Sriman Madhvacharya – Chapter 13

Introduction

Like the previous chapter, this chapter has very detailed descriptions of places, persons and events. Acharya Madhva visits Vishnumangala temple at the request of the King of Kabenadu, Jayasimha. The meeting of the Saint and the King is described in graphic detail. This place is at a distance of 5 Kms from Kasaragodu and is very near Kavu Matha, where Trivikrama Panditacharya resided.

The family background of the scion of the Likucha family is also described. Trivikrama is described as a great scholar with innate poetic talents, widely read and with genuine doubts about Mayavada, which he was born to. Even his father was afflicted by doubts and advised him to worship the Lord as full of auspicious qualities.

Trivikrama studied secretly the compositions of Madhva maintained by his brother, Shankara Panditha, and was deeply impressed by their accuracy, consistency and enormous scholarship. However, even Trivikrama was persuaded to take up the cudgels on behalf of Advaita, as a contemporary great scholar.

Madhva accepts the invitation of King Jayasimha to visit him

After completing Chaturmasya at Pragyavata, Madhva completed the mission of getting his books back. He accepted the greetings from King Jayasimha and proceeded to Sahya mountain to give pleasure to his pupils. One day a messenger from King Jayasimha came to him.

Note: The people at Pragryavata had come to know that Padmatirtha had abandoned the books and run away in the night before Chathurmasya was complete. Madhva left the books in the safe custody of a neutral person with the intention of taking charge of them later in the presence of King Jayasimha. When Madhva started out for Sahya, Jayasimha sent his messenger to request him to come to his capital.

The messenger prostrated to Madhva and conveyed the king’s message – “venerable sir! The king requests you to bless us, your humble servants with your presence to enable him to perform his duty (of awarding punishment to the guilty Padmatirtha and returning the books to you along with apologies)”.

Madhva with great effulgence acceded to the King’s request and started his journey west from the eastern direction sanctifying the earth coming under his feet. This was like the sun rising in the east with increasing brightness and going west sanctifying the earth with his rays.

Madhva’s travel compared to the flow of river Ganga – Anthya Kulaka

The divine Ganga river leaves behind small hillocks inhabited by criminals and flows as a stream of clean massive water even as it is followed (and joined) by many new rivers from the mountains, as it steadily and majestically moves along its course. Similarly Madhva discarded evil men who had stubbornly held on to Mayavada and was followed by good men who developed an adoration towards him making them pure and having peaceful minds, and moved on with his effulgence intensified.

The river Ganga passes the blooming / fruit laden trees coming in its way causing them to bend by it’s momentum and uprooting those stubborn trees which try to resist the flow do not bend). Similarly Madhva made good men with the three assets of Knowledge, Devotion and Renunciation obedient to him by his gentle words and defeated stubborn evil minded men. Thus he showed unstoppable power in his travel.

The people living on the banks of the river Ganga are impressed with its majesty and use it for drinking, bath etc. Even those people who live far away have heard of its fame, as a destroyer of sin (sorrow) and come to it and use it for their redemption.

Similarly, crowds of people from many nearby villages came continuously to serve Madhva during his journey. People from distant places (who had heard of his fame) also came to serve him to achieve salvation.

The river Ganga born out of Vishnu’s feet is sacred and purifies objects which are already pure, further by its touch. It is worshipped by gods, their servants like Gandharvas who are invisible to human sight and by many pious ascetics. Similarly Madhva was also worshipped by gods, their servants like Gandharvas (invisible to humans) and by many pious ascetics. By constantly meditating on the lotus feet of Lord Narayana, he is the greatest soul. He sanctified even the sacred things that made contact with him.

Like the sacred, continuous and defect free Ganga flowing ahead without any check what so ever and shining in its course, Srimad AnandaTirtha (Madhva), the supreme, all knowing, matchless ascetic with a fair beautiful form, shone during his travel.

Note: Madhva is called here as Paramaanandasuthirthasoorirajah. All the constituent words of Ananda – bliss, Tirtha – source, are rendered as superlative and without any comparison being possible with any body else, by adding the adjectives Parama – greatest, and Su – great. He is also called Suriraja – as he is the king of scholars with matchless knowledge unequalled by any one. This expression is appropriate, as a Rju, like Chaturmukha Brahma, Madhva has knowledge which is totally correct and free of delusions always even during universal dissolution and is total with respect to all except about the Supreme Being.

