Chaturmasya jnAnArjane saraNi - Madhwa Vijaya (a Gist in English) by Eminent scholars - Sarga 15 Part 1 of 3

October 22, 2009

|| Sri Rama Krishna VedavyAsAya namaha ||

|| Sri Hanuma Bheema Madhwa MunibhyO namaha ||

namaste all,

Please find a brief on sarga #15, 1st Part today.

You can refer to previous sargas at:

Sarga 14/1 - http://groups. / group/MadhwaYuva Parishat/ message/12002

Sarga 14/2 - http://groups. / group/MadhwaYuva Parishat/ message/12173

Sarga 14/3 - MadhwaYuvaParishat/message/12197

|| shrI hari vAyu gurubhyO namaH ||

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

Sarga 15, Part 1 by Sri S. Krishna Rao

Book edited by Srimushnam V Nagaraja Rao

SRI MADHVAâ€™S TATVA VAADA AND HIS DISCIPLES

In this Sarga, we have an idea of the magnificent Tatvavaada of Sri Madhva refuting all the prevailing systems of Philosophy & the defeat of Sri Trivikrama, a mahaa kavi & a scholar of outstanding merit. Sri Madhva establishes his Tatvavada on firm foundations. Sri Madhva establishes his Tatvavaada on firm foundations. Sri Trivikrama becomes a sishya of Sri Madhva & undergoes a complete course on Sootra Bhashya at the end of which, the Acharya asks him to write a gloss on it. This was indeed a unique honor conferred on Trivikrama by the Acharya. Sri Trivikrama, accordingly, wrote the Tatva Pradeepa a classic by itself & offered it to the Acharya with fullness of heart & extreme devotion & praised the stupendous works of Sri Acharya. In this Sarga, there is also an account of Sri Vishnu Theertha, (the

brother of Sri Madhva), of Sri Padmanabha Theertha & of the other Sanyasi disciples including the pontific heads of the eight Mutts of Udupi. The substance of this Sarga is given in the following Shlokas: -

dashapaMchaka sarge.asmin.h shrIguror vAda kaushalam.h |

paDardha vikramenaiva kR^itam tadvAdamuttamam.h ||

saptAShTaka dine vAde khaNDitaM sarvadurmatam.h |

shrIgurorgrantha ratnAnAM stavanaM tachva bodhanam.h ||

mahimA viShNu tIrthasya shiShya vargasya vaibhavam.h |

kathyante kavivaryeNa shrIguroH prIti siddhaye ||

This Sarga, comprising 141 shlokas, is the longest in Madhva Vijaya & the verses are constructed in the short Anushtup Vrutta scintillating with Alankaras of Sanskrit poesy. Notwithstanding the dry & not so easily understandable verbal fight that ensued background of the prologue is marvelous & picturesque.

THE DIALECTICAL WAR

Amaralaya, the village temple near Vishnu mangalam was the venue of the open dialectical fight where Trivikrama, the warrior of the opposite side, fully armed with the weapons of spear- like Tarka & seated in the chariot of the parapaxa, presented himself before Sri Madhva for a fight (verse 2). The poet describes it: -

parapaxa rathArUDhaM kharatarka mahAyudham.h |

trivikramAryaM so.apashyat.h prativIramivAgrataH || 2 ||

In the next few verses, the poet makes a beautiful poetic expression of the oratorical eloquence flowing out of the holy lips of Sri Madhva & compares the oration to a zealous & loyal army, moving out in arrays out of a Military Camp.

tadA tadAnanAmbhojAt.h vR^ittopanyAsa bhAratI |

senA senAgrahA divyA shibirAdiva niryayau || 3 ||

The tempo of the metaphor is continued up to the seventh Shloka. In the fifth sloka he says, that the army consisted of Brahma Sootras as the chariots of war; the unassailable Vedic texts were the elephants units; the irrefutable arguments were the infantry & the apt quotations from the Smritis & Puranas were the able cavalry.

sUtrasyandana vR^indADayA durvAra shruti vAraNA |

sUpa patti mahApattiH vichitra smR^iti saptikA || 5 ||

The stanzas comprise simple words, apt & pregnant with meanings. The sixth shloka is capable of atleast four interpretations & a perusal of the commentaries on it will bring forth the facile quill of the poet. (Sri Madhva exposition is compared to the Ocean, Sri Maha lakshmi, the Army, the flow of Ganga etc.. (verse 6/7).

