SRI VADIRAJA'S "TEERTHA PRABANDHA - STEP TWO

(Initially, a question had been raised about the relevance of Ashwa or the Horse standing with two of its feet on the shoulders of Sri Vadirajaru and consuming the food held by Sri Vadirajaru on his head. Yes, the Ashwa was the Hayagreeva form of Lord Vishnu, who used to come and receive the Hayagreeva, a very popular sweet dish, offered by Sri Vadirajaru. Further explanation of this instance will be furnished later while dwelling on the life history of Sri Vadirajaru. There was another suggestion to use a better phrase than ‘divine person’ for Sri Vadirajaru and the word suggested for use was ‘celestial’. Celestial pertains to all those beings who are believed to be living in the space at different and appropriate levels. They include Apsaras, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, Kimpurushas and so on. “Divine” is perhaps the nearest word to God and Godhood as Sri Vadirajaru is believed to be the successor of the present Lord Vayu, who will be succeed the present Brahma in the next Manvantara.  Please read, comment and share. SDN)

The words “Teertha Prabandha” means commentary on sacred places, though Teertha, literally means a place where a holy river flows. Commentators are of the view that the Dhyana Snana or a bath in meditation is more important than mere visit to a holy place, a dip in a sacred river or a visit to a popular temple. The heart and mind should be purified with the prayers offered to Lord Vishnu, who manifests himself in all other deities and empowers them to grant the sane desires of devotees. This is not to belittle the significance or merits of pilgrimage. The Shloka:

Apavitraha pavitrO vA sarvAvasThAngatOpi vA|

Yaha smarEt PunDareekAkSham sa bAbhyABhyantaraha Shuchihi||

This means: Whoever remembers or recalls the name Pundarekaksha, his corporal body as well as the heart and mind, the interior of the body, will be cleansed, irrespective of whether he is in a sane or insane state or in any other position beyond words.

The Teertha Prabandha of Sri Vadirajaru comprises of 235 stanzas. Scholars are of the opinion that both Teertha Prabandha and RukmiNeeSha Vijaya of Sri Vadirajaru are outstanding for the use of figures of speech that are out of this world.

There is an interesting incident related to the circumstances under which Sri Vadirajaru penned Sri RukmiNeeSha Vijaya. During his pilgrimage, Sri Vadirajaru was passing through Pune, where he saw a procession being taken of a work titled “ShishupAla VaDha” by poet Magha as the scholars in and around that city were of the common opinion that “Shishupala Vadha” was a work of highest value and quality. Sri Vadirajaru told those people that he was possessing a better work than Shishupala Vadha in all respects. He also committed that very soon he would arrange to present that book. He composed the nineteen cantos of Rukmineesha Vijaya at the rate of one canto a day and sent it to the scholars in Pune. They found that Shishupala Vadha was no way near the quality, literary value and content of Rukmineesha Vijaya. They conceded the superiority of Rukmineesha Vijaya and organised a procession of this work, besides honouring Sri Vadirajaru with grand donations and presentations. They also conferred a title “Kavikulatilaka” on Sri Vadirajaru. He explained later that Shishupala Vadha was also in praise of Lord Krishna but the title was highly questionable. Even in the dream of dreams, Sri Vadirajaru does not deviate from his ideology of Hari Sarvottamatva.

A brief note on a majority of works by Sri Vadirajaru will be provided in the coming editions. Please share any good pictures of Madhwa pilgrim centres for use in this submission. SDN          

SRI RAGHAVENDRA SWAMY'S SRI RAMACHARITRYA MANJARI

(RAmanAma and VishwAmitrENa have been substantiated in this episode. Please read, comment and share. SDN)