Madhva enters Kabenadu (Kasaragod) and worships at Madanadhipathi temple

In a short time, Madhva reached the state called Kabenadu, whose king was JayaSimha. There, he entered the temple for the deity Madaneshwara (Iswara) worshipped by all.

Note: This temple is in Madhur. Kabenadu is the area bordering the modern Kasaragod. The lands ruled by the Second Jayasimha Varma, the kingdom stretched from Baindur in the north to Hosadurga in the south along the strip of coastal areas. Towards the east, it included such well known places like Udupi, Dharmasthala, Subrahmanya etc. It was well watered by the rivers Suvarna, Phalguni, Nethravathi, Kumaradhara, and Payaswini.

Madhva spent the night at the temple. When he got up before dawn and completed his morning ritual bath etc and other activities preparatory to travel, his pupils understood his intentions for proceeding further quickly.

The ascetic pupils had created partitions from saffron coloured cloth for their uninterrupted meditation. On coming to know of Madhva’s getting ready, they packed up the cloth and other articles like Dandas (sticks), books, etc.

Madhva was wearing prominently, the traditional dvAdasha nAmAs and mudras (Shankha, Chakra, Gada, Padma & Narayana) of Gopichandana on his body. Noticing that they had dried, one of the intelligent ascetic pupils respectfully garlanded him with the green garland of Tulasi leaves being taken after having been offered to the Supreme Being (Hari nirmalya prasada).

One of the ascetic disciples washed his two hands fully, observing breath control and silence (to ensure that exhaled breath/ saliva does not desecrate the sacred items). Concentrating his mind fully, he carried on his head the cloth covered box full of the Saligramas, Idols and other items used by Madhva in his ritual worship tied with string.

A group of young (strong) disciples carried on their heads easily without taking any help water vessels (used in the rituals) and a big heavy box containing their books. There is no quality equal to efficiency, isn’t it?

A new disciple had forgotten where the missing string used for tying bundles (of books etc) had been kept, and was going round anxiously searching and asking others – Have you seen the string? Others loudly laughed at the sight.

As they were about to start, they heard the majestic tolling of the temple’s big bell. Madhva considered this as approval from the Supreme Being, immanent in Lord Madaneshwara in this manner for the travel and started.

Madhva starts from Madaneswara temple to go to Vishnumangala temple

A disciple held an exquisite white umbrella over the head of Madhva, the revered great ascetic. As Madhva himself had the effulgence of the Sun and the umbrella was as bright as the full moon, the combination appeared as if the full moon was shining over the brilliant Sun.

Madhva was carrying always in his heart Lord Narayana, who supports all the three worlds inside Himself. A disciple carried Madhva on his shoulders. This is not amazing as even he is being sustained from inside by (Madhva) Mukhya Prana himself.

Note: The poet is indicating that Mukhya Prana sustains the whole world and thus enabled his disciple to carry him.

During the journey, Madhva was followed by hundreds of persons in the three Ashramas, Ascetics, Grihastas (householders) and Brahmacharis. All of them were constantly studying Vedas and had given up forbidden actions or actions to attain specific desires (except to secure the blessings of God) prohibited in the Shastras. They were correctly practising their rituals prescribed for their status and thus looked like personification of the three Ashramas.

The followers in his party who went with him constantly looking at him, did not even find the journey tiring. It is no wonder. Men attain salvation by merely remembering him

King receives Madhva near Madaneshwara and takes him to Vishnumangala

Madhva was quickly received near the Madaneshwara temple by the noble King Jayasimha (also known in sanskrit as StambhaSimha), who had an auspicious mind.

King Jayasimha got down from his vehicle before nearing Madhva, asked his soldiers (who were on guard on the two sides of the road) to move back, and keeping some brahmins ahead of him, approached Madhva venerated in the three worlds, and prostrated at his feet.

Madhva reached the great Vishnumangala temple quickly accompanied by the humble king with his mind full of great reverence.

Villagers from two villages Vata and Samavaya (Paadi and Kude – in Tulu) along with others (from other villages) had come there with the desire of seeing their king. All of them started looking again and again at the approaching, all knowing Madhva, with great curiosity.

