Madhusà «dana Sarasvatë (c.1490–1580) was an Indian philosopher in the Advaita VedÃÂnta tradition and devotee of Krishna. He was the disciple of Vià Âveà Âvara Sarasvatë and MÃÂdhava Sarasvatë.
Madhusà «dana composed Advaitasiddhi, a line-by-line refutation of Nyayamá¹Âta. In response to Advaitasiddhi, the Dvaita scholars, Vyasa Ramacharya, and Ananda Bhattaraka, wrote Nyayamá¹Âta Tarangini and Nyayamá¹Âta Kantakoddhara and challenged Madhusà «dana Sarasvatë.
Madhusà «dana was born in a Vaishnava Brahmin family in a village named Unashia situated in the present-day Kotalipara division of Gopalganj district near Faridpur in Bangladesh. His father was a Sanskrit scholar named Pramod Purandaracharya Chakraborty. The pre-monastic (Pà «rvÃÂà Ârama) name of Madhusà «dana Sarasvatë (Saraswatë) was Kamalnayan Chakraborty, and he belonged to the Pashchatya Vedic Brahmin community of Kotalipara. He was educated in the Navya-NyÃÂya tradition at Nabadwip under reputed scholars of those days like Harirama Tarkavagisha and Mathuranath Tarkavagisha, but later undertook sannyasa from a sannyÃÂsi of Dashanami Sampradaya named Vishvesvara Sarasvati, and moved to Varanasi in order to study Advaita Vedanta.
Madhusà «dana wrote a number of works, all involving the defence and exposition of Advaita VedÃÂnta, of which the largest and most respected is the Advaitasiddhi, which opposes the Dvaita VedÃÂnta positions and arguments in VyÃÂsatërtha's work NyÃÂyÃÂmá¹Âta. Madhusà «dana also wrote at least nine other works, of which five were commentaries (on the Bhagavadgëta, on parts of the BhÃÂgavatapurÃÂà Âa, and others). He wrote the êà Âvarapratëpatti-prakÃÂà Â, VedÃÂntakalpalatikÃÂ, SÃÂrasangraha on SarvajñÃÂtmÃÂ's Saá¹ ká¹£ÃÂpa-à ÂÃÂrërika, and the justly famous SiddhÃÂntabindu on à Âaá¹ karÃÂcÃÂrya's Daà Âaà Âlokë.
A total of twenty-one books have been ascribed to Madhusà «dana. Of them, nineteen books are undoubtedly his, but the authorship of the remaining two is doubtful. Twelve of his books are on philosophy, the rest are poems, plays and miscellaneous themes. The philosophical books include commentaries.
Madhusà «dana was so accomplished in Navya Nyaya (New logic) techniques that the following verse is quoted about him when he visited Nabadvipa, the center for learning in Nyaya Shastra,
Meaning: When Madhusudana, the master of speech, came to navadvipa, Mathuranatha tarkavagisha (who was the foremost navya naiyayika during those times) trembled (with fear) and Gadadhara (another logician of great repute) became afraid.
A few words about the authors. Madhusudana Sarasvati is a towering giant among advaitins. An oft quoted verse regarding him is,
Meaning: (Only) the Goddess of Learning, Saraswati knows the limits of (knowledge of) Madhusà «dana Sarasvati. And Madhusà «dana Sarasvati knows the limits of Goddess Sarasvati (Knowledge).
Madhusà «dana Sarasvatë was a great devotee of Krishna. Just like Appayya Dikshita, who integrated SivÃÂdvaita into Advaita Vedanta, Madhusà «dana bridged the Satvata school of Pancaratra Vaishnavism and Advaita Vedanta philosophy. Madhusà «dana boldly differs from Adi Shankara in some of his interpretations of the Brahma Sutras and the GëtÃÂ, although he salutes Adi Shankara and Suresvara in the most reverential terms. Madhusà «dana places a greater emphasis on the path of devotion (bhakti), while Shankara emphasizes knowledge (jnana) as the primary means to liberation. Tradition also recounts that Viá¹Âá¹Âhalesa, the son of Vallabha of the Suddhadvaita school, studied under Madhusà «dana Sarasvatë, who thus forms a crucial link between Advaita Vedanta and many Vaishnava sects in the north.
Madhusà «dana Sarasvatë draws upon the Yogavasistha detailing of seven stages of yogic practice leading to self-realization and the end of avidya (ignorance). It begins with preparatory practices like acquiring knowledge and detachment, progresses to engaging in reflective dialogues, deep meditation, and the revelation of reality. In the last three stages, focus is on attaining the state of jivanmukti (liberation while living). The last three stages involves achieving complete detachment through determinate samadhi (while voluntarily returning to worldly consciousness), living in heightened detachment, and complete ease and surrender. The final stage is where bodily functions are sustained by God marking attainment of jivanmukti.
According to a Dashanami legend, Madhusudana Sarasvati complained to the Mughal emperor Akbar about Muslim attacks on Hindu ascetics. Akbar's courtier Birbal suggested that Sarasvati initiate non brahmin members in his group and arm them. This legend has been passed down through oral tradition, and its historicity is not confirmed by historical texts. However, J. N. Farquhar believed that it had some historical basis.