tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86853905178908165992023-11-15T18:48:23.677+05:30Narayanastra – Defending Vaishnavism as the supreme Vedic positionHumble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-61925950219606720942020-01-17T22:02:00.001+05:302020-02-09T10:20:38.865+05:30Farewell for now<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dear readers,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As you all know, this blog was initially started almost 7 years ago with the sole purpose of refuting “cyber scripture experts” like Mahapashupatastra and equally hopeless internet veerashaivas who peddle hurtful lies about Vaishnava gurus and Vaishnavism. We achieved it initially by turning the tables against them, by showing that their own Advaita gurus were originally Vaishnava who were later “morphed” illegitimately into veerashaivas by the hapless followers of Appayya Dikshita and the like. We also showed that Vaishnavism alone is the ultimate purport of the Vedas, Upanishads, Itihasas, Puranas, and Smritis and that this was accepted by neutral scholars. Much of the material in this category was inspired by works such as Paramapadam-residing Sri Puthur Swami’s “Sri Vishnuchitta Vijayam”, “Sankararum Vainavamum”, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Much has been written and discussed in this blog regarding Vishnu paratva. We increasingly feel there is not much more to be said as everything has been established to satisfaction according to us. Additionally, several professional and personal commitments have caught up with us recently. This has very much affected our efficiency at penning new articles as well as reply to user comments. Hence, we would like to suspend all activity on the blog indefinitely. We thank all our readers and commenters. We stop here for now, and the blog no longer accepts new reader comments. We may have left a number of comments unanswered. We duly apologise for that.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As Swami Nampillai says, when the plants are grown, the weeds are removed in the process. Similarly, our focus has always been on establishing the truths of the shAstras, which automatically demolishes false arguments. We hope our readers found our articles beneficial for their sAdhana and reading AchArya srIsUktis.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Some articles still contain a few grammatical errors etc., but nothing deal-breaking -- we believe we have managed to capture the essence of the shAstras. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In case we re-ignite activity on this blog again, we will do so with a journal post and you can subscribe using the RSS feed link. Until then, all articles and comments on the blog are available to read by the public.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Farewell for now.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jai Sriman Narayana</span></div>
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Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-66556766628855673802019-10-27T12:09:00.000+05:302019-10-30T17:12:48.784+05:30The Beheading of a Devata and the Pravargya Rite<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the brAhmaNAs, the pravargya ceremony is described. And in the context of that rite, it is also mentioned that some devata got beheaded. The incident is here:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sbr/sbe44/sbe44117.htm</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This story is repeated in several other places, but the name of the devata always changes. In the Taittiriya Aranyaka, the devata that lost his head is referred to as “Makha Vaishnava” as follows:</span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-3f6de803-7fff-5bde-22c1-c32b1c8b9e6d"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">“tesham makham vaishnavam yashaH Arcchat” (~ TA 1.7.1-2)</span></span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-3f6de803-7fff-5bde-22c1-c32b1c8b9e6d"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">And the devata who lost his head is also referred to as “Makha” here in the Panchavimsa Brahmana:</span></span><br />
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-3f6de803-7fff-5bde-22c1-c32b1c8b9e6d"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">“teshAm makham yAshah Arcchat…yajno vai makhah…yat pravargyam pravrinjati yajnyasya eva tach chhirah pratidadhati” - Glory came to Makha – The sacrifice is Makha –When men offer the pravargya, they replace the head of Makha.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The Taittiriya Aranyaka says it was Rudra who was beheaded:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">etadrudrasya dhanuH | rudrasyatveva dhanurArtniH shira utpipeSha | sa pravargyo.abhavat.h' - That bow belonged to Rudra. Since that belonged to Rudra, his 3 heads broke into pieces. That became the Pravargya.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, who is the deity who gets beheaded here? In order to answer this question, we need to understand why the Pravargya rite is associated with stories of devatas getting beheaded as well as the story of the rishi Dadhyangatharvana getting his head cut off and a horse’s head in its’ place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Some Comments about Us on Twitter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">We recently saw that several people on twitter, for some reason, seemed to take a swipe at our blog when discussing this incident. Please see the following threads:</span></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/GhorAngirasa/status/1181022757540098048" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">https://twitter.com/GhorAngirasa/status/1181022757540098048</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/shardula23/status/1181079632663257090" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">https://twitter.com/shardula23/status/1181079632663257090</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Some of the choice comments include:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">//Anyway, it is ironic & a bit funny for me because they frequently employ the logic that whenever another name is praised as supreme, it is referring to विष्णु but now they let the name, विष्णु itself refer to रुद्र. Anyway, whatever floats their boat.//</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">// I will examine each passage to see what inner meaning (rahasyārtha) one can give or simply hold it as an arthavāda, although the latter can be a boring solution at times.//</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">//The authors of that blog seem to be overtly passionate kids @Ravilochanan86 would perhaps have better idea of them); who feel the need to ‘defend’ everything: Losing head here is some deep symbolism that is not fully clear; not a sign of inferiority//</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">//Wrong claim. If anyone has done it, it is a later lazy attempt.//</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">//They said that Vishnu there refers to the yajamana who *pervades* the yajna in that case Rudra who had been called by that name for this particular reason.//</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">All such claims have been made by people:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Who claim to be interested in “inner meanings” but are actually yet to understand any inner meaning of the incident.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Who claim that literal interpretations are wrong, but again, are not competent themselves to give a proper inner meaning to the incident yet, not noticing we have done that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Who claim certain things like “Bloggers interpret “Vishnu” as a name of Rudra” without understanding that is not our position.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Who seem to have assumed we have a “Vaishnava bias” and thus want to “hide the fact Vishnu was beheaded”. FYI, our acharyas are quite open in accepting Vishnu ran away when Veerabhadra came in the Daksha yajna, so why would they hesitate to accept it if Vishnu was indeed beheaded? Also, no acharya has used this incident of Rudra being beheaded as an example that he is a jIva, for beheading by itself does not constitute proof. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">So many false claims and assumptions, all sprinkled with a sense of superiority that they go for “lofty inner meanings”. The reality is, none of them have even understood the inner meaning of the incident. They ignore the fact that we give both literal and inner meanings, and claim we are being “childish”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">So what we will do is, we will explain this entire incident. Let us see whether they will be magnanimous enough to accept their own shortcomings. We are going to provide the inner meanings as well as literal meanings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">The Issue of the Pravargya Rite – Introduction</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">In the brAhmaNAs, the pravargya ceremony is described. And in the context of that rite, it is also mentioned that some devata got beheaded. The incident is here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sbr/sbe44/sbe44117.htm</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">This story is repeated in several other places, but the name of the devata always changes. In the Taittiriya Aranyaka, the devata that lost his head is referred to as “Makha Vaishnava” as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">“tesham makham vaishnavam yashaH Arcchat” (~ TA 1.7.1-2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">And the devata who lost his head is also referred to as “Makha” here in the Panchavimsa Brahmana:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">“teshAm makham yAshah Arcchat…yajno vai makhah…yat pravargyam pravrinjati yajnyasya eva tach chhirah pratidadhati” - Glory came to Makha – The sacrifice is Makha –When men offer the pravargya, they replace the head of Makha.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The Taittiriya Aranyaka says it was Rudra who was beheaded:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">etadrudrasya dhanuH | rudrasyatveva dhanurArtniH shira utpipeSha | sa pravargyo.abhavat.h' – </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">That bow belonged to Rudra. Since that belonged to Rudra, his 3 heads broke into pieces. That became the Pravargya.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, who is the deity who gets beheaded here? What do the different names signify? What is the inner meaning? In order to answer this question, we need to understand why the Pravargya rite is associated with stories of devatas getting beheaded as well as the story of the rishi Dadhyangatharvana getting his head cut off and a horse’s head in its’ place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">The Pravargya Rite and Connection with Beheading</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says that the opening part of the ceremonial pravargya is called “tvashtra” as it is connected with the sun god. Shri Ranga Ramanuja Muni opines that the description of the pravargya rite is followed by the story of Dadhyangatharvana because of the similarity of fixing the head.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">As the pravargya is replaced in the place of the yajna shira (Sacrificial head), it is called “tvAshtra”. Similarly, on account of the horse’s head being fixed on Dadhyangatharvana, he is referred to as pravargya.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, what is clear is that the story of the devata getting beheaded and the story of Dadhyangatharvana is not related to the pravargya ceremony in any manner, but is mentioned on account of the similarity of the fixing of the head. Meaning, this devata lost his head and was revived again and knowing this would foster a remembrance of the meaning of the pravargya. It is simply a rememberance technique</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Who is this devata? Sayana says it is Vishnu and represents the Yajamana. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">This is wrong</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> because the name “Vishnu” on account of connection to the Narayana and Vasudeva namas in the Vishnu Gayatri, can only denote the supreme being despite etymologically amenable to other interpretations and cannot denote the yajamANa. Even in the shiva sahasranAmAs that occur in the tAmasa purANAs, the name “Vishnu” should only be interpreted as referring to the God Vishnu on this account (can say Shiva in the form of Vishnu, but not Shiva is named Vishnu).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">“Vishnu” in the Pravargya</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Then, is it Vishnu who is referred to here? The answer is no. How can we say that it is not Vishnu, when the Satapatha clearly says “tad visnoh prathamah prApa”?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Because, the Satapatha also says this - “Sa yah sa vishnur yajnah sa | sa yah sa yajno sau sa AdityaH|” – He who is this Vishnu (as the innerself of the deity who got beheaded) is verily Sacrifice. He who is this sacrifice is the (innerself of) that Aditya (who is the opening part of Pravargya).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">This mantra clearly talks of the antaryAmin principle after saying things like “Vishnu attained excellence among the devas”. Thus, it follows that the devata named “Vishnu” is not the Lord, but some other devata who is called Vishnu on account of having Vishnu as his antaryAmin. This devata was the one who got proud and was beheaded. This devata is called “Vishnu” here to highlight that the excellence he attained was because he was a vibhUti of Vishnu and due to the indwelling Lord’s grace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that the Satapatha uses the name "Purusho vai Narayana" to denote Brahma, who has Narayana as his antaryAmin, in the Purushamedha. On account of sharIrAtma bhAva, it is possible to label other devatas as "Vishnu" who is their antaryAmin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Similarly, the name “Makha” used in the Taittiriya Aranyaka denotes “Sacrifice” which again means Vishnu. The idea is, the devata who got beheaded is called “Makha” as his antaryAmin is Vishnu, who is verily the Makha (Sacrifice).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Then, the Panchavimsa Brahmana clearly says the devata is “Makha Vaishnava”. By using the term “Vaishnava”, the idea that it refers to the Lord Vishnu is ruled out, for it means “belonging to Vishnu”, ie, the devata is a vibhUti of the Lord. Thus, “Makha Vaishnava” means “One who has Makha (yajna-svarUpi vishNu) as his innerself, who is (endowed with power) belongs to Vishnu (as his vibhUti and AvEsha avatAra). On account of this devata attaining unsurpassed excellence, the antaryAmitvam of the Lord is specially mentioned for him for it is his grace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Which means, the true identity of the devata who was beheaded is revealed by the Taittiriya Aranyaka as below:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">etadrudrasya dhanuH | rudrasyatveva dhanurArtniH shira utpipeSha | sa pravargyo.abhavat.h'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">That bow belonged to Rudra. Since that belonged to Rudra, his 3 heads broke into pieces. That became the Pravargya.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">It is Rudra, who by the grace of his antaryAmin, became unsurpassed among the gods and hence proud. Then the same indweller, who is also the indweller of Indra, impelled the latter to gnaw the bowstring and cut of the head of Rudra.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The entire story of Rudra's beheading is mentioned in the Taittiriya Aranyaka Nampillai summarizes this incident here beautifully:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">http://eeduanubavam.blogspot.com/2012/08/indra-dhanus.html</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Note Svami Nampillai's words – he says that the same antaryAmin who powered Rudra’s bow against tripurAsurAs can also cause that bow to cut off Rudra’s own head, showing that only the sankalpa of bhagavAn allows devas like Rudra to perform such acts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">As a finality, the dvaitins quote a pramANa from the kUrma purANa to justify this as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">raxitaM naiva shaknoShi svAtmAnamapi shaN^kara | yuddhe kiM jeShyasi tvaM mAM pUrvavR^ittaM mayochyate || yadA madbhaktashakrasya yaj~nadhvamsaH kR^itastvayA | tadA.ahaM te shirashChitvA tatkratU raxito mayA | tato mAM prArthayAmAsa manobhIShTAya pArvatI | tadA vai matprasAdena prANAn.h lebhe bhavAn.h shiva ||</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: (Vishnu says:) Hey Shankara, you are not capable of protecting even yourself. How can you win over me in a war? I shall recount an old account (pUrvavR^ittaM). You came to ruin the yajna performed by my devotee, Indra. Then, I protected that Yajna, having got your head severed. Then, to obtain you back, Parvati prayed to me; after which, you got your life due to my grace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Because Rudra lost his head and it was reattached (when he was revived), the incident is mentioned in the context of the similarity to the pravargya is replaced in the place of the yajna shira (Sacrificial head), and so the Taittiriya Aranyaka says the head of Rudra became Pravargya – “sa pravargyo.abhavat.h”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The Yajna is referred to as the sacrifice of Indra in the Kurma Purana shloka on account of the fact that glory was meant for Indra. Thus even the Satapatha says </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">“sa u eva makhah sa vishnuH | tataH indro makhavAn abhavat” – That Vishnu (the indweller of Rudra who was beheaded) is verily sacrifice. Therefore (by his grace), Indra became “Makhavat”</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> – the possessor of sacrifice (can even mean, possessor of Vishnu's shakti, as an Avesha-avatAra).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Full Commentary on the Pravargya Rite – Literal and Inner Meanings</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">We are going to give both the literal explanation and the inner meaning. Let us look at the explanation from the Satapatha:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">(Rough translation here as a reference - http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sbr/sbe44/sbe44117.htm)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Om devā́ ha vaí sattraṃ níṣeduḥ agniríndraḥ sómo makho víṣṇurvíśve devā́ anyátraivā̀śvíbhyām. téṣām kurukṣetrám devayájanamāsa tásmādāhuḥ kurukṣetrám devā́nāṃ devayájanamíti tásmādyátra kvá ca kurukṣetrásya nigáchati tádevá manyata idám devayájanamíti taddʰí devā́nāṃ devayájanam</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The gods, namely Agni, Indra, Soma, Makha (Vishnu), Rudra whose innerself is Vishnu, Visvedevas and all except the 2 Asvins performed a Satra. Their place of the “deva yajna” was Kurukshetra. Therefore, it is said that Kurukshetra is the place of “deva yajna” for the devas. Hence, whenever one settles down (nigacchati) in Kurukshetra, one should consider this as the place for “deva yajna”, for it is the place of “deva yajna” for the gods.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The taittiriya Aranyaka says, “</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">etadrudrasya dhanuH”</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">. Thus, “Vishnu” here denotes Vishnu in the form of Rudra – rudra-sharIraka-paramAtma. Rudra is later described as attaining glory and it is to highlight that his glory is due to Vishnu that he is called by his antarymin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">Similar example is seen in the Purushamedha where Chaturmukha Brahma is called “Purusho vai Narayana” – brahma-sharIraka-paramAtma.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">“Makha” is mentioned separately. From “yajno vai vishNuh” it is well known that Makha is Vishnu himself. Hence, the name “Vishnu” does not denote the Lord again directly – it denotes the Lord indirectly as the innerself of another devata, which is Rudra as per other shrutis and smritis.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, for the inner meaning:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Inner Meaning: Those that shine out external objects, namely, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The senses that lead one to sense objects (Agni)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The foremost sense organ or vAk (Indra)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The qualities of sama and dama which are cool like the moon (Soma)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The indwelling Lord Vishnu who enables the sAdhana symbolised by sacrifice (Makha)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The mind engaged in meditation on Vishnu</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">The various qualities representing sattva guNa like equanimity etc (visvedevas) --- they all except the 2 Asvins who represent rAga and dvesha, which are like horses to be tamed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">(“</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">ā̀śvíbhyām” </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">relates to horses. Raga and Dvesha are tamed by Sama and Dama, and hence refer to this. Vishnu is the means for all sAdhana and hence is referred to as the sacrifice (sAdhana) itself.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">They performed a sacrifice (Sattra). Their place of Bhakti Yoga or Upasana, called “Worship of the Supreme Being (Deva)” was the body called Kurukshetra. Therefore, it is said that the body (Kurukshetra) is the place of Upasana (deva yajna) for the devas, ie, the Sattvikas who are inclined towards bhakti (or) the self-luminous jivas (devas). Hence, whenever one acquires (nigacchati) the body (Kurukshetra), one should consider this as the place for Upasana (deva yajna), for it is the place of Upasana (deva yajna) for the Sattvikas or Jivas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The body is a kshetra. “Kurukshetra” means that which troubles – the body troubles us by the effect of the indrIyas. However, those who are “Devas” or sattvikas consider this body as fit for upAsaNa, meaning, they do not use this body for worldly pursuits, but engage in sAdhana.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">tá āsata śríyaṃ gachema yáśaḥ syāmānnādā́ḥ syāméti tátho evèmé sattrámāsate śríyaṃ gacʰema yáśaḥ syāmānnādā́ḥ syāméti</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: They were present (for the sacrifice) thinking, may we attain wealth, may we attain glory, may we become eaters of food. And thus, in this manner, those who are present for the sacrifice think, “may we attain wealth, may we attain glory, may we become eaters of food”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Inner Meaning: They were all present, (ie, of a disposition favouring commencement) for the sacrifice of bhakti yoga, thinking, “May we attain wealth in the form of knowledge of our true nature (sriyam), may we become agreeable to Brahman (yashas), may we become experiencers of the auspicious attributes of Brahman denoted as food. And thus, in this manner, those (upAsakAs) who are present for the sacrifice think, “may we attain wealth, may we attain glory, may we become eaters of food”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">In reality, the indrIyas etc are insentient and only the jIva is conducting the sAdhana. But to signify all the indrIyas, mind, jIva and paramAtma are conducive to undertake sAdhana, “they” is used.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">té hocuḥ yó naḥ śrámeṇa tápasā śraddháyā yaiñenā́hutibhiryajñásyodŕ̥cam pū́rvo'vagáchātsá naḥ śréṣṭho'sattádu naḥ sárveṣāṃ sahéti tathéti</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: They said, “Whoever among us through effort, austerity, conviction, sacrifice and oblation shall first get to the conclusion of the sacrifice, he shall be the most excellent (sreShTa) among us and together with us all, ie, of a friendly disposition to everyone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Who among the devas is sreShTa? That we shall see.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Inner Meaning: Who amongst us through effort in the form of contemplation (śrámeṇa), knowledge of the Self and Brahman (tápasā), conviction in the means that is bhakti yoga (śraddhá), worship of Brahman (yajna) and oblation of the Atman in the form of self-surrender (ahuti), shall get to the conclusion of the sacrifice which is the perception of bhagavad-kalyANa-guNAs, , he shall be the most excellent (sreStha) among us and together with us all, ie, of a friendly disposition to everyone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">What is the most crucial component required for bhakti yoga, that facilitates all these qualities? Again, we shall see next.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"> tadvíṣṇuḥ pratʰamaḥ prā́pasá devā́nāṃ śreṣṭho'bhavattásmādāhurvíṣṇurdevā́nāṃ śréṣṭha íti </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Vishnu, in the form of Rudra, first attained it among the gods. Thus he became the most excellent of the gods, and thus they say, “Rudra, whose innerself is Vishnu, is the most excellent of the gods””.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">There are multiple pramANAs to show this refers to Rudra-sharIraka-paramAtma, and hence Rudra:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">etadrudrasya dhanuH” </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">– Taittiriya Aranyaka identifies the bow as belonging to Rudra.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">visnor cAtma bhagavato bhavaH amita tejasa:”</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> – The mahAbhArata identifies Vishnu as the self of Rudra, thus allowing for sAmAnAdhikaraNyam whereby Rudra is referred to by his indwelling Lord.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">brahmaNa putrAya jyEsthAya srESthAya ca</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">” – Shruti identifies Rudra as “srEStha” amongst the gods, this is reteirated by the mahAbhArata.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">vaishnavAnAm yatha shambhu</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">:” is a well-known pramANa.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">MahAdEva: sarvamEdhE MahAthmA huthvaa-aathmAnam dEva dEvO BhabhUva visvAn lOkAn vyApya vishtabhya keerthyA virAjathE dhyuthimAn KrutthivAsa:” </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline;">– This mahAbhArata shloka identifies Rudra as becoming the chief of the devas (devadeva) by the performance of the sarvamedha.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">In the light of all these pramANAs, is it “knee-jerk emotional crybaby Vaishnavism” to say that Rudra is being referred to here? Rudra is referred to as “Vishnu” because he required the latter’s grace to surpass all other gods.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Inner Meaning: The mind, which has</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Vishnu as its’ support and hence is called “Vishnu”, first attained the conclusion of bhakti yoga (perception of bhagavad guNAs) among those that shine out external objects. Thus the mind became the most excellent of those that shine out sense objects, and thus they say, “The mind, supported by Vishnu, is the most excellent of the perceivers”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Hence, the mind is hailed as the most significant tool for upAsaNa here. Since the fixation of the mind in upAsaNa requires the grace of Vishnu (dadAmi buddhi yogam tam – Gita 10.10), It is referred to by sAmAnAdhikaraNyam, as being the body of Vishnu. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that Rudra is connected to the mind which reinforces that it is him who is being referred to in the literal meaning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">sa yaḥ sa víṣṇuryajñaḥ sa sa yaḥ sá yajñò'sau sá ādityastáddʰedaṃ yáśo víṣnurná śaśāka sáṃyantu tádidamápyetárhi naìva sárva-iva yáśaḥ śaknoti sáṃyantum</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Now, he who is the innerself of Rudra (Vishnu), is the innerself of sacrifice (Yajna). He who is the innerself of this sacrifice (Yajnah), is the innerself of that Solar Orb (Aditya). But Rudra, who has Vishnu as his innerself, was not able to control his glory in the form of ego (yasas) and in that manner everyone (who is celebrated) cannot control that glory in the form of ego.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra become arrogant on account of his prowess through Yoga. Bhakti Yoga results in ahamkara or pride over one’s self-effort. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Kindly note that nowhere we have mentioned, “Vishnu is a name of Rudra” here as our opponents claim. Rather, Vishnu everyone refers only to Lord Vishnu, except as the indweller of Rudra, the mind etc. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">It is to highlight that Rudra’s arrogance is misplaced and his glory is solely due to his indweller, that he is referred to as “Vishnu” here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Inner</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Now, Vishnu who is the innerself of the mind (Vishnu), is the verily the sAdhana or means (Yajna). He who is the means (Yajnah), is the One who is realized by the “Akara” in praNava (Aditya). But the mind, who has Vishnu as its’ innerself, was not able to control glory in the form of ego (yasas) and in that manner everyone (who undertake upAsaNa) cannot control that glory acquired by upAsaNa.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">It is explained that the Lord Vishnu who is the support of the mind, is the actual means to sAdhana, as well as the end to be attained – “Aditya” means akAra vAchyan and thus signifies the one to be attained. But the mind gains ego on account of self-effort and thus all who undertake upAsaNa are plagued by this ego.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">sá tisr̥dhanvámādāyā́pacakrāma sá dhanurārtnyā śíra upastábhya tasthau tám devā ánabhidhr̥ṣṇuvantaḥ samantam pariṇyáviśanta</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: He (Rudra), taking the bow with three arrows, striding forth, rested his head on the bow. Not daring to attack him, the devas sat around him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra, swollen with pride, wanted to prevent Indra from partaking of the sacrifice. The pramANa “</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">etadrudrasya dhanuH” </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">– Taittiriya Aranyaka should be enough to identify who it was.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Inner Meaning: The mind, taking the threefold bow signifying knowledge, rested its’ ego on such knowledge. The senses remained obedient to the mind, incapable of resisting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">This should be self-explanatory. The bow either signifies knowledge of the 3 Vedas, knowledge of the 3 tattvas (cit, acit and Ishvara) or knowledge of the 3 yogas (karma, jnana and bhakti) enshrined in the Upanishads. The head of the mind is the ego on account of such knowledge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">tā́ ha vamryá ūcuḥ imā vaí vamryò yádupadī́kā yò'sya jyā́mapyadyātkímasmai práyachetétyannā́dyamasmai práyachemā́pi dhánvannapó'dhigachettáthāsmai sárvamannā́dyam práyacheméti tathéti</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Then the ants, which were of the type called “Upadika”, said, “What would you give to him who would gnaw the bowstring? – “We would give him the enjoyment of food and water in the desert, even so, we would give him every enjoyment of food. Let it be so, they said.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">It is to be understood that the perplexed devas had assumed the form of ants at this juncture. The reference to food and water is the idea that the person who nullifies Rudra will get whatever he desires and whatever is usually hard to attain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Inner Meaning: Then the senses referred to as “Upadika vamri” as they go in search, asked, “What would you give to him who would remove the self-effort undertaken via the mind? – “We would give him the enjoyment of Brahman called “food” and relief from samsAra which is akin to finding water in a desert, even so, we would give him every enjoyment of bhagavad kalyANa guNAs signified by food. Let it be so, they said.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The ants of the type signified above go deep under the Earth in search of water. Similarly, the senses extend everywhere in samsAra, seeking sense-objects that cause delight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">tásyopaparāsŕ̥tya jyāmápijakṣustásyāṃ chinnā́yāṃ dhanurārtnyaù viṣphurántyau víṣṇoḥ śíraḥ prácichidatuḥ</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Going near to Rudra, they gnawed his bowstring. When it was cut, the ends of the bow, cleaving apart, cut off the head of Vishnu, in the form of Rudra.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">It is said in some places that it was Indra alone who did this act. That is not a contradiction, as Indra did it on behalf of all the other devas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Why is Rudra called Vishnu here? Swami Nampillai explains in Eedu – It was by the sankalpa of Vishnu that Rudra was able to wield his bow to defeat Tripurasuras (visnor cAtma bhagavato bhavaH) Similarly, that very bow turned against Rudra and severed his head, only because Vishnu willed it to be so. The idea here is that, everything occurs by the Lord’s sankalpa and in the absence of that sankalpa, nothing can be achieved.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The Kurma Purana makes the identity of Rudra explicitly clear:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;">raxitaM naiva shaknoShi svAtmAnamapi shaN^kara | yuddhe kiM jeShyasi tvaM mAM pUrvavR^ittaM mayochyate || yadA madbhaktashakrasya yaj~nadhvamsaH kR^itastvayA | tadA.ahaM te shirashChitvA tatkratU raxito mayA | tato mAM prArthayAmAsa manobhIShTAya pArvatI | tadA vai matprasAdena prANAn.h lebhe bhavAn.h shiva ||</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: (Vishnu says:) Hey Shankara, you are not capable of protecting even yourself. How can you win over me in a war? I shall recount an old account (pUrvavR^ittaM). You came to ruin the yajna performed by my devotee, Indra. Then, I protected that Yajna, having got your head severed. Then, to obtain you back, Parvati prayed to me; after which, you got your life due to my grace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Inner Meaning: The senses approached the mind (ie, they sought out the locus of ego in the mind). They gnawed the bowstring which represents self-effort. When it was cut, the ends of the bow signifying knowledge, cleaving apart, cut off the ego (head) of the mind, which has Vishnu as its’ support.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The mind is called “Vishnu” here since the removal of ego requires self-surrender to him via the mind itself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">When self-effort is removed, the same knowledge (bow) which caused accumulation of ego, now results in destruction of that ego. Knowledge gains its’ true purpose when ego is removed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Conclusion of the Story</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">This concludes the Akhyana. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The next part which says “The head of Vishnu fell with the sound “ghrin” etc refers to the yajna shira of the pravargya sacrifice, where “Vishnu” signifies the actual sacrifice. The shruti seamlessly transitions from a description of Rudra getting beheaded to the Pravargya rite, so that one who meditates on Rudra getting beheaded, will gain a rememberance of Pravargya. In reality, the 2 incidents have no commonality or connection apart from both involving removal of heads from Rudra and the Yajna Shira.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Additional Notes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">When we look at the various descriptions of this event in other parts of shruti, we can now explain them easily:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">“tesham makham vaishnavam yashaH Arcchat…yajno vai makhah…yat pravargyam pravrinjati yajnyasya eva tach chhirah pratidadhati” - Glory c” (~ TA 1.7.1-2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Yashas accrued to Rudra, who has Vishnu as his innerself and empowered by his indweller (Makha Vaishnava). The innerself of the sacrifice is Vishnu, who is the innerself of Rudra. Those who offer the pravargya, they replace the head of Rudra who has Vishnu as his innerself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Where, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Makha Vaishnavam</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> - “Makha” refers to Vishnu, the sacrifice or means (sAdhana), as Rudra-SharIraka-ParamAtma and hence it is Rudra who is the actual referent. “Vaishnava” signifies he is related to (possesses) the power of Vishnu – which is called “Vishnu” itself since the Sakti-s of the Lord are inseparable from himself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">yajno vai makhah – </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Unless you take the antaryAmin principle, this would make no sense since Makha and Yajna are literally synonyms. What is meant is that Sacrifice (Yajna) has as its’ innerself the same Brahman (Makha) who is the means (makha – sacrifice – sAdhana) for Rudra (as his indweller). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The last line simply says that one should remember the pravargya via the incident of beheading of Rudra. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Here, we draw attention to a comment on twitter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">this person makes the following comment:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">//Anyway, it is ironic & a bit funny for me because they frequently employ the logic that whenever another name is praised as supreme, it is referring to विष्णु but now they let the name, विष्णु itself refer to रुद्र. Anyway, whatever floats their boat.//</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">This sort of rudimentary thinking greatly promotes a false perception of Vaishnavism. Firstly, if these people had taken the time to read the explanation of the rite in the above comment, I had clearly clarified the following:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">"Vishnu" there indeed refers to Lord Vishnu. We have already proven that the name is unique to the Lord everywhere in shAstra and does not connote other things. Unlike "Rudra" which is used for multiple entities. In the Pravargya incident, "Vishnu" does not directly refer to Rudra. Rather, it refers to Lord Vishnu as the innerself of Rudra. Hence, Rudra is called Vishnu on account of having Vishnu as his innerself. It is Rudra-sharIraka-paramAtma.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The same Satapatha itself clearly clarifies why Rudra is called "Vishnu" by saying </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">"Sa yah sa vishnur yajnah sa | sa yah sa yajno sau sa AdityaH|” – He who is this Vishnu (as the innerself of the deity who got beheaded) is verily Sacrifice. He who is this sacrifice is the (innerself of) that Aditya (who is the opening part of Pravargya).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">How else would you interpret this then? "He who got beheaded, is Vishnu is Sacrifice, he who is Sacrifice is that Aditya? It cannot be argued that since Vishnu is one among the Adityas, it refers to him directly, since the term "asou" indicates the Sun yonder. Also, by saying "Vishnu is Sacrifice", the antaryAmin principle is clearly established since otherwise, he cannot literally be the sacrifice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Here is a puzzler. "Makha Vaishnava" is not a separate deity. "Makha" refers to Vishnu only everywhere since he is sacrifice. But if that is the case, how can Vishnu be called "Vaishnava"? So it makes sense only to say it refers to Rudra as he is "Makha" -- "whose innerself is Vishnu, the “Makha" and "Vaishnava" - Who possesses the power (Avesha) belonging to Vishnu.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Otherwise, "Makha Vaishnava" itself is a contradictory name and cannot be reconciled.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">Final Thoughts</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Overwhelmingly, on social media, we see people who have elevated themselves into a false space where they consider themselves a cut above the rest on account of supposedly understanding “inner meanings”. Which is well and good, but for a small problem – either they rarely ever understand the actual inner meanings, or whenever they provide an “inner meaning”, it is mostly erroneous. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The other issue with these people here is that they seem to look down on those who accept literal meanings. It can be pointed out that besides the fact there is literally no reason to reject the literal meaning when it does not clash with the inner meaning. Also, unless you approach the text in the manner it is meant to be approached, viz., determining whether the literal meaning is required to be accepted rather than rejecting it wholesale, you will never be able to understand the inner meaning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">As an example in this pravargya incident, Rudra is the presiding deity of the mind, and thus all meanings have literal – rudra devata and inner – mind, which shows how both literal and inner meanings are connected. If our shAstrAs abhorred literalism, then there is no purpose dividing IthihAsa (histories that were written as they happened), Puranas (histories that were written long time after they happened) and Akhyana (stories/metaphors). Everything can be just “Akhyana” then.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">A final tendency of these people is to classify diligent research by Vaishnavas as “sentimentalism” and “mindless passion”. Case in point here, this person makes the following comment:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">//The authors of that blog seem to be overtly passionate kids @Ravilochanan86 would perhaps have better idea of them); who feel the need to ‘defend’ everything: Losing head here is some deep symbolism that is not fully clear; not a sign of inferiority://</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">We are still waiting to see what “deep inner meanings” this person can give. Unable to properly even extract the inner meaning, he still chooses to stereotype Vaishnavas as “blind bhaktas” despite us providing both literal and inner meaning in a cogent manner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">And this comment here in this thread - </span><a href="https://twitter.com/shardula23/status/1181079162242490368" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">https://twitter.com/shardula23/status/1181079162242490368</span></a><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;"> seems to cast aspersions:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">//That blog comes out with some outlandish views to counter outlandish views of another blog. Both should be kept at an arms length unless u can verify the source of their interpretations//</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The only lazy comparison is here is our diligent research with that layperson running the Mahapashupatastra. Whatever we provide is based on the works of Sri Vaishnava Acharyas. And how do you know you are “competent” to verify the source of our interpretations? For this same person writes here - </span><a href="https://twitter.com/Shivkrisa/status/1181109956545777664" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">https://twitter.com/Shivkrisa/status/1181109956545777664</span></a><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">, regarding the beheading incident:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">//Not in this case. Most traf scholars (including SV) interpret it as other devas gaining their strength from 'The One'. Now how u identify the One is based on tradition. Purusha sacrificed in yajna is not sign of inferiority either. Mere tweets can't explain it fully.//</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">What relation does the Pravargya have to the Purusha Sukta? Who actually said Rudra beheaded is pramANa for his jIvatva? While that may be so, it is not something we use to prove he is a jIva. We use pramANAs from the Upanishads. So this mistaken theory that “we want to prove Rudra was beheaded to show he is jIva” is just that…mistaken.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Also, Sri Kurattazhwan himself says Vishnu took the form of a crow and ran away when Veerabhadra attacked Daksha Yajna. So how can you cast aspersions on Sri Vaishnavas that we want to desperately avoid referring to Vishnu as beheaded etc? If anything, this shows the integrity we possess, that we take the incidents as they happen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Which “Sri Vaishnava” scholars interpret it as other devas gaining their strength from “The One” whoever that is? All I have seen some ignorant laypeople offering that as an explanation on Hindu Dharma Forums and the like. For one thing, Svami Nampillai, a Sri Vaishnava Acharya, clearly says it was Rudra who got beheaded in the Eedu. Here is the reference:</span></div>
