Shri Madhwacharya – 6

• Illustration : Smt. Chomini Prakash

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Vaasudeva was always thinking about God and he was singing even as he was playing the ball.

The whole world was anticipating the arrival of the genius who could revive the Vedic Dharma. Many wrong interpretations had distorted the true essence of Vedic Dharma and the virtuous were pining in perplexity for want of its true sense. Vaasudeva decided to enter the order of Sanyasins as he felt that this was the best means to fulfill his life’s mission. Asceticism is the best Ashrama for the instruction of

knowledge and Vaasudeva went out of his house to become a Sanyasi at the early phase of his life. There was a monastery near the town of Udupi headed by Achyutaprajna. His other names were Achyutapreksha and Purushottamatheertha. He came of the order of Ekanthi-Vaishnavas of the Ekadandi order. Owing to the strong influence of Mayavada which was prevalent at that time, he happened to lose the core of his original tradition. His mind was in oscillation as it could not experience the tenets of Mayavada. His teacher had also cautioned him towards the end of his life by the following message “ Mayavaada says that Brahman is devoid of all qualities and the world is unreal. It also negates the presence of any difference between Atma and Paramathma and considers Jeeva as Brahman.

These basic tenets of Mayavada are beyond comprehension and do not have any convincing base in the Shastras. But I too do not know the right way, may you attempt to know it. For that knowledge, conciliate God. May you be fortunate”. He had also exhorted him to adore Narayana with all devotion. These words of his teacher were always lingering in the mind of Achyutaprajna and he started worshiping Lord Anantheshwara of Udupi. Lord Anantheshwara was pleased with the exceptional penance of Achyutaprajna and predicted in a very mystic way that he would obtain an extraordinary disciple who could show the right path not only to his guru but also to the whole world. It was during this time, Vaasudeva approached him for Sanyasa.

Vaasudeva was always thinking about God and he was singing even as he was playing the ball.

The whole world was anticipating the arrival of the genius who could revive the Vedic Dharma. Many wrong interpretations had distorted the true essence of Vedic Dharma and the virtuous were pining in perplexity for want of its true sense. Vaasudeva decided to enter the order of Sanyasins as he felt that this was the best means to fulfill his life’s mission. Asceticism is the best Ashrama for the instruction of knowledge and Vaasudeva went out of his house to become a Sanyasi at the early phase of his life. There was a monastery near the town of Udupi headed by Achyutaprajna. His other names were Achyutapreksha and Purushottamatheertha. He came of the order of Ekanthi-Vaishnavas of the Ekadandi order. Owing to the strong influence of Mayavada which was prevalent at that time, he happened to lose the core of his original tradition. His mind was in oscillation as it could not experience the tenets of Mayavada. His teacher had also cautioned him towards the end of his life by the following message “ Mayavaada says that Brahman is devoid of all qualities and the world is unreal. It also negates the presence of any difference between Atma and Paramathma and considers Jeeva as Brahman. These basic tenets of Mayavada are beyond comprehension and do not have any convincing base in the Shastras. But I too do not know the right way, may you attempt to know it. For that knowledge, conciliate God. May you be fortunate”. He had also exhorted him to adore Narayana with all devotion. These words of his teacher were always lingering in the mind of Achyutaprajna and he started worshiping Lord Anantheshwara of Udupi. Lord Anantheshwara was pleased with the exceptional penance of Achyutaprajna and predicted in a very mystic way that he would obtain an extraordinary disciple who could show the right path not only to his guru but also to the whole world. It was during this time, Vaasudeva approached him for Sanyasa.

Soon after the Sanyasa, Sri Poornaprajna expressed a desire to go to the river Ganga for a holy bath. Achyutaprajna was afflicted with the agony of getting separated from his Shishya. He was not ready to send Poornaprajna even for a few days. In response to the sincere prayers of Achyutaprajna to Lord Anantheshwara, mother Ganga came sloshing in the Anantha Sarovar. All had a holy bath in the holy waters of Ganga and this incident facilitated Achyutaprajna to retain his disciple for the time being.

B.N Venugopal