Upanishads, MahAyAna, Advaita

[Balaji Hebbar]

Dear  Mr.  Madhuresan:

The  NAyak  of  Tanjore  then  was  Shevappa  NAyaka.  Vide  the
following  with  regard  to  the  triangular  debate  between  the
three  savants  and  their  patronage  at  the  NAyak's  court.

1.  Mysore  Archaeological  Report  for  1917.  In  fact  here  is  a
portion  of  the  text  given  to  my  teacher  by  the  late
M.H.Krishna,  Director  of  Archaeology,  Mysore.

"tretAgnaya  iva  spaShTam  vijayIndrayatIshvaraH
tAtAcAryo  vaiShNavAgrayo  sarvashAstravishAradaH
shaivAdvaitaikasAmrAjyaH  shrImAnappayyadIkShitaH
yatsabhAyAm  matam  svam  svam  sthApayantaH  sthitAstrayaH".


2.  Epigraphia  Indica  XIII  p. 346
3.  AravIDu  Dynasty  of  Vijayanagar  (Fr. Heras)  p. 532.

In  fact  when  a  quareel  arose  between  the  ShrI-VaiShNavas  who
controlled  the  ShArangapANi  Temple  at  KumbhakoNam  (headed  by
tAtAcArya)  and  the  ShivAdvaitins  who  controlled  the  Kumbheshvara
Temple  (headed  by  Appayya  DIkShita)  as  to  who  could  use  the
community  tank  first,  it  was  the  MAdhvas  under  VijayIndra
TIrtha  (1514-1595)  who  were  called  upon  to  settle  the  dispute.
VijayIndra  TIrtha  decided  in  favor  of  the  ShrI-VaiShNavas.  As  a
recognition  of  this  favor,  the  MAdhvas  to  this  day  perform  the
"Naivedya  pUjA"  at  the  ShArangapANi  Temple.  All  other  pUjAs  are
done  by  the  AyyangAr  priests.

VijayIndra  TIrtha's  brindAvana  (cenotaph)  is  at  KumbhakoNam.  He
was  the  grand-predecessor  of  RAghavendra  TIrtha  (1623-1671  dates
indicate  his  pontificate)  of  MantrAlaya  (Kurnool  Distt,  AP)
where  his  brindAvana  is  located  and  known  for  many  miracles.
He  is  such  a  big  legend  in  modern  KarnATaka  that  I  have  seen
LingAyats,  AyyangArs,  Muslims  and  (the  real  clincher)  Roman
Catholic  nuns  circumambulating  his  tomb!!

If  need  any  further  info,  I  will  gladly  do  my  best  to  help
you.

Regards,
B.N.Hebbar