Sumadhva Vijaya 16: Shodasha Sarga

Sumadhva Vijaya 16: Shodasha Sarga

Purnapragna Madhvacharya’s honor as leader of monarchy   was spreading everywhere and his Shishyas started giving pravachanas on noble characters of Shri Madhvacharya’s preaching of dvaita philosophy.

Near Gomati river an ordinary king who was ruling that place argued with Shri Madhvacharya that if a sentence in Vedas is wrong or untrue then the Vedas will be completely wrong or untrue.  To substantiate it he said that he has tried a mantra in Veda which claims that seeds would turn into fruits if  that mantra is uttered and he has tried several times but he has not succeeded in his efforts.  Hence he concludes that Vedas cannot be accepted as a true concept.  Acharya advises him that one who has the capacity or who is well versed in Vedas can do such wonders..  Still the King continues to argue that nobody is capable of doing such things.    Immediately Acharya taking moong grain seeds in his hands uttered the Veda mantra which converted the moong grain into ankura, dala and phala.  This indicates the mystic power of Acharya who at that instance proved that Vedas are not false. Once when Acharya was taking a lesson to his Sishyas the current went off. Then Acharya by pressing his thumb finger nails of his feet he made the whole place bright  and helped them to read the Granthas.  In his sanchara, Acharya found a boulder weighing 10 tons near   Bhadra river at Kalasa (Chikmagalur district) on the road.  Acharya enquired the people of that area why they have not shifted that boulder to some other place.  He got the answer that it is not possible for them to lift that boulder as it is very heavy.  Acharya moved the boulder to a safer place single handedly with his hands and surprised everybody assembled there.  Even today the big boulder can be seen by visitors.  In the boulder an inscription with          Acharya’s figure  can be also observed.    

 

     During Solar eclipse, it is customary to bathe in Sea and is said to be very auspicious.  Hence Acharya along with his devotees went to take bath ln the Sea.  Before taking bath in the sea one should take bath in a river.  So all of them went to take bath in Kanva river which was close to the sea.  After taking bath in Kanva river they started taking bath in the sea.  Sometimes the waves were very strong.  The wise people were very happy to be with Acharya at that time.  But some wicked people who had accompanied them made fun of Acharya.  It did not make Acharya unhappy.  But one stern look at the sea converted that area into a pond (thataaka). To examine the strength of Acharya a very strong person by name Gandavata and his brother with Acharya’s permission   went on pressing the neck of Acharya strongly but nothing happened to Acharya.  Instead, they became very much tired and had to leave Acharya.  This shows Acharya’s personality.  After their recovery Acharya challenged then to lift his thumb finger from the ground.  However much they tried they could not lift the thumb finger.  In another incident Acharya showed his laghima (weightlessness) power when he sat on a Vatu doing pradikshane namaskara in Lord Nrusimha temple. 

Once when Acharya was delivering a lecture another strong man by name Purva Vata tried to stop his lecture by pressing the throat of Acharya.  But he could not succeed in his attempt.  He sweated in his attempt and had to leave as Acharya s voice became stronger in his lecture.  Acharya asked him to lift his anguli placed on the ground.  He failed there also.  All this indicate the previous avatars of Bhima and Hanumantha.

Shri Madhvacharya (Shri Poornapragna) won against all odds and guided his devotees. Acharya also reinstated Hari idol which was worshipped by Pandavas in Paranthi temple in Paranthi grama.  Acharya surprised everyone by his power filling the pond only by getting rains in a place called ‘Saridantara’(Idethukde).  Now this place has become very popular and it is near Ramakuknja and is known as Erkimatha.  Acharya prepared a grantha “Shri Krishnaamruthamahaarnava” and presented to his devotee Idappadithaya in Kokkada kshethra.  The Vaidyanatheshwara temple is very popular in Kokkada kshethra now. Beside this temple Shri Madhvacharya’s installation of Vishnu vigraha can be seen.  This kshethra is about 10 kms from Ujare.  There is a sarovara nearby.  It is believed that by taking bath here many diseases are cured.  Some Pundits in Ujare asked Acharya to give the meaning of “Karmartha Shruthi”.  Acharya   explained the meaning of the Beda Shasthras,  But Pundits  said that this is not the correct meaning.  Then Acharya asked then to give the correct meaning of the shasthras.    The Pumdits ran away from there as they were not knowing the meaning of  Veda manthras,  Again the same Pundits asked the meaning of Brahmana Khanda.  Acharya’s grantha on this is known as ‘karma nirnaya’ and can be found in the “Dashaprakarana” grantha. Even Gandarvas and Rudradi devathes have praised Acharya by singing and dancing.

Devathes have offered prayers to the three avatars of Shri Hanumantha, Bhimasena, and Madhvacharya who are the devotees of the three roopas of Shri Rama, Shri Krishna and Shri Vedavkyasadevaru correspondingly  By making pranams to these three avatars Author concludes this great Grantha. It is believed that Shri Madhvacharya disappeared from Udupi when Indradi devathes offered innumerable flowers to him.  He disappeared and reached  “Dodda Badari”  in Pingalanaama Samvatsara in Magha Masa on shudha (shukla Paksha) Navami(1318) according to “Anu Madhva Charithe”.  According to Shri Vadhiraja Swami, Shri Madhvacharya went to “Dodda Badari” and served Vedavyasa for 100 years before attaining the moola roopa.  There is another school of thought which believe that Acharya is still present even now in “Dodda Badari”.

Prepared by:   J. Sudhindra Simha, Bengaluru.