Note: Though the ordinary people were initially attracted by the news of the king coming amongst them, the personality of Acharya Madhva, for whom the king himself was showing such respect and humility attracted them even more.

Description of Madhva Procession

The men, who had gathered, saw Madhva coming forward accompanied by many clever disciples, wearing strings of lotus seeds on their necks, Sudarshana Chakra markings on their bodies, singing melodiously and dancing to the tunes of compositions in praise of the Supreme Being composed by Madhva (themselves).

Seeking Madhva’s blessings, King Jayasimha accepted his being jostled by the crowds ahead of himself, who were bustling to see Madhva, and followed him in all sincerity with folded hands, conveying his dasyabhava (being a humble servant).

Note: The king’s humility and reverence for the great teacher was seen by the people who saw him as one of them, instead of a great king, on this great occasion.

Madhva had the personality and effulgence (of a rising Sun) whose limits could not be determined. Thus, he looked like another Sun, who was a special decoration to the earth.

Note: The Sun in the sky provided light and heat for the day. But the Sun who had come down to earth itself was special and was a great decoration on this great occasion.

Madhva’s pace appeared to be slow, though it was really brisk (because the people accompanying him did not feel the pace). He had a majestic trot like a young and strong lion cub and his feet having a deep red colour and resembling tender sprouting leaves, sanctified the earth he trod on.

Madhva’s toe nails were red excelling the red of the gem PadmarAga mani (Jade). His feet were of the shape of the back of a tortoise. His ankles were round. His knees were fit for worship by great gods (such as Rudra). His two thighs were muscular and rounded like the great trunk of an elephant.

Madhva was wearing a pure silk cloth below his waist (externally covering the loin cloth prescribed for the ascetics). His lean stomach, neck and forehead were having three folds (considered as the characteristic of great men).

Madhva had covered the upper part of his body with a red shawl densely woven from fine soft wool. This was like the radiance of the rising Sun on the bright golden peaks of the Meru mountain.

Madhva had a broad chest and proud shoulders which looked like a high wall. His upper arms were big, round, long, beautiful and like the trunk (of an elephant).

His palms were very red like tender leaves, which had proud ridges and lines with markings of the Flag, wheel etc (All these are considered as Lakshanas of a great man )

At first sight, his radiant face could be mistaken for the full moon. A further look would reveal that it was not the full moon (which has the scars). Madhva’s blemishless perfect face was more radiant than the full moon, and was like an ocean of unlimited pure effulgence.

Madhva’s smile was very attractive, showing his teeth which shone like bright new Jasmine buds. His lips were red and auspicious. His eyes were large like lotus petals. People became happy when he looked at them.

Madhva wore in his beautiful ears the sacred Tulasi leaves. His cheeks were radiant. The mere flicker of his great eye brows was sufficient to create and destroy all the three worlds. (could do good to the good people and destroy the wicked in all the three worlds). His forehead was bright with effulgence.

Note: The description of Madhva’s physical personality from the toes to head is complete here. This appears to be one of an eyewitness who had seen Acharya Madhva. The circumstantial details of the King receiving him also supports this view.

Perfect features of Madhva

Men knowing Samudrika shastra (science of assessing personality based on body features) carefully noted the characteristics of different parts of his body and found them suitable for a good illustration of the features of Idols (for gods). It is not necessary to say therefore, that Madhva has all the auspicious features.

Madhva is reverently seen by the crowds

Madhva was surrounded by the big crowd jostling to see him (properly). Noting that some people, were eager to see him at the outskirts of the crowd, but were scared of the jostling, the kind Madhva showed them the upper half of his body (from the chest upwards) fully.

Note: Madhva had perfect proportions of the body, which includes the height as a proportion of other limbs. Here it is implied that he was taller than average and also that he showed himself by his special powers that every body saw him above his chest.

Madhva enters Vishnumangala temple

Madhva was surrounded by groups of obedient devotees eyes widened with pleasure (at seeing him) and with hands folded in front with great reverence. Thus, he entered Vishnumangala, the temple dear to Lord Vishnu .

Madhva’s discourse in Vishnumangala temple

In the manner of the full moon, accompanied by planet Mars, shining amidst the galaxy of stars, Madhva, the incarnation of Sri Vayu shone with vivid bright radiance along with King JayaSimha amidst other kings.

