Philosophy of Śrī Madhvācārya - B.N.K. Sharma

Notes from today's reading.

VII. DOCTRINE OF MUKTI

CHAPTER LIV NATURE OF THE RELEASED STATE AND ITS STAGES

He talks about Maitreyī - Yājñavalky's samvada - "न प्रेत्य संज्ञास्ति इति" on how Maitreyī could not understand that there is no consciousness after death.

Madhva holds that the released retain their individual consciousness as released and rest in full knowledge of their deliverance from all misery:

आजन्ममरणं स्मृत्वा मुक्त्वा हर्षमवाप्नुयुः

According to Madhva, Aparokṣajñāna or direct vision of God in his aspect of one's Bimba, opens the door to spiritual redemption.

Madhva distinguishes four states of the fruits of Aparokṣa: (1) karmanāśa (2) Utkrānti or Laya (4) Mārga and (4) Bhoga

Madhva distinguishes between two kinds of anārabdha karma (karma that has not yet begun to bear fruit) viz., इष्ट and अनिष्ट. अनिष्ट is destroyed and इष्ट is credited to the account of released in mokṣa. The प्रारब्ध alone remains to be worked out. According to Brahmasūtras iii.4.16 reductions and concessions are possible wrt प्रारब्ध.

अपरोक्षज्ञानिन्/जीवनमुक्ता continues in his phyiscal frame till प्रारब्ध gets over.
The destruction of linga śarīra takes place along with four-faced brahman's

Jayatīrtha defines mokṣa in dvidalātmaka: आत्यन्तिकदुःखनिवृत्ति (destruction of sufferings) परमानन्दावाप्ति

Madhva system accepts fourfold distinction of mokṣa into Sālokya,  Sāmīpya, Sārūpya and  Sāyujya taught in Bhāgavata purāṇa. Vyāsatīrtha in this Nyāyāmṛta, mentions that these represent and ascending order of blessedness.

CHAPTER LV CRITIQUE OF THE CONCEPTION OF MOKSA IN OTHER SYSTEMS

Jaina: ceaseless upward flight in Alokākāśa (nothing spiritual/divine about it to kindle heart of seeker)
Buddhists: nirvāna entry into mahāsūnya (forbidding in aspect)
Advaithic: same as buddhists except for absorption into Brahman (kartṛkarmabhāva)

CHAPTER LVI MADHVA'S VIEW OF MUKTI

Madhva discusses the famous text of Chāndogya अशरीरं वाव सन्तं प्रियाप्रिये न स्पृशतः
and establishes that it is only the material joys and pleasures that are regarded as disagreeable to mukta and ruled out while the intrinsic bliss of selfhood adn its enjoyment are accepted without reserve.

Sūtrakāra says that released souls can fashion at will (in conformity with God's will) suitable bodies of śuddhasattva or enjoy themselves with their own spiritual bodies composed of cit, ānanda etc. The released may rest in the contemplation of their own blessedness, contrast their present with past and feel thankful for deliverance. They may adore the majesty of God and sing his praises in thousand ways, offer sacrifices, only that nothing is obligatory there, no punishment if not done. Unlimited scope for spontaneous creative work of any kind - karma, jnana, bhakti

It is freedom from all conditions that distinguishes the life in Mokṣa from ordinary life. बन्धप्रत्यवायाभावे हि मोक्षस्य अर्थवत्तवम्, अन्यतथा मोक्षत्वमेव न स्यात् (Brahmasūtra bhāṣya iii.3.3) 

भक्तिर्ज्ञानं तथा ध्यानं मुक्तानामपि सर्वशः।

साधनानि तु सर्वाणि भक्तिज्ञानप्रवृद्धये।

नैवान्यसाधनं भक्तिः फलरुपा हि सा यतः॥ 

(Madhva, commentary of BrhUp i.4)

Madhva has brought together certain texts beraing upon nature of life in the released state. Most important being:

सर्वे नन्दन्ति यशसागतेन सभासाहेन सख्या सखायः

अक्षण्वन्तः कर्णवन्तः सखायो मनोजवेष्वसमा बभूवुः

Some enjoy with women, some praise lord, some exclaim words like hāvu, hāvu, some practise yajya as per purvaabhyasa, some have darshan of pitradi, some play with suddhasattva nirmitta sarira, some dance, some play instruments - 11 such points as per author of Madhvasiddhantasara.

