Karma Nirnaya 

य इज्यते विधीशानशक्रपूर्वैः सदामखैः ।

रमाप्रणयिने तस्मै सर्वयज्ञभुजे नमः ।।

The practice of Yagna or Vedic Sacrifices is a very important component of spiritual upliftment. Sri Madhwacharya'sKarma Nirnaya is a short work dealing with Vedic Sacrifices. There is an interesting history behind the composition of this text. Once, during his visit to Ujire near Dharmasthala, a few scholars who wanted to defeat Sri Madhwacharya in a debate tested his expertise in difficult portions of the Vedic portions dealing with Vedic Sacrifices. They were confident that being an ascetic he would not be well versed in the difficult Mantrasrelating to Vedic Sacrifices belonging to the Brahmana portions of the Veda.

To the surprise of all present, Sri Madhwacharya expounded the Narashamsha Mantras with utmost ease. Again at another time, he was asked to expound the most difficult Mahanamni Portions where some of the the Mahanamni Portions are combined as prefixes to Mantras from different Vedic Portions are combined and recited in a particular Sacrifice. As the exposition was very difficult to understand by others, at the behest of his disciples, he composed a work by the name Karma Nirnaya, which happens to be a summary of his exposition.

All Vedic Portions Convey Supreme Brahman

It is well known that The Vedas contain four parts 1. Mantra or Samhita 2. Brahmana 3. Aranyaka 4. Upanishad. A popular understanding among various Vedantic Schools is that barring the Upanishadic Portions other Vedic portions are not-important as they do not have a philosophical import. Sri Madhwacharya was the only philosopher who postulated that all portions of the Veda have only the Supreme Brahman as their purport.

The Etymology of Mahanamni

Sri Madhwacharya spelled out in clear terms as to why the name Mahanamni is given to a particular collection of the Vedic Mantras. The One Supreme Lord is referred by many majestic names such as Indra, Agni, Vayu etc. Here the world "Mahat" stands for Majesty and "Naama" stands for the name. Due to their majesty of speaking about the Supreme Brahman having infinite auspicious attributes, the names are called "MahatNama". Hence, the Vedic Mantras containing such names are known as "Mahanamni".

The Sholashi Shastra, it background and composition

In the Soma Yaga performed across seven days, each day one the following Yagas are performed - Agnishtoma, Atyagnisthoma, Ukthya, Shodashi, Atiratra, Aptooryama, Vajapeya. The Yaga that is to be performed on the 4th day of the Soma Yaga is called "Shodashi". The mantras that need to be recited in that particular Yaga also are referred by the name "Shodashi". The contribution of Acharya Madhwa towards the understanding of the background, the significance of the name "Shodashi", its characteristics and the significance of reciting those mantras on only the fourth day is exemplary.

Similarity between Shodashi and Lord Indras thunderbolt

Lord Indra used his thunderbolt to kill Vritrasura on the fourth day of its procurement. Hence on the fourth day of the Soma Yaga, the Shodashi Mantras are recited. The choice of the Shodashi mantras for the fourth day is apt because the presiding deity of both the Shodashi and the thunderbolt of Indra is the same.

What is Shodashi?

Shodashi is a Vedic Verse in which there are two padas of 16 letters each.

Vihrita Shodashi

The Ritvik Vidwan combines portions belonging to different Meters while reciting the Sholashi. For example, he combines the riks present in the Gayatri(24 Syllables with three 8 sylabledpadas) with the riks present in the Pankti Meter (40 Syllables). The recitation proceeds altering between each leg (8 Syllabels) of the Gayatri Meter and the Pankti Meters. When such a combination produces two 16 syllabled verses then it is termed as a Shodashi in Anusthub Meter. The figure demonstrates how the Gayatri and Pankti meters are combined to achieve the Shodashi. This unique process of singing in combination so that the Shodashi is achieved was not known to anyone at that time. It was Sri Madhwacharya who revealed this ancient technique for the first time.

Is the Supreme Brahman really Mahat?

Does the Supreme Brahman have infinite auspicious attributes or is he attributeless? There is an interesting debate among the Vedantins on this topic. Some scriptures call the Supreme Brahman as Nirguna. Some schools of thought are of the opinion thatthe word "Nirguna" saysthat the Supreme Brahman has no attributes at all. Therefore one cannot call the Brahman "Mahat" because he has great attributes. Instead He is "Mahat" because he is the only TRUTH. The Universe is only a projection on Him and in reality non-different from Him.

In this text, Sri Madhwacharya refutes the above thought, by giving valid reasons employing sound logic. He bases his arguments on the scores of other Vedic statements which categorically convey Brahman to have infinite auspicious attributes.

The arguments put forth by Sri Madhwacharya can be summed up as follows

» Nirgunatva is against several Scriptures

» Because the Supreme Lord is an intelligent creator He should have Omniscience and other qualities

» Nirguna statements in few Scriptures only talk about the absence of Prakritik Gunas

» The argument Brahman is Nirvishesha but he assumes the form of Ishvara due to Maya Vishesha is also not true. In such a case accepting Visesha in the Brahman would contradict His Nirgunatva.

» Anirvachaniya Vishesha is not acceptable as there is not valid Pramana to substantiate it. Argument of Prabhakara School It is not true that the Mahanamni Mantras convey the Supreme Brahman of infinite auspicious attributes. As Brahman is a "Siddha Artha", not just these mantras but any sentence cannot convey Him because of the rule सिद्धार्थे वाक्यस्य प्रामाण्याभावः Sri Madhwacharya refutes this theory by stating that Siddhartha can also be definitely conveyed by a sentence.

Highlights of Karma Nirnaya

» Vishnu is Gunapurna

» Defining Karma in the right perspective

» Explanation of the difficult Brahmana Portion of the Vedas

» All words and syllables primarily convey Lord Sri Hari

» Devas are also Adhikarins for Karma

» Siddharthe Pramanya

» Explanation of the Mahanamni Upasargas

» Meaning of the Mahanamni Riks

» Actions performed with knowledge, devotion and detachment bear right fruits

Conclusion

Karma Nirnaya is a unique work which for the first time questioned the division of Vedas in to Karma Kanda and Jnana Kanda. This work propounds that the Vedas are an integrated and composite repository of knowledge and are homogeneous in their nature. This work aptly compliments the Rig Bhashya, another text written by Sri Madhwacharya himself to bring out the true purport of the Vedas.

नमो नारायणायाजभवशक्रोष्णरुङ्मुखैः ।

सदा वन्दितपादाय श्रीपाय प्रेयसेधिकम् ।।