Madhwa Vijaya - 27

Sarga 13 Part 2

Some people stood a little away from the milling crowd but craned their necks to see the Achaarya. Fully aware of this, he made himself visible to everyone far and near.

The Achaarya entered the temple (Vishnumangala) even as wide-eyed people with folded hands were falling at his feet.

Seated amongst many high-ranking people including the ruler of Kabenaadu (Jayasimha), was the unrevealed god shining like the moon, along with Angaaraka*, the son of Bhoomi, among the various twinkling stars.

*Mars, here referring to Jayasimha

As the Achaarya explained the Bhaagwatha, and the nectar-like stories contained within them, one of his disciples, Hrishikesha Tirtha*, sang the verses matching the tone and tenor of his guru.

*the first pontiff of Palimaaru mata

The delightful discourse was pleasant to hear, rich in emotion and gratifying to the hearts of both scholars and commoners, bathing them in divine bliss.

The mere recollection of Madhwa’s ways, the manner of his walk, talk, etc. was enough to redeem the jeeva from earthly bondage. But to even attempt to describe these, one would have to be a celestial. Not a half-baked person like me.

There was a great scholar and poet, the virtuous and austere Subramanya Panditha, highly respected by contemporaries, born in the Likucha vamsha, belonging to the gotra, ‘Angirasa’.

His pious wife unfortunately lost her new-borns. Then she prayed to Hari-hara to grant her a son.

By the grace of Hari-hara, she gave birth to an exquisite baby, who was destined to bring fame to the Likucha-vamsha, and was named by his father as ‘Trivikrama’.

At an age when other babies would be stringing sentences with their baby-talk, this young child was composing flawless poems. Even as the newly risen sun is fully capable of illuminating the world.

With strong healthy branches (adept in all branches of shaastra) providing a perch to various birds (scholars) this Likucha tree bore juicy fruits (of wisdom) for the benefit of travellers (those on the spiritual path).

Unconvinced by Maayavaada, he searched for answers which even his guru failed to provide. Bowing to the pressure of his peers, he was compelled to study the same.

When the simple request (tiny rays) of the little Vaamana transformed into the blinding light of Trivikrama, even the sun looked diminished like a mere fire-fly, so also Trivikrama defeated the scholar Prabhakarapuri with his irrefutable arguments.

Subramanya Panditha, an expert logician and an exponent of the one and a quarter lakh grantha of Maayavaada, called aside his son and said:

Listen carefully to my words. There is no point in worshipping a nirguna god. The only path to bliss and salvation is to worship the son of Vasudeva, who has all attributes.

Although taken aback by his father’s words, he paid heed to his words, for even if the influence of Kali slightly blurred his outlook, he was inherently very astute. He pondered thus:

The only authentic text available to us is the Bramha-sutra composed by Baadraayana (Vedavyaasa). The 21 commentaries are contradictory to each other and therefore not authentic.

If one sheds one’s obstinacy and looks at these texts objectively, it appears quite disagreeable. Despite this, one cannot help but read the bhaashya composed by Shankara, for the sole reason that it has been in existence for a very long time.

Assuming that digesting the essence of the Upanishads is an uphill task for the average person, let us consider the methods of propitiation prescribed for salvation in both the Upanishads and in granthas like the Mahabhaaratha…

The ones who have mastered the supreme knowledge tell us that the only one worthy of worship is the omni-present Sat-chit-ananada*. If this Brahman is formless, it means he has no limbs, no shape and no resplendence**.

*Brahman

**for resplendence or light also assumes some form

Worshipping such a god may grant us salvation, which is also nothing/ filled with darkness. This argument seems untenable.

While following all the tenets of Dharma-shaastras, it seems right to worship the god full of attributes in whatever manner one is capable of.

Around the time the worshipful Pandithaachaarya had this insight, the fame of Poornapragnya fell on his ears. But the advocates of Maayavaada egged him on in various ways. They said: You are the only one who has the guts and the wit to defeat this upstart. You are the king elephant among scholars. No lone tusker stands a chance if it opposes you. You have swum in the rivers of the Vedas and the oceans of shaastra. Rise to the protection of our philosophy.

Now, Pandithaacharya the one who was regarded as the dispeller of doubts, entertained doubts himself, but spoke convincingly nonetheless.

Wounded by the goad (ankusha) of Madhwa’s words, like an elephant in pain, Trivikrama kicked up a storm of responses.

All the while rejoicing within as he savoured the pith of Madhwa’s scintillating counter-points, he did not divulge his delight to others. But despite being convinced about Madhwa’s philosophy, he did not easily accept defeat. For the wise weigh all possibilities before arriving at a conclusion.

When Trivikrama Panditha finally accepted Madhwa’s philosophy, he prostrated at the feet of Poornapragnya who was camping at the Vishnumangala temple. A truly divine sight, it seemed as if Indra himself was prostrating to Chaturmukha!

End of Sarga 13