30. Victory in Bengal
Kalpa Vriksha of Kali Yuga
Fourth Delight
When Shri Vyasaraja Teertha visited Bengal, he received a warm and heartfelt welcome. The circumstances at the time of his arrival were favorable. Shri Madhvacharya had laid the foundation for Vaishnava philosophy and Vishnu devotion in Bengal during his earlier efforts. Around 1266 AD, when Shri Madhvacharya embarked on his second journey to Badrinath, he crossed the Ganga and Yamuna rivers amidst a period of conflict. Giyasuddin, the Sultan of Delhi, faced rebellion from Tufrill, the governor of Bengal, who declared himself an independent ruler. Enraged, Giyasuddin declared war against Tufrill and formed an alliance with a Hindu king named Dhanush Rai to guard the Ganga and Yamuna rivers with a large army, preventing enemies from fleeing through these routes.
During this period, Shri Madhvacharya arrived in the region. Dhanush Rai, impressed by the radiance and influence of the Acharya, facilitated his journey across the river to Badrinath and introduced him to Giyasuddin, ensuring that the Acharya received due respect. By the time Shri Madhvacharya returned after completing his pilgrimage to Badrinath, the war had ended, and peace had been restored. The Acharya then visited Navadvipa, where Dhanush Rai offered him great hospitality and received his blessings. Dhanush Rai, being a devout follower of Vishnu, received teachings on Vishnu devotion and the Bhagavata Dharma from the Acharya. He was inspired to promote Vishnu devotion and propagate the Bhagavata Dharma in Bengal.
Shri Rajendra Teertha and Shri Jayadhvaja Teertha later traveled through Bengal, defeating opponents and spreading the principles of Vishnu devotion, Bhagavata Dharma, and the Dvaita philosophy. Shri Jayadhvaja Teertha entrusted one of his disciples, a renowned scholar from Bengal, with the title "Vishnupuri" and established him as the head of a branch of the Madhva Math. This arrangement ensured the propagation of Madhva philosophy and Vishnu devotion in Bengal.
The present-day Vaishnava tradition and Vishnu devotion in Bengal trace their origins to these Vishnupuris. They were instrumental in popularizing the Bhagavata and spreading the Vaishnava faith throughout Bengal. This is evident from the works like Bhakti Ratnakara and Bhakti Ratnavali. Notable critic and scholar Rai Bahadur Dinesh Chandra Sen, in his book Chaitanya and His Companions, credited the Madhva tradition for the rise of Vaishnavism in Bengal. He specifically highlighted the contributions of Vishnupuri, a disciple of Jayadharma (Jayadhvaja), who popularized the Bhagavata among Bengalis in the 13th century through his work Bhakti Ratnavali.
Dinesh Chandra Sen further noted that the Madhva Math's tenth leader, Shri Jayadharma or Shri Jayadhvaja Teertha, was the foundational proponent of the devotional sect in Bengal. He connected the Madhva tradition, specifically the lineage of Shri Rajendra Teertha, to the origins of the Chaitanya tradition, which he considered significant. Some sources claim that Shri Krishna Chaitanya Prabhu was a direct disciple of Vishnupuri, while others suggest that Vishnupuri was a disciple of Shri Lakshmi Teertha, the 13th guru of the Vaishnava tradition. This Lakshmi Teertha is said to have inspired Shri Krishna Chaitanya, who later extensively propagated Vaishnavism, Vishnu devotion, and Bhagavata Dharma throughout Bengal.
When Shri Vyasaraja arrived in Bengal, his reputation as a scholar and his establishment of the Dvaita philosophy had already spread across the region. He received an extraordinary welcome. He traveled throughout Bengal, consecrating several Vishnu temples, defeating scholars of other schools in debates, and spreading the principles of Dvaita philosophy, Vishnu devotion, and Bhagavata Dharma. Thousands of people accepted initiation through him and embraced Vaishnavism.
Shri Vyasaraja stayed in Bengal for an extended period and initiated a learned scholar from the region into the Paramahamsa order, naming him "Shri Lakshmi Teertha." He entrusted him with the responsibility of spreading the teachings of Shri Madhvacharya and later prepared to return to Karnataka. The devotees and disciples in Bengal were reluctant to let him leave, but Shri Vyasaraja promised to return. At the request of Shri Lakshmi Teertha, he left his sacred sandals (padukas) with them as a token of his presence before departing.
After successfully completing his travels in North India, Shri Vyasaraja arrived at Tirupati around 1477 AD. There, he offered all his victories to Lord Venkateshwara, worshiped the deity, and sought blessings. During his stay, he learned of the Vidwat Sabha (assembly of scholars) held by Saluva Narasimharaja under the presidency of Shri Vibudhendra Teertha. Shri Lakshminarayana Yogi's erudition and the debate victories during this assembly were celebrated. Shri Vibudhendra Teertha honored Shri Lakshminarayana Yogi with the title "Shripadaraja."
Shri Vyasaraja was deeply pleased to hear about these events and set out to meet his guru, Shri Vibudhendra Teertha. Upon presenting a detailed account of his travels and victories, Shri Vyasaraja expressed his gratitude for his guru's teachings and blessings, which enabled his achievements. Shri Vibudhendra Teertha, in turn, praised Shri Vyasaraja's contributions to spreading the Dvaita philosophy and expressed pride in his disciple's accomplishments.
After studying the Vagvajra, authored by his guru, Shri Vyasaraja sought his blessings and returned to Attoor, continuing his spiritual mission.