Importance of “RAmanAma”: Although only ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu appear to have become very popular, there are several known and unknown incarnations of Lord Vishnu. In fact, Sri Madhwacharyaru in his Bhagavata Tatparya Nirnaya and Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya has clearly stated that unless Lord Vishnu empowers a being to do something extraordinary, outstanding and unparalleled act, none can do anything worthwhile. That is precisely what is meant by “TEna vinA TriNamapi na vichalati”, which means, “Without his grace, not a grass can ever shake”. It is also a known fact that the forms of Lord Vishnu are infinite, inexplicable and inexorable. It is his decision to promote, propagate and popularise a particular form and the name attached to that form. Rama is one such name which Lord Vishnu wanted to teach the humanity the real human passions, the life pattern, the duties, responsibilities, inter-family bonding and so on. In this Ramavatar, we come across several occasions when Sri Rama simply behaves like an ordinary person. For instance, when Seetha Devi was abducted, Rama pretends to be very unhappy. In reality, Vishnu and Lakshmi are inseparable. These pretentious acts and exaggerated exhibition of emotions are only to mislead the atheists and the Tamasis. Every single Scripture, every single syllable in those Scriptures has or signify three levels of meaning, at least. Tamasis or those obsessed with worldly pleasures conceive only Tamasic or misleading meaning; those having Rajas attribute perceive the texts to that extent alone. Satviks will never misunderstand any form, name or action of the Lord. Depending on the Karmic inheritance, the perceptions vary from moment to moment, place to place and so on.         

The words “VishwAmitrENa neetaha” means Sri Rama was taken away by Vishwamitra. A question arises here as to why Sri Rama followed Vishwamitra, leaving his ardent devotees Dasharatha and Kausalya behind. Sri Lakshminarayana Panditacharyaru explains this conception:

“Neetaha” originates from “Nee”. The “Neeng prApaNE” that explains the meaning of this “Neetaaha” as “taking away”. Accordingly, the initial or overt explanation springs as “Vishwamitra took away Sri Rama”. Yet, “Neetaha” can also be divided as “Ni” plus “itaha”, where “itaha” originates from “I” Dhatu, which is explained under the related original sound “iN gatau”, which means “Gamana” or movement or journey. When “ni”, an upasarga is prefixed to “iN gatau”, it means “a very sacred journey” or “a journey in honour of devotion and dedication”. In this context, “Neetaha, VishwAmitrENa” means “Sri Rama was taken by Sri Vishwamitra with love, affection, devotion and dedication”.

The intention of Vishwamitra was to somehow “surrender” to Sri Rama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, convince him and take him to his “Vishwamitra’s” hermitage so that the Ashram becomes holy; further, worship Sri Rama and seek his blessings to get rid of Tataka and other ‘wicked people’, who were a thorn in the flesh of society. Vishwamitra wanted to relieve the universe from the torture that some demons had meted out to Sajjans. Sri Rama, who is Lord Vishnu Himself, knew that Vishwamitra had done a very long and committed penance for thousands of years and therefore Sri Rama wanted to honour the sage by accompanying him to the Ashram and by receiving the Shastras and Astras he wanted to actually get rid of because he did not want them as a sage. Moreover, he wanted to reach them to the ultimate preceptor to whom every sacrifice, every salute, every hymn is addressed. He is the only recipient and manifestation of everything he receives or acknowledges. He has no pleasure to get or displeasure to sustain by receiving anything from anyone. For that Sri Rama, who could convert a grass into Brahmastra to ‘teach a lesson to Kakasura’, no Astra or Shastra was needed to kill Ravana. Therefore, Vishwamitra surrendered the most precious ‘weapons’ he was possessing to the Lord of his very existence, Lord Vishnu.

The question of why Lakshmana, neither Bharata nor Shatrughna, alone was taken by Rama and Vishwamitra to be explained in the next episode. SDN    

SRI MADHWAVIJAYA - PANCHAMAHA SARGAHA - STANZAS 6 AND 7

(In the sixth stanza, the defeat of some scholars  has been exposed. Please read, comment and share. SDN)

Logicians surrender

HEtOrativyAptiravAdi tairyadA sakautukaistUrNamasAvavismayaha|

Na shuktirUpyAdi matam yadanyaThAmatam tadityAdivadan jigAya tAn||6||

SUMMARY: Puzzled by the retort, they (Logicians) tried to counter Sri Poornaprajna by stating that ‘whatever is being seen is true is infinitive’. Sri Madhwa then said that the concept of truth should be purported by tangible evidence as otherwise it would suffer from a fallacy called unsound analogy by citing the example of a shell, which might appear like silver as it shines under sunlight. This cannot actually be accepted since it is based on fake or false or incomplete and mistaken knowledge. The Logicians conceded their complete defeat after Sri Poornaprajna proved their contentions as erroneous.  

