SRI RAMACHARITRA MANJARI

(Ravana experiences another defeat at the hands of Lord Vayu. Please read, comment and share. SDN)

Ravana advanced towards Lord Vayu, the son of Sri Hari to win against him. When he reached Lord Vayu, the latter displayed his three crore forms. He softly punched Ravana with the fist of one of those forms. Unable to bear it, Ravana fell on the ground. He also became aware of the impact of a single punch and started thinking about the possible impact of similar punch from all the three crore forms of Lord Vayu. Unable to imagine what would happen to him if hit by those forms of Lord Vayu, Ravana silently disappeared from the spot.

Thus, despite being put to shame on several occasions by several persons, Ravana was not prepared to learn lessons or alter his activities. He kept on increasing his arrogant acts. All the innumerable women from heaven and divine females he had forcibly brought to the harem were cursing Ravana every moment amidst tears of pain, insult and agony. While the hapless parents were crying, he kept on killing their children in front of their eyes. When a couple was seen together, he would barge into their privacy, separate them and kill one of them. Inducing  the cows with grass, he used to mercilessly massacre those cows as soon as they came near him. He was torturing and agonising all the people with similar acts of pride. He married Mandodari, who was born to Mayasura from an Apsara woman called Hema.

A brief about Kumbhakarna and other brothers of Ravana will be given in the coming editions.     

MADHWA VIJAYA DWITEEYAHA SARGAHA – SHLOKAS 53 AND 54

(In these two Shlokas, the reaction of people to the activities of young Vasudeva has been described. Please read, comment and share. SDN)

VAsudEvamiha VA(a)sudEvatAsatkalAmaBhinananda tam janaha|

VAsudEvamiti VAsudEvasannAmakam viviDhaleelamarBhakam||53||

SUMMARY: The people of Pajaka complimented infant Vasudeva, who was displaying several childish actions and had the same name as Lord Krishna, like they would have complimented Lord Vasudeva Krishna.

It should be realised here that only a very few infant acts of Vasudeva during childhood have been explained in Madhwavijaya. Another important aspect is that there was a rank similarity in the childish activities of Vasudeva and Lord Vasudeva Krishna.

Iti viharati mahyAm ViShNudAsE(a)pi gUDhE

Samajani sujanAnAm chittamAnandapUrNam|

Udayati GhanamAlAleenaBhAnau cha

BhAnau nanu jananayanAbjairlaBhyatE(a)lam vikAsaha||54||

SUMMARY: Although Lord Vayu, an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu, was secretly roaming about there, the mind of pious and the righteous brimmed with mirth. Is it not true that the eyes of the pious and the Lily blossom together even after the Sun rises after his rays disappear due to clouds?  

What is symbolically stated here is that pious people wake up and lilies blossom much before the Sun rises with the hope that the Sun will rise and infuse life into their lives. The reality that Vasudeva was none other than Lord Vayu had not yet been known to ordinary people, not even the parents of Sri Madhwa. However, several scholarly persons and staunch devotees of Lord Vishnu had become very happy that they would soon be relieved from the lack of knowledge or lack of true knowledge that would pave way for realisation and salvation.

Iti Sreematkavikulatilaka SreemattrivikramapanditAchAryasuta SreemannArAyaNapanditAchArya virachitE SreematsumaDhwavijayE mahAkAvyE AnandAkE Dwiteeyaha Sargaha||

MADHWA VIJAYA DWITEEYAHA SARGAHA – SHLOKAS 51 AND 52

(In these Shlokas, the incident of tamarind seeds has been described. Please read, comment and share. SDN)

LeelAkarENa sa karENa sukOmalEna

BeejAntarANi kila kAnichidAsu tasmai|

SmitwArBhakO(a)BhimataniShkapadE yadA(a)dA-

DAdatta tAni DhanikO bahumAnapUrvam||51||

SUMMARY: Wearing a sweet smile on his face, Vasudeva picked a handful of tamarind seeds in his soft, playing palms and when he offered those seeds as a symbol or token of repayment, the rich man gleefully accepted them.

The tamarind tree from which Vasudeva collected and gave away the seeds to the wealthy man is still there at Pajaka. Descendants of that wealthy man called Kakre Shetty are living in the same place and even for this day, they are said to be quite affluent.

LabDham sutAditi vadan dwijapungavEna

KAlAntarE nijaDhanE pratiditsitE(a)pi|

SAkshAdamAnavanavAkrutitaha sa LEBhE

BeejachChalEna puruShArThamahO vishiShTam||52||

SUMMARY: After the passage of some days, Madhyagehabhatta went to return the money he had borrowed to the rich man, who said “I have already received that money from your son” because symbolically, under the pretext of giving tamarind seeds, boy Vasudeva, who was an incarnation of Lord Vayu, had bestowed upon the rich man the path of salvation. What a surprise!

