Tantrasarasangraha

Tantrasarasangraha

H.H.Sri VishvEsha tIrtha Swamiji

Pejawara Matha, Udupi

(Translation to English by Sri Hunsur Sriprasad,USA)

From tatvavada.org

Background:

A person seeking in-depth, authoritative knowledge about the practical aspects of worship as prescribed in the shaastras, will find very little help in the form of reference material. Information is often scattered over many sources and sometimes the information provided in one source may seem to contradict something said somewhere else, leading to confusion and doubt. Taking pity on such seekers, Acharya Madhva has blessed humanity with this unique work, which is an extract of key concepts from a larger work by Lord ViShNu.

At the beginning of creation, Lord ViShNu taught all the aspects of worship to Chaturmukha Brahma. This is called ‘tantra saara’ and is not available to humans. Acharya Madhva extracted key verses from this and gave us ‘tantra saara sangraha’; he has himself described this as the critical essence of the larger work. In this work of around 420 verses, consisting of 4 chapters, he has provided authoritative information on practical aspects like the procedure for chanting important and potent mantras, meditation, constructing a temple, installing an icon and so on.

Summary:

In the first chapter, Acharya Madhva provides valuable information about 8 great Vaishnava mantras (Ashta mahaamantras), details of peeTha puja, aavaraNa puja and other rituals associated with formal worship. In the second chapter he provides information about Kalasha puja (kalasha is a ceremonial vessel that holds sanctified water) and the various forms of the Lord that the devotee has to contemplate on. He also provides details about abhisheka (religious ablution) and how proper ablution can invoke special sanctity in the icon being worshipped. He has also provided details about how a homa-kunDa (ceremonial fire) should be setup, and the process of performing yagna using the kunDa. In the third chapter he provides invaluable information about how an icon should be formed, and how a temple should be constructed. One may consider this as a gift from Acharya Madhva to the science of sculpting. One wonders at the all-round knowledge and mastery that he has on aspects like constructing the icon and designing the temple, that one would normally not expect an ascetic to have. He has also explained the proper procedure for consecrating an icon, as prescribed in the scriptures. As he says in the work

yaavatho hyananuShThane karmapUrtirnarvidyate

taavat samastham kathitham asmin tantre yathavidhi

(this work contains details adequate enough for one to perform one’s prescribed duties without any shortfall).

He has struck a golden medium and concentrated on aspects that are critical and very essential for seekers to implement. In the fourth chapter he supplements the details provided in the first chapter by providing critical details of many other sacred and potent mantras, which can shower devotees with benefits both in this world as well as the nether one. However, it should be remembered that chanting any mantra with some mundane desire is far, far inferior to doing so with the sole intention of pleasing the Lord; the benefits obtained in the latter case are infinitely higher in magnitude and duration. As the Acharya says

sakaamebhyoamitaguNaa hyakaamaistukRuthaa kriyaa

tasmaadakaama evaalam bhajedh vishNum sanaatanam

(activities done without any desire are infinitely better than those done with a motive; hence, enough with desires, worship eternal ViShNu)

akurvaamshchakriyaa bhaktyaanirapekSho bhajan.h harim |

sarvametadavaapnoti visheShaNa na samshayah |

(If one does not perform any of the prescribed activities but worships Hari without any desire, then that person will obtain a lot better results, without doubt)

Thus the Acharya has given more importance to devotion over mere rituals. The meditation and puja described in tantra-saara sangraha are instrumental to obtaining liberation. The process of seeing God directly is called God realization; this leads to ‘aparoxa gyaana’ (direct knowledge). Since this aparoxa gyaana leads to better knowledge and deeper devotion, eventually leading to divine grace and liberation, shaastras consider this as the key step in the process of obtaining liberation. To get this gyaana, one should perform uninterrupted meditation on a form of God with deep concentration. Nothing besides this form of God should transgress into our mind. In order to perform such deep meditation on God, we should have correct knowledge about God. Just as one cannot see a clear and steady image of the sun in turbulent waters, one cannot focus on a form of God in a mind racked by confusion, doubt and misconceptions. Hence a necessary condition for God realization is ‘tattva nishchaya’ (conviction in knowledge). The first step in achieving this is studying shaastras under a guru, a process called ‘shravaNa’. Even though ‘shravaNa’ gives one spiritual wisdom, one is also racked by doubts when one comes across mutually conflicting statements in different religious works, and also when one studies literature put forth by various doctrines. This can be resolved only through manana, a process of deep contemplation and incessant concentration on a topic. Here one needs to analyse all aspects of shaastra from different viewpoints and arrive at a final conclusion. Only after resolving all doubts and uncertainities and achieving tattva nishchaya is it possible for someone for meditate on God. Thus like shravaNa, analysis of shaastras (manana) also aids in the process of obtaining liberation. Our mind can forget other ideas and achieve concentration through analysis of shaastras, through enquiry and religious discourses. Hence dhyaana and shaastra vimarsha are called upaasana or nididhyaasana since they aid in achieving concentration. One can realize God by meditating on Him, using the concentration achieved through dhyaana and shaastra vimarsha.

Even in meditation there are 3 levels or stages – dhaaraNa, dhyaana and samaadhi. In the first stage when one starts to concentrate or meditate on God it is not possible to do so continuously. Our mind tends to lose focus and starts to stray towards other topics. We have to detect this and force our mind back to God. This type of interrupted or infrequent meditation is called dhaaraNa. When this meditation becomes continuous and uninterrupted it is called dhyaana. This requires a lot of effort since we have to forcibly focus the mind on God and reject other thoughts that try to invade our mind. When we reach a stage in our evolution where meditation becomes effortless and almost like second nature then it is called samaadhi.

khanDaasmruthi dhaaraNa syaat, akhanDaa dhyaanamuchyate aprayatnaat samaadhishcha

(infrequent remembrance is called smruthi, uninterrupted remembrance is dhyaana. When this is done effortlessly then it is called samaadhi)

It is possible to realize God through deep and long samaadhi , or deep analysis of shaastra. Listening to and analyzing shaastra, meditation and God realization is possible only under the backdrop of correct knowledge of God and deep-rooted devotion that is based on incessant love for God. Without this knowledge and devotion, everything else is meaningless and useless. Some of the aspects critical to saadhana are yama, niyama, aasana, praaNayaama. The qualities that should always be present in us have been identified as ‘yama’. Non-violence, honesty, control of senses, mercy, devotion to hari are some of these. It is not enough if we are honest once in a while or practice non-violence when convenient. All the above qualities have to be present and practiced all the times. ‘niyama’ refers to the activities that have to be performed without fail in the prescribed manner, at the prescribed time. Some of these are sandhyaavandane, puja to God, study of religious works etc. ‘aasana’ refers to the correct posture that should be adopted while performing critical activities like puja, meditation, chanting etc. Correct posture ensures concentration and steadfastness in the above activities. Some of the main aasanas are Padma, svastika, veera etc. ‘praaNaayaama’ refers to the process by which one controls breath during activities like sandhyavandane, puja, chanting and meditation. The 3 parts of ‘praaNaayaama’ are – rechaka (exhaling), pUraka (inhaling), kumbhaka (holding the air within). This work throws valuable light on many procedures, the process of worship and several important mantras. Thus, Acharya Madhva has blessed us with an invaluable work which will be of immense help in our saadhana.