Details of this debate and defeat of Logicians are available in PrapanchamithyatwAnumAna Khandana, TattvOdyOta, ViShNutattwanirNaya” and other works of Sri Madhwacharya.

Bhavaprakashika mentions:

GhaTAdinidarshanamasampratipannamiti chEt shuktirajatAdi cha bADhyatwAdasatvEnAnuBhUyamAnam sadasadvilakShaNatayA na sampratipannam” Tat sADhayiShyatE cEdidam pratyakShENa sADhitamityuttaramiti ityAdishabdABhiprEtam|

  

TatvE(a)pyatattvE vimatE(a)numAm vadamstadapratiShThAm pratipAdukaha swayam|

Vijitya vishwAn viduShaha saBhAswasau jagAma nAmnA(a)pyanumAnateerThatAm||7||

SUMMARY: Thus Sri Madhwacharyaru became popular as “Anumanatirtharu” in scholarly conventions by effectively proving that Logic or logical analyses alone cannot be an independent proof as he pointed out, demonstrated and contended through counter argument, that there are lose ends, inconsistency and inadequecies in theology and insensible hypotheses.

Debators indulge in wilful argument with the power of their eloquence, dexterity and some inherent capacity. However, hypotheses, like Pratyaksha and Agama, cannot stand as a concrete, perceptible and undoubtable verdict. This is what Sri Madhwacharyaru has substantiated and demonstrated here.

Sri Madhwacharyaru liberally drew from Brahmasootras, explained the inner meaning and proved that whatever others were contending with Pratyaksha and Agama citations was dubious, untenable and hence unacceptable. Since it was Sri Madhwacharyaru who first demonstrated the correct status of hypothetical and illusory theories, he came to be known as Anumana Tirtharu, where Anumana means hypothesis. Hy also decried the supremacy of logical interpretation and said that logic alone cannot be conceived as the ultimate knowledge.

“TarkatAnDava” by Sri Vyasarajaru dwells in detail on how Sri Poornaprajnaru pushed or dumped the various theories that were existing then.     

SRI VADIRAJA VIRACHITA "TEERTHA PRABANDHA"

“Teertha Prabandha” is an exemplary lyrical extravaganza penned by one of the most revered saint philosophers of Dwaita School Sri Vadirajaru, who belonged to the lineage of seers headed by Sri Vishnu Tritharu, a pre-sainthood brother of Sri Madhwacharyaru. The most striking aspect of this work of Sri Vadirajaru is that it is perhaps the first-of-its-kind type of work in Sanskrit dedicated to some of the most important pilgrim destinations of the country. Sri Vadirajaru has mentioned the names of all holy places he had visited and thereby provided a cryptic referendum of sacred places. It must be noted here that Sri Vadirajaru visited all the place by foot and recorded the details pertaining to every place in poetic form. In all the stanzas, Sri Vadirajaru has mentioned names of places, presiding deity, their historical significance and he has also described in his own inimitable style Lord of Lords, Sri Maha Vishnu.

The pilgrimage of Sri Vadirajaru began from his native precincts of Tulu Nadu or Taulava Kshetra, as it is respectfully known. Commencing from Rajatapeethapura, the erstwhile name of present Udupi, Sri Vadirajaru touched Pushkara in the west; beginning from Krishna River, he touched the northern most point of Badari; in the eastern side, Sri Vadiraja launched his entourage from Jagannatha Puri and went on to travel up to Kumbhakona in south-west. He started from Sri Rangam in the south and touched Anantashayana. It is beyond the imagination of the present generation to even think of travelling in all directions by any means of conveyance, leave alone by walk. Only divine persons like Vadirajaru can undertake such arduous tasks.

