Tattva Viveka
स्वतन्त्रं परतन्त्रं च प्रमेयं द्विविधं मतम्।
स्वतन्त्रो भगवान् विष्णुः निर्दोषाखिलसद्गुणः ।।
Tattva Viveka is an ancient exposition of the central doctrines of Vaishnava Philosophy such as the reality of the Universe, the five cardinal differences, the nature of the souls, the nature of liberation etc. The original Tattva Viveka is believed to be composed by God himself. The present text is a condensed presentation of the ancient Tattva Viveka by Sri Madhwacharya. It aptly summarizes the central concepts of the ancient Tattva Viveka text in thirteen verses.
A repetition of Tattva Sankhyana?
This text, at the outset, appears to be a repetition of the Tattva Sankhyana. Though the two texts expound upon the same concept of classification of Tattvas, choice of different words bring forth significant points. Tattva Viveka adds more clarity about the attributes like Guna, Kriya and Jati of a substance.
Definition of Prameya
Though the text is named "Tattva Viveka", it begins by the intrinsic definition and classification of "Prameya". By this we understand that "Prameya" is another name for "Tattva". Prameya is defined as the non-superimposed object of knowledge.
Classification of Prameya
As in Tattva Sankhyana, Tattva Viveka also classifies Prameya as Svatantra and Asvatantra. Lord Sri Vishnu is the Svatantra Prameya. All other entities fall under the Asvatantra Prameya category.
Classsification of Negation
Negation or absence of an object is classified as Purva-Abhava, Para-Abhava and Sada-Abhava. This is similar to the classification done in Tattva Sankhyana albeit using different words. There the Negation is classified into Prak-Abhava, Pradhvamsa-Abhava and Sada-Abhava.
Difference is Intrinsic
Difference appears to be a special case of negation called Anyonya- Abhava. Including this makes the classification of negation into 4-categories. But Tattva Viveka and Tattva Sankhyana classify negation into only three categories. We find the explicit reason for not classifying Anyonya-Abhava under the Abhava Category. According to Tattva Viveka, Anyonya-Abhava or Difference is intrinsic to the nature of the object itself. Hence it is non-different from the object and should not be treated as a distinct "Prameya" unlike the other three Abhavas.
Classification of Achetana
Tattva Viveka classifies Achetana Prameya into two types 1. Nitya and 2. Anitya. In Tattva Sankhyana we find a third type viz., Nitya- Anitya which is not mentioned in Tattva Viveka. Tattva Viveka takes a different approach than Tattva Sankhyana in not incorporating the third class. The thought behind not including the Nitya-Anitya category is that the aspects Nityatva and Anityatva do not simultaneously occur in a single non-different object. Tattva Sankhyana entertains Nitya-Anitya category because a single non-different object can be both Nitya in its causative form and Anitya as an effect.
Understanding Bheda, Abheda and Bheda-Bheda
Between the object and its attributes there could be 1. Difference (Bheda) 2. Identity (Abheda) or 3. both difference and identity (Bheda-Abheda).
Tattva Viveka gives clarity in understanding which of these three is true w.r.t different objects and their attributes.
The intrinsic attributes such as Guna, Kriya and Jati are fundamentally non-different from the objects.
Further:
a) If the attribute gets destroyed before the object then there is both difference and identity (Bheda-Abheda). e.g: the sourness of a mango
b) If the attribute exists as long as the object exists then there is Identity (Abheda) e.g: the whiteness of a cloth.
Conclusion
Tattva Viveka concludes by stressing upon the need to understand the varied universe with all its internal classifications as being completely dependent and in full control of Lord Sri Hari. This understanding truly empowers oneself and leads towards the highest goal of life.
य एतत्परतन्त्रं तु सर्वमेव हरेः सदा ।
वशमित्येव जानाति संसारान्मुच्यते हि सः ।।