Madhwa Vijaya - 21

Sarga 10 Part 2

The exalted Achaarya, well aware of the auspiciousness of holy spots and its waters, dipped in every river while saluting Govinda, present everywhere. Accompanied by his disciples, he began his return journey along the rushing waters of the Ganga.

As the sun was sinking in the horizon and there was no sign of boats to ply them across the Ganga, the Achaarya observed that his disciples were anxious and perturbed. Then, with his spiritual power, he teleported across the river.

The disciples did not for a moment connect this supernatural feat with the leap of Hanuman across the ocean or the play of Bheemasena in the Ganga, for if they had, they would have immediately known the divine nature of their preceptor and would not have entertained a shadow of doubt regarding their guru’s safety.

Just as lotuses wilt when the cluster of rays of the sun disappear, the eyes of the disciples drooped when they could not see their beloved Achaarya.

When the Achaarya crossed the river without as much as the border of his dhoti getting wet, like Garuda glides over a cow path, the rulers and learned men bowed their heads in reverence.

The boatmen who had given up plying their boats for fear of being attacked by enemies, were now filled with strength. The Achaarya sent them across to ferry his disciples to where he stood.

As their eyes searched for a glimpse of the Achaarya, the students saw the broad bank of the Ganga lit up with lights and filled with scholars putting forth their views to him.

They saw the Achaarya, among the Vedic scholars, imparting knowledge to seasoned scholars. This scene reminded one of Chaturmukha Bramha holding court among an assembly of celestials.

They then proceeded to Hastinapura, where they stayed put for the period of Chaaturmaasa. Madhwa spent most of his time in solitude and contemplation, in a mata, far away from the river.

Ganga broke her banks and flowed as a small stream to the place where Madhwa dwelt, in order to serve him. This is no surprise for even Vaani (Saraswathi), venerated by Rudra and others, considers it to be her good fortune to be of service to Vayu devaru.

Ganga came in person to prostrate from a distance to the lotus feet of Madhwa, and the disciples who witnessed the beauty and loveliness of Ganga were struck with wonder.

At the end of four months, Madhwaachaarya, the destroyer of sins, went to Kashi where he, in a light moment, addressed his disciples who were proud of their strength thus:

You seem to be very vain about your valour. I command all of you to wrestle with me simultaneously. And the one who does not exert his full strength (in this wrestling bout) can be considered as having defied my command.

Having said this, the Achaarya slammed fifteen young lads onto the ground and said laughingly, “Get up if you can!”

The disciples pleaded, “We beg your mercy! We are unable to bear even the pressure of your fingers which seem to weigh us down like Mount Meru! O compassionate guru, please let go of us…”

When the Achaarya released them, they were bewildered by their experience. For they did not remember that the entire world including the fates of Rudra and Indra can be controlled by a mere twitch of his eyebrow.

A monk by the name Amarendrapuri, who had cleverly won many a debate with his arguments, wishing to win against the Achaarya, drew him into a debate, by asking him to support the statement, “Only action that is fortified by awareness is fruitful.”

When the Achaarya effortlessly proved his point, Amarendrapuri, at a loss for words, threw what he thought was a challenge, “Define awareness” To this Madhwa said, “If you are learned as you claim to be you will be full aware of its definition. If not, there is no point in asking (or answering) such a question…”

In every assembly the disciple of Vyaasa dispelled the darkness of ignorance with his brilliance, like moonlight that casts its glow in the autumnal skies…

The words of the Achaarya clearly illuminated the supreme truths such as: The one who is described by every spoken word, the one described in the shaastras, such a supreme being is forever with the jeeva. He is unaffected by time and the very embodiment of awareness. With his incomparable awareness, he, time and again, creates, sustains and destroys the cosmos. Such a Hari, who is the only independent (swatantra) entity, is close to and within every being, punishing the wicked and protecting the pious, he is filled with attributes and is without attributes. He is boundless. The wise know that he is distinct from the world he has created.

These pearls of wisdom were based on reasoning (pramaana) and were founded on the framework of ethics (neethi) and stood tall and upright despite the mushrooming of Maayavaada. Any misinterpretation of these explanations would surely cast one in eternal hell (andhatamassu).

Poornapragnya, once again visited Kurukshetra, where he remembered his past exploits as Bheemasena as he felled many an elephant. Delighted at unearthing the weapons he and his brothers had handled as royals, he also pointed out the one who would be Maaricha* in the future, to the astonishment of his disciples, including Satyatirtha. Thus, Poornapragnya displayed his capacity to see the past and the future.

*nemesis of Raama, who took on the form of a golden deer to lure Raama away from Sita

In a place called Hrishikesha, Hara (Rudra devaru) appearing as a fair-skinned Brahmin bowed to Madhwa seeking alms, and disappeared in a flash, leaving everyone spell-bound. In yet another place, he instructed his devotee, in his dream, to offer a sumptuous feast to his guru (Madhwa), the true interpreter of the Vedas, thus demonstrating that he was the guru of the entire world.

When he re-visited a place called Ishupatha, with his heart filled with reverence to Parashuraama, he effortlessly ate a thousand large-sized ‘Rajakeli’ bananas offered to him post his meal!

Traversing, the Achaarya reached Goa, where he ate four thousand large bananas* and drank 30 pots of milk, offered by a Brahmin by name Shankara. And he traversed on, unseen, by the ruler of the land who stood guard with his retinue to detain him.

*just as Bheemasena who was called Vrikodara, the one with an insatiable appetite and a slim wolf-like waist despite consuming any quantity of food.

Ref Adhyatmachutuke_Vayudevaru: …amazing capacity to digest food, ….are some of the distinguishing features of this avataara

In a gathering at a place called Pashupe, the Achaarya sang melodiously, at the behest of the audience, enthralling the people and inducing dried plants to sprout leaves and blooms.

The blessed Achaarya Madhwa, drawn into the hearts of the devout is equal to Bramha, repels difficulties, is large-hearted, grants victory, is the foremost devotee, is unaffected by disease and despair, the one who paved the path of Bhakthi-yoga and is forever engrossed in contemplation of the supreme lord.

Even the celestials rejoice when these divine exploits of the jewel of the world, capable of granting desires, are heard, remembered or sung”*.

*End of the poetic description, which began in the previous Spiritual Nugget, by a disciple of Poornapragnya.

This wise person (like a rain-bearing cloud), who dwells at the feet of the lord (sky), has illuminated the world with his words (flashes of lightning ), showering words of wisdom (like raindrops) on the those who had been roasting in the coils of samsaara ( parched lands) enabling knowledge to blossom in peoples’ minds (trees to bear fruits and flowers).

End of Sarga 10