Sri Vishnu Tattva Vinirnirnaya
॥श्री विष्णु तत्त्व विनिर्णयः॥
Vishnu Tattva Vinirnirnaya is one of the ten Prakaranas-Compendiums — written by Sri Madhvacharya .It is Prakarana Chakravarti— i.e., Emperor among compendiums. Sri Jayatirtha’s commentary (Tika) on vishnu Tattva vinirnayah is known as “ Anu-Sudha “ “ अणु सुधा “ There are many Tippanis for this Tika .
Vishnu Tattva Vinirnaya is a neatly planned Text. The very benedictory verse gives its plan.
sadA gamaika vijJeyaM samatIta kSarAkSaram |
nArAyaNaM sadA vaMde nirdoSAzeSasadguNam ||
vizeSaNAni yAnIha kathitAni saduktibhiH |
sAdhayiSyAmi tAnyeva kramAt sajjanasaMvide ||
सदा गमैक विज्ञेयं समतीत क्षराक्षरम् ।
नारायणं सदा वंदे निर्दोषाशेषसद्गुणम् ॥
विशेषणानि यानीह कथितानि सदुक्तिभिः ।
साधयिष्यामि तान्येव क्रमात् सज्जनसंविदे ॥
“ I always continuously offer my salutations to Lord Sri Narayana who is absolutely free from blemishes – who possesses infinite auspicious attributes – who is distinct and superior to Ksara (Perishable ) ie., Jivas and Jadas and aksara ( Imperishable ) i.e., Goddess Mahalakshmi and who is chiefly conveyed by the sacred scriptures “
“ I shall establish the doctrines conveyed by the adjectives given to Narayana in the above benedictory verses by quoting the authorities from the scriptures and arguements not contrary to the scriptures for the comprehension of the deserving persons in the order in which these adjectives are mentioned above “
The first adjective in the benedictory verse is सदागमैक विज्ञेय is elaborated in the first chapter प्रथम परिच्छेदः, the second adjective समतीत क्षराक्षर in the second chapter द्वितीय परिच्छेदः and the adjective निर्दोषाशेष सद्गुण is elaborated in the third chapter. तृतीय परिच्छेदः
In the first chapter , Veda’s apuruseyatva ( non authourless status ) and svatah pramanyata ( self valdness) is discussed very elaborately. Madhva states boldly that the four Vedas Rig- Yajur-Sama-Atharvana –along with their Mantrasamhita, Brahmana, aranyaka and Upanishad portions )- sriman Mahabharata of 60 lakh verses , Moola Ramayana with 100 crore verses and Pancharathra Agamas with 100 crore verses and other Texts not in conflict with these seven alone constitute Sadagamas and they only give valid knowledge on all God related matters. The Vedas should be understood in the light of इतिहास पुराण but not in isolation .
He concludes that the Lord Narayana is the chief purport of the sacred literature and sacred literature is the only source to know Lord Narayana. Among sacred literature , the Vedas constitute the highest sacred literature since they are authorless and self valid अपौरुषेय and स्वतः प्रमाण. प्रत्यक्ष (perception ) अनुमान (Inferene) are not capable to comprehend the moral concepts like ‘Dharma” and ‘Adharma” and the spiritual concepts like ‘self’ ‘ god’ ‘ Bandha’ ‘Moksha” etc,. A human or divine being cannot be a source of knowledge of moral and spiritual concepts. These have to be revealed to the morally and spiritually sensitive minds. Such revelation may be embodied in wordsi.e,. Vedic hymns. This is the besis of concepts of – अपौरुषेयत्व— Revelations are not composed by anyone.
According to Sastras , Varnas (alphabets) are eternal (Nitya Vastu) . The words and sentences of revealed Texts are also eternal. The order in which these occur are also eternal.Revealed sentences do not need a composer. They are apouruseya and svatah pramanah.
स्वतः प्रमाण्य -of knowledge is discussed elaborately in this text. All flawless bonafide means give self valid knowledge. To know the truth of the validity of the knowledge no other additional means is required. Saksin that compounds knowledge also compounds its validity.
Thus both in the origination of knowledge and the comprehension of knowledge , no additional factors than the respective bonafide means of knowledge are necessary. This is the implication of the concept of svatah pramanya.
‘Sadagamaika vijne yatva ( ascertainment of correct knowledge from valid sacred scriptures )is meaningful because of Veda- Pouruseyatva and pramana svatastva only. This is biggest contribution of Visnu Tattva Vinirnaya.
Subsequently Sadagamas are proved to be not only Svatapramana but also Siddha Bodhaka . Arguments for these require a little bit of meemamsa knowledge. Then the Text discusses import of bheda and abeda Srutis. It is proved that all Srutis reveal Bheda only. Then Sri Madhva interprets various abheda Srutis like ‘ Tattvamasi ‘ ‘ Aham Brahmasmi ‘ etc,. in support of Bheda vaada. This is one of the best parts of the Text. Sri Madhva says boldly in this context – न च अभेदे कश्चिदागमः । सन्ति च भेदे सर्वागमाः He proves the “ eternal reality of the world “ and “ the supremacy of Vishnu “ in other two parichedas.
Finally Vishnu Tattva namely, the supremacy of Lord Vishnu is established on the following grounds.
I). Vishnu is svatanttra( independent in all respects )
II). He is guna-poorna (Full of virtues )
III). He does not have any Dosha ( defects)
IV). He is Sarvakarta & Sarvothama ( all doer and all supreme )
V). He is revealed by Apouruseya Vedas only etc,.
The work ends with the following Mangala Sloka
svatantrAthArivaleSAtha nirdoSaguNa rUpiNe |
preyase me supurNAya namo nArAyaNAya te ||
स्वतन्त्रायारिवलेशाय निर्दोषगुण रूपिणे ।
प्रेयसे मे सुपुर्णाय नमो नारायणाय ते ॥
“ O, Narayana ! I prostrate at your feet. You are independent, Lord of all, Absolutely free from defects, possess infinite attributes and supreme “
|॥ zrI kRSNArpaNamastu ॥
॥ श्री कृष्णार्पणमस्तु ॥