According to some sources, the tamarind seeds given by Vasudeva transformed into gold coins in the palm of the rich man and therefore, he confessed to have received the payment. According to a few scholars, the incident only transformed the mind of that rich man and instilled in his mind the knowledge that could open the way for him to attain salvation.

There are several incidents of this kind that have been covered in this work of Sri Narayanapanditacharyaru. A few scholars and commentators compare such boyish yet most sensible acts displayed by Vasudeva were reminiscent of the mischievous acts that Lord Krishna, who is also known as Vasudeva, exhibited during his boyhood days.

MADHWA VIJAYA DWITEEYAHA SARGAHA – SHLOKAS 48, 49 AND 50

(Playful childhood days of Madhwa have been further explained in these Shlokas. Please read, comment and share. SDN)

BAlasya bAlaparilambanagOcharam tadvyashwasyatApi

vachanam vanagOcharOktam|

Yat sAyamaikShata janaha shishumAvrajantamEkAbdakam vruShaBhabAlakrutAvalambam||48||

SUMMARY: Even though a cowboy told that he had seen boy Vasudeva roaming about in the forest by catching the tail of the bullock, people around could only believe that information after seeing the one-year-old boy returning home, still holding the tail of the bullock.  

Description of this incident amply shows that Vasudeva was an extraordinary boy with great strength, firm mind and inexplicable courage as he could follow the bullock by catching its tail into the forest as an infant of just one year.

ChintAmaNeendramiva chintitadam daridrO

VijnAnamArgamiva ViShNuparam mumukShuhu|

NaShTam cha nandanamiti swajanO(a)sya labdhwA

NAThasya tasya tamanugramEva mEnE||49||  

SUMMARY: All the people felt, like a mystic bead (Chintamani) that delivers whatever one desires and like a philosopher shows the way for salvation by explaining the devotion towards Lord Vishnu, that it was the grace, empathy and kindness of Lord Anantasana that they could get back Vasudeva.

   

LeelAvasAnasamayE sahasA kadAchid-

AryO(a)munA(a)Bhyavahrutim prati chOdyamAnaha|

ROdDhaiSha nO(a)sti  DhanikO vruShavikrayeeti prOvAcha

NandanamuKhEndumavEkShya mandam||50|| 

SUMMARY: Once, after the completion of some sports, boy Vasudeva suddenly came to his father and called him for having food; but the father looked at the moon-like face of his son and said “This wealthy man had sold his ox and is insisting that without the payment of the price of that ox, I cannot have food.” The father showed the boy a person standing there at that moment.  

MADHWA VIJAYA DWITEEYAHA SARGAHA – SHLOKAS 45, 46 AND 47

(Here are a few more instances of childhood days of Vasudeva at Pajaka. Please read, comment and share. SDN)

PuchChAntamachChamavalambya kadAchidEShaha

prAtarvrajAdvrajata yEva nijarShaBhasya|

PrAyAt priyasya sahasA swajanairadruShTO

nAnAvanEShu charatashcharatastruNAni||45||

SUMMARY: Once, as soon as his beloved ox, which used to roam about in different forests for grazing, set off in early morning, Vasudeva caught its tail and followed it, without the knowledge of his friends and relatives.

Sri Vyasanakere Prabhanjanacharyaru in his compilation of Madhwa Vijaya mentions that according to the Scriptures, ox is the symbol of culture and the forest a symbol of Shastras or Scriptures. By catching the tail of his ox and roaming in the forests is like symbolically indicating to humanity that Scriptures should be studied along with following the basic elements and principles of established culture.   

Uttungashrungalasitasya mahiShThamUrtEhe pAdAvrutAvanitalasya suranDhrakasya|

Aashritya tasya shushuBhE(a)vayavaikadEsham bAlO divAkara ivOdayaparvatasya}}46||

SUMMARY: While holding the nine-holed tail of that divinely shaped ox, which was adorned with long horns and was occupying the land with its feet, Vasudeva was dazzling like the young sun taking shelter in the highest tower of Mount Udaya.  

LeelAm karOti nu gruhAntaragO nu bAlaha

kUpAntarE nu patitaha prakrutiswatantraha|

ItTham vichintya sa muhuhu swajanO vimrugya

hantAnavEkShya tanayam hrudi tApamApa||47||

SUMMARY: Relatives and friends of Vasudeva became very anxious after searching for the self-ordained young boy and not finding him anywhere, though initially, they thought that the boy might be playing with them by hiding in a secret place inside the house or might have inadvertently fallen into the well. 

