofSatyabhinava Tirtha);Konkanabyudaya of Sagara Ramacharya andSri Satyanatha Tirtharu (a biography inKannada) by S.K. Badrinath.[6]IndologistB.N.K.Sharma wrote, "His victorious career formed the subject of a eulogy by Chalāri Saṁkarṣaṇacārya, in hisSatyanatha Mahatmya Ratnakara".[4]Satyanatha Abhyudaya consists of elevencantos and twomanuscripts of this work are noticed byGermanIndologistTheodor Aufrecht which he quoted in his bookCatalogus Catalogorum.[6] B.N.K. Sharma opined theSatyanatha Abhyudaya is same asSatyanatha Mahatmya Ratnakara that was quoted in theKonkanabyudaya of Sagara Ramacharya. InKonkanabyudaya the author cited numerousSmritis and letters patent and bulls issued byKeladi rulers andpontiffs of some of the mutts atUdupi and ofSatyabhinava Tirtha, Satyanatha Tirtha and others.[17] TheAlaṅkāramauktikamālā ofKṛṣṇa is another work which eulogises Satyanatha Tirtha.[18]
B.N.K. Sharma says,[note 4] Satyanatha Tirtha was originally named Narasimhacharya. He was born into anKannada-speakingDeshastha Brahmin family of scholars in 1648 inMiraj, now in the southern part ofMaharashtra. His father's name was Krishnacharya Avadhani and his mother's name was Rukmini Bai.[19][4] Before becoming pontiff of the monastic institutionUttaradi Math, he was known by three names after takingSannyasa. He was first ordained Sannyasa as an ordinaryascetic with the name Vidyanatha Tirtha by Krishnadwaipayana Tirtha (the disciple ofVedavyasa Tirtha), for second time he was named Ranganatha Tirtha by Dandaparivritti ofVedanidhi Tirtha and finally for the third time bySatyanidhi Tirtha, with the name Satyanatha Tirtha.[19] In 1660 he took the seat of Uttaradi Math as the peetadhipathi, taking the name Satyanatha Tirtha.
According to the account in Sagara Ramacharya'sKoñkanasthabhyudaya, Satyanatha Tirtha visitedBenares at a time whenMughal emperorAurangazeb was harassing theHindus there. The same work says that he was a contemporary ofKeladi Chennamma (queen ofKeladi) and Aurangazeb. According to Sharma, it was presumably during this time that he visitedGaya and strengthened the hold of hismutt among theGayapalas, who had been converted toMadhvism by his predecessorVidyadhisha Tirtha.[4] Satyanatha ordained sannyasa to Keshavacharya (thePurvashrama name ofSatyabhinava Tirtha) in 1673. In the same year Satyabhinava Tirtha succeeded Satyanatha Tirtha as the pontiff of Uttaradi Math.[6][20] After Satyanatha Tirtha died in 1674, his mortal remains were enshrined in the mutt atVeeracholapuram, a village inTamil Nadu.
"Satyanatha Tirtha was a powerful and prolific writer and a noted controversialist in logic and theology."
Satyanatha Tirtha authored twelve works, consisting ofpolemical tracts, commentaries on the works ofMadhva,Jayatirtha, independent works and a few hymns. Themanuscripts are preserved in mutts atVeeracholapuram,Bangalore andTirukoilur. Satyanatha wanted to emulate the example and philosophical work that had been accomplished by Vyasaraja.[12] His workAbhinavamrita is a commentary on Jayatirtha'sPramana-Paddhati.Pramana-Paddhati is anepistemological work that discussespramanas from the point of view of Dvaita Vedanta. His workAbhinavachandrika is composed on the same lines of Vyasatirtha'sTatparya Chandrika, which is a commentary on Jayatirtha'sTattvaprakasika, which apart from elucidating the concepts of the source text, criticises the allegations against Madhva raised byAppaya Dikshita and other grammarians. His workAbhinavatandava orAbhinavatarkatandava is polemical tract written on same lines of Vyasatirtha'sTarka Tandava.[5] Satyanatha Tirtha also wroteglosses on the threeKhandanas of Madhva. His commentaries on Dasaprakaranas texts are calledParasu, which is an indication of his intention to cut the opponents arguments to pieces. His works are referred as theAbhinava Granthas andParashu Granthas.[12]
| Name | Description | References |
|---|---|---|
| Abhinava Chandrika | Commentary onJayatirtha'sTattva Prakāśikā. | [22] |
| Abhinavamrutha | Gloss onPramāṇa-Paddhatī ofJayatirtha | [23] |
| Abhinava Tarka Tandava | Independent polemical tract targeted towards theVisistadvaita,Mimamsa andNyaya schools of Hindu philosophy | [16] |
| Abhinava Gada | Refutation of the works ofAppayya Dikshita | [23] |
| Māyāvādakhaṇḍana Parasu | Gloss onMāyāvādakhaṇḍana ofMadhva | [24] |
| Mithyatvanumana Khandana Parasu | Gloss onMithyatva-anumana Khandana ofMadhva | [23] |
| Upaadhi Khandana Parashu | Gloss onUpaadhi Khandana ofMadhva | [23] |
| Nyaya Sudha Parashu | Commentary onNyaya Sudha ofJayatirtha | [12] |
