Consider the following statements about the Vedanta philosophy:

1. Shankara was the founder of Advaita Vedanta.

2. The philosophy of Dvaita was elaborated by Madhva.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The correct answer is  Both 1 and 2.

Key PointsVedanta Philosophy

• Shankara was indeed the founder of Advaita Vedanta, a non-dualistic school of Hindu philosophy.
  • Advaita Vedanta emphasizes the idea that the individual self (Atman) and the universal self (Brahman) are one and the same.
  • Shankara, also known as Adi Shankaracharya, lived in the 8th century and was a prominent philosopher and theologian.
  • He wrote extensive commentaries on the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, and Brahma Sutras to propagate his philosophy.
• Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The philosophy of Dvaita was elaborated by Madhva.
  • Madhva, also known as Madhvacharya, founded the dualistic (Dvaita) school of Vedanta in the 13th century.
  • According to Dvaita, the individual soul (Atman) and the supreme soul (Brahman) are distinct and separate entities.
  • Madhva's teachings were primarily focused on the worship of Vishnu as the supreme deity.
• Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Additional Information

• Advaita Vedanta:
  • Advaita Vedanta is one of the most influential schools of Hindu philosophy.
  • Its primary tenet is that there is no distinction between the individual self (Atman) and the universal self (Brahman).
  • Shankara's works include commentaries on major Hindu scriptures and numerous other philosophical texts.
• Dvaita Vedanta:
  • Dvaita Vedanta, or dualistic Vedanta, asserts that God (Vishnu) and individual souls are eternally distinct.
  • Madhvacharya, the proponent of this philosophy, argued against the non-dualistic teachings of Shankara.
  • His works include commentaries on the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, and Brahma Sutras, as well as independent treatises.