The BaLitthaa Suukta, just like all other Vedic Suukta-s, has three different layers of meanings. The deepest and most fundamental meaning (Adhyaatmika) is the glorification of Vishnu, the Supreme, who is the inner controller of Mukhya PraaNa, the guardian of the Life principle in all.

The Adidaivika meaning refers to Mukhya PraaNa. He is essentially of the nature of strength, of knowledge which is never dimmed or incorrect. He incarnates in this world from time to time as per the desires of the Supreme Lord NaaraayaNa and His eternal consort Lakshmi. In the three Yuga-s: TretA, Dvaapara and Kali, he takes three forms -- Hanuman, Bhima, Madhva, respectively. His incarnated forms also have the same completeness of strength and knowledge as the original form of Mukhya PraaNa does. Vaayu or Mukhya PraaNa sustains the entire universe not only by being the guardian deity of the Life principle, but by supporting its existence even in the physical plane as Vaayu Kuurma. He is also the original teacher par excellance of all other souls for teaching them tatva-j~naana of the Supreme Hari, and His qualities which sustain and control all else, which is essential for attaining salvation from the suffering and misery of the world. He is never affected by evil, being totally free from all suffering and whose closeness to God, strength and learning are such that there is no diminution of his capacity even when incarnated in the world or in the Universal Dissolution. In the first two forms he destroyed all evil persons ranged against God and the Good. In the third form, He obtained the butter of tattva-vaada after a complete churning of the milky ocean represented by the valid authoritative sources like Vedas, Muula Ramayana, Mahaabhaarata, Pancharaatra and the PuraaNa-s such as the Bhaagavata. His greatness has also been extolled by these texts. He is never disturbed from observing the pure and pristine Bhaagavata tradition of total and complete devotion and surrender to Lord Vishnu, the Supreme.

His first form is called Mati or Hanuman, as it is full of auspicious qualities like great strength, wisdom, etc. He is always very close to the Supreme Being in His incarnation as Raama, and sports with great humility in His service. He carried the nectar-like words of Raama to Sita or carries the salvation-giving Muala RaamaayaNa to the good people of the world to lead them to mukti. His second form is that of Bhimasena. He is called Bhima as he is host always to the seven sacred sources of knowledge. He is also called P.rksha, because he destroyed a major portion of the Kaurava army and their noted heroes. He is called Pitumaan as he eats huge quantities of food. His greatness is in sporting always in the seven auspicious texts -- the four Veda-s: Rg, Yajur, Saama and Atharva, and their primary adjuncts Pancharaatra, Mahaabhaarata and Muula RaamaayaNa. His third form is called Puurnapraj~na or Ananda Tiirtha. The eternal divine consort of Vishnu, the goddess Lakshmi with the three forms, Shri, Bhu and Durga created the form by being present in the wife of Madhyageha Bhatta (father of Sri Madhva) -- just as the other two forms were created from the other mothers Anjana and Kunti respectively. From this form only, the great gods headed by Rudra learned the auspicious qualities of the Supreme person -- Hari, to secure Bliss and knowledge leading to Liberation. He obtained by the churning the milky ocean of authoritative sources of tattva-j~naana, the butter of Hari-sarvottamatva or the Supremacy of Hari and His auspicious qualities which he gave to his devotees. As directed by Hari, the Supreme Being, he destroyed various spurious questions and doubts, as well as alternative schools which keep growing again and again just, as a bull crops grass or creepers. He observed the norms of complete non-violence as befitting his status as an ascetic, to show to the the world the correct practices and as the physical destruction of evil in Kali age has been ordained by Vishnu to be done by the goddess Durga. He has no suffering at the hands of evil persons or due to taking human form, such as residing in the womb, birth, etc. He can never be affected by evil as no evil force is ever stronger than him, and as he is completely indestructible due to Vishnu's special presence within him. In his churning of all the sacred and valid sources, he went step by step in the process of interpreting the Vedas (with the help of Vedaanga-s) due to their innate complexity and depth, while the PuraaNas and other powrusheya texts were for him like a level meadow for a sporting and prancing horse. He evaluated all the sources to determine "idamittham" -- this is (definitely) so -- as a complete picture of tattva-vaada, which does not have internal conflicts or contradictions, where all valid pramaaNa-s are correctly interpreted to support the conclusions and where all things have fallen properly into place.

          prathamo hanumAn.h nAmA dvitIyo bhIma eva cha  |
          pUrNapraj~na tR^itIyastu bhagavatkAryasAdhakaH  ||  

                       .. shrIpatirmAnado naH .. 
    .. bhAratIramaNamukhyaprANA.ntargata shrIkR^ishhNArpaNamastu ..

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