Advaita Vedanta (Non-dualism), propounded by adhi Shankaracharya (8th century CE), views the world as an illusion (Maya) and the individual soul as ultimately identical with the impersonal, formless Brahman. In contrast, Vishishtadvaita Vedanta (Qualified Non-dualism), positing that the world is real and that individual souls are eternally distinct but are real, integral parts of the supreme, personal God (Brahman/Vishnu).
Vishishtadvaita philosophy was propounded by Ramanujacharya (1017-1137).
He developed this influential philosophical system, which posits that the ultimate reality (Brahman) is eternal but includes a plurality of souls and matter, all connected to a personal God (Vishnu). He fought against the caste system and social hierarchies, promoting the idea that all people are equal regardless of their background. He established proper procedures for temple rituals that are still followed in major temples today, such as those in Tirumala and Srirangam.
But Ramanujar, who was then residing in Srirangam, had to flee to Melkote in Karnataka state (around 1099), to escape the persecution of the Shaivite Chola king, Kulothunga Chola I, who was hostile to Vaishnavism. The king, being a staunch Saivite, wanted to eradicate Vaishnavism, tried to coerce Ramanujar and his followers. One of his followers, Thirukuruchi Nambi was even blinded by the king. Ramanujar was invited by the Hoysala ruler, who was a Vaishnaivite. He took with him the ‘urchava murthy’ of Srirangam Ranganathar temple fearing that it would be destroyed by the king. Ramanujar spent 14 years there in Melkote, making it his center for establishing the Vishishtadvaita philosophy. Later he brought the ‘murthy’ when he returned to Srirangam after the death of the king.
Kulothunga Chola II continued the persecution on Vaishnavites where his father left. He is believed to have removed the presiding Govindaraja murti from the shrine in Chidambaram. It is believed that the main deity of Bhagwan Govindaraja was Left in the sea. The devotees of Bhagwan Govindaraja brought the utsava murthis (processional deities) of the God to Tirupati and Saint Ramanujacharya performed consecration to install Govindaraja deity there in 1130 AD. The earliest of the records available on this temple at Tirupati belong to the year 1235 A.D when the Chola King, Raja Raja III was ruling the place.
Chidambaram temple came into prominence in 1506 A.D. during the rule of Saluva dynasty of Vijayanagar and from then onwards different rulers in a different way developed the temple. Few parts of the inner shrine date back to the 9th and 10th centuries. The history and the old records of the temple indicate this temple had Sri Parthasarathi on the main altar much before the installation of the murti of Govindraraja Swamy by Saint Ramanujam in 1130 AD.
During the 12th century, due to muslim invasion the local people fearing damage to the main temple covered murtis of Bhagwan Parthasarathi, Satybhama and Rukmini by constructing walls leaving rest of the mantap open. In the 16th century, king Krishnappa Nayak, Son of Viswanatha Nayak of Madurai Nayak dynasty, expanded the Madurai kingdom and brought most of the territory under the Pandya dynasty. He was instrumental in installing the murti of Govindaraja back in the Chidambaram Nataraja temple.
The utsava murtis of Govindaraja Swamy were brought back to Chidambaram temple only by Krishnadevaraya in 1529. But the Vishnu koil then was not in the main Nataraja Praharam but outside. Only in 1597, Krishnappa Naik, the then king of Chengi fort, installed it within the main praharam.
It is also believed that the “Podhu Deekshathars”, the traditional owners of the Nataraja complex housing both the deities, Nataraja and Vishnu, protested the reinstallation of Vishnu. They committed suicide by falling from the temple gopuram. It is even told that the king, being a staunch vaishnavite himself took strong objection and shot dead a couple of Deekshathars trying to commit suicide!
These incidents highlight a historical sectarian rivalry between Shaivism and Vaishnavism that manifested strongly at Chidambaram.
The animosity between the two philosophies seems to have continued though no recorded history of major skirmishes thereafter. Though acrimonious philosophical debates continued between the followers of two philosophies. It would be interesting to know such instance involving the two key figures, Thathacharya (1571–1643) and Appayya Dikshitar (1520–1593). They were two prominent and rival religious personalities in South India, representing the Sri Vaishnava and Shaiva traditions, respectively.
Ramaraya the regent of Sadasiva, the nominal ruler of the Vijayanagar Empire was completely under the influence of Tatacharya, the Rajaguru until his demise in 1583. After 1585, when Venkatapati ascended the throne Appaya Dikshitar started receiving patronage. Earlier Appaya Dikshitar enjoyed the total patronage of Chinna Bomma Nayak the regional ruler operating from Vellore. That is the time Appaya Dikshitar wrote the Nigrahashtaka a wonderful poetry portraying the agony of his heart caused by his adversaries. Another adversary of Appaya Dikshitar was Vijayendra Bhikshu a prominent follower of Dvaita.
The story goes that more than once, followers of Tatacharya tried to eliminate Appaya Dikshitar by deceit. Appaya Dikshitar used his tantric powers to foil every one of those attempts. Finally Tatacharya realized his mistake and sought the forgiveness of Appaya Dikshithar who told him to perform as atonement certain services to the construction activities going on at Vedagirishwarar Temple in Thirukkazhukundram. So he and his followers carried daily water to the construction workers. That is the reason the gopuram at the hilltop is often referred to as Tatachar Gopuram. Even in recent times the task of carrying water for the Abhisheakam of the deities of Vedagirishwarar Koil is being done by the descendants of Tatacharya.
As per folklore, Appayya Dikshitar was impressed by the play Sankalpa Suryodaya and its display of hostility toward Advaita and Śaivism, inspiring him to take a vow to actively promote both traditions. He is regarded as a great Advaitic acharya and a central figure in Shaiva worship, ranking among the foremost religious thinkers of the 15th and 16th centuries.
A series of scholarly and textual clashes took place between him and the Dvaita scholar Vijayendra Tirtha.
Appayya Dikshita wrote a book “मध्वतन्त्रमुखमर्दन” “Madhva-tantra-mukha-mardana” i.e. “crushing the face of Madhva philosophy”; Vijayeendra Tirtha wrote a book in reply, “अप्पय्यकपोलचपेटिका” “Appayya-kapola-chapetika” i.e. “a slap on Appayya’s cheek”.Vedanta Deshika wrote “शतदूषणी” “Shatadushani”.
The differing narratives of claims of victory from both sides often highlight the victor of the debate depending on the author’s perspective.
Dvaitham – Advaitam philosophies do not centre just around lord Vishnu and Shiv but are much beyond. But some of the followers belittled the philosophy into establishing which god is supreme! Fortunately, all the clashes in the later part of the history (after the 13th century), were all devoid of physical encounters but are only of literary and philosophical debate, bringing much needed sanity.
Nattu’s Page 