Friday, December 27, 2013

Madhva Vijaya

Sri Narayana Pandita was born in Likucha or Pejattaaya family, of Angirasa Gotra Bhagavata Sampradayam, which has indeed done yeomen service to Madhwas by writing the Biography of Acharya Madhwa in his life time. He is the is the author of Suma\\\dhvavijaya, biography of the founder of the Dvaita school of philosophy, Sri Madhvacharya. His Date is around 1350 AD.

Sri Narayana Panditacharya was the son of Trivikrama Panditacharya, one of the direct disciples of Sri Madhva. Narayanacharya was born in about 1280 AD, a junior contemporary of Acharya Madhwa.

He was a born poet like his esteemed father: Kalabhaashana eva sooripota: Kaviraaseet anavadyapadya vadee, - in his early child hood itself, he used to compose Shlokas in praise of God, thogh they were Bhagavata under the control of Shrigeri Mutt. Once Trivikramacharya was defeted in his debate with Acharya Madhwa when he was a scholar in the Court of Jayasimha Raja in Kuble Province, the family converted itself to Madhwa Fold.

In the beginning of Madhva Vijaya, he says:

मालाकृतः तच्चरिताख्य रत्नैः
असूक्ष्म दृष्टेरकूतहलस्य ।
पूर्वापरीकारमथाऽपरं वा
क्षाम्यन्तु मॆ हन्त मुहुर्महान्तः ॥

My role as a biographer of Acharya Madhva  is that of a person making a flower garland, without knowing which fragrant flower should be tied first to the thread, meaning in his curiosity to tell many things about Madhwa, he is not sure of the sequence of events, he says politely.
His epic work Madhwavijaya consists of 16 sargas or cantos, and gives an extensive insight into the life and philosophy of Sri Madhva. It is the only authentic work available on life of Sri Madhva, as Narayana Panditacharya was a junior contemporary of Sri Madhva. He has also written his own commentary on Sumadhvavijaya, Bhava prakashika, in which he explains the real names of the Sanskritised Kannada and Tulu names of persons and places in Sumadhvavijaya. Without this commentary it would have been  difficult to understand the Kavya, to people out of Tulunadu.
Sri Narayana Panditacharya has also written numerous other works such as Shiva Stuti, Narasimha Stuti, Narayana Stuti, Lakshmee Stuti, Sangraha Ramayana and Prameya Nava Malika.
Sangraha Ramayana is a condensed form of Ramayana, basically in accordance with Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya which has Moola Ramayana Story is in 8 chapters. with more than 3,000 slokas. 
Sangraha Ramayana was printed in 1890 AD, has now been reprinted (in Nov. 2008) with Kannada translation by Dr. V. Prabhanjanacharya. "Prameya Nava Malika" also known as "Anu Madhva Vijaya" is a condensed form of Sri Madhvacharya's Biograghy told in just 32 Slokas. Sri Raghavendra Swami has written a commentary on it in his Purvashrama days.

Manimanjari & Shubhodayam are his other kavyas.

Manimanjari gives an account of the History of Vaishnava Acharyas before the avatara of Sri Madhvacharya. It has eight cantos or sargas written in simple Sanskrit poetry. It is, in fact, one of the first Sanskrit poems thought in the traditional Madhva learning circles. In the first two sargas Ramavatara story is narrated briefly, Third and Forth sargas deals with the Krishnavatara story. The last four sargas deals with history of Vaishava Acharyas prior to Sri Madhvacarya and the eighth sarga ends with the advent of Sri Madhvacarya.
Sumadhvavijaya is a continuation of this. There are about half a dozen Sanskrit commentaries on this and a couple of them are in print. Shubodaya is a Spiritual Poem where the poet experiments with different meters.
To Sri Narayana panditacharya's credit is also a commentary on Sri Vishnutatvavinirnaya, less popular but the best of Dasha Prakaranas by Sri Madhvacharya. This tika is called "Tattvamanjari". Hence he can also be regarded as "Prachina Tikakara".
His ancestral home is still there in Kasargod district of Kerala and is called "Kavu Mutt". His descendants still live there. The majestic icon of Srivasta Narayana handed over by Sri Madhvacharya to Sri Trivikrama Panditacharya is still worshipped
there. There also a vrindavana there, where he was entombed. This also gives raise to a doubt that he might have been ordained as a sanyasi in his old age.There are two Brindavans which are supposed to be that of Trivikrama & Narayana Paditacharyas, the father & the son, near Madhwa Vijaya Pillar.
Sri Madhvacharya Prashasti

व्रुष्त्यादीनां नियन्त्येयभिहितचरितः सर्वगीर्वाणरत्नैः
गन्धर्वैर्गीयमानो द्युसदसि सकलैः कौतुकादम्यमानः ।
दृष्ट्वा सम्स्त्तूयमानः सुरतरुकुसुमैरार्य आकीर्यमाणो
मध्वो जाज्वल्यतेऽसौ जगति विजयते सत्सभामंगलाय ।
- Sri Madhvacharya could control rain and natural havocs, praised by Angels, watched by people with honour & awe, was showered wit divine flowers by Angels. Sri Madhva is a bright star in the gamut of leraned people and even Angels.
- Sri Narayana Panditacharya (Anu Madhva Vijaya - Prameya Navamaalika) 






Trekkers' Delight near Bengaluru