SRI RAMACHARITRA MANJARI

SRI RAMACHARITRA MANJARI

(Vishwamitra now arrives at the palace of Dasharatha. After initial opposition, Dasharatha agrees to send Rama and Lakshmana with Vishwamitra to kill Mareecha, Subahu and Tataka and thereby assist Vishwamitra in completing the sacrifice. Please read, comment and share. SDN)

After attaining the status of Brahmarishi by dint of penance spanning thousands of years, Sage Vishwamitra was doing penance in Siddhashrama, where Sri Hari was residing in the form of Vamana. The sacrifices he used perform at Siddhashrama was being spoiled by Mareecha and Subahu, who were the loyalists of Ravana and empowered with boons granted by Lord Rudra. Vishwamitra decided to bring Sri Rama and Lakshmana to Siddhashrama and get Mareecha and Subahu killed by the two princes. With that intention, sage Vishwamitra arrived at the palace of Dasharatha in Ayodhya. King Dasharatha exchanged pleasantries with the sage, honoured and worshipped him. He promised to Vishwamitra that he would do anything that the sage might order him to do. Vishwamitra revealed the purpose of his visit.

Dasharatha was flabbergasted by what Vishwamitra divulged. He told the sage: “Sri Rama is too young; he is unaware of war strategy; he has grown up with all comforts and luxury; all gods and goddesses, including Lord Indra, run away with fear if anyone spells the name of Ravana. Mareecha and Subahu are subordinates of that horrible Ravana. Therefore, it is unimaginable that Sri Rama can face such fierce demons. I will myself come with you as I have fought and won many battles. Even if I cannot defeat those demons of mystic prowess, I will try to confront them with this body of mine, which has been presented to me to safeguard cows and Brahmins, till my last breath. Please do not take my son.” Dasharatha pleaded with Vishwamitra in several ways. Vishwamitra was enraged by what Dasharatha said.

Vasishtha, who was watching everything that transpired between Dasharatha and Vishwamitra, told Dasharatha: “Maharaj, he is a Brahmin with a comprehensive knowledge of all philosophies and divine principles. He is a devotee of Vishnu. He has come to you for help. Moreover, you have promised to do whatever he asks. You are now refusing to follow his instruction. This is not fair. Please send Rama with the sage. If at all he becomes angry, Rama is capable of burning the entire universe into ashes. Rama will certainly kill those demons. Vishwamitra is also very powerful. He knows the hundred super Astras that were born to Krushashwa from a Daksha woman called Suprabha, besides several other Astras. If you have no faith in the strength and war skills of Sri Rama, please note that Vishwamitra will be there to protect him. Send Rama with him. Beware that Rama should go with Vishwamitra, kill the demons and protect the sacrifice.”

Dasharatha was convinced by the explanation of Vasishtha and happily agreed to send Rama and Lakshmana with Vishwamitra.     

SRI MADHWAVIJAYA - TRUTEEYAHA SARGAHA SHLOKAS 31, 32 AND 33

(Thread ceremony of Vasudeva has been mentioned in this episode. Please read, comment and share. SDN)

BahuviDhaisharitairiti chAruBhihi sakalalOkakutUhalakAriNam|

DwijavarENa vayasyuchitE sThitam tamupanEtumanEna daDhE manaha||31||

SUMMARY: While Vasudeva went on surprising and enthralling people around him with several such exemplary deeds, super Brahmin Madhyageha decided to perform the thread ceremony to him.

The word “BahuviDhaihi”, which means “several different acts” includes the creation of Vasudeva Teertha, making a dry beating club to sprout buds, jumping in one leap from the Durga hillock and leaving a imprint of his feet on the rock etc., say scholars.  

SamuchitagrahayOgaguNAnwitam samavaDhArya muhUrtamadUShaNam|

PraNayabanDhurabAnDhavavAnasau dwijakulAkulamuttaramAtanOt||32||

SUMMARY: Madhyageha chose a suitable auspicious and specific hour of all good planets adoring their best position and performed the thread ceremony for Vasudeva amidst a large assemblage of his friends, relatives and Brahmins.

As per scriptures, it is very essential to fix an auspicious hour with certain specific planets in their exalted position. Ceremonies such as Thread Ceremony should be performed in he presence of as many Brahmins as possible.

It is mentioned in Anu Madhwacharita (Vayu Purana) as follows: PrAptE tu panchamE varShE brAhmaNam krutavAn pitA| This means that at the time of thread ceremony, the age of Vasudeva was five years.

It must be noted that for Vasudeva, who is an incarnation of Lord Vayu, there are no restrictions like auspicious hour, Guru Bala etc., By stating that Madhyageha fixed the time properly, a message is given to other people about the way important ceremonies like thread ceremony are required to be performed.

