SRI MADHWACHARYA...
Reincarnation of Lord Vayu
It is believed that Sri Hanuman, Bheema and Madhwa are the three
manifestations of the Wind God, Vayu. In the name of Hanuman, he served Lord
Rama. As Bheema, he served Sri Krishna. And again, he chose to serve Lord Sri
Vedavyasa in the name of Sri Madhwa.
Sri Madhwacharya regarded as an incarnation of Vayu, the Wind-God was born in
the year 1238 A.D. He was born of Madhya Geha a Tulu Barhmin and Vedavati at
Paajaka near Udipi in South Kanara district of Karnataka. The father gave him
the name Vasudeva.
Childhood of Sri Madhwa
Madhwa distinguished himself in physical exercises and field games. He had a
wonderful physique. He could wrestle, run, jump and swim. So people gave him
the nickname Bhima. Madhwa took to the study of the Vedas and the Vedandas
and became well versed in them. He was performed upanayanam in the age of
five. He took Sannyasa in his eleventh year. Sri Madhwa was born or became a
Sanyasi (in his 11th year) on Vijaya Dasami day of the Indian year, Vilambi.
Mostly this day comes in October. Even today, Maadhwas celebrate Vijaya
Dasami as Madhwa Jayanti also. Achyutapashacharya initiated him. Madhwa was
now known by the name Purna Prajna.
Sri Madhwa head of the mutt
Achyutapashacharya put Madhwa as head of the Mutt in his place. Madhwa
received the name of Ananda Tirtha now. He went on an extensive tour in
Southern and Northern India to preach his gospel of Bhakti. He had written
thirty-seven gradhas like Geetha Bhasyam, Suthra Bhasyam, Anuubhasyam.
Anuvyakyam. It is believed in pronouncing the names of those thirty-seven
grandas itself one gets sanctified.
Miracles performed by Sri Madhwacharya
Sri Madhwacharya had performed many miracles. Then Sri Madhwacharya was
camping in Srimushnam a place twenty-six Km from Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu,
observing the Chathur masa vritha. To squelch the thirst of a pregnant lady
he produced water with his Danda. The Danda Teertha in Srimushnam is a
notable holy spot for Maadhwas. On an occasion he stilled the waves of the
ocean when he went to take bath. On an another occasion he was on the beach
of Malpe composing a hymn. He sighted a ship that was caught in the storm and
by waving his hand, saved it from being capsized. The captain of the ship had
offered him a lump of Sandal paste as a gift, which the Sri Madhwacharya
took. When the Sandal paste was broke and disclosed the presence of the idol
of Lord Krishna. Sri Madhwacharya had a pre-sentiment that this idol of Lord
Krishna is the one, which was worshiped in Dwaraka by Shri Rukmani. He
installed the same, at Udipi. He had established the eight mutts in Udipi to
spread the Dvaita philososhy and to worship of the Lord Krishna in Udipi.
Sri Madhwacharya's Dvaita
Sri Madhwacharya is the great exponent of the Dvaita School of philosophy.
Dvaita is employed to indicate this difference between God's infinite
perfection and the finiteness of everything else. His Vaishnavism is called
Sad-Vaishnavism in order to distinguish it from the Sri-Vaishnavism of
Ramanujacharya. According to his philosophy, the Supreme Being is Vishnu or
Narayana. This universe is real and is not Mithya or an illusion. The finite
beings comprising the universe are subject to a system of gradation,
beginning with the Goddess Laxmi, followed by other minor gods, seers, human
beings and undivine beings. The rank of any soul in this scheme of gradation
depends on the degree of its devotion to God. God is an embodiment of all
virtues and excellences and ever remains untouched by any kind of blemish (Dosha).
He has countless Roopas and forms.
Pancha-bheda
Every follower of the Madhwa School should have a firm belief in the
Pancha-bheda—five real and eternal distinctions. The distinction between one
Jiva and another Jiva (jeeva-jeeva), between the Jiva and matter (jeeva-jata),
between one piece of matter and another (jata-jata), between matter and
spirit (Jata-Deva), between the Supreme Being and the individual soul (Deva-Jeeva).
The worship of Vishnu consists in (i) Ankana, marking the body with His
symbols, (ii) Namakarana, giving the names of the Lord to children and (iii)
Bhajana, singing His glories. Sri Madhwacharya laid much stress on constant
practice of the remembrance of God (Smarana). He says, "Form a strong habit
of remembering God. Then only it will be easy for you to remember Him at the
moment of death".
Renunciation, devotion and direct cognition of the Lord through meditation
lead to the attainment of salvation. The aspirant should equip himself with
the study of the Vedas, control of the senses, dispassion and perfect
self-surrender, if he wants to have the vision of the Lord. These are some of
the important teachings of Madhwacharya, the renowned exponent of the
dualistic school of philosophy.
Unique revelation
Sri Trivikrama Panditacharya, contemporary of Sri Acharya Madhwa had a unique
sight of seeing Sri Madhwacharya worshiping Lord Krishna, and he was wonder
struck to see the divine sight – Hanuman performing puja to Sri Rama, Bhima
to Sri Krishna and Madhwacharya to Sri Vaashsta Krishna (Sri Veda Vyasa). .
It seems that Sri Madhwacharya had reveled to Sri Trivikrama Panditacharya
that he is the third avathara of Vayu, the Wind God.
It is believed that even now Sri Madhwa is ever residing in Bhadrinath and
learning from Sri Veda Vyasa.
|| Hari sarvothamaha Vayu jeevothmaha ||
||Mukhya Praanantargata Sitapati Sri Ramachandra preeyataam||