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<a href="http://eeduanubavam.blogspot.com/2012/08/indra-dhanus.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">http://eeduanubavam.blogspot.com/2012/08/indra-dhanus.html</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Secondly, who is this “The One” this person speaks of?. Anyway, here is another gem written by this person here - </span><a href="https://twitter.com/Ravilochanan86/status/1181075877230039040" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">https://twitter.com/Ravilochanan86/status/1181075877230039040</span></a><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;">//Rather I consider it as an example of early sampradaya fights - brahmanas have such stories - rudra being given the same status. It doesn't matter if my God's head is cut but he should be seen as supreme :). After all, that deity is seen as supremely powerful compared to others.//</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">So, he will say our interpretations are “outlandish” when we base it on our Acharyas’ works, whereas according to his “traditional” opinion, the shruti, which is considered untampered and in pristine form by all vidvAns, apparently contains interpolations by zealots fighting over their gods.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline;">These are the type of persons who try to deride our articles. Well, what can we say about that. Let the readers decide.</span></div>
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Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-16257131225357063352019-10-04T18:42:00.001+05:302019-10-05T11:55:36.901+05:30Validity of Srimad Bhagavatam<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Several readers have queried us regarding a particular article written on the Bhagavata Purana, called “Bhagavata Purana Samiksha” - </span><a href="https://kamakotimandali.com/~kamakoti/misc/mahapurana.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">https://kamakotimandali.com/~kamakoti/misc/mahapurana.html</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Here, the author seeks to establish that the Devi Bhagavatam is the “true Bhagavatam” and that Shrimad Bhagavatam is an Upapurana. It should be noted that Vedantins of all backgrounds have only admitted that the Shrimad Bhagavatam is the authentic text – any question of authenticity is decided by the acceptance among ancient Vedantins. To that effect, we have the following proofs:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Innumerable ancient commentaries on Shrimad Bhagavatam by Advaitins, Vishishtadvaitins and Dvaitins</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Earliest reference being Shri Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Nayanar, who is part of the Sri Vaishnava guruparampara and lived between 1207-1307 CE, followed by Madhvacharya and Shri Vedanta Desikan (again a Sri Vaishnava Acharya). This proves that the text was previously quite popular. There are also opinions that Gaudapada has quoted the Bhagavatam, but we haven’t verified those claims</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Shrimad Bhagavatam is sAttvika in nature and aligned to the Shastras, while the Devi Bhagavatam contradicts the Shastras and is Tamasa. While that alone is not sufficient to rule out a text as not being among the 18 Puranas (since even Shiva Purana despite being Tamasa is among the 18), the fact that a text called “Bhagavatam” is highly celebrated in other Puranas suggests that it can only be a Sattvika work. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, there really is no need to address the claims of these people, this much is enough as proof. But to remove any doubts in the minds of those who wrote to us, we endeavor to answer these questions anyway. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Devi Bhagavatam is a minor Upapurana that might have seen additions to it in recent times. It is only quoted by modern day Shaivas/Shaktas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">The Validity of the Shrimad Bhagavatam</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“PP” stands for Purvapaksha and is a quote from the Shakta article (- </span><a href="https://kamakotimandali.com/~kamakoti/misc/mahapurana.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">https://kamakotimandali.com/~kamakoti/misc/mahapurana.html</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">). “SD” stands for Siddhantha and is our answer.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: Two purANas are known popularly as bhAgavata: viShNu bhAgavata purANa and devI bhAgavata purANa. Traditional scholars have different opinion regarding which of the two can be considered as a mahApurANa. The goal of this post is to present before the discerning reader, various views that exist in this regard.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: Only one purāṇa is “popularly” known as “bhāgavata” and that is the sāttvika purāṇa which praises Vishnu and has numerous commentaries. Just as “sahasranāma” denotes only Vishnu sahasranāma, “gIta” denotes only bhagavad gīta, “bhāgavata” or “srimad bhāgavata” denotes only what you call “Vishnu bhāgavata”. Thus, it is futile to claim that devī bhāgavata ever enjoyed a superior or equal status, considering even genuine tāmasa purāṇās like the shiva purāṇa cannot match the sāttvika purāṇas. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In fact, we challenge our opponent to show us any ancient work using the term “ Vishnu Bhāgavata”. Everywhere, “bhāgavata” denotes only Srimad Bhāgavatam, even in the texts themselves.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Traditional scholars” have all commented on Srimad Bhāgavatam and hence, there exists no difference of opinions. This is admitted by the Purvapakshin himself later on, so it is an outright lie to claim such a debate exists.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Furthermore, the criterion of a mahāpurāṇa to be eligible for liberation is spelled out in the Bhāgavatam itself as follows. It cannot be argued that this criterion cannot be accepted because it is in the book subject to debate. Because the Bhāgavatam has been commented upon by all great vedAntins like Shridhara, Viraraghavacharya, Vijayadhvaja Tirtha and the goswamis of the gaudiya tradition. There is no debate regarding its authenticity at all other than in the minds of Vishnu-Dveshis. Whereas, the devī bhāgavata is untouched by anyone except modern day shaivas and shaktas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">atra sargo visargaś ca sthānaṁ poṣaṇam ūtayaḥ manvantareśānukathā nirodho muktir āśrayaḥ (~bhAgavata 2.10.1)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Where “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">manvantareśānukathā” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">– “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">manvantara kaṭhanam iṣvaraceśtitha kaṭhanam</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” - The stories regarding the leelas of the Supreme Ruler is a criterion for a purāṇa to be classified as a “mahāpurāṇa”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">According to the Subalopanishad – “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">iṣa sarvabhūtāntarātma apahatapāpma divyo deva eko nārāyaṇa</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">:”– the Supreme Ruler is Narayana alone. Thus, the tāmasa purāṇas which describes stories of rudra, devi, skanda, etc who are not “Isa”, are not mahāpurāṇās that confer liberation, whereas the purāṇās describing the leelas of Hari (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">janma karmaṇi ca me divyaṃ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) alone are mahāpurāṇās that confer liberation. By this, the devī bhāgavata is already ruled out as a mahāpurāṇa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Of course, there are pancha lakśaṇās that determine a purāṇa to be different to an Akhyana. But on account of failing the criterion of “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">eśānukathā” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">by talking about those who are not Ishvaras, none of the tāmasa purāṇās like Shiva, Linga etc are “mahāpurāṇās”. If they are called so, sometimes, it is to differentiate them from an “upapurāṇa” but not to hint they have any mahatva or mahima.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: The lakShaNa for bhAgavata that is regarded as a mahApurANa, is described in mastya purANa as below:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yatAdhikR^itya gAyatrIM varNyate dharmavistaraH | vR^itrAsuravadhopetaM tadbhAgavatamuchyate ||sArasvatasya kalpasya madhye ye syurnarAmarAH | tadvR^ittAntodbhavaM loke tadbhAgavatamuchyate | aShTAdashasahasrANi purANaM tatprakIrtitam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The padma purANa describes bhAgavata mahApurANa as below:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">purANeShu cha sarveShu ShrimadbhAgavataM param | yatra pratipado kR^iShNo gIyate bahudarshibhiH || ShrimadbhAgavataM shAstraM kalau kR^iShNena bhAShitam | parIkShite kathAM vaktuM sabhAyAM saMsthite shuke ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is clear that the reference here is to viShNu bhAgavata purANa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: “Yes, it is clear. Nonetheless, as we possess hatred of Vishnu, we cannot accept it and therefore will try to prove a tāmasa śāstra like devī bhāgavataṃ is higher than a pristine, lofty purāṇa like the Srimad Bhāgavataṃ.” – This is the thinking of the author.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: nArada purANa describes briefly, the content of the bhAgavata purANa:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">marIche shr^iNu vakShyAmi vedavyAsena yatkR^itam | ShrimadbhAgavataM nAma purANaM brahmasammitam || tadaShTAdasahsAhasraM kIrtitaM pApanAshanam | surapAdaparUpo.ayaM skandhairdvAdashabhiryutaH || tatra tu prathame skandhe sUtarShINAM samAgamaH | vyAsasya charitaM punyaM pANDavanAM tathaiva cha || pArIkShitamupAkhyAnamitIdaM samudAhR^itam | parIkShicChukasamvAde sUtidvayanirUpaNam || brahmanAradasaMvAdo.avatAracharitAmR^itam || purANalakShNaM chaiva sR^iShTikAraNasambhavaH | dvitIyo.ayaM samuditaH skandho vyAsena dhImatA || charitaM vidurasyAtha maitreyeNAsya sa~NgamaH | sR^iShTiprakaraNaM pashchAdbrahmaNaH paramAtmanaH || kApilaM sAmkhyamapyatra tR^itIyo.ayamudAhR^itaH || etc.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">viShNu bhAgavata fits the description laid out in all these three purANas. Moreover, the list of chapters detailed by devarShi nArada fits the list of chapters in viShNu bhAgavata.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: Yes, it does. Hence, there is really no scope for debate.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: Padma purANa describes sAtvika purANas and only viShnu-para purANas are listed here:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vaiShNavaM nAradIyaM cha tathA bhAgavataM shubham | gAruDaM cha tathA pAdmaM vArAhaM shubhadarshane | sAtvikAni purANAni vij~neyAni shubhAni vai ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Based on this, it seems that bhAgavata considered as the mahApurANa is viShNu para.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: Indeed, it is so. And perhaps it leads to the (correct) conclusion that “Vishnu para” alone is the criterion for determining sāttvika character.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: However, matsya purANa, while describing the lakShaNa of bhAgavata, speaks of sArasvata kalpa, which is not discussed in viShNu bhAgavata. The vivR^iti is of pAdma kalpa in bhAgavata as the verse says:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pAdmaM kalpamatho shR^iNu |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The description of the exact kalpa has been considered to be of great importance by vidvAns as the list of aShTAdasha purANas does not remain same in all the kalpas. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: Who are these Vidvāns who give importance to kalpas anyway? Notice how the author hides under cover of “traditional scholars” or “vidvans” without even naming them. Nice way to give a sense of false authenticity to his arguments.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, with respect to the discrepancy in kalpas, the pādma and sārasvata kalpas are one and the same. How? Because the pādma kalpa is named so because it involves creation of the Universe through the lotus emanating from the Lord’s navel. Thus, it is appropriate to call it “sārasvata” since “sārasvata” is a name of Brahmā, who in turn is closely associated with the Universal lotus.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“sārasvata” has two meanings:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brahmā, associated with Sarasvatī.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brahmā, associated with Speech which is the Veda.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Why refer to pādma kalpa as sārasvata specifically? It could also be called Hiranyagarbha kalpa or something, can it not? The reason is because “Sarasvat”, be it the Vedas or Sarasvatī herself, are instrumental for creation happening through Brahmā. The latter cannot create without the knowledge of the Vedas, which he chants via Sarasvatī taking residence on his tongue. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Mahābhārata (Sānti Parva) highlights the importance of “sarasvat” in creation as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sa evam ukto vimukhaś cintā vyākulamānasaḥ pranamya varadaṃ devam uvāca harim īśvaram</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kā śaktir mama deveśa prajāḥ sraṣṭuṃ namo 'stu te aprajñāvān ahaṃ deva vidhatsva yad anantaram</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: (Brahmā said to Hari): I bow to you, O Lord who bestows boons, but I ask what strength have I to create diverse creatures? I have no knowledge. You ordain what should be ordained in view of this.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sa eva m ukto bhagavān bhūtvāthāntar hitas tataḥ cintayām āsa deveśo buddhiṃ buddhimatāṃ varaḥ</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Thus addressed by Brahmā, the Lord of the universe, viz., Nārāyaṇa, disappeared there and then from Brahma's sight. The Supreme Lord, the chief of those endowed with intelligence, then began to think.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">svarūpiṇī tato buddhir upatasthe hariṃ prabhum yogena caināṃ niryogaḥ svayaṃ niyuyuje tadā</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The Goddess of Intelligence forthwith made her appearance before the Master of all, Nārāyaṇa who then, by dint of his supreme will, yoked the Goddess of Intelligence properly (to her duties).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sa tām aiśvaryayogasthāṃ buddhiṃ śaktimatīṃ satīm uvāca vacanaṃ devo buddhiṃ vai prabhur avyayaḥ brahmāṇaṃ praviśasveti lokasṛṣṭy arthasiddhaye tatas tam īśvarādiṣṭā buddhiḥ kṣipraṃ viveśa sā athainaṃ buddhisaṃyuktaṃ punaḥ sa dadṛśe hariḥ bhūyaś cainaṃ vacaḥ prāha sṛjemā vividhāḥ prajāḥ evam uktvā sa bhagavāṃs tatraivāntaradhīyata</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The immutable Lord of all (Hari), addressing the Goddess of Intelligence who was endued with power and goodness and being united with prosperity (of the form of knowledge), said to her these words:--For the accomplishment of the task of creating all the worlds, you enter into Brahmā. Commanded thus by the Supreme Lord, Intelligence forthwith entered Brahmā. When Hari beheld that Brahmā had become united with Intelligence. He once more addressed him, saying--Create diverse kinds of creatures. And Nārāyaṇa disappeared from Brahma’s presence.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To highlight the importance of this, the pādma kalpa has been called as sārasvata kalpa here. The Universal Lotus is associated with Brahmā, who is called Sārasvata on account of his association with the Vedas or Sarasvatī (who confers his ability to chant the Vedas). Either the Vedas or Sarasvatī can be inferred by the term as Brahmā is associated with both, it doesn’t matter which.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: Now, one should examine the following ver</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">s</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">e from shiva purANa:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhagavatyAshcha durgAyAshcharitaM yatra vidyate |tattu bhAgavataM proktaM na tu devIpurANakam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The work which describes the charita of bhagavatI durgA, that indeed is the purANa famous as bhAgavata and that is not devI purANa. The reference here is explicitly to devI bhAgavata.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: This can indeed be taken as referring to the srimad bhāgavataṃ. For the “story of durga” which should be one that – 1) accurately depicts her status as a subordinate of the Lord, 2) describes her greatness as it is in reality (a powerful devi, subject to Narayana) and not an exaggeration to elevate her to supremacy.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The highest glorification of durga occurs only in the srimad bhāgavataṃ vide the following:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kātyāyani mahā-māye mahā-yoginy adhīśvari nanda-gopa-sutaṁ devi patiṁ me kuru te namaḥ</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">iti mantraṁ japantyas tāḥpūjāṁ cakruḥ kumārikāḥ (~Srimad Bhāgavatam 10.22.4)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here, the gopīs performed the kātyāyani vrata and worshipped Durga for attaining Krishna. The rāsa-leela is the single greatest sport of Lord Krishna and thus Durga has acquired the mahima of being associated with the gopīs, who are bhāgavatas, and of assisting them in their endeavors to attain the Lord.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Durga also helped Krishna by warning Kamsa as we all know.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In addition, durga’s association with the Lord is further spelled out:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">iti prabhāṣya taṁ devī māyā bhagavatī bhuvi bahu-nāma-niketeṣu bahu-nāmā babhūva ha (~Srimad Bhāgavatam 10.4.29)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nāmadheyāni kurvanti sthānāni ca narā bhuvi durgeti bhadrakālīti vijayā vaiṣṇavīti ca</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kumudā caṇḍikā kṛṣṇā mādhavī kanyaketi ca māyā nārāyaṇīśānī śāradety ambiketi ca (~Srimad Bhāgavatam 10.2-11-12)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Durga attained all her glory only by her services to the Lord. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This, above everything else, is the “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">durgāyāścaritaṃ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” that is most important. Not the various tāmasa stories that falsely paint durga as supreme, but her birth as the sister of Krishna, her aiding the Lord by warning Kamsa and also her assistance to the gopīs. Because she derives her present status from those acts.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, the pūrvapakṣin may question, “But why specifically highlight Durga? The shloka could have simply said, “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">krśṇayāścaritaṃ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” instead. The answer is very beautiful – When you consider the fact that it was Yoga-Maya who heralded the avatāra of the Lord and warned Kamsa, and it was to her that the gopīs prayed for union with Vishnu, the whole of Krishna-leela from the birth of the Lord to him giving moksha to the gopIs can be named as “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">durgāyāścaritaṃ” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">– the story relating to Durga – in honor of this Devi for her services to the Lord and his devotees. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Similarly, even srimad rāmāyaṇa is referred to by vālmiki as “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sītayaḥ caritaṃ mahat</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”. So, it is an honor granted to Durga. The Lord likes giving recognition to his devotees, be it Sita or Durga.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, there is no contradiction in that shiva purāṇa shloka.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: Another interesting pramANa to refer to would be that of devIyAmaLa, quoted by bhAskararAya:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ShrimadbhAgavataM nAma purANaM vedasammitam |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pArIkshitAyopadiShTaM satyavatya~NgajanmanA ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yatra devyavatArAshcha bahavaH pratipAditAH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">idaM rahasyaM charitaM rAdhopAsanamuttamam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vyAsAya mama bhaktAya proktaM pUrvaM mayAdrije |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">matto rahasyaM j~nAtvaiva rAdhopAsanamuttamam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">etasya vistaraM chakre ShrimadbhAgavate tathA |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nArade brahmavaivarte lokAnAM hitakAmyayA ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The various rUpaviSheshas of ambA as well as the mAhAtmya of rAseshvarI rAdhikA, esoterically referred to as parAShriH in UrdhvAmnAya, are discussed only in devI bhAgavata.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: Deviyāmala is not a Vaidika text and thus is not authentic. Hence, what it says is of no concern. If the author wants credibility from a Vedantic standpoint, he should quote texts not opposed to the Vedanta systems.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: chitsukhAchArya, in his bhAgavata kathA saMgraha, quotes the following verse from brahmavaivarta:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">grantho.aShTAdasha sAhasro dvAdashaskandhasammitaH | hayagrIvabrahmavidyA yatra vR^itravadhastathA || gAyatryA cha samArambhastadvai bhAgavataM viduH ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: And Sridhara, the disciple of Citshuka, has commented on Srimad Bhāgavataṃ only. So, not difficult to gauge which Bhāgavataṃ Citshuka meant.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: devI bhAgavata starts with the verse:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sarvachaitanyarUpAM tAmAdyAM vidyAM cha dhImahi || buddhiM yA naH prachodayAt ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">viShNu bhAgavata contains the following verse in the very first chapter:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dhAmnA svena sadA nirastakuhakaM satyaM paraM dhImahi ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Of the two, the verse from devI bhAgavata fits the lakShaNa, gAyatryA cha samArambhaH, better. Both purANas detail the episode of the killing of vR^itrAsura. Also, while viShNu bhAgavata mentions hayagrIva, the episode of brahmavidyAlAbha by hayagrIva is discussed only in devI bhAgavata. Some trace hayagrIva mantra in the fifth skandha of viShNu bhAgavata and interpret this verse as referring to that mantra. But that does not seem applicable here as the reference is to vidyA, which is strImantrapara and not mantra:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">antra puMdevatA proktAH vidyAH strIdevatAH smR^itAH ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Based on these, the above lakShaNa seems to fit devI bhAgavata alone.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: The author has completely misunderstood what “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">hayagrīva brahmavidyā</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” is. Firstly, “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vidyā</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” here means knowledge (brahmavidya that is upāsaṇa or bhakti-yoga) and not “strImantra”. Secondly, the “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">hayagrīva</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” here is the rishi Dadichi who is described in the Upanishads to have gained the head of a horse and instructed the devas on Brahma-Vidya. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sa vā adhigato dadhyaṅṅ aśvibhyāṁ brahma niṣkalam yad vā aśvaśiro nāma tayor amaratāṁ vyadhāt (~bhāgavataṃ 6.9.52)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note the reference to “ashvasira” and “brahma nishkalam” here. The significance of “vritrasura vadha” has more to do with this than a tāmasa story of Devi helping Indra. The reason why “vritrasura vadha” is connected with Dadichi getting the head of a horse is specified by referring to the Pravargya ceremony in the Vedas - The story of a devata (Rudra) getting beheaded and the story of Dadhyangatharvana is not related to the pravargya ceremony in any manner, but is mentioned in the context of the ceremony on account of the similarity of the fixing of the head. Meaning, this devata lost his head and was revived again, just as Dadhyangatharvana lost his head and was revived, and knowing this would foster a remembrance of the meaning of the pravargya which involves removing the head of the sacrifice.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Similarly, the story of Vritrasura is mentioned along with the story of Dadichi (Hayagriva) on account of both involving beheadings. It is one of the nyāyās used by śāstra to foster rememberance.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The gāyatri lakṣaṇa fits the bhāgavataṃ alone. We shall get to that shortly. At this point, we will say this – the gāyatri has Parabrahman Sriman Narayana as its’ import. Any other meaning given to the gāyatri is not a correct explanation of gāyatri and so, the mere reference to gāyatri in the devi bhāgavata does not qualify as a settlement of the criterion.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We spoke earlier of sArasvata kalpa, which is described as below in the nAgarakhaNDa of skanda purANa:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sArasvatastu dvAdashyAM shuklAyAM phAlgunasya cha ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This means that the avirbhAva of sArasvata kalpa was in the month of phAlguna, on shukla dvAdashI.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The following verse describes AvirbhAva of parameshvarI on this very same tithi for the sake of slaying madhu and kaiTabha:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">brahmaNA samstutA seyaM madhukaiTabhanAshane | mahAvidyA jagaddhAtrI sarvavidyAdhidevatA |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dvAdashyAM phalgunasyaiva shuklAyAM samabhUnnR^ipa ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As both brahmastuti and vadha of madhu kaitabha are described in devI bhAgavata, it is easier to associate this purANa with sArasvata kalpa than viShNu bhAgavata. Moreover, sArasvata kalpa is associated with mahimAdarshana of sarasvatI as indicated by the following verse:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sAtvikeShu cha kalpeShu mAhAtmyamadhikaM hareH | rAjaseShu cha kalpeShu mAhAtmyaM brahmaNo viduH ||tadvadagneshcha mAhAtmyaM tAmaseShu shivasya cha | sa~NkIrNe cha sarasvatyAH pitR^INAM cha nigadyate || [mAtsye]</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Moreover, the material in viShNu bhAgavata, which is referred to as pAramahamsya samhitA, is aimed at paramahamsAdayaH, as described by Shridhara svAmin. Whereas the bhAgavata we talk of as mahApurANa is associated with sArasvata kalpa, which is described as sa~NkIrNeShu sarasvatyA, which certainly does not go with the description of pAramahamsya samhitA.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: The issue of the kalpās has already been dispelled. The pādma kalpa is the sārasvata kalpa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Madhu-kaitabha vadhā, brahmastuti etc as described in the Devi Bhāgavata are tāmasa and thus not fit to bear the name of “Srimad” prefix. These incidents did not happen, as Devi is not supreme and did not kill Madhu or Kaitabha. The ithihāsās and sāttvika purāṇās are clear that it is Vishnu who is supreme and that he killed the asurAs. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: The reason why confusion prevails as to which among these is mahApurANa is the following verse, which lists upapurANas, and it lists an upapurANa named bhAgavata:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">AdyaM sanatkumAroktaM nArasimhamataH param | parAsharoktaM pravaraM tathA bhAgavatAhvayam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In various works such as sarvashAstrArtha sa~Ngraha of madhusUdana sarasvatI, durjanamukhachapeTikA of rAmAshrama, nibandha of nAgojI bhaTTa, durjanamukhapadmapAdukA, bhAvatasvarUpa viShayasha~NkA nirAsha of puruShottama and other works, based on padma purANa, vishNu bhAgavata has been declared as mahApurANa and devI bhAgavata as the upapurANa. However, the confusion regarding the status of mahApurANa is not new as Shridhara svAmin, in his commentary on viShNu bhAgavata clarifies:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhAgavatanAmAnyadityapi nAsha~NkanIyam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: So, basically all the Acharyas of the advaita tradition and others have declared the bhAgavataM as a mahāpurāṇa, but the author tries to refute them. This itself establishes that the argument of the author is unvedic and has no standing.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Even were Sridhara admitting some form of ambiguity by the above quote, which he is not, by commenting on the Srimad Bhagavatam, he has clarified what his opinion is. That should be evident.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: He also indicates the number of adhyAyas as 332: dvAtrimshattrishataM cha yasya vilasat |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kAshinAtha, in his work durjanamukhamhAchapeTikA, quotes the following verse:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">skandhA dvAdasha evAtra kR^ishNena vihitAH shubhAH | dvAtrimshattrishataM pUrNamadhyAyAH parikIrtitAH ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In this grantha of kR^iShNa dvaipAyana, there are 12 skandhas and 332 adhyAyas. Based on this adhyAya saMkhyA, viShNu bhAgavata has been declared as mahApurANa by some authorities. devI bhAgavata consists of 318 adhyAyas:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">trishataM pUrNamadhyAyA aShTAdashayutAH smR^itAH ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: “But we shall nonetheless try to find a contradiction where none exists” – so goes the mentality of this author.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: The following is described regarding the origin of bhAgavata purANa, in the purANa itself: bhagavAn vyAsa classified the Veda, compiled the fifth veda which was the group of all itihAsas and purANas, and for the sake of women and patita brAhmaNAdikas, composed the mahAbhArata. But these did not grant him satisfaction. Based on an advice from sage nArada, vyAsa authored viShNu bhAgavata, which details harikathAmr^ita, and attained parama tR^ipti. Based on this story, this purANa was composed after other purANas and itihAshas. However, other purANas, while listing the mahApurANas, list bhAgavata as the fifth purANa. This has encouraged the view that the mahApurANa is indeed devI bhAgavata.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: That statement about the fifth Veda does not mean the Bhāgavatam is not included in it. It is merely an introductory statement for Vyasa saying he compiled the Vedas and authored the fifth Veda consisting of all īthihāsās and purāṇās, which also includes Bhāgavatam. Once the Bhāgavatam is composed, it becomes part of the fifth veda canon as well. It is a very general assertion to highlight who Vyāsa is.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Be that as it may. To the other contention – “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The other purāṇās list Bhāgavatam as the fifth purāṇa, but Vyāsa is said to have composed Srimad Bhāgavatam last</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”. – The author perhaps does not know what a purāṇa is. It is a description of events that happened a long time ago, which was narrated by Brahma. Thus, Brahma narrates it and Vyāsa</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">compiles the discourse of Brahma.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, even if we accept Vyāsa was dejected and wrote the Bhāgavata Purāṇa last etc, even this happened long, long time ago and Brahma’s narration of this event can easily be the fifth of his discourses. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We need to understand that the Purāṇās were narrated by Brahma and the narrations compiled by Vyāsa</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">in different orders respectively. Vyāsa</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">may have composed the last narrated purāṇa first and so on.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Alternatively, it can also be that the Purāṇā is describing a Vyāsa</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">of a previous kalpa who composed it last. But our Vyāsa</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">composed this Purāṇā detailing the exploits of that Vyāsa as the fifth of the compositions. The point is, it is impossible to refute the authenticity of a text by such measures as timescales and order are very much subject to change. No scholar has ever used this metric.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: Also, while bhAgavata describes its own lakShaNas, which are more than five, devIbhAgavata lists the following five lakShaNas, which have been accepted as the required lakShaNas by amarasimha and others. The following is the verse from devI bhAgavata:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sargashcha pratisargashcha vaMsho manvantarANi cha | vamshAnucharitaM chaiva purANaM pa~nchalakShaNam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: A Purāṇa can claim anything. Fact is, the Devī Bhāgavataṃ is not listed among the 18 Purāṇās. It is an upapurāṇa, or perhaps a recent work passed off in the name of an original devi upapurāṇa that has become popular among Vishnu-Dveshis.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The 10 lakṣaṇās of the bhāgavata does not contradict the 5 lakṣaṇās described for purāṇās in general. The idea is that the 5 lakṣaṇās are the minimum criteria for a text to be a purāṇa. The 10 lakṣaṇās are the criteria for a mahāpurāṇa, which is eligible for those interested in liberation.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: Now there is yet another pakSha which does not even consider viShNu bhAgavata as an upapurANa and claim it to be the work of bopadeva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: In their desperation and hatred of Vishnu, they would even take recourse to the erroneous speculations of indologists. