Question:
Why Dvaita Vedanta separates the individual soul and God (Supreme Soul) from one another, if the Ultimate Truth is non-dual in its essence, was Madhvacharya an enlightened master or a mere scholarly sanyasi?
Sri Prabhuji:
There are two levels of reality empirical (vyavaharika) and absolute (paramarthika). Absolute reality is non dual and empirical reality is apparently dual. Vedic tradition gives a gradual approach of purification of heart (chitta shuddhi) to realize the absolute. Life dedicated to devotional service (bhakti/karma yoga) is necessary for purification. Dwaita system focuses on devotional service in empirical reality. Advaita teachings focus on Self knowledge (jnana yoga) for realization of absolute. In this sense purification (chitta shuddhi) in duality prepares soul for non dual teaching.