Trivikramapanditaacharya
The happy defeat
Subramanyapandita was a scholar and poet of repute. He belonged to the family of “Pejathayya” and lived in Kasargod. Blessed with a son after losing many babies, he named the child Trivikrama. Trivikrama (1258-1320) grew up to be an accomplished scholar of the Vedas and the Upanishads, and a poet. He was the spiritual preceptor and the court poet of the ruler of Kasargod, Immadi Jayasimha*. He composed an epic poem called “Ushaharana” at the age of fifteen and was bestowed with the title, Kavikulatilaka. He came to be known as Trivikramapanditacharya.
A renowned scholar of Advaitha as per the belief of the times, he was in turmoil as he mentally questioned the tenets of “Maayavaada”. He delved deeper and deeper into the philosophy to make sense of what did not, to him. Inherently possessing the twin qualities of Tattvavaada, Vishnu pragnye and Bhakthi rasa, he began to explore Madhwa’s philosophy which made complete sense to him and dispelled his doubts. When Madhwaacharya was invited by Jayasimha, his (Panditaacharya’s) joy knew no bounds, and he composed a poem that went like this, “The position of Indra is dust under the feet of those who serve Ananda Tirtha, may such an Ananda Tirtha bless you (Jayasimha) with “aananda”!
He was lost to Madhwaacharya’s brilliance at their very first meeting, yet, as the representative of the scholars of that age and according to the tradition of the times carried on a debate for days on end. Happily conceding defeat, he accepted Tattvavaada, and went on to become one of Madhwa’s foremost disciples. Upon Madhwaacharya’s command**, he went on to compose two commentaries on Madhwa’s Bhashya on the Bramhasutras. These brilliant works were called “Tattvapradeepa” and “Nyaayavivarana”.
*Historically, the dates do not tally, some accounts mention the ruler’s name as Kumble
**Madhwaacharya chose Panditacharya over his nine ascetic disciples!
Vayu-sthuthi
Like many fanciful stories become part of lore Trivikramapanditaacharya has one to his credit as well. When Madhwaachaarya would offer naivedhya as part of his daily routine, Panditaacharya would wait outside singing one of the dwadasha stotras. The end of the naivedhya procedure would be indicated by the ringing of the bell (ghante). So far so good. But it is said that one day, the bell was not rung at the usual time and there was an inordinate delay. Panditaacharya is said to have taken a peek* in order to check the cause for the delay and witnessed an astounding sight!
He saw the three avataaras of Vayu devaru** offering naivedhya to three forms of Hari…Hanuman to Raama, Bheema to Krishna and Madhwa to Veda Vyaasa.
Spell bound, he spontaneously composed a hymn in praise of the three avataaras, which has hence been called “Vayu sthuthi”.
To listen:
The Vayu sthuthi is the only hymn in the Maadhwa tradition to have been composed by a householder, approved by the Acharya himself, and accepted by all the future sanyaasis of the order. This sthuthi is one of the “pancha-sthuthis”*** that every devout Maadhwa is supposed to chant every day. Vayu sthuthi, comprising 41 shlokas, is taught to every Maadhwa boy when he undergoes munji or the donning of the yagnopaveetha.
*our quarrel is not with the glorious sight he witnessed, it is with this uncharacteristic breaking of protocol and peeping
**firmly establishing the verity of Madhwaacharya being an avataara of Vayu devaru
***The five sthuthis : Vishnu sthuthi and Vayu sthuthi by Trivikramapanditaacharya Shiva sthuthi and Narasimha sthuthi by Naarayanapanditaacharya Nakha sthuthi by Madhwaacharya
Nakha sthuthi
When Madhwaacharya heard Panditaacharya’s composition, he added a stanza or two* to it and thereby endorsed it. Madhwaacharya composed a short hymn in praise of the nail (nakha)** of Narasimha! The nails which were the cause of destruction of Hiranyakashipu are the very nails that become our protector, by destroying the qualities within us that keep us away from the path of God. The chanting of Vayu sthuthi is incomplete without chanting this Nakha sthuthi at the beginning and the end of Vayu sthuthi.