author
Madhava
d. 1386
A fourteenth-century Indian scholar, statesman, and Advaita philosopher, he is best known for the Sarvadarśanasaṅgraha, a lively survey of major philosophical schools. Tradition also links him closely with the early Vijayanagara Empire and with the name Vidyāraṇya.
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About the author
Little about his life is certain, but reliable reference sources describe Mādhava (died 1386) as a major intellectual figure in fourteenth-century South India. He is known as a scholar, philosopher, and minister, and he is often identified with Vidyāraṇya, the Sringeri teacher who played an influential role in the formative years of the Vijayanagara Empire.
He is best remembered as the author traditionally associated with the Sarvadarśanasaṅgraha, a compact and influential survey of Indian philosophical systems. The work is valued for the way it presents a wide range of viewpoints in one place, making him an important guide for readers interested in the breadth of classical Indian thought.
Some biographical details vary from source to source, so it is safest to say that his legacy rests on both scholarship and public influence: a thinker tied to Advaita Vedānta, and a figure remembered for helping shape one of medieval South India’s great cultural and political centers.