Haridasara Mundigegalu – II

Mundigegalu in Vedas & Puranas:

• Author : Smt. Radhika V. Upadhyaya
• Translator : Smt. Dhanashri Parthakudi

The language of the Vedas is enigmatic. Although the outwardly meaning seems symbolic, when understood properly, they mainly enunciate the qualities of the supreme Lord. They mention the ephemeral benefits of study and embody a unique style that rouses the interest of the reader. On the one hand, there are scholars who have failed prima facie in coherently understanding the enamourus meaning of the Vedas, and on the other hand is our Shri Madhwacharya who has presented three different factual meanings to the Vedas. He was the first to decode the ‘mundigegalu’ (vedic riddles), dislodge the incorrect theologies and propound the true meaning of the Vedas to the virtuous people, the knowledge of which would ultimately lead them to salvation.

This style of mundigegalu has been used abundantly in the Mahabharata, Bhagavata and other puranic texts. The language used therein is instructive, philosophical and mysterious.

An example of a mystical verse (guhya shloka):

ucchishtam shivanirmaalyam vaantan cha mrutakarpatam |
kaakavishtaanasamudbhootam pancha pootani Bhaarata ||

ucchishtam (Leftovers) – leftovers of the offerings made to Lord Shiva (called as nirmaalya), vomit, cloth used to cover a corpse, feces of the crow – the superficial meaning of this verse indicates that these are sacred. However, it seems absurd.

Ucchishtam – Leftovers are never holy. However, leftovers of the husband are sacred for the wife. The milk from the udders of the cow, which has been spittled by its calf, is holy and fit to be offered to the Lord. But, the the hidden meaning which is to be inferred here is that the remnants of the food offered to the supreme Lord Vishnu is the most sacred.

Shivanirmaalyam – As Lord Shiva contained poison in his neck, offering of milk, curd, etc., to the Shivalinga turns poisonous too. Padmapurana states that the nirmaalya of Lord Shiva is not fit for consumption. Ganga who adorns the head of Shiva is sacred. Ganga emerges from the feet of Lord Vishnu and sanctifies Shiva is what is to be understood from the word shivanirmaalyam.

Vaantam – Vomit is most repugnant. It is impure. Here, the term vomit is to be inferred as honey. Honeybees collect honey from several flowers, hold the honey thus collected in their mouth and upon reaching their hive, vomit it thereby producing delicious sweet honey.

Mrutakarpatam – The outwardly meaning is the cloth covering the corpse. However, mrutakarpatam means silk cloth. The silk cloth woven from the thread derived from the body of the silk worms that die in their cocoons is sacred.

Kaakavishthaanasamudbhuutam – Feces of the crow is unholy. However, crows eat the fruits of the Ashwatha tree and the very seeds of this tree that come out through the crow’s feces are what cause the birth of a new Ashwatha tree. Thus, kaakavishthaanasamudbhuutam refers to the holy Ashwatha tree.

In this way, though the outwardly meaning seems inauspiciousness, the inner implications are delightful.

Dhanashree Kanmadikar