9. Akshobhya (or Akshobhya Tirtha)

1300s–1400s

Akshobhya appeared in this world sometime between 1238 and 1317 in Uttara-Karnataka. Prior to his initiation and sannyasa he was called Govinda Shastri. Akshobhya was known for successfully refuting nondualistic Advaita philosophy. In a historic encounter at Mulbagal, Karnataka, he defeated in debate Vidyaranya, a scholar and descendant in the Advaita line of Sankaracharya, the most important exponent of the Advaita Vedanta school. Akshobhya Tirtha left the world in 1365.