- Anugraha : His Holiness Sri Sri Vidyadheesha Teertha Sripadaru
- Compiled by : Krishnasakha
- Translation : Dr. Sudheendhra Putt, Secunderabad
In deference to the beseeching by Bhumidevi, the four-faced Brahma, together with the other devatas descended upon the ocean of milk. He deified the supreme being and the sublime qualities that adumbrate Him by means of the Purushasookta. Lord Narayana who is extolled in the sookta and who is chiefly described in the Vedas speaks through Akashavaani. Those words uttered by the Akashavaani were not heard by anyone else. Only the four-faced Brahma heard those utterances; the Bhagawata states that it was Brahma who then narrated the words to all those present there:
Girim samaadhau gagane sameeritaam
Nishamya vedhasthradashaanuvaacha ha
Gaam paurusheem meshrunutamaraah
Here is a key point to ponder. When the words of the Almighty God are not comprehended by the devatas, it is the four-faced Brahma who expatiates on them. Even the devatas are incompetent to directly understand the words of the Almighty God. It is imperative to have the grace of Brahma. This is an axiom that needs to be firmly bulwarked.
The words of God do not refer to only those uttered by Him in the ocean of milk although it includes those as well. It is pertinent to note that when Brahma alludes to the words of the Almighty God, the reference is to ‘paurusheem gaam’. Go is a renowned reference to the Vedas. Therefore, the words of the Purusha (God) are the same as the profound Vedas that emanated from Him and the Paurusheya scriptures such as Bhagawata that were authored by Him. For these to be understood even by the Devatas, the grace of Brahma is essential. It is only Brahma who will be able to convey their true purport. None else is blessed or qualified enough to hear the scriptures directly from God.
It is to the credit of Brahma to have heard the (preaching of) Vedas directly from God. Prana is the element or phenomenon that is on the same keel as Brahma. It can be viewed from the Shatprashnopanishad that for assimilation of right knowledge, all the devatas beseech Prana. All the devatas congregate and sing paeans to him. They request him to make them realise themselves. Maatheva puthraan rakshasva shreshcha pragnamcha dehi nah. Here, prana is an allusion to Brahma. Such allusions are customary in the shastras. In his Brahmasutra Bhashya, Acharya Madhwa substantiates this point by quoting from the Paingishruti. Praanam vaava mahaan saha ojoo balamithyachakshatee – finally, when attaining salvation (moksha), perceiving or seeing God is possible only on the advice or recommendation of Brahma. Sa etasmaath jeeaghanaath paraatparam purushayam purushameekshate.
On earth too, when there arose a predicament about understanding the true purport of the teachings and aphorisms of Vedavyasa, the supreme God sent the same Pranadevaru. It was this prana element that descended upon the earth and incarnated as Acharya Madhwa. The pranaagni sookta elucidates the same point; yadeemanu pradivo Madhwa aadhave….dashapramathim janayanta yoshanah and similar other averments.
When one critiques over such statements as being authentic and bereft of any conjecture or misadventure, it becomes abundantly clear that to obtain the grace of God, it is essential to obtain the grace of Brahma/Pranadevaru. It will be but a pipe dream to receive the grace of God without the guidance and sage counsel of Acharya Madhwa. May we traverse in the path adumbrated by our Guru Madhwa and thus, obtain the grace of ‘Maa’dhawa – the consort of Lakshmi and the true knowledge.
Brahma, Lakshmi & Vishnu Image: Wikimedia
Ever engaged in the sadhana of Srimadvaishnava Siddhanta of our Guru, Acharya Madhwa and all the Yatis and Dasas who have blazed this noble path. May HVG bless us all