baLitthA tad.hvapushhedhAyi darshataM devasya bhargaH sahaso yato.ajani |  
 yadImupahvarate sAdhate matirR^itasya dhenA anayanta sasrutaH || 1 ||

Word meanings:

baT.h         strong (balaatmaka)
itthA         in the same way (itthameva - as in the muula rupa) 
tat.h         that
vapushhe      for the sake of body (for the three incarnations)
adhAyi        was placed, sent, or established
darshataM     full of wisdom - j~naana vyaapta or puurNa
devasya       of the Supreme Lord (NaarayaNa)
bhargaH       (bhar+gaH); bhar=supporting, gaH=moving (through the 
              universe) who sustains the world of life and takes the 
              liberated souls to mukti or the world of the Supreme Being.
sahasaH       of the powerful, (who is balaruupa or of the nature of 
              strength and speed). Also, one who tolerates all inflicted 
              upon him without suffering.
yataH         from whom; from the Lord NaaraayaNa (by His desire and 
              pleasure)
ajani         was born
yadIM         (yat+Im.h); refers to the first incarnation. `Im.h' shows that 
              it is equal to the `muula rupa' (original form) in strength, 
              etc.
upahvarate    always stands near (Raama) with ardent devotion and humility. 
sAdhate       carries out the work of (Raama) - even at a distance.
matiH         wisdom; Hanuman is called matiH because 'hanu[mAn.h]' means 
              'mati' or j~nana (knowledge); thus, `hanumAn.h' is `mati'.
R^itasya      of the Supreme Being, who is the embodiment of Truth,
              knowledge etc.(of Raama)
dhenAH        Raama's words full of purport (literally: cows) -- as they 
              sustain the purpose of the gods with their potency, as cows 
              sustain humans with their milk.
anayanta      he carried (to Siitaa, or to the three worlds)
sasrutaH      full of amR^ita; dripping with nectar; giving mukti

The great god Vaayu (Mukhya PraaNa) is of the essence of strength, speed, wisdom, and sports. He supports the world in the form of Breath. As commanded by the Lord, he takes three forms which have the same capabilities with respect to strength, knowledge, etc., as his original form. His first form, called Hanuman, which is the very manifestation of wisdom, is an ardent devotee of the Lord (Raama), is inseparable from Him, carries out all His commands, and brings His nectarine message to Siitaa. His teachings of the story of Raama bring mukti to His devotees.

Comments:

1> Note that of all the (lesser) gods, only Mukhya PraaNa has the quality that he does not suffer diminution of knowledge, strength, energy, etc., when incarnating. All other deities do, and in fact, in some cases, are not even aware of their identities as deities, and instead suffer all the travails of humans. Thus, while other deities incarnate only as `amsha-s' (fragments) of their original selves, in case of Vaayu, the incarnate is the same as the original, not a "fragment" of him. Thus, Vaayu is the foremost icon of the Supreme Lord Vishnu, as he is of full potency in every form, as the Lord is. According to the rules of worship, one must worship only complete icons, not just fragments, even in case of physical icons like statues, etc. (Notice that nowhere does one worship just a bust or just a carving upto the waist, etc., of the Lord -- every icon has to be a full representation). Therefore, since Vaayu is complete everywhere, he is a primary icon of the Lord and worshippable in every form, and as he is the only one having this property, he is the primary icon, in fact. Thus only it is that the Taittiriiya Upanishad says: "namaste vAyo; tvaM eva pratyaxaM brahmAsi" -- I salute you, O Vaayu, for thou alone art the visible [icon of the Supreme] Brahman.

2> That Hanuman is the very manifestation of wisdom, is very well-recognized, and is in fact used in shloka-s such as the following:

          buddhirbalaM yasho dhairyaM nirbhayatvaM arogatA  |
          ajADyaM vAkpaTutvaM cha hanUmatsmaraNAtbhavet.h  ||

Intelligence, strength, fame, valor, fearlessness, lack of ill-health;
absence of sloth, skill in speech, and many more -- all accrue upon remembering Hanuman.

 pR^ixo vapuH pitumAnnitya Ashaye dvitIyamAsaptashivAsu mAtR^ishhu |
 tR^itIyamasya vR^ishhabhasya dohase dashapramatiM janayantayoshhaNaH || 2 ||

This is explained as follows:

`dasha' means ten, literally; as with cardinal numbers used in scripture, it is also considered to indicate abundance, completeness, or infiniteness.

