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AUCUST, 1914)
THE HISTORY OF THE NAIK KINGDOM OF MADURA
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scenes of religious life on the banks of the Kaveri came to be reproduced on the banks of the Tungabhadra, and the support of the Tamil kings and chiefs came to have its counterpart in the patronage of the Telugu ones. The despair of Vaishnava leaders was replaced by the prospect of unlimited triumph. The great Vedantacharya came back to Srirangam, and resumed those soul-stirring lectures and disputations which had been the source of so much enthusiasm to his admirers and of so much terror and anxiety to his detractors. By the time of his death in 1371 he had the double satisfaction of seeing Vaishnavism safe from Musalman tyranny and Višishtadvaitism from Advaitic dominance; and when fifteen years later Vidyaranya breathed his last, he must have died with equal contentment at the bright prospects of Hinduism in general and of Advaitism in particular,
The rise of a popular Vaishnavism or Tengalaism. The rescue of Hinduism from the tyranny of Muhammadanism was chiefly the work of the orthodox party, both of Vaishyavism and Saivism, through the agency of the Vijayanagar Empire. But the fruits of victory were to be realised by the people in general. The harmony established by the government led to a popular upheaval in religion, and there was a wide spread movement in the 15th and 16th centuries for the loosening of the reins of orthodoxy. Everywhere there was a cry against the rigidity of the caste system, against the elaboration of ceremonials, against exclusive adherence to Sanskrit at the expense of the vernaculars, and against the tendency to attach more importance to philosophy than to devotion. The people wanted, in other words, less philosophic and more devotional religions. They wanted less ceremony and more feeling in their cults, less formality and more sincerity of belief, less head and more heart. They wanted to see the caste system more in consonance with lore of fellowmen, to remove that detestable social tyranny which went on in the name of religion. They wanted vernacular bibles in preference to Sanskrit ones. This widespread popular movement asserted itself both against orthodox Vaishnavism 12 and orthodox Saivism. The movement against orthodox Vaishnavism was called Tengala'sm. It was organized and led by a great leader named Manavala Mahâmuni, a native of Alvar Tirunagari and a disciple of Sri Saila. About the year 1400 he proceeded13 to Srirangam and began to organize his party with such skill and foresight that the orthodox party of Nainar Acharya, 14 the son and successor of Vêdântâcharya, lost for ever its old prestige and following. The work of Manavala Mahamuni was carried on by his successors in the eight Matts15 he established for the purpose, and though the orthodox party was revived and strengthened by the celebrated
12 In N. India the popular movement was carried on by the Râmânandas, the Kabir Panthins, the Vallabhacharyas, the Chaitanyas, the followers of Nanak, the Dadu Panthins, the Mira Bais, ote. All these belonged to the 15th and 16th centuries. See Monier Williams' Hinduism 141.148. For Chaitanya's influence in the south and the rise of the Satánie, soe Madr. Mchu, p. 73, 86 and 90.
3 The classical biography of him is called Yatindraprio npr. bhduwm, of which there are two oditions. Manavala is considered by the Tengalais to be the incarnation of Ramanuja. He died about 1450 A. D. He is, of course, not the founder of Tengalaism, but it was he that gave it a highly acctarian colour: so sectarian, indeed, as to give rise to a new caste altogether. For a short description of the Tengalais see Madt. Manu, I, 84. Hopkin's Religna, Ind. p. 501 and J. R. A. S., Vol. XIV.
11 Otherwise called Valadacharya.' He organized the worship of Vedântâcharya in temples, and it is no doubt his zoal for that greatest of orthodox writers that contributed not a little to the strengthening of the rival sect of Tengalaism. Varadacharya was born about 1320 and died about 1416. His disciple known as Kadambi Nainar was the preceptor (in the Bhashyaa) of Manavala Mahamuni. See the Vadag. Gurup., 1913 edn. 168.180. For a comparison of the Tengalai and Vadagalai doctrines see Mysore Census Report 1891; Brahmuddin, 1912: Madr. Munu, I, P. 85 and 89.90. J. R. A, S., 1911.
25 The heads of these were called the Ashta-dig-pajas. The most important of them was the jeer of Vanamamalai or Nânguneri in Tinnevelly District.
