Sumadhva Vijaya 11: Ekadasha Sarga

Sumadhva Vijaya 11: Ekadasha Sarga

In this Sarga the Author describes the Vaikunta of Lord Vishnu (heaven) very vividly. One day when Shri Acharya was preaching Brahmasuthra in Udupi a bright light appeared in the dark sky and suddenly disappeared.  This happened because Sesha Devaru with Sanakaadis had come to Udupi to listen to the Acharya’s pravachana (preaching).

Even though Sanakaadis were well aware of Madhva Shastra, Sanakaadis   questioned Sesha devaru to explain the usefulness of listening to Madhva Shastra.

Sesha devaru starts explaining the benefits of Madhva Shastra:

From following the Madhva Shastra, one can reach Swarga (heaven) just as grass is important for cultivation.  But the chief award is attaining moksha (liberation from cycle of death and rebirth) just as the grains are the chief product obtained from agriculture.    In addition one can live happily with wealth.  By following Madhva Shastra one can reach Lord Vishnu’s abode Vaikunta (heaven of Vishnu).

Descriptions of Vaikunta

Shri Hari’s places are surrounded by golden walls.  The mansions and houses   all over the place are incompatible and are glowing with jewels.  The roofs of the houses are shining with sapphires and gems stones like Yamuna and Ganga rivers.  The artificial birds assembled in the houses look very real.  Even though so many muktas are in Vaikunta, the place is quite huge because of the glories of Shri Hari.  As the moon (Chandra) shines amidst Stars Lord Vishnu’s palace (temple) is virtuously shining amidst other temples in Vaikunta.  Shri Ramadevi herself does all the work in the palace even though she has thousands of female servants under her.  At the same time she worships Lord Shri Hari (Vishnu).  The scene of Lord Vishnu in golden yellow dress (peethambara) with ornaments sleeping on Sesha devaru, and Mahalakshmi worshiping Him at his feet  is a wonderful sight in the palace. Chaturmukha Brahmas, Garuda, Sesha devaru and Indra with their wives ,and others with their wives happily enjoy with devotion looking at Shri Vishnu (Lord Hari)  in the palace (temple) all the time.   Those muktas (liberated from samsara, that is released from cycle of death and rebirth) having lotus eyes with chaturbhujas wearing yellow dress (peethambaras) live happily in Vaikunta.  In Vaikunta there will be no experience of births, old ages and deaths; there will be no sufferings or pains; the three gunas of sattva, rajas, and tamas will not be there.  They enjoy paripurna happiness in Vaikunta.  They always remain young and enjoy life with their ever young wives.  The young women are very beautiful with lotus eyes and are elaborately dressed with various types of gems and jewels on them.  They are very soft spoken women.  They make their husbands always happy in the delightful divine grove (nandanavana) situated in Vaikunta loka.  In Vasantah rutu, the divine grove will be flourishing with fresh basil leaves plants and champa plants (sampiges); in Grismah rutu, the divine grove will be full of jasmine plants (malliges); in Varsah rutu the peacocks dance beautifully; in Sarat rutu muktas will enjoy life with their beautiful wives; In Hemantah rutu the divine grove will be full of phalini plants (basil leaves plants) ; in Sisirah rutu the divine grove will be full of kunda plants (downy jasmine) plants.  The weather in in Vaikunta will be neither cold nor hot in all the seasons (Rutus) and Muktas  enjoy pleasant weather always.  According to their capacity, Muktas offer prayer to Lord Shri Hari.   In this beautiful divine grove the young couples embracing together and making love is a common scene in Vaikunta.  In Vaikunta the bodies (shareeras) of the muktas are jnaanandamaya svarupa and hence it is entirely different compared to other lokas. 

The people in Vaikunta are blessed as the Lord Vishnu is visible to them always.    Lord Vishnu appears with thousands of curly hairs wearing rare jewelry crown and crocodile ear rings with a half curved tilaka on his forehead.  With wide lotus eyes, red lips, moon like face and a teasing smile He makes His devotees happy in Vaikunta.  Lord Vishnu wears brilliant celebrated gem, golden garland, golden ring and bracelet.  Lord Vishnu holds Sudarshana chakra (beautiful discus), Shanka (conch shell), Padma (lotus flower), Koumodaki (mace), and dhanus (bow) also in his four arms.  Brahma on the lotus emerging from naval of Vishnu having a light belly with his consort Lakshmi always residing in his heart is another sight witnessed in Vaikunta.  His thighs are in the form of elephant’s trunk and legs from the ankles to the knees are very beautiful.  In this form Lord Vishnu appears in Vaikunta.  He is svagathabhedavivarjita meaning that He is same in all avatars (incarnations).  We should not distinguish His one avatar is different from other avatar.  His incarnations are illustrations of giving worldly knowledge at all times.  His avatars are taken place to the punishment of injustice (adharma) and to the protection of justice (dharma) during that time.   Muktas in rituals worship Lord Vishnu by offering sacred fire;   they worship Him by praising with songs and dances.  All Muktas are free from fate and are very happy in Vaikunta.  Whatever desired by Muktas are very easily available in Vaikunta.

Sesha devaru concludes that whoever understands the Brahma sutra Bhashya (exposition of Brahma sutras) and other sacred scriptures of Sarvajeevothama Shri Madhvacharya will attain moksha in Vaikunta.

Prepared by J. Sudhindra Simha, Bengaluru.

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Beginning: Prathama Sarga

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Sumadhva Vijaya 14: Chaturdasha Sarga

Sumadhva Vijaya 14: Chaturdasha Sarga

The king Jayasimha became disciple of Shri Acharya.   Everywhere there was calm and beautiful atmosphere. Shri Acharya got back the “Granthas” stolen by Padmatheertha through Jayasimha. When Jayasimha prostrated to Shri Acharya, Shri Vikramapundithacharya blessed the king. This can be seen in the Vayu sthuti about the glorification of pada duli of Shri Acharya by Vikramapundithacharya. Shri Acharya spent some more days of Chaturmasa in Vishnunangala. (For Devathes Chathurmaasa is night time (rathri kala). Shri Acharya was bathing at the dawn of the sun (arunodaya) and with Yogasana meditating on Narayana. At that time, Shri Acharya was removing the faded flowers from God and other symbols. He was purifying the symbols and saligramas in holy water (theertha) through conch (Shanka). Then the Author describes the rising of sun by comparing sun with lion and the vanishing of darkness with elephant and the sun rays with nails. All the directions were brightened with sun rays. Disciples were getting ready to attend to the lessons at that time. Some were trying to understand the previous lessons to join with those who have already read well versed with the lesson. This indicates that the interest and efforts are necessary for achieving the goal. Shri Acharya pronounced “OM” the symbolic of ‘a, vu, ma; ‘bhuhu, bhuvah, swaha’; ‘pruthviss, anthariksha, dyu; rukh, rujas, sama’; and started asserting the Shruthis in Upanishad to disciples with suitable answers to their questions till afternoon. Then Shri Acharya went to take bath in a lake (sarovara) where the River Ganga and Devathes were also present in the lake to get purified from Acharya. This lake is beside the right side of Vishnunangala temple. This is called “chakratheertha” because it will be revolving like chakra during rainy season. The saligramas were brightly shining with the appearance of GOD when Shri Acharya sprinkling water on the saligramas through conch in the lake. Afterwards, Shri Acharya took the nirmalya theertha. If nirmalya theertha is taken daily it is as good as taking bath in the River Ganga and is also beneficial of fulfilling our wishes. It is also equivalent to 12 years of fasting on Ekadashi giving good result. Shri Acharya applied dwadasha (12 namas) urdrhva punda, sudarshana chakra and shanka mudras on his body appropriately using nirmalya (holy water) and gopichandana. With this alankara Shri Acharya’s thejus(beauty) increased tremendously. Shri Acharya worshiped Bhagavantha with arghya, padya, aachamana., madhuparka, punarachamana, snana, vasthra, bhushana, yagnopavitha, aasana, gandha, pushpa, doopa, deepa, neyvedhya, namaskara. Shri Acharya was performing this shodshopachara puje daily. He was offering various flowers and tulasi also. With great devotion he offered mukhavasa, thambula, darpana, chathra, chamara and paaduka to God. Shri Acharya was daily worshiping Shri Hari with ahimse, sathya, astheya, brahmacharya, aparigraha, shoucha, thushti and sarva samarpane or with eight different bhavapushpas like ahimse, indriyanigraha, sarvabhuthadaya, kshame, jnana, thapas and dhyana. In Vishnumangala Shri Acharya made all scholars very happy by his preaching Veda shastras. Many people who had come to see Shri Acharya were overwhelmed by listening to his pravachana and pandithya in Veda shasthras. Author describes the sunset by comparing prithivi as sthri, surya as padmaragamani, and sagara as vasthra. In otherward he narrates how the brilliant redness of the sun in the blue ocean in the earth was glorifying when the sun setting was taking place In Samadhi sthithi Shri Acharya imagined Bhagavantha as omnipotent. Shri Acharya was starting Sandyavandane before sunset and finishing it when the stars were appearing in the sky. The Author explains the appearance of the full moon in the sky. The rays of sun are beneficial to chakravaka pakshis and kamala pushpas and not beneficial to chakora pakshis and kanneydile pushpas which is exactly opposite to moon rays. That is moon rays  are beneficial to chakora pakshis and kanneydiles and are not beneficial to chakrasvaka pakshis and kamala pushpas. As the moon rays was spreading the brightness in the sky, Shri Acharya by describing the Bhagavantha’s splendor and greatness in his pravachanas was spreading the brightness everywhere.                                                            

Compiled by J. Sudhindra Simha, Bengaluru.

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