SRI RAMACHARITRA MANJARI

(While returning to his Satya Loka from Lanka, along with Indra and other deities, Lord Brahma tells Indra about the origin of Ahalya. Please read, comment and share. SDN)

After getting Lord Indra released by granting the boon sought by Meghanada, Lord Brahma started narrating thus: “When I first began creation, all the subjects were created to look alike. There was no difference between the beings and it became difficult to differentiate among various beings of same species. Therefore, I thought deeply and created Ahalya with each and every organ being most charming and attractive. Hala in Sanskrit means ugly form and the defects arising out of it are summarily called as Halya. Therefore, one who had no such defects, deficiencies that could make her look ugly was named as Ahalya. Then, I started thinking about who should be her husband. At that time, you thought that being the Lord of the Deva Loka, you were the most eligible person to be her husband. Other deities too developed a desire for her. Then, I kept her with Sage Gautama. He protected her for several years. He never developed any lust for her. Recognising his steadfast mind and also the power of his penance, I got her married to Sage Gautama. All deities, who were earlier longing for her, left that desire for her after coming to know about her marriage with Gautama. Yet, you became angry with this arrangement, went to her Ashram in the guise of Gautama and spoiled her, when Gautama was not in the hermitage. Then, Gautama cursed you to get tied and arrested by your enemy and cursed Ahalya to become a stone. Illicit relationship with other women thus began with you and this trend will increase among human beings on earth, henceforth. Half of that sin committed by human beings will come to you. From now on, anyone ascending the throne of Indra, including you, will not be able to continue in that position eternally. Intermittently, the throne of Indra would be usurped by demons. All these were p

ronounced in the curse spelt by Gautama. He went on to say that from then on, several women would be highly charming. Finally, realising that she was not at fault in the episode, Sage Gautama said that with the touch of the feet of Rama, she would get relieved from the curse and she would regain her original form. Oh Lord Devendra, you were overpowered and arrested due to the curse of Gautama. Therefore, perform a sacrifice to appease Lord Vishnu to recover your throne. Your son has not died. He is safe in the sea under the protection of your father-in-law.”
As advised by Lord Brahma, Indra performed Vaishnava Yajna and regained his erstwhile position and status. 

MADHWA VIJAYA DWITEEYAHA SARGAHA – SHLOKAS 42, 43 and 44

 (In these Shlokas, a few instances of the childhood days of Sri Madhwa have been beautifully explained. The description is so good that the picture of Sri Madhwa, the child in the bosom of its beloved parents comes in front of our eyes. Please read, comment and share. SDN) 

Stanyam muhuhu kila dadau jananee gruheetwA kShEmAya tam kila daDhajjanakO jajApa| AnyO janO(a)pi kila lAlayati sma kintu sarvO(a)pi tanmuKhasarasAnOtkaha||42|| SUMMARY: Picking the child, the mother would breastfeed it again and again; the father would pick the child and do the meditation; other neighbours too used to love it and play with it; all in all, everyone was anxiously waiting for their turn to taste the elixir of the soft smiles of that child. DEvAdisadBhiranupAlitayA(a)darENa dEvyA(aa)tmanEva vilasatpadayA nitAntam| AvyaktayA praThamatO vadanE(a)sya vANyA shAleenayEva BhuvanArchitayA vijahrE||43|| SUMMARY: Like the universally revered Saraswati began putting her tiny feet on the ground to move around with shyness while the deities and other virtuous waited anxiously to quaff it with their eyes, the first few broken and stammering words started flowing out of the tiny mouth of child Madhwa for which the deities and other pious people were curiously waiting to hear. “The broken words” in this context used for the first few words spelt by Vasudeva, according to scholars, refers to not only the initial speech but also the initial footsteps. PrAgrinKhaNam swayamaTha sThitimESha chakrE pashchAdgatim parichayEna kila kramENa| Vishwasya chEShTitamahO yadanugrahENa sarvam tadasya pavanasya viDambanam hi||44|| SUMMARY: Child Vasudeva first began crawling with knees, then stood up on his own and slowly, with more practice, started walking independently. These initial activities of this child, who was none other than Lord Vayu from whom the activities of the entire universe happen, were just a display of models for the world. All these descriptions only indicate that the deities, including Lord of Lords Vishnu, act like ordinary human beings to stand as a model for everyone to follow, say scholars.