Madhvācārya

na vidyate yasya ca janma karma vā

na vidyate yasya ca janma karma vā
na nāma-rūpe guṇa-doṣa eva vā |
tathāpi lokāpyaya-sambhavāya yaḥ
sva-māyayā tāny anukālam ṛcchati ||
tasmai namaḥ pareśāya brahmaṇe’nanta-śaktaye |
arūpāyoru-rūpāya nama āścarya-karmaṇe ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 8.3.8–9)

“Obeisance unto the Supreme Īśa, unto Brahman, unto he possessed of unending potency, unto he who has no birth or action, no name or form, and no faults in the form of [material] qualities whatsoever, and who by means of his own māyā still accepts these [i.e., births, actions, names, forms, and qualities] perpetually for the sake of the dissolution and the attainment of the people. Obeisance unto he who has no [material] form, unto he who has an excellent [spiritual] form, unto he of astonishing action.”

Read on →

sṛṣṭy-ādikaṁ harir naiva prayojanam apekṣya tu

sṛṣṭy-ādikaṁ harir naiva prayojanam apekṣya tu |
kurute kevalānandād yathā martyasya nartanam ||
pūrṇānandasya tasyeha prayojana-matiḥ kutaḥ |
muktā apy āpta-kāmāḥ syuḥ kim u tasyākhilātmanaḥ ||
(Nārāyaṇa-saṁhitā; cited in Bhagavat Sandarbha: 47; Paramātma Sandarbha: 93; Govinda-bhāṣya on Vedānta-sūtra: 2.1.32)

“Without reference to a motive whatsoever, Hari performs the emanation and so forth [of the universe] out of bliss alone like an inebriated person’s dancing [which occurs as a result of bliss and not for the sake of attaining bliss]. Where is the notion of a motive in this regard for he who is possessed of complete bliss? Even the liberated shall be possessed of fulfilled desires. So how much more so shall this be so for he who is the Self of all?”

Read on →

vādo jalpo vitaṇḍeti trividhā viduṣāṁ kathā

vādo jalpo vitaṇḍeti trividhā viduṣāṁ kathā |
tattva-nirṇayam uddiśya kevalaṁ guru-śiṣyayoḥ ||
kathānyeṣām api satāṁ vādo vā samiteḥ śubhā |
khyāty-ādy-arthaṁ spardhayā vā satāṁ jalpa itīryate ||
vitaṇḍā tu satām anyais tattvam eṣu nigūhitam |
(Madhvācārya’s Kathā-lakṣaṇam: 2–3)

“The kathā (discussion) of the wise is of three types: vāda, jalpa, and vitaṇḍā. The kathā between a guru and disciple, or, in an assembly of other sādhus as well, that is learned [alt., auspicious] and purely for the purpose of ascertaining tattva is [called] vāda. The kathā of sādhus, on the contrary, for the purpose of [attaining] renown and so forth is called jalpa. The kathā of sādhus, on the contrary, with others [i.e., those whose objective is not ascertaining tattva] wherein tattva is concealed is [called] vitaṇḍā.”

Read on →

mṛgayati khalo doṣaṁ

mṛgayati khalo doṣaṁ na jātu guṇam |
maṇimaya-mandira-madhye paśyati pipīlikā chidram ||
(Attributed to Madhvācārya)

“The wicked search for faults and never for qualities, just as ants look for holes inside a jeweled temple.”

Read on →

ye matsarā hata-dhiyaḥ khalu te ca doṣaṁ

ye matsarā hata-dhiyaḥ khalu te ca doṣaṁ
paśyantu nāgamanyantu guṇaṁ guṇajñāḥ |
ālokayanti kila ye ca guṇaṁ na doṣaṁ
te sādhavaḥ paramamī paritoṣayantu ||
(Attributed to Madhvācārya)

“Those who are envious and witless can only see faults, while those who are cognizant of qualities consider only qualities. Those who see only qualities and not faults are the greatest sādhus, and they can find complete satisfaction.”

Read on →

Type your query and press enter

Scroll to Top