Chaturmasya jnAnArjane saraNi - Madhwa Vijaya (a Gist in English) by Eminent scholars - Sarga 11

September 30, 2009

|| Sri Rama Krishna VedavyAsAya namaha ||

|| Sri Hanuma Bheema Madhwa MunibhyO namaha ||

namaste all,

I sincerely apologise with all of you for the delay in sending the rest of the sargas of this series due to personal engagements.

The last episode, of Sarga 10 was sent on Aug 31st. Now would like to resume the rest of the sargas with the Ashirvada of Sri Hari Vayu GurugaLu, after almost a month.

Also would like to pray Lord Dhanwantri to speed up the recovery of the injuries of Smt Shobha Srinivasan, who met with an accident few weeks back on her way back from MettilOtsava. She is recovering now and would expect her to start contributing to our groups.

Sarga 10 - MadhwaYuvaParishat/message/10796

Here comes the eleventh installment in this series.

|| shrI hari vAyu gurubhyO namaH ||

Madhwa Vijaya (a Gist in English) by sixteen Eminent scholars

Sarga 11, by Sri M. Rama Rao

Book edited by Srimushnam V Nagaraja Rao

SRI MADHVA SHASTRA & THE BLISS OF VAIKUNTA

In the preceding sarga it was stated that the cloud of Sri Madhva (vishAradavAridaH) allayed the scorching heat of Samsara and gave pious men eternal bliss. A masterly pen picture of Vaikuntha the abode of bliss, forms the theme of this chapter which has been very magnificently rendered by the poet Narayana Pandithacharya.

The serial number of this chapter is reminiscent of Ekadasi the eleventh day of a paksha and the eleven organs of sense. The observance of the former and the control of the latter inter alia are eventually the means for attainment of lasting bliss. Sri Madhva Vijaya Meya Sangraha Maalikaa of Sri Vishnu Teertha puts in a nutshell the gist of this chapter in the following verse:-

vyAkhyAna samaye prAptaM phaNirAjaM supUrNadhIH |

shiShyebhyo darshayAmasa sa tatphalama thAbravIt.h ||

To his disciples, Sri Madhva showed Aadi-Sesha who appeared in the sky at the time he (Sri Madhva) was expounding the Sootra-Bhashya. Aadi-Sesha explained to Sanaka and other sages the fruits of listening to the discourse of Sri Madhva.

The gist of the chapter is given below. On a new-moon (Amavasya) night, while Sri Madhva was expounding his Sootra-Bhashya, there was a sudden flash in the sky which excited attention. His disciples mistook it for moonlight and were astonished. Thereupon Sri Madhva showed them the lustrous Aadi-shesha who, after hearing the discourse, was returning along with his disciples (Sanaka and others). On reaching his abode, the disciples of Aadi-shesha begged him to explain to them the benefits of hearing and studying the works of Sri Madhva which he listened to and adored. Exhorting them to listen with rapt attention, Aadi-Shesha began to recount the glories thereof as follows:-

tridivAdi labhyamapi nAsya phalaM kathitaM kR^iSheriva palAlakulam.h |

svaphalaM tu mukti pada muktipadaM shuka shAradAdi paramArtha vidAm.h || 6 ||

When the cultivator puts the best of his labor into his paddy field, his ultimate aim is a good harvest of paddy and not cart-loads of straw. Yet, along with the paddy, he gets the straw also. (The bliss of Vaikuntha is compared to the paddy, the pleasures of Swarga-loka are compared to the straw). Aadi-Shesha says to his listeners that even though the pleasures of Swargaloka are attainable by the study of Sri Madhva Shastra, those pleasures are not the be-all and end-all of benefits. For they are like the cart-loads of straw in a cultivated paddy field. The real and ultimate benefit lies in reaching Vaikuntha, the wonder-land of Ajita (Vishnu) where we enjoy unalloyed spiritual bliss of our own which manifests itself there by the grace of the Lord. The seers of Truth Sukacharya and Sharada the muse of

speech hail Vaikuntha the land of bliss. (S1. 1-7)

