The Unseemly Animal

[Guest guest]

Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri

Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

The Unseemly Animal

 

There are reputed to be 8.4. million species in the wise Lord’s

creation, of which, arguably, the human race represents the crown

jewel. Lower down the totem pole are animals and birds. Most of these

creatures are a pleasure to look at—take for instance the

majestic lion, the swift leopard, the towering elephant, the lovable

deer, etc. The bovine species, which is a subsection of the animal

kingdom, boasts of the virile ox and the docile cow.

 

It is therefore a wonder that the same species accommodates another

creature too, extremely unseemly. This ugly animal is so

unprepossessing that no one spares it a second glance. Not only are

its looks uninviting, but its habits too are highly disgusting. It

wallows in mud and mire most of the time, finding the mucky environs

extremely pleasurable. It is the personification of laziness and

lethargy, its movements excruciatingly slow and slothful—so

much so that indolent human beings are often compared to this animal.

 

The Buffalo thus evokes no feelings of attraction or aesthetics in the

onlooker. If anything, we are repelled by the sight of the animal,

with its sharp and murderous horns, its long and ugly face, the

gaping nostrils, the somnolent gait and utter lack of cleanliness.

Character-wise too, it doesn’t appear to possess any admirable

traits. Where you remember the dog for its loyalty, the elephant for

its memory, the cow for its auspiciousness, and the deer for its

speed, you are unable to specifically point to any redeeming feature

in the Buffalo.

 

To the contrary, the Buffalo often prompts feelings of fear, being the

official carrier of the Deity of Death, Yamadharmaraja. Added to this,

we also hear stories of an asura assuming the form of a Buffalo and

wreaking untold havoc on mankind, till he is finally destroyed by Sri

Parvati, as the Mahishaasura Mardini.

 

One more instance of the Buffalo being the object of hatred and fear,

is recounted in Srimad Ramayanam. The Kishkindha Kandam relates the

tale of an asura, Dundubhi, assuming the form of a huge buffalo and

trying to kill Vali in combat. However, after a long and hard battle,

it is the monster buffalo which meets its end at Vali’s hands,

with Vali throwing the carcass of the wicked animal to fall at a

considerable distance. When Sugreeva narrates this tale to Sri Rama

to give Him an idea of Vali’s prowess, Sri Rama lifts the

carcass with a finger of His foot and throws it ten times as far as

Vali did—“Paada angushttena chikshepa sampoornam dasa

yojanam”. This generates confidence in Sugreeva about

Raghava’s ability to triumph over the powerful Vali. Both in

Srimad Ramayanam and Sri Mahabharatam, whenever the animal is

mentioned, it is in the context of deadly predators inhabiting dense

jungles.

 

You may hence wonder as to what there is to write at all about this

creature, which is at best ignored and tolerated as an aberration in

Emperuman’s creation, perhaps intended to setoff to advantage

the other creatures with varied positive attributes. However, the

Buffalo does find mention in the Scripture, not all of them

uncomplimentary. Shall we see a few of them?

 

You would be surprised to find the Shruti equating the Lord with a

buffalo. Listing exalted specimens of each species, the Taittiriya

Upanishad tells us that Emperuman is Brahmaa among Devas, Padavee

among poets, Rishi among sages and so on. And when mentioning the

best among animals, the Upanishad says that Emperuman is a

“Mahisham” or Buffalo among animals—

 

“Brahmaa devaanaam, Padavee: kaveenaam, Rishi: vipraanaam,

Mahisha: mrigaanaam, syeno gridhraanaam, svadhiti: vanaanaam, Soma:

pavitram atyeti rebhan”

 

Commenting on the sloka, Sri Rangaramanuja Muni says that everything

wonderful and great is indeed an aspect of the Lord’s bounty

and hence the buffalo qualifies for equation with

Emperuman—“Mrigaanaam madhye Mahishopi ayam eva”.