In the short space of fifty five shlokas (9 to 93), the poet gives amarvellous account of how Sri Madhva critically reviewed & refuted all the defective systems of philosophies that existed then in Bharat in the 12th century A.D.

The Vakyartha (debate) between Sri Madhva & Trivikrama continued for fifteen days & finally the latter was rendered incapable of arguing further. He could not put any more questions nor could he answer Sri Madhvaâ€™s questions with cogency & reasoning. The net result of the Vakyartha was that Sri Madhva established on solid grounds the Vishnu Sarvottamatva & Guna pari poornata & that Vishnu is known only through the Veda which is the valid source of knowledge & that Vishnu alone is the bestower of Moksha (final release from bond age) to the striving souls sojourning in the stream of Samsara.

saptAShTAni dinAnyevaM vAdaM kR^itvA sahAmunA |

niruttaraM taM nishchodyaM chakre chakrAyudha priyaH || 69 ||

tataH svataH pramANena devo vedena veditaH |

viShNurmoxasya dAteti vishvaM bhavati shobhanam.h || 63 ||

TRIVIKRAMA BECOMES A SISHYA

At this stage, Sri Trivikrama came to realize that the saint with whom he had been debating was no other than a Divine Avatar. His emotions went up & he immediately stood up in front of the smiling Yateeswara & begged him with folded hands: - â€œIt is enough, O, Natha; kindly forgive my indulgence. (xamyatAM nAtha chApalam.h verse 70 ). Please accept me as your Sishya.

With these words, Sri Trivikrama prostrated before Sri Madhva. Who would not like to have a Sishya of Trivikramaâ€™s caliber? And for that matter Sri Madhva who was a great admirer of scholarship, was ever ready to show the right path to Vishnupada. The illustrious new Sishya was given full course on Sootra Bhashya & further. He could not put any more questions nor could he answer Sri Madhvaâ€™s questions with cogency & reasoning. The net result of the Vakyartha was that Sri Madhva established on solid grounds the Vishnu Sarvottamatva & Guna pari poornata & that Vishnu is known only through the Veda which is the valid source of knowledge & that Vishnu alone is the bestower of Moksha (final release from bondage) to the striving souls sojourning in the stream of

Samsara.

saptAShTAni dinAnyevaM vAdaM kR^itvA sahAmunA |

niruttaraM taM nishchodyaM chakre chakrAyudha priyaH || 69 ||

tataH svataH pramANena devo vedena veditaH |

viShNurmoxasya dAteti vishvaM bhavati shobhanam.h || 63 ||

TRIVIKRAMA BECOMES A SISHYA

At this stage, Sri Trivikrama came to realize that the saint with whom he had been debating was no other than a Divine Avatar. His emotions went up & he immediately stood up in front of the smiling Yateeswara & begged him with folded hands: - â€˜It is enough, O, Natha; kindly forgive my indulgence. (xamyatAM nAtha chApalam.h verse 70 ). Please accept me as your Sishya.â€™

With these words, Sri Trivikrama prostrated before Sri Madhva. Who would not like tohave a Sishya of Trivikramaâ€™s caliber? & for that matter Sri Madhva who was a great admirer of scholarship, was ever ready to show the right path to Vishnupada. The illustrious new Sishya was given full course on Sootra Bhashya & further, was also asked by the Acharya to write a Teekaa thereon. Sri Trivikrama felt highly honored by the commission & produced his brilliant commentary â€˜Tatva Pradeepa which is highly illuminating & is a classical work of merit even today like the â€˜Tatva Prakasikaâ€ of Sri Teekacharya & is very respect fully referred to by later scholars & commentators.

It is also said by the poet that Sri Trivikrama requested the Acharya to write another commentary on the Sootras â€“ as a sequel to his bhashya full of Nyayas which would be a challenge to the Pandits. The result of this appeal was what we have today, the magnus opus â€˜Anu- Vyakhyana the monumental work of eternal worth which gives a glimpse of the fertile & ocean like knowledge of Srimad Acharya the Viswa Guru.

After completing his work, Sri Trivikrama offered it (Tatva Pradeepa) to Sri Madhva & eulogized the Guruâ€™s works which cover the three Prasthanas viz., the Bhagavat Gita, the Upanishad & the Brahma Sutras (verse 72, 73).