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: One should also note that the list of eighteen mahApurANas is not always same. According to nAradIya purANa:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">madvayaM bhadvayaM chaiva bratrayaM vachatuShTayam | AlimpAgnipurANAni kUskaM gAruDameva cha ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">madvayam: mArkaNDeya, matsya bhadvayam: bhAgavata, bhaviShya bratrayam: brahma, brahmavaivarta, brahmANDa vachatuShTayam: vAmana, varAha, vishNu, vAyu A: Aditya liM: li~Nga pa: padma agni: Agneya kU: kUrma ska: skanda gAruDa: garuDa</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This list is not always the same. For example, this list does not include shiva purANa, considered as a purANa by other lists and authorities. Some explain the word shiva occurring in other such lists as referring to vAyavya purANa due to its pratipAdana of shiva tattva. However, mudgala purANa clearly distinguishes between the two purANas:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">brAhmaM cha vaiShNavaM pAdmaM shaivaM bhAgavataM tathA | bhaviShyaM brahmavaivartaM mArkaNDeyaM cha vAmanam || AgneyaM vAyavaM mAstyaM iti |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: Precisely. Note that the list is not always the same, but all lists always include the major sāttvika purāṇās. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: Shiva purANa presents the following list in uttarakhaNDa, madhyameshvara mAhAtmya:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yatra vaktA svayaM taNDe brahmA sAkShAt chaturmukhaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tasmAdbrahmasamAkhyAtaM purANaM prathamaM mune ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The first among the purANas is brahma purANa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">padmakalpasya mAhAtmyaM tatra yasmAdudAhR^itam |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tasmAt pAdmaM samAkhyAtaM purANaM cha dvitIyakam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The second is the padma purANa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">parAsharakR^itaM yattu purANaM viShNubodhakam |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tadeva vyAsakathitaM putrapitrorabhedataH ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The third is the viShNu purANa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yatra pUrvottare khaNDe shivasya charitaM bahu |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shaivametatpurANaM hi purANaj~nA vadanti cha ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The fourth is shiva purANa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhagavatyAshcha durgAyAshcharitaM yatra vidyate |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tattu bhAgavataM proktaM na tu devI purANakam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The fifth is devI bhAgavata purANa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nAradoktaM purANaM tu nAradIyaM prachakShate |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The sixth is nArada purANa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yatra vaktA bhavattaNDe mArkaNDeyo mahAmuniH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mArkaNDeya purANaM hi tadAkhyAtaM cha saptamam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The seventh is mArkaNDeya purANa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">agniyogAttadAgneyaM bhaviShyokterbhaviShyakam |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Agneya and bhaviShyottara are the eight and the ninth in the list.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vivartanAdbrahmaNastu brahmavaivartamuchyate ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The tenth is brahmavaivarta purANa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Li~Ngasya charitoktatvAtpurANaM li~Ngamuchyate ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The eleventh is linga purANa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">varAhasya cha vArAhaM purANaM dvAdashaM mune ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The twelfth is varAha purANa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yatra skandaH svayaM shrotA vaktA sAkShAnmaheshvaraH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tattu skAndaM samAkhyAtaM vAmanasya tu vAmanam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The thirteenth and fourteenth are varAha and skAnda purANas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kaurmaM kUrmasya charitaM mAtsyaM matsyasya kIrtitam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kUrma and matsya are the fifteenth and sixteenth in this list.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">garuDastu svayaM vaktA yattadgAruDasaMj~nakam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">garuDa purANa is the seventeenth purANa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">brahmANDacharitoktatvAdbrahmANDaM parikIrtitam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The eighteenth in the list of mahApurANas is brahmANDa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: The author’s statement:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“bhagavatyAshcha durgAyAshcharitaM yatra vidyate |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tattu bhAgavataM proktaM na tu devI purANakam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The fifth is devI bhAgavata purANa.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Is wrong. This refers to the Srimad Bhāgavatam only, and the “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">durgAyAshcharitaM” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">has been explained.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Regarding the order of purāṇās, we have explained already. Narrated by Brahma, the narrations compiled by Vyāsa. Thus, the first composed Purāṇa could be narrated last, or the last composed purāṇa could be narrated first. In the Bhāgavatam’s case, it might well have the statement of Vyāsa saying he composed it last, but in our kalpa, our Brahma probably narrated it as the 5</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> one.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: Some interpret this verse to indicate viShNu bhAgavata again based on an argument that the charita of vindhyavAsinI in the dashama skandha is related to durgA. But, as explained earlier, the name here is based on the central focus of the purANa and not a lay episode and hence viShNu bhAgavata, where the pratipAdya is narAyaNa, cannot be interpreted as the indicated purANa. Some again object to this pramANa as the reference is to durgA here but the devI bhAgavata purANa deals with bhuvaneshvarI. A verse from yamaLa, which is of special interest to our lineage due to its presence in our pUjA kalpa, can be quoted here to illustrate the separateness of devI bhAgavata from durgA saptashatI, to refute the claims of rAmAshrama and others:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">navarAtre tu deveshi daurgaM bhAgavataM paThet |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">japetsaptashatIM chaNDIM niyamena samAhitaH ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Also, the following verse seems to occur in kAlikA purANa:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yadidaM kAlikAkhyaM tanmUlaM bhAgavataM smR^itam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The upapurANa named kAlikA purANa has its origin in bhAgavata. Considering the subject matter of kAlikA purANa, the logical conclusion here would be that the bhAgavata mentioned here is devI bhAgavata. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: The purāṇa named “Bhāgavataṃ” cannot refer to any purāṇa but one which has “pratipādya is narāyaṇa”. As per the Vishnu Purana, the term “bhagavān” and hence the related terms of “bhagavat”, “bhāgavataṃ” etc exclusively apply to Vishnu, his leelas and his devotees. Hence, there is no way a purāṇa by the name “bhāgavataṃ” with Narayana as the focus can be an upapurāṇa. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As established earlier,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> “durgAyAshcharitaM” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">refers to the activities of the Lord, of which the Cause is Durga on account of her role. Hence, it only refers to Krishna-Katha culminating in rāsa-līla which is the central focus of the purāṇa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Alternatively, if taken as referring to Durga itself, then this is the only purāṇa that truly describes how Durga attained all her present glories by her service of the Lord, as seen in the shlokas which were quoted earlier. The tāmasa kathas of Devi killing Madhu-Kaitabha etc are not true, as they are against the Veda and are merely arthavādās for those who worship Devi as supreme; they did not happen. The other ṣāttvika purāṇās also do not describe Durga’s role in Krishna-avatāra to the extent that the bhāgavataṃ purāṇa does. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The reality of Durga’s glories, the reason why she exists worshipped by many, is due to her association with Krishna as recounted by the bhāgavataṃ. It is not because she herself is supreme as the devI bhāgavataṃ claims. Thus, it refers only to the Srimad Bhāgavataṃ.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As far as this “kālika purāṇa” verse is concerned:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yadidaM kAlikAkhyaM tanmUlaM bhAgavataM smR^itam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is a tāmasa upapurāṇam and hence every verse need not be taken as valid. Neither can its’ contents be vouched for as completely genuine in modern times. However, even were it taken to be authentic, one can indeed say that the kālika purāṇa glorifying Kali has its’ origin in the bhāgavataṃ as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nāmadheyāni kurvanti sthānāni ca narā bhuvi durgeti bhadrakālīti vijayā vaiṣṇavīti ca (~bhAgavataM 10.2.11)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">On account of her services to the Lord, she became worshipped by all and attained such names and due to this, an upapurāṇa consisting of arthavādās in praise of her, was created for her devotees who could then worship her accordingly. In fact, it is the srimad bhāgavata which specifically prophesises she will be glorified in the name of kāli, more so than the devi bhāgavata!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: It should be noted that every upapurANa has its origin in one of the eighteen mahApurANas:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">aShTAdashabhyastu pR^ithakpurANaM yatpradR^ishyate |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vijanIdhvaM dvijashreShThAstathA tebhyo vinirgatam || [mAtsye]</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The slaying of vR^itrAsura is described as an important lakShaNa of bhAghavata. Aditya purANa says the following in this regard:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yAjaghne mahiShaM daityaM krUraM vR^itrAsuraM tathA |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sAdya raktAsuraM hatvA svArAjyaM te pradAsyati ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When one chooses something as a lakShaNa, it is generally a unique mark. The slaying of vR^itrAsura by devI is described only in devI bhAgavata and hence is unique. The slaying of vR^itra by Indra is described in various purANas including vishNu bhAgavata, which this is not a unique lakShaNa. And by quoting the slaying of vR^itra by devI here, shAstrakaras see the sammati of Aditya purANa for the mahApurANatva of bhAgavata purANa. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: But then, Devi did not slay Vritrāsura iin reality. What is said by tāmasa purāṇās as a māhātmyam of their gods or goddesses is merely arthavAda and veda-virodha. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Shruti such as Taittiriya Samhita and the mahābhārata as well as the sāttvika purāṇās declare that Indra slew Vritra with the help of Vishnu and thus this alone is the authentic narration of the incident as it conforms to the Veda. The Veda also has records of this incident and attributes the glory to Indra and not to Devi. In every yuga, only Indra kills Vritra with Vishnu’s help and no other. The killer of Vritra does not change with the yugas. This alone is enough to debunk the claims regarding devī bhāgavatam.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The lakṣaṇa is not to be taken because it is a unique event. It is because it adheres to the authentic descriptions in shruti and other smriti. Also, the bhāgavata describes the event in connection with Dadichi giving brahma-vidyā with the head of a horse, and on account of the mention of the latter, it becomes unique, as we saw by giving the example of the pravargya ceremony.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Next, we come to the small matter of the Gayatri Mantra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: Aditya purANa also says:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dadAti sUryabhaktAya yastu bhAgavataM dvijaH | sarvapApavinirmuktaH sarvavyAdhivivarjitaH ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">jIvedvatShashataM sAgraM ante vaivasvataM padam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One should examine the relation between sUrya and the bhAgavata. There is no specific association of sUrya with viShNu bhAgavata. However, devI bhAgavata deals extensively with gAyatryupAsanA which is aimed at savitA</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Even if one ignores this, if the verse were referring to viShNu bhAgavata, the promised result here would be viShNu pada prApti and not vaivasvata pada prApti. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: Firstly, when the Devi Bhagavata is a tāmasa purāṇa, it is not giving the right meaning of gāyatri mantra. So even were it describing the gāyatri mantra, that meaning is to be discarded, as the true Being referred to by the gāyatri is Vishnu. “savitā” means the prompter of the intellect, which is a name of Narayana only and not Surya. In any case, this Aditya Purana verse:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dadAti sUryabhaktAya yastu bhAgavataM dvijaH | sarvapApavinirmuktaH sarvavyAdhivivarjitaH ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">jIvedvatShashataM sAgraM ante vaivasvataM padam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Is not a contradiction. “sūryabhakta” refers to those engaged in upāsaṇa on sūryāntaryāmin. This is Vishnu as per the pramāṇa in the antarāditya vidyā - </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tasya yathā kapyāsa pundarīkaṃ evaṃ akṣinī </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- even the Linga Purana, in its’ story of Vishnu worshipping Shiva with lotuses identifies pundarīkākśa as Vishnu only.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vaivasvatam padam</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – By upāsaṇa on Surya with Narayana as the indweller, they can attain the position. Narayana is not merely worshipped for “Vishnu pada”, but also to attain the positions of Aditya, Indra, Rudra, Brahma, etc. That is mentioned in the mahābhārata.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Alternatively, we can take everything as referring to the Sun-God alone. In which case, “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sarvapāpavinirmuktaḥ”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> refers to destruction of all those sins obstructing attainment of his abode, and not to all sins in general, as it is not an abode of liberation. Even those devoted to the Sun-God and aspiring to attain his abode will attain sāyujyam with him if they worship Vishnu by studying the bhāgavatam. For Vishnu is the true granter of all fruits. This is clarified in the gīta itself. Mahābhārata also states that all 18 purANAs (including Shiva, Linga etc) are different angās of Hari.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The idea that Bhāgavatam should only confer Vishnu pada prāpti, or it should only be recited by Vishnu bhaktās is unsupported. The Agni Purāṇa says that studying the Vishnu Purāṇa and gifting it in charity on an occasion will grant the abode of Varuṇa. So it cannot be said Vaishnava Purāṇās only lead to Vaishnava phalās.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: Also, we examined one of the lakShaNas earlier that said: yatradhikR^itya gAyatrIm etc., which can be interpreted to refer to the chapters in devI bhAgavata dealing with gAyatrI. The lakShaNa for gAyatrI is stated as: vede tripAdA gAyatrIti, and this tripAshChanda does not occur in viShNu bhAgavata unlike devI bhAgavata.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: As mentioned above the devī bhāgavataṃ is a tāmasa śāstra and its’ meanings of gāyatri mantra are veda virodha. Hence, it is ruled out merely by that fact.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The first verse of the bhāgavatā (1.1.1) is infact an exposition of the meaning of “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tripādā gāyatrīti” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">– It is an explanation of the gAyatri which is of three parts, that is the meaning. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, let us see how the bhāgavata purāṇa begins with a description of the meanings of this tripāda gāyatri below.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">janmādy asya yato 'nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ yathā vinimayo yatra tri-sargo 'mṛṣā dhāmnā svena sadā nirasta-kuhakaṁ satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (~bhAgavataM 1.1.1)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The commentary of Shri Viraraghavacharya is thus: </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is an exposition of the gāyatri (the * tripāda gāyatri * so to speak) according to the pramāṇa “gāyatrayā ca samārambho yatra bhāgavataṃ viduṃ”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The term “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">janmādy asya” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">is indicative of jagatkāraṇatva and is mapped to the term “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">savitr</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” shabda of gāyatri which refers to being the prompter of all. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The term “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yat</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” is indicative of the Supreme Brahman who is well known by the vedānta and is mapped to the “tat” shabda of Gayatri which denotes the same.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The term “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sūrayaḥ” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">has the same meaning as “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vareṇya</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” shabda of Gayatri. It refers to sarvajnās, as per the pramāṇa - varairṇeyam vareṇyam tu varā dhyātār īritā.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“tena” refers to the “deva” shabda in gāyatri.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Sanskrit source of Veeraraghaviyam is reproduced here for the reader’s reference:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">atra gAyatryupakramatvaM pratIyate -- dhImahIti shabdataH padAntarairarthatashca tadupakramatvapratyabhij~nAnAt | gAyatryupakramatvaM cAsya skAnde purANe uttarakANDe -- “grantho.aShTAdashasAhasro dvAdashaskandhasammitaH | hayagrIvabrahmavidyA yatra vR^itravadhastathA || gAyatryA ca samArambho yatra bhAgavataM viduH” iti | tathA coktaM mAtsye -- “Arabhya yatra gAyatrIM varNyate dharmavistaraH | vR^itrAsuravadhashcApi yatra bhAgavataM viduH” iti | tatra “janmAdyasya yataH” iti jagatkAraNatvapratipAdanena tadarthakasavitR^ishabdArtha uktaH | vedAntaprasiddhiM dyotayatA “yata” iti padena tacchabdArthashca sUcitaH | “sUraya” ityanena vareNyashabdArtha uktaH | uktaM hi sarvaj~naiH sAvitrIvivaraNe -- “varairneyaM vareNyaM tu varA dhyAtAra IritA” iti | tena ityAdinA devashabdArtha uktaH: ”dyotanaH sarvabhAvAnAM dyotamAnaH svayaM sadA | aj~nAnamakhilaM tudyan” iti tatroktam | dyan khaNDayan “do avakhaNDane” dyotanaH prakAshakaH | janmAdItyanena ca devashabdArtha uktaH | jagadvyApAro hi tallIlA dhAmnetyAdinA bhargashabdArtha uktaH | </span></div>
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<a href="https://archive.org/details/SrimadBhagavatamCanto01withMultipleSanskritCommentaries/page/n32" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">https://archive.org/details/SrimadBhagavatamCanto01withMultipleSanskritCommentaries/page/n32</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: Some claim that gAyatryartha refers to nArAyaNa alone and the form of meditation for this mantra is only viShNu. This is not acceptable based on pramANa such as bhargo vai rudra iti and also works like prapa~nchasAra where dhyAna of shiva, shakti, sUrya etc. through gAyatrI has been variously described.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: That is contradicted by the Veda itself which says “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">eko ha vai nārāyaṇa āsīt, na brahma, neṣāna</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”. Since Rudra is a created being, he is not the one referred to by the gAyatri.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The mahābhārata also declares - </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sabrahmakāḥ sarudrās ca sendrā devāḥ saharṣibhiḥ arcayanti suraśreṣṭhaṃ devaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ harim – Brahma, Rudra, Indra, Devas, Rishis all worship Narayana. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As all these gods worship Narayana, none other than him can be denoted by the gāyatri.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhargo vai rudra</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”is explained thus. “Bharga” sabda referring to tejas indicates his divya-mangala-vigraha. Thus, it is most appropriate to take rudra in an etymological manner as the bestower of good, since the auspicious body of Narayana destroys sins and confers good when meditated upon. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, the very auspicious body of the Lord is described as “Rudra” because the mere rememberance of it confers moksha. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That is very clearly seen in the very shruti pramāṇa quoted by the author (bharga iti rudra). “Rudra” there does not denote Rudradeva as below:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">atha bharga iti yo ha vā amuṣminnāditye nihitastārako'kṣiṇivaiṣa bhargākhyaḥ। bhābhigaṃtirasya hīti bhargaḥ । bharjayatīti vaiṣa bharga itirudro brahmavādina । (~Maitrayani Aranyaka 6.7)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Now that (divine auspicious body of the Lord) that is called bharga is that which is fixed in the Sun (a golden form with lotus eyes), or that which is the pupil in the eye. And it (that divine auspicious body) is so called, because it is the refuge (gati) of the jīvās who are self-luminous like rays of light (bhabhih); or because it parches or destroys the sins by virtue of meditation on it (bharjayati). The auspicious body called “Bharga” is verily that which confers good (Rudra), thus say the knowers of Brahman.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Bharga” means the divine auspicious form of the Lord in the Sun, which is declared to be “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">hiraṇmaya:smaśru:hiranya kEsa:āprṇakhāt sarva Eva suvarṇa</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” and “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tasya yathā kapyāsa pundarīkaṃ evaṃ akṣinī</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” in the chāndogya ūpaniśad and as “āditya varṇam” in the Purusha sūkta. As the Linga Purana itself proves, in its’ story of Vishnu plucking out his eye and offering it to Shiva as a lotus, the term “pundarīkākśa” can only denote Vishnu, and thus, he is the possessor of this form.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This body is the refuge for all the jīvās who are self-luminous and thus referred to as “bha”. Meditation on this body destroys all sins. Note that all this is said prior to saying “bharga iti rudro”, the shruti declares that this “bharga” parches meaning, it destroys sins. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, the conclusion – On account of the auspicious form being sin-destroying, and being the refuge of the jIvās, this body called “bharga” (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bharga iti rudro</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The term “Rudra” does not denote any devata here, but the body (Bharga) itself. That is to say “this body (Bharga) is itself a bestower of good i.e., moksha (Rudam dadAti iti Rudra)”, since meditation on the body destroys sins and confers happiness. Note that any exaltation of the body is an exaltation of the being who possesses the body (Narayana), for it is by his presence that the body acquires greatness.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That the possessor of this sin-destroying auspicious body is the lotus eyed Vishnu is established by the Chandogya Upanishad. The Rudram also refers to the Lord's body as “apāpakāshini".</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is the text-book definition of “rudra” as “that which confers good” – thus, the context is established for calling the divine body itself (Bharga) as “Rudra” here. The meaning therefore does not denote rudradeva. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The cheek of the author to say it is not acceptable to consider Narayana alone as the referrant of the gāyatri when he is the Supreme Brahman eulogized everywhere!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here we shall explain the meaning of both the gāyatri mantra and how the bhāgavataṃ also expounds on it in the first shloka.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shri Vedanta Desikan remarks in his shata-dushani,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pratipuruśam anekā: pratyavastham vicitrā: ṣubhagathiśu dhiyo ya: coyatyajn'asā na:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">akhilacidhacidhantaryāmi tadh Viśṇusamjn'am ṣaviturahamupāse tasya dEvasya: bharga: (~ṣataduśani)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The meaning of gāyatri is as follows - Savita is the Lord of Sri, who is the cause of this universe, the prompter of all (jagatkāraṇa bhūta). “bharga” refers to his “tejas”, which means “tejorūpa divya mangaḻa vigraham” The auspicious body of the Lord Narayana is thus termed “bharga” as it “tejorūpam” and being “subhāśrayaṃ” or the substratum of auspiciousness and shuddha sattva, it removes all attachments to samsāra and confers moksham – hence it is to be meditated upon. (Source: Oppilippan List).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, savita and bharga in the gāyatri denote the Lord and his divine body. Rudra denotes the body as well.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PP: One should consider both sides of the argument, weigh the pramANas and decide after a careful analysis, which of the two can be considered as a mahApurANa. Based on the pramANas above, sampradAya, personal inclination and guideline of AchAryas like bhAskara and pR^ithvIdhara, our verdict would go with devI bhAgavata.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SD: Funny that the author, who completely goes against the likes of Citsukha, Sridhara, Srimad Veeraraghavacharya and Vijayadwaja Tirtha belonging to the three vaidika darṣaṇās, who identified the srimad bhāgavata as the parama-purāṇa, and yet advices us to consider the “Guidelines of Acharyas”. The irony is evident in this one.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The position of the veda-bāhya shaiva-shaktas stands refuted.</span></div>
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Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-74910525880528434212019-07-12T20:30:00.000+05:302019-10-04T18:45:38.152+05:30New article: Understanding the Mahabharata - Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: small;">We have published a new article on certain important sections of the Mahabharata. Hope this is interesting and clarificatory for our readers.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-small; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">This is the second part of the Mahabharata series, where we take up 3 sections which elaborate the nature of the Supreme Being (Vishnu), the nature of the realized, subservient self (Shiva) and the nature of the means (PancarAtra). </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-small; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The section describing the nature of the supreme being is the praise of Krishna by Shiva in the Harivamsha. When Shiva arrives at the spot where Krishna is performing penances for progeny, he immediately extols Krishna as the Supreme Being. We have provided a translation of this section, as the first part of the article.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-small; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The section describing the nature of the subservient self is provided in Ashwattama’s praise of Shiva enshrined in the Sauptika Parva. Ashwattama invokes Shiva to accomplish his end (the destruction of the Pandavas) and for this purpose, he embarks on a magnificent stuti of Shiva that clearly illustrates his true nature. Out of all the Shiva stutis present in the texts, this one composed by Ashwattama can be considered to be the most precise one in describing the nature of Shiva in a clear manner.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: x-small; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The final section is taken from the Santi Parva and describes the greatness of the pAncarAtra Agama which is the means to attain the Lord. In the course of this description, the section also compares and contrasts the Shaiva Agamas and elaborates the true nature of the tattvas associated with such veda-bAhya darshanas.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Here is the complete article:</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="https://narayanastra.blogspot.com/p/undersetanding-mahabharata-part-2.html">https://narayanastra.blogspot.com/p/undersetanding-mahabharata-part-2.html</a></span></span></span></div>
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Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-33528891464611247292018-09-25T09:00:00.001+05:302018-09-25T09:00:35.963+05:30Thirugnana Sambandhar and Thirumangai Azhwar <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is well-known that Thirugnana Sambandhar was a great Shiva bhakta, an accomplished tamil poet and the Thevaram contains his devotional outpourings on Shiva. The time period of Shri Thirumangai Azhwar, the last of the great azhwars, coincided with that of Sambandhar and their paths crossed. This write-up aims to bring out the events of that meeting and the consequences thereof.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The traditional narration of the incident is summarized in the following blog – https://guruparamparai.wordpress.com/2013/01/23/thirumangai-azhwar . Quoting from that blog,</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“(Azhwar) arrives at chOLa mandalam, his sishyas exclaim his glories “chathush kavi has arrived”, “kaliyan has arrived”, “parakAlan has arrived”, “One who won over all other mathams have arrived”, etc. A saiva scholar/bhakthar named thirugyAna sambandhar was living there at that time and his sishyas object to the glories of AzhwAr. AzhwAr at once says he will debate with sambandhar and establish nArAyaNa parathvam (supremacy). They bring him over to sambandhar’s residence and informs him about the same and he agrees to debate with AzhwAr. Since, the whole place/town was filled with avaishnavas and since there is no vigraham (form) of emperumAn, AzhwAr is unable to start speaking and starts worrying about the situation. At that time, he notices a srivaishnava lady and asks her to bring her thiruvArAdhana perumAL (vigraham). She brings her emperumAn who is krishNan and brings him over to sambandhar’s place and starts the debate.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tradition records that Azhwar defeated Sambandhar in debate by singing a decad on Thadalan (Lord Vishnu’s name in Sirkazhi Divya Desam), upon which the latter acknowledged Azhwar as the Supreme Poet, and gave him the Spear that was gifted to him by Adi Parashakti. The same blog (</span><a href="https://guruparamparai.wordpress.com/2013/01/23/thirumangai-azhwar/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">https://guruparamparai.wordpress.com/2013/01/23/thirumangai-azhwar/</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) summarizes the debate as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Sambandhar recites a poem and AzhwAr finds fault in that. sambandhar then challenges AzhwAr to recite a poem and AzhwAr recites “oru kuraLAi” padhigam (periya thirumozhi – 7.4) on thAdALan emperumAn (kAzhi chIrAma viNNagaram – sIrgAzhi). sambandhar unable to respond back for that great padhigam which is perfectly and beautifully composed wonders about the greatness of AzhwAr and accepts his glories and worships him</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But there is a dispute by some in this regard.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Some people who cannot digest Vishnu Paratva argue that the debate between Azhwar and Sambandhar Nayanmar was only in terms of who was the better Tamil poet, and not on the issue of who among Vishnu and Shiva was superior. They claim that both Azhwar and Nayanmar respected each other’s beliefs, and since Hari and Hara are identical, there was no debate whatsoever other than Sambandhar acknowledging Azhwar’s superior Tamil skills.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This idea is even propagated by some misguided sri vaishnavas as seen in this link on the subject - </span><a href="https://ramanuja.org/sri/BhaktiListArchives/Article?p=oct97/0032.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">https://ramanuja.org/sri/BhaktiListArchives/Article?p=oct97/0032.html</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Quoting the person from that discussion:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“I would not even call this episode as a "vAtham". VAtham can be meant as "Argument" directly in tamil. They never argued with each other and in contrary held each other in high esteem. They had a debate as promoted by their disciples. The debate was not on whether Saivam or Srivaishnavam was great. At the request of saint Thiru -jnAna-sambandhar, thirmangai delivered the pAsurams on Lord thAdALan at HIS sannithi and saint Thiru -jnAna-sambandhar accepted the pulahAngitham and Tamil poetic skill of thiru mangai even after the very first pAsruam in which he stacked numbers 1 to 10 in Tamil poetry and indirectly cited them as the 10 avathArams of Lord Vishnu. After this saint Thiru -jnAna-sambandhar presented his own holy spear (vEl) that he revered and keeps with him as a reward and and as an acknowledgement of thirumagai's winning the so called debate.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To that, we reply – the very idea of Azhwar showcasing his Tamil prowess is nonsensical. Azhwar was least concerned about tamil as a language. Rather, the beauty of the tamil language lay in the fact that it was used in the praise of Bhagavan. Azhwar valued Tamil and excelled in it not because he was some “Tamil poet” or “Tamil scholar”, but because the language served as a vehicle to convey the supreme truths of Vedanta. As Azhagiya Manavala Perumal Nayanar remarks in his work “Acharya Hrudayam” – Sanskrit doesn’t sound as beautiful when the Buddhists and Jains use it, but it attains its’ beauty only in our Vedas, purANAs and IthihAsAs when it is used for the Lord. Language is not beautiful on its’ own, not unless it is decorated with bhagavad kalyAna guNAs. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Furthermore, neither Azhwar nor Sambandhar were proponents of Hari-Hara aikya vAda. Both believed in the absolute supremacy of Vishnu and Shiva respectively, neither reveled exclusively in the scholarship of Tamil alone and so it is conceivable that a debate is along those lines. Furthermore, when the traditional account says a “Debate” occurred, there is no need to sugarcoat it by claiming “vAtham does not really mean debate” etc. Both were leaders of their respective darshanAs and hence agreed to debate with each other.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Azhwar is called “ParakAlan” – One who is like Kala (Death) to Para-Mathams. He delights in debating and vanquishing incorrect doctrines. That being the case, would he restrain himself from debating on Vishnu Paratva when Sambandhar requested him for a debate?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And that is the purpose of this write-up – to show how Azhwar defeated Sambandhar by establishing Vishnu Paratva and correcting the wrong knowledge propagated by the latter.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Clarification on the write-up</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">At this juncture, we venture to say something: Shri PeriyavAcchan Pillai has commented on this decad and they choose to focus on how Azhwar glorified Thadalan. No doubt he was aware of the fact that this decad contained the details of the debate, but obviously, they did not elaborate on it in favor of loftier meanings. Azhwar’s pasurams are rich with multiple layers of meanings and our Acharyas often focus on the essence. This multi-layered intent is the reason for multiple commentaries on the Divya Prabandham. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Owing to the depth of meanings, and the focus of our acharyas on only the essence,e our write-up is not a contradiction, but simply comparable as a humble offering of a flower garland around the glittering commentary of VyakyAna Chakravarthy, Shri Periyavacchan Pillai. It complements the meanings given by the Acharyas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Debate on Vishnu Paratva Enshrined in Periya Thirumozhi 3.4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Moving on now. It is said that Sambandhar sang a song, and Azhwar countered it with the decad on Thadalan of Sirkazhi. Therefore, it logically follows that the crux of the debate is enshrined in this decad, and a close study of the decad will bring out the details of the debate. For the sake of convenience, we will be using the fairly accurate English translation of the decad on this site: </span><a href="http://periyathirumozhi-3rddecad.blogspot.com/p/oru-kuralay.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://periyathirumozhi-3rddecad.blogspot.com/p/oru-kuralay.html</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Let us begin with the first pAsuram on the beautiful Lord of Sirkazhi, Thadalan.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">oru kuraLAi iru nilam moovaDi maN vENDi ulahanaittum eeraDiyAl oDukki-onrum taruha enA mAvaliyai Siraiyil vaitta tADALan tALaNaiveer takka keerti | arumaraiyin tiraL nAngum vELvi aindum angangaL avai Arum iSaihaL Ezhum teruvil vali vizhA vaLamum Sirakkum kAzhi cheerAma viNNaharE SErmin neerE ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Oh! Men! You want to seek the tiruvaDi of emberumAn—who begged only three feet of land from this vast earth from the asura king mahAbali; who measured the upper and lower worlds with His two steps and asked for a place for His third step; with the third He sent mahAbali to pAtALa lOka in prison—go and seek Him in kAzhi SeerAma viNNaharam—where there are vaidikas who chant four vEdas, teach six vEdAngas, do five maha yajnas and sing the hymns with seven swaras; where there is nitya utsava in every house and temple.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Notes: This first Pasuram must be construed as a response to a song composed by Sambandhar attempting to prove Shiva Paratva. We do not have the details of the song, but we can easily determine what Sambandhar was singing for Azhwar to counter with this Pasuram.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here begins the debate. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sambandhar</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> first sings that Shiva is the Supreme Lord, and that Brahma and Vishnu are subject to him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Azhwar </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">says that this is not the correct intent of the Vedas. For the Vedas glorify Lord Vishnu as Trivikrama, one who conquered all three worlds by his strides. We know of the Rg Vedic rks that talk about this. And one who conquered the worlds by his strides alone can be the Supreme Lord. Furthermore, when the Lord measured the worlds, Brahma washed his feet and Shiva received it on his head. This proves that Brahma and Rudra are subject to Vishnu.