`pramati' stands for `prakR^ishhTa mati' -- excellent wisdom. Thus, it is synonymous with `praj~na' which also (by a similar expansion) means the same.

`pUrNa' means complete; thus, it is synonymous with `dasha' used in that sense.

Therefore, `dasha+pramati' is equivalent to `pUrNa+praj~na'.

Similarly, `saptashivAsu mAtR^ishhu' is synonymous with `bhiima'. The word `bhiima' means, literally, "he who supports all valid authorities" (bhI for bh.rita meaning supported; ma for maana or pramANa meaning valid authorities). The word `mAtaraH' means measurers of authoritative words or dispensers of authoritative truths; the word `saptashivA' refers to the seven authoritative texts, namely, the four Vedas, the PuraaNas, the Itihaasas, and the Pancharaatra -- one who is well versed in all these constantly is Bhima.

Word-meanings:

pR^ikshaH     pR^it.h (pR^itana)=army; kshaH (kshaya-kArakaH)=destroyer
vapuH         body, form, incarnation
pitumAn.h     rich in food -- `bahvanna bhoktaa' -- who eats large 
              quantities
nityaH        always, everlasting (refers to lack of destruction)
Ashaye        dwelling, sleeping, engrossed
dvitIyaM      the second (form)
aa            always
saptashivAsu  in the seven auspicious     |    collectively refer
mAtR^ishhu    sources of sacred knowledge |    to Bhima
tR^itIyaM     the third (form)
asya          of him (Vaayu)
vR^ishabhasya of the strong one (the great god -- deva shreshhTha)
dohase        for the sake of milking - for filling with knowledge
dashapramatiM Sri Puurnapraj~nya
janayantaH    produced, born, incarnated
yoshhaNaH     maidens, women (the three forms of goddess Lakshmi
              -- Sri, Bhu, Durga)

Translation:

The incarnation Bhima as the destroyer of the (mighty Kaurava) army is the second. He was totally invincible in the war and ate vast quantities of food. He was fully learned in all the shaastra-s -- such as the four Vedas, Mahaabhaarata, Muula Ramayana and Pancharaatra.

The third form of Vaayu, called Puurnapraj~nya (one with complete wisdom), is created by the deities Shri, Bhu and Durga (manifestations of Lakshmi, the eternal consort of the Supreme Being, who is also the abhimaani devatA of the Vedas) to bring back the previously lost tattva-s of the Vedas (like the milk of wisdom) to the world.

Comments:

1> It may be noted that Bhima has not only been stated to have destroyed all 100 Kaurava princes, and innumerable great warriors in the Kaurava army, but also to have personally wiped out a major portion of their strength -- 7 out of 11 akshauhiNii-s.

That he was the most potent in war, and very learned, is confirmed by a shloka from the Mahaabhaarata:

     bhImasena samo nAsti senayoH ubhayoH api  |
     pANDitye cha paTutve cha shUratve cha bale.api cha  ||

There is none equal to Bhimasena, in facing (or leading) an army; in learning, in skill of speech, in valor, and even in strength.

Note in particular that contrary to widespread misconception, his great strength was considered the least of his many winsome qualities, and that his great military prowess was considered to be a quality apart from his strength, i.e., was not a mere derivative of said strength.

2> As has already been noted, Vaayu is called AmR^ita, the one without destruction -- hence the `nitya' used in the Suukta.

3> That Bhima was also known for consuming vast quantities of food, is well-known from the Mahaabhaarata; in fact, he was given the name of `vR^ikodara' (vR^ika + udara); vR^ika=wolf; udara=stomach, appetite, etc.; `vR^ikodara' therefore means "one with a wolf's appetite."

4> In the AmbhraNii Suukta (Devi Suukta), Lakshmi declares:

    yaM kAmaye ta.ntamugraM kR^iNomi taM brahmANaM 
    tamR^ishhiM taMsumedhAm.h  |    

Whomsoever I wish, I make great; I make him Brahma; I make him a Rshi; I make him a wise man.

