SRI MADHWAVIJAYA - PANCHA,ASARGAJA - SHLOKAS 38 TO 40

Naughtiness of Kudapustura

ಅಪ್ರಾಂಶುನೂತ್ನೋಪಪದಾಧಿವಾಸಜಃ ಸ ಸಂಕರೋ ವೈರಪರಾಯಣಃ ಪುನಃ|

ಅಸೂಯಯೋಚೇ(s)ತ್ರ ಮಹಾನತಿಕ್ರಮಃ ಸೂತ್ರಾರ್ಥವಾದೋ(s)ಕ್ರುತಭ್ಹಾಷ್ಯಕೇಷ್ವಿತಿ||38||

AprAmshunUtnOpapadADhivAsajaha sa sankarO vairaparAyaNaha punaha|

AsUyayOchE(s)tra mahAnatikramaha sUtrArThavAdO(s)krutaBhAShyakEShwiti||38||

SUMMARY: Sankara, who just wanted to avenge, took birth once again in a dynasty called “Kudupusturu” and he expressed jealousy by saying: “It is a great injustice committed by those who have not written a commentary on the Bhashya to deliver a discourse with new interpretation of Brahmasutras”.

“AprAmshunUtnOpapadADhivAsajaha” (ಅಪ್ರಾಂಶುನೂತ್ನೋಪಪದಾಧಿವಾಸಜಃ) is synonymous of Kudapusturu.

This incident brings to light that a person among the audience during the Pravachana that Sri Madhwacharyaru was rendering, who could not digest the “appropriate” interpretation of Brahmasutras, made this objection.

This incident occurred in Tiruvanantapuram.

This person was having an illusion that the Bhashya on Brahmasutra rendered by Adi Sankara was the ultimate. He was unable to refute or counter the interpretation that Sri Madhwacharyaru was rendering. Therefore, he passed this unwarranted comment.

There are no specific evidences or information about Kudapustura. Some scholars are of the view that this incident refers to Sri Vidhyashankara Tirtharu of Sri Shankara Peetha at Shringeri. However, this line of argument does not hold waters because chronologically Sri Vidyashankara Tirtharu lived from 1228 A.D. to 1333 A.D., which does not correspond to the period of Sri Madhwacharyaru. Moreover, Sri Vidyashankara Tirtharu does not belong to Tulu Nadu.     

Sri Poornaprajnaru replies

ವದೋತ್ತರಂ ಭಾತಿ ಯದೀಹ ಕುರ್ಮಹೇ ಭಾಷ್ಯಂ ಕೃತಿರ್ನಾಸ್ಯ ಹಿ ದಂಡವಾರಿತಾ|

ಜಗದ್ಗುರೂಣಾಮಿತಿ ತಾಮ್ ತಾಮ್ ಗುರೋರ್ಗಿರಂ ಜನಃ ಸಮಸ್ತೋ(s)ಭಿನನಂದ ಸಸ್ಮಿತಾಂ||39||

VadOttaram BhAti yadIha kurmahE BhAShyam krutirnAsya hi danDavAritA|

JagadgurUNAmiti tAm gurOrgiram janaha samastO(s)Bhinananda sasmitAm||39||

SUMMARY: Jagadguru Sri Poornaprajnaru smiled at him and said: “If you know the answer, please let us know. We will be writing the Bhashya very soon. There is no rule that others should not write Bhashya.” The audience fully endorsed and appreciated Sri Madhwacharyaru for his apt response.

What Sri Poornaprajnaru meant to state was that there was neither a rule that those who have not written Bhashya should abstain from rendering a discourse on Brahmasutra nor was there a rule that others should abstain from writing a Bhashya on Brahmasutras. There was absolutely no need for Kudapustura to raise an objection in this context, especially when he was unable to disprove what Sri Poornaprajnaru was telling.    

ಪ್ರಾಜ್ಞೈರ್ಮಹಾಪೂರುಷಸರ್ವಲಕ್ಷಣೈಃ ಸಂಪನ್ನದೇಹೋ(s)ಯಮಿತೀರಿತೇ ಪ್ರಭೌ|

ಪರೇ ಪರಸ್ಯಾಪ್ಯತಿಪೀನತಾದೃಶಃ  ಸ್ಫಿಜ್ಞ್ಮಾತ್ರಸಂಶಂಸನಮತ್ರ ಚಕ್ರಿರೇ||40||

PrAjnairmahApUruShasarvalakShaNaihi sampannadEhO(s)yamiteeritE praBhau|

ParE parasyApyatipeenatAdrushaha sphingmAtrasamshamsanamatra chakrirE||40||

SUMMARY: When some of the persons present in that assemblage began praising Sri Poornaprajnaru by stating “All features that divine persons possess are there in the stature of Sri Madhwaru,” followers of Kudapustura, who saw the buxom and fatty structure of Kudapustura began flattering his bulging hips (Sphinng).

This was, in a way, a reply to the objection raised by Kudapustura. Those who praised Sri Poornaprajnaru were fully conversent with the Lakshana Shastra that deals with the correct and acceptable features of human body. What these scholars meant was that Sri Poornaprajna was a divine person as was evident from his personality. The structure or physical appearance of Kudapustura was no where near the features that make up for the body of a divine person. Under such circumstances, Kudapustura should not have raised a personal objection or should not have passed a personalized criticism.

Under Vishnutattwanirnaya in Brahmandapurana, it has been clearly mentioned that those carrying certain distinct physical features are originators of Vedic hymns, divine persons and Rishis:

VimshalakShaNatO(s)nUnastapasvee bahuvedavit|

VEda ityEva yam pashyEt sa VEdO jnAnadarshanAt||

  

ವಿಂಶಲಕ್ಷಣತೋ(s)ನೂನಸ್ತಪಸ್ವೀ ಬಹುವೇದವಿತ್|

ವೇದ ಇತ್ಯೇವ ಯಂ ಪಶ್ಯೇತ್ ಸ ವೇದೋ ಜ್ಞಾನದರ್ಶನಾತ್||

Great people having features mentioned in Shastras directly see the Vedas and it is only appropriate to stated that whatever they say about Shastras will stand as interpretation of Sutras for posterity.  

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