Hindu Philosophy and Temple System for APPSC Executive Officer · Chapter 10

Acharyas: Sankara, Ramanuja, Madhwa and Basava

What to remember

Sankara taught Advaita (non-dualism): Brahman alone is real, and the individual self is not different from Brahman.
Ramanuja taught Vishishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism), Madhwa taught Dvaita (dualism), and Basava founded the Veerashaiva or Lingayat path of equality and devotion to Shiva.
The three Vedanta Acharyas wrote commentaries on the same three texts (Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Brahma Sutras), but reached different answers about God, soul and world.

1. Common ground: the Prasthanatraya

Vedanta schools write commentaries (bhashya) on three texts, called the Prasthanatraya:

1. The Upanishads
2. The Brahma Sutras (by Badarayana)
3. The Bhagavad Gita

Each Acharya read these texts in his own way. The main questions are: What is Brahman? What is the soul (jiva)? What is the world (jagat)? How is liberation (moksha) reached?

2. Adi Sankaracharya: Advaita

Born at Kalady in Kerala, c. 8th century. He died young.
He wrote commentaries on the Upanishads, Brahma Sutras and Gita. He also wrote hymns (Bhaja Govindam, Soundarya Lahari is attributed to him) and Vivekachudamani.
His teacher's teacher was Gaudapada, and his own teacher was Govindapada.

Teachings

Brahman is the only reality: one, formless and without qualities (nirguna).
The world is Maya, which means it is not ultimately real. It is like a rope seen as a snake.
The jiva is in truth the same as Brahman. Ignorance (avidya) hides this.
Liberation comes from knowledge (jnana), not from rituals alone.
The Mahavakya "Tat tvam asi" (That you are) expresses this oneness. "Aham Brahmasmi" (I am Brahman) is another.
He accepted devotion and worship as helpful steps for a beginner (saguna worship), and he popularised the Shanmata (six forms of worship: Shiva, Vishnu, Shakti, Ganapati, Surya, Kumara).

Mathas: He founded four main mathas for teaching.

Matha	Direction	Associated Veda
Sringeri	South (Karnataka)	Yajur Veda
Dwaraka	West (Gujarat)	Sama Veda
Govardhana (Puri)	East (Odisha)	Rig Veda
Jyotirmath (Badrinath area)	North (Uttarakhand)	Atharva Veda

3. Ramanuja: Vishishtadvaita

Born at Sriperumbudur in Tamil country, c. 11th century. He served at Srirangam and travelled widely. He is revered in the Sri Vaishnava tradition.
His main works: Sri Bhashya (on Brahma Sutras), Gita Bhashya, Vedartha Sangraha. He also wrote Vedanta Deepa and Vedanta Sara.
His teacher was Yadava Prakasha at first, and he followed the line of Nathamuni and Yamunacharya.

Teachings

Brahman is Vishnu (Narayana), a personal God with infinite good qualities (saguna).
Souls (chit) and matter (achit) are real and form the "body" of Brahman. They depend on God but are not false.
Hence "qualified non-dualism": one Brahman, with the soul and world as its qualifying parts.
Liberation comes through bhakti and prapatti (complete surrender to God's grace). Moksha means living with God in Vaikuntha, not becoming identical to Him.
He opened temples and teaching to many communities and is remembered for welcoming people of all castes to the Sri Vaishnava path.
The Pancharatra and Vaikhanasa Agamas govern worship in Vaishnava temples; temples such as Tirumala follow the Vaikhanasa tradition, which is relevant to the Endowments staff.

4. Madhwacharya (Madhva): Dvaita

Born near Udupi in Karnataka, c. 13th century. Also called Anandatirtha and Purnaprajna.
Founded the Udupi Krishna temple and the system of eight mathas (Ashta Mathas) for its worship.
Works: Brahma Sutra Bhashya, Gita Bhashya, Anuvyakhyana, and others. His school is called Tattvavada.

Teachings

God (Vishnu) and the soul are different, and this difference is real and eternal.
Five eternal differences (Pancha-bheda): between God and soul, God and matter, soul and soul, soul and matter, matter and matter.
God is independent (svatantra); souls and matter are dependent (paratantra).
Souls are of different grades; liberation is by God's grace. Devotion with knowledge is the path.
Vayu (Mukhya Prana) is held as the highest among the gods after Vishnu. Hanuman and Bhima are seen as his forms.

5. Basavanna (Basaveshwara): Veerashaiva

Born at Bagevadi in Karnataka, 12th century. He served as a minister under the Kalachuri king Bijjala at Kalyana.
He taught Shiva worship through the personal Ishtalinga, a small linga worn on the body. This replaced dependence on temples and priests.
His speeches in Kannada are called Vachanas; they often end with "Kudalasangama Deva".
He founded the Anubhava Mantapa (hall of experience), a forum where men and women of all castes spoke on spiritual matters. Allama Prabhu and Akka Mahadevi were among the notable figures.

