- Anugraha : H.H. Sri Sri Vishvapriya Teertha Swamiji
- Author : Dr || Vamshi Krishna Acharya Purohit
- Translator : Sri Sandesh Upadhyaya K
- Illustration : Sri Shreenidhi V
Of the articles that Bali Chakravarti received from Agni, the two quivers were ariktau tūṇau – quivers that never ran out of arrows. The spiritual significance of this was discussed in the previous issue.
Thereafter, another treasure Agni presented Bali Chakravarti with was an armor. While speaking of the armor, it is mentioned as kavacaṁ ca divyaṁ. Bali obtained an impregnable armor. Shukracharya gave this splendid armor to Bali and said, “Nothing will happen to you”. There is a mention of armor in the mahābhārata as well. Drōṇa had given an armor to Duryōdhana. But despite the armor, he was wounded in battle. When Duryōdhana raised his concern with Drōṇa, he suggested, “If you want to remain uninjured, sit at home”.
Bali’s armor was not so. Bali was valiant. That is why Shukracharya gave him a golden impregnable armor and prepared him for the battle. This armor is a kind of worldly cover. At this juncture, one is reminded of Srī Vādirājaru’s words on the armor in one of his works called the Tīrthaprabandha. His words will enable us to understand the present situation from a spiritual point of view. Srī Vādirājaru reveals that it is possible for every human to make an armor for himself internally. During Srī Vādirāja’s pilgrimage to Mathura, his exclamatory remark looking at the events happening around was thus:
sēnā yatra viraktavaiṣṇavajanā nāmāyudhaṁ śrīpatēḥ
kāmādyaiḥ sahitaḥ kaliḥ kila ripuryatrānvahaṁ han’yatē |
prākārādi ca yatra tīrthanicayaḥ karmāṇi varmāmalaṁ
dadyāt sā madhurāpurī śubhakarī śrēyānsi bhūyānsi naḥ ||
Here, while Srī Vādirājaru speaks of the armor, he says karmāṇi varma – an armor of deeds (Karma). Our past deeds and the deeds we perform on a day to day basis protects us like an armor. Our deeds are what will stay with us forever.
At Mathura, an army of hermits (Virāgi) who were armed with the name of the Lord (Nāmasaṅkīrtane), true Vaiṣṇavas were suppressing the demon of desires called Kali. The sanctity of the place is the protective wall that keeps rest of the evil forces away. Srī Vādirājaru gives a marvelous reflection that for this army, their past deeds are the armor.
The name of the Lord is the greatest weapon for a seeker. There is no power that is superior to it. Besides, for every individual hermit there, beholding the birthplace of Lord Krishna every day, circumambulation of Gōvardhana, worship of the Lord, prostrations to Him are the daily deeds that protect them as an armor. They live in a fortified castle i.e., the protection of the Almighty. That is why they are never influenced by desires. Thus, they lived a life free from worry. This army of hermits led a fruitful life of collectively performing good deeds says Srī Vādirājaru.
These thoughts of Srī Vādirājaru are not limited to Mathura. It is essential that one practices it in their daily lives. That is why, Dāsaru in one of his compositions wholeheartedly says ēnu sukr̥tava māḍidaḷō yaśōde. Here sukr̥ta refers to karma. The armor of good deeds performed by Yaśōde in her previous birth has resulted in her being protected now by Lord Krishna Himself. Thus, she now fearlessly performs spiritual austerities that lead to salvation. If we adorn the armor of karma, we can be fearless too.
Deeds performed over lifetimes are our armor. The worldly armor is figurative. Complimentarily, it is the realization of the Lord’s existence which actually protects us. In that sense, as a result of his good deeds, Bali was granted the armor by Agni and Shukracharya.
Thus, let us conclude that Bali (jīva) drove his golden chariot which is analogous to the physical body which was armored as a result of his good deeds.
We too must perform good deeds to combat the enemies called sorrow that are hard to win over in the battlefield of life. We must fight like a true warrior. There is no other option. For that we require weapons. There is no weapon other than chanting the names of the Lord (nāmasaṅkīrtane). Hence to summarize, if we inculcate the weapon of chanting into our daily lives, we will surely emerge victorious in this battlefield called life. Let us perform good deeds. Let us obtain a permanent armor for our lives. That is why Srī Vādirājaru emphasized on nāmāyudhaṁ śrīpatēḥ.
A seeker of Madhva philosophy. Hails from Rupyapeeta (Udupi).
|| विष्णो: सर्वोत्तमत्वं च सर्वदा प्रतिपादय ||
(Hari sarvothama Vayu jeevothama tatva)