The personality of Sri Madhva & his philosophical concepts are embedded in the thirty seven works he wrote for the benefit of humanity. This number has a hidden significance in it. Three plus seven is ten. This number, Dasha in Sanskrit, meanis Poorna & it refers to Dasha Mati Poorna Pragnya Sri Madhva. Again 3 x 7 is twenty one & this number indicates the number of systems which Sri Madhva refuted. Sri Madhvaâ€™s commentary on the Brahma Sootras stand as the twenty second. Since Sri Madhvaâ€™s commentary was approved by Lord Vedavyasa Himself, it reflects truly His mind & thus it stands like a rock unrefuted.

GRANTHA MAALIKA STOTRAM

The stanzas 73 to 90 form a Grantha Maalikaa stotra, & this being supposed to have been spoken by Sri Trivikrama himself in praise of Sri Madhva & his works, this sets at rest all speculations about the number of works of the Acharya.

Sri Madhvaâ€™s works are enumerated below: -

Commentaries on the Gita (2)Gita BhÃ¢shyaGita TÃ¢tparyaCommentaries on the Brahma Suutra (4)Brahma Suutra BhÃ¢shyaaNu bhÃ¢shya,Anu VyÃ¢khyÃ¢naNyÃ¢ya VivaraNaCommentaries on the ten principal Upanishads (10)ÃŽshÃ¢vÃ¢sya Upanishad BhÃ¢shyaKena or TaLavakÃ¢ra Upanishad BhÃ¢shyaKaThopanishad BhÃ¢shyaMuNDaka Upanishad BhÃ¢shyaSatprashna Upanishad BhÃ¢shyaMÃ¢nduukya Upanishad BhÃ¢shyaAitareya Upanishad BhÃ¢shyaTaittiriya Upanishad BhÃ¢shyaBrhadÃ¢raNyaka Upanishad BhÃ¢shyaChhÃ¢ndogya Upanishad BhÃ¢shyaDasha Prakaranas:Ten philosophical works dealing with various aspects of TattvavÃ¢daPramÃ¢Na LakshaNaKathÃ¢ LakshaNaUpÃ¢dhi KhandanaPrapancha MithyÃ¢tva-anumÃ¢na KhanDanaMayÃ¢vÃ¢da

KhandanaTattva-samkhyÃ¢naTattva-vivekaTattvoddyotaKarma NirNayaVishnu-tattva-vinirNayaThree commentaries on BhÃ¢gavata PurÃ¢na, MahÃ¢bhÃ¢rata, and Rg VedaBhÃ¢gavata TÃ¢tparyaMahÃ¢bhÃ¢rata TÃ¢tparya-nirnayaRig Veda BhÃ¢shyaEight miscellaneous worksYamaka BhÃ¢rataNarasimha Nakha Stuti,DvÃ¢dasha Stotra,KrshnÃ¢mrta MahÃ¢-arNavaSadÃ¢chara SmrtiTantra-sÃ¢ra SangrahaYati PraNava KalpaKrishna Jayanti NirNaya

TAPO MOORTI, SRI VISHNU THEERTHA

The author next tells about the disciples of Sri Madhva. Mention is made of Sri Vishnu Theertha & Sri Padmanabha Theertha & the eight pontific heads of the eight Mutts of Udupi which Sri Madhva established.

By the grace of Sri Acharya, his parents were gifted with another son as already told in shloka 26, of Sarga 4.

nishA charA reriva laxmaNaH purA vR^ikodarasyeva surendra nandanaH |

gado.atha shoreriva karma kR^it.h priyaH subhaktimAn.h vishvavido.anujo.abhavat.h || 4-26 ||

The second son looked after his aged parents till their life time. Inwardly, he was grossed all along in Sravana, Manana etc.. & was a standing example of a NishkAma Bhatha, full of Vairagya & was yearning for Sanyaasa. In every respect, he was almost like Sri Madhva whom he served as Lakshmana did to Sri Rama.

In verses 91 to 114, the poet gives a vivid description of Sri Vishnu Theerthaâ€™s deep quest for knowledge, his intense desire for renunciation and becoming a Sanyasi, his severe penance & his reverent study & ardent sAdhana.

