Music and poetry
The authentic biography of madhvAchArya, shrI madhvavijaya says that AchArya was a great musician. The author says that once AchArya made a barren tree bloom with flowers and fruits just by singing melodious songs.
ayamEva gOviShayatOπ
sadasi janatArthitO javAt|
puShpamRuta phalamahO vidadhE
janasuptidAnupamagAnasaMpadA|| (10-53)
bhAVaprakAshika mentions that AchArya had composed gAnashAstra.
His exemplary sense of music and poetry is reflected in his compositions known as dvAdasha stOtra. The same trend of composing poetry infused with bhakti meant for singing (hADugabbagaLu) was carried on by kalyANI dEvi, vAdirAjaru, nArAyaNapanDitAcharyaru , etc. This was the beginning of the glorious dAsasAhitya and haridAsa parampare.
YakshagAna which is performed even to this day was initiated by AchArya’s direct disciple shrI narahari tIrtha under the guidance of AchArya. These forms of performing arts were used to spread ~jnAna to the masses.
Composing songs meant for singing was initiated by shrImadAchArya only. None of the pUrva AchAryas had done anything like this (today some of the compositions of other AchAryas have been popularised by musicians. However those were actually not composed for the sake of singing. In other words they are not haaDugabba-s)
JayadEva’s gIta gOvinda is a shRungAra kAvya the main purpose of which was to glorify the romantic aspect of kRuShNa. Again this has been made popular by musicians and dancers owing to its beautiful poetry and themes that can be used for recitals. None of these are haaDugabba-s like those of AchArya.
ayamEva gOviShayatOπ
sadasi janatArthitO javAt|
puShpamRuta phalamahO vidadhE
janasuptidAnupamagAnasaMpadA|| (10-53)
bhAVaprakAshika mentions that AchArya had composed gAnashAstra.
His exemplary sense of music and poetry is reflected in his compositions known as dvAdasha stOtra. The same trend of composing poetry infused with bhakti meant for singing (hADugabbagaLu) was carried on by kalyANI dEvi, vAdirAjaru, nArAyaNapanDitAcharyaru , etc. This was the beginning of the glorious dAsasAhitya and haridAsa parampare.
YakshagAna which is performed even to this day was initiated by AchArya’s direct disciple shrI narahari tIrtha under the guidance of AchArya. These forms of performing arts were used to spread ~jnAna to the masses.
Composing songs meant for singing was initiated by shrImadAchArya only. None of the pUrva AchAryas had done anything like this (today some of the compositions of other AchAryas have been popularised by musicians. However those were actually not composed for the sake of singing. In other words they are not haaDugabba-s)
JayadEva’s gIta gOvinda is a shRungAra kAvya the main purpose of which was to glorify the romantic aspect of kRuShNa. Again this has been made popular by musicians and dancers owing to its beautiful poetry and themes that can be used for recitals. None of these are haaDugabba-s like those of AchArya.
Gender of the soul
AchArya madhva explained that gender is the property of the jIva and not the gross body. The sthUla sharIra is jaDa which gets discarded and destroyed periodically. And jaDa cannot have attributes like gender. Therefore gender is the attribute of the soul.
This cleared a lot of confusions present in shAstras.
Madhvacharya said that every sAtvika soul is eligible for mOkSha including women and shUdras. There was (still is) this misconception that a jIva has to be born only as a brahmin male to perform sAdhane for mOkSha. Women, shUdras and vaishyas were considered nIcha yOnayaH unfit for mOkSha sAdhane. AchArya madhva eliminated all this false dogmas.
In the 9th chapter of the gIta, Lord kRuShNa says:
mAm hi pArtha vyapAshritya yEπ syuH pApayOnayaH
strIyO vaishyastatha shUdrastEπ yAnti parAm gatiM|| (9- 32)
This verse was misinterpreted by all pUrvAchAryas that the birth of women, vaishyas and shUdras are degraded or sinful births.