 

.. The point is that the Buffalo or the Bison is such a powerful and

virile specimen of the animal kingdom as to considered the best among

its peers.

 

The next complimentary reference to the animal that comes to our mind

is from the Tiruppavai. The twelfth pasuram of Tiruppavai in fact

begins with a grand and appreciative mention of this animal—

 

“Kanaitthu ilam kattru erumai kandrukku irangi

ninaitthu mulai vazhiye nindru paal sora

nanaitthu illam seraakum narchelvan tangaai!”

 

The Buffaloes of Nandagokulam are sturdy and productive creatures, due

to their association with Sri Krishna. Due to his obsession with Sri

Krishna and His safety, Sri Nandagopa often omits to milk the

buffaloes in his cowshed. Come morning, the buffaloes are ready for

milking, their udders heavy and overflowing with milk. However,

Nandagopa is loathe to leaving Sri Krishna’s side, for fear

that something might happen to Him in that second of inattention. He

constantly sports a spear for the Young One’s protection, ready

to commit mayhem at the slightest suggestion of danger to the beloved

Kannan—“Koorvel kodum tozhilan Nandagopan”.

 

Further, every minute and second of Nanda’s life is taken up

with wonder and marvel at the incomparable magnificence of Sri

Krishna’s looks and deeds. Just as the occupants of Sri

Vaikunttam dare not blink for fear of losing a moment’s

splendorous experience of the Lord, Nandagopa too does not wish to

part from his illustrious son, even for a minute. And true to the

saying that those who develop attachment for the Lord, find

everything else disenchanting (“Paramaatmani yo rakta: virakta:

aParamaatmani”), Nandagopa , blessed with the wonderful divine

child, has no time for routine chores. All this makes him forget or

even deliberately omit to milk the buffaloes.

 

These animals, heavy with milk and the need for relieving themselves

of their burden, moo pitiably in an effort to attract the attention

of cowherds.

 

The term “Kanaitthu” is extremely significant—the

buffaloes start with the intention of letting out a full-throated

moo, but when they realise that it would disturb those engaged in the

blissful experience of Krishna, they mute it down to a mere clearing

of the throat. They are prepared to endure the pain of an unmilked

udder, rather than interrupt bhaagavatas immersed in Krishna

anubhavam.

 

“Ilam Kattru erumai”—the buffaloes inhabiting

Nanda’s cowshed are young ones. Had they been old and past

lactation, there would be no necessity for them to moo or clear their

throats. However, being young, they are unable to withstand the

discomfort of overflowing udders. The calves are also young, unable

to tolerate hunger and needing to be fed at timely intervals.

 

“Kandrukku irangi”—Though the discomfort of unmilked

udders is excruciating, the Buffaloes think not about themselves, but

about their young ones.

 

A beautiful comparison is made here by the commentators.

 

The Lord is an extremely generous person, waiting for the slightest

gesture from us to bless us with all bounties, including liberation,

if only we would ask for the same. However, most of us do not take

the pain of even applying to Him for the requisite favours. For one

who is longing to give, the absence of takers is indeed painful.

Similar is the plight of the unmilked buffaloes of Nandagokulam.

“Udaarar kodukka peraa vittaal padumaa pole” says Sri

Azhagiamanavala Perumal Nayanar, portraying the plight of a

compulsive philanthropist, to whom none applies for alms. The

position of present day Acharyas too is similar—though they are

prepared to shower enlightenment and wisdom on all those who approach

them, alas! only a few sishyas take advantage of Acharyas’

munificence.

 

“Ninaitthu”—Since it is common practice among

cowherds to separate the calves from their mothers at specific times,

the buffaloes are unable to offload their milky burden into the eager

mouths of their young ones. However, the very thought of their calves

make the mothers secrete milk from their udders, even in the absence

of milking. They imagine their young ones to be present and lapping

up the milk, and this makes the buffaloes’ udders generate a

copious flow.