Sri Vishnu Theerthaâ€™s devotion towards Sri Madhva (elder brother) was asgreat as that of Bharata towards Sri Ramachandra (smaran.h jyeShThaM rAmaM rAmAnujo yathA) verse 94. When he went to the kingdom of Jayasimha & begged Sri Madhva to give him Sanyasa, the elder brother asked the young aspirant to go back to his home town (Paajaaka Kshetra) & to wait till he (Sri Madhva) arrived after completing the ChaaturmAsya (verse 93). The enthusiasm with which he went there, had vanished & he returned home with as much heavy heart as Bharata returned from Chitrakoota toAyodhya & spent the days in utter cheerlessness. He could neither eat, sleep nor laugh until his divine brother arrived (na jaghAsa na suShvApa na jahAsa sa dhIradhIH smaran.h jyeShThaM rAmaM rAmAnujo

yathA ( verse 94).

Completing the ChaaturmAsya, Sri Madhva arrived at Paajaka Kshetra. Fully satisfied that the younger brother was worthy of entering into the Holy Order, Sri Acharya initiated him into Sanyasa & blessed him with the holy name of â€˜Vishnu Theerthaâ€™. Verse 98.

In strict accordance with the Sanyasa Dharma, Sri Vishnu Theertha proceeded on Theertha yatra & covered all the important pilgrim places throughout the country. Returning from the tour, he retired into the caves of Harishchandra Hills for penance (prApAsau harishchandramahIdharam.h verse 104). Considering that food was the main fuel for the fire of bodily pleasures & pains, Vishnu Theertha, as a first step, gave up food & spent the days & days inside the caves, immersing himself in meditation.

dvandva duHkhAnale vIro mAtsaryeNa vimatsaraH |

tatyAja matvA tasyAsau ashanAdi indhanAyitam.h || 105 ||

Earnestly requested by his devoted disciples Sri Vishnu theertha accepted a little of Panchagavya once in five days, verse 106.

bhaktai ranugiraM nItaM prArthito yati shekharaH |

pa~nchagavyaM papau ki~nchit.h pa~ncame pa~nchame dine || 106 ||

Even this little Panchagavya he gave up after sometime & lived on the fallen leaves of Bilva & water (verse 107).

sa tyajan.h sAhasI taccha tapastepe ati tApasam.h |

bilva parNaiH xitau pannaiH tR^iptimAn.h salilairapi || 107 ||

Thus bringing the body & mind under control, Sri Vishnu Theertha completely conquered the uncontrollable horses of Indriyas by his ceaseless practice of Pranayama & other yogas (verse 109).

pavanAMshAnujo jitvA pavanaM rechakAdimiH |

viShayebhyo hR^iShIkAshvAn.h mano yantrA samAharat.h || 109 ||

This famous Yogeeswara is said to have given Sanyasa to two devotees vizâ€¦ Sri Aniruddha Theertha & Sri Badarayana Theertha (verses 115 & 117)

aniruddha padAdhAraH preShThaH shiShyastamAyayau || 115 ||

â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦abhUt.h shiShyo vyAsapadAshrayaH || 117 ||

Persuated by the affectionate disciple Sri Aniruddha Theertha, his Guru Sri Vishnu Theertha came out of the caves & jungles of the Harichandra Hills and returned to Udupi where he blessed countless people. In due course, he left Udupi & pitched up his abode at the top of Subramanya Hills which, even today, is an important pilgrim place for mAdhvas & others (verse 119).

Aruroha durArohaM sa paraiH prItikR^it.h hareH |

mahAntaM mahimAnaM cha mahIdhraM cha guhapriyam.h || 119 ||

sArirO dangurava namma

bhAratI ramaNa vAyuvE jagadguruvendu |

bhOriduthalippa samudrava langhisi

dhAruNisutheya dukhava kaLedu

chORa rAvaNa vanavanala gAhutiyitthu

srI rAmageragidAtane prasiddhanendu ||

kushaladi kunthige maganagi bhImanenisi

A kourava kapatadali kotta visha laddu jeerNisi

asama balAdhya mAruthiyE baddhanendu

baLika ippattondu durbhAshyaMgaLa

haLidu vEdAntha shAstraMgaLali

uLuhi vaishNava mathavaniyoLage namma

salahuva madhwEsha Shiri Krishna priyanendu ||

- Sri Vyasarajaru

bhAratIramaNa mukhyapraNAntargata shrI kR^iShNArpanamastu

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Chaturmasya jnAnArjane saraNi - Madhwa Vijaya (a Gist in English) by Eminent scholars - Sarga 15 Part 1 of 3

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