| Vijayamala | Treatise on disconnected topics of general and special interests by taking certain passages fromBrahma Sutra Bhasya,Māyāvādakhaṇḍanaṭikā,Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya andNyayamrutha ofMadhva,Jayatirtha andVyasatirtha | [16] |
| Karmaprakashika | Gloss onKarmaṅirṅayaṭikā ofJayatirtha | [25] |
| Rupavatara Tippani | Commentary onṚgbhāṣya Ṭikā ofJayatirtha | [19] |
Abhinava Chandrika is a well-known commentary on Jayatirtha'sTattva Prakasika, which in turn is a commentary on Madhva'sBrahma Sutra Bhashya (which is abhashya or a commentary onBadarayana'sBrahma Sūtras). It is hismagnum opus which runs to 12,500 stanzas. It is not in continuation ofTatparya Chandrika but an independent gloss, covering those portions (ch. I-II) commented upon by Vyasatirtha. Satyanatha refers in one of his introductory verses (no. 4) toPadmanabha Tirtha'sSattarkadipavali. 'In contrast to Vyasatirtha'sTatparya Chandrika, Satyanatha Tirtha here sets forth thePurvapaksha andSiddhanta views under each adhikarņa (or chapter), and offer criticisms on the former in accordance with the views of his teacherSatyanidhi Tirtha.[23] B.N.K Sharma wrote, "His dextrous way of explaining the example of "Ahikundala"[a] by constructing the term "vísesha" used by Jayatirtha inTattvaprakasika in his twin senses of "visesa" and "bheda" is a masterstroke of resourcefulness".[12]
Abhinava Gada ("The New Mace") is a polemical and expositional work in five chapters. It is a refutation work for thetheological controversies provoked byAppayya Dikshita by his workMadhvamatamukhamardanam and runs to 4,750 stanzas. AmericanhistorianAnthony Grafton andclassicistGlenn W. Most says,Abhinava-Gada is like a newmace which broke the heads of non-dualists likeAppayya Dikshita.[26] B.N.K. Sharma wrote, "Abhinava Gada is a devastating criticism of Appaya's Madhvamatamukhamardhanam. He takes a bold stand on several points regarding interpretation of original texts he is commenting and anticipates fresh objections against the originals and knocks them down. He is fond of what he callsinterpolations andcorruptions in the texts and suggests his own emendations and justifies them with gusto".[12]
Abhinava Tandava ("The New Dance of Logic") orAbhinava Tarkatandava is a polemical tract targeted towards theNyaya school. It is a voluminous work and is considered adialectical classic of Satyanatha Tirtha. It expounds the nature and constitution of the logical and epistemological categories of theDvaita system and refutes those of rival systems, especially those ofNyaya-Vaisheshikas, on the same lines of the originalTarka Tandava of Vyasatirtha. The work runs to 11,367 stanzas.[27]
Satyanatha Tirtha is considered to be one of the foremost stalwarts of Dvaita thought. He is revered for his philosophical and dialectical thought, and his role in spreading the school of Dvaita across the subcontinent, especially inBihar. B.N.K. Sharma wrote: "A memorable personality in many ways, a fierce, very ambitious and prolific writer".[4] Satyanatha Tirtha has been eulogised by Chalāri Saṁkarṣaṇacārya in his biographical worksSatyanatha Abhyudaya andSatyanatha Mahatmya Ratnakara.[6]Indologist and professor Dr. R. Nagaraja Sarma considered Satyanatha Tirtha, along withTrivikrama Panditacharya and Keshavacharya, prominent scholars who wrote expository and controversial works unrivalled for their brilliance and systematic treatment.[28] HistorianRamesh Chandra Majumdar wrote that Satyanatha Tirtha,Vadiraja Tirtha andRaghavendra Tirtha were the great scholars who enriched the literature of Dvaita considerably by their numerous contributions.[5] Valerie Stoker considered Satyanatha Tirtha along withVijayendra Tirtha,Vadiraja Tirtha,Raghavendra Tirtha andNarayanacharya as prominent Dvaita intellectuals, who responded to their rivals critiques throughout sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.[29]
B.N.K. Sharma credited Satyanatha Tirtha with converting remainingGayapalas and strengthening the hold ofMadhva Siddhanta among theGayawala Pandas ofGaya, who had been converted to Madhvism by his predecessor Vidyadhisha Tirtha.[4]
Satyanatha Tirtha was significantly influenced byVyasatirtha,Jayatirtha,Padmanabha Tirtha andMadhva, in that he borrowed from their style and method of enquiry.[12][23] He exerted considerable influence on his successors.Satyadhyana Tirtha'sChandrikamandana derives some of its aspects fromAbhinava Chandrika.[30] Satyabhinava Tirtha'sDurghata Bhavadipa, an exhaustive commentary on the Madhva'sBhagvata Tatparya Nirnaya, borrows some of its aspects from Satyanatha Tirtha's oeuvre.[6]
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