This quote is not meant to indicate arbitrariness on the part of Lakshmi, but is only to show that she is indeed the controller who empowers even Brahma; thus, the interpretation of `yoshhaNaH' to mean forms of Lakshmi causing the avataara of Ananda Tiirtha, is justified.

 niryadIM budhnAnmahishhasya varpasa IshAnAsaH shavasA krantasUrayaH |
 yadImanupradivo madhva Adhave guhAsantaM mAtarishvA mathAyati || 3 ||

The word `madhva' used in this verse is a composite of two words: `madhu' which means honey, or joy (metaphor) and is synonymous to `Ananda'; `va' which means giver of, and is synonymous to `tiirtha'. He whose teachings give eternal joy of liberation is Madhva, also known as Ananda Tiirtha. Thus, `madhva' and `AnandatIrtha' literally mean the same thing.

Word meanings:

niH           (a particle to be joined to the verb kranta)
yat.h         because -- out of the third form
Im.h          in this manner
budhnAt.h     of the nature of wisdom or knowledge
mahishhasya   of the mighty god (Vaayu)
varpasaH      the attributes of being adored and protector of the good
IshanAsaH     the devas headed by  Rudra (Shiva)
shavasA       with great ease or joy
kranta        knew, was made known or taught
sUrayaH       into the wise ones; sages
yat           who
Im.h          alone
anu           after, by following him, having him as leader
pradivaH      of great brilliance; effulgent
madhvaH       Srimad Ananda Tiirtha with the name of Madhva
Adhave        for the sake of making Him their lord
guhAsantaM    concealed in the cavern of the heart of all creatures     
mAtarishvA    Vaayu (who is also called 'Maatarishvan')
mathAyati     churns; establishes rigorously by detailed analyses

The third form of Vaayu or Maatarishvan known by the name Madhva or Ananda Tiirtha is of great brilliance and effulgence and teaches with ease and joy even the wise ones like Rudra and other gods and sages, the attributes of Lord Vishnu being the main object of devotion and protector of the good, the Supreme Being who dwells in the caverns of the hearts of all living beings. He analyses at great depth all the valid scriptures such as the Vedas, to rigorously establish the supremacy of Vishnu who controls the entire universe.

Comments:

1> The notion that the Lord indwells the "hearts" of all creatures is also stated clearly in the Bhagavad Gita, eighteenth chapter:

        IshvaraH sarva-bhUtAnAM hR^iddeshe.arjuna tishhThati  |
        bhrAmayan.h sarva-bhUtAni ya.ntrArUDhAni mAyayA  || 61 ||

Ishvara (the Supreme) resides in the hearts of all creatures, O Arjuna; He, by his Maayaa, causes all of them to act, as though they were parts mounted on a machine.

 prayatpituH paramAnnIyateparyApR^ixudho vIrudho da.nsu rohati |
 ubhAyasya janushhaM yadinvata AdidyabishhTho abhavad.hdhR^iNA shuchiH || 4 ||

pra           (prefix to be joined to succeeding verb, 'nIyate')
yat.h         for which reason
pituH         from the universal Father or Deity (Vishnu or Narayana)
paramAt.h     the greatest; adjective that qualifies 'pituH'
nIyate        incarnates (is directed to incarnate)
pari          (prefix to 'rohati') -- in all respects
A             (also a prefix to 'rohati'); samyak or excellently
pR^ixudhaH    hunger -- questions which are posed to counter valid knowledge
vIrudhaH      plants, herbs which sprout again and again when cut
da.nsu        with (his) teeth (answers)
rohati        grinds very fine
ubhA          both (Vishnu and Lakshmi)
yat.h         because
asya          his (Srimad Achaarya's)
janushhaM     avataara or incarnation
yat.h         for establishment of valid knowledge or j~naana
invataH       directed again and again (in each Yuga) 
At.h          by the Supreme Being NaaraayaNa, who is denoted by A
it.h          in this manner
yavishhTaH    most youthful or the last incarnation of Vaayu
abhavat.h     was
dhR^iNa       merciful, kind (without destroying physically)
shuchiH       pure, pious

When he (Vaayu) is directed by the Supreme being (Narayana) and His eternal consort Lakshmi in each Yuga for the the third and last incarnation (as Sri Madhva), it is for the purpose of destroying all contrary doctrines which sprout repeatedly, just like an ox grinds fast-growing weeds with his teeth -- and establishing valid knowledge (tattva-vaada). In this incarnation, he displays great mercy and kindness in not destroying evil persons physically (as in the earlier incarnations), but adopts sannyaasa (which enjoins ahimsaa or total abstinence from violence) and maintains non-violence (as he does not have the impurity associated with physical conception, birth, etc.). He has done all this due to his great kindness.

