TEXT PROBLEM WITHIN THE BOOK ONLY CD OU160053> Vedant series. Book No. 9. English aeries (I) \\ A hand book of Sri Madhwacfaar^a's POORNA-BRAHMA PH I LOSOPHY by Alur Venkat Rao, B.A.LL,B. DHARWAR. Dt. DHARWAR. (BOM) Publishers : NAYA-JEEYAN GRANTHA-BHANDAR, SADHANKERI, DHARWAR. ( S.Rly ) Price : Superior : 7 Rs. 111954 Ordinary: 6 Rs. (No postage} Publishers: Nu-va-Jeevan Granth Bhandar Dharwar, (Bombay) Printer : Sri, S. N. Kurdi, Sri Saraswati Printing Press, Dharwar. ,-}// rights reserved by the author. To Poorna-Brahma Dasa; Sri Sri : Sri Madhwacharya ( Courtesy 1 he title of my book is rather misleading for though the main theme of the book is Madhwa philosophy, it incidentally and comparitively deals with other philosophies such as that of Sri Shankara Sri Ramanuja and Sri Mahaveer etc. So, it is use- ful for all those who are interested in such subjects. Sri Madhawacharya, the foremost Vaishnawa philosopher, who is the last of the three great Teachers,- Sri Shankara, Sri Ramanuja and Sri Madhwa,- is so far practically unknown to the English-reading public of India. This is, therefore the first attempt to present his philosophy to the wider public. Madhwa philosophy has got two aspects, one universal and the other, particular. I have tried to place before the readers both these aspects. I have re-assessed the values of Madhwa and other philosophies, and have tried to find out also the greatest common factor,-an angle of vision which has not been systematically adopted by any body. He is a great Harmoniser. In fact mine isS quite a new approach, I have tried to put old things in a new way. I have adopted an easy and VI conversational style in order to facilitate the un- derstanding of a difficult subject like philosophy. I have tried to combine firm convictions with li- berality of spirit. The writing of the book needs a Personal Note which has been given on Page XIII I have also the main conclusions for immcdeatc glance. Acknowledgement: I openly acknowledge with gratitude the gracious help of three hundred rupees donation given by the Revered SriSri Pwarkanath Swamyji of Goa Partagal Mut but for whose en- couragement, I would not have taken up this work. I remember with gratitude Late. Major B. D. Ba- su from whose book I have taken some extracts. My thanks are due to the manager of the Sri Sa- raswati Printing Press who had to take much trou- ble for my sake and who has kindly given concessi- ons for payment. Thanks to Mr. T. A. Kukanur for typing easly the manuscript of this difficult book. I silently acknowledge the help given by others. No thanks need be given to my son-in-law Sri Varadraj Huilgol M.A.B.T. for going through some typed copies of my manuscript and to my son Chi. Krishna for helping me in correcting proofs etc. 1_1_1954 MAIN CONCLUSIONS I Madhwa is the most faithful disciple & re- presentative of Sri Veda-Vyasa. is rna- Brahma II Madhwas Para-Brahma Poo ; his fundamental Siddhanta is Poornatwa- Siddhanta. III Universe is the Outer-Form of God. IV Souls are the partial reflections of God in Prakriti. V Madhwa is the greatest and widest Vedic- Interpretor yet unsurpassed. VI Madhwa is the first and foremost Researcher of Maha-Bharat. VII His Poorna-Brahma theory can accomodate many other school?, with a little spirit of give & take. VIII An historical review of the evolution of our philosophy is taken. IX (a) Practical compromise (6) Philosophical understanding and (c) Spiritual guidance are the three main objects which I have placet before myself in writing this book. X Original design of Vaishnavism and original explanation of many symbols. GITA-BHAVAN ) ~,/, / r *J4(falsestcyActf/ 1 1 jQ54 CONTENTS. PART I POORNA-BRAHMA & POORNATWX SlDDHANTA. Chapter .... Page 1. Sri Madhwas Life Works & Life-Work 1-11 My objects 1; Sri Madhwa's Life works- 7; Life work 9; 2. Veda-Vyasa and Madhwa 11-22 Necessity of Religion 11; Vedic Epochs 14 Definetion of Veda 14; Vyasa epoch 17; Epoch of Acharyas 20; 3. Uniqueness of Madhwa Works 22-40 Vaishnavism Very ancient 23; Madhwas Rhug-bhashya 23; Madhwa Pioneer of Reser- ch. 26; Madhwa's Avatar-hood; 27; Vastness, 2; Madhwa His style 29; originality of inter- preation 32; Puranic terminology 34; Mahar- shi Daiwarats opinion 36; 4. Madhwa's Main Propositions 40-50 Misunderstandings about God 40; Madhwa's main propositions are four 41; Popular erro- rs about Dwaita 43; Brahma-Vishnu & Nara- yan 47; 5. Poorna-Brahma A; Guna-Poornatwa A.50-65 Guna-Poornatwa 51; God is knowlableSl; Science of names 52;What is God ? 54; Guna- Poornatwa explained55;Guna-Guni AbhedaSO; IX Bahu-Rupa & Avatar- Rupas 57; what is full worship ? 