However AchArya gave the true meaning of the Lord’s words that pApayOnayaH refers to men who are cursed to be born as women due to some sinful acts or souls of higher kakSha-s taking births in lower orders (like dEvatas being born as vaishyas or shudras).
This means that Lord is so kind that He ensures mOkSha even to such cursed souls (who are eligible for mukti)
This cleared a lot of confusions present in shAstras.
Madhvacharya said that every sAtvika soul is eligible for mOkSha including women and shUdras. There was (still is) this misconception that a jIva has to be born only as a brahmin male to perform sAdhane for mOkSha. Women, shUdras and vaishyas were considered nIcha yOnayaH unfit for mOkSha sAdhane. AchArya madhva eliminated all this false dogmas.
In the 9th chapter of the gIta, Lord kRuShNa says:
mAm hi pArtha vyapAshritya yEπ syuH pApayOnayaH
strIyO vaishyastatha shUdrastEπ yAnti parAm gatiM|| (9- 32)
This verse was misinterpreted by all pUrvAchAryas that the birth of women, vaishyas and shUdras are degraded or sinful births.
However AchArya gave the true meaning of the Lord’s words that pApayOnayaH refers to men who are cursed to be born as women due to some sinful acts or souls of higher kakSha-s taking births in lower orders (like dEvatas being born as vaishyas or shudras).
This means that Lord is so kind that He ensures mOkSha even to such cursed souls (who are eligible for mukti)
tAratamya
The concept of tAratamya is mentioned in the shRutis. The taittarIya and chAMdOgya upanishats give details of tAratamya.
This concept was highlighted and stressed upon by shrI madhvAchArya which none of the other pUrvAchAryas did.
tAratamya or hierarchy is based on the inherent attributes of the soul. This is an eternal system which holds good even after mukti.
This inherent gradation is not unfair because unequal treatment of unequals is just, where as equal treatment of unequals is unjust. The Lord gives the souls their due based on the intrinsic yOgyata.
A study of the shRutis makes one realize how practical and true the system of gradation is. For example, the iMdriyas are controlled by the mind (manas). The mind is controlled by the intellect (buddhi) and we see that iMdriyAbhimAni dEvatas are inferior to manObhimAni dEvatas who are in turn inferior to the buddhyAbhimAni dEvatas and so on…
This knowledge of tAratmya is yatArtha ~jnAna and is an intrinsic part of mOkSha sAdhane.
tAratamyaM tatO ~jjEyaM sarvOcchataM harEstathA|
Etad vinA na kasyApi vimuktiH syAt kathaMchana|| (MBTN – 1.82)
Ref: matatrayasamIkShA
Author: Dr. A V Nagasampige
Publisher: Shri Raghavendra darshana kendra
Discourses of Shri Bannaje Govindacharya
This concept was highlighted and stressed upon by shrI madhvAchArya which none of the other pUrvAchAryas did.
tAratamya or hierarchy is based on the inherent attributes of the soul. This is an eternal system which holds good even after mukti.
This inherent gradation is not unfair because unequal treatment of unequals is just, where as equal treatment of unequals is unjust. The Lord gives the souls their due based on the intrinsic yOgyata.
A study of the shRutis makes one realize how practical and true the system of gradation is. For example, the iMdriyas are controlled by the mind (manas). The mind is controlled by the intellect (buddhi) and we see that iMdriyAbhimAni dEvatas are inferior to manObhimAni dEvatas who are in turn inferior to the buddhyAbhimAni dEvatas and so on…
This knowledge of tAratmya is yatArtha ~jnAna and is an intrinsic part of mOkSha sAdhane.
tAratamyaM tatO ~jjEyaM sarvOcchataM harEstathA|
Etad vinA na kasyApi vimuktiH syAt kathaMchana|| (MBTN – 1.82)
Ref: matatrayasamIkShA
Author: Dr. A V Nagasampige
Publisher: Shri Raghavendra darshana kendra
Discourses of Shri Bannaje Govindacharya
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