|
|
|
|
The following facts help establish the validity of this claim:
The unique
effort made by Sri Madhva in explaining the Vedas fully in accordance
with the rules of Vedic grammar and canons of interpretation -- his
giving the three-fold meanings of the Rg Veda in his Rg-bhaashhya,
which explains as an illustration the first 40 Suukta-s -- and which
has also been appreciated by modern thinkers like Aurobindo -- makes
his Adidaivika interpretation of the BaLitthA Suukta as extolling the
Mukhya PraaNa of the Vedas and Upanishads, particularly significant
and appropriate. There are not many commentators upon the Vedas with
such an ability, and even those who have attempted a global effort
like SaayaNaachaarya have not progressed beyond the first or second
types of interpretation.
The famous Vaayu-stuti composed by Sri
Madhva's student, the learned scholar Sri Trivikrama Panditaachaarya,
as a describing Hanuman, Bhima, and Madhva's simultaneously
worshipping the Supreme Being in the three forms of Raama, Krishna,
and Vyaasa, is an eye-witness account which supports this position.
This composition remains unchanged from Sri Madhva's days and clearly
refers to his three incarnations as described by the BaLitthA
Suukta. Sri Trivikrama himself was a great scholar well versed in the
Vedas and Upanishads, who was in his time a foremost exponent of
Advaita who became Srimad Achaarya's disciple upon losing to the
latter in debate (as has already been noted elsewhere).
The vast
knowledge of Shri Madhva indicated by his commentaries on widely
varying subjects -- Vedas, Upanishads, Brahma-Suutra, Epics, yaj~na-s
(Sacrifices), nyaaya (science of logic), tantra-s, etc., and the
mastery displayed by him in explaining and establishing the consistent
interpretation of all the varied texts within the compass of
Tattvavada would be difficult to imagine and assign to any one with
human limitations. The immense volume of studies which would be
required to write just the two Epic nirNaya-grantha-s on the
Mahaabhaarata and Bhaagavata, as well as his profuse quotes from a
large number of other compositions and Shruti-s, some of which are not
extant today, would be the lifetime's work of several very great
scholars. The brevity of expression used by him, which calls to mind a
comparison with the similarly compact enunciation of BaadaraayaNa in
the Brahma-Suutra, and the multiple
valid meanings that could be assigned to his statements on complex
abstract issues are also the hallmark of a superhuman genius. Such
intellectual powers and enormous knowledge have earned for him the
titles of `sarvaj~na' ("the All-knowing") and
`puurNa-praj~na' ("the one of Complete knowledge") from his
disciples.
It is to be
remembered that Sri Madhva formulated a whole new philosophical system
based on the Vedas as the sole supreme authority, and his work has not
been added to subsequently in bits and pieces by his followers as have
that of many rivals. In contrast with other major Achaarya-s, not even
once does one find him being contradicted, played down, improved upon,
corrected, etc., by his commentators, whereas in many opposing schools,
later scholars have had to do these things to the original works and
expositions in an attempt to ensure consistency, or to answer away some
newer objection. Also in contrast with many others, there are no two
schools both claiming Sri Madhva as their Guru -- Tattvavaada is one
only, and has not forked out into two or more sub-branches even after
all these centuries, unlike other schools, because there is never a case
of ambiguity in Srimad Ananda Tiirtha's words that may admit of multiple
conflicting explanations, and consequent diversity of opinion based upon
those explanations.
Sri Madhva has
re-introduced many new concepts like saakshii,
visheshha, jiiva svabhaava, sarva-tantra
svaatantrya (unconditional/unalloyed Independence) of the Supreme
Being, upajiivya pramaaNa (see FAQ), etc., to clearly explain many issues
which were unexplained till then, which have stood the test of detailed
analysis since; it is but natural for any serious student to accept his
being a special person with divine gifts. It is therefore reasonable to
accept his own statement that he is indeed the Mukhya PraaNa of the
Vedas and Upanishads, incarnated as per the BalitthA Suukta to
establish the true meaning of the scriptures.
The history of
Sri Madhva, which has been recorded for posterity by his contemporary
biographer NaaraayaNa Panditaachaarya, in the Sumadhva Vijaya, contains
numerous instances of his superhuman abilities. A few of these are:
b> His supernatural abilities and strength by which he carried in one hand, a huge boulder 80 feet in circumference and 15 feet high (above 300 tons in weight) for the convenience of people in crossing a stream -- an inscription to this effect ("shrImadAnandatIrthena eka-hastena sthApitA shilA") is present on the boulder, and the event is also mentioned in the Sumadhva Vijaya. At the same time, he himself was once carried on the shoulder of a small boy. Men of large physiques, known to be extremely strong, were challenged and were unable to move a toe he held pressed against the floor.
c> His carrying a train of his disciples across the raging Ganges river by literally walking over it.
d> His knowledge of future events such as the arrival of the ancient icon of Krishna from Dwaarakaa, or the arrival of another learned person after a few days.
e> His consummate control over the actions of other persons like the bad king Ishwaradeva. This king was trying to construct a pond, but the way he was doing it was by having his attendants grab passersby and force them to work without compensation, under threat of physical punishment. Sri Madhva and his students were also asked to dig, upon which the former said that he, as a sannyaasii, had never performed such a task in his life; would the king kindly demonstrate? The king took up a hoe to demonstrate what he wanted, but found himself unable to stop, and in fact dug the entire pond by himself, leaving Sri Madhva, his disciples, and the other coerced workers to go free. Upon this occasion, Mukhya PraaNa, the Vedic deity who controls the denizens of the three worlds, and causes, empowers, and facilitates all their actions, demonstrated that he is in fact the same as Srimad Ananda Tiirtha, when he had a whole pond dug in one session, without stops, a feat not normally possible for any single person -- by a king, no less.
f> His demonstration of the efficacy of Vedic recitations in front of a skeptic in making a seed sprout, grow into a plant and then into a tree, making the tree flower and produce seeds -- all in his bare palm -- as asserted as the `phala' of the Vedic quote which the skeptic doubted.
g> His knowledge of other languages like Turkish, which he spoke to a Muslim king after crossing the Ganges in defiance of the latter's orders. The king was so impressed with Sri Madhva that he offered the latter half his kingdom.
h> His disappearance from the sight of man while in Badari for meeting Veda Vyaasa and NaaraayaNa, and his final disappearance from the Ananteshwara temple in Udupi when a large heap of divine flowers were showered on him from the heavens (it is noteworthy that the mortal remains of all his sannyaasii disciples encased in stone monuments (b.rndaavana-s) are available and are revered by Maadhva-s, whereas no such monument is available in his case, as it is believed that he has gone to the Ashrama of Veda Vyaasa in Badarikaashrama).
It is also worth noting that there was no opportunity for exaggeration or formation of myths, as the authentic history recorded in his own time, has remained unchanged to this day in Maadhva homes, as a sacred text. While there are several different biographies of the leading scholars of other schools, which often conflict with each other, have been written long after the events allegedly described by them, and have little or no support from physical evidence, the Sumadhva Vijaya was written by a contemporary of Sri Madhva, has not been subsequently added to in any way, and does not have to stand against a competing text seeking to counter-assert its authority.
This section is due to Shrisha Rao, with much help and advice from D. Prahladacharya and N.A.P.S. Rao.
Created June 18, 1996; last updated June 18, 1996