Next weekend:
CHAPTER LVII RATIONALE OF ᾹNANDA-TᾹRATAMYA IN MOKṢA

The rights and liberties of the freed are constitutionally defined and properly safeguarded by the principle of undictated harmony (satyakāmatā) of their nature. There is no room for discord or jealousy there. Each one has his reward and each feels so happy and full to the brim: like bowls and pitchers, rivers and seas filled to capacity.

Concept of svarūpānandatāratamya. Every released soul is perfect in its own way; but the perfection (pūrṇatva) of each is distinctive, sui generis. It is an expression of self hood.

It is a conception which applies to spiritual life the principle of peaceful co-existence and fellowship to the whole community of the released souls and guarantees to each one of them the fundamental right to exist sui juris and to be in a position to have complete and distinctive enjoyment of its own selfhood and Svarūpānanda in communion with Brahman.

Dwidala in Akka's home

Akka has kaimanam, that some women have, imparting special taste to anything she prepares. Came for cauvery pre dawn dips for karthik navami and it was sheer ambrosia after usual pepper rice with arvi in pg for dwidala.

Friday

Agathi Keerai

Poovam vaazhai poo

Mango rice, Coconut pepper chutney, agathi keerai poriyal, vaazhaipoo poriyal, curd

 Saturday

Sundaikayi

Amla fresh from backyard

Sundaikai poriyal, arai nellikai poriyal, chow chow poriyal, curd

Mango Rice recipe
Splutter mustard, cumin seeds in ghee
Add shredded raw mango, turmeric, salt pepper to taste
Shallow fry, leave it covered for a minute

Coconut Chuntey Recipe
Shred coconut, add pepper, salt to taste, tadka with mustard and curry leaves

Am used to take each stigma separately. Akka removed the maroon coverings in on go, and removed all the stigma in a jiffy.

Vaazhaipoo poriyal Recipe
Cut plaintain flowers
Do tadka with mustards, cumin seeds, curry leaves in ghee
Stir cut plantain flowers, add salt pepper
Leave it covered in slim flame for 10 minutes without adding water

Agathi Keerai poriyal Recipe
Tadka with mustards, cumin seeds in ghee
Add cut agathi keerai and stir for a minute
Add pepper, salt, turmeric, add water as required
Leave it covered for 30 minutes in slim flame
Add shredded coconut

Realized quite late that sundaikai is allowed in dwidala as well as shaak
Sundaikai Poriyal Recipe
Tadka with mustards, cumin seeds, curry leaves in ghee
add cut/uncut sundaikai
Add salt, pepper, turmeric and stir for a minute
Leave it covered, without adding water, for 15 minutes

Arai Nellikai Thokku recipe
Tadka with mustards, curry leaves in ghee
Add shredded nellikai, turmeric, salt, pepper powder
Stir, don't add water, leave it covered in slim flame for 5 minutes
This is yum with curd

Chowchow poriyal
Tadka with mustards, curry leaves in ghee
Add chopped chow chow, turmeric, salt, ground pepper
Stir, don't add water, leave it covered in slim flame for 20 minutes
Add shredded coconut

Krishnashtami

Akka's home by 3.33

Started off at 3 pm itself, much against the wishes of my team mates, so that i could hit bed by 10 pm at akka's home. Mom was to meet me at akka's place. Lady pickpockets stole mom's purse on the way and mom's reasoning was she travelled on her birth nakshatra (same as lord Krishna) on ashtami. Salem's 3.33 reached in 3 hours 23 minutes. It was another bus trip from Salem. This time, i again travelled further thankfully only 20 minutes before returning. Didn't bother to check yatra panchAng or travel timings. It was pouring heavily and we got thoroughly drenched by the time we reached home. Akka had got castor oil for cleansing tummy before fasting.

