Discourse on the topic "Exclusive Contribution of Madhvacharya towards Indian Philosophy" by pujya Shri Bannanje Govindacharya at Shri Madhva Sangha, Shri Raghavendra Svamy Mutta, 8th Cross, Malleswaram, Bangalore (Day 2 - April 4th 2016)
Considering that the Upanishad says "Sarvam kalu idam brahma", it has already been stated by the rishis of yore that everything is indeed Brahman, and everything includes shabda, it is incorrect to claim that Madhva was the first to suggest this. In fact there is a whole understanding of how the pranava gives birth to all swara and all akshara. All this is nothjng new, but has been in yogic experience since millennia prior to Madhva. Sri Bannanje is most definitely biased in spite of his saying that he's not.
I don't know whether you listened to the discourse till the end. Because at the end Sri Bannanje Govinda Aacharya has told that Bhagavaan Madhwaacharya's philosophy is called "Tattva vaada". Which means the true philosophy which is already there in Vedas and Upanishads, the philosophy accepted by our yogis and rishis (mantra drashtaaras). If you go through Aacharya Madhwa's works, may it be Gita Bhaashya or may be Upanishad bhaashya, he quotes and cites the lines of Veda, upanishad and purana as references to his Vyaakhyaana. His views have proper base and proofs of Vedas and Puranas. Similarly the "Sarvashabda vaachyatva" of Vishnu is already told in Upanishads. Exclusiveness of Aacharya Madhwa is that before him nobody brought this point to light that Upanishads say that Brahma is Sarvashabda vaachya. All vaidika philosophies, be it of Aacharya Shankara or Ramanuja, they all follow Vedas. So whatever their philosophy is, it is based on Vedas. So obviously the points told by them have a Vedik base. Their interpretation to those Veda Vaakyas goes wrong sometimes and that is a different topic.
