The Philosophy of Acharya Madhwa: Perception and Realisation of Thy’self - Part 3

Living under one roof: A Multidimensional Dependency

Can anyone describe something that does not depend on physics in this universe?

Look at this ecosystem that we live-in, the most interesting part is the “Conjunction” of infinite interactions or events occurring simultaneously at various, points in space, between various infinite communities of living and non-living entities.

This kind of interaction describes the way entities are connected to each other and their effect upon one another. This state of being effectively connected and effected upon, is called ‘Relationship’.

In relationships, mutual trust and interdependence play a major role as interdependence is the key characteristic of the ecosystem. Inter-dependencies between communities exist for a reason; to trigger certain important outcomes.

The degree of inter-dependency in relationship differs between entities where some entities are dependent on others and some are not as dependency is a chain by itself,

·         Humans survive being dependent on earth...

·         Earth nests in the solar system...

·         Solar system finds its address in the Milky Way...

·         Milky Way arises in this universe...

·         The universe houses itself in the very creation...

·         And finally creation identifies itself with the creator!!!

And the creator being the only self-dependent immaterial reality the source of all energy, drives and binds the entire universal eco-system by the application of force to trigger appropriate ‘Transformation & Evolution of Life’ in space & time.

Acharya Madhwa, based on the principle of experience (Anubhava), presented the above concept of spiritual physics formulating therein a multidimensional array interlinking the unique nature & characteristics of realities which exist eternally and are the basis of creation, categorised them into:

Six Dependent Reality (Aswatantra Tattva):

Time (Kaala), Space (Akasha), Sound (Shabda), Atoms (ParamaNu), Soul (Jeeva),

Lakshmi (Prakruti – The Binding Force of Manifestation).

&

One Self-Dependent Reality (Swatantra Tattva):

Bhagavanta [God] (Purushottama - Salvation Force that stands above all that is manifested/ unmanifested)

Acharya Madhwa reiterates the same in Anu-Vyakhyana accordingly

प्रकृति: पुरुष: कालो वेदाश्र्चेति चतुष्टयम् |

नित्यं स्वरुपतो द्रव्यं कर्म च कालश्र्च स्वभावो जीवा एव च |

यदनुग्रहतः सन्ति न सन्ति यदुपेक्षया ||   [Anu-Vyakhyana]

[The primordial nature, the supreme-being: PuruSha, time and Vedas are eternal.

Atoms (basic material cause), time, nature (the inherent characteristic of any existence) and life (Souls) exist, exist always under the control of the Supreme-Being: PuruSha and cannot exist without him.]

Acharya Madhwa Quotes the same through his Geetha Bhashya accordingly

नसतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सत: |

उभयोरपि दृष्टोन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्वदर्शिभिः ।।Geetha – Ch.2-16।।

।।Acharya Madhwa - Geetha Bhashya ||

नित्य आत्मेत्युक्तम् | किमात्मैव नित्य: आहोस्विदन्यदपि | अन्यदपि |

तत्किमित्याह - नसता इति ||

असत: करणस्य सतो ब्राह्मणश्च अभवो न विद्यते |

"प्रकृति: पुरुषश्चैव नित्यौ कालश्च सत्तमा" - इति वचनात् श्री विष्णुपुराणे |

असत: कारणत्वम् च "सदसद्रूपाया चासौ गुणमययागुणो विभु:" - इति  भगवते ||

[It is noted that soul is imperishable and exists eternally, is that the only one?

Or similarly do other realities exist eternally?

As quoted in Vishnu Purana:

'The primordial nature, the Supreme-being and even time exists eternally'

Bhagavata mentions:

God who is Sath (Physical cause) fabricates this universe by using Asath (Basic Material Cause - Atoms)

Acharya Madhwa confirms the same through his Geetha Bhashya -

अविनाशी तू तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततं |

विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित् कर्तुमर्हति ।।Geetha – Ch.2-16।।

|| Acharya Madhwa - Geetha Bhashya ||

किं बहुना | यद्देशतोनन्तम् तन्नित्यमेवा वेदाद्यन्य - दापित्याह - अविनाशिथि ||

नापी शापादिना विनाश इत्याह - विनाश मिति || अव्ययम् च तत ||

[It’s understood that the permanent realities are the ones which pervade everywhere, Vedas (Sound) and others respectively which are imperishable and follow no destruction even from any curse]

So, Acharya Madhwa proclaims from the above explanation that:

Time (Kaala), Space (Akaasha), Sound (Shabda), Atoms (ParamaNu), Souls (Jeeva), Binding Force (Lakshmi – Prakruti) & Salvation Force (Bhagavanta – PuruSha) are eternally existing in their own subsets parallel from time indefinite to time infinity and also all the above categories are permanent in nature, imperishable and are infinite realties (Ananta tattva’s).

Neither did God a self-dependent reality create all dependent realities nor will they be destroyed. None of the above dependent realities can act independently as they are controlled by creator: PuruSha and cannot exist without him.  “अहं सर्वस्य प्रभावों, मत्तः सर्वं प्रवर्तते”