Mantralaya-2054
(Part 3 of the 354th Mantralaya Rayaru Aradhana - Sri Sudha Parimala)
Date : Aug 7, 2025
Dear Devotees : Namaskara.
| Sri MannMoolaRamastu Mannmathe Moolamahasamsthhaana Mantralaya Sri Rayaramathe||
|| OM SRI RAGHAVENDRAAYA NAMAHA||
Background
Part
3 of the 354th Mantralaya Rayaru Aradhana series. Sri Raghavendra
Swamy’s great work, Sri Sudha Parimala, is described in Mantralaya
(2054).
Meaning
As
we all know Sri Raghavendra Swamy was a master of all 64 kalas an
accomplishment attained by only a rare few among saints Yet he never
used these divine skills for personal gain instead he selflessly
employed them to uplift humanity and guide countless souls towards
dharma and devotion.
As we celebrate the 354th Aradhana of Sri
Raghavendra Swamy from August 10th to 12th, this article invites us to
reflect on why he is revered as Parimalacharyaru and what makes his
monumental work Parimala truly exceptional.
To speak about
Parimala is to enter the sacred domain of divine intellect and
spiritual fragrance. I must admit I am not a Vedic scholar nor a master
of scriptures. But with the boundless grace of Sri Rayaru I will
attempt to offer a humble high level explanation of Parimala.
When
I visited Mantralaya a few days ago, I purchased the Kannada edition of
the Sudha Parimala commentary. This edition was published under the
guidance of Sri Subhudendra Teertharu with the intent of making this
timeless treasure accessible to common seekers like me. Though I may
not yet possess the depth to grasp all that it contains, I have faith.
When Sri Rayaru blesses me with understanding, I will surely begin to
write more about it.
Sri Sudha Parimala authored by Sri
Raghavendra Swamy is one of the most elegant and insightful
contributions to the Dvaita Vedanta tradition. It is a lucid commentary
on the celebrated Nyaya Sudha by Sri Jayateertharu which in turn is a
sub-commentary on Sri Madhvacharya's Anuvyakhyana the vital gloss on
the Brahma Sutras. In composing Sri Sudha Parimala Rayaru did not
merely interpret earlier works. Rayaru illuminated them with clarity,
grace and philosophical depth. Raghavendra Swamy made the complex
accessible without diluting its power drawing both scholars and seekers
toward its wisdom.
In Sri Raghavendra Swamy’s early life as
Venkatanatha, long before he became a spiritual leader, the young
scholar was deeply immersed in the study and explanation of profound
philosophical truths. Night after night, with only the soft light of
oil lamps and the quiet presence of divine reflection, he stayed awake
writing his commentary. This was not just writing, it was deep
spiritual effort, a focused meditation of the mind on the highest truths
One
night, Sri SudhindraTeertharu, the pontiff of the matha and Sri
Rayaru’s Guru, walked past Venkatanatha’s quarters and beheld a divine
sight. The young Venkatanatha lay on the floor, fast asleep, his palm
still holding the pen, parchments around him filled with intricate
commentaries that sparkled with clarity and depth. The air, it is said,
was filled with a subtle and inexplicable fragrance. Struck with awe
and moved by the sheer beauty of the intellect expressed, Sri
SudhindraTeertharu declared that this was no ordinary boy. Sri
SudhindraTeertharu lovingly named him Parimalacharya, the teacher whose
words are perfumed with wisdom.
This was no metaphorical praise.
The name echoed the essence of what Venkatanatha had created. His
commentary was not just an explanation, it was an aesthetic
experience like a garden of blossoming philosophical flowers,
each petal a precise word, each fragrance a refined argument. What Sri
Jayateertharu had rendered in majestic logic, Sri Raghavendra infused
with the sweetness of accessibility, devotion, and poetic elegance.
Nyaya
Sudha of Sri Jayateertharu is renowned for its brilliance but it is
also known for its depth and difficulty. Jayateertharu’s work contains
dense logic and profound arguments which are challenging even for
advanced students. Sri Raghavendra Swamy, recognizing the need for
clarity, wrote Sudha Parimala to gently unfold these intricate ideas
with elegant language and simple analogies. For this divine effort
Rayaru was conferred the title Parimalacharya meaning the acharya who
gave fragrance to the Sudha. Rayaru’s words carried the sweetness of
truth and the fragrance of devotion making deep philosophy a joyful
experience.
Though Sri Raghavendra Teertharu had the divine
vision of Sri Hari, Sri Lakshmi, and countless other deities, and
though he was a master of deep spiritual knowledge, his humility
remained unparalleled. In the very opening verses of Parimala, Rayaru
humbly states that he is merely attempting to express what he has
understood from the works of Sri Jayateertharu, Sri Madhvacharyaru, and
the great sage Sri Vedavyasaru. Such humility from one so enlightened
reminds us of a timeless truth, that truly great souls are always
grounded in simplicity and grace.
One of the essential ideas
discussed in Sudha Parimala is the nature and authority of the
scriptures. According to Dvaita Vedanta the Vedas are self-evident and
infallible. Jayateertharu defends this concept in Nyaya Sudha and
Rayaru expands upon it with great simplicity. Rayaru offers the analogy
of the sun which does not need another source of light to reveal it.