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hence, the purpose of beginning with the Trivikrama avatara is this – It proves that the Lord Narayana is the Ishvara, and Brahma and Rudra are subject to him. This avatAra is thus highly complete in displaying the absolute Paratva (Supremacy) of the Lord. Thus, Azhwar refutes Sambandhar’s idea that Shiva possesses Paratva and proves that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vishnu alone has the guNa of Paratva. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">An muhan nAL mihai tarukkai irukku vAimai nalam mihu Seer urOmaSanAl naviTTru nakkan oon muhamAr talaiyoTTooN ozhitta endai oLi malar SEvaDi aNaiveer uzhu SEyODa | Soon muhamAr vaLaiyaLai vAi uhutta muttai tol kuruhu Sinai ena Soozhndu iyanga engum tEn muhamAr kamala vayal SEl pAi kAzhi cheerAma viNNaharE SErmin neerE || </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Oh! Friends! If you want to seek His tiruvaDi—who removed the cause of naked sin who roamed with kapAla as his begging bowl; who subdued the pride of brahma who was begging his longevity through rOmasa maharShi—seek Him at kAzhichcheerAma viNNaharam—where the oxen plough the lands where the snails drop their pearls (eggs) in their holes. The cranes think these huge balls as their eggs. Therefore they guard over them carefully standing nearby. Since the field is muddy the lotuses bloom shedding honey in the pond. The fish hump and play in this sweet water.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Notes: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sambandhar </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">objects to the idea that Vishnu is superior among the Trimurthis. He refers to the story of Lingodbhava and claims that Shiva, by manifesting before Vishnu and Brahma showed his Paratva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Indeed, Sambandhar says in the Thevaram (first thirumurai) that Brahma and Vishnu were unable to reach the top and bottom of Shiva as a bird and boar respectively when they exerted their own strength, but after admitting their failure, they realized the supremacy of Shiva and worshipped him with love. In this way, Shiva removed the egos of Brahma and Vishnu by displaying his Supremacy.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Azhwar </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">counters this by stating that the above story is tAmasa and proves that in reality, it was Lord Vishnu who removed the egos of Brahma and Shiva in two separate incidents. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is described by Azhwar in the second pAsuram – Shiva who became arrogant after destroying Tripura, cut off the head of Brahma in anger. As a result, he incurred brahma-hatya dosha and was forced to wander naked with the skull as a begging bowl. The curse would end only when the skull was full, but no matter how much alms Shiva begged, it never became full .When Shiva approached Shri MahaLakshmi, she poured food into the skull and it became full. Then by her mediation, Shiva approached Bhagavan, who caused the skull to burst by a drop of his sweat (blood in some accounts) and the skull burst, relieving Shiva of his sin.Thus, Bhagavan showed Shiva he was the ultimate refuge and banished his sin born of arrogance.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The incident with relation to Brahma is as follows – Brahma was once filled with arrogance thinking that he was chiranjeevi and could outlive all created beings. Bhagavan realizing this, took Brahma to Romasa Maharishi, who had been blessed by Bhagavan with eternal life; for every Brahma who dies, only one hair of Romasa Maharishi would fall off his body, and he would die only when all hairs had fallen. Thus, Brahma realized the supremacy of Vishnu and the fact that he acquired this long life by his grace, and relinquished his ego.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The story of Romasa Muni is not oft quoted by azhwars. That it exists in this pAsuram along with Shiva’s kapAla moksha incident, as well as Sambandhar’s description of Lingodbhava in the Thevaram, shows clearly that the debate between Nayanmar and Azhwar is along the lines of our write-up.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In this manner, Azhwar shows that the sAttvika shAstrAs are aligned with the Veda in declaring that it was Lord Vishnu who removed the ignorance of Brahma and Shiva. Thus, he refuted Sambandhar and proved that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vishnu alone has the guNa of Ishvaratvam</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> among the Devas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vaiyaNainda nudi kOTTu varAham onrAi maNNellAm iDandu eDuttu madangaL Seidu neyyaNainda tikiriyinAl vANan tiNDOL nErndavan tAL aNaihirpeer neidalODu | maiyaNainda kuvaLaihaL tAm tam kaNhaL enrum malar kumudam vAi enrum kaDaiSimArhaL SeyyaNaindu kaLai kaLaiyA tErum kAzhi cheerAma viNNaharE SErmin neerE || </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Oh! Wise men! You want to seek the tiruvaDi of emberumAn—who took varAha avatAra and lifted the submerged Boomi from the ANDa Bitti with His tusk; who chopped off the arms of bANAsura with His sharp-edged chakrAyudha—go to kAzhi SeerAma viNNaharam. The city is beautiful with fields where lotuses, karuneidal flowers and kumudam flowers grow as weeds. The women see the resemblance of their eyes in karuneidal flowers, the lips in the red kumuda flowers. Hence they don’t have mind to pluck them as weeds. They go back home. If such is the beauty of the lowest caste women, what to talk of the high caste maidens!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Notes: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sambandhar</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">counters the claim that Shiva does not possess Ishvaratvam by claiming that the Shastras have various instances of devotees like Banasura seeking boons from Shiva, of Shiva protecting the devas by his acts like swallowing the poison, destroying Tripura and so on. Furthermore, even Krishna has prayed to Shiva requesting him for a son. Do not these acts show that Shiva can protect, and a protector is naturally an Ishvara as well?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Azhwar </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rebuts that claim in this pAsuram. He points out that as varAha, the Lord lifted the entire Earth. The one who lifted the Earth and protected it is naturally the protector of all entities living on Earth. The devas cannot be the natural protectors, even if they do offer protection. In addition, the Lord is the Supreme Protector of even the protectors like Brahma, Rudra and Indra. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Furthermore, the protection afforded by these gods is not perfect. That is best illustrated by the fact that though Shiva came to protect Banasura, he was unable to do so and Krishna defeated both Bana and Shiva. Thus, Shiva’s assurance of protection is not unfailing. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In addition, by defeating Shiva in that battle, Krishna also showed that his act of seeking the boon of a son from Shiva was merely in sport, and that in reality Krishna was the master of Shiva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In this manner, Azhwar proves that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">the guNa of Sarva-Rakshagatvam is only present in Vishnu</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. He is our natural protector, the Sarveshvara, and no-one else.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">panjiya mellaDi pinnai tirattu munnAL pAi viDaihaL EzhaDartu ponnan paimbooN nenjiDandu karudi uha uhirvEl ANDa ninmalan tALaNaihirpeer neela mAlai | tanjuDaiya iruL tazhaippa taraLam AngE taN madiyin nilAkkATTa pavaLam tannAl SenjuDar veyil virikkum azhahAr kAzhi cheerAma viNNaharE SErmin neerE ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Oh! Wise men! If you want to seek the tiruvaDi of emberumAn—who subdued the might of seven wicked bulls for the sake of nappinnai pirATTi; who split open the chest of hiraNya with His sharp nails as the spear; who is pure as crystal—go to kAzhi SeerAma viNNaharam—where the huge mansions are inlaid with sapphire (black as night) pearls (cool like moon) and corals (red like the dawn)—a divya dESa where He resides.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Notes: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sambandhar </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">now argues that Shiva cannot be said to be lacking in the ability to protect as he is the means to several ends. Did he not show his extraordinary prowess in burning Kamadeva? Has he not helped the devas by his various deeds of prowess on many occasions? On account of such characteristic marks and strength, Shiva is the means to accomplish anything, which would include acts of protection.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Azhwar</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">declares that these qualities alone are not indicative of being the means or upAya. It was Bhagavan who killed the 7 bulls to marry Nila Devi. Here, Nila Devi signifies the jivatma. The seven bulls represent Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Madha, Matsaryam and Asuyai. The two horns of the bulls which Krishna broke to kill them signifies the Punya and Papa Karmas responsible. Thus, Azhwar says that unlike Shiva who could only destroy Kama by his yogic power, Bhagavan destroys Kama and all these vices for the Jivatma and takes the Jivatma with him (signified by his marriage with Nila Devi). This proves that true upAyatva or means, which involves releasing the Jivas from their bonds and making them reach him, lies with him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Furthermore, Bhagavan is the one who destroyed Hiranyakasipu. The term “Hiranyakasipu” means “Golden Seat”. It refers to the mind which possesses desire for sense objects (signified by Gold). For a bhakti yogi like Prahlada, it is Bhagavan alone who destroys the wicked mind that can cause disturbances for even the greatest of Yogis. It is a great act for the wayward mind is not easy to tame. Unlike Shiva who can has helped the Devas by destroying the Asuras, Bhagavan accomplishes the even bigger act of destroying the mind which is the biggest enemy and ensuring that the Yoga of his devotees is steady and uninterrupted. It can also be interpreted as, he helps bhaktas like Prahlada attain liberation.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As the Lord says in the gita, “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tesam evanukampartham aham ajnana-jam tamah nasayamy atma-bhava-stho jnana-dipena bhasvata</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – He destroys ignorance and kindles true knowledge in us. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">How does Bhagavan destroy the wayward mind? Because he is parama-sAttvika mUrthy, which is signified by “ninmalan</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">as he is pure, he purifies those around him by virtue of his deeds, and their minds are purified by meditation on him. This again is a display of his upAyatva, the ability to purify. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In contrast, Rudra is a tAmasa devata and his body is not subhAshraya, on account of which it does not possess the purifying quality of bhagavAn and hence is not recommended for meditation. Thus, while Shiva can afford protection from poison or Asuras, Bhagavan can afford protection from Samsara itself, thus being the means to liberation.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is to highlight the fact that bhagavAn is shuddha-sattvam while Shiva is tAmasa devata that Azhwar refers to purity here in this pAsuram.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In this manner, azhwar proves that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vishnu alone is the upAya or Supreme Means to all Ends</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">devvAya mara mannar kurudi koNDu tirukkulattil irandOrku tirutti Seidu vevvAya mA keeNDu vEzham aTTa viNNavar kOn tAL aNaiveer vikirta mAdar | avvAya vAL neDungaN kuvaLai kATTa aravindam muham kATTa aruhE Ambal SevvAyin tiraL kATTum vayal Soozh kAzhi cheerAma viNNaharE SErmin neerE ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Oh! Men! If you want to seek His tiruvaDi—who killed the kShatriya kings as paraSurAma and did tarpaNa to his race with their blood; who killed kESi (a horse asura); and pulled out the tusk of kuvaLayApeeDa; who is the chief of nityasooris—go to SeerAma viNNaharam—where there are fields which have lotuses etc. as weeds. The lotuses look like the faces of women of that city, the karuneidal—their eyes, the Ambal, their red lips.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Notes: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sambandhar </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">says</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">that Shiva’s ability to be the Means to liberation or freedom from Samsara cannot be denied. He is a parama-yogi, Dakshinamurthy, and is referred to as omniscient in the Shastras. He is resorted to by all for knowledge and it is well known that the ability to bestow the highest knowledge is liberation (jnAnAn mokshO jAyatE). Thus, Shiva is to be worshipped as the bestower of the Supreme Knowledge and the granter of Liberation, which in turn signifies his nature of being the means to the Supreme Goal.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Azhwar</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> refutes this by implying that the mere granting of knowledge does not make one the supreme means; for such knowledge granted by Shiva is by virtue of having Narayana as his indweller and being the true means for such endeavor; and the Lord who is the means for attaining knowledge, for undertaking acts to attain liberation, is also the one who is attained upon liberation. This is illustrated by Azhwar with the following examples:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As Parashurama, he annihilated the entire race of Kshatriyas who were a burden to the Earth. The Kshatriyas represent the various dangers of Samsara. Since the race of a Kshatriya is characterized by Rajo Guna, it signifies various relatives, attachments etc that cause desire. Bhagavan is the means to destroy such attachments.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bhagavan killed the horse asura known as kESi – it is well-known that the shAstras compare the senses or mind that stray towards attachments to horses. Hence, Bhagavan is the means to tame the senses and mind.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He killed KuvalayApIDa. The term (kuvalaya + ApIDa) means “That which hurts the Earth” – Here, “Earth” signifies the Jivas in Samsara and the name refers to desire which is the greatest enemy of all bound selves. Even when the senses are tamed and one is detached from sense objects, desire often still persists. The Lord is the means to kill the desire as well, for his auspicious qualities are extremely delectable to meditate upon and destroys desire of everything other than him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In this manner, it is he who is the true means (upAya) in all acts undertaken to attain liberation. And is he merely the upAya? Azhwar says he is “viNNavar kOn” or the Lord of Nitya Suris in Sri Vaikuntha, which signifies that he is also the upEya (that which is to be attained as the Supreme Goal).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In this manner, Azhwar proves that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vishnu is not only the UpAya, but also the upEya or the Supreme Object of Attainment.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pangaN viral Semmuhattu vAli mALa paDar vanattu kavandanODum paDaiyAr tiNkai vengaN viral virAdan uha vil kunitta viNNavarkOn tALaNaiveer verpupOlum | tunga muha mALihai mEl Ahangoorum tuDiyiDaiyAr muhakkamala SOdi tannAl tingaL muham pani paDaikkum AzhahAr kAzhi cheerAma viNNaharE SErmin neerE ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Oh! Men! If you want to seek the tiruvaDi of Sree rAma—who killed vAli, the monkey king with red eyes and face; who killed virAda (an asura) and kabanda who created many weapons—go to kAzhi SeerAma viNNaharam—where there are tall mansions with balconies touch the moon on the top of which beautiful girls speak with each other whose faces make the moon feel shy and hide himself behind the clouds.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Notes: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sambandhar</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> objects to the idea that the Lord is the upAya and upEya by saying that Shiva has granted boons to many of his devotees, elevated them to his abode and so on. He is considered to be very munificient. Hence, Shiva should be considered as the upAya and upEya.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Azhwar</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> counters by saying that it is Bhagavan who grants different types of boons to the different seekers who are described in the Gita as “chatur-vidha bhajantE mAm…”. As follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Like how Bhagavan restored wealth for Sugriva by killing vAli, similarly he grants the “arta/artArtins” the wealth they lost and the new wealth they seek respectively.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Like how Bhagavan killed Viradha, he destroys the “Viradha” or “that which is against the nature of the self” – the notion of Ahankara and Mamakara. He makes one realize the nature of the self which is the aim of the jignyAsu.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Like how Bhagavan destroyed Kabandha, he destroys the “Kabandha” or body to give liberation to those who seek him – the jnAnIs. (Kabandha means water and signifies the body made of subtle elements</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bhagavan grants material boons to the artas/arthArthins and the knowledge of the self to the jignyAsus. For the jnAnIs, he himself is the supreme object of attainment. Thus he is the upAya and upEya.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The fact that Bhagavan grants all these boons makes him the most munificient. Thus, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vishnu alone has the quality of “udAratva” or generosity. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">poruvil valamburi arakkan muDihaL pattum paTTrum arindana pOla puvimEl Sinda</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Seruvil valamburi Silaikkai malaittOL vEndan tiruvaDi SErndu uihirpeer tirai neer teLhi |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">maruvi valamburi kaitai kazhi ooDADi vayal naNNi mazhai taruneer tavazh kAl manni</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">teruvil valamburi taraLam eenum kAzhi cheerAma viNNaharE SErmin neerE ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Oh! Men! If you want to seek the tiruvaDi of chakravarti tirumahan—whose bow and arrow caused the ten heads of rAvaNa to collapse on the ground like an anthill (is collapsed); who has mountain like shoulders on which He holds the bow—go to kAzhi SeerAma viNNaharam where the shells want to leave the sea goes to kAzhi SeerAma viNNaharam where at first they go round the ‘tAzhai’ bushes and then to the fields and from there to the fields and from there to the rain water canals (which are already filled with rain water) and from there to the streets of the city where they get settled when the rain water dries. Thus the city looks beautiful with shells pearls scattered every where.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Notes: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sambandhar</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> continues his objection to the idea that Shiva should not be considered the most generous by bringing up the example of rAvaNa. The incidence of rAvaNa lifting Kailasha mountain is referred to by Sambandhar here and how Shiva not only spared rAvaNa’s life when the latter sang his praise, but also granted him a sword and long life. This shows that Shiva is not only generous in granting boons, but also merciful in granting them to one who opposed him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Sambandhar indeed does refer to this incident several times in the Thevaram as an example of Shiva’s generosity and mercy. One of the popular forms of Shiva worshipped is the “rAvaNAnugraha mUrthi” and Shiva’s gesture to rAvaNa is acknowledged by the Nayanmars as an act of supreme mercy and compassion).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Azhwar</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> counters by saying that the biggest boon as well as the biggest act of mercy was conferred on rAvaNa, not by Shiva, but by Bhagavan only. For Shiva’s decision to spare rAvaNa led to the latter committing more offenses like kidnapping Sita and accruing sins, and the sword gifted by Shiva was used by rAvaNa to kill jatAyu, a bhAgavata, thus incurring bhAgavata-apachAra. In reality, this was never a boon or a true act of mercy, and it also shows that Shiva lacked the foresight to grant such boons.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In contrast, bhagavAn killed rAvaNa and thus prevented him from committing further sins in that body. The Lord is capable of bestowing a powerful boon like this on account of his strong mountain like shoulders which held the bow. And he did all this for rAvANa, despite the latter’s offences and refusal to surrender to him (sparing him from a worse state of continuing to commit sins and attaining lower births). Lord Rama even ensured rAvaNa’s last rites were performed by VibhIshana. This was the ultimate boon and the ultimate act of mercy.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, azhwar showed that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vishnu is not only udAra or generous, but is also possessed of the quality of kArunyam or supreme compassion or mercy.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">paTTaravu Erahal alkul pavaLa SevvAi paNai neDundOL piNai neDungaN pAlAm inSol maTTavizhum kuzhalikkA vAnOr kAvil marangoNarndAn aDiyaNai veer aNilhaL tAva | neTTilaiya karungamuhin SengAi veezha neeL palavin tAzh Sinaiyil nerungu peena teTTa pazham Sidaindu maduchchoriyum kAzhi cheerAma viNNaharE SErmin neerE || </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Oh! Men! If you want to seek the tiruvaDi of emberumAn—who brought the karpaga tree from the garden of indra when satyaBAma wanted it—she who has hips like the hoods of a serpent with a silk saree, who has red coral-like lips, round bamboo-like arms, long doe-like eyes, sweet milk-like speech, wearing honey-laden flowers on her hair—and planted it in her garden—go and seek Him in kAzhi SeerAma viNNaharam—where squirrels jump from branches causing the fruits of areca nut trees to fall on the jack fruits resulting the breaking of jack fruits making the honey flow on the ground.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Notes: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sambandhar</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> claims that Shiva is most compassionate or merciful as he fulfills all the desires of his devotees. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Azhwar</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> refutes this by saying that in reality, there are some boons that Shiva cannot grant as it is not in his power. In contrast, it is bhagavAn who can fulfil any desire of his devotees, as evidenced by how he procured the hard-to-get parijAta tree, which did not grow on Earth, from the abode of Indra for Satyabhama after defeating the devas. Thus, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vishNu alone possesses the ability to fulfil even seemingly impossible desires of his devotees, and bestow the boon of liberation which other devas cannot.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pirai tangu SaDaiyAnai valattE vaittu piramanai tan undiyilE tOTTruvittu karai tanguvEl taDangaN tiruvai mArbil kalandavan tAL aNaihirpeer kazhu neer kooDi | turait angu kamalattu tuyinru kaitai tODArum podi SOTTru chuNNam naNNi Sirai vaNDu kaLi pADum vayal Soozh kAzhi cheerAma viNNaharE SErmin neerE ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Oh! Men! If you want to seek the tiruvaDi of emberumAn—who has Siva who wears crescent moon on his matted hair on His right; the creator brahma on His nABi kamala and periya pirATTi on who has beautiful spear-like eyes on His tirumArbu- -go to kAzhi SeerAma viNNaharam where the bees mates in sengazhuneer flowers, sleep in lotuses, get up roll in the pollen grains of ‘tAzhai’ flower, get intoxicated and sing joyfully flying over the fields.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Notes: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sambandhar</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> finally claims that Vishnu and Brahma were created out of the left and right side of Shiva, which makes him the Supreme among devas. As such, it is not possible to claim Shiva cannot grant certain boons while Vishnu can, for the latter is created by the former.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Azhwar</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> refutes this by declaring that it is Vishnu who has given his right side to Shiva, his navel to Brahma and his chest to Lakshmi and this is in accordance with the sAttvika shAstrAs like mahAbhArata. Vide the following,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pasyaikAdasa mE rudrAn dakshiNam pArsvamAsrithAn” ~ (Moksha Dharma 167.51, Mahabharata)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: See the 11 Rudras who are situated in my right side.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That the devas occupy various parts of the Lord’s body is also seen in the vishvarUpa darshaNa he gave as pAndava-dhUta as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ihādityāś ca rudrāś ca vasavaś ca maharṣibhiḥ evam uktvā jahāsoccaiḥ keśavaḥ paravīrahā tasya saṃsmayataḥ śaurer vidyudrūpā mahātmanaḥ aṅguṣṭha mātrās tridaśā mumucuḥ pāvakārciṣaḥ tasya brahmā lalāṭastho rudro vakṣasi cābhavat lokapālā bhujeṣv āsann agnir āsyād ajāyata ādityāś caiva sādhyāś ca vasavo 'thāśvināv api marutaś ca sahendreṇa viśve devās tathaiva ca (~ Udyoga Parva 129.3-5, Mahabharata)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Here, however, are all the Pandavas and all the Vrishnis and Andhakas. Here are all the Adityas, the Rudras, and the Vasus, with all the great Rishis. Saying this Kesava, that slayer of hostile heroes burst out into a loud laughter. And as the high-souled Sauri laughed, from his body, that resembled a blazing fire, issued myriads of gods, each of lightning effulgence, and not bigger than the thumb. And on his forehead appeared Brahma, and on his chest Rudra. And on his arms appeared the regents of the world, and from his mouth issued Agni, the Adityas, the Sadhyas, the Vasus, the Aswins, the Marutas, with Indra, and the Viswedevas…</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vishnu alone is the Sarva-Loka-Saranyan (the ultimate refuge for all) and is worshipped by the devas, as well as resorted to by them.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sengamalattu ayan anaiya maraiyOr kAzhi cheerAma viNNaharE en SengaN mAlai angamala taDa vayal Soozh Ali nADan aruL mAri araTTamukki aDaiyAr Seeyam | kongu malar kuzhaliyar vEL mangai vEndan koTTravEl parakAlan kaliyan Sonna Sanga muha tamizh mAlai pattum vallAr taDangaDal Soozh ulahukku talaivar tAmE ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: tirumangai AzhwAr—who is the chief of Ali nADu (having plenty of lotus ponds), who blesses noble people, who subdues his enemies and ensures that they never lift their heads again, who is like a lion to his foes, who is the favourite of beautiful women, who is the Lord of tirumangai and who holds a weapon in his hand for the protection of Sri Vaishnavas, a yama to the opponents—has sung these ten tamizh pASurams which even the sangam poets praise. Those who read them with interest and trust will be the chief of the world surrounded by the seas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The number of titles azhwar declares here is clearly indicative of the fact that Sambandhar acknowledged defeat and that azhwar won the debate. Sambandhar gave him the spear (vel) as acknowledgement of the victory. Here it must be said that though Sambandhar accepted his ideas as wrong, he was still a shiva bhakta and driven by his own inclinations, continued in that vein. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, it is clear as to how Azhwar established the truths of the Vedanta via his debate with Sambandhar and dispelled confusion.</span></div>
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Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-58483428882302672782018-05-18T12:36:00.000+05:302018-05-18T12:36:51.290+05:30Banasura Charitra: Inner Meanings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There are many leelAs of sriman nArAyaNa which highlight several different kalyAna gunams and contain important tattvArthams. These include Draupadi VastrApaharanam, Gajendra Moksham, KAkAsura VriddhAntham, PAndava Dhoothan, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One such incident is BAnAsura Charithram. This episode highlights the veeryam of sriman nArAyaNa in addition to his kalyAna gunams of swAmithvam (ruler of all), parathvam (the supreme), soulabhyam (ease of accessibility) and rakshagatvam (protection). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In this war, there is no devas = good and asuras = evil. Everyone, devas and asuras who fought against bhagavAn were overcome by the ajnAna of prakrti and hence, in tamo gunA.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In this war, Rudra directly fought against Vishnu, as he was overcome by tamo gunam despite his lofty position and unable to differentiate between sAmAnya dharma and viSesha dharma. The victory of course, went to Sarveswara, Sriman nArAyaNan, the antaryAmin of all these asurAs and devAs.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is easy to notice that each and every conversation as well as action contained in that tale had an inner meaning that goes with the arthams given by sampradAyam. Reading this, one could realise the true greatness of our achAryAs had conveyed the attvArthas in such a lucid manner, and extracted all the meanings from the shAstrAs so well that every line of vedA, purAna, ithihAsA, etc resounded with these truths. This makes us understand the importance of an acharya.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The greatness of the achAryAs and their mercy in communicating to us such meanings cannot be measured in words. Thus, with the grace of srI rAmAnuja and the pUrvAchAryAs, I will embark on such an explanation. The first half of this posting will be a summary of the charithra, while the second half will elaborate on the tattvas embedded here.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: The translations of slokas from harivamsa are taken straight from the internet. I haven’t had time to translate them myself. So, while the general meaning may be correct, it is possible that the slokas themselves require a deeper translation. But the superficial translation (with some minor changes by me here and there) is sufficient to convey the point.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">THE FOUR VYUHAS</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The incident involves Aniruddha, the son of Pradyumnan, who in turn is the son of vAsudEva, who has sankarshaNan (balarAman) as his brother. These are the 4 vyUhas. Otherwise, if we consider SrI Krishna as sAkshAt paravAsudeva, one can say there are 3 vyUhas accompanied by paramapadam.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is directly mapped by srI Vaishnava acharyas to the mAndUkya – vaiSvAnara, taijasa, prajna and tUrIya. These are the 4 states of bhakti yOga or upAsaNa each presided by one of the vyUhAs. The vaiSvAnara or waking state is presided by Aniruddha, the Taijasa or dreaming state is presided by Pradyumna, the Prajna or deep sleep state is presided by Sankarshana and the final stage is mOksha sthAna, presided by para-vAsudevan himself, ie, srI krishNa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that it was Aniruddha who was captured by Bana. The inner meaning is thus – the jivA in its waking state, is attracted to objects of enjoyment and is captured in samsAra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Also note that just as balarama is the eldest next to krishNa, the prajna state is the penultimate stage of bhakti yOga presided by Sankarshana, following which is only turIya or para vAsudEva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">SHONITAPURAM IS SAMSARA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bana’s city is Shonitapura, which is prakrti mandalam or samsAra. The various asurAs who guard the city can be seen to be representations of the dangers in prakrtI mandalam, as well as the associates/relatives who are described as hindrances to bhagavad bhakti. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Usha, Bana’s daughter, represents the object of enjoyment in samsara. The palace of bAnAsura is the body of the jivAtmA and bAnAsuran himself, who traps Aniruddhan due to his attachment with Usha, represents the ego or ahaMkAra that traps the jivAtmA in samsArA. Just as bAna refused to yield to krishNa, so does our ego refuse to accept bhagavAn as the para-devata.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In reality, Aniruddha is Bhagavan, but since he presides over the waking state, he is said to be trapped by virtue of inseparable association; but he is ever unaffected and merely represents the Jiva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shiva, who aids bAnasura, is the mind that aids the ego. Shiva, though capable of sattvic actions, was overcome by tamas to aid Bana. Similarly, the mind can be our friend, but when engaged in material enjoyments, it becomes our enemy. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Skanda represents the senses associated with passion or rajas born of the mind (shiva) that again, goes against bhagavAn. This also aids the ego (Bana).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In a nutshell, Shonitapuram = Samsara, the Palace = Body, Aniruddha = Jiva in waking state, Usha = Objects of Enjoyments, Bana = Ego, Shiva = Mind, Skanda = Senses associated with anger.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">From all these inner meanings, it can be clearly seen that the literal meaning also lends itself to the interpretation that neither Shiva nor Skanda come out as anything other than jivAs.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">THE WAR IS THE EFFORT OF PARAMATMA TO SAVE THE CHETANA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">srI krishNa’s arrival at ShonitApuram along with his associates is equivalent to his taking avatAram along with azhwars/achAryAs in prakrti mandalam. He sounded the mighty pAnchajanyA upon his arrival, which made the asurAs and devas opposing him shake with fear. Similarly, the sound of pAnchajanyA will chase away our ajnAna and make our intellect blossom. His war with the residents of bAnA's city represents the efforts undertaken by paramAtmA to rescue the jivAtmA from samsArA. Among these enemies, bAnA himself was the biggest enemy. Similarly, the ego is the biggest obstacle to the jivAtmA as it prevents the Jiva from surrendering to Bhagavan.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">ANIRUDDHA AS AN ACHARYA ABHIMANI AND NARADA AS THE ACHARYA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If the war is the effort of paramAtmA SrI KrishnA, then what did the chetanA (Aniruddha) do as sAdhaNa?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When Aniruddha was captured by bAnA and bound by serpents, he remained calm and composed. He knew that he could not do anything by himself. His thoughts are given in Harivamsha as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sa gatvA nAradastatra sha~NkhachakragadAdharam |j~nApayiShyati tattvena imamarthaM na saMshayaH ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: (Aniruddha said:) There is no need for doubt. SrI nAradA, acting on my behalf, will definitely go to dwArakA and inform the One who holds the conch, chakra and mace.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This shows the conviction he had in his guru (Narada). Hence, the Acharya is required to meditate on our behalf. The reference to bhagavan’s weapons is to highlight that he possesses those weapons to save us, and they never fail.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">na saMshayaH</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – Never doubt the infallibility of my Acharya (nArada in this case). He will bring me all auspiciousness and through him, I will attain Brahman.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He then told Usha the following out loud:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kimidaM rudyate bhIru mA bhaistvaM mR^igalochane |pashya sushroNi saMprAptaM matkR^ite madhusUdanam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: (Aniruddha said:) Why are you crying, my dear (Usha), you of such beautiful hair and with eyes like a deer? See that I will be rescued by Madhusudhana, who will be here for me.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The usage of “madhusUdhana” is pertinent as he is the slayer of “madhu” which also means passion or attachment to samsAra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Similarly, the Jivatma trapped in the coils of samsArA places his conviction in the Acharya and is confident Bhagavan will rescue him. This is AchArya AbhimAnam and chaitanya kAryam as elucidated in SrI vachana bhUshanam.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">LAKSHMI'S MEDIATORSHIP</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meanwhile, in Dwaraka, BhagavAn was sorrowing over the disappearance of aniruddhA. This is similar to the paravAsudeva in sri vaikunta distressing himself about the baddha jivAs in samsara. The sruti vAkya is to be remembered - </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sa ekAki na ramEtha</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> – he does not like being alone during sriShti as he sorrows over the fact that jivAs are unliberated. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Seeing his sorrow, the residents of Dwaraka started to encourage him with strong words, praising his strength and valor. But even though the dwAraka-vAsIs implored him, but bhagavAn did not answer them. Not until they finished speaking. And how did they finish speaking? Their last sentence was this:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kimevaM chintayAviShTo na ki~nchidapi bhAshase ||chintAM kartuM vR^ithA deva na tvamarhasi mAdhavA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Why are you so silent, immersed in your own thoughts? Effulgent Lord (Deva)! You do not ever think in vain. Do not be like this, Madhava!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It was only after this sentence, that bhagavAn started speaking and planning a course of action. There is a reason why he didn’t speak earlier.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The answer is simple. First and foremost is the usage of the name, “Madhava”. Prior to this, the dwarakAvAsIs had been speaking about his valor and strength, but he had not spoken or acknowledged them. Now, they addressed him finally as “Madhava”, the consort of Lakshmi. Hence, it was lakshmi’s purushakAratvam that made him speak.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"You do not ever think in vain" signifies his satya sankalpathvam. This gunaM gives him the ability to accomplish anything, ie, rescuing the baddha jivA. The name `Deva' is significant as shruti says that the Lord gets his devatva from Lakshmi (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shraddhAya devo devatvam asnute). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The dwArakavAsIs represent the bhAgavatas, the Vaishnavas, who urge BhagavAn to take care of the baddhAs by requesting Lakshmi to intervene for them as well.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So now, with the recommendation of the nitya sUrIs and Lakshmi, Bhagavan is ready to descend to samsArA and help the jivA. But he still needs to know that the jivA is mentally ready to accept his anugraham. How is this possible? It is possible when an AchAryan from samsAra mandalam conveys the plight of the jivAtmA to Bhagavan. That AchAryan here is nArada maharishi.