Uttaradhimath Pontiff Extols Dwaita Philosophy

A Hindu priest from Karnataka, who took sanyas, or renounced the world, four years ago at the age of 22, has been busy educating the world about the virtues of a dharmic (noble and righteous) life and its relevance to the society.

Sri Satyatma Theertha Padangalavaru Swami, 42d pontiff of Sri Jagadguru Shriman Madhwacharya Moola Samsthana, Uttaradhimath, who was here for his Chaturmasya Vratham from Aug. 4 to Sept. 26, was propagating the philosophy of the Udipi, Karnataka-based 13th century saint Sri Madhwacharya, and the Dwaita philosophy which the saint had revived seven centuries ago.

In a seminar on Vedanta here, the Swamiji said it was time the society practised Sri Madhwacharya’s philosophy of gnana, bhakti and vairagya, (true knowledge, devotion and non-attachment).

“Society cannot exist without dharma (righteousness), the well-being of the society depends on the conduct of people and if they act against the tenets of dharma, the ecology of life is bound to get effected,” Swamiji said.

According to the 26-year-old priest, it is important to understand the dynamics of real religion and why one has to act according dharma. He said this is important for the intellectual appreciation of the need for observing divine order.

The Uttaradhimath pontiff said that the crisis being faced by the humanity all over the world is the over-riding crisis of fall of dharma. The ecological balance of the world is affected because of our self-centerdness, which makes us act more out of self-interest than common interest, he says.

In an interview with India Abroad, the Swamiji said he took sanyas to educate people about the Dwaita philosophy, which says Lord Narayana or Vishnu is Supreme and everybody should do duty without any desire for result, which is similar to the tenets of Bhagwat Gita.

Dwaita siddhant, he said, negates Advaita or Maaya vaada. He said Dwaita philosophy preaches that God and Jeevas (soul of men) are eternally two different entities and the world is not just maya, or an illusion. Dwaita tenets say God is an embodiment of all virtues and excellence and ever remains untouched by any kind of dosha or blemish, he has countless forms (roopas), negating the Adwaita belief that God is bereft of any quality – good or bad – and has no form whatsoever, he said.

“Faith in God supplies man with stupendous amount of energy, he said,” adding that the present degradation of society, where religion does not count for much and people are not happy and fulfilled, is because parents do not educate children about the positive effects of religion and the scientific background of rituals.

Sri Satyatma Theertha Swami, grandson of Sri Satya Pramoda Theertha, the 41st pontiff of Uttaradhimath, went to Mumbai when five years old and commenced studies under the guidance of his maternal grandfather, Mahuli Gopalacharya, at Satyadhana Vidya Peetha in Mumbai. He was later trained by the 41st pontiff, his grandfather, in Nyaya, Vedanta, Vyakarna, Sahitya, Meemamsa, Western philosophy, Jainism, Buddhism and Sankyadarshan.

The Swamiji, who was named Sarvangya Acharya at birth, was given sanyas by Sri Satya Pramodatheertha in 1996 at Moola Brindavan of Raghotham Theertha in Tamil Nadu’s Tirukoilure town.

The Swamiji is a crusader in both Vedic and worldly matters. His intention, he says, is to inspire knowledge of the Vedic heritage of our country by channelizing modern beliefs on the track of Sri Madhwa Shastra.

The Swamiji practices what he preaches. The Uttaradhimath, under his guidance, undertakes several social activities to help the under-privileged and to rehabilitate them.

Sri Satyatma Theertha Swami tours the country all round the year (Dharma parikrama), except for two months during Uttaradhimath, during the rainy season, to give discourses on Madhwa philosophy and conduct Q&A sessions with youngsters interested in the Vedanta.

He organizes free dental and eye camps and distributes spectacles to the poor, which are sponsored by Chennai-based Shankar Netralaya. The Swamiji also organizes free cardiac surgery for the deserving.

He has also set up computer centers called the Digvijaya Rama Technical Institute at Hubli and Mysore. He has also set up a monthly assistance for 300 Vedic scholars, free tuition for engineering and medical students and free food for pilgrims in Tirupathi and in the Uttaradhimaths set up elsewhere in the country.

The Swamiji told India Abroad that present day youngsters are indifferent to religion and sensual pleasures are uppermost in their minds. “Everybody wants to earn money and please senses and wants to be rich and not to be great. Leading a decent and moral life does not count. Earning money is the be-all and end-all for most of them. They say they do not have time for religion,” he rued, adding one should earn money to survive, eat to live, and not live to eat.

“Following religion does not require time. Only rituals do. Religion teaches you to be truthful, devoted to God and be detached to worldly life, which are all mental states. Be happy by being good,” he said.

The Swamiji, whose motto in life is “Paropkaray Punyaya Papaya Peedinam,” said most people think God is a personal issue for them and rituals, temples and idols do not count. “Of course, God is omnipresent, but people can realize God only through a certain media and that may be an idol or the temple,” He said.

“My father and mother created me and I love and respect them very much. But when I’m far away from them, in order to remember them, I place their photos on the wall etc. to constantly remind myself of them. Similarly I may put up an idol and worship it in order to remind myself of God. It is a media through which I realize God,” he said.

The Swamiji, who also lectured on Bhagwat Gita and management, said all the elements in the world – the air, earth, fire and water – have been created by God and belong to him, so the concept of “doing social service and returning something to the world” does not stand.

“We are here to serve. We take the name of God when serving,” he said.