Visionaries and Idealists: Madhvacharya - part 1

Hi there!!!! Today, I'm starting a new segment: Visionaries and Idealists!!!! It's inspiring tales of thinkers and innovators, social reformers and nation builders!!! Today's story is about the great philosopher, Madhvacharya. He was a Hindu saint, who believed in the Vaishnava tradition (Vaishnavism is the dialect of Hinduism which follows Vishnu). Let's go…

1238 AD. Ananteshwar Temple, Udupi. A vast number of devotees had flocked to see the renowned Shivalinga during the annual festival. Numerous stalls were set up, selling offerings and fresh, aromatic snacks. All of the people, men and women alike, got stuck in the huge fest. For good reason, too. Anyone who came here, stayed here. They couldn't get out, too!!! Even though all of the gates and doors were open, others would just cram through, making an impenetrable gateway. The fete was a sight to behold. From afar, you would mistake the crowd for an ocean!! A sea of people!!!
When the rituals were about to start, all of the people squashed and squeezed into the temple. Even though the temple had a huge campus, it was impossible to fit the number of people that were there. Many people were crushed by the stampede. Suddenly, everybody stopped moving. They all stared up. Not into the sky, nooooo. Nearly at the top of the sacred pillar, there was a man!!!! He was climbing it!!!!! Everyone was shocked!! They all started shouting at him, telling him to come down. Some people even threw banana peels and apple cores at him. "What is he doing?!!? HEY, CLIMB DOWN!!!!!! HEY!!!!!" Everybody started screaming at him, but he was not perturbed. He just continued climbing and climbing and climbing, until he reached the top of the sacred pillar!!!!! When he reached, the man proclaimed, "LORD VAYU, THE SON OF VISHNU, IS GOING TO BE BORN IN OUR MIDST VERY SOON FOR THE REVIVAL OF THE VEDIC DHARMA!!!!!!!!!"

One of the devotees, Narayana Bhatt, talked enthusiastically, about the man upon the sacred pillar, to his wife as they returned to their village, Pajakakshetra (Now called Pajaka, near Udupi). Narayana Bhatt remarked, " There is so much confusion regarding what constitutes the Vedic Dharma. Only Lord Vayu will be able to show us the right path." His wife agreed, " How fortunate must be the family in which the lord is going to be born!!" Narayana Bhatt chuckled in agreement. They went back to their village and lived peacefully.
A few months later, Narayana Bhatt and his wife were blessed with a child!!! Little did they know that they were the chosen family!!! Lord Vayu had chosen to be born in their family!!!! The baby was born on the auspicious day of Dusshera, in the year 1238 AD. Narayana Bhatt rejoiced at the sight of his newborn baby. On the twelfth day, the baby's naming ceremony was held. He was given the name 'Vasudeva'.
On the day of the naming ceremony, the sage who performed the pooja told Narayana Bhatt, "Your son is destined to be a great man! He will do amazing things and become popular throughout the empire!!!" Narayana Bhatt was astonished by the sage's words. He bowed down to him and replied, "Thank you, Swami. You have done us a great deal by telling us our son's prophecy."

Vasudeva was greatly devoted to God from his early days. He began reciting small shlokas of Lord Vishnu before he could even start crawling around!! His parents praised him for his amazing knowledge of the mantras. On one occasion, Narayana Bhatt's wife was trying to call three-year-old Vasudeva for dinner, "Vasudeva?! Vasudeva?! Where has he gone?" Narayana Bhatt also started calling for Vasudeva. They couldn't find him. He wasn't anywhere in the house!! Narayana Bhatt told his wife, "Stay here. I'll go look for Vasudeva," So, the anxious Narayana Bhatt went out into the night in search of his son. "VASUDEVA-A-A!!! VASUDEVA-A-A!!!!" Narayana Bhatt's cries were not replied at all. He walked as far as the temple of Ananteshwar, but there was no trace of the toddler. Narayana Bhatt thought to himself, "What shall I do? Where shall I look for him?" He approached the glistening walls of the temple and said, "O Lord, you must help me find my son!!" He ran inside the temple. As he reached the holy mantapa, he saw a small boy standing and praying there. "Oh, Vasudeva!! You are here!! How did you get here?! Who brought you here?!" The small toddler just replied, "Father!! Father!!! The Lord himself took me by the hand and brought me all the way here!!" Narayana Bhatt didn't take his son seriously. He didn't know how the Lord could've brought his son there.

On another occasion two years later, Vasudeva's mother had taken him to a religious discourse. A very learned scholar had come to their town. Many sages and scholars flocked to see him.
Vasudeva sat patiently, watching the scholar deliver his speech. He then heard a sentence that the scholar said and was confused! He knew that wasn't the right interpretation that the scholar gave. Vasudeva stood up and pointed at the scholar, "Excuse me, sir. I don't think that is what it meant!" Vasudeva explained the right meaning and wowed the audience. They were all shocked!!! The scholar who was conducting the discourse, called Vasudeva to the stage. He proclaimed, "My child, your love of truth and your courage to stand up for it marks you out as a great soul." He blessed Vasudeva and sent him back to his mom.

Soon, it was time for Vasudeva to begin his formal education. He was invested with the sacred thread, and sent to the gurukul of Totantillaya. He studied very well, learning all of the mantras and shlokas that he was taught and more!!! He would excel in his lessons and make the other students jealous. He was a very prompt student.
Vasudeva was good at his Vedic studies, but Totantillaya was not quite happy with him. He thought that Vasudeva didn't care about his studies and would sooner or later become a dud. "He spends most of his time playing games, wrestling and swimming. At this rate, he will soon lose interest in his studies," He called Vasudeva to him. "Vasudeva! You spend far too much time on play. I'm afraid you are neglecting your studies!" Vasudeva innocently replied, "Pardon me, sir. I am up-to-date with my work. Besides, I don't see the use of repeating what I've heard once and memorised." Totantillaya was enraged at Vasudeva's vain boast. He lividly asked him, "Repeat the shlokas I taught you today!!!!" Vasudeva nodded his head and started to tell the day's shlokas. Totantillaya was shocked!!! He'd never had such a student who could recite that day's shlokas!! But Vasudeva continued reciting!! He even said the verses of some shlokas that were not taught to them!!!! Totantillaya was so amazed and impressed by Vasudeva that he never questioned him again.

The years rolled by, and Vasudeva grew up to be a strapping young lad. He was well-taught in the scriptures. As the end of their stay at the gurukul drew near, the students talked about their future plans. One said, "I shall become a teacher!" Another one said, "I have decided to officiate at yajnas!" Many others claimed that they would become teachers, priests and scholars. Finally, they all asked Vasudeva, "What do you want to become, Vasudeva?!" Vasudeva smiled, "We can run schools and perform sacrifices only if our religion survives the onslaughts of hostile aliens!! Why don't we fight for our own dharma?!" The other boys questioned Vasudeva, "Why should we fight when the world is illusory? That's what the scriptures say!!" Vasudeva was shocked!!! He never knew that the scriptures meant that!!! "I know what I'll do!! I'll become an ascetic and find out the scriptures' true meaning!!"

Thanks for reading Madhvacharya - part 1!! Please type your email in the box above the followers and click the blue button to receive emails about my posts!!!! Happy Reading!!!!