Madhwa Vijaya - 25
Sarga 12 Part 2
The clueless Pundarikapuri issued a challenge to the scholarly Achaarya, reminding one of a dog desirous of filth, beckoning a lion; the one-eyed crow confronting a swan; the roguish jackal defying a tiger.
The invincible Madhwa, like how a blazing fire burns everything to ashes including the delicate winged butterfly, did not ignore the lowly, weak contender.
He went on to elaborate his principles with a full explanation of the Vedas, with the intent of pleasing Hari. Those who had studied the Vedas in a traditional manner gathered in scores to see and listen to the one and only Madhwa.
Madhwa’s sterling commentary on the Vedas was perfect in oration, pronunciation and interpretation.
The abhimani devathes, Vaakdevathe and Vaakpathi* present in the heart, throat and mouth, by their grace, allow jeevas to express themselves. The chandobhimani devathe is responsible for the perfect chandassu (metre). Madhwa’s speech had perfect pauses (vivruthi), stressed and unstressed sounds, pulmonic, glottal and lingual sounds (sounds originating in the lungs, throat and tongue), aspirated consonants (involving oro- motor movements with an outward air-flow), hard and soft sounds, and needless to add, flawless grammar. His speech was a reflection of the depth of his knowledge and the dignity of his persona.
*Bharathi devi and Mukhyapraana
Who am I* to describe the glory of Madhwa’s oratory, when even Saraswathi, Garuda, Brihaspathi and others are singing his praises with bowed heads?
*Naarayana Pandithachaarya
The learned brahmins and scholars who heard Madhwa’s explanation of the Vedas, comparable to Chaturmukha’s, approached Pundarikapuri. With the intention of establishing the supremacy of the two scholars, they beseeched Pundarikapuri to commence his counter discourse.
Like Paundraka’s* foolish attempt to be called Vaasudeva, Pundarikapuri, with his mispronunciation**, ended up becoming the laughing-stock of Udupi, when he attempted his discourse.
*Paundraka Vaasudeva was a friend of Jarasandha. He dressed as Krishna and declared that he was the true Vaasudeva. He declared war on Krishna but ended up being killed by him.
**due to the lack of the grace of the abhimani devathes, Vaakdevathe and Vaakpathi, in the very first suktha of the Rigveda, he wrongly said, ‘agninaara’…
Thus, Pundarikapuri, parading as a tiger, was stripped of all honour, and stood exposed as a jackal, when confronted by the leonine Achaarya.
Meanwhile Padmatirtha, in what is today called Kasargod, plotted to steal the works of Achaarya Madhwa, entrusted with Shankara Pandithaachaarya*, like Droupadi entrusted in the care of Dhaumya rishi, was abducted by the lecherous Jayadratha**.
*uncle of Narayana Pandithaachaarya, brother of Trivikrama Pandithaachaarya
**brother-in-law of Kauravas
Madhwaachaarya, immediately set forth to Kasargod along with his entire retinue of disciples and Achyuthapragnya, and sent a group of disciples in advance to prevent Padmatirtha from flying the coop.
Padmatirtha putting up a brave front, confronted by the Veera sanyaasi, Poornapragnya, proclaimed, “Oh what is this new philosophy of yours? Only the antaryaami* can understand!” Then Madhwa declared that Padmatirtha had conceded defeat by accepting that the antaryaami understands but he(Padmatirtha) does not, which is in principle contrary to Advaitha (that the brahman and jeeva are the same).
*God, the one who can see within every being
Madhwaachaarya, (Pavana-amsha), like Arjuna (Indra-amsha), was in no mood to forgive the one(Padmatirtha, Jayadratha) who had wronged/ killed Shankara Pandithaachaarya/ Abhimanyu, just as the lion does not let the boar that has killed his cub, go scot-free.
Padmatirtha, like Jayadratha hiding behind the likes of Ashwathama, in order to escape being killed by Arjuna’s arrows, sought to hide behind the previously defeated Pundarikapuri. Like Arjuna, Madhwamuni had to spend very few arrows (arguments)* to trounce the Maayavaadis.
*that Maayavaada was nothing but the Shoonyavaada of Buddhism and there was nothing original about it, the arguments have been documented in a grantha called ‘Vaada’, also known as Tawodyotha.
The next seven verses mocking Maayavaadis have been composed by the disciples of Madhwaachaarya, who were witness to this event. At their behest, they have been included at the end of the grantha, ‘Vaada’.
“Oh thieving Maayavaadis, put an end to your acts of stealing*. Surely you will be kicked by all and sundry and you will be forced to seek refuge in the dark caverns of caves.
*reference to plagiarising the concept of Shoonyavaada
The false shine of the moon (false brilliance of Padmatirtha) has been dulled, the lustre of the stars (of the Maayavaadis) has been lost, oh the darkness which had engulfed the world and was the supposed foundation of the light (thrown on the Vedas) has melted away!
Have you not seen? The new sun, called Sarvagnya muni, riding in the chariot drawn by the seven horses (seven vidyas), illuminating the world as he rises.
Who can eclipse the brilliance of this sun as it traverses the blue sky (the brilliance of Madhwamuni who worships the lotus feet of the blue-hued lord)?
Run, run and escape, while you can. For the sharp words of Poornapragnya will tear to pieces your misinterpretation of the Vedas, like Narasimha tearing apart his nemesis with his sharp nails.
While Garuda carries Vishnu on his back, Poornapragnya carries a myriad forms of the lord in his heart. Garuda gave nectar to his mother (Vinutha) alone, while Poornapragnya is distributing nectar to one and all. Poornapragnya is even more powerful than Garuda, the natural enemy of snakes. Ye two-tongued snakes, beware! Quickly escape into crevices…
Oh Maayavaada asuras, the foes of Naarayana, run… for Naarayana himself has come in the form of Madhwa to destroy you…holding the Vedas as Sudarshana chakra, his arguments like the sonorous sound of the conch, bearing the Puraanas as a mace, stringing the bow of devotion to Naarayana (Pancharaatra) with Bramhasutras as an arrow, with the itihaasas (Raamayana and Mahabhaaratha) as his sword!”
Even as his disciples exulted at their victory over Maayavaadis, Poornapragnya left Kavu-mata in Kavooru and reached the Janardhana temple at Kodipady for a two-month Chaturmaasa retreat.
End of Sarga 12