Note: Madhva is the full moon, and Mars is the King Jayasimha, while other kings are the stars.

Hrishikesha Tirtha, one of Madhva’s great disciples was endowed with a voice conveying dignity, clarity, volume etc. suitable for accompanying (Madhva in his discourses) with his recitation. He recited Bhagavata shlokas melodiously. Madhva, with the six auspicious virtues, explained the story of Lord Krishna, which redeems from Samsara and gives Mukti to the reverent listeners.

Note: The reference is to Bhagavatha Dashama Skandha.

Madhva’s discourse, with the quality of extreme courage (in delivering), his soft, attractive and very clear narration with correct pronunciation in a melodious voice conveying profound meanings fully to the erudite scholars as well as the lay men made them immersed in an ocean of happiness.

The glorious sporting acts such as coming, sitting and conversation etc of Madhva give Mukti to (the good people) by just remembering them. Only gods with the benediction of Saraswathi and Rudra can describe them. A mere mortal with little intelligence like me cannot do it well.

Note: This is a poetic elaboration as the memory of even simple acts of Madhva seen and remembered carry their superior quality, which will take the qualified aspirant further in the path of redemption. Such memory coupled with his unique superior position in the hierarchy of souls leading one to faith and love towards him will surely result in the grace of the Supreme Being. This does not imply a short cut to Mukti, but an aid to it.

Note: I have skipped the Ancestral story of Sri Trivikrama Panditacharya, father of the author. He belonged to the Likucha family (known in Tulu as PEJATTHAYA) , Angeerasa gotra.

Prelude to the famous debate between Trivikrama and Madhva

(The followers of Mayavada approached Trivikrama and requested him to take on Madhva in debate). They said: One very eloquent person (PoornaPrajna) is condemning our traditional Mayavada Shastra. You are very skilled in the use of great logical arguments and should defeat him. No one, other than you, is capable of this feat.

You are like a great elephant, which has bathed in the rivers in the form of Vedas, which sports in the seas of all the Shastras and is well versed in all the nine Kavya Rasas (features of delightful attraction in compositions like Shringara etc). There is no disputant elephant which can stand against you (in debate).

Now, defeat the opponent who has come up by fortune, and get pure renown like the bright moon. Destroy the fear arising to threaten your own people.

Thus prayed to, by the followers of Mayavada, on the basis of their being his own people, Trivikrama spoke some words of acceptance (of their requests). But, as he had (clear knowledge of) very strong valid Pramanas and was capable of removing all doubts himself, he had doubts about his being able to defeat Madhva (in debate).

(He took on some of the disciples of Madhva in debates whenever he got an opportunity). Like an angry elephant blinding its mahout, who uses a sharp goad, by throwing up mud on his face, Trivikrama blinded the disciples of Madhva, who used the sharp goad in the form of precepts from Tatvavada with the dust of prompt and numerous counter arguments to silence them.

In the nights the intelligent Trivikrama studied secretly the important delightful tenets of Tatvavada of Sri PoornaPrajna, which gave him pleasure, (by going through the books available with his brother Shankara Panditacharya, who held custody of the books). He was greatly amazed at the new Shastra.

Trivikrama met Sri PoornaPrajna subsequently and after discussing the subjects in which they had differences in tenets, understood that the Shastra of PoornaPrajna was certainly correct. Still, he did not accept it immediately. A judicious person will always do all things with full perception and analysis.

Devendra (lord of the gods) approaches Chaturmukha Brahma, who pleases those near him with a gentle smile on all his four faces, to learn from him the true tenets of the Supreme Being, Vishnu. Similarly, Trivikrama Panditacharya approached and bowed to Madhva, who pleased every one, with a gentle smile on his beautiful face, at Vishnumangala temple.

Note: Vishnumangala is only 5 Kms from Kavu Matha of Trivikrama Panditacharya. Thus Madhva had already gone there, to make himself and his compositions easily accessible to Trivikrama, apart from other purposes. The action indicates how God guides through proper teachers the acquisition of the correct spiritual knowledge by sincere and qualified aspirants.

The Thirteenth chapter of Shrimadhvavijaya Mahakavya written by Sri Narayana Panditacharya , son of Sri Trivikrama Panditacharya concludes here.

| Chapter 12 | Index | Chapter 14 |