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">NARADA'S (ACHARYA'S) PRAYER FOR ANIRUDDHA (JIVATMA):</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the rAmAyaNam, SrI Hanuman went on behalf of srI rAghavan to Sita. Here, it represents BhagavAn sending the AchAryan to rescue the jivAtmA from samsArA. Then, SrI AnjanEya brings news of sIta to srI rAmA.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In bAnAsura yuddham, nAradA journeys to Dwakara to convey to SrI Krishna the plight of AniruddhA. Here nAradA, as the AchAryan, takes it upon himself to inform bhagavAn about the jivA (aniruddhA).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ataH prabhAte vimale prAdurbhUte divAkare |pravivesha sabhAmeko nAradaH prahasanniva |dR^iShTvA tu yAdavAnsarvAnkR^iShNena saha sa~NgatAn |tataH sa jayashabdena mAdhavaM pratyapUjayat ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then, during the clear morning, with the rising of the sun, Narada entered the hall, smiling. Seeing the Yadavas gathered together with Krishna, he worshipped mAdhavA with “Jaya” or “Victory”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The clear morning symbolises the vanishing of anxiety for bhagavAn, who despite being omniscient, is concerned about the chEtana in samsArA as he will now hear news from an AchAryA. Although bhagavAn is avApta samastha kAman (all desires satisified), he still sorrows over the jivA as sorrow over others’ plight is not his defect, rather it is a pleasing guNa of his. It is not sorrow brought about by karma.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The rising of the Sun symbolises a new life for the jivAtmA and an auspicious moment when the AchAryan recommends the chEtana for protection by bhagavAn. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The presence of the Yadavas with Krishna means that the Vaishnavas who are Bhagavatas are willing to help BhagavAn rescue the chEtana. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Narada address bhagavAn first of all as “Madhava”, which is an appeal to Lakshmi for purushakAram and follows it up with mangalasasanams for his well-being (jaya shabdENa). The terms jitantE, jaya, svasti are all synonyms and are mangalAsAsanams to divya dampathI. This is the protocol for worshipping bhagavAn in shAstra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Following this, nArada tells SrI Krishna of AniruddhA's plight and where he is, upon which he takes action.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nAradA after appealing to divya dampathi through usage of the name “Madhava” and performing mangalAsAsanams now states his desire and urges bhagavAn to summon garudA to go into battle.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">BHAGAVAN AS UDARAH - ONE WHO PRAISES HIS DEVOTEES</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As BhagavAn got ready for battle, he called GarudA for help and praised the latter with the following stutI. Here are a few slOkas from that stuti (not all is given):</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mayA saha samAgamya tasminkAle mahAbhuja…abhavanme dhvajashchaiva tvadbhaktAH sarvavR^iShNayaH …. sakhitvaM mAnayasvAdya bhaktiM cha patageshvara… tava vegasamo nAsti pakShiNo na cha te samAH |suparNa sukR^itena tvAM shape pannaganAshana ||… sakhitvaM mAnayasvAdya bhaktiM cha patageshvara ||… tava vegasamo nAsti pakShiNo na cha te samAH |suparNa sukR^itena tvAM shape pannaganAshana….. atyasandha mahAbhAga vainateya mahAdyute |aniruddhe kShaNenAdya sAhAyyamupakalpyatAm ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: (Krishna praises Garuda:)…………mahAbAhO (addressing GarudA)! During those days, you have stayed on my flag as well. All the vrishnis are your devotees!............O master of birds! Today, honour our friendship as well as devotion. There is none equal to you in speed and among birds. There is none equal to you among birds. Destroyer of serpents! Due to the result of righteous deeds (Bhagavad/BhAgavata kaimkaryam), I speak to you………Protector of the truth! Illustrious one!MahA tejasvI! O the son of vinatA! Today you should help quickly in the case of aniruddha..</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Note: this is not the whole stutI. Condensed version to provide a general idea).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This incident indicates the magnanimity of BhagavAn. While other devas treat their devotees like slaves according to the chAndOgya (“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">there, the gods eat him” ~ Ch.Up, panchAgnI vidyA prakaraNa</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">), BhagavAn praises his devotees even if they have done nothing by themselves and raises them above himself.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is also the manner in which bhagavAn praises devas like Shiva. Thus, just because bhagavAn composes stutIs on other entities do not make those entities more powerful than him. It is just an act of generosity by bhagavAn. And even in these stutIs, bhagavAn only addresses the antaryAmin of these deities (as seen in the article “sri krishNa’s prayers to shiva”) and bhagavAn as such, never bows to these deities.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The vishNu sahasranAma refers to this guNa of praising others as “stota” in the section </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">stavyaH stave prIya stuti stOtAraNa priya</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">:”. SrI parAsara bhattar interprets “stota” as – He whose nature is to praise those who praise him. Bhattar gives in particular the example of srI krishNa praising (the antaryAmin) of shiva. Since shiva constantly meditates on the tAraka mantra of bhagavAn, thus shiva becomes worthy of praise by bhagavAn himself. BhagavAn himself says in harivamSha – “One who praises me becomes praiseworthy”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And the fact that it refers to the antaryAmin and not to the devata does not detract from the idea that the deity is the medium or vessel of the antaryAmin and hence, is of great merit to warrant such praise. So, such stutIs of bhagavAn to the antaryAmin of shiva gives the status of mahAtma to shiva himself.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To continue, GarudA, astounded by this kalyAna gunA, spoke the following before praising BhagavAn with a stuti of his own (once again, this is not the full stuti):</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dhanyo.asmyanugR^ihIto.asmi saMstavAnmadhusUdana |stotavyastvaM mayA kR^iShNa stauShi mAM tvaM mahAbhuja || vedAdhyakShaH surAdhyakShaH sarvakAmaprado bhavAn |amoghadarshanastvaM hi varArtInAM varapradaH ||….</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: (Garuda says:)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I am fortunate, showered by your anugrahams, Madhusudhana, in form of your praise. Hey Krishna! you are the one to be praised by me. But, mahAbAhO! I am praised by you! You are the Master of the Veda, you are the Master of the Nitya Suris, You fulfill all the desires of devotees. Your sight is fruitful to devotees. You are the provider of boons to those who seek boons…..</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Note: Not the full stutI)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This incident, thus, represents the magnanimity of Bhagavan and the bhakti of his devotees. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">BALARAMA, THE SHIVA JVARA AND KRISHNA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Upon entry into battle, Balarama expressed his desire to fight with the following words.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kR^iShNa kR^iShNa mahAbAho yadetaddR^ishyate balaM |etaiH saha raNe yoddhumichChAmi puruShottama ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Krishna! Krishna! mahAbAhO! I desire to fight the army that I see here, purushOttamA!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Krishna replied,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mamApyeShaiva sa~njAtA buddhirityabravIchcha tam |ebhiH saha raNe yoddhumichCheyaM yodhasattamaiH ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Best of warriors! I want to tell you that I also have the same intention. I also wish to fight with these warriors.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">At first glance, this conversation appears fairly innocuous. But there are a wealth of meanings here.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There are two ways to attain bhagavAn – by your own efforts with bhagavAn as the indirect means (bhakti yOga or upAsaNa), or by self-surrender which entrusts bhagavAn to undertake the effort on behalf of the jIvAtma (prapatti). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here, balarAmA had the desire to fight, ie, he wanted to use his own effort, but sought permission from krishNa, which signifies bhakti yoga with the Lord as the indirect means. The analogy here is this – the goal is kaimkaryam or service to bhagavAn (by fighting). The means chosen by balarAma is that he wants to fight unaided, although under the flag of BhagavAn. Hence, it symbolises the Jiva who wants to attain the goal by self-effort of bhakti yOga. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, Balarama here plays the role of a jivAtmA who tries to attain kaimkarya prapti by self effort. The reply of BhagavAn shows that Ishvara gives permission to the jivAtmA to do what it wants in the first step. This is the pratama pravrtti enunciated by AchArya rAmAnuja in srI bhAshyam.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">During the battle, a fever created by Rudra, the Shiva jvArA, came to fight. When the ashes of the jvArA fell on BalarAmA, he was affected by fever. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is similar to how the Jiva performing upAsaNa gets affected by samsArA. Both Gajendra and Draupadi felt they were powerless as long as they kept using their self-efforts. The same case with Balarama, who delighting in his own power initially, was soon overwhelmed in the battle.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, for the Jiva who performs bhakti yOga, he will be swallowed by the attachments of samsArA again due the ego arising from his self-effort, coupled with the fact that his strength will never be adequate to overcome the karma-vAsaNas. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Realising this, Balarama wisely performed saranAgati:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tato haladharo bhagnaH kR^iShNamAha vichetanaH |kR^iShNa kR^iShNa mahAbAho pratIto.asmyabhayaM kuru ||ahyAmi sarvatastAta kathaM shAntirbhavenmama |ityevamukte vachanaM balenAmitatejasA ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Losing his composure (being affected by the shiva jvAram), the wielder of the plough (balarAmA) cried – Krishna! Krishna! mahAbAhO! I have fallen. Give me shelter! My body burns all over. When will I become calm again?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">BalarAma is called “halAyudhaH” or wielder of the plough. He had the immense strength to perform upAsaNa. Even such a mighty one failed in that upAsaNa requires the help of krishNa as the direct means to succeed. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The “Fever” is nothing but attachments to samsAra that disturb the yOgi. The rishis like Vishwamitra being seduced by women and devas fighting against bhagavAn, despite their prowess at upAsaNa are examples.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Similarly, jivAs like Shiva, no matter how mighty they are or have been described as such in the shAstra, are like fireflies compared to bhagavAn’s tejas. They cannot overcome samsAra by themselves and require bhagavAn’s help to succeed in yOga.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Note: BalarAma is also an avatAra of adi sesha and amsavatAra of bhagavAn as stated by vishNu purAna and this was play acting on his part. The same cannot be said of deities like Shiva who are not equated with paramAtma anywhere).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">BhagavAn then did the following:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">prahasya vachanaM prAha kR^iShNaH praharatAM varaH |na bhetavyamitItyuktvA pariShvakto halAyudhaH || kR^iShNena paramasnehAttato dAhAtpramuchyata |mokShayitvA balaM tatra dAhAttu madhusUdanaH ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The best among subduers, kR^iShNa, spoke these words, laughing: “Do not fear”. Speaking thus, kR^iShNa embraced the one having plough as weapon (balarAma). As kR^iShNa embraced him thus with great love, balarAma was released from the burning. The slayer of madhu released balarAma from burning.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note the following –</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">BhagavAn laughed showing how happy he was that the Jiva (balarAmA) had given up self-efforts of upAsaNa and resorted to him (Krishna) for sharanAgati. He is also laughing as he is amused by the fact that it took so long for this realization to occur, when he’s always been so close to the jIvAtma as its antaryAmin.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gita -</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bahunAm janmanAm ante jnAnavAn mam prapadyantE</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”. It means “after many auspicious births (of upAsaNa or bhakti yoga), the yogi performs sharanAgati (realizing that this alone is the true means and not bhakti yoga)”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Do not Fear” – “mA sucha:”. After discarding all dharmAs which are the means undertaken by self-effort, the jIvAtma surrenders to bhagavAn considering him alone as the means (“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mAm ekam saranam vraja</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It was BhagavAn who embraced balarAmA. The latter did not do any action other than admitting his weakness and accept krishNa’s aid. This shows that BhagavAn is the one doing the sAdhanam – ie, he is the upAyam and all we do is accept his upAyatvam.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He embraced balarAmA with great love. The love he has for us is greater than whatever we can do to attain him, ie, the upAyam will never equal the upEyam in value. That being the case, can we even think that “I </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">do this</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> to earn Bhagavan’s favor” with respect to moksha? There is nothing we can do that will be equivalent to the reward.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Furthermore, the reference to bhagavAn's love indicates him alone being the means.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">BhagavAn is described as the best among subduers. He is the best upAyam to subdue the fever of samsArA. No other, be it Brahma, Rudra, Indra, etc or our own self-effort.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">SHARANAGATI OF THE SHIVA JVARA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">BhagavAn was unaffected by the ashes of the Shiva Jvara and also defeated it in a fight. Realising that it could not win the battle head on, the jvara entered the body of Krishna. Initially, BhagavAn staggered, feeling feverish. Then he created a Vishnu jvara which defeated the Siva Jvara and expelled it from his body. He then was about to kill the Siva Jvara when it performed saranAgati.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kR^iShNasyapAdayormUrdhnAsharaNaMso.agamajjvaraH|evamuktohR^iShIkeshaMjvarovAkyamathAbravIt ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Siva Jvara, bowing with its head at the feet of krishNa, sought refuge. The jvAra who was released thus, spoke these words to hRishikEsha.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Firstly, the efficacy of prapatti is firmly established. The jvara belongs in the same category as kAkAsura. While kAkAsura tried to hurt Sita, the jvara tried to hurt Krishna. Both were saved by saranAgati. But kAkAsura lost an eye, probably because apachAra to Lakshmi is greater than apachAra to BhagavAn!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Secondly, the usage of the name `Hrishikesha is pertinent. Because initially, when the jvArA entered the body of Bhagavan, the text states that he was seized by a feverish burning and staggered. Considering that his mere touch had cured Balarama, is it not clear that Bhagavan feeling feverish was just a play, acting as though he had been affected? Therefore, “Hrishikesha” is specifically used to convey that he is the controller of the senses of all and hence can never be affected by any fever of Shiva!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The svarUpa of the Jiva, which is the goal of saranAgati is revealed by the words of the siva jvara to BhagavAn as follows,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ahamasurakulapramAthinAtripurahareNahareNanirmitaH|raNashirasivinirjitastvayAprabhurasi deva tavAsmiki~NkaraH ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: I was created by Hara, the destroyer of TripurA. Now I have been conquered by you. You, DevA, are now my master and I am your servant!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note the specific mention of `Hara, who destroyed Tripura'. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The shvEtAsvatAra Upanishad refers to the jivAtma as “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">amrtAksharam hara</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">:” – One who indulges the objects of prakrti (hara denotes the jivA here). The triple cities refer to sattva, rajas and tamas. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So “Hara” is the jIvA with attachments to prakrti that destroyed the triguNas by upAsaNa or bhakti yOga. It also signifies Shiva is a Jivatma.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, by saying “I was created by Hara the destroyer of tripurA”, the siva jvAra is essentiallu saying this:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> ”I was created by that one (Hara/Shiva, who is a Jiva indulging in objects of prakrti), who performed bhakti yOga. I acknowledge that my creator, Hara, had attained ahamkAra owing to the self-efforts of his bhakti yOga (and hence dares to go against you). The failure of my creator as well as the means adopted by him caused my imperfections and hence I now perform perform saranAgati to you, Krishna, (Deva) who are full of vAtsalyam by virtue of association with mahAlakshmi, who are my true and natural master (prabhu). I am by nature your servant.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The svarUpam of jivAtmA as a kaimkaryapAra (sesha) of bhagavAn is also mentioned here.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">BATTLE BETWEEN RUDRA AND KRISHNA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">andhakArIkR^ite loke pradIpte tryambake tathA |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">na nandI nApi cha ratho na rudraH pratyadR^ishyata ||2-125-1</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dviguNaM dIptadehastu roSheNa cha bAlena cha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tripurAntakaro bANaM jagrAha cha chaturmukhaM ||2-125-2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Vaishampayana said:(O janamejaya!) As the world was immersed in darkness, as the knower of the 3 vedas (Tryambaka) dazzled, Nandi, the chariot as well as Rudra were not seen. The destroyer of Tripura-s, who dazzled twice due to anger as well as power, took up a four faced arrow.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note the word “dviguNaM” in this shloka. Rudra has 2 guNas here – One is “rOsha” or anger which is tamo guNa. The other is “balaM” or strength which is a metaphor for knowledge. Thus, he is one who has the knowledge of Brahman, but is overcome by tamO guNa. His body shines with the attributes of both and to highlight this contradiction, this is mentioned.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, he is called “Tryambaka” signifying he knows the 3 Vedas and is a jnAni. He is called “Rudra” as he cried on birth due to his pApa karmas, signifying his tamo guNa. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He is called “tripurAntaka” as he performed upAsaNa to destroy the effects of the triguNas signified by the three cities. However, that upAsaNa made him arrogant and possessed of ego, which in turn caused tamO guNa to envelop him again.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The arrow that Rudra is intending to use against the Lord is called “chaturmukhaM” – of four faces. “mukhaM” also means “mind”. The four types of disposition of the mind antagonistic to the Lord are: mUDhaH, narAdhamaH, mAyaya-apahrta jnAna and AsuraM as described in Gita 7.15.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The idea is that, Rudra currently embodied the mindset of all these 4 types and wished to act against the Lord.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">saMdadhatkArmukaM chaiva kSheptukAmastrilochanaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vij~nAto vAsudevena chittaj~nena mahAtmana ||2-125-3</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: As Rudra, the one who is the eye of the three worlds (Trilochana) placed the arrow on the bow for shooting, the great soul, the son of vasudeva (kR^iShNa), the one who knows the thoughts (of others), came to know.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note the adjectives again. This shloka describes that despite Rudra acting against the Lord, the latter wanted to bestow his mercy and prevent Rudra from going on the wrong path. As follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra is “Trilochana”. He is the eye of the 3 worlds, meaning, he provides jnAna to all people in the 3 worlds in general despite his current tAmasic disposition. So, he is worthy of being pardoned and brought back to his senses, rather than being destroyed by krishNa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Lord is the son of Vasudeva, and the latter was renowned for being established in truth and dharma. Thus, it means, bhagavAn always adheres to dharma, like his father. The dharma here is to protect jIvAs, even wayward ones like Rudra. He is “mahAtma”, or the great self worthy of worship on account of this guNa of his. He knows the thoughts of all, thus knows all their sufferings and hence can alleviate their sufferings.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">jR^imbhaNaM nAma so.apyastraM jagrAha puruShottamaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">haraM saMjR^imbhayAmAsa kShiprakArI mahAbalaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The Lord who is superior to the bound and liberated selves (puruShottama) took up an arrow named jR^imbhaNaM. The one with great power, the one who does things quickly, made Hara yawn</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What does bhagavAn do when the jIvAs keep acting against them? He either destroys the jagat and puts them in slumber so that they don’t have the power to act anymore or he gives them a birth like being born inside a stone or inanimate object so that again, they can’t have the power of action. Their dharma-bhUta-jnAna (attributive knowledge) is nearly reduced to nil. This is an act of mercy, because if the Lord kept allowing him to act, he would be amassing more and more sins.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is signified by Rudra being made to yawn. As the wayward jIva acting against bhagavAn, he is rendered incapable of action during pralaya. “Hara” – one who captures, ie, one who indulges in the objects of prakrti. This signifies Rudra is a jIva ensnared by the objects of enjoyment due to the senses. His power and station have given him ego.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bhagavan has great power and thus he can initiate pralaya to put the jIvAs like rudra in slumber. He does things quickly, meaning, he quickly stops the Jiva from committing further offences by rendering it inactive.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sasharaM sadhanuShkaM cha dR^iShTvAtmAnaM vijR^imbhitam ||2-125-5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">balonmatto.atha bANo.asau sharvaM chodayate.asakR^it |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Seeing that distinguished person (rudra) with arrow as well as the bow yawning, bANa who was excited by his strength, prompted sharva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tato nanAda bhUtAtmA snigdhagambhIrayA girA ||2-125-6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Then the one (Rudra) who has the mind attached to the sense objects (bhUtAtma), made a great sound agreeable and deep (commanding) voice.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">These two shlokas consider Rudra as the mind and Bana as the individual self associated with a body, and accordingly the meaning is derived.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra is clearly referred to as “bhUtAtma” – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhUta Atma yasya sa bhUtAtma</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> – One who has the mind that is connected to the senses (called bhUtA-s).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The meaning of this is – the bound jIva, excited by his strength and intending to indulge in acts against the Lord, prompted the mind which hurts the self by making it attached to sense objects. The mind, being of an evil disposition, is thus friendly to the desires of the bound self, and commands the self by subjugating it to its will.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pradhmApayAmAsa tadA kR^iShNaH sha~NkhaM mahAbalaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Then the highly powerful kR^iShNa blew his conch.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pA~nchajanyasya ghoSheNA shAr~NgavisphUrjitena cha ||2-125-7</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">devaM vijR^imbhitaM dR^iShTvA sarvabhUtAni tatrasuH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Due to the sound of pA~nchajanya (kR^iShNa's conch) and the sound of the bow shAr~Nga and seeing the god (Rudra) yawning, all the beings became terrified.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra signifies the mind (devaM – that which shines out external objects). The beings who belonged to bANa’s and Rudra’s retinue signify the various dangers of samsAra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When the individual self (Bana) is attracted to the attachments caused by the mind (Rudra), the Lord, who is more powerful than the mind (Rudra), comes to the rescue by blowing his pAnchajanya. The conch signifies knowledge, and it eradicates the ignorance brought upon by prakrti-sambandha. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pAnchajanya</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – That from which 5 types of knowledge arises – Knowledge of the self, Knowledge of the Lord, Knowledge of the Goal, Knowledge of the means to the Goal, Knowledge of the obstacles to the goal – artha-panchaka jnAna.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The bow </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shAr~Nga</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> signifies the sense-organs according to the vishNu purANa. Thus, the Lord is hriShikEsa, who controls the senses and prevents them from going astray.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">BRAHMA’S WORDS TO RUDRA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When Rudra was finally struck by the jrimbhAnAstrA of Krishna and defeated, Brahma appeared and spoke the following:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Na cha yuddhaM mahAbAho tava kR^iShNena rochate|na cha budhyasi kR^iShNaM tvam AtmAnaM tu dvidhAkR^itam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: MahAbAhO (addressing Rudra)! I do not like your fighting with kR^iShNa. Also you are not understanding kR^iShNa with your intellect as your mind is divided (confused between sAmAnya and viSesha dharma)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brahma calls Rudra `mahAbAhO' here to highlight that his fight with KrishnA is due to his pride over the strength of his arms. Rudra, after accomplishing tripura samhAra, was filled with ego and became arrogant. This is documented in the shAstra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The words “budhyasi krishnam tvam AtmAnam tu dvidhakrtam” refer to bhakti yOga. Brahma is exhorting Rudra to know Krishna through meditation. Since Bhagavan hides his true nature during his avatArAs, only Yogis can understand his real supreme nature.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As Rudra is an upAsakA using self-effort, his sadhaNa has been interrupted due to his ego, and thus an impure mind, divided due to confusion between sAmAnya dharma and viSesha dharma. Rudra, who is normally situated in sattva, had succumbed to tamas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The plight of Rudra is similar to Bhishma here. Both were essentially sAttvic in disposition. However, both were divided in mind – should they protect bAna/dUryodhana as they had given their word (sAmAnya dharma) or should they join Bhagavan/Pandavas (viSheSha dharma)?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If Rudra and Bhishma were truly virtuous, they would have realised that whatever Bhagavan does, that alone is dharma. They should have sided with him. But they didn’t. This is due to their failure as upAsakAs and a preponderance of rajo/tamO guNa in them.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra's mind is clouded because he knows Bana deserves to be killed, but at the same time is protecting him due to sAmAnya dharma. He is unable to see the viSesha dharma (krishnan dharmam sanAtanam) due to tamO gunam.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">TATTVA SAKSHATKARA BY RUDRA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Being chastised by Brahma, Rudra finally went into yoga. It is well known that Shiva is a bhakti yOgI par excellence (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vaishnavanam yatha shambu</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">). He is said to be in the penultimate stage of bhakti. But as is seen with upAsakAs like Prahlada and Bhishma, the fickle nature of bhakti is such that they sometimes get interrupted and the yOgI becomes attracted to samsAric matters for awhile.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Prahlada once fought against Vishnu and BhishmAchAryA had sided with Kauravas, refusing to aid Draupadi during vastrApaharanam. The same situation had happened with Rudra here.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that it is always Brahma who corrects Shiva and puts him on the right path when he errs. And Shiva always obeys Brahma without question. Thus, “brahmAnam isham kamalAsanastham” in the Gita means “Brahma, and Shiva (Isha) who is situated in Brahma (Kamalasana), meaning, Shiva who always abides by the directions of Brahma”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It shows Brahma is the father and teacher of Shiva, and superior to the latter.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tataH sharIra yogAddhi bhagavAn avyayaH prabhuH|pravishya pashyate kR^itsnAM strI.NllokAn sa charAcharAn ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Then, Rudra who is the master of embodied beings (prabhu), who is the respected one because of his knowledge (bhagavAn) and whose intellect is uncovered (avyaya), using “sharIra-yOga” or meditation on “sharIrAtma-bhAva” indeed, perceived the (innerself of the) entirety of three worlds along with the movables and immovable, after entering it (the antaryAmin). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Bhagavan” is merely an honorific when used for living entities other than bhagavAn according to vishNu purAna. It signifies the 6 qualities only for bhagavAn.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“sharIra-yOga”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> – Literally means “meditation of the body”. In other words, it means “meditation on the body of Brahman” or “meditation on everything as the body of Brahman”. This is nothing but contemplation of the sharIrAtma bhAva relationship.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shiva realised through meditation on the inner self or the sarvAntarAtma, that the world, with its asuras and devas, are the body of that inner self. This echoes the upanishadic declaration – “Knowing that by which he knows everything”. By meditating on the true nature of the entire universe with all its’ sentients and non-sentients as the body of that inner self, he realized that all are dependent and subservient to the inner self. And then he knew that this inner self was Krishna.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pravishya pashyate kR^itsnAM strI.NllokAn sa charAcharAn” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">means, he entered (attained the vision of or experienced) the innerself of the worlds and beings and thus perceived the innerself having these worlds and beings as its’ body. It is the usage of sAmAnAdhikaraNyam to denote the vision of the sarvAntarAtma due to sharIrAtma bhAva, for otherwise there is no purpose of meditation to perceive something like the Universe that can be directly seen.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that this is similar to the Atharvasiras statement - </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“so.antarAdantaraM prAvishat.h dishashchAntaraM prAvishat.h”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">avyaya” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">– </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“na vIyatE”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> – One who is not covered by ignorance. Alternatively, it also means one who is not impelled by the senses.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pravishya yogaM yogAtmA varAMstAnanuchintayan |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dvAravatyAM yaduktaM cha tadanusmR^itya sarvashaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Shiva, whose mind is yoked to the auspicious attributes of Brahman (yogAtmA), entered the state of yoga and thought about the boons he (his indwelling Lord) had given earlier (to Bana) and remembered all that he (ie, his indwelling Lord) spoke in Dvaravati.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The previous shloka said that Shiva had entered Yoga and thus perceived everything as the body of Brahman. This shloka is the second stage where he realizes that he too is not independent and is the body of Brahman like everything else.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, by virtue of Yoga, he is seeing himself as the body of Brahman. On account of that, names that denote him, denote Brahman only. So, in the above shloka, “he gave boons” means, “his indwelling Lord, who has him as his body, gave boons to Bana through him. IHe realizes that it is by the power of his antaryAmin that he gives boons.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is justified by the very next statement, “he remembered all that he spoke in Dvaravati”. In reality, it was Krishna who spoke in Dvaravati that he would defeat Bana, not Rudra. So, basically, “he” means “Rudra’s indwelling Lord”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra thus realizes that the boons he gave Bana were by Krishna’s grace. He also realizes that Krishna had made up his mind to defeat Bana in Dvaravati itself.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The identity of that supreme self that is the indwelling cause of the Universe, meditated upon by Rudra, is given below.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">AtmAnaM kR^iShNa yonisthaM pashyata hyekayonijam|tatoniHsR^it ya rudrastunyastavAdo.abhavanmR^idhe ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He saw (by meditation) himself, in the body of Krishna, as one who is born from the matchless Cause (the inner self of all). After that, Rudra dismissed himself and became silent in battle.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yonisthaM” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“yoni” means abode as in “body”– the idea is, Rudra saw himself in the Lord’s Vishvarupa which can be cognized by bhakti yoga (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">brahmANam isham kamalAsanastham</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Some readings of the shloka have "kR^iShNadehastham" instead of "kR^iShNayonistham". The meaning does not change as “yoni” means “abode” which can be interpreted as the Lord’s body.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“hyekayonijam</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” –</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here, “yoni” means Cause. “eka” means the matchless Cause, one that is the material, instrumental and efficient by itself. It refers to Bhagavan. Rudra was born of this Cause – he realized that now.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The following pramANa shows that Rudra takes refuge in the right side of the Lord:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“pasyaikAdasa mE rudrAn dakshiNam pArsvamAsrithAn” ~ (Moksha Dharma 167.51, Mahabharata)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: (Bhagavan says:) See the 11 Rudras who are situated in my right side.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The fact of Rudra having a portion of Bhagavan's right side is also mentioned in the Vishnu Dharma. He takes refuge in the body of the Lord.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bhagavan has alloted a part of his body to each mukhya devata. Brahma occupies his navel, Lakshmi occupies his chest and Rudra occupies his right side. Nampillai quotes the above shloka and says that it is similar to a minister residing in the court of a King, and then returning to his home -- the places like Satya Loka, Kailasa, etc are like the courts where these devas have to discharge their duty, but when they are tired of samsAra and require shelter, they occupy the Lord's body just as a tired minister returns home from his duties.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So these three shlOkAs have stated that Rudra successively realized: 1) that one self is the antaryAmin of the entire Universe, 2) that same self is the indweller of Rudra, 3) That same self is Krishna, who is standing in front of Rudra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In other words, Rudra realised himself as not different from the other entities in the Universe, in having srI krishNa as the inner self and the Cause.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">With this realisation, Rudra withdrew from the battle. He realised it was not only futile, but also against his essential nature to oppose bhagavAn. His mind became clear.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Note: There is an interpolation in the Harivamsha by some shaivas here in the form of a “hari-hara stuti”. Even though this stuti does not pose a problem and can be interpreted as that of vishNu, this is clearly an interpolation since no acharya has quoted it. In addition, it disrupts the continuity of the battle, is riddled with absurd errors and even contradicts the above slOkas. The stuti is also clearly modelled after appayya dikShita’s works, which shows it is of later period. This has already been addressed in the article on interpolations in the mahAbhArata).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">SKANDA’S BATTLE WITH KRISHNA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kuMbhANDasaMgR^ihIte tu rathe tiShThanguhastatdA |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">abhidudrAva kR^iShNaM cha balaM pradyumnameva cha ||2-126-2</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: VaishampAyana continued: (O janamejaya!) Then guha (kArtikeya), mounted on a chariot driven by kumbhANDa, ran and confronted kR^iShNa, balarAma as well as pradyumna.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The son of Shiva is called “guha”. gUhati iti guha – that which covers or conceals – this refers to the anger or attachments that hide our true nature. It is well known. Thus, Skanda here signifies the senses (indrIyAs) that are associated with anger or attachments that conceals knowledge of the self. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Skanda is born of Rudra. Similarly, the senses are subservient to the mind, which is their master.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This Skanda is driven in a chariot by “kumbhANDa” – A rough translation would be “oval shaped water pot”. Water refers to the senses made of subtle elements, which drives the body (chariot) that houses anger or attachments to sense objects (Skanda).