River water was full and it was wonderful to stand neck deep in waters and take dips praying. Cauvery current was manageable. Seeing me take 108 dips, the kids nearby started taking 108 dips as well. There was a police van near the river to combat caste based clashes during festivities. Curfew was imposed in the village, but thankfully all went well. Made a sarvato bhadra mandala kolam copying from laptop much to the amusement of neighbours who commented on missing little krishna's feet.

Akka wanted to spare the oil hence she made neivedya kolukattais on wood fire instead of gas stove. End of the day, it was akka's home. Didn't want her to strain making murukku and seedai, so let her do whatever she wanted to offer.

After a midnight prayer to rohini moon and krishna, we hit the bare floor with the cocks mercilessly waking up us early morning with their crowing ruckus. Mom joined me for another final trip to river with dips in swift flowing water and we returned home to find buttermilk with amla and ginger to break fast. Had done EFT on friday itself so that i could break fast on sunday. Helped akka with making agathi keerai chappatis and gorged in previous day evening's kolukattais. Akka made idlis for the family, since with the festivities, agastya keerai was not allowed for the family.

Sundaika 

On Sunday, just ate the whole day till tummy burst. Sundaika was surprisingly not at all bitter.

Kollukattais, agathi keerai chappathi, sundaika moong dal, pal kolukattais

Madurai by Seshadri express

My compartment had babies, toddlers and kids of all ages. Reminded me of Kempty falls, where hundreds of kids were present in one place. The breast feeding mom travelling by herself, announced that she had to get down at Thirunelvezhi. Was wondering how come she is wearing black. Early morning, when she was apologizing sorry papa to the crying baby and alighting, it didn't register my sleepy mind.

Hawkers shouting alwa alwa made me wonder, what is this place before Madurai that sells halwa just like in Thirunelveli. Was lying in side upper and wondering why on earth a guy was watching so many snaps of women's hair and backside. When he realized am watching, he quickly switched on the goddess wall paper. I woke up around 6:23 am and decided to get down thinking anyway destination is sometime past 7 am and the whole compartment is empty, let me come down. The first station name i saw was Valliyur and the train stopped at a place between two hills and windmills. On the way i saw clouds sitting on the mountains. Was just gazing at the windmills and a young couple sitting on the platform with their baby.

At last around 7 am decided to ask the guy in the compartment as to when Madurai will come. He said, we had crossed it long before. Was surprised and quickly alighted and asked the uncle on the platform and i got the same answer. Realized busstop was the other side, so had to get down the other side, cross the track and climb up to platform.

There was a Nagercoil lady who said Nagercoil was hardly 15 minutes away in train and she described how different it was from Virudhunagar where she was born. She said who ever came from Virudhunagar to Aralvaimozhi caught wheezing and how people here took bath in rivers instead of closed bathrooms. She was visiting her mom leaving her husband alone because Aralvaimozhi acclimatized husband could not survive Virudhunagar's scorching heat. She kept on stating urangAdhe and asked the ladies next to me to tell me the stop. Got a ticket in Coimbatore express which was arriving in a while and reached brother's new place close to 2 pm instead of 3-4 am. In a way good, bro had to work even on independence day and am glad he did not have to get up so early. Bro's new place was a fine structure, new building and we could see Thiruparankundram hillock from his terrace. Mom came around 9 am on Sunday and we finally left my brother peacefully around 6:30 pm. Mom in one place, sister in another, brother in another and me in another. God only knows if we could ever spend a festival together.

Suppan kannaku

Verdant serenity even in April hot summer in SITHUNAVAYAL near HAPP, Trichy

अपमार्ग | நாயுருவி | Acyranthes aspera

 

 

Mom is standing in background locating karisalankanni, while i clicked.

