ABSTRACT
Like the elements of Madhvacarya’s epistemology, those of his rich ontology are also arranged hierarchically. The schools can also be distinguished according to the significance they give to hierarchy. Madhvacarya separates, tattva, all of reality, into svatantra, independent, and asvatantra, dependent, entities. Madhvacarya’s personal, interactive and existent God directly contrasts with the impersonal divinity found in the school of Advaita Vedanta. Much of Madhvacarya’s conception of time is based on the Puranas. The universe proceeds through a cycle of four yugas, ages. These yugas, namely krta, the first, treta, second, dvapara, third, and kali, fourth age, are distinguished by the degree to which the sentient beings of the universe adhere to dharma, law or proper behavior. Madhvacarya is very careful to inform readers that Visnu has an infinite number of attributes. His care shows a rejection of the Advaita position that brahman is nirguna, without attributes.