61; objections answered 63; Method of proof 63; 6. Poorna-Brahma B; Nirdoshatwa c; Tat-Tantratwa 65-89 Nirdoshatwa 70; Tat-Tantratwa 74; Contra- versial topies & Solutions suggested, 79; SA- GUNA-Nirguna 79;Sakar-Nirakar 80;DwiTA- ADWAITA 81; Shoonya-Poorna 84; Ramanu- ja-Madhwa 85; Symbolism 85; " 7. Natun; (Rama or Laxmi) 89-101 Re-view 83; God is a Homogeneous substance 91; Poornatwa is an abstract idea 92; Vedant terminology 93;Definition of male & female93, Characteristics of Rama or Will 94; Univer- se created through Laxmi 97; Forms of Will 99; Procedure of Creation 100; 8. Fullness of God in the Universe 101-123 Purpose of creation 104;- Jada-prakriti 105; Process of creation 108;Steps in CreationllO; Fullness of God in the Universe 111; Sym- bols and their significances 111; Brahma (Ch- turmukha) 113; Mukhya-Prana 115; Madhwa <& Mukhya-Prana 116; Mukhya-Prana's birth & occupation 118; Description of Prana 1 19; Hanuma-Madhwa & Bheema 121; 9. The* fullness of God in Man 123-145 Summing up 123; jeeva.tatwa 125; world i& a Gymnasium Hall 126; Definition of jeeva 127; jeeva and their four bodies 127; Ling- Deha 129; Source of knowledge 137; Means of Knowledge 139; Bimba paroksha 140; Con- clusion 143. 10. Conclusion 145-150 Re-Call to memory 145; Whirl-pool of human logic 146; IVUdhwa's method 148. PART III . - - ,SADHANA 1. Fullness of God Sadhana 153-164 Field of Sadhana 153;God full in Sadhanal54, Consensus of opinion among Vedantins 155; Is Sadhana necessary? 156;what is Man? 159; Madhwa's optimism 164; The Goal and the Path 162. 2. Basic Principles of Sadhana 165-183 Madhwa & the worl'd 165; Samsara a Circuit 166; Ten Eternals & their utility 167; what is Sadhana?! 68;Sadhana & self help 169;who is a Sadhaka?171;Candidateship. of a Sadhaka 172, Royal Road to the Temple of God 173; what is that royal road? 174. Value of Bhakti 175;Hand-H33id & Ha art 177; Definite steps in Sadhana 173; Sadhanas & Customs 180. 3. Science of Vedant. 183-197 Vedant & other sciences 1 83, Science of Yedant 186; Challenge to Ssientists 188; XI Princeples of Vedant Science 190; Vedant& its sub-divisions 192; Experiments vs. Experiences 194. 4. Spirituology -Physiology &Psychologyl97-207 General 197; Spirituology 199; Psychology 203, Physiology 203, Prana-Vidya & how to develop it 205. 5. Karma-Jnana & Bhakti etc- 207-220 Preliminaryiremarks 207; Vairagya 208;Life after death 209, Karma 20; Divisions of Karma 210; Karma-Ksha\a 211; Jnana 212; Ignorance is the root of Knowledge 213; Gradation of Mental faculties 215; Bhakti 218. 6. Upasana-Aparoksha & Moksha 220-239 I Upasana 220. method of meditation 222, Dhyana <& Samadhi 223, II Aparoksha225,what is Aparoksha?225Effects of Aparoksha 227, Instinct and Intuition 228, Kanaka-Das & Aparoksha229,Adhyatma-Yo- ga 231. HI. Moksha231,What is Moksha ?232 Objection answered 233, Points of keenest differences 235. 7. Varnashrama-Dharma 239-253 \ Introduction239,Group of Souls240,Social sy- stem of Bharat242,Root princeples of Varncu shrama242,Organisation of Yarnashrma 243, Madhwa & Castes 245, My seheme of re-orga- Xll nisation 247, Sadhana for Whom ? 250, Charactristics of Bharateeya culture 252 8- Final Conclusion. Sadhan & self sacrifice 953, Basic System of Vedie edncation 255, My attitude 258, Basic Principle 259, Parallels betweon, MR. dhwism, and Zarathustrism 260, Dark age with new light 26?, Madhwa is a heroic personoge 263, Upasam-har 265, Symbols explained 268. ABBREVATIONS. Anu-Vya = Anu-Vyakhyan of Madhwa. = Anu-Vya + Bha Anu-Vyakhyan + Bha^hya of Mcdhwa. = Ath-Up Atharvanopanishat or Mundak upanishat. Bhag = Bhagvat. = B. S. Brahma-sootru, B. S. B. + Bhashya cf Madhwa = Br. Up Brahadaranya Upanithat = Br-Up Bhashya Brahadaranya + Bhashya of Madhwa Chh-Up = Chhandogya-Upanishat + Bhashya of Madhwa = Ish-Up Ishopanishat = 4 + Ish-Up-Bha Ishopanisha : Bhashya of Madhwa = Kath-Up Kath - Upanishat = Kath-Up-Bha Kath - Bhashya of Madhwa Kena-Up = Kena-Upanishat or Talavakar or Brahma Mad-sa = Madhwa-sara of Veda-garbha Padmanabha - Mand-Up= Mandooka Upanishat [ charya Mund-Up= Mundaka or Atharavana = Pra-Up Prahashno-panisat = Tait-Up Taitareeya-Upamshat = V. T. N. Vishnu-tatwa-nirnaya of Madhwa PERSONAL NOTE. This Hand book requires a short persanalnote: I am a Madhwa by birth & faith now by convicition. In 1913,1 winted to edit Madhwa-Gita, but laid it aside, because of some doubts & difficulties. ( The manuscripts are still faith me ). In 1915, an offer came from Lok-Tilak to. translate his Gita-Rahasya into Kannada, 1 gladly accepted; for, I found his Jnanottara Karma almost coincided with that of Madhwa. 1 also found that Sri Shankar Ramanuja & Madhwa were really nearer to each other than is generally thou- ght of & with that-view I published five books on Gita in Kannada. But, I was all along feeling that there was some- thing wrong in the decent traditional presentation of Ma- dhwa philosophy, which had caused much misunderstan- ding & unnecessary prejudice.