What is significant from modern perspective about Teertha Prabandha is that Sri Vadirajaru has provided mythological and historical importance of each place and deity he visited. It should be noted that Sri Vadirajaru did not have or did not employ any of the modern technology to explore the history of the places visited by him. He could do so only because of his mystic, divine power. He has liberally provided links that every place has with Ramayana, Mahabharat, eighteen Puranas, Vedas, Upanishats and so on. After Canterbury Tales by William Chaucer, Teertha Prabandha is perhaps the most authentic, extraordinary, brilliant and outstanding travelogue to date.

More about Teertha Prabandha and Sri Vadirajaru will be following. Subsequently, an attempt will be made to substantiate the information provided in each stanza of Teertha Prabandha with the grace of Sri Hari, Sri Vayu and Sri Vadirajaru. GurubhyO Namaha. SDN    

SRI RAGHAVENDRA SWAMY'S SRI RAMACHARTRYA MANJARI

(The words Prajataha and NrupatEhe have been discussed threadbare in this episode. Please read, comment and share. SDN)

The word “PrajAtaha” is an expansion of “Jaataha”. While substantiating the origin of or the Dhatu form of “Jaataha”, what emerges is that it actually means “PrAdurBhAva”. The word “PrAdurBhAva” means that an object that was hitherto unseen has now been sighted or seen. What one should be cautious here is that if an object that was hitherto non-existent takes birth now or appears now, it cannot be attributed to what is intrinsic in the word “PrAdurBhAva”. Therefore, when the word is attributed to Sri Vishnu, it conveys the message that Lord Vishnu, who could not be seen so far, has appeared now and it does not mean that he took birth now. Birth is a biological process and Lord Vishnu cannot be consigned to this process. Thus, Sri Rama was not born but manifested or took an incarnation. This is what the word “JAtaha” implies.

The same word “PrajAtaha” has a prefix or what is called in Sanskrit as “Upasarga” namely “Pra”. It is pertinent to precipitate this prefix further to know how appropriate has it been in this context. It has already been mentioned that Lord Vishnu manifested himself in Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna with his Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha forms respectively. The actions and deeds of Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna could therefore be equal or matching those that Lord Vishnu might express himself through those corresponding forms and such acts would be displayed through the three brothers. At no point of time or situation could those acts be beyond the quality or quantity attributable to Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha forms of Lord Vishnu. Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna could not excel beyond a certain specified level.  This also means that Sri Rama did not assign any duty that was beyond what was expected of each of them or what he (Lord) wanted them to do or act. Sri Rama was the incarnation of Sri Vasudeva form of Lord Vishnu and there is no difference between Sri Vasudeva and Sri Vishnu, which is as good as saying there was no difference between Sri Rama and Sri Vishnu. It is not a hypothesis but an inference or a verdict which needs no substantiation. Therefore, Sri Rama did whatever Sri Vishnu would have done not could have done. That is to say, nothing is beyond Sri Vishnu. He is doing everything that the time and situation warrants. He is empowered with all the powers that Lord Vishnu is originally empowered with. This is the phenomenon that the prefix “Pra” signifies.

The word DasharathanrupatEhe is a conjunction of Dasharatha and Nrupati. Dasharatha means he was a person whose chariot (Ratha) could move in all ten directions without any obstruction or restraint. This explanation or meaning signifies the capacity of Dasharatha. It should be noted here that demons like Ravana could also move around in their chariots in ten directions. But they were being either confronted or combated or opposed by other pious, virtuous kings or Rishis. Similarly, devotees of the Lord like Narada could roam about in all directions without being questioned, restricted or constrained. This is precisely the difference between the devotees of the Lord and others. That is why Dasharatha was a great king, good king and a virtuous king among other kings. It was due to this attribute that Sri Rama heartily decided to be born as his son. This is symbolically indicated by the word Dasharatha.