Snap has not done justice to the dark pink prickly fruits, as if tiny insects are sitting in perfect symmetry

True nature of soul is bliss. Bliss exists at all levels, physical, ethereal, mental, discerning, absolute bliss.
Physical Level: C-sections are prevalent all over during delivery. Just imagine scarless painless delivery. My first yoga teacher told this would help in normal delivery when tied below knees of a pregnant woman during her labour period. It had to be immediately removed post delivery it seems.
Ethereal Level:

Mom said, as children, they would ask another kid to hold this and pull it out swiftly for fun. But this would cause such irritation and pain, that only village children can bear and forget and still play around together.

Medicinal Uses:

• herb for digestion, burns fat, helps in downward peristalsis movement - ayurvedicdietsolutions 
• enhances will power and controls the mind of user - Ashwini Kumar Sharma
• breaks stones, used for urinary calculus, irritation in bladder and urethra - herbtime
• helps in labour inducement during delivery, but should not be used before full term - 101herbs
• 14 curing recipes with apamArg - astrogle

Mar 9th update
Hardly, 2 months passed, and the summer is already scorching, the greenery on the roadside has disappeared, its all turned yellow and dry. MAtham mumAri, when was that period ever??? 60s folks born in Chennai lament, how pleasant Chennai was then and how unbearably hot it is now. And tree plantations are now sponsored by real estate magnates from Australia and Belgium, selling Indian land to Indians as exorbitantly priced apartments, without any natural trees around. With India's population!!!

Apparently nayuruvi seeds when eaten will make hunger disappear for even 6 months. My teacher talks of a wood (i don't know what wood) that burn without smoke for 6 months. No wonder folks meditated with food/water for months together.

Nayuruvi, kuppaimeni, karuvepu ilai chutney

Kambu rava ghee roast, nayuruvi chutney, maanga moong dal sambhar, athi palam smoothie

Chutney Recipe:

• Stir fry equal quantities of curry leaves, nayuruvi leaves and kuppai meni leaves in ghee. Took a fistful of each leaf
• Add a little ground nut (optional) and sliced ginger with 1 big green chilli as per taste and fry along with leaves (liberal doses of ginger if morning) *
• Let it cool
• Add a quarter medium sized coconut, salt and grind till it reaches the consistency you like the best
• Fry mustards, cumin seeds curry leaves in oil and add to this chutney

* Guiding principle is ginger in morning, dried ginger in afternoon and haritaki or kadukAi at night

VAta NArayan Kambu ghee roast
Pluck fresh vAta Narayan leaves and grind them to a smooth paste
this batter has kambu, rava, wheat flour with cumin seeds, pepper along with vAta nArayan paste

Mango Moong dal SAmbhar
One or two mangoes fall down every now and then, when mangoes are there, who needs tomatoes or tamarind for tangines. The fallen side is damaged, or birds or squirrels would have pecked it, we chop that off, and use the rest.

• Add moong dAl, shredded mango, chilli-corriander-turmeric-salt and pressure cook
• Heat ghee, splutter, mustards, cumin seeds, curry leaves with asafoetid and add pressure cooked dal
• Garnish with finely chopped corriander leaves

PanchAng stated payovrat sometime last month, and ever since that i have been experimenting with milk shakes - with fresh rose leaves (results in violet milk shake), yummy Avaram poo milk shake and today it was athipalam smoothie, with jaggery and ellaichi.

Mar 12 2016 update
It was my varmam aasaan who introduced nayuruvi in his lecture. And now i realize, this is a prohibited leaf. So is athi palam. When tomatoes are getting prohibited, you can imagine the list of prohibitions. Gave up ice creams, gave up this as well.