Comments:

1> A question naturally arises, that if Vaayu is always completely potent in every form, then why did he, as Madhva, not annihilate all evil, as he had done the previous two times as Hanuman and Bhima? Surely the lack of "action" must be interpreted as a sign of weakness, inability, or a faint heart?

To answer this line of doubt, the Shruti clarifies that no, such is not the case; that Madhva did not go out and cause the physical extinction of all evil is a voluntary choice on his part, not an inaction forced upon him by incompetence. The reason he did not act against evil physically is a manifestation of his extreme kindness even towards evildoers; it is also an act of kindness towards the Lord's devotees, since if Vaayu were to pound evil to the sand in every form, then less-wise devotees would surely draw the incorrect inference that it is appropriate for one to destroy one's enemies at all times; by taking on a vow of purity and non-violence, Mukhya PraaNa demonstrated that devotees should not be attached to violence as such, and must be equanimous and free of anger even when faced with evil, acting only when enjoined by the Lord's service, and not simply to satisfy their blood-lust or vanity.

2> Srimad Ananda Tiirtha himself has given a similar line of reasoning elsewhere (commentary upon BrhadaaraNyaka Upanishad I.3.9); there, the (hypothetical) question asked is, if Bhima was the incarnation of Vaayu, the foremost of the deities, then why did he apparently fall into the clutches of the `ajagara' (Nahusha in the form of a python) -- why did he not destroy the ajagara and move on? To this, Srimad Achaarya answers that whenever one comes across such an instance where Vaayu has apparently not performed to his fullest potency, one must understand that not doing so is a voluntary choice on his part. To understand otherwise would be opposed to a host of pramaaNa-s which speak of Vaayu's incomparable ability.

 AdinmAtR^irAvishadyAsvA shuchirahiMsyamAna urviyA vivAvR^idhe |
 anuyatpUrvA aruhastanAjuvoni navyasIshhva varAsu dhAvate || 5 ||

Word meanings:

At.h          from Vishnu -- under the direction of Vishnu denoted by "A"
a             in the three yugas as prescribed  
mAtR^iH       mothers (the three mothers Anjana, Kunti, and Madhva's mother)
Avishat       engulfed, entered
ahiMsyamAnaH  uninjured; without suffering worldly sorrow or birth pangs
urviyA        by his own great capacity
vivAvR^idhe   increased, grown greatly
anu           afterwards
yat           because
pUrvAH        in the previous (the four Vedas)
aruhat        climbed (slowly like a tree)
sanAjuvaH     establishing the glory of Vishnu, the eternal being
ni            (a particle qualifying dhAvate)
dhAvate       he runs fast; 
navyasIshhu   in the new (the ItihAsas, PuraaNas, and Pancharaatra)
avarAsu       the lower ones (the Smrtis)

As directed by the Supreme Being Himself, Vaayu entered and stayed in the wombs of his three mothers Anjanaa, Kunti and Viprapatni (wife of Shri Madhyageha Bhatta) till the time of birth (without going through the suffering of conception, birth, etc.). He grew in body and was unaffected by any kinds of impurities or suffering. Sri Madhva studied and expounded (climbed slowly like a tree) the four Vedas (as they are very difficult to interpret and understand in full with total consistency and thoroughness), but the PuraaNas and other powrusheya texts, he just ran through, as they are easier.

(Sri Madhva commented upon Vedic texts with great care and depth, taking note of their complexity, and consequent difficulty on the part of lesser people in grasping their true purport without an in-depth understanding of the Vedaanga-s such as shikshaa, vyaakaraNa, etc., assisted by the Brahma-Suutra-s of BaadaraayaNa. While studying and commenting upon the Smrti-s like Bhaagavata, Bhagavad Gita, Mahaabhaarata, etc., he could go very fast, as they are easier for others to understand.)

This section is due to Shrisha Rao, with much help and advice from D. Prahladacharya and N.A.P.S. Rao.

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Created June 18, 1996; last updated June 18, 1996