Kausalya drank the gruel that a divine person gave to Dasharatha after emerging out of the flames of sacrificial fire that Dasharatha was performing and she became pregnant. There is least doubt about the fact that Kausalya Devi did not beget Sri Rama from the semen of Dasharatha. Still, some immature persons contend that since Sri Rama was in the womb of Kausalya Devi, it is as good as saying that Sri Rama was born out of the blood of Kausalya Devi. However, when it has been accepted that Sri Rama was not the biological son of Dasharatha, the contention that Sri Rama was a biological son of Kausalya too is subject to rejection.

The word NrupatEhe simply means that having taken the forms of Fish, Tortoise and others in his Matsya, Koorma and other incarnations, Sri Rama took the incarnation of Sri Rama as the son of an emperor among human beings.

(Ramanama and Neetaha will be substantiated in the next episode. SDN)            

       

SRI MADHWAVIJAYA - PANCHAMAHA SARGAHA - SHLOKAS 4 AND 5

(In the two stanzas being interpreted herebelow, a brief note on the debate between Sri Poornaprajna and the Logicians has been provided, with a little explanation. It is hard to find exact English words for some of these highly philosophical, and more so Dwaitic, line of thoughts. Please read, comment and share. SDN)

BhidA susADhyEtyanumAnamatra taihi prAyujyatAshu pratipakShaBheeShaNam|

AKhanDayadvyaKhanDaDheeridam sa pakShadakShaha PhaNinam virADiva||4||

SUMMARY: They played a prank “loophole can be easily exploited” which was always effective in instilling fear among defence team. Like the Garuda with strong wings destroy the serpents, most accomplished Sri Poornaprajna, who was capable of defending his line of thought, nullified the weapons of apprehension shot by the rivals.

In his Bhavaprakashika, the author has substantiated the argument and counter arguments that took place between Sri Poornaprajna and the group of Logicians.

The inference put forth by the rival group was:

Vimatau jeevaparamAtmAnau Bhinnau niyamyaniyamAmakatwAt rAjapuruShavat

Meaning: The Soul and the Divine are separate because they harbour the sense of tangible and intangible notions like royal humans.  

To quote Bhavaprakashika:

Atra BhidAyAm| AnumAnam — ‘vimatau Bhinnau niyamyaniyAmakatwAt rAjapuruShavat’ iti|

Sri Poornaprajna rejected this inference by stating:

QUOTE FROM Bhavaprakashika:

Kimidam vishEShaNam pakShAdBhinnamAhOswidaBhinnamuta BhinnABhinnam| nAdimaha sambanDhApEkShayA(a)navasThAnAt| Na maDhyamaha pakShamAtrasya vishEShaNamAtrasya vA(a)BhiprEtatwaprasangAt| Na chAntimaha uBhayadOShAopAtAt| VyavasThayA aparidrushyamAnatwAdityaKhaNDayat| Idam cha vishEShavinirmuktAnAm vishEShaNa nigrAhakam|(Excerpt from Sumadhwavijaya compiled and published by Dr.  Vyasanakere Prabhanjanacharyaha)

Is this adjectival “separate status” (Bhinnatwa) different from the principal subject or is it inseparabale or “separably inseparable”? Owing to the fallacy of ‘non-status’ (Anavastha) or ‘opaque’ nature, it cannot be considered as ‘separable’; due to the absence of attributable ‘quality’, it is inappropriate to treat it as ‘inseparable’. As both these logical fallacies arise, the third proposition of ‘separably inseparable’ is also null and void.

Rejection of the proposition of ‘falsehood of the universe’     

AThApi miThyA vimatam matatwatO vivAdanirmuktavadityavAdi taihi|

AnEna satyam vimatam matatwatO yaThA GhaTAdeetyanumA nyagadyata||5||

SUMMARY: Still they fired another syllogism “This world is untrue; it is only believable since it is visible”.  For this Sri Acharyaru replied “The world is very much true, quite established and tangible like earthen pot and so on since it is glaring and visible.”