Teachings

Rejection of caste, birth-based rank and animal sacrifice; equality of women.
"Kayaka" (work is worship) and "Dasoha" (sharing with the community).
Sthavara (fixed temple) versus Jangama (moving, living saint): the living devotee is held to be more sacred than a fixed temple.
Shatsthala, a six-stage path to union with Shiva, is the philosophical frame of Veerashaivism.
Veerashaiva ideas had wide influence in Andhra Pradesh also, where many Shaiva poets and teachers followed the Panditaradhya tradition at Srisailam.

6. Comparison

Point	Sankara	Ramanuja	Madhwa
School	Advaita	Vishishtadvaita	Dvaita
God	Nirguna Brahman	Vishnu with qualities	Vishnu, independent
Soul and God	Identical	Part-and-whole, dependent	Eternally different
World	Maya (not finally real)	Real, body of God	Real
Path	Jnana	Bhakti, prapatti	Bhakti with knowledge
Moksha	Becoming one with Brahman	Serving God in Vaikuntha	Joy near God, graded

7. How the schools explain the same idea

Take the single idea of "the soul and God". Each Acharya answers differently.

Sankara: the soul and Brahman are one. The sense of difference is due to ignorance. When ignorance ends, the soul knows that it was never apart.
Ramanuja: the soul is a part of God, as a body is a part of a person. It is real, but it depends on God.
Madhwa: the soul is always separate from God and always dependent on Him, though it is also real.
Basava: the soul is the devotee of Shiva and unites with Shiva through stages of devotion and conduct. He also stressed that society should treat every devotee as equal.

Each school also uses a standard example. For Sankara, a rope mistaken for a snake shows how the world can appear real. For Ramanuja, the body and its owner show how the soul and world belong to God. For Madhwa, the master and the servant show the eternal difference.

Link with temples: Vaishnava temples in Andhra Pradesh, such as Tirumala and Ahobilam, follow Vaishnava worship in which Ramanuja's school has long influence. Shaiva temples such as Srisailam and Srikalahasti follow Shaiva Agamas. An Executive Officer must follow the Agama of the temple, and these Acharyas explain the philosophy behind the practice.

Other schools to know by name: Nimbarka (Dvaitadvaita), Vallabha (Shuddhadvaita) and Chaitanya (Achintya Bhedabheda) are later Vaishnava teachers. A short mention is enough for this exam.

Exam traps

1. Advaita = Sankara; Vishishtadvaita = Ramanuja; Dvaita = Madhwa. Do not shuffle.
2. Ramanuja said the world is real; Sankara called it Maya.
3. Madhwa's five differences are about eternal difference, not about identity.
4. Basava was a minister of Bijjala, not a king.
5. Sri Bhashya is by Ramanuja, not Sankara.
6. Sankara's mathas: Sringeri (south), Dwaraka (west), Puri (east), Jyotirmath (north).
7. Ishtalinga is Basava's idea; Vachanas are in Kannada.
8. Prapatti (surrender) is Ramanuja's special path; Jnana (knowledge) is Sankara's.

One-liners

1. Sankara was born at Kalady in Kerala.
2. Sankara's school is Advaita.
3. "Tat tvam asi" expresses the unity of soul and Brahman.
4. Sankara set up four mathas.
5. Ramanuja was born at Sriperumbudur.
6. Ramanuja wrote the Sri Bhashya.
7. Madhwa's school is Dvaita, also called Tattvavada.
8. Madhwa is linked with Udupi.
9. Basava's forum was the Anubhava Mantapa.
10. Basava's poems are Vachanas in Kannada.
11. The Ishtalinga is worn on the body.
12. Prasthanatraya means Upanishads, Brahma Sutras and Gita.