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, Skanda confronted the three vyUhas – aniruddha (krishNa), sankarshaNa (balarAma) and pradyumna. krishNa, it is to be remembered, is a vibhava avatAra of the vyUha aniruddha and hence can represent either turiya vAsudeva or aniruddha. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When aniruddha, his grandson is there, krishNa is to be understood as para-vAsudeva to complete the quartet. However, in this situation, krishNa signifies aniruddha vyUha.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The idea is that the three vyUhAs are avatArAs of the Lord that actively try to rescue the jIvAs from samsAric attachments.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sharasaMvR^itagAtrAste trayastraya ivAgnayaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shoNitaughaplutairgAtraiH prAyudhyanta guhaM tataH ||2-126-4</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Then, those three (kR^iShNa, balarAma and pardyumna), with blood flowing from their bodies covered by arrows, fought like three fires with Guha (kArtikeya).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Anger is like fire because it is rajO guNa. The Lord is like the fire that extinguishes the fire of rajo guNa. As the Upanishads and Thiruppavai say, our sins will be burnt like cotton upon rememberance of him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tataste yuddhamArgaj~nAstrayastribhiranuttamaiH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vAyavyAgneyapArjanyairbibhidurdIptatejasaH ||2-126-5</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Then, the three experts (kR^iShNa, balarAma and pradyumna) of the methods of war, blazing with splendor, shot three best arrows, vAyavya (belong to the deity of wind), Agneya (belonging to the deity of fire) and pArjanya (belonging to the deity of rain).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The three avatArAs of the Lord are experts at destroying the actions of the mind and senses.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“vAyavya”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> – The arrow associated with vAyu or swiftness. The Lord is swifter than thought itself in implementing actions to purify his devotees.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Agneya”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> – The arrow associated with Agni, or the quality of leading. The Lord leads us out of samsAra that is associated with sense-gratification.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pArjanya</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – The arrow associated with Parjanya. The Lord ensures that the highest knowledge arises in the self (para-janya).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">[tAnastrAntribhirevAstrairvinivArya sa pAvakiH] |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shailavAruNasAvitraistAnsa vivyAdha kopavAn |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The one who is born from fire (guha, kArtikeya), becoming angry, by shooting three arrows, shaila, vAruNa (belonging to the deity of ocean) and sAvitra (belonging to the deity of sun), blocked the three arrows.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">However, the indrIyAs which are wayward always resists the grace of the Lord. Thus kArtikeya fired 3 arrows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Shaila”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> – Associated with stone, or something immovable/rigid. Thus, the self with anger is not receptive to the Lord’s grace and remains rigid in its attachments. This is a counter to the Lord’s vAyavya.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vAruNa</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – Associated with varuNa, or the quality of enveloping. Senses associated with anger or attachments conceal knowledge of the self. This is a counter to the Lord’s Agneya.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sAvitra”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> – Associated with sAvitr or the prompter. Thus, senses associated with anger prompts or incites the self to further delusion, distancing it from the Lord and acting against him. This is a counter to pArjanya.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tasya dIptasharaughasya dIptachApadharasya cha ||2-126-6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sharaughAnastramAyAbhirgrasanti sma mahAtmanaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The great souls (kR^iShNa, balarAma and pardyumna), using the wondrous arrows, removed the fierce (hot) group of arrows shot by the one (guha, kArtikeya) blazing with a bow.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The arrows of Skanda are “ugra” or fierce, ie, blazing with rajas or passion. The Lord disposed of these arrows with his own wondrous arrows that can overcome anything. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The bow of Skanda signifies sense organs that are used to satisfy anger or attachments.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yadA tadA guhaH kruddhaH prajvalanniva tejasA ||2-126-7</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">astraM brahmashiro nAma kAlakalpAM durAsadam |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">saMdaShTauShThapuTaH sa~Nkhye jagR^ihe pAvakiH prabhuH ||2-126-8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: At this time, then guha (kArtikeya), the lord born from fire, angry and blazing with splendor, bit his lips in the battle field and took up an arrow named brahmashira, difficult to defeat like the god of death.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Guha born from fire is self explanatory – signifies rajo guNa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">brahmashira</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – The crest or head of “brahma”. The root “bRah” means to grow, to increase. Thus, “brahma” here refers to prakrti that expands into gross forms. “brahmashira” is thus the crest or foremost of prakrti, which is the mind. Because higher than the mind, only the intellect and the self exist, the mind is the foremost of all things made of prakrti.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The anger or rajo guNa of the jIva (signified by kArtikEya) thus uses the biggest weapon that is most difficult to overcome, as admitted even by the Lord in the gIta – the mind (brahmashira) which is an enemy to the jIva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">prayukte brahmashirasi sahasrAMshusamaprabhe |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ugre paramadurdharShe lokakShayakare tathA ||2-126-9</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: As guha (kArtikeya) shot the arrow brahmashira, equal in splendor with a thousand suns, terrible, most difficult to overcome, capable of causing the decline of the world.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(All these adjectives describe the mind as its’ inner meaning).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">hAhAbhUteShu sarveShu pradhAvatsu samantataH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">[astratejaHpramUDhe tu viShaNNe jagati prabhuH] |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: As all the beings ran here and there, lamenting hA, hA, confounded by the splendor of that weapon, all were affected in the world.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The mind is a terrible enemy, as we know from the gIta.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">keshavaH keshimathanashchakraM jagrAha vIryavAn ||2-126-10</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Then the valiant keshava (kR^iShNa), the oppressor of keshi took up his chakra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Keshi</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” was a horse. “Keshi” also refers to rays of light. Thus, it signifies the collective of indrIyAs and mind which are untameable like a horse and shine out external objects. The Lord is the oppressor of the mind and senses which are like wild horses.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kEshava</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – He is the Lord of Brahma (ka) and Rudra (Isha). Thus, he can overcome Skanda easily.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sarveShAmastravIryANAM vAraNaM ghAtanaM tathA |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">chakramapratichakrasya loke khyAtaM mahAtmanaH ||2-126-11</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The chakra of the one (kR^iShNa) who removes the splendor of all arrows as well as destroys them, the chakra of the great self (kR^iShNa) which does not have any counter weapon, is famous in the world.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(The tAmasa stories of Vishnu getting the Chakra from Shiva bite the dust with this shloka).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">astraM brahmashirastena niShprabhaM kR^itamojasA |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ghanairivAtapApAye saviturmaNDalaM yathA ||2-126-12</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The chakra made the weapon brahmashira, brightless and made it lose its splendor, like the rain clouds make the sun lose its splendor in the rainy season.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Chakra is named “sudarshaNa” or “auspicious sight (knowledge)”. It nullifies the wayward mind. The Chakra itself stands for the mind which is swift according to the vishNu purANa, thus, it signifies that the Lord can make the mind move towards him in devotion.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tato niShprabhatAM yAte naShTavIrye mahaujasi |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tasminbrahmashirasyastre krodhasaMraktalochanaH ||2-126-13</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">guhaH prajajvAla raNe haviShevAgnirulbaNaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shatrughnIM jvalitAM divyAM shaktiM jagrAha kA~nchanIm ||2-126-14</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">amoghAM dayitAM ghorAM sarvalokabhayAvahAm] |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: As the weapon brahmashira lost its brightness and lost its great splendor, guha (kArtikeya) blazed in the battle, with his eyes becoming red, like the fire blazes by the oblations, and took up the blazing divine golden spear shakti, which destroys the enemies, which is priceless, terrible and fearful to the entire world.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shakti</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” means power. It also means “ability” or “efficacy”. The power of anger is delusion - krodhAd-bhavati sammohaH (gIta 2.65) . The inability to discriminate between what ought to be done and what should not be done is signified by the weapon of Skanda. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Due to delusion, one considers actions against the Lord as proper and actions done to appease the Lord as improper. Thus, the context fits the meaning.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The spear is golden because it is born of anger (guha) and hence is of the nature of rajas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tAM pradIptAM maholkAbhAM yugAntAgnisamaprabhAm ||2-126-15</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ghaNTAmAlAkulAM divyAM chikShepa ruShito guhaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nanAda balavachchApi nAdaM shatrubhaya~Nkaram ||2-126-16</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sA cha kShiptA tadA tena brahmaNyena mahAtmanA |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">jR^imbhamANeva gagane saMpradIptamukhI tadA ||2-126-17</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">adhAvata mahAshaktiH kR^iShNasya vadhakA~NkShiNI |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhR^ishaM viShaNNaH shakro.api sarvAmaragaNairvR^itaH ||2-126-18</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shaktiM prajvalitAM dR^iShTvA dagdhaH kR^iShNeti chAbravIt |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Guha (kArtikeya), becoming angry, threw the blazing divine spear, burning like a great meteor having brightness equal to the fire at the end of the era, decorated by garlands of bells. That spear thrown by the great soul, brahmaNya, guha, shouting powerfully and loudly, terrifying the enemies, that great spear, immediately flew, swelling in the sky, with a blazing face desiring to kill kR^iShNa. Shakra (indra), surrounded by all groups of deva-s, was highly distressed seeing the blazing spear. He also said that kR^iShNa is burned.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The spear is decorated by bells. The bell is the mind and the clapper signifies the indrIyAs. The sound of the bells signify experience of objects of enjoyment.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One who loves the Lord forgets his supremacy, indestructibility etc and regards him as someone who is vulnerable and needs to be protected. Thus the devas became concerned about krishNa despite knowing him as paramAtma.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Guha</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” is one that which covers or conceals – the senses associated with anger or attachments that hide our true nature. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brahmanya</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – One who is beneficial to prakrti known as “Brahman” in terms of being its’ bewildering power. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tAM samIpamanuprAptAM mahAshaktiM mahAmR^idhe |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">hu~NkAreNaiva nirbhartsya pAtayAmAsa bhUtale ||2-126-19</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">patitAyAM mahAshaktyAM sAdhu sAdhviti sarvashaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">siMhanAdaM tatashchakruH sarve devAH savAsavAH ||2-126-20</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: When the great spear approached near him in the great battle, kR^iShNa, abusing it with a loud sound of hu~NkAra, felled it on the face of earth. When the great spear was felled on earth, vAsava (indra) and all the other deva-s roared loudly like lions shouting, well done, well done!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is self-explanatory.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">THE PRAYERS OF PARVATI</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tato deveShu nardatsu vAsudevaH pratApavAn |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">punashchakraM sa jagrAha daityAntakaraNaM raNe ||2-126-21</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: While all the deva-s were praising, the splendorous son of vasudeva (kR^iShNa) again took up his chakra, the destroyer of demons in battle.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that the chakra is called the destroyer of Daityas. Though Rudra and kArtikEya are devas by birth, their actions in this incident made them equivalent to asurAs and thus, bhagavAn was ready to use shrI sudarShaNa on them.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> After this, an amSha of pArvati appears to save her son. See what krishNa says to her:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">apagachChApagachCha tvaM dhiktvAmiti vacho.abravIt |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kimevaM kuruShe vighnaM nishchitasya vadhaM prati ||2-126-25</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Go away! Go away! Shame! Saying these words, kR^iShNa asked: Why are you creating this obstacle in the killing of one, whose death is decided?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This shows kArtikEya, and hence his father Rudra, can be killed. Thus, they are jIvAs subject to births and deaths. We quote this shloka to clearly highlight this fact, as paramAtma or his amShas cannot be killed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The purANa now goes on to narrate how Shri Krishna fought and defeated Bana. As it is quite straightforward, we will skip ahead a bit.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">During the battle between Krishna and Bana, Shiva sends Parvati to save Bana again. Parvati then eulogizes Shri Krishna as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evamuktA tu kR^iShNena bhUyo devyabravIdidam ||2-126-114</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">jAne tvAM sarvabhUtAnAM sraShTAraM puruShottamam |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The goddess who was told thus by kR^iShNa again spoke as follows: I know that you are the creator of all beings, who is superior to the bound and liberated selves.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As he is the jagat-kAraNa and the Lord of the kshara-akshara puruShAs, he alone can spare the life of bANa if he wills it. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">By these names, pArvati means to say, “You are the Creator and Lord of all. If you decide to protect someone, then that person does not need to resort to anyone else, as you are all-powerful. If you decide to not protect someone, then again that person need not resort to anyone else, since no-one else can protect him from your wrath. So, I surrender to you asking for the protection of Bana”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mahAbhAgaM mahAdevamanantaM lInamavyayam ||2-126-115</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">padmanAbhaM hR^iShIkeshaM lokAnAmAdisaMbhavam |</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The Lord who has the good fortune of being chosen for service (ie, regarded as their Master) by nILa devi, sixteen thousand celestial damsels, rukmiNi, satyabhAmA, jAmbavati, and others (mahAbhAga), the great one who sports with the other gods who are like his playthings (mahAdeva), the one who is unlimited in auspicious attributes (anantaM), the one who does not send anyone back to samsAra (avyayaM). You are the lord from whose navel, the Lotus carrying Brahma originates (padmanAbhaM), the controller of the sense-organs of all (hRishikEshaM), the one who manifested the Vedas in the beginning (lOkAnAmAdisambhavaM).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“mahAbhAga” - </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The devIs are those with good qualities of strIs like mEdha, dhriti, kshama etc. Whomsoever they choose as their husband and master, should thus, be as flawless and perfect as them. So, pArvati implies that Shri Krishna is flawless as he has the good fortune of being served by these great devIs of sound judgment, so he should forgive Bana. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“mahAdeva” - </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He sports with even the great devas like brahma and rudra, so his power is unlimited and he can bestow any favor, like sparing Bana.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“anantaM” – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">His auspicious attributes like daya, kshama, kripa, etc are unlimited and thus he can be moved to compassion to spare Bana.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“avyayaM” – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He never sends back the liberated selves to samsAra, as he loves them. As he has this reputation, thus, he should not turn away pArvati when she appeals to him to save Bana.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“padmanAbhaH” – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As even brahma appeared from your navel, you are the Lord of all beings and their leader. So, you always appear to establish dharma, to lead them. Hence, follow your dharma which is to heed my (Parvati’s) request</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">6)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“hRishikEsha” – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You control the senses of all the gods like brahma, rudra, etc. Therefore, you, being the innerself of all, definitely possess the power to spare the life of Bana.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">7)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“lOkAnAmAdisambhavaM” – “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">lOkAnAm” refers to the Vedas. As the svEtAsvatAra says, the Lord created brahma and propagated the Vedas in the beginning for the sake of protection of all beings and establishing dharma. Thus, he has a compassionate nature and is well-disposed to all, so pArvati beseeches him for sparing bANa</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nArhase deva hantuM vai bANamapratimaM raNe ||2-126-116</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">prayachCha hyabhayaM bANe jIvaputrItvameva cha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mayA dattavaro hyeSha bhUyashcha parirakShyate ||2-126-117</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">na me mithyA samudyogaM kartumarhasi mAdhava |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: O deva! Do not kill bANa who fought against you in the battle. Provide refuge to Bana as also the status as my living son. By giving a boon, I have again protected him. O mAdhava! Do not make my efforts in vain.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that pArvati ends her request by calling him “mAdhava”, meaning, the Lord of shrI. Thus, she invokes the meditation of shrI mahAlakshmi, only after which the Lord relents. Nothing can be fulfilled without the purushakAratvaM of shrI mahAlakshmi.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“deva” – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“shraddhayA devo devatvaM ashnute” says the shruti – he becomes known as “deva” due to his association with shrI lakshmI.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evamukte tu vachane devyA parapura~njayaH ||2-126-118</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kR^iShNaH prabhAShate vAkyaM shR^iNu satyaM tu bhAmini |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bANo bAhusahasreNa nardate darpamAshritaH ||2-126-119</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">eteShAM chChedanaM tvadya kartavyaM nAtra saMshayaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dvibAhunA cha bANena jIvaputrI bhaviShyasi ||2-126-120</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">AsuraM darpamAshritya na cha mAM saMshrayishyati |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dvibAhunA cha bANena jIvaputrI bhaviShyasi ||2-126-120</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">AsuraM darpamAshritya na cha mAM saMshrayishyati |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: When the goddess spoke these words, the conqueror of other's cities, kR^iShNa, spoke these words: O beautiful woman! Hear the truth. Bana with thousand arms shouts aloud due to pride. All these arms should be cut today. There is no doubt. With Bana having two arms you will become the one with a living son. He will not depend on me due to his demonic pride. When kR^iShNa, the one who does difficult tasks spoke these words, the goddess said: “Let this bANa become the one given by the lord (to me)”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The key point to note is that shrI krishNa commits Bana to the care of shiva and pArvati by declaring that as Bana is an asura, he will not take refuge of the Lord. This shows that shiva is resorted to by those inclined towards tamO guNa. That is the reason why the tAmasa shAstras exist.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After this, shrI krishNa cuts off bANa’s arms. But in the heat of battle, the Lord presumably forgets his promise to pArvati and proceeded to kill bANa. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">NARADA’S HAPPINESS ON THE DEFEAT OF BANA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">TaMdR^iShTvAmUrchChitaMbANaMprahAraparipIDitam|prAsAdavarashR^i~NgasthonAradomunipu~NgavaH||utthAyApashyatatadAkakShyAsphoTanatatparaH |vAdayAnonakhAMshchaivadiShTyAdiShTyetichAbravIt||ahome suphalaMjanmajIvitaM cha sujIvitam |dR^iShTaM me yadidaMchitraMdAmodaraparAkramam||jayabANaMmahAbAhodaiteyaMdevakilbiSham |yadarthamavatIrNo.asitatkarmasaphalIkuru||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The greatest among rishIs, srI nAradA, standing atop the tower of a building, saw Bana fall unconscious. Getting up, clapping and rubbing his nails, he exclaimed, "Auspicious! auspicious! I have seen the parAkrama of Damodara in person. My life has become meaningful. I have attained janma sAbalyam. Hey mahAbAho (Krishna)! Defeat Bana and do that for which you were born (sAdhuparitrAnam).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The meaning is self-evident. A devotee feels he is truly “born” only when he has experienced bhagavAn. Just like akrurA, nArada felt that his life had attained purpose now, upon witnessing the incredible leela of the Lord.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Alternatively, we can say nArada is playing the role of the Acharya who is striving to save the bound selves (Aniruddha) from samsAra. Thus, when the Acharya sees bhagavAn rescuing that jIva by breaking the ego of the Jiva (signified by Bana), he feels that his life has attained purpose. The Acharya cannot sustain himself without helping the jIvAs. The joy of the Acharya and the love he has for the baddha jIvAs is indeed greater than that of bhagavAn himself!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">SHIVA’S PRAYERS TO KRISHNA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shiva finally regained his state of sattva and to save Bana, he (Shiva) reminded BhagavAn that he was the descendant of Prahlada. In other words, even though Bana was evil, he had a link with someone who was a great devotee. That should be enough to redeem Bana in the eyes of the Lord. Shiva is now assuming the role of Acharya for Bana here.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Similarly, even the greatest sinner will get a chance to be pardoned from all offenses if he has a link with an AchArya or a bhAgavata. The importance of bhagavata/AchArya sambandham is mentioned here.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tamupetya mahAdevaH kumArasahito.abravIt ||2-126-134</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Then the mahAdeva (shiva) along with kumara (guha, kArtikeya) reached there and said:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ishvara uvAcha</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kR^iShNa kR^iShNa mahAbAho jAne tvAM puruShottamam |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">madhukaiTabhahantAraM devadevaM sanAtanam ||2-126-135</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Ishvara (shiva) said: kR^iShNa! O kR^iShNa! the one with great arms! I know you as superior to the bound and liberated selves (purushOttama), the one who helps his devotees to restrain their sense-organs (madhusUdhana), the eternal one who possesses auspicious attributes superior to all gods (devadevaM sanAtanaM).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While pArvati prayed earlier for Bana’s pardon, Rudra now prays to the Lord for his own pardon. Rudra knows that if Shri Krishna kills Bana, the living beings would never respect his (rudra’s) words again – for Rudra has promised protection to Bana and if that goes in vain, there would be no respect for his boons.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, he apologises to shrI krishNa. Note that the purANa refers to him as “mahAdeva” and “Ishvara”, epithets that describe him as a jnAni. That indicates his change of heart and the reversal to a sAttvika disposition now.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mahAbAho</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – You have great arms to protect your devotees. So, I recognize that I am not the protector and you alone are the sole protector, who can protect me.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">puruShottama</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – I recognize that you are the Lord of kshara and akshara puruShAs and hence, my master as well. If you choose to protect anyone, that person need not resort to others. If you do not wish to protect someone, then that person need not resort to others as no-one can protect him from their wrath. So, I resort to you, the Supreme Being, for protection.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">madhusUdhana</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – You help your devotees to restrain their sense-organs termed “madhu”. I am your devotee, and I fought against you because of being misled by my senses. So, offer me your protection by restraining my senses and keeping me fixed in sattva!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">devadevaM sanAtanaM</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – You possess not only all the auspicious attributes of the gods, but also innumerable other auspicious attributes that they do not possess. You are eternal, ie, unlike me, you are not affected by changes. Therefore, as you are of this nature of possessing all auspicious attributes and devoid of blemishes, give me your protection</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">lokAnAM tvaM gatirdeva tvatprasUtamidaM jagat |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ajeyastvaM tribhirlokaiH sasurAsurapannagaiH ||2-126-136</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: O Deva! You are the goal of the Vedas. This world is created by you. You cannot be conquered by all the three worlds, along with deva-s, asura-s and serpents.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The implication is: The Vedas declare you to be the goal to be attained. I realized that I was fighting against the very goal I should be attaining by my sAdhana, and hence, stopped, seeking your protection. You created everything. Thus, you are superior to all and cannot be conquered by anyone, including me. This too, I realized and hence stopped fighting to seek your portection.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tasmAtsaMhara divyaM tvamidaM chakraM samudyatam |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">anivAryamasaMhAryaM raNe shatrubhaya~Nkaram ||2-126-137</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Hence please refrain from releasing this divine chakra, which is terrible for enemies, which cannot be avoided and restrained in battle.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Does this seem like the words of a person who gave the chakra to Krishna? Thus, the tAmasa stories are fit to be discarded.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bANasyAsyAbhayaM dattaM mayA keshiniShUdana |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tanme na syAdvR^ithA vAkyamatastvAM shAmayAmyaham ||2-126-138</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: O the slayer of keshi (kR^iShNa)! I have given refuge to bANa. Do not let my words become useless. I request your consent for this.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Slayer of kEShi” as in, “he who killed the asura in the form of the horse”. As mentioned earlier, the horse signifies indrIyAs/mind. Krishna has thus restrained Rudra’s senses as well and corrected him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shrIkR^iShNa uvAcha</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">jIvatAM deva bANo.ayametatchchakraM nivartitam |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mAnyastvaM devadevAnAmasurANAM cha sarvashaH ||2-126-139</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The lord kR^iShNa said: O Deva! Let bANa live. I have restrained the chakra. You are respectable for all the deva-s and the asura-s (and so I won’t reduce your stature by violating your boon).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">namaste.astu gamiShyAmi yatkAryaM tanmaheshvara |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">na tAvatkR^iyate tasmAnmAmanuj~nAtumarhasi ||2-126-140</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: I salute you. I am leaving. O mahEshvara (shiva)! I will not do the work which I intended. Hence please give me your permission to leave.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This last shloka is a bit of sarcasm on the Lord’s part. When we are frustrated with someone who acts like an intelligent person but is actually wrong in many aspects, we often say, “My pranams to your great knowledge! Now, kindly let me go” – this is said in sarcasm and exasperation.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Similarly, the Lord is still annoyed at the fact that Rudra had acted against him, and therefore, he is being sarcastic. He is saying, “You, after all, are called “mahEshvara” by everyone, so you are indeed of great intellect. I give you my “namaskArams”. Let me leave now with your kind consent”. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The idea is, Rudra has ego regarding his knowledge but has acted in a manner completely opposite to it. It is unbecoming for someone of Rudra’s stature. This is the cause of shrI krishNa’s frustration.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">WORSHIP OF OTHER DEITIES IS TO BE DISCARDED</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the final episode of this entire incident, Bana was defeated and humbled. He had lost limbs, and dripped blood all over. He was feeling unbearable pain. At that moment, Nandi told him to dance in front of Shiva, to appease him and attain a deva sarIram. BAnA did this and became a part of Shiva's retinue.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bAna bANa pranR^ityasva shreyastava bhaviShyati |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">eSha devo mahAdevaH prasAdasumukhastava ||2-126-145</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: (Nandi says:) Bana! O Bana! Perform a dance! That will be auspicious and good for you. Here the god, mahAdeva is having a pleased face.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shoNitaughaplutairgAtrairnandivAkyaprachoditaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">jIvitArthI tato bANaH pramukhe sha~Nkarasya vai ||2-126-146</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">anR^ityadbhayasaMvigno dAnavaH sa vichetanaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Then Bana, the demon, terrified with fear, losing his mind and wishing for his life, immediately danced in front of sha~Nkara (shiva), prompted by the words of nandI, with blood flowing out from his body.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">taM dR^iShTvA cha pranR^ityantaM bahyodvignaM punaH punaH ||2-126-147</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nandivAkyaprajavitaM bhaktAnugrahakR^idbhavaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> karuNAvashamApanno mahAdevo.abravIdvachaH ||2-126-148</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Seeing Bana, agitated and confused, dancing again and again, charged by the words of nandI, Bhava (shiva), the one who blesses the devotees, became kind. mahAdeva said these words:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ishvara uvAcha</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">varaM vR^iNIShva bANa tvaM manasA yadabhIpsasi |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">prasAdasumukhaste.ahaM priyo.asi mama dAnava ||2-126-149</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Ishvara (Shiva) said: O Bana! Ask for a boon that you wish in your mind! Demon! I am pleased with you. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bANa receives some boons and becomes part of Shiva’s retinue. This is in keeping with what shrI krishNa said earlier, that bANa is of an Asuric disposition and hence is under the care of Shiva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This incident shows one thing. BhagavAn praises his devotees, like he praised GarudA. He, along with lakshmi, is always sorrowful if his devotees are in trouble andwill go to great trouble to help them. But other deities treat their devotees like slaves. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Even though bAnA was clearly in pain and bleeding, he had to dance awkwardly with severed limbs in order to appease his master. Thus, worship of anyadevatA is far more difficult and yields perishable results unlike the worship of bhagavAn. Neither is slavery to other gods favourable. Whereas, slavery to bhagavAn gives us bliss, and Bhagavan elevates the devotees even above himself!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the panchAgni vidyA prakaraNam of the ChAndOgya Upanishad, it is stated that thosewho perform meritorious deeds and attain deva sarIram reach the devalOka, wherethey are `eaten by the devas'. This phrase, `the devas eat him' means that they treat such a one like a donkey. He who attains deva sarIram by worshipping a kshudradevata like brahma, rudra, indra, chandra etc will become a slave of that devatA. As manu smriti states, seshatva is a dog's life. The only seshatva that is pleasurable is that which is directed to bhagavAn, who exists only for his devotees. The devas are to be worshipped only in nitya naimittika karmas as providers of knowledge of vishNu and not as individually supreme beings.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This concludes the notes on bAnAsura charitra. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">ADDITIONAL NOTES FROM VISHNU PURANA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We have noticed that time and again, some fools and Veerashaivas quote the Banasura incident from shrI vishNu purANa as though it supports their position. So, we will interpret that section here as well. After defeating Shiva in the war against Banasura, Shri Krishna tells Shiva the following (according to the Vishnu Purana):</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhagavān uvāca:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yo 'haṃ sa tvaṃ jagac cedaṃ sadevāsuramānuṣam // ViP_5,33.48ab //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Some who are unlearned in every aspect of Vedanta, actually think this refers to some sort of identity between Krishna and Shiva. What a pity their brains cannot digest the simplest of tattvas!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Let me explain this from the beginning.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If you actually see what happens in this war, Bhagavan defeats Shiva, who then realizes that Shri Krishna is sAkshAt paramAtma, and that he, out of his tamo guNa, had fought him, not knowing his true nature. Thus, Shiva first eulogizes shrI Krishna prior to this as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa jagannātha jāne tvāṃ puruṣottamam /</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pareśaṃ paramātmānam anādinidhanaṃ param // ViP_5,33.41 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: (Shiva says:) Krishna! Krishna! I know you as the Lord of the Universe, as the “purushottama” or the One superior to the baddhas, muktas and nityas, as the Supreme Ruler, the Supreme Self, the highest one without a beginning and end.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The idea is that Shiva, until now, had been deluded by the mAya of the Lord, and had forgotten Krishna’s true identity. He now tells Krishna, “I am now aware that you are neither a simple cowherd, nor the mere King of Dwaraka. I recognize you verily as that Supreme Being, Sriman Narayana eulogized in the Shruti”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">devatiryaṅmanuṣyeṣu śarīragrahaṇātmikā /</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">līleyaṃ sarvabhūtasya tava ceṣṭopalakṣaṇā // ViP_5,33.42 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: This sport of you, who is the form of all i.e. inner self of all, has you taking various forms among god, animals, and men in which you assume bodies similar to them, (like Vishnu, Varaha, Narasimha Rama, Krishna etc), and is endowed with your divine actions.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shiva here is saying, “Deluded by my tamo guNa, I had thought you were a mere mortal and had forgotten that this is merely your sport of descending amongst us out of your infinite mercy and desire to mingle with us”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“tava sarvabhUtasya” - Sriman Narayana is of the form of all as everything is his body and he is their inner self.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tat prasīdābhayaṃ dattaṃ bāṇasyāsya mayā prabho /</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tat tvayā nānṛtaṃ kāryaṃ yan mayā vyāhṛtaṃ vacaḥ // ViP_5,33.43 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">asmatsaṃśrayavṛddho 'yaṃ nāparādhyas tavāvyaya /</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mayā dattavaro daityas tatas tvāṃ kṣamayāmy aham // ViP_5,33.44 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: “Be gracious therefore, O Master, to me (on account of such qualities). I have given Bana the assurance of safety; do not falsify that which I have spoken. He has become great by resorting to me, let him not incur your displeasure (as that would result in loss of all merit he has earned). The Daitya has received a boon from me, and therefore I seek your forbearance."