The logical term for ‘believable’ is “Sampratipanna” or Shukti Rajata. The symbols of earthen pot and other material things are not just believable but very much true like the palm of a man, a tree. The term Sampratipanna means “so they say and hence believed” where the inference is derived not by physical witness or evidence but by illusory or imaginary and close-to-believe kind of statements. It is said that where there is smoke there is fire. In this statement, there may be occasions when smoke does not clearly signify the existence of fire and vice versa. Earthen pot is not imaginary. It is tangible. Shukta Rajata and other concepts are based on intangible or abstract things and therefore they tend to be ‘untrue’. They are, by no stretch of imagination, an aberration of truly untrue or what has been named as “Sadasadvilakshana”.

(Surrender of Logicians will be narrated in the next episode with Shloka 6 SDN)      

SRI RAGHAVENDRA SWAMY'S SRI RAMACHARITRA MANJARI

Substantiation of Vishnu and Sreeman

In the first line “SreemAn pUrvam (ViShNuhu) prajAtO”, the word “ViShNuhu” means Narayana, who is omnipresent, eternal and embodiment of all attributes. Being Omnipresent, Sri Narayana was there before Dasharatha performed the Ashwamedha, before the gruel was given to him by the divine person, before Kausalya consumed it and before Vishnu and very much before Narayana took the incarnation as Rama through Kausalya. He was not born out of the gruel. By taking birth as Rama, Sri Narayana had nothing to gain personally. He took this incarnation for the welfare of all people because he is so gracious and compassionate. The beneficiaries of this incarnation are none else than the virtuous or Sajjanas, the deities, gods and goddesses. Demons were not the beneficiaries. The benefits that the deities secured included the relief they got from the atrocities meted out by demons and it was at the behest of deities that Lord Narayana agreed to take the incarnation as Rama. Prior to the incarnation of Rama, the deities were getting tortured by Ravana and other demons. The troubles created by demons for deities and Sajjanas were of different ways, degree and intensity. It was only right and just for deities to go to the abode of Sri Hari, who has no personal benefit from anything, and request him to restore their happiness and peace. Although Lord Hari is in all places, he is always available on the surface of the cosmic Ocean of Milk for salvation-deserving (Muktas) and Aparokshajnanis, who can conceive everything of the past, present and future.  They went there, appealed to Him, praised Him and explained their plight.  Lord Vishnu was impressed by their prayer, assured them that he would take the incarnation and directed them as to where and in which community or form they should take birth. All these factors are intrinsic and hidden in the word Vishnu.

By using “Sreeman”, the first word in the first line, it is indicated that Lord Vishnu took birth on Earth as Rama along with Lakshmi Devi, who is always living in the emblem “Srivatsa”. This emblem is present in Sri Narayana and also in Sri Rama and therefore there is no difference between Lord Vishnu and Sri Rama. There is no difference between the body of Lord Vishnu and that of Lord Sri Rama. This means that this body was there much before the appearance of Dasharatha and therefore the body of Sri Rama is not the corporal body that emulated from the semen of Dasharatha. Sri Rama is not the son of Dasharatha and similarly, Dasharatha not the biological father of Rama. Lord Vishnu wanted to bestow his grace on Dasharatha and therefore pretended as though he was the son of Dasharatha. Even in the case of Seetha Devi, an incarnation of Lakshmi Devi, she was not the biological daughter of Janaka and she was not wearing a corporal body as others. She emerged out of ground.

It appears outwardly that Sri Rama was born after staying in the womb of Kausalya for about ten months. On the contrary, there can be least doubt about the emergence of Seetha Devi. This dichotomy may give room for suspicion. This situation is created to ‘ill-minded’ and insane persons to make them misunderstand the concept of birth or incarnation. The Sajjanas automatically perceive what is right and what is not. (In the next episode, let us explore PrajAtaha and DasharaThanrupatEhe.)