BUDDHA King Suddhodana was at his wit's end. He had surrounded his handsome young heir with comfort and riches, love and respect, but Prince Siddhartha was still not content. One night, the prince abandoned his family. Exchanging his royal robes for a begging bowl, his luxurious palace for the shade of a tree, Siddhartha lived the life of an ascetic to seek the ultimate truth about life and suffering. His search led him to enlightenment and he became Buddha - the Awakened One.
MADHVACHARYA Madhvacharya (C. 1238-1317) propagated the Bhakti Marg or the path of devotion for God realisation. He felt no need to deny the world to realise God. Relying on logic, and quoting profusely from the scriptures, he made a strong case for theism. His school of thought is known as dvaita which stands for two realities -Independent and dependent. The infinitely perfect God is independent and the world of matter and spirits is dependent on God. He advocated total surrender to God to achieve salvation.
MAHAVIRA They called him Mahavira because he was brave and strong. His family doted on him. The people were proud of him. Even wild animals showed him respect. Then why did this handsome, noble, generous prince give up everything and endure years of hunger and hardship? To gain three incomparable jewels: right belief, right knowledge and right conduct. And that was how, 2,500 years ago, he found the path to complete happiness.
TIRUPPAN AND KANAKADASA Tiruppan was a great devotee of Lord Ranganatha, but he was never allowed inside the temple because he belonged to the sweeper community. Dismayed by the rigidities of the caste system, Tiruppan sank into depression, convinced that only death would erase the barriers created by mankind. But Lord Ranganatha had other plans for him.
Kanakadasa was also a victim of the caste system. However, his unwavering devotion soon convinced even the most orthodox that in the eyes of God, everyone was equal. Kanakadasa's songs are still sung all over Karnataka, even though it has been hundreds of years since he died. In this Amar Chitra Katha, it is God who plays the role of reformer, elevating those who truly worship him.
TYAGARAJA Born in Tiruvarur in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, Tyagaraja is regarded as one of the world's greatest musicians. His love for Lord Rama was the most important thing to him, and that dedication inspired his music. Tyagaraja spent most of his life at Thiruvaiyaru, on the banks of the River Kaveri, living the humble life of a mendicant and never accepting more than what he and his family needed.
He believed that Rama was always by his side, and his songs were filled with undying devotion to his lord. The simplicity and beauty of his songs have come to us in the form of Kritis. He is remembered for his contribution to Carnatic music, and musicians and music lovers meet every year to pay homage to him.
Amar Chitra Katha tells the story of this great saint.
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