Practice questions

Adi Sankaracharya is the founder of which philosophical school?
1. Advaita
2. Dvaitadvaita
3. Dvaita
4. Vishishtadvaita
Answer
A. Advaita
Advaita means non-dualism.
Ramanuja's philosophy is known as
1. Achintya Bhedabheda
2. Advaita
3. Vishishtadvaita
4. Dvaita
Answer
C. Vishishtadvaita
It means qualified non-dualism.
Madhwacharya founded the school of
1. Veerashaivism
2. Advaita
3. Vishishtadvaita
4. Dvaita
Answer
D. Dvaita
Dvaita means dualism.
Sankaracharya was born at
1. Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu
2. Kalady in Kerala
3. Bagevadi in Karnataka
4. Udupi in Karnataka
Answer
B. Kalady in Kerala
Kalady is traditionally his birthplace.
Ramanuja was born at
1. Kalady
2. Bagevadi
3. Udupi
4. Sriperumbudur
Answer
D. Sriperumbudur
Sriperumbudur lies in Tamil Nadu.
Madhwacharya is closely linked with which town?
1. Srirangam
2. Kalyana
3. Udupi
4. Kalady
Answer
C. Udupi
He established the Krishna temple at Udupi.
Basavanna was a minister at the court of
1. Bijjala
2. Pulakeshin
3. Rajaraja
4. Krishnadevaraya
Answer
A. Bijjala
Bijjala was a Kalachuri king ruling from Kalyana.
The Prasthanatraya includes the Upanishads, the Gita and the
1. Puranas
2. Brahma Sutras
3. Samhitas
4. Smritis
Answer
B. Brahma Sutras
Acharyas wrote commentaries on these three.
The Brahma Sutras were composed by
1. Patanjali
2. Kapila
3. Vyasa Parashara
4. Badarayana
Answer
D. Badarayana
Badarayana is the traditional author.
Sankara describes the world as
1. eternally different from God
2. Maya, not finally real
3. wholly real
4. the body of Vishnu
Answer
B. Maya, not finally real
For Advaita, only Brahman is ultimately real.
Sankara's chief path to liberation is
1. Prapatti (surrender)
2. Rituals alone
3. Jnana (knowledge)
4. Kayaka (work)
Answer
C. Jnana (knowledge)
Knowledge removes ignorance of the self.
Which Mahavakya expresses the unity of the soul and Brahman?
1. Tat tvam asi
2. Satyam vada
3. Ahimsa paramo dharma
4. Om namah Shivaya
Answer
A. Tat tvam asi
It is from the Chandogya Upanishad.
Sankara's Sringeri matha is in the
1. North
2. South
3. East
4. West
Answer
B. South
Sringeri is in Karnataka.
Which Sankara matha is in the east, at Puri?
1. Dwaraka matha
2. Sringeri matha
3. Govardhana matha
4. Jyotirmath
Answer
C. Govardhana matha
The four mathas are in the four directions.
The Jyotirmath, the northern matha, is associated with the
1. Atharva Veda
2. Yajur Veda
3. Rig Veda
4. Sama Veda
Answer
A. Atharva Veda
Sringeri-Yajur; Dwaraka-Sama; Puri-Rig; Jyotirmath-Atharva.
Ramanuja's great commentary on the Brahma Sutras is the
1. Anuvyakhyana
2. Vivekachudamani
3. Vachanas
4. Sri Bhashya
Answer
D. Sri Bhashya
Sri Bhashya is the main work of Vishishtadvaita.
In Ramanuja's view, souls and matter are
1. identical to Maya
2. unreal illusions
3. independent of God
4. real and form the body of Brahman
Answer
D. real and form the body of Brahman
Chit and achit depend on God.
The special path stressed by Ramanuja is
1. Bhakti with prapatti
2. Kayaka
3. Jnana alone
4. Yoga alone
Answer
A. Bhakti with prapatti
Surrender to the grace of God is central.
In Ramanuja's school, the supreme God is
1. Brahma
2. Vishnu (Narayana)
3. Indra
4. Shiva
Answer
B. Vishnu (Narayana)
Brahman is the personal Vishnu with infinite good qualities.
Madhwa's Pancha-bheda means
1. five sacred rivers
2. five Vedas
3. five eternal differences
4. five sheaths of the body
Answer
C. five eternal differences
The differences are God-soul, God-matter, soul-soul, soul-matter, matter-matter.
Madhwa's school is also called
1. Shuddhadvaita
2. Tattvavada
3. Shaiva Siddhanta
4. Pushtimarga
Answer
B. Tattvavada
Tattvavada means doctrine of reality.
How many mathas worship the deity at the Udupi Krishna temple in the Madhwa system?
1. Six
2. Twelve
3. Eight (Ashta Mathas)
4. Four
Answer
C. Eight (Ashta Mathas)
The Ashta Mathas take turns in the worship.
Basava's forum for open spiritual debate was the
1. Anubhava Mantapa
2. Nalanda
3. Dharma Sabha
4. Sangam
Answer
A. Anubhava Mantapa
Men and women of all castes took part.
The poems of Basava and other Veerashaiva saints are called
1. Abhangas
2. Dohas
3. Tevaram
4. Vachanas
Answer
D. Vachanas
They are short prose-poems in Kannada.
The small linga worn on the body by a Veerashaiva is the
1. Svayambhu linga
2. Jyotirlinga
3. Ishtalinga
4. Banalinga
Answer
C. Ishtalinga
