The ‘Sumadhva Vijaya’ is an exemplary biographical work by Sri Narayana Panditacharya belonging to the Madhva sampradaya. It presents the glorious life and teachings of Sripad Madhvacharya in the form of verses spread across 16 sargas or parts. In the 14th sarga, that describes the manner in which Sripad Madhvacharya would perform deity worship, verse 37 speaks about how he would adorn Lord Narayana with the eight kinds of ‘bhava pushpa’ or flowers of emotions. The verse is as follows:
ahiṁsā prathamaṁ puṣpaṁ puṣpam indriya-nigrahaḥ
sarvabhūta-dayā puṣpam kṣamā puṣpaṁ viśeṣataḥ
jñānaM puṣpaṁ tapaH puṣpaṁ śānthiḥ puṣpaṁ thathaiva ca
satyam aṣṭavidhaṁ puṣpaṁ viṣṇoḥ prītikaraṁ bhavet||
This verse very beautifully depicts eight extraordinary ‘flowers’ or qualities namely non-violence, sense-control, compassion towards all living beings, forgiveness, knowledge, austerity, equanimity and truthfulness that are very dear and pleasing to Lord Vishnu.
These ‘bhava pushpas’ are accepted by Krishna who is called ‘bhava-grahi Janaradana’ or the one who accepts emotions or intentions behind out acts of bhakti.
When one hears the above verse about flowers, it reminds us of another verse in the Bhagavat gita (9.26)
patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ
yo me bhaktyā prayacchati
tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam
aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ
The translation of the above verse is given by Srila Prabhupada as
If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it.
Here Lord Krishna teaches Arjuna the most confidential knowledge of devotional service. He implores Arjuna, hence each one of us, to perform devotional service irrespective of our external conditions and offer Him the most readily available items including a leaf, flower, fruit or water for worship. However, there is a big qualifying word that Krishna adds to each of these items, Bhakti or the emotion of love for Him to accept it. The ritual of offering Krishna anything is indeed meaningful only when it is offered with the right emotions and intentions.
Pandita Narayanacharya, describes the manner in which Sripad Madhvacharya would engage every day in elaborate deity worship with all the necessary paraphernalia. But the above quoted verse emphasizes the eight qualities that his flowers possessed! They were far from ordinary flowers because they had the beauty and fragrance of extraordinary qualities as listed above, the qualities that are pleasing to Lord Vishnu. While these virtues are glorious in themselves, when offered with the right sentiment, they become truly extraordinary. Truly extraordinary because Krishna promises to accept them.
Non-violence in today’s war- hungry world is a much needed quality. Interestingly, M.K Gandhi, the great Indian freedom fighter, derived peace and non-violence as the important lesson from the Bhagavat Gita where Krishna through chapter 1 to 18 is urging Arjuna to fight. That doesn’t mean war is the conclusion or that Gandhi’s conclusion was wrong. What counts as devotional service is not the non-violence or violence but the emotion and intention behind both; engaging in the act for Krishna or with the goal of pleasing Krishna. Srila Prabhupada takes this emotion behind the quality of non-violence to the next level when he explains that the perfection of the quality of non-violence is achieved when we facilitate every soul on their path to Krishna. Any obstruction on that path is violence.
Sense-control similarly is virtuous and how awesome it is to hear of the rishis and munis who can live without food, water or air for several days. But we have also heard about how the great Vishwamitra lost his balance merely by the sound of ankle bells despite his long years of practising sense-control. Clearly the bhava of bhakti or the loving sentiment for Krishna was the missing link; the link that made the famous six-Goswamis of Vrindavan perfect in their sense-control; nidraahara vihaarakadi vijitau…..The six Goswamis had triumphed over the bodily needs.
Who else apart from Srila Prabhupada could truly demonstrate the quality of compassion? Undoubtedly compassion, kindness, and empathy are jewel like virtues. But Srila Prabhupada practised compassion as devotional service and saved so many people and not just their coats from drowning! Through his books, Srila Prabhupada shook each one of us and woke us up to our spiritual identities; That is extraordinary compassion; A loving flower that pleases Krishna.
Most mental health experts advise on letting go and forgiving those who wronged us; Apparently forgiveness as a quality is good for us, for our mental health. Srila Haridas Thakur forgave his wrong-doers not for his mental health but for his love for Krishna. Haridas Thakur was severely beaten up in public by the then Islamic ruler for the offence of chanting Krishna’s names. He offered the beautiful flower of forgiveness at the lotus feet of Krishna, the flower which was extraordinarily full with the honey of his love for Krishna.
Knowledge and knowledgeable people in the current day and age are highly respected. One who painstakingly accumulates knowledge pertaining to matters related to this world are literally worshipped and offered various rewards. Most of this knowledge does not necessarily make us better humans but definitely qualifies us as sophisticated, most intelligent animals, the homo-sapiens. However, when this knowledge expands to the knowledge of the spiritual world, the source of both the spiritual and material worlds, and our spiritual identity it becomes an extraordinary quality, a flower that can be lovingly offered in Krishna’s service. The speaker of Srimad Bhagavatam, Shukadeva Goswami offred this very extraordinary flower that enlightened not just Kind Parikshit but all of us as well.
The flower of austerity became extraordinary when little Dhruva realized that all his austerity was for a worthless piece of glass. A 5-year old boy, Dhruva, who could stay without food, water and air for months together was astonishing and he did it all because he wanted a kingdom bigger than that of Lord Brahma. But this Dhruva, upon seeing the Lord Himself, felt embarrassed for having performed all the austerities for the sake of a piece of glass- like kingdom in front of the diamond-like Lord. It is at that point that his austerities became extraordinary. An offering that was accepted by Krishna.
Equanimity, an emerging concept in professional development, which is characterized by a sense of unflappability and resilience in face of challenges, is considered as an indispensable quality for overall well-being. There is another 5-year old boy Prahlad on the pages of Srimad Bhagavatam who offered the extraordinary flower of equanimity at the lotus feet of Narasimha Deva. Through all the trials and tribulations that his atheistic father put him through, it was Prahlad’s deep affection for the Lord that brought out in him the virtue of equanimity naturally.
Being honest and speaking the truth is once again a highly sought-after quality among employable youth in the present competitive world because it is very rare. However, in a world driven by consumerism that depends on marketing and flamboyant advertising, honesty and truthfulness has become a confusing virtue. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, ISKCON, that was founded by Srila Prabhupada, is offering the society an alternative to mad consumerism. By exemplifying the truth of simple living, with Krishna at the centre, and high thinking, with an understanding of our identities beyond our material designations, the followers of ISKCON are making this loving offering of the extraordinary flower of truthfulness as the most beautiful flower at the feet of Lord Krishna.
On the occasion of Vijaya Dashami, the auspicious appearance day of Sripad Madhvacharya, we may meditate on these eight extraordinary flowers that he would offer in his worship and never forget what made these flowers truly extraordinary.
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