Nilavembu | Andrographis paniculata | Bhu neem / KAlmegh | Kirayat

  

If we have bitterness competition between nilavembu and Adhuthoda, don't know which will win. Praying should never have to drink this decoction for brain fever, snake bites and the like. Just as mom was pointing to me, we were rather surprised to see a lady in scooty, carrying so much of nilavembu, the whole plant. My college days, Srirangam nAdi jyoshiyar's name was KAlamegham, a very stout dark, rohini, with bulging eyes. He was the final deciding authority on everything then, including can i reciprocate fellow classmate's love. If he said, no, then cut-cut once for all. Interesting to know that he has the name of such a bitter herb.

List of common names - wiki

Medicinal Uses:

• to cure viral fever, dengue, brain fever - bimbima
• appetizer, liver stimulant, vermicidal - herbalcureindia
• for treating acidity, indigestion, wind, gastritis, peptic ulcers, colitis including ulcerative colitis, heartburn, and diarrhoea. It is best to combine it with aromatic spices like coriander, fennel, cardamom or black cumin to prevent aggravation of Vata from the bitter taste - positivehealth

Pournami avial

Starting 2006, a Dec 18, got me addicted to thiruvanamalai girivalam on pournamis, so much so that, i would dread onsite opportunities. My dear Baroda friend fasts the whole full moon day and visits temple travelling 3-4 hours one way. Now, most full moon nights, i lay awake on the PG terrace tracing the path of the moon on the sky along with stars. PanchAng said, sarvashAk nivedhan. Hence avial. Not all, at least some veggies.

My Hyderabad friend offers a minimum of 60 vegetables to shAkambari devi. Out of 100, after removing prohibited vegetables, at least 75 or so remain, he says. Interesting customs.

Shop quoted 20 Rs for one tiny mango, so mom didn't buy it. There were couple of mangoes hanging up on the terrace even in dhanur mAs. So asked mom to  pluck the smaller one.

Yellow pumpkin, mochai kottai, chow chow, mango, senai kilangu, vAzhai kAi; Payir, Kothavaranga, beans, carrot, avarakkai

 

Aviyal - Moon is the master of all herbs, everything unto him

Sunday hence - Wheat Milk jaggery ellaichi pudding, Aviyal soup, SAmbhar, Curd

Recipe for Wheat Pudding

Stir fry normal wheat flour (1-2 spoons for two people) in lots of ghee

Slowly add milk, stirring constantly, so that lumps are not formed

When wheat is cooked, add jaggery, ellaichi towards end and mix well

Add fried badam, cashew or raisins

Recipe for Avial

Chop your choice of vegetables

Boil them in turmeric, salt water

Grind a quarter coconut, 1 table spoon cumin seed to a smooth paste

Heat coconut oil in kadai, splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves

Add the boiled vegetables, mix well with coconut paste and take off the flame

With the water left after boiling vegetables, add lots of freshly ground pepper and drink as soup.

The joy of simple things - kept gazing at the roses and jyoti and finally clicked. Wonder what is there in mango leaves! After months after instruction, at last plucked one leaf for RAghavendra swAmy

Mom would sweep, while, i would wrap the kolam, just as milk cooker starts whistling

Wonder how that period would have been, when women actually drew rice flour kolams for ants and smaller creatures! Life has changed after guruji. Dhanur mAs is a refreshing month. Nothing can rejuvenate better than pre-dawn magic. No matter when you go to sleep, get up early, offer pongal to God before sunrise. Only early morning temple visits in PG; at home, cleaning, kolams, neivdhyam, everything before sunrise. His path is difficult, am just trying with all my lacunae. Trust some day, am there. Amazing! this whole movement of sun and sky above! There is freedom in absolute surrender and obedience. When colleagues, question, how many rules, i now i realize, it is just being in tune. Wasting a full moon ardra, so back to work.

Aviyal for my future sister in law:

Manathakkali keerai kootu, vaazhai thandhu more kootu, potato roast, avial, beans paruppu usili, cauliflower peas fry, pineapple kesari, akaaravadisal