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shiva is saying here, “You do not consider the faults of beings like gods, animals, men etc when you descend and assume their forms, mingling with them. That being the case,please ignore the transgressions of Bana and myself. Bana has earned merit by resorting to me, and if you deem that he has acted against you, he loses all that merit ((since your mere displeasure is enough to cause the downfall of anyone). Therefore, I request you to forgive him”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Readers can ask themselves now, are the words of Shiva that of a supreme deity or a subordinate one? Some people lack basic common sense, it would seem.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">parāśara uvāca:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ity uktaḥ prāha govindaḥ śūlapāṇim umāpatim /</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">prasannavadano bhūtvā gatāmarṣo 'suraṃ prati // ViP_5,33.45 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Upon speaking thus, Govinda (the protector of the world), losing his anger with the Asura (Bana), looked graciously on the consort of Uma, the wielder of the trident, and said to him:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Lord is Govinda, the protector of the worlds. Thus he protects Shiva and Banasura even when they act against him, as protection is natural for him. Shiva is Umapati, the consort of Uma who is renowned for her jnAna, and he is the wielder of the trident which implies he has transcended the triguNAs. It signifies Shiva is an upAsaka and a jnAni. He merits the Lord’s favor.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhagavān uvāca:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yuṣmaddattavaro bāṇo jīvatām eṣa śaṃkara /</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tvadvākyagauravād etan mayā cakraṃ nivartitam // ViP_5,33.46 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Since you, Shankara, have given a boon to Bana, let him live. Owing to the regard I have for your words (you being a knower of Brahman), my Sudarshana Chakra is averted.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As Rudra is well-known as a knower of Brahman, Bhagavan respects his words and promises. So this shloka implies that Bhagavan ensures that his devotee will never perish, as he says in the Gita. Since Shankara has earned merit by his penances and thus is respected by the world, Bhagavan ensures that that respect is upheld even despite minor transgressions. For if Bhagavan renders the boon of Shiva as futile, nobody in the world would respect his boons henceforth.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tvayā yad abhayaṃ dattaṃ tad dattam akhilaṃ mayā /</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">matto 'vibhinnam ātmānaṃ draṣṭum arhasi śaṃkara // ViP_5,33.47 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yo 'haṃ sa tvaṃ jagac cedaṃ sadevāsuramānuṣam // ViP_5,33.48ab</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: That promise of safety which was granted by you, is granted by me. Know Shankara, that you are not separate from me (like the body is inseparably associated with the self). That which is you (ie, your innerself), that I am, and so is this (innerself of) the Universe with the devas and asuras.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A point to note here. Were Bhagavan implying identity with Shiva, would he say, “you are me, and so is this Universe with devas and asuras” – then, that implies even the asuras are identical to bhagavAn. So what goes on in the minds of these vishNu-dvEshis to take it as identity?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is actually the opposite. Bhagavan is actually scolding Shiva here. He is saying, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Whatever boon you grant, I grant as well. You know why? It is because you are not independent as you thought when you fought against me. You are inseparable from me, in the same manner as the body is inseparably associated with the Atman. This relationship between us is “aprthak-siddhi” or inseparability. Just as the body is supported and nourished by the self, and exists solely for the sake of serving the self, similarly you are nourished and supported by me, your antayAmin, and the purpose of your existence is to serve me. Hence, do not forget your dependence on me”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Finally, Bhagavan then says, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Since you are my body and I am your self, names that denote you denote me as well. This is because names that denote the body denote the self and vice-versa. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, You are me. Meaning, “you” denotes your antaryAmin who has you (shiva) as his body. Realize that antaryAmin as me (Krishna), who am standing before you in the guise of a human being and do not be deluded thinking I am someone different to that. And just as your antaryAmin is me, so is the antaryAmin of the Jagat with the devas and asuras. That is to say, the Jagat, Devas and Asuras are my bodies as well, and their names, which extend down to their antaryAmin, denote me.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In a nutshell, “That which you are, that I am” means “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That which is your innerself, is verily me the son of devaki and vasudeva.”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> And the sentence “so is this Universe consisting of devas and asuras” means “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I am the innerself of the Universe, devas and asuras as well”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. There is no distinction in the antaryAmin (neha nAnAsti kinchana).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is the sAmAnAdhikaraNya on account of sharIrAtma bhAva (body-soul analogy). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I think this should clarify things abundantly well. There is zero identity implied here and Shiva is clearly mentioned to be subordinate to Krishna.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This write-up is concluded.</span></div>
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Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-68064561101817258032018-04-19T08:49:00.001+05:302018-04-19T08:50:03.136+05:30New Article Published: Chapter 1 of Ishvara Gita Translation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For a while, we talked about publishing an article series on the Ishvara Gita contained in the Kurma Purana (See previous posts: [</span><a href="https://narayanastra.blogspot.com/2017/12/prelude-to-ishvara-gita-jnana-yoga.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">1</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">][</span><a href="https://narayanastra.blogspot.com/2018/01/in-previous-journal-post-we-published.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">2</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">][</span><a href="https://narayanastra.blogspot.com/2018/01/prelude-to-ishvara-gita-part-iii-kurma.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">3</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">][</span><a href="https://narayanastra.blogspot.com/2018/01/prelude-to-isvara-gita-iv-kaivalya.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">4</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">][</span><a href="https://narayanastra.blogspot.com/2018/02/prelude-to-ishvara-gita-part-5-jabala.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">5</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">]). Today, we have published the first chapter. Subsequent chapters will follow.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As we stated in the earlier articles forming the intro to Ishvara Gita, this section is all about Jivatma Upasana. Vishnu haters have tried to take the Ishvara Gita to show Shiva’s supremacy, and hence their claims are also dismantled.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that the Ishvara Gita has been quoted by Vishveshvara Tirtha (VT) in “yati dharma saMgraha” who interpreted the whole of it as pertaining to the worship of Shri Krishna only. A sample is the statement “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tato bhasmasnānaṃ kṛtvā vāsudevaṃ vicintayet” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(thereupon, the sannyAsin should perform ablution using ashes, and then meditate on Vasudeva), in support of which VT quotes a shloka from the Ishvara Gita: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“cintayet svātmāni īśānaṃ paraṃ jyotiḥ svarūpiṇam । eṣa pāśupato yogaḥ paśupāśavimuktaye ॥” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(</span><a href="https://archive.org/stream/Anandashram_Samskrita_Granthavali_Anandashram_Sanskrit_Series/ASS_060_Yatidharamasangrah_of_Visweswara_Saraswati_-_GS_Gokhale_1928#page/n62/mode/1up" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">see here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">). However, the Ishvara Gita’s subject is not Vasudeva, but entirely Jivatmopasana if correctly interpreted as per Vishishtadvaita.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the first chapter of the Ishvara Gita, the Rishis ask Suta Pauranika about the Jivatman and the knowledge of the Jivatman leading to liberation from samsAra. This end is known as “kaivalya mukti” in vishiShTAdvaita. Both kaivalya mukti and vaikuNTha prApti lead to liberation from karma and the cycle of birth and death, the former is much more inferior and therefore discouraged by the AzhvArs. Nevertheless, the sages enquire about Kaivalya Mukti since it is much more superior to the attainment of goals that lead to karma-bandha and samsAra, such as aishvarya and svargaloka prApti.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The distinction from the attainment of Sriman Narayana as the goal is elucidated by the words of the Rishis: </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tatreśvareśvaro devo varṇibhirdharmatatparaiḥ jñānayogaratairnityamārādhyaḥ kathitastvayā</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“You have described the God (Narayana), who is the Supreme among Ishvaras, who is ever worshipped by those who are exclusively devoted to their varNAshrama dharma (karma yoga), who are conversant with the knowledge of the self (jnana) and meditation on the auspicious qualities of the Supreme (yoga)”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This line is immediately followed by:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tadvadāśeṣasaṃsāraduḥkhanāśamanuttamam jñānaṃ brahmaikaviṣayaṃ yena paśyema tatparam </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You have also expounded about the knowledge that has the “brahman” alone as the subject matter which destroys the misery of samsAra, by which we can directly perceive that “highest” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, the Rishis imply a difference in the subject matter between the first and the second lines (“tadvat”). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Rishis then request Suta to clarify and elaborate this </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">other </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">subject matter, followed by Suta’s reply forming the bulk of the Ishvara Gita.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Read our full explanation of the first chapter </span><a href="https://narayanastra.blogspot.com/p/ishvara-gita-sri-vaishnava-commentary.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-20374547235222759122018-02-19T17:57:00.000+05:302018-02-19T18:12:07.327+05:30New article published: "Vaishnava-para upabrimhana of certain Shrutis in Puranas"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We are pleased to bring out the next long article we are publishing in our site. If you would like to skip this journal entry and rather read the whole article, </span><a href="http://narayanastra.blogspot.com/p/vaishnava-para-upabrimhana-of-certain.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">here is the link</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. For those who need a bit of an overview first, you are currently reading a quick introduction.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It covers two topics: “NARADA-BRAHMA SAMVADA IN ANUSHASANIKA PARVAN / NARASIMHA PURANA” and “SHLOKAS ON NARASIMHA IN THE NARADA PURANA”</span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">On the fist topic, here are some snippets giving a quick overview:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This upAkhyAna is very popular among Vedantins including Shankara who have quoted it in their works. It is an upabhR^iMhaNa of the Narayana Suktam and shows in a crystal-clear manner that the parabrahman in this sUkta and other upaniShads is none other than Lord Vishnu. It thus dispenses with silly, new fangled ideas of Narayana being Tripurasundari (as propagated by that imbecile running the Mahapashupatastra blog) or that “Narayana is strictly Nirguna Brahman and not the four armed Vishnu” (as propagated by the equally imbecilic Vishnu hating Veerashaiva).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">…</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">puNDarIkaH purA vipraH puNyatIrthe japAnvitaH .</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nAradaM paripaprachCha shreyo yogaparaM munim .. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nAradashchAbravIdenaM brahmaNoktaM mahAtmanA .. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In ancient times, a brAhmaNa named puNDarIka was performing penances in puNyatIrthas. He asked Narada, the sage, who is engaged in yoga regarding what is the best for welfare. Narada indeed narrated as follows, what was told to him by the great soul Chaturmukha Brahma.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">…</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nArAyaNaH paraM brahma tatvaM nArAyaNaH paraH .</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 7.199999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">NS</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">parAdapi parashchAsau tasmAnnAsti parAtparaH .. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #ffe599; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yaccaki~ncijjagatyasmin dR^ishyate shrUyate.api vA .</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #ffe599; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">antarbahishca tatsarvaM vyApya nArAyaNaH sthitaH ..</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 7.199999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">NS</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Narayana is the supreme Brahman, the Highest truth is Narayana. He is Higher than the High. Hence, there is nothing Higher than the Highest. Everything seen and heard in this universe is pervaded from inside and out by Narayana. Thus He remains.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #ffe599; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ekaM yadi bhavecchAstraM j~nAnaM niHsaMshayaM bhavet ..</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #ffe599; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bahutvAdiha shAstrANAM j~nAnatattvaM sudurlabham .</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Indeed, if there was only one shAstra, the Highest Knowledge would become known to the universe without doubt. This knowledge is now difficult to attain due to the multitude of shruti and smR^iti texts.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This shloka also justifies the existence of tAmasa purANAs. By it, silly questions of Shaivas like “why would vyAsa deliberately delude people?” is quashed. Not all are eligible for the truth, hence the shAstras are couched in mysterious and confusing language while the tAmasa purANAs exist to delude people.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">AloDya sarvashAstrANi vichArya cha punaHpunaH .</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">idamekaM suniShpannaM dhyeyo nArAyaNaH sadA .. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 7.199999999999998pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">SB</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tasmAttvaM gahanAnsarvAMstyaktvA shAstrArthavistarAn .</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ananyachetA dhyAyasva nArAyaNamajaM vibhum .. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Having enquired into these shAstras of various kinds, and analysing them repeatedly, the following one truth is brought forth: that Narayana is always to be meditated upon. Hence, you shall renounce these long and difficult shAstras and their explanations. Thereupon, without resorting to any other, meditate on Narayana, who is birthless and unlimited.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nAradenaivamuktastu sa vipro.abhyarchayaddharim .</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">svapno.api puNDarIkAkShaM sha~NkhachakragadAdharam .. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kirITakuNDaladharaM lasachChrIvatsakaustubham .</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">taM dR^iShTvA devadeveshaM prANamatsambhramAnvitaH .. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Having instructed thus by nArada, the brAhmaNa (puNDarIka) worshipped Hari. Even in his dream, he worshipped the lotus-eyed Lord with conch, discus, and mace as His weapons who wears a golden crown, earrings, and possessing the marks of shrIvatsa and kaustubha. Seeing Him the Lord of all devas, puNDarIka prostrated with great awe.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that the text says Pundarika worshipped Lord Hari “who has lotus-like eyes, carries a conch, discus, mace, shrIvatsa mark, and kaustubha jewel”, after hearing the mAhAtmya of parabrahman spoken of in the Narayana Suktam and other portions of shruti as “Narayana”. What a pity that our Veerashaiva clown does not even know the basics of advaita to ascribe the name “Narayana” that describes a person with attributes (etymologically interpreted as resort of the nAras, one who has the nAras as his resort, he who is the means, etc all of which are attributes) as a “name of nirguNa brahman”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">...and a few key snippets from the second part of the article titled ‘SHLOKAS ON NARASIMHA IN THE NARADA PURANA’:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">...certain
portions of the Vedas which praise the Narasimha rUpa are also
explained in the nArada purANa, which is a sAttvika purANa. This is a
section of the purANa that describes the worship of nR^simha for wealth,
warding off diseases and other such minor puruShArthAs. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">…</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhujaiḥ parighasaṃkāśairddaśabhiścopaśobhitam /</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">akṣasūtraṃ gadāpadmaṃ śaṅkhaṃ gokṣīrasannibham // NarP_1,71.54 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dhanuśca muśalaṃ caiva bibhrāṇaṃ cakrasuttamam /</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">khaḍgaṃ śūlaṃ ca bāṇaṃ ca nṛhariṃ rudrarūpiṇam // NarP_1,71.55 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning:
His arms are shining resembling ten iron maces (with) string of beads,
the Kaumodaki mace, the lotus, the conch which resembles a cow’s milk
(in whiteness), bow, club, bearing the excellent sudarshana chakra, the
Nandaki sword, trident and the arrow. Narasimha has this form that
bestows good (rudrarūpiṇam).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">…</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The final few shlokas we quote from this section again eulogize Narasimha as described by names occurring in the Shatarudriyam:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tato dhyāyeddhṛdi vibhuṃ nṛsiṃhaṃ candraśekharam // NarP_1,71.133 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning:
Then, one shall meditate in the heart, on the all-pervading Narasimha,
who shines brilliantly at the peak of the Veda, ie, the Upanishads
(Candraśekharam).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">śrīmannṛkesaritano jagadekabaṃndho śrīnīlakaṇṭha karuṇārṇave sāmarāja /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vahnīndutīvrakaranetra pinākapāṇe śītāṃśuśekhara rameśvara pāhi viṣṇo // NarP_1,71.134 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning:
One who has the beautiful body of half-man, half-lion
(śrīmannṛkesaritano)! One who is the sole (true) relative of the
Universe (jagadekabaṃndho)! One who has a beautiful wide open black
throat (śrīnīlakaṇṭha)! One who is the ocean of compassion
(karuṇārṇave)! One who is the King of the Samans as they sing his
praises (sāmarāja)! One whose eyes are like fire and moon showing anger
and grace, whose hands have sharp nails (vahnīndutīvrakaranetra)! One
who wields the abode (the conch Panchajanya) that abounds in bliss as it
is always bathed in the nectar of his lips (pinākapāṇe)! He who has
cool rays emanating from the gem studded crown (śītāṃśuśekhara)! The
Master of Rama (Lakshmi)! O Vishnu, Protect me!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://narayanastra.blogspot.com/p/vaishnava-para-upabrimhana-of-certain.html">Read the article fully here.</a> </span></div>
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Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-23735250619027092482018-02-11T16:21:00.000+05:302018-02-11T16:30:35.119+05:30Prelude to Ishvara Gita - Part V: Jabala Upanishad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The final prelude is the Jabala Upanishad, which is another Upanishad that focuses mainly on Jivātma-Upāsaṇa. The purpose of these five preludes is to enable the readers to be acquainted with Jnāna-Yoga, which makes the understanding of the Ishvara Gita easier.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A word about this Upanishad. We have not commented on it fully. Because the second half of the Upanishad describing the state of sannyAsis is of disputed authenticity – we are not sure as to whether the present version of the Upanishad is authentic in entirety. In shata dUShaNI, Shri Vedanta Desikan does seem to hint that some shrutis have been interpolated and tampered with, in matters related to sannyAsa Ashrama. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In addition, even if this Upanishad was authentic in its entirety, the aspects of sannyasa such as ekadandin vs tridandin, wearing the sacred thread vs not wearing it --- which are the subjects of debate between advaitins and vishishtadvaitins -- is beyond the scope of this blog. It is not necessary to our agenda here and so we are not going to bother with it. Leave it to the pūrvācāryās to resolve such matters in works like Yati-Dharma-Samucchaya and Sata-Dhushani.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, let us begin.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">oṃ bṛhaspatiruvāca yājñavalkyaṃ yadanu kurukṣetraṃ devānāṃ devayajanaṃ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ brahmasadanam ।</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Brihaspati asked Yajnavalkya, “Which according to you, is the (nature of the) body that is the abode of the senses (kurukṣetraṃ), where the senses (devānāṃ) perform actions of the self (devayajanaṃ) , which is the seat of the individual self (Brahman) in all beings?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kurukṣetra</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – The body is called “kshetra” in the Gita. Thus, “kurukṣetra” means “the abode of cruel people”, ie, “the body that houses the senses that trouble us”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">devānāṃ devayajanaṃ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – “devānāṃ” refers to the senses which shine out external objects to the self. “devayajanaṃ” refers to actions of the self which shines out and hence is called “deva”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">brahma</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – The individual self is called this on account of it being great with all pervasive knowledge. It is identical in nature everywhere, residing in bodies of man, deva, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The question posed by Brihaspati is this – “Explain to me the nature of the body in which the self abides, so that I may attain the knowledge of discrimination between the body and the self”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">avimuktaṃ vai kurukṣetraṃ devānāṃ devayajanaṃ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ brahmasadanam । tasmādyatra kvacana gacchati tadeva manyeta tadavimuktameva । idaṃ vai kurukṣetraṃ devānāṃ devayajanaṃ sarveṣāṃ bhūtānāṃ brahmasadanam ॥atra hi jantoḥ prāṇeṣūtkramamāṇeṣu rudrastārakaṃ brahma vyācaṣṭe yenāsāvamṛtī bhūtvā mokṣī bhavati tasmādavimuktameva niṣeveta avimuktaṃ na vimuñcedevamevaitadyājñavalkyaḥ ॥ 1॥</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: (Yajnavalkya replied:) “That individual self which is undiminished in its’ pure state (avimukta) is (inseparably associated with) the body, where the senses (devAnA.n) perform actions of the self (devayajanaṃ), which is the seat of the individual self (Brahman) in all beings. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">On that account, whichever body one attains (kvacana gacchati), one shall regard that itself as the self (avimukta). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is the (nature of the) body that is the abode of the senses (kurukṣetra), where the senses (devānāṃ) perform actions of the self (devayajanaṃ), which is the seat of the individual self (Brahman) in all beings. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There (in that knowledge), indeed, when the vital airs depart the living being at the time of death, Rudra imparts the (knowledge of) praṇava (tārakaṃ brahma), by which one becoming (united with) the imperishable self, attains freedom from the distress of samsAra such as old age, hunger, thirst etc.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> On account of this, one shall pursue or abide in (the meditation of) the self (avimukta), one shall not leave (the meditation of) the self (avimukta). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Brihaspati said:) “It is even so as you have said, revered Yajnavalkya.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">avimukta</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” refers to the individual self. The phrase “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">avimuktaṃ vai kurukṣetraṃ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – “The self is verily the body” is not a statement of identity. It means, the self is inseparably associated with the body in samsAra and thus, by aprthak-siddhi, it is called the body. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">On account of such inseparable association, beings become deluded by dehātma bhrama in whatever body they go to in every birth, thinking “the self is verily the body itself” each time. So if they are born as man, they identify themselves as man, if they are born as a deva, they identify themselves as deva – in this manner, they are deluded, not knowing that the self is distinct from the characteristics of man, deva etc (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tasmādyatra kvacana gacchati tadeva manyeta tadavimuktameva</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Such is the nature of the body which causes delusion or dehātma bhrama. In this manner, to such a one who is situated in that knowledge of the distinction between the body and the self, Rudra imparts the knowledge of the praṇava. This is on account of the fact that Rudra is the bestower of knowledge, according to the following pramāṇās:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">puruṣasya vidmahe sahasrākṣasya mahādevasya dhīmahi । tanno rudraḥ pracodayāt - To know that Purusha Narayana, I meditate on that omniscient Mahadeva. May that Rudra invigorate or impel us.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">O</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mityevam sadā viprāh padatvam dhyāta keśavam” – O Brahmanas! Always keep chanting “OM”. Meditate on Keshava</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – These are the words of Shiva himself in the Mahabharata.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The praṇava is the knowledge of the Lord, who is meditated upon to attain the similar state of the individual self. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As it causes relief from the distress of samsAra, yajnavAlkya emphasizes that one must never leave the meditation of the self.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">atha hainamatriḥ papraccha yājñavalkyaṃ ya eṣo'nanto'vyakta ātmā taṃ kathamahaṃ vijānīyāmiti ॥</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Thereafter, Atri, asked Yajnavalkya, “How am I to know (meditate on) this Self which is distinct from the perishable body (ananta), beyond the range of the senses (avyakta)?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The body is called “anta” because it is subject the death. The self is “ananta” as it is distinct from it. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The question of Atri is explained thus – “does the embodied self undergo any changes in its’ essential nature due to such association with the body? How am I to meditate on it?” To that Yajnavalkya answers:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sa hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ so'vimukta upāsyo ya eṣo'nanto'vyakta ātmā so'vimukte pratiṣṭhita iti ॥</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: To this, Yajnavalkya replied: “That self which is undiminished in its’ pure state (avimukta) is meditated, (as) that which is this (embodied self) distinct from the perishable body (ananta), beyond the range of the senses (avyakta). That (embodied condition) is established in the pure self (avimukta).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The various embodied forms such as man, deva etc are but effects of the Self which is the cause. So, the condition of being embodied is said to be established in the pure self. The teaching is that, the self which is embodied does not undergo any changes in its’ essential nature and is identical to the self in the pure state devoid of karmas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the next mantra, Yajnavalkya explains how to fix oneself in meditation on the self.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">so'vimuktaḥ kasminpratiṣṭhita iti । varaṇāyāṃ nāśyāṃ ca madhye pratiṣṭhita iti ॥ kā vai varaṇā kā ca nāśīti ।</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: What is that in which the self (avimukta) is established in? It is established in between “varaṇā” and “nāśi”. What is varaṇā and What is nāśi?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The self is established – meaning, the knowledge of meditation on the self is attained by the description below.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sarvānindriyakṛtāndoṣānvārayatīti tena varaṇā bhavati ॥ sarvānindriyakṛtānpāpānnāśayatīti tena nāśī bhavatīti ॥</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Those (actions constituting karma yoga) which checks the sense-enjoyments that constitute the defects gained (by the actions of) the senses are called varaṇā. That (Jnāna-Yoga) which destroys the sins of (all the actions) performed by the senses is called nāśi.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“doṣās” refer to desire for the fruits of actions caused by the wayward senses. Karma Yoga or desireless action with the knowledge that the body is distinct from the self, checks or prevents this desire. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Karma Yoga leads to Jnāna-Yoga which is meditation on the self. Such meditation destroys all sins acquired by past actions, which were obstructing a vision of the self.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">katamaṃ cāsya sthānaṃ bhavatīti । bhruvorghrāṇasya ca yaḥ sandhiḥ sa eṣa dyaurlokasya parasya ca sandhirbhavatīti । etadvai sandhiṃ sandhyāṃ brahmavida upāsata iti । so'vimukta upāsya iti। so'vimuktaṃ jñānamācaṣṭe । yo vaitadevaṃ vedeti ॥ 2॥</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Which is also the place of that (contemplation known as Jnāna-Yoga)? It is said to be that which is the boundary (tip) of the nose. That (spot) is the co-existence of the eye which shines out external objects (dyaurloka) and that which is other to it, ie, not seeing that (para). The knowers of the self meditate on this co-existence (of fixing the gaze and not seeing it) as the meditation on the self. That self (avimukta) is to be meditated (in this manner). He who knows (this meditation) in this manner, declares the knowledge pertaining to the self (avimukta) to others (ie, he becomes a teacher well-versed in jivātma-jnāna). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gita 6.14 says that the Jnāna Yogi desiring to meditate on the self needs to fix his gaze on the tip of the nose to refrain from seeing other objects. While this can be done by closing one’s eyes, this is not recommended as one may fall asleep in that state. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">At the same time, it is important that only gaze is fixed there; his mind is engaged in meditation of the self. So, though he is gazing at that spot, he is not really looking at it as he is meditating on the self. Hence, there is a meeting point (Sandhi) between sight of the tip of the nose and not really looking at it. Such a state of meditation is glorified as meditation of the self itself on account of its’ importance.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">atha hainaṃ brahmacāriṇa ūcuḥ kiṃ japyenāmṛtatvaṃ brūhīti ॥ sa hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ । śatarudriyeṇetyetānyeva ha vā amṛtasya nāmāni ॥ etairha vā amṛto bhavatīti evamevaitadyājñavalkyaḥ ॥ 3॥</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Then the brahmacharins asked Yajnavalkya, “Tell us, by recitation of which, does one obtain the state of the individual self (amṛtatvaṃ)? Yajnavalkya said, “By the Satarudriya, which comprises the names indicating the auspicious attributes of Brahman who is nectar (amṛta). By (reciting this), one attains the individual self that is immortal (amṛta)”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“It is even as you said, Yajnavalkya”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The last mantra said to fix one’s gaze on the tip of the nose and engage the mind in meditation. But the mind always strays towards sense objects and this is difficult. So the students asked, “how can we control the mind (and senses) to attain “amṛtatvaṃ” or the state of the individual self which is imperishable?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To that, Yajnavalkya replied that recitation of the Satarudriya curbs the senses and mind, by weaning them away from sense objects and focusing them on Brahman. It contains the names, which are indicative of the auspicious attributes of Brahman that are delectable (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yāni nāmāni gaunāni</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">), and so he is nectar (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">amṛta</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">). Thus by meditating on Brahman, one attains the individual self (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">amṛta</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">).</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Once again, the Satarudriya is praised as an accessory to Jnāna-Yoga. This should remove any misconception that it is a praise of Rudra or any god other than Narayana.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The rest of the Upanishad will not be commented upon by us as mentioned earlier. We will conclude our series of preludes here. The key takeaways from this series are as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A number of adjectives usually used to describe Paramātma are used in the Shastra to describe the Jivātma as well.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A simplification of Jivātma- Upāsaṇa into three steps is this – controlling the senses, fixing the mind and senses on Brahman, meditating on Brahman via the Praṇava to attain the similar state of the individual self.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The first step, viz., control of the senses can be achieved by the chanting of the Satarudriyam which is specifically intended to wean senses away from sense-objects and focus them on Brahman according to the Satapata Brahmana.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">On account of the importance of the Satarudriyam in controlling the senses, it is glorified wherever Jivātma- Upāsaṇa is described</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, wherever it is said that SatarudiIyam confers immortality, it refers to kaivalya mukti (attaining the Jivātma) eventually. Just as Hari-Nama is said to confer liberation in the sense of leading to bhakti-yoga and then gaining moksha by virtue of it, the Satarudriyam confers kaivalya mukti in the sense of leading to control of senses and proceeding to Jnāna-Yoga.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">On account of the above, it is clearly established that the Satarudriyam has no connection to the worship of Shiva as described in the Tāmasa Purāṇās.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hope the readers found these prelude articles interesting.</span></div>
