prAtah sankalpa gadyaM -3

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Hari Sarvottama Sri Gurubhyo namaha

Vayu Jeevothama

 

SOURCE:

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Pratas-Sankalpa Gadyam, Sarva-Samarpana Gadyam & Gayathri

By Srimushnam V Nagarajachar, Published by Devarnama Bhajana Sangha,

Srirangam, 1972.

 

pUjyAya rAghavendrAya satyadharmaratAya cha |

bhajatAM kalpavR^ixAya namatAM kAmadhenave ||

 

shrIsudhIndrAbdhisambhUtAn.h rAghavendrakalAnidhIn.h |

seve sadAGYAnsaukhyArthaM santApatrayashAntaye ||

 

|| shrImaddhanumabhImamadhvAntargatarAmakR^iShNAvedavyAsAtmaka

shrIlaxmIhayagrIvAya namaH ||

 

atha shrImandrAghavendra yati shiromaNibhiH virachitaM

 

 

NOTE: The whole text of Pratah Sankalpa Gadyam is one sentence, as also

the other work, Sarva Samarpana Gadyam. If the text is shown as passages &

numbered, it is all for the convenience of easy reading by laymen &

therefore imaginary.

 

 

 

4. tathA.avatIrya sakalasachChAstrakartR^INAM, sarvadurmatabha~njakAnAM,

anAditaH

satsampradAyaparamparAprAptashrImadvaiShNavasiddhAntapratiShThApakAnAM, ata

eva

bhagavatparamAnugrahapAtrabhUtAnAM,

 

5. sarvadA bhagavadAGYayA bhagavatsannidhau

pUjyAnAM, tathA bhagavatA dattavarANAM

 

6. dvAtriMshallaxaNopetAnAM, tathA

samagragurulaxaNo petAnAmasaMshayAnAM, prasAdamAtreNa

svabhaktAsheShasaMshayachChettR^INAM

 

THE GIST:

 

Having narrated in the earlier passage, the circumstances that necessitated

the avatara of Sri Vayu on earth, the author briefly elucidates in the above

two passages the superhuman achievements of Sri Ananda Theertharu. He (Sri

Acharya) gave to the world, thirty seven works, covering all the branches of

the Supreme Knowledge, the AdhyAthma vidya. By presenting these works, he

threw open the doors of knowledge that lay closed due to the ill effects

caused by Maya Vaada, Soonya vAda etc...

 

The works of Sri Madhva brought sustaining spiritual solace to the seekers.

Preaching tirelessly the glories of Vishnu Bhakthi to the masses throughout

the length & breadth of the country, Sri Madhva restored **Vaishnavism ** to

its pristine glory & reestablished the same in the hearts & minds of the

people. By these sacred deeps, Sri Vayu endeared himself utmost to the

Lord. Thus exceptionally priviledged as he is, Sri Vayu is adorable in the

very august presence of the Lord & the Lord is indeed pleased at that.

 

** unflinching Vishnu Bhakthi, one to whom Vedas, upanishads & Gita are the

supreme Authority. He is a staunch asthika to whom Lord Lakshmi Narayana

is the Supreme God. A Vaishnava believes that soul & matter are parallel

lines that never merge into one another. God is the string that runs

through both & is the greatest agent that connects & disconnects them at His

pleasure. To a true Vaishnava, Moksha is neither the attainment of Godhood

by himself nor merging with Him at the end, but to remain in the company of

the Lord, enjoying for ever the immeasurable Ananda, having been perpetually

relieved of the pains of births & deaths. To keep himself in constant

memory of the Lord, the Vaishnava bears the marks of Chakra, Shankha & other

Vishnu Mudras on his body & he loves to call his children by Lord's names.

Ekadashi is a sacred vrata of observance for Vaishnava.**

 

WORKS OF SRI MADHVACHARYA:

 

 

Commentaries on the Gita (2)

 

Gita Bhâshya

Gita Tâtparya

 

Commentaries on the Brahma Suutra (4)

 

Brahma Suutra Bhâshya

aNu bhâshya,

Anu Vyâkhyâna

Nyâya VivaraNa

 

Commentaries on the ten principal Upanishads (10)

 

Îshâvâsya Upanishad Bhâshya

Kena or TaLavakâra Upanishad Bhâshya

KaThopanishad Bhâshya

MuNDaka Upanishad Bhâshya

Satprashna Upanishad Bhâshya

Mânduukya Upanishad Bhâshya

Aitareya Upanishad Bhâshya

Taittiriya Upanishad Bhâshya

BrhadâraNyaka Upanishad Bhâshya

Chhândogya Upanishad Bhâshya

 

Dasha Prakaranas:

 

Ten philosophical works dealing with various aspects of Tattvavâda

 

PramâNa LakshaNa

Kathâ LakshaNa

Upâdhi Khandana

Prapancha Mithyâtva-anumâna KhanDana

Mayâvâda Khandana

Tattva-samkhyâna

Tattva-viveka

Tattvoddyota

Karma NirNaya

Vishnu-tattva-vinirNaya

 

Three commentaries on Bhâgavata Purâna, Mahâbhârata, and Rg Veda

 

Bhâgavata Tâtparya

Mahâbhârata Tâtparya-nirnaya

Rig Veda Bhâshya

 

Eight miscellaneous works

 

Yamaka Bhârata

Narasimha Nakha Stuti,

Dvâdasha Stotra,

Krshnâmrta Mahâ-arNava

Sadâchara Smrti

Tantra-sâra Sangraha

Yati PraNava Kalpa

Krishna Jayanti NirNaya

 

Shining with all the thirty two marks or laxanas, the human form of Sri

Madhva was charming & captivating personality of absolute perfection in all

respects. Being the repository of all the distinctive lakshanas of the

greatest Guru, he was devoid of all doubts. His prasada removes the

darkness of doubts & ignorance in the minds of his disciples & elevates them

to the ecstatic heights of knowledge.

 

EXPLANATORY NOTES:

 

GURU LAKSHANAS

 

The term 'Guru' in sanskrit means one who dispels doubts & darkness in the

minds of those in pursuit of Shastric studies & desirous of attaining God's

grace.

 

'gu' shabdastu aMdhakAraH syAt.h 'ru' shabdaH tannirodhakaH

aMdhakAra niroghitvAt.h 'guru' rityabhidhIyate

 

During the period of Sadhana, a sAtvic soul encounters several knotty

points to which he finds no satisfactory answers & eagerly looks to a guru

to show the way to correct understanding. One who is clear in thought &

well versed in AdhyAtma Vidya & who is also a bhaktha can alone be a true

guru who can remove the causes of ignorance or illusive knowledge which

stands as an impediment to tattva gnyana about the supreme Lord Narayana.

Such a guru is Sri Vayu devaru.

 

THIRTY TWO LAKSHANAS:

 

We find a passing reference to Guru Lakshanas in Tatparya Nirnaya:-

 

ShaNNavatyaMgulo yastu nyagrodha parimaNDalaH

saptapAdashchaturhasto dvAtriMshallaxaNairyutaH

asaMshayaH saMshayacChit.h gururukto manIShibhiH ...........MBTN (1-123, 24)

 

IT may be noted that Sri Raghavendra Theertharu has chosen to use the same

words used by Srimad Acharya. Commenting on the above slokas, it is

elucidated that Sri Vayu & his consort alone posses all the thirty two

lakshanas of perfection & that the number decreases gradually in respect of

other devatas & much less in the case of human beings. Sri Rudra devaru &

his equals are endowed with 28 lakshanas. The other devatas posses features

in decreasing number i.e. 24 to 16. The Rishis have 8 & the emperors have

less. Kali (Satan) is full of Dur- lakshanas.

 

GURU PRASADA:

 

It is to be noted in the text, that the word 'prasAdamAtreNA has been

specifically used by the author. It is to emphasis the need of Guru Prasada

which results from Guru Bhakthi. This subject is briefly discussed in the

3rd Chapter, Brahma sootra bhasya & the topic begins with the question:-

 

'Which of the two is more important? Guru prasada or one's own individual

effort

guruprasAdaH svaprayatno vA balavAn.h?

 

In the context of the interesting story** of Upakosala,** it was

established

that Guru prasada is more important & powerful.

 

** The story is referred to in the Sootra:

 

oM li~Nga bhUyastvAt.h taddhi balIyastadapi oM (3-3-45)

 

** Upakosala was one of the several disciples in the gurukula of the Sage

SathyakAma. After the admission of Upakosala, many disciples came to the

Gurukula & returned home duly completing their courses of studies, but

Upakosala was not releived. Without a word of grumble, the devoted

Upakosala tirelessly continued to serve his Guru, GuruPatni & three Agnis.

(viz, gArha Patya, Ahavaniya & Dakshinaagni) in the hermitage. Years rolled

by. The heart of Guru Patni melted with pity for the poor Upakosala & she

pleaded his cause with her husband. Though Satyakama gave her a patient

hearing, he would not speak a word in reply. Days passed on & Upakosala

continued his services with utmost sincerity. The three Agnis themselves

were immensely pleased with his excellent qualities & one evening, when the

guru was away from the hermitage, the Agnis appeared before Upakosala &

imparted in a moment, all the secrets of Brahma Vidya. SathyakAma, the guru

returning home, noticed the bright glow of Brahma Tejas in the face of

Upakosala & had understood what had happened in his absence. He immediately

told Upakosala that he was now free to go home. But Upakosala knew that

though he had gained the knowledge, he could make use of it only through the

Guru's blessings. He therefore begged Satyakama for his blessings. The

kind hearted Guru blessed him whole heartedly & sent home Upakosala as a

full fledged Gyani. It is therefore proclaimed:-

 

guruprasAdo balavAn.h na tasmAt.h balavattaraM .....(Bhasya Deepika)

 

shrImadrAghavendratIrtha gurvantargata shrI bhAratIramaNa

mukhyaprANAntargata sItApati shrI rAmachandra charaNAravindayoH samarpyate

shri kR^iShNArpanamasthu