Madhva

A Popular Dictionary of Hinduism

(twelfth-thirteenth century A.D.) a South Indian brahmin, wandering preacher and the author of a compendium of philosophical systems called .

A committed opponent of Advaita Vedānta, he founded the Dvaita or dualistic school of Vedānta which teaches plurality of selves or personalities as continuing in existence even in the state of liberation, although remaining dependent on God. It has been suggested that in his teaching on the possibility of eternal damnation and some other features of his theology he was influenced by Christianity which he may have known from contacts with Syrian Christians in Malabar.