Ishtalinga is the personal linga.
Basava's signature in his Vachanas is
1. Kudalasangama Deva
2. Chennamallikarjuna
3. Venkateswara
4. Guha Rameshwara
Answer
A. Kudalasangama Deva
He addressed Shiva as Lord of the meeting rivers.
'Kayaka' in Basava's teaching means
1. temple building
2. fasting
3. pilgrimage
4. work as worship
Answer
D. work as worship
Kayaka and dasoha stress honest work and sharing.
Veerashaivism's six-stage path to union with Shiva is called
1. Ashtanga
2. Shatsthala
3. Trimurti
4. Panchakosha
Answer
B. Shatsthala
Shatsthala is the Veerashaiva philosophy of stages.
Which saint opposed caste and rejected dependence on temple priests, and spread worship of Shiva through Ishtalinga?
1. Basavanna
2. Madhwacharya
3. Ramanuja
4. Sankaracharya
Answer
A. Basavanna
Basava's reform was social as well as religious.
The distinction between Sthavara and Jangama is part of the teaching of
1. Madhwacharya
2. Sankaracharya
3. Basavanna
4. Ramanuja
Answer
C. Basavanna
Jangama (the living devotee) is held higher than the fixed temple.
A Shaiva follower believes that God is formless Brahman and the world is Maya, with no real difference between self and Brahman. This view matches
1. Veerashaivism
2. Advaita
3. Vishishtadvaita
4. Dvaita
Answer
B. Advaita
These are the points of Sankara's school.
A teacher holds that God and the soul are eternally different and that God is independent. This view matches
1. Vishishtadvaita
2. Advaita
3. Shuddhadvaita
4. Dvaita
Answer
D. Dvaita
This is the thought of Madhwacharya.
Who is traditionally named as the teacher of Sankara's teacher Govindapada, in the early Advaita line?
1. Nathamuni
2. Gaudapada
3. Badarayana
4. Yamunacharya
Answer
B. Gaudapada
Gaudapada is the grand-teacher of Sankara in the Advaita line.
Sri Vaishnava teachers before Ramanuja include Nathamuni and
1. Yamunacharya
2. Gaudapada
3. Basava
4. Madhwa
Answer
A. Yamunacharya
Yamunacharya came just before Ramanuja in the line.
Consider the statements: 1. Sankara taught that Brahman is without qualities. 2. Ramanuja taught that the world is Maya. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
Ramanuja held that soul and world are real.
Consider the statements: 1. Madhwa taught five eternal differences. 2. Basava founded the Anubhava Mantapa. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
C. Both 1 and 2
Both are correct.
Consider the statements: 1. Ramanuja wrote the Sri Bhashya. 2. Sankara wrote the Sri Bhashya. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
Sri Bhashya is Ramanuja's work.
Consider the statements: 1. Basava supported the caste system. 2. Basava taught that the living devotee is more sacred than a fixed temple. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
B. 2 only
He rejected caste.
Consider the statements: 1. Sankara founded mathas in four directions. 2. Ramanuja's school is Advaita. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
Ramanuja's school is Vishishtadvaita.
Consider the statements: 1. In Advaita, the soul and Brahman are one. 2. In Dvaita, liberation means becoming identical with God. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
In Dvaita the soul remains different from God.
Match: (1) Sankara (2) Ramanuja (3) Madhwa (4) Basava with (a) Dvaita (b) Advaita (c) Ishtalinga (d) Vishishtadvaita
1. 1-d, 2-b, 3-c, 4-a
2. 1-b, 2-a, 3-d, 4-c
3. 1-a, 2-b, 3-d, 4-c
4. 1-b, 2-d, 3-a, 4-c
Answer
D. 1-b, 2-d, 3-a, 4-c
Sankara-Advaita; Ramanuja-Vishishtadvaita; Madhwa-Dvaita; Basava-Ishtalinga.
Match: (1) Sringeri (2) Dwaraka (3) Puri (4) Jyotirmath with (a) East (b) West (c) South (d) North
1. 1-b, 2-c, 3-d, 4-a
2. 1-a, 2-b, 3-c, 4-d
3. 1-c, 2-b, 3-a, 4-d
4. 1-c, 2-a, 3-b, 4-d
Answer
C. 1-c, 2-b, 3-a, 4-d
Sringeri is south, Dwaraka west, Puri east, Jyotirmath north.
Which one of the following is NOT a work of Ramanuja?
1. Vedartha Sangraha
2. Sri Bhashya
3. Gita Bhashya
4. Vivekachudamani
Answer
D. Vivekachudamani
Vivekachudamani is attributed to Sankara.
Which Acharya wrote the Anuvyakhyana?
1. Ramanuja
2. Madhwacharya
3. Sankaracharya
4. Basavanna
Answer
B. Madhwacharya
Anuvyakhyana is a Dvaita work.
Which Sankara work is a well-known introduction to Advaita in verse and prose?
1. Sri Bhashya
2. Tiruvaymozhi
3. Vachanas
4. Vivekachudamani
Answer
D. Vivekachudamani
Vivekachudamani is attributed to Sankara.

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