VAIKUNTA VARNANE

Aadi Shesha further describes that Vaikuntha is a city of dimensions with many suburbs and with a metropolis named Ayodhya at the center. It is endowed with the wonderful power of expansion and accommodating any number of Muktas now and in times to come without congestion. A land similar to it can be found nowhere except in its own reflections on the surrounding walls built with precious stones. Everything in it is the manifestation of Sri Mahalakshmi. The rows of red mansions built of rubies, frames of blue sapphire in the thatch of each mansion coming into contact with the crystal white edges of the roof appear like the confluence of the white Ganga and the blue Yamuna. (S1. 8-10)

Countless Brahmas, Garudas, Seshas and other satvik sould in eighty-four lakhs of forms are the residents of that land. (S1. 20) Their bliss is of different grades and intensity, in proportion to their native ability and to their accomplishments in this world of ours (vide Valli 2, of Taittireeya Upanishad where grades of Ananda beginning with human beings and ending with the four-faced Brahma) are enumerated. The muktas are full of Ananda and they harbor neither hatred nor jealousy between one another but take pride in serving their superiors with due respect and reverence. For they are bereft of bodies of Prakriti which is the root of all base passions. With their bodies of pure knowledge and bliss muktas are of sweet temperament

like dolls made of sugar.

Some attain Saaroopya (Roopa similar to that of God) and joyfully roam about, clad in yellow garments (Peetaambara) and with four arms and lotus-eyes; others attain Saameepya, moving in close quarters with God, and some others Saalokya remaining anywhere in His world. Those who are eligible for Saayujya are the four faced Brahma and other Devatas with this essential difference:- Brahma can enter Godâ€™s body directly, remain there at will and come out; but the other Devatas could do so only through their respective superiors. All the Muktas are devoid of the fear of re-birth, old age and death for all times. (S1. 21-24)

The women-folk entertain their lords with sweet music and gay dances. They accompany them in beautiful vimanas to the parks on the beaches of the oceans of nectar called Ara and Nya. They enjoy the cool breeze blowing over the perennially sweet-smelling flowers of Madnaara, Santana, Kalpa and Harichandana (vide verse 10 of Sri Hari-Vaayustuti). The seasons of the year: summer, winter and rains are exhilarating and devoid of their blemishes of scorching heat, biting cold and wetting moisture. The Muktas indulge in various sports like picking flowers, strolling in the avenues, bathing in waters etc. They return home and have drinks of nectar in cups of gold and gems. The dishes of their dinners never run short and remain eternally full (verses

26, 27, 37, 39, 45, 48, 51). Sri Vaadiraaja in his â€˜Yukti Mallikaa,â€™ (Phala Sourabhaverses 424 and 425) cites an instance in support of this, saying:-

â€œVaataapi, an Asura, took the form of a goat and his elder brother Ilvala cut him to pieces, cooked and served as food to many sages. After the dinner, at the call from Ilvala, all the pieces eaten would burst out of the bellies of the sages and form the whole Vaataapi alive again as before. Such being the wonderful power of an ordinary Asura, what then of Sri Hari whose powers are mysterious and infinite.â€

In fact whatever pleasures are wished for by the Muktas, are had then and there, with no disappointment.

yaM yaM sukhI kAmayate.arthamatra saMkalpamAtrAt.h sakalopi sa syAt.h || 78 ||

Besides, they perform Yagnyas and other rituals in ecstasy which they are not bound to do nor does their performance bear fruit. (S1. 46)

Sri Hari lives in His own magnificent mansion in the metropolis and Sri Mahalakshmi does all the Seva Herself, though she is attended on by thousands of servants (S1. 64). The Lord gives His Darsan to the Muktas by assuming countless forms (S1. 73), some with two feet and others with thousands of feet etc., according to the Yogyata and gradations of the beholders.

