Jayatirtha

Sri Jayatirtha (), also known as Teekacharya () (1345 - 1388), was a Hindu philosopher, dialectician, polemicist and the sixth pontiff of Madhvacharya Peetha from (1365 – 1388). He is considered to be one of the most important seers in the history of Dvaita school of thought on account of his sound elucidations of the works of Madhvacharya. He is credited with structuring the philosophical aspects of Dvaita and through his polemical works, elevating it to an equal footing with the contemporary schools of thought. Along with Madhva and Vyasatirtha, he is venerated as one of the three great spiritual sages, or munitraya of Dvaita. Jayatirtha is considered an incarnation of Indra (lord of gods) with amsha of Adi Sesha in the Madhva Parampara. Born into an aristocratic Deshastha Brahmin family, he later adopted the cause of Dvaita after an encounter with the Madhva saint, Akshobhya Tirtha (d. 1365 ). He composed 22 works, consisting of commentaries on the works of Madhva and several independent treatises criticizing the tenets of contemporary schools, especially Advaita, while simultaneously elaborating upon the Dvaita thought. His dialectical skill and logical acumen earned him the distinction of or commentator par excellence. Historical sources on Jayatirtha's life is scant. Most of the information about his life is derived from two hagiographies: Aṇu Jayatīrtha Vijaya and Bṛhad Jayatīrtha Vijaya from his disciple, Vyāsatirtha (not to be confused with Vyasatirtha) and a compilation by Chalāri Saṁkarṣaṇacārya (c. 1700). According to legendary accounts and the hagiographies, Jayatirtha is an incarnation of Indra, the lord of gods with amsha of Adi Sesha and have been miraculously favoured by the Goddess Durga (Mahalakshmi). In the previous birth, Indra incarnated as Arjuna and in next life he incarnated as a Bull and carried the load of the library of Madhvacharya throughout the Madhva's wanderings between Udupi and Badrinath.