  

ViviDhavEdatayA vijiheerShavO vadanarangapadE(a)sya chirAya yAha|

SuravarapramadA api sapriyA aBhinandurahO viyatO maham||33||

SUMMARY: What a surprise! All the great female deities, who had been waiting to roam about on the tower-like face of Vasudeva in the form of different types of Vedas, had assembled there with their spouses to witness the thread ceremony of Vasudeva.

The poet has employed a figure of speech here to state that the deities in charge of different Vedas were eagerly waiting for Vasudeva to become eligible to pronounce the Vedas as they were aware that Vasudeva would provide proper explanation and interpretation of Vedas to mankind. It is indicated through this statement that without thread ceremony, men cannot pronounce or recite Vedic hymns.   

SRI RAMACHARITRA MANJARI

SRI RAMACHARITRA MANJARI

(In this episode, Vishwamitra continues his penance and finally secures the status of Brahmarishi. Please read, comment and share. SDN)

Vishwamitra again did penance for ten thousand years. At the end of one years of penance, Lord Brahma appeared and confirmed that Vishwamitra had become a Rishi. Dissatisfied with that status, Vishwamitra continued his penance for not attaining the Brahmin state. At that juncture, he was sensuously attracted by an Apsara called Menaka and spent 25 years with her. He then realised that he had been diverted by the deities to abstain from penance. He made up his mind not to fall prey to sensuous feelings. He sent away Menaka and did not penance for a thousand years. He was then conferred the state of being Maharishi by Lord Brahma.

However, Vishwamitra became very desperate for failing to attain Brahmin status and continued penance for another thousand years. During this period, he used to stay in neck-deep water in the winter and was getting soaked during rainy season. He used to set fire in four directions and stand at the centre to do penance during summer. He undertook such a fierce penance, this time around. Devendra wanted to disturb the penance again and sent another Apsara named Rambha to accomplish the task. She arrived at the hermitage of Vishwamitra and tried to divert his attention. Vishwamitra quickly perceived that she had been deployed by Devendra to disturb the penance. Vishwamitra instantaneously cursed her “You will stay as a rock for ten thousand years and will then be relieved of my curse from a Brahmin engaged in deep penance.” As Vishwamitra became furious and even cursed Rambha, he lost the power of penance he had secured till then. He repented for that mistake and decided not to get angry under any circumstances.

With a firm mind, Vishwamitra did penance in utter silence for one thousand years. He remained without food during this period. After completing the thousandth year, he was about to consume food, when Devendra appeared in the guise of a Brahmin and pretended to be very hungry. Vishwamitra gave away the entire food. He did not get angry nor say a word. There was no feeling in his mind. He just gave away the food to the Brahmin and continued his penance for another thousand years. During this period, Vishwamitra checked his breath as well. The spirit of deities started receding due to this severe penance of Vishwamitra. Lord Brahma, along with other deities, appeared in front of Vishwamitra and said “you have now become a Brahmarishi.” Although delighted by this pronouncement by deities, Vishwamitra insisted that the status of Brahmarishi be confirmed by Vasishtha. Accordingly, Sage Vasishtha reiterated that Vishwamitra had truly become a Brahmarishi.  

happy vijaya dashami

V E R Y VERY V E R Y H A P P Y V I J A Y A D A S H A MI TO THE UNIVERSE

SRI MADHWAVIJAYA - TRITEEYAHA SARGAHA SHLOKAS 28, 29 AND 30

(Eloquence of Madhyageha, discussion about the word “Likucha” have been provided in these three stanzas. Please read, comment and share. SDN)

KaThayatAm praThamE kaThayatyalam swajanakE janasanGhavrutE kaThAm|

SalalOkamanOnayanOtsavashchaturaDheehi sa kadAchidavAchayat|28||

SUMMARY: When his father, who was in the forefront of Puraniks, was delivering a discourse to an assemblage, ever sharp Vasudeva, who was a pleasure to the mind and sight of people, entreated his father to explain further.

Vasudeva had noticed that his father had failed to substantiate a stanza and made him explain it later.

ViviDhashAKhipadArThanivEdanE likuchanAmnitadA(a)nuditArThakE|

Kimiti tAta tadarThamavarNayan kaThayaseeti shanairayamabraveet||29||

SUMMARY: In the context under reference, Madhyageha was supposed to tell the names of various trees. Taking cognisance of the fact that his father had skipped a stanza, Vasudeva whispered in a low voice to his father, “why are you proceeding with explanation without telling the meaning of one stanza.

Scholars are of the view that the context might be related to an incident in the Canto 28,  Sabhaparva of Mahabharata where Dwaraka is explained. The names of trees might be: AmrAha panasavrukshAshcha ankOlAstilatindukAha| LikuchAmrAtakAshchaishcha kSheerikA kanTakee taThA||

Another important fact is that Sri Trivikrama Pandit, who composed Sri Vayustuti, and his son Narayana Pandit, who is the author of this “Madhwavijaya” belonged to a family named asLikucha.   

