Madhvacharya (1238–1317), the revered philosopher-saint from Pajaka near Udupi, Karnataka, founded the Dvaita Vedanta school of philosophy. He promoted intense personal bhakti towards Lord Vishnu (especially in the form of Krishna) and emphasised the eternal distinction between the individual soul and the Supreme. He established the famous Sri Krishna Mutt at Udupi and the Ashta Mutts (eight monasteries) to propagate his teachings, spreading devotion, scriptural study, and spiritual discipline across Karnataka and beyond.