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Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-42098407184053760652018-01-29T11:19:00.001+05:302018-11-26T06:29:59.185+05:30Prelude to Isvara Gita - Part IV: Kaivalya Upanishad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Having seen jnāna-yoga that is the means to meditate on the self, the meditation of the Atharvasiras in which the Pāśupata-Vrata is enjoined to attain dispassion for material objects and discrimination of the self from the body, and the instance of the practice of such upāsana in the kūrma purāṇa, let us look at a couple of Upanishads which focus solely on these topics.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One such Upanishad is the Kaivalya Upanishad. The term “Kaivalya” itself denotes aloofness from prakrti – it refers to the pure state of the liberated self that has no connection with karmas.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This Upanishad, which has “jīvātma-anubhāva” as its’ primary theme, has been wrongly and unjustly interpreted by modern day shaivAdvaitins as pertaining to Shiva. In this context, we find it appropriate to echo the harsh criticism used by Sri Vadiraja Tirtha in his “Prakashika” on Advaitins to condemn these Shaiva friendly interpretations – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“akin to a monkey's handling of a necklace of precious gems (markato svakaragata ratnamalaya iva)”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Interestingly, one of these Shaiva commentators, Alladi Mahadeva Sastry, feels duty-bound to take every reference to “umāsahāyam” or “Siva” as referring to his preferred deity, but when the term “Vāsudeva” occurs in the Amrtabindu Upanishad, it apparently denotes a general meaning! This is not permitted by the Shastras, for there is no instance where Vāsudeva is used in a manner divorced from Nārāyaṇa /Vishnu, whereas there are several instances of terms like “Siva”, “Umāpati” being used to denote objects and entities other than Rudradeva. In contrast, the names – Nārāyaṇa and Vāsudeva – have not been used anywhere to denote any entity other than the highest Brahman in the Vedas and have been identified with the God Vishnu according to the Vishnu Gayatri.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When there is no devotion to Narayana, the Supreme Lord, for these authors who consider lesser gods as supreme, how can one understand the correct meanings of Shastras?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">With that out of the way, let us begin the translation. The Ishvara Gita can be considered as the essence of the meanings contained in this Upanishad.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">oṃ athāśvalāyano bhagavantaṃ parameṣṭhinamupasametyovāca ।</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">adhīhi bhagavanbrahmavidyāṃ variṣṭhāṃ sadā sadbhiḥ sevyamānāṃ nigūḍhām ।</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yathā'cirātsarvapāpaṃ vyapohya parātparaṃ puruṣaṃ yāti vidvān (1)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Ashvalayana approached Parameshthi (Brahma) and asked him – “Teach me that Brahma-Vidya or science of meditation on the individual self, which is the highest goal, in which the sattvikas always dwell (in meditation), hidden (imperceptible by the senses), by which a knower or meditator drives away all sins quickly and obtains the (experience of the) individual self that dwells in the body, which is higher than prakrti that is distinct from it (parātparaṃ puruṣaṃ).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The theme of the Upanishad is “jnana-yoga” or meditation on the individual self. Paramatma is not the subject matter, rather the goal is to realize and experience the intrinsic bliss of the self. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is called the highest goal as it is more pleasurable than material objects and is the highest object of attainment among all objects under Bhagavan’s control. It is higher than prakrti, which is distinct from it, hence it is called “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">parātparaṃ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”. It is called “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">puruṣa</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” as it dwells in the body.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ashvalayana approached Brahma in the manner of a sishya and asked him the question. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">parameṣṭhin</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” means “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">parame sthāne tiṣtati</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – One who resides in Satya Loka, the highest abode.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tasmai sa hovāca pitāmahaśca śraddhābhaktidhyānayogādavaihi na karmaṇā na prajayā dhanena tyāgenaike amṛtatvamānaśuḥ (2)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Brahma replied, “Know (the self) by conviction, devotion, meditation and performance of works without attachment to the fruits. Not by activities such as sacrifices, not by offspring, not by wealth, but by renunciation (of all these), the great ones attained the state of experience of the imperishable self.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Śraddhā – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Steady conviction in the means practiced to attain the self.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhakti – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Devotion to the Supreme Lord Narayana. As Krishna says in the Gita, one needs to meditate on him to attain the similar state of the individual self. The Lord is the means to attain Atma-anubhava as well.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dhyāna – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The path of jnana-yoga which involves meditation on the Lord as enshrined in the Pranava, to attain the self. Even for attaining the bliss of the individual self, the Lord alone is the means. The qualities of the individual self are also meditated upon.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yogā– </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This means “skill of action”. Performing actions skillfully means not claiming ownership of the fruit, with the constant thought that the self is distinct from the body which is performing these activities.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One should renounce fruits of sacrifices (karmas), offspring and wealth as these are material objects. The Gita makes this clear in the first 6 chapters.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“amṛtatvam” – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The state of experience of the bliss of the imperishable self.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pareṇa nākaṃ nihitaṃ guhāyāṃ vibhrājate yadyatayo viśanti vedāntavijñānasuniśrcitārthāḥ saṃnyāsayogādyatayaḥ śuddhasattvāḥ (3)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: That supreme abode (the individual self) which is beyond prakrti (pareṇa nākaṃ), abiding in the cave of the heart (nihitaṃ guhāyāṃ), shining out (by itself), ie, self-luminous (vibhrājate) – That is entered by those with controlled minds, who have ascertained the goal by the knowledge of the Upanishads (vedāntavijñānasuniśrcitārthāḥ), whose minds have been purified by sannyasa yoga.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“sannyasa yoga” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">means jnāna-yoga. Renouncing action, meditating on the individual self to obtain its’ vision. The Yogi, having been purified by desireless action (karma yoga), proceeds to this stage where he devotes himself to the meditation on the individual self.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The minds of the aspirants are purified of desire for material objects by constant contemplation on the self.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">te brahmalokeṣu parāntakāle parāmṛtāḥ parimucyanti sarve (4) </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: They (the Jīvās), located in the hearts of all beings (brahmalokeShu), during the time of destruction of the body, ie, death (parāntakāle), all become liberated from the nectar (experience) of material objects (parāmṛtāḥ parimucyanti sarve).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“brahmaloka” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">refers to the heart.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“parāmṛtāḥ” – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The different kinds of nectar or food (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">āmṛtāḥ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) which signifies experience of material objects that are other than (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">parāḥ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) the individual self, ie, of a different (perishable) nature.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This mantra also proves the plurality of Jīvās by saying “they”. Where it is mentioned in singular, it is only because they belong to a single class of identical Jīvās and not because there is only one entity that exists.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">viviktadeśe ca sukhāsanasthaḥ śuciḥ samagrīvaśiraḥśarīraḥ ।</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">antyāśramasthaḥ sakalendriyāṇi nirudhya bhaktyā svaguruṃ praṇamya (5)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: In a secluded spot (free from people including relatives, preceptors, disciples, etc), seated in a comfortable posture (to facilitate continued meditation), pure (free of insects etc), with an erect neck, head and body, situated in the state of Paramahamsa Sannyasin (antyāśrama), restraining all the senses, with attachment (to the pursuit of the self as an object of attainment), bowing down to one’s preceptor.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">These are all to be followed for Jnāna-Yoga and have been described in the Gita.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">hṛtpuṇḍarīkaṃ virajaṃ viśuddhaṃ vicintya madhye viśadaṃ viśokam</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">acintyamavyaktamanantarūpaṃ śivaṃ praśāntamamṛtaṃ brahmayonim (6)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: In the heart-lotus, devoid of desire (virajaṃ), pure (viśuddhaṃ), who is contemplated upon in the midst of the vaiSvAnara agni (vicintya madhye), shining like a streak of lightening (viśadaṃ), devoid of sorrow (viśokam), who is incomparable (acintyam), who is unmanifest to the ignorant (avyaktam), who assumes innumerable forms by his will depending on the occasion (anantarūpaṃ), who is agreeable (śivaṃ), who exists solely for his devotees (praśāntam), who is nectarine (amṛtaṃ) and the Cause of the collection of sentients and non-sentients (brahmayonim).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Lord is to be meditated upon to attain the individual self. This is mentioned in the ākśaropāsaṇa of the Gita. The idea is that, by meditating on the Lord, one obtains the individual self that is divested of prakrti which is similar to the Lord (in being pure, all-pervasive in knowledge and beyond the sway of karma when divested of prakrti).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">brahmayonim</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tasmād etat brahma nāmarūpaṃ annaṃ ca jāyate</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (~ mundakOpanishad) – it refers to the collection of sentients and non-sentients according to shrI ranga rAmAnuja muni.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">praśāntam</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">śāntaḥ </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> teṣām asti iti śāntaḥ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> – he exists only for his devotees.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">viśadaṃ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nIlatoyadamadyasta</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” as in nārāyaṇa sūkta.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tathādimadhyāntavihīnamekaṃ vibhuṃ cidānandamarūpamadbhutam</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">umāsahāyaṃ parameśvaraṃ prabhuṃ trilocanaṃ nīlakaṇṭhaṃ praśāntam</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dhyātvā munirgacchati bhūtayoniṃ samastasākśiṃ tamasaḥ parastāt (7)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Therefore (tathā), meditating on the (aforementioned) Being who is devoid of a beginning, middle and end, who is all-pervading as the protector (vibhuM), who is of the nature of consciousness and bliss (cidānandam), who has a wonderful non-material form of half-man, half lion (arūpam adbhutam), who is always accompanied by shrI mahalakShmi who is his fame (umāsahāyaṃ), the Lord of all (parameśvaraṃ), One who has the power to attract the minds of all towards him by his beauty (prabhuṃ), the three-eyed (trilocanaṃ), the black throated (nīlakaṇṭhaṃ), One who makes the devotee enjoy him alone to the exclusion of all (praśāntam), the wise men reach that (individual self) which is the source of all beings (bhūtayoniṃ), that is the witness residing in all bodies (samastasākśiṃ), that is beyond prakrti (tamasaḥ parastāt).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“bhūtayoniṃ” – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“bhUta” refers to embodied beings like man, deva etc. As these are all conditions of the individual self which is the effect, it is called the source or cause of these beings.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“samastasākśiṃ” – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The individual self is the witness dwelling in these bodies.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that when we say “self”, we mean innumerable selves identical in nature. For eg: “rice” refers to several grains of rice which are identical.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Alternatively, it can also mean the Supreme Abode of Sri Vaikuntha. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhūtayoniṃ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – "Yoni" means abode. "bhUta" refers to all muktas who have reached the abode. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">samastasākśiṃ” –</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Perceived by all nitya-sUrIs (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sadā paṣyanti sūraya:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">). There is no contradiction, since Jnana-Yogis could progress to Bhakti-Yoga and attain the Lord. Alternatively, while describing the Lord as the means, Paramapada is naturally mentioned.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sa brahmā sa śivaḥ sendraḥ so'kṣaraḥ paramaḥ svarāṭ । sa eva viṣṇuḥ sa prāṇaḥ sa kālo'gniḥ sa candramāḥ (8)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: He is Brahma, He is Siva, He is Indra, He is the liberated Jiva (akshara), He is the celebrated Master of Karma. He alone is Vishnu, He is the Vital Breath, He is Time, He is Agni, He is the Moon.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Upanishad is now teaching that the Lord is sarvāntarātma and everything is his vibhūti on account of being his body. Vishnu is verily the avatāra of Brahman while the rest have Brahman as their innerselves. This teaching is for the Jnāna-Yogi to meditate on the Lord as ensouling everything, including himself, to attain the similar state of the individual self which is the indweller of all the bodies.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shaiva commentators like Alladi Mahadeva Sastry have rambled on here about how Uma (Parvati) is the cause of Brahma, Vishnu, etc according to this mantra. Such avaidika opinions are errant nonsense and have no place or context in this Upanishad.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sa eva sarvaṃ yadbhūtaṃ yacca bhavyaṃ sanātanam । jñātvā taṃ mṛtyumatyeti nānyaḥ panthā vimuktaye (9)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: He alone is all, what has been, (what is) and what is yet to be, the eternal. Knowing him, one surpasses the distress of samsara. There is no other path to liberation (from the distress of samsara).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When it is said he is all that has been and will be, it is also meant that he is all that is presently existing as well. This is on account of his sarvāntaryāmitva, and by having all the entities as his body, he is said to be all using sāmānādhikaraṇya.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The mantra states that the Lord is the sarvāntaryāmin. This is to enable the Yogi seeking the experience of the individual self to realize the similarity between himself and the Lord – by meditating on the Lord who is sarvāntaryāmin, the Yogi attains the self which is also sarvāntaryāmin (abiding in all bodies).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the experience of the individual self which is attained by such contemplation on the Lord, there is no distress arising from samsAra such as old age, hunger, thirst, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sarvabhūtasthamātmānaṃ sarvabhūtāni cātmani । sampaśyanbrahma paramaṃ yāti nānyena hetunā (10)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Seeing the Self abiding in all beings, and seeing all beings in the Self, one attains the individual self that is the highest object of enjoyment.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The previous mantra emphasized on realizing the similarity of the Lord and the individual self. This mantra now emphasizes that the Yogi must realize the similarity of himself with other selves.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Since the individual selves are all identical in nature, the Yogi meditating on the self sees himself in other bodies of man, deva, etc. He does not see them as different from himself. This is not Shankaracharya’s kevala advaita, but a realization of “Advaita” or “sameness/oneness” – he sees everyone equally and the same everywhere. Being identical to others in their essential nature, he sees himself everywhere and considers the pain and pleasures of others as his own. This is the summit of Jnana-Yoga as described by the Gita.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">brahma paramaṃ” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">– The pure state of the individual self which is great on account of all-pervasive knowledge and is the highest of all the objects of enjoyment that are under the dominion of the Lord.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Besides understanding the self in this manner, one should also meditate on the Lord as the means to attain the self and so that is described below.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ātmānamaraṇiṃ kṛtvā praṇavaṃ cottarāraṇim । jñānanirmathanābhyāsātpāpaṃ dahati paṇḍitaḥ (11)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Having made the Self the lower arani and Pranava the upper arani, by the practice of the churning of the form of knowledge (ie, meditation), the wise person burns up all sins (obstructing the vision of the self). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A similar mantra exists in the Svetāśvatāra Upanishad. In order to attain the individual self, one should meditate on the Lord through praṇavopāsaṇa. This enables attainment of the self which is similar to the Lord.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The way of perceiving the hidden Lord dwelling within the Jiva through the means of Praṇava is described here. “Atman” in the mantra refers to the Jivatma. The Supreme Atman, who is the indweller of this Jiva, is meditated with the Praṇava. The churning with the Praṇava implies practice of that which is ordained and abstention from those that are prohibited, and practicing the virtues of satya and tapaḥ.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When such meditation is carried out, the Supreme Self indwelling within the Jivatma, is revealed like fire from the aranis, and this destroys sins obstructing the experience of the individual self.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Not only should one meditate on the self as being ensouled by the Lord, but one should also understand the nature of the body to attain dispassion from it. So, the state of the embodied self in the waking and dreaming states is described in the next mantra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sa eva māyāparimohitātmā śarīramāsthāya karoti sarvam । stryannapānādivicitrabhogaiḥ sa eva jāgratparitṛptimeti (12)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: He (the individual self) is alone deluded in mind by Prakrti known as Maya, situated in the body, doing all activities (ie, considering himself the doer). He alone, while awake, gains satisfaction in women, food, drink, svarga and other varied types of sense-gratification.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">karoti sarvam” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">means he considers himself the doer, when actually, doership is on account of the triguṇās caused by prakrti.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">svapne sa jīvaḥ sukhaduḥkhabhoktā svamāyayā kalpitajīvaloke । suṣuptikāle sakale vilīne tamo'bhibhūtaḥ sukharūpameti (13)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaing: The Jivatma, in dream state, is the enjoyer of pleasure and pain in the dream body assumed by his own will. During Sushupti (dreamless sleep), when everything has disappeared, overwhelmed by darkness, he exists in the form of bliss (ie, he experiences the bliss of Paramatman).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kalpita jīvaloke</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – Having assumed a dream body. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">loka</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” means “abode” as in “body” here. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">jIvayati iti jIva</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – that body which gives life to the jIva in its’ dream state, as it enables the jIva to experience pain and pleasure. The dream objects are created by Ishvara for the jIva to experience based on its’ puNya and pApa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">svamāyayā” – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">His own will</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. “māyā” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">means knowledge and thus it is knowledge which is the basis of will</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It means that he makes his actual body and senses non-functional and takes up the dream body.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">suṣuptikāle sakale vilīne</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> – When a person is in the form of sushupti, he is without the relationship of karma that results in association with body and others and at that time, he is an asharīra. So, everything such as father, mother etc as well as the worlds, vedas etc have disappeared, for he is not bound by their dictates. The sushupta is not having any Ashraya in them, hence, they are said to have disappeared. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tamo'bhibhūtaḥ </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Overwhelmed by darkness, meaning, he does not see a second object as he is cut off from the senses. The sushupta doesn’t see the objects outside and the sense-organs inside. Though he is having the ability to see, he does not see. How can that be so? It is explained below.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">During sushupti, the dharma-bhūta-jnāna (attributive knowledge that is used to cognize external objects) is not lost. Rather, the attributive knowledge remains, but there is no second object to be cognized. This is because in this state, he has overpowered his karmas. It is karmas that cause experience of objects. The dharma-bhūta-jnāna is cut off from the sense-organs which are its’ gateways and thus the Jiva does not see anything else.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If it is asked how a Jiva in sushupti can overcome karmas without liberation which alone grants that state, it is answered that during the state of sushupti, the karmas that exist are not tending to yield any results in that state, and so he is said to have crossed them. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In this state of sushupti, the relationship with karmas is absent and so the relationship with the senses is absent. Hence, there is absence of cognition of a second object other than Paramatman. As no object other than Paramatman can be cognized, he abides in the Paramatman who is the supreme bliss, the support of sushupti.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">punaśca janmāntarakarmayogātsa eva jīvaḥ svapiti prabuddhaḥ । puratraye krīḍati yaśca jīvastatastu jātaṃ sakalaṃ vicitram । ādhāramānandamakhaṇḍabodhaṃ yasmim̐llayaṃ yāti puratrayaṃ ca (14)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Again (repeatedly), by virtue of connection with karmas from prior births, the same jIva dreams or is awake. From the Jiva, who sports in the 3 abodes (jāgrat, svapna and sushupti sthAnas), is born all the diverse entities like man, deva etc. He is the support, of the nature of bliss, who makes everything known by his dharma-bhūta-jnāna and in him alone, the three worlds (puratrayaM) dissolve.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“karma yoga” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">–</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Association with karmas.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The various forms such as man, deva etc are but effects of the Self which is the cause and so the Universe is said to be born from him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> “Anandam” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">means he is of the nature of bliss as well as knowledge, since bliss implies knowledge</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. “akhaṇḍabodhaṃ” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">signifies he perceives everything by his dharma-bhUta-jnAna.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In him, the entire Universe consisting of the three worlds dissolve, meaning, the subtle state of the Universe is a condition of the Jiva when he is the Cause, and is dependent on him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">etasmājjāyate prāṇo manaḥ sarvendriyāṇi ca । khaṃ vāyurjyotirāpaśca pṛthvī viśvasya dhāriṇī (15)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: From the Jiva are born the vital breath, mind and all the senses, the ether, air, fire, water and Earth which support all objects of enjoyment.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As the Cause, the Jiva has the unmanifest prakrti as its form. From this Cause, the Jiva which has as its’ form the gross prakrti differentiated into prANa, manas, the panchabhUtAs, etc is manifested. Thus, everything is born from the Jiva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">viśvasya dhāriṇī” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">– The term “vishva” refers to all objects of enjoyment experienced by the Jiva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yatparaṃ brahma sarvātmā viśvasyāyatanaṃ mahat । sūkṣmātsūkṣmataraṃ nityaṃ tattvameva tvameva tat (16)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: That which is the individual self, higher than prakrti, is the self of all, the great abode of all beings in the Universe, subtler than the subtle, eternal as it is unchanging in its’ essential nature, that is you alone, you are that.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Note that the self is referred to as singular in the same way as grains of rice are called “rice”. As all selves are identical, it is said to be everywhere dwelling in all bodies in the singular (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sarvātmā</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">). It supports all forms of man, deva etc (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">viśvasyāyatanaṃ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">). It is all-pervasive in its’ pure state, and is other from prakrti (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">paraṃ brahma</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The last line is repeated for emphasis, to dispel dehātma bhrama and make clear that one is the self, distinct from the body – “realize you are that self with those characteristics, distinct from the insentient body”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Shaiva commentators assume this to be talking about paramātma and think that “tat tvam eva” is a reference to the Chandogya Upanishad’s “tat tvam asi”. This is incorrect, as this particular mantra has no relevance to that Chandogya statement, nor is it talking about paramātma.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">jāgratsvapnasuṣuptyādiprapañcaṃ yatprakāśate । tadbrahmāhamiti jñātvā sarvabandhaiḥ pramucyate (17)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: That Jiva which illumines the perceptible world composed of the states of waking, dreaming, dreamless sleep and so on by its’ dharma-bhUta-jnAna, knowing that individual self (tadbrahmā) as “I” (distinct from the body), one is liberated from all fetters.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“jāgratsvapnasuṣuptyādi” –</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The “Adi” at the end signifies that not only are these states belonging to samsAra illumined, but also the illumination of the Supreme Abode upon liberation (turīya sthāna) is by the dharma-bhūta-jnāna, which is carried into liberation.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The next few mantras enjoin how to meditate on the self.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">triṣu dhāmasu yadbhogyaṃ bhoktā bhogaśca yadbhavet । tebhyo vilakṣaṇaḥ sākṣī cinmātro'haṃ sadāśivaḥ (18)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Whatever, in the three abodes of waking, dreaming and dreamless sleep, becomes the object of enjoyment, the enjoyer and the act (instrument) of enjoyment, from them, I am distinct, the witness (as the indweller of all bodies), of the nature of knowledge, eternally auspicious.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The individual self is distinct from the objects of enjoyment and the instrument or act of enjoyment such as the sense-organs or the dream body which are made of prakrti. Since its’ essential nature is different from such enjoyment, it is also said to be distinct from the state of being the enjoyer of such objects. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sadāśivaḥ” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">– “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sadā niravadya</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – the self is devoid of the triguṇās and hence is eternally pure. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is hilarious how biased Shaiva commentators like Alladi Mahadeva Sastry pounce on such adjectives to interpret them as referring to Rudra when such a meaning is non-existent in the present context.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mayyeva sakalaṃ jātaṃ mayi sarvaṃ pratiṣṭhitam । mayi sarvaṃ layaṃ yāti tadbrahmādvayamasmyaham (19)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: In me all these forms of man, deva etc are born. In me is all this established. In me does all this undergo dissolution. I am that individual self which is all-pervasive in its’ knowledge in the pure state (tadbrahmā), the one without a second, as there is no entity like me.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The various forms such as man, deva etc arise in accordance with the karmas of the selves and so are said to be born from the self. The presence of the self which dwells in all bodies and experiences material objects sustains these bodies. These bodies are also dissolved in the Self, as their destruction occurs when the Self leaves these bodies (hence, their destruction is dependent on the Self). </span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“advaya” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">– The self, which is essentially of identical nature in all beings, is incomparable to objects other than it, being unique. This is mentioned in Gita 2.29</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">aṇoraṇīyānahameva tadvanmahānahaṃ viśvamahaṃ vicitram । purātano'haṃ puruṣo'hamīśo hiraṇmayo'haṃ śivarūpamasmi (20)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: I am verily subtler than the subtle, I am the great controller of the mind, body and senses, I am “Vishvam” as I enter into all the worlds (viśvamahaṃ), I am incomparable (vicitram.h), I am ancient being prior to the body (purātano'haṃ), I am “Purusha”, the indweller of the body (puruṣo'ham), I am the ruler of the mind, senses and body, of the form of gold (īśo hiraṇmayo'haṃ), I am of an agreeable nature (śivarūpamasmi).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“hiraṇmayo'haṃ” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">– “gold” signifies objects of desire. The self is of the nature of bliss and hence a desirable object of attainment.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“śivarūpam” – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">the self is of the nature of bliss and knowledge, untainted by prakrti and hence is agreeable.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">apāṇipādo'hamacintyaśaktiḥ paśyāmyacakṣuḥ sa śṛṇomyakarṇaḥ । ahaṃ vijānāmi viviktarūpo na cāsti vettā mama citsadā'ham (21)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Even without legs and hands, I possess incomparable capability (to do those tasks), without eyes I see, without ears, I hear. I know, ie, I perceive all this by my dharma-bhūta-jnāna (ahaṃ vijānāmi), I am of a form free from blemishes of the triguṇās in the liberated state (viviktarūpa). I am not known to anyone. I am of the nature of consciousness.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The jIva can do the tasks of legs, hands, eyes and ears without the actual organs because of its’ all-pervasive dharma-bhūta-jnāna in its’ pure state. It is its’ natural condition. This is as per Gita 13.14 again. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“na cāsti vettā mama” – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As the Gita 2.29 says,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">the jIva is inconceivable to many and wonderful. Some speak of it to another, some hear about it, and even after hearing about it, no-one knows it exactly as it exists. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vedairanekairahameva vedyo vedāntakṛdvedavideva cāham । na puṇyapāpe mama nāsti nāśo na janma dehendriyabuddhirasti (22)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: I alone am to be known by the knowledge of various beings like man, deva etc. I am the creator of karmas which are the cause of obtaining such bodies (vedāntakṛd) and I am the experiencer of the pain and pleasure that constitute the acquisition of such bodies (vedavid). Punya and Papa are not mine, ie, they do not belong to my essential nature. I am not subject to birth or death and I do not exist in the body, senses and the mind associated with determining power (ie, I am not dependent on them for my existence).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The śaivādvaitin commentators like Alladi Mahadeva Sastry and Shankarananda have foolishly interpreted “vedāntakṛd” as “maker/author of the Upanishads” – this is impossible as shruti is apāuruśeya. They try to interpret “kṛd” as “Maker” in the sense of “Revealer”, but that is stretching the meaning, for in that case, there is no need to specifically say “he knows the Veda” and “he revealed the Vedānta” when even the Vedas were revealed by him. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“vedairanekairahameva vedyo” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">– “vedair” refers to several kinds of knowledge of diverse beings such as man, deva etc which are signified by “anekair”. Since the self is identical in all beings, it alone is known by these forms which are its’ effects.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“vedāntakṛt” – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here, “veda” means acquisition or obtaining. “anta” means cause and “krt” means creating or making. The Jiva, by virtue of its’ actions, is the creator of its’ karmas which are the cause of obtaining bodies of man, deva, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vedavid” – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here, “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">veda</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” again refers to acquisition or the fruits that are attained by such actions. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vid</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” refers to knowing in the form of experiencing. The sentient Jiva and not the insentient body is the experiencer.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">buddhi</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">" is the power of the mind to determine and thus denotes the mind in this context as it is closely associated with that power (aprthak-siddhi).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">na bhūmirāpo na ca vahnirasti na cānilo me'sti na cāmbaraṃ ca । evaṃ viditvā paramātmarūpaṃ guhāśayaṃ niṣkalamadvitīyam samastasākṣiṃ sadasadvihīnaṃ prayāti śuddhaṃ paramātmarūpam ॥ (23)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Neither the Earth, nor the Waters, nor Fire, nor the Wind, nor the Ether are not me, ie, my nature is different to them. Thus knowing (meditating on) the Jivatma which is of the condition of the Supreme Self in relation to the body, mind and senses (paramātmarūpaṃ), abiding in the cave of the heart, without diversity (niṣkalam), which is one without a second, ie, it is incomparable (advitīyam), the witness of all as it is the indweller of all bodies (samastasākṣiṃ), which is neither Sat nor Asat(sadasadvihīnaṃ), one attains the (experience of) pure condition of the individual self that is superior to prakrti.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“paramātmarūpaṃ” – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This doesn’t refer to the Lord. The entities such as body, mind and senses can be referred to as “Atma”. Since the individual self associated with the body is higher than all these, it is called “Paramatma”. “rūpaṃ” means form or condition of being in that state, which is the result of attachment to the Gunas arising from the beginningless conjunction with Prakrti.This is explained by Acharya under Gita 13.23.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">niṣkalam</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” - As it is identical in nature everywhere, there is no diversity. Alternatively, as it is knowledge-bliss everywhere, it has no parts and cannot be divided into organs, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“sadasadvihīnaṃ” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sat</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” refers to the condition of effects when the individual self has the form of gods, men, etc. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">asat</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” refers to the condition of cause in the form of not possessing names and forms. The self is not a cause or effect by nature and is thus said to be devoid of both. It becomes a cause or effect on account ofavidya brought on by karmas, which cause association withprakrti. This is explained by bhagavad bhAshyakArar in gita 13.13.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yaḥ śatarūdriyamadhīte so'gnipūto bhavati surāpānātpūto bhavati sa brahmahatyāyāḥ pūto bhavati sa suvarṇasteyātpūto bhavati sa kṛtyākṛtyātpūto bhavati tasmādavimuktamāśrito bhavatyatyāśramī sarvadā sakṛdvā japet anena jñānamāpnoti saṃsārārṇavanāśanam । tasmādevaṃ viditvainaṃ kaivalyaṃ padamaśnute kaivalyaṃ padamaśnuta iti (24)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: He who reflects on (the meaning of) the Shatarudriya, he becomes purified in the mind (so'gnipūto bhavati). He has become purified from the sin of drinking liquor, he has become purified from the sin of brahmahatya, he has become purified from the sin of stealing gold, he has become purified from the sin caused by performance of all activities prohibited by the Veda and the non-performance of activities prescribed by the Veda. He finds refuge in the individual self that is undiminishing in its’ pure state (avimukta). He who is a Paramahamsa Sannyasin (atyāśramī), should always recite it, or atleast once. By this he obtains knowledge of the individual self which destroys the ocean of samsara. Therefore, knowing the self in this manner, he attains the state of experiencing the self divested of prakrti (kaivalyaṃ padam). He (indeed) attains the state of experiencing the self divested of prakrti (kaivalyaṃ padam). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Again, we find the persistent motif of the ṣatarudrīyam in association with meditation on the individual self.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The primary fruit of the ṣatarudrīyam is to curb the mind and senses. As Arjuna asks Krishna in the Gita, it is very difficult to meditate on the Jiva (akshara) as the mind is fickle. So Bhagavan tells him that the way to curb the mind and senses is to meditate on his (bhagavan’s) auspicious body, which will destroy the desire for material objects. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, meditating on the Lord in the manner as praised in the ṣatarudrīyam gives the fruit of indrīya-nigraha or curbing the senses. Therefore, recitation of this portion of the Veda is an anga (accessory) for Jnāna-Yoga or meditation on the self, which requires a steady mind and restrained senses. The reference to this recitation destroying various sins is to highlight the fact that it destroys desire for sense-gratification which causes performance of such sinful actions.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Wherever the ṣatarudrīyam is praised in the śāstra as giving moksha, it is implied that it provides the fruit of indrIya-nigraha, which leads to jīvātma-anubhava and thus kaivalya mukti. This, by itself, proves that the tāmasa purāṇās are wrong in recommending the ṣatarudrīyam as a means to propitiate Shiva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”avimukta” – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The liberated self, which is not deprived of its’ completeness, ie, it is all-pervasive in knowledge and replete with the 8 qualities beginning with apahatapApma in its’ pure state.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kaivalyaṃ padam – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The state of experiencing the self which is divested from prakrti. “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kaivalyaṃ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” refers to the self that is aloof from prakrti in its’ pure state.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And thus, the Upanishad is concluded.</span></div>
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Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-30022834580645985452018-01-12T08:07:00.003+05:302018-01-19T07:05:28.443+05:30Prelude to Ishvara Gita - Part III: Kurma Purana