Avadateeti pitaryapi chOditE pratibuBhutsuShu tatra janEShwapi|

Ayamudeerya tadarThamavAptavAn pariShadO hyasamAnasumAnanAm||30||

SUMMARY: When his father did not explain the stanza that Vasudeva had drawn his attention to, the audience insisted on an explanation. Vasudeva surprised everyone there with his explanation and therefore he got felicitated.  

SRI RAMACHARITRA MANJARI

(In this edition, the efforts that Vishwamitra continued to put in to attain the status of Brahma Rishi have been explained. Please read, comment and share. SDN)

In the meantime, Trishanku, a king and descendent of the dynasty of Ikshwaku, had a desire to physically enter the heavens. He appealed to sage Vasishtha to perform a sacrifice to get his desire realised. Sage Vasishtha told Trishanku that it was impossible to get into the heavens in the mortal form and that there was no sacrifice that could transform his dream into reality. He went to the children of Sage Vasishtha and raised the same issue with them. When they too rejected his plea, Trishanku said that he would get such a sacrifice performed from different Rishis. Enraged by this statement, the children of Vasishtha cursed Trishanku to become insane and transform into a Chandala. Wearing the same form of Chandala, Trishanku went to Vishwamitra and narrated the entire story. Vishwamitra performed the sacrifice and Trishanku reached the heavens. But, Lord Indra pushed Trishanku down. Infuriated by this act of Indra, sage Vishwamitra  stopped Trishanku, who was falling with his head down, midway, with the power of his penance. He began creating all the planets, other heavenly bodies. He created some stars in the sky. Frightened by what was happening around, the deities bestowed upon Trishanku the blessing that he could enjoy the same pleasure as the one available in the heavens. They also conceded that Trishanku be able to enjoy the new heavens with his head down and toe up. Because of this Trishanku incident, Vishwamitra had to lose a large portion of the power penance.

Vishwamitra again indulged in penance at Pushkarateerth. At this juncture, Indra stole away the sacrificial horse that the then Ayodhya King Ambareesha had begun. The priests categorically said that so long as the missing sacrificial was not brought, the sacrifice could not be completed. The priests also suggested a solution for the situation. If a human being could be offered as sacrifice, it could be completed, the priests said. Although the search was made in all directions, the sacrificial horse could not be found. As an alternative, one lakh cows were given to Rucheeka Maharishi in exchange for the second son of Rucheeka Maharishi, called Shunashshepa. While he was being taken for the sacrifice, Shunashshepa saw Vishwamitra at the Pushkara and he sought protection with Vishwamitra. Sage Vishwamitra summoned all children and ordered them to go and sacrifice their lives. The children directly refused to obey the orders of Vishwamitra. Enraged by his sons’ disobedience, Vishwamitra cursed them to become Chandalas. He then preached two Mantras and asked Shunashshepa to recite them. The deities were impressed with the recitation of Mantra by Shunashshepa and agreed to have the sacrifice completed without sacrificing any animal or human. This again reduced the power of penance for Vishwamitra. 

SRI MADHWAVIJAYA - TRUTEEYAHA SARGAHA SHLOKAS 25,26 AND 27

SRI MADHWAVIJAYA – TRUTEEYAHA SARGAHA SHLO

KAS 25, 26 AND 27

(Vasudeva delivers maiden spiritual discourse and displays his dexterity in translating Scriptures. Please read, comment and share. SDN)

ATha kaTham kaThayEti tadA janE gaditavatyuchitArThamudAharat|

Sa samalAlyata vismayiBhirnarairapi surairvijayAnkurapUjakaihi||25||

SUMMARY: Then, with the audience there requesting him “Dear child, can you please substantiate it for us?” Vasudeva explained the correct meaning of the text. The puzzled audience honoured the boy. Deities too worshipped him as it marked the sprouting of a great tree of glory.  

This incident is said to be the beginning of a task undertaken by Sri Madhwacharya of condemning the misconception and misleading versions of Scriptures by the proponents of different cults.

Sa jananeesahitO janakam gruhE pragatavAmstamudantamavEdayat|

Nigada tAta Shivaha kaThakaha sa kim vitaThageeraThavA(a)hamiteerayan||26||

Vasudeva, who returned home along with his mother, narrated the incident to his father and asked him “Oh father, please tell me whether it was I or that Shivabhatta who misinterpreted the holy text?”

Nanu sutAvitaTham kaThitaha twayEtyamumudeerya savismayamasmarat|

Prakrutitaha krutitA Khalu mE shshOrmadaDhinAThadayOdayajEtyasau||27||   

SUMMARY: Bewildered Madhyageha said “my child, you have not said anything wrong” and said within himself “this natural skill of my son is nothing but the grace of my deity Sri Ananteshwara”.