Similarly the Vedas are pramana or valid sources of knowledge by
themselves. This explanation beautifully illustrates the idea of svatah
pramanyam or intrinsic validity of the scriptures, a cornerstone of
Madhva’s epistemology.
Another fundamental topic explored is the
eternal difference between the individual soul jiva and the Supreme
Brahman. Dvaita Vedanta upholds the doctrine of five eternal
differences and among them the jiva-Brahman difference(bheda) is
primary. Advaitic critics argue that all difference is due to ignorance
and ultimately unreal. Jayateertharu counters these arguments with
logical precision in Nyaya Sudha and Rayaru brings them alive with
relatable metaphors. Sri Rayaru compares the soul and God to a spark
and a blazing fire. Though both the spark and the fire possess the
quality of burning, the spark is limited and dependent, while the fire
is infinite and supreme. This analogy clearly illustrates that the
individual soul or jiva, can never become Brahman. The soul remains
eternally distinct, yet lovingly dependent on the Supreme, preserving
the essence of humility and devotion.
The discussion on moksha
or liberation is also illuminating. Advaita posits that liberation
means the soul merges into Brahman. Dvaita Vedanta however asserts that
even in liberation the soul remains distinct yet enjoys the bliss of
eternal service to God. Sri Raghavendra Swamy explains this using a
vivid example. Moksha is like a loyal servant entering the palace of
the king. The servant does not become the king but is blessed to be in
the constant presence of the ruler enjoying his grace and nearness.
This poetic image nurtures both devotion and surrender without the
illusion of oneness.
The true beauty of Sudha Parimala lies not
just in its philosophy but also in its language. Raghavendra Swamy had
both a poetic heart and a sharp intellect. Rayaru used analogies from
everyday life from seeds to rivers from fire to mirrors to explain
complex concepts. For instance Rayaru describes karma as a dormant seed
waiting for the right condition to sprout symbolizing how past actions
shape our experiences until exhausted by knowledge and divine grace.
Equally
admirable is Rayaru’s respectful handling of counter arguments from
other schools. Rayaru never mocks nor dismisses the opposing view.
Rayaru presents it fairly and then gently refutes it with logic and
scripture. This tone of humility shows not just his scholarship but his
spiritual depth. For Sri Rayaru knowledge was never a weapon but a
light guided by compassion.
Even today Sudha Parimala continues
to be studied across Madhwa Mathas as a foundational text. It offers a
framework to understand devotion, the nature of God the soul and the
true path to liberation. It has inspired saints scholars and countless
seekers and continues to be a bridge between ancient truths and modern
hearts.
In truth Sudha Parimala is not just a commentary. It is
a garland woven from the flowers of divine understanding. It carries
the fragrance of eternal wisdom spread with love and simplicity.
Through this work Sri Raghavendra Swamy preserved the vision of
Madhwacharyaru and the clarity of Jayateertharu while gifting the world
a treasure that still breathes light centuries later.
In a
moment of divine poetic brilliance, Sri VaadeendraTeertharu, a revered
saint in the Sri Raghavendra Swamy mutt parampara, offered a vision
that captures the very essence of Sudha Parimala. VaadeendraTeertharu
proclaimed that the tongue of Sri Raghavendra Swamy was like a sacred
stage, beautifully adorned, upon which Goddess Saraswati herself danced
with bliss. With every graceful step and every divine movement, she
scattered fragrant flowers. Those celestial flowers transformed into
words, and those words became the radiant verses of Sudha Parimala.
This
was not mere commentary. It was a divine symphony. A performance of the
Goddess played out through the breath of a saint Rayaru wholly
surrendered to truth. It was as if divinity itself chose Rayaru as the
medium to breathe fragrance into philosophy, turning profound truths
into poetic revelations.
How perfectly the name Sudha
Parimala "the fragrance of nectar" captures the soul of this
work. Just as a flower releases its scent effortlessly, without
striving, so too did Sri Raghavendra Swamy’s words emanate wisdom
naturally, gracefully, and eternally. His commentary does not seek to
dazzle, yet it enlightens. It does not try to impress, yet it uplifts.
Sudha
Parimala is more than a philosophical text, it is a sacred
bridge. A bridge between the razor sharp intellect of Teekakritpadaru
and the tender heart of the spiritual seeker. In Rayaru’s hands,
rigorous logic transforms into a gentle fragrance that fills the minds
of students and devotees alike, awakening clarity, devotion, and a
quiet joy in the soul.
Let us humbly surrender at the feet of
Sri Raghavendra Swamy and pray that he blesses us with the grace and
clarity to grasp even a fraction, even 0.01 percent, of the profound
truths hidden within Sri Sudha Parimala in this lifetime. For even the
smallest spark of understanding from this divine work can illuminate
lifetimes with wisdom and devotion.
The devotion towards
Sri Raghavendrateertharu is the ultimate truth and is the most simple
and effective way to reach Sri Hari - "NAMBI KETTAVARILLAVO EE
GURUGALA"! “Those who have complete faith in this Guru will never be
disappointed.”
|| BICHALI JAPADAKATTI SRI APPANACHARYA PRIYA MANTRALAYA
SRI RAGHAVENDRATEERTHA GURUBHYO NAMAHA||