 

The buffaloes’ unsought secretion of milk is compared to the

boundless generosity of Emperuman, who revealed spiritual secrets to

Arjuna, even in the absence of specific request. The Lord’s

munificence is indeed unimaginable, “Oudaaryam” or

boundless generosity being His hallmark.

 

“Ask, and thy shall be given!” is the normal

mode of charity, even of the most philanthropic of people. No donor

would read the seeker’s mind and oblige voluntarily. If we need

something from someone, we have to ask for it. Only those who have

extended their hands for alms would know how difficult and demeaning

it is to ask someone for something. We seem to shrink within

ourselves with shame, whenever we are put in the unenviable position

of having to seek favours or donations.

 

Under these circumstances, if the donor were to realise our need

without an express request therefor, it would save us the ignominy of

having to ask for the same, and would make us that much more

comfortable in the process. The Lord is thus the ideal benefactor

and gives us what we need even without an express or implied request

therefor, and, at times, forces us to accept the bounty, even if we

are hesitant to do so. This compulsive generosity of the Lord is

another aspect of Oudaryam, which we are prompted to remember, when

we hear of the buffaloes of Gokulam, which secrete milk copiously,

voluntarily and without being milked.

 

“Nanaitthu illam seraakum”—The Buffaloes are so

productive and so generous that the voluntary secretion from their

udders is extremely copious—so much so that the milk flows like

a river and makes the entire Nandagokulam muddy with milk. It is a

real case of milk and honey flowing in the streets. Though the milk

is a clear white, when the buffaloes and cows trample the same

underfoot, the place becomes grimy with a mixture of soil and milk.

 

It is interesting to note that while the flow from the udders of Cows

is described as merely breaching the containers held by milkmen

beneath (“Ettra kalangal edir pongi meedalippa”), the

quantum produced by the buffaloes is much more, leading to

Nandagopa’s palace being practically flooded with milk. In this

respect, “Ilam kattru erumai” (young buffaloes) appear to

be much better than even the most generous of cows (“vallal

perum pasukkal”). Sri Nayanar compares the flow of milk at

Gokulam to that of rivers at Tirumala—“Tirumalayil tiru

aruvigal pole”.

 

To conclude, let me recount an episode, related to Buffaloes, from the

life of Tenali Rama, whose homespun brand of wisdom earned him an

exalted place in the court of the renowned Vijayanagar Emperor

Krishnadevaraya. Challenged to a verbal duel by a visiting Vidvaan

(acclaimed to be an erudite scholar), Tenali Rama arrives at the

venue of debate, armed with an impressive book parcel wrapped in

glittering silk. To all appearances, the contents of the package

appear to be extremely erudite and embodying the highest of wisdom,

by the way Rama reverentially handles the package. Tenali Rama

challenges the visiting Vidvan to enter into a debate, based on the

work he holds in his hand. In reply to the latter’s query,

Tenali Rama reveals the name of the work as “Tilakaashtta

Mahisha Bandhanam”. Having never heard of the work, the Vidvan

is flummoxed, and rather than risk debate on an unknown and

apparently weighty work, surrenders meekly to Tenali Rama and flees

the court.

 

Queried by the Emperor, who too had not come across the work, Tenali

Rama unwraps the parcel, to reveal not a book, but a package of

Sesame and a piece of wood, bound together by a short rope. To the

mystified Emperor, the Court Jester breaks up the impressive name

“Tilakaashttamahishabandhanam” into its component

elements—“Tilam” (meaning Sesame),

“Kaashttam” (referring to a piece of wood) and

“Mahisha Bandhanam” (a rope used to tie up a buffalo).

All in the court, including the usually sober Emperor, erupt into

laughter at the clever ruse employed by Tenali Rama to vanquish the

arrogant visitor.

 

>From all the aforesaid, wouldn’t you say that even Buffaloes have their positive points?

 

Srimate Sri LakshmiNrisimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri

Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

dasan, sadagopan