Madhusūdana Sarasvatī
Madhusūdana Sarasvatī (c.1540–1640) was an Indian philosopher in the Advaita Vedānta tradition. He was the disciple of Viśveśvara Sarasvatī and Mādhava Sarasvatī, and is the most celebrated name in the annals of the great debate between Dvaita abd Advaita schools of Vedanta. The "Nyayamruta" of Vyasatirtha, a text criticising the Advaita view, caused a furore in the Advaita community resulting in a series of scholarly debates over centuries. Madhusūdana composed "Advaitasiddhi", a line-by-line refutation of "Nyayamruta". In response to "Advaitasiddhi", the Dvaita scholars, Vyasa Ramacharya, and Ananda Bhattaraka, wrote "Nyayamruta Tarangini" and "Nyayamruta Kantakoddhara" and challenged  Madhusūdana Sarasvatī. Birth and Education. Madhusūdana was born in a village named Unashia situated in the Kotalipara division of Gopalganj district near Faridpur in Bangladesh to a Sanskrit scholar named Pramod Purandara Acharya, and originally called Kamalanayana. He was educated in the Navya-Nyāya tradition at Nabadwip under reputed scholars of those days like Harirama Tarkavagisha & Mathuranath Tarkavagisha, but later undertook sannyasa from an "sannyāsi" of Dashanami Sampradaya named Vishvesvara Sarasvati, and moved to Varanasi in order to study Advaita Vedanta. Works. Madhusūdana wrote a number of works, all involving the defence and exposition of Advaita Vedānta, of which the  largest and most respected is the "Advaitasiddhi", which opposes the Dvaita Vedānta positions and arguments in Vyāsatīrtha's work "Nyāyāmṛta". Madhusūdana also wrote at least nine other works, of which five were commentaries (on the "Bhagavadgīta", on parts of the "Bhāgavatapurāņa", and others). He wrote the Īśvarapratīpatti-prakāś, Vedāntakalpalatikā, Sārasangraha on Sarvajñātmā's Saṅkṣēpa-śārīrika, and the justly famous Siddhāntabindu on Śaṅkarācārya's Daśaślokī. A total of twenty-one books have been ascribed to Madhusūdana. 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. Quotes on Madhusudana Saraswati. Madhusūdana was so accomplished in Navya Nyaya (New logic) techniques that the following verse is quoted about him when he visited Navadvipa, 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, Sarasvati knows the limits of (knowledge of) Madhusūdana Sarasvati. And Madhusūdana Sarasvati knows the limits of (knowledge of) Goddess Sarasvati. Follower of Bhakti Yoga. Madhusūdana Sarasvatī was a great devotee of Lord Krishna. Just like Appayya Dikshita, who integrated Sivādvaita into advaita vedanta, Madhusūdana bridged the sAtvata school of Pancaratra Vaishnavism and Advaita Vedanta philosophy. Madhusūdana boldly differs from Adi Sankara in some of his interpretations of the Brahma Sutras and the Gītā, although he salutes Adi Sankara and Suresvara in the most reverential terms. Tradition also recounts that Viṭṭhalesa, the son of Vallabhacharya of the  Suddhadvaita school, studied under Madhusūdana Sarasvatī, who thus forms a crucial link between Advaita Vedanta and many Vaiṣṇava sects in the north. "It is also mentioned at some places that Madhusūdana Sarasvatī was one of the major judge on whether,Tulsi das ji's Ramcharit Manas", written in AWADHI,should be allowed or should it be discontinued. Madhusūdana Sarasvatī favoured the idea of allowing "Ramcharit Manas". This is also seen asa major achievement towards popularising the BHAKTI movement.Being an Advaitin,this was considered a bold step in those days." Relation with Akbar. 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. There seems to be a coincidental historical data, that might provide a debatable proof to the above fact. Immediately after Madhusudan Saraswati's return from Agra, the "Naga-sanyasis" (naked- Sages) did form an assembly in Varanasi and did defend the Hindu  pilgrims (or Sanatani pilgrims) from the dastardly attacks of the Muslim warriors. "However at this moment, not enough 'conclusive" "proof is present of any direct link between "Madhusudan-Saraswati" and the formation of the "Naga" groups."