The Muktas feast their eyes on His exquisite form decked with all ornaments and Vanamaalaa (a garland up to the feet), His face like the full moon, eyes like the lotus lips ruddy like the bimba fruit, neck like a conch, breast marked with Srivatsa, arms wielding the weapons, theighs like the trunks of elephants and feet like lotus flowers. (S1. 66)

All these splendours are proclaimed in the Vedas, Brahma Sutras & Puranas. Those Devatas & human beings who do Sravana & Manana of the works of Sri Madhva & meditate thereon, attain this Moksha by the grace of the Lord Sri Hari. (SI 79)

mahAnanda tIrthasya ye bhAShya bhAvaM mano vAgbhi rAvartapante sva shaktayA |

surAdyA narAntA mukunda prasAdAt.h imaM moxamete bhajante sadeti || 79 ||

AN EXAMPLE OF LITERARY EXCELLENCE

In this sarga are to be seen the literary genius of the gifted poetand the display of nicety in his composition. An example may be seen in verse 77 which reads:-

vaikuNThe te shrIvisheShA janAnAM atyAshcharyaM chitta vAchAmabhUmiH |

vaikuNThete shrI vi sheShA ja nAnA muktashlAdhye yukta metAdR^ishatvam.h ||

The words in the first half of both the lines are repeated but their meanings are different. This type of constructions of the verse is known as yamaka which is usually seen in the Maha-Davyas. In â€˜Yamaka-Bharataâ€™, one of his thirty-seven works, Sri Madhva has given to us his rich and consummate Kavya which is replete with Yamaka-Alankaras and many other embellishments which are a source of joy.

The words in the first line mean:- â€œIn the world known as Vaikuntha, the various kinds of affluences as aforesaid are a marvel to the people and are beyond the range of mind and words (i.e. they can neither be conceived fully nor described in full). The latter half of the verse means that there is nothing fantastic about the Vaikuntha loka in which the Lord Vaikuntha resides, and which Sri Lakshmi, Garuda, Sesha, Brahmaa and various liberated souls praise so much.â€ The word â€œsrIvisheShAjanaanaamâ€ is broken into parts to get the second meaning.

The word â€œvaikuNThaâ€ is taken as the Loka by that name and also the land where the Lord Vaikuntha resides. This is an instance of poetical dexterity and richness of vocabulary with which this Kavya abounds in full. This verse is rendered in the beautiful Saalinee Vrutta.

A MORAL

There is a practical lesson in Sloka 64. When the very Mahalakshmi does personally all the seva to the Lord Herself even though she has thousands of servants at her command, what are we? (to engage others to do Deva-Pooja on our behalf).

Having known the glory of Sri Madhvaâ€™s works and the grandeur of Moksha which his works give to the devotees, behoves every true bhakta to study the Madhva-Shastra and he blessed. We do not know the nature of our future birth, but we know what we are today an let us, therefore,

â€œAct, act in the living present,

with heart within and God above.â€

aAru ninagidiru akhiLa dhAruNiyoLagesArashAstrava mereda sarva~jna muniye ||

aArondu vairigaLa thariduvaishNavarige aAreradu oordhva pundragaLa idisiaAru moorara mEle mooradhika kumathagaLabErorase kittandu bisuta dheera

aAru nAlku tattvadabhimAnagaLodeyamAruthiya moorane avatAraneaAraidara mEleradu adhika lakshaNavuLLamooruthiyalopputhiha munivarENya

aArAru mElondu adhika lekkadi granthasAravanu rachisi sjjanarigithhupAramArthika bhEda panchakava sthApisidaudAra Shiri Krishnanna dAsanAgi merede

ondE hoovu, ondE phalaondE bindu jala, ondE tuLasi daLaondE vaMdane, ondE pradakshiNe mAdidadaMendendigoo kuMdada Anandaveeyuvanayya Shiri Krishna ||

tannallE iruvavage dEvAlaya bEdalakshmiyarasage honnu bEdaannavyAtake ee poorNanandanigeninnavanendare, tannaneevanayya Shiri Krishna ||

bhAratIramaNa mukhyapraNAntargata shrIkR^iShNArpanamastu

Picture Courtesy: Sri Uttaradi Mutt, Vijayawada.

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Chaturmasya jnAnArjane saraNi - Madhwa Vijaya (a Gist in English) by Eminent scholars - Sarga 11

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