Madhva’s Commentary on the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, First Chapter

Abstract

The article "Madhva, The Bhagavata Purana, and His Commentary on Its First Chapter" by Daniel P Sheridan examines Madhva's Sri Bhagavata Tatparya Nirnaya, his commentary on the Bhagavata Purana. This investigation is significant for several reasons: it corrects an over-philosophical interpretation of Madhva's work, bridges a gap in the Bhagavata Purana's textual history, contributes to the textual history of Vaishnavism by citing non-extant Panca-ratra and Puranic texts, and offers insights for non-Hindu theists.

Sheridan emphasizes Madhva's unique approach to scriptural interpretation, where all authoritative Hindu texts are harmonized to establish the supremacy and independence of Vishnu-Hari-Narayana as the ultimate reality, distinct from all dependent entities. Madhva's claim of being an appearance of Vayu and tutored by Vyasa, the compiler of the Brahma Sutras and author of the Bhagavata Purana, underscores his belief that his teachings are directly divine. The article highlights Madhva's distinctive reading of Bhagavata Purana I.1.1, particularly his interpretation of "janmadyasya" and "mrisa," which reinforces Vishnu's comprehensive causal activity and refutes Advaitin concepts of illusion (maya). Ultimately, Madhva's commentary played a crucial, though often unacknowledged, role in elevating the Bhagavata Purana's prominence and fostering later theistic interpretations of the text.