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Sumadhva Vijaya 15: Panchadasha Sarga

                                                                                                                    

Sumadhva Vijaya 15: Panchadasha Sarga

In this Sarga, the Author describes the Madhvacharya”s composition of great Granthas; the surrender of Vikramapundithacharya as disciple to Acharya; giving Sanyasa to Shri Vishnutheerha his brother and creating 8 heads of 8 Mathas in Udupi. From Vishnunangala Acharya travelled to Amaraalaya and continued giving lectures on Brahmasuthra. At the same time Thrivikramapundithacharya (an advythi) concentrated on Acharya’s lectures propagating Vishnu as Sarvothama in his Upanyasa. Author has compared Acharya’s Upanyasa of brahmkasuthra to jewel(Rathna); Shruthis to Elephants; Yukthis to Army(Senes) ahd smruthis to horses. The Author has also stated that Acharya’s Upanyasa was like Lakshmi’s Incarnation from Ocean and as pure as the Ganga river. From 9 to 14 shlokas Acharya’s upanyasa clearly states that Ishwar is the chethana for forming the jagath and as defined by Nirikshkaru and Seshvaru, Bhaskardi mathas that jagath is formed due to nature . The example given for milk to become curds someone is responsible. That is a chethana is responsible for milk to become curds. Likewise the chethana for formation of jagath is Ishwar. Hence for formation of nature a chethana must be responsible and that is Ishwar. Pashupathi, Ganapati, Surya and others are not responsible for formation of jagath. Vysheshika matha opines that Ishwar has both happiness and unhappiness which cannot be agreed as Ishwar is always Anandamaya and he has no sorrows. But a samsara jeeva has both happiness and sorrows. Mayavadis have not agreed that Vedas are untrue as Shunyavadis do. But Mayavadis have called Vedas as atathvaaveda which means Vedas are untrue. Hence Mayavadis are also like Shunyavadis. Acharya has shown that there is o difference between Shunyavadis and Mayavadis in his Tathvodyotha and anuvakya granthas. If Vedas are interpreted against the Shastra the result would be the attainment of Andah thamas loka. On the other hand if Vedavyasa’s Madhva sidddantha is followed moksha can be attained. Mukta jeeva is aprakratha and he will not have human infirmities(urmis) like hunger, thirst, sorrow, illusion and passion as a samsari jeeva will be having and Mukta is always happy(sukhi). Mukta has aprakruktha knowledge, body, indriyas and pleasure. These renditions were listened by Thrivikrama Pundit. Thrivikram Pundit argued with Madhvacharya for 15 days with Veda vaakyas and he could not win over Acharya’s discussions and he became silent as all his doubts were clarified by Acharya. Thus Vikramapunnditacharya became a disciple of Acharya and continued to listen to his Brahmasuthra upanyasa. Vikramapundithacharya wrote a famous teeke “Tatvapradeepa” on Brahma sutra bhashya. Madhvacharya’s very popular krutis are the interpretations of 10 Upanishads, Geetha bhashya, Geetha tathparya nirnaya, Shrimad Mahabharata Tathparya Nirnaya. Pramaaana lakshana and Katha lakshana. Vishnu Tatva nirnaya and Mahabharata’s 18 parvas have been condensed into 81 shlokas in “Yamaka Bharatha” by Shri Madhvacharya. Shri Madvacharya composed 37 supreme Granthas. Due to the request of scholars, Shri Madhvacharya composed Anuvyaakya Grantha to Brahma Sutra. Shri Madvacharya composed Anuvyaakya containing 4 chapters by dictating to 4 Disciples simultaneously. For this Anuvyaakya Grantha, Shri Teekacharya(Shri Jayatheertha) has contributed “Nyaya Sudha” Grantha which is a masterful grantha to understand Brahma Sutra. After the demise of parents and loss of wealth, the brother of Shri Madhvacharya joined Shri Madhvacharya in Chathurmaasa and prayed for Sanyasaashrama. But he was sent back by Shri Madhvacharya as the time was not precious to become Sanyasi. Shri Madhvacharya’s brother was a great Vedic scholar. ”.After Chathurmaasa, Shri Madhvacharya offered Sanyasathwa to his brother and named him as Vishnutheertha.S Shri Vishnutheertha travelled towards north direction and and reached Harish Chandra mountain and disappeared there. He renounced everything in life . He was taking “panchagavya ”offered by his Sishyas once in five days. He stopped eating that also and started eating “bilvapathras” and drinking water only. He made glorious tapas(penance) in sitting on a very cold stone for a long period. From this pranayama he attained “samadhi”sthithi. Shri Vishnutheertha climbed Kumara parvatha and is believed to be present there. Nobody can go over there. Another geat Shishya of |Shri Madhvacharya was Shri Padmanabhatkheertha(Shobanabhatta), He has composed a Grantha “Rathnavali” relating to “Anuvyaakya” which is known to be very popular. Shri Vishnu Theertha and Shri Padnanabhatheertha were main Shishyas of Acharya. Shri Hriskhikeshatheeertha(Palimar Matha); Shri Janadarnatheertha(Krishnapur Matha); Shri Narasimhatheertha(Adamar Matha); Shri Upendra Theertha(Puttige Matha); Shri Vamana Theertha(Shirur Matha); Shri Adokshaja Theertha(Pejavar Matha); Shri Rama Theertha(Kaaniyur Matha); Shri Vishnutheertha (Sode Mathas were the 8 Mathas formed by Acharya in Udupi.

Prepared by: J. Sudhindra Simha, Bengaluru.

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