Sripad Visnu Tirtha
This is the younger brother of Madhwa who became the founder of Sode
Mutt. He was an incredible yogi and renunciate, living in a cave no wider
than his body standing. In the pastime at Kanvatirtha some of his qualities
are recorded in Madhwa Vijay. Tradition has it that to this day he is still
performing austerities on the Kumara Hill at Subrahmanya Ksetra of the
western Ghats. Hrsikesa Tirtha, in his book Sampradaya Paddhati, states
that in the Kali Yuga Visnu Tirtha will re-appear to preach Madhwa philosophy
there. His only known work is a book on the duties of 'sannyasa', including
the importance of 'Visnu-bhakti', roles of 'grhasta' and 'sannyasa ashramas',
and cleanliness, bathing, 'tilak', 'japa' (regulated chanting), worship
of Deities, offering foods to the Lord, fasting, and vows taken during
the four months of the rainy season etc.
Sripad Visnu Tirtha was given beautiful Deities of Bhu-Varaha by Sripad Madhwacarya. Lord Varaha is very nicely decorated with Bhudevi seated on His left thigh. Incidently at the Sode Mutt they also have a Deity of Hayagriva, Who is whitish and is seen with 'jnana mudra', a book, 'japa mala', and a white conchshell respectively in each of His hands. He is the presiding Deity of knowledge and was brought there by Vadiraja Tirtha, the twentieth swami of the Sode Mutt who appeared around the sixteenth century and lived for 120 years.
In the Madhwa Vijay (15:96-116.) there is a nice description of the final pastime of Visnu Tirtha joining Madhwa after the passing away of their parents at Pajaka-ksetra which will be included later.
Srila Trivikrama Panditacarya.
Sriman Trivikrama Panditacarya took his birth in the family of Likuca
(Pejjataya) like Madhwa, near modern day Kasagar. He was a 'Shivalli Brahmin',
and His father was Subrahmanya Pandit of the 'Angirasa Gotra'. Trivikrama
was the eldest of three sons, and he emerged as a scholar of the Monist
Adwaita school, although he never saw himself as a 'mayavadi', because
he was never satisfied with it's conclusions.
He became the court pandit of Jayasimha Maharaja, the King of
Kumbla. There is an incredible story of the meeting between Trivikrama,
the King and Madhwa, during which Madhwa stated all known philosophies,
and one by one smashed them all. He then lured the court pandit into a
debate and over fifteen days changed the mind of the doubting Trivikrama
into a Madhwa Vaisnava. After being soundly defeated by Madhwa at Visnumangala
and becoming Madhwa's disciple, Trivikrama wrote three books. Madhwacarya
showed him many favours, due to his devotion and dedication. Trivikram
Panditacarya was a householder. His youngest son was Narayana Panditacarya
who is the compiler of the biography of Madhwa (Madhwa Vijay) from which
I have taken the details surrounding Madhwa's life for the compilation
of this book. He too was very learned, and devoted to Madhwa. There are
about twenty books accredited to Narayana Panditacarya. He spent about
thirty years growing up in the association of Sripad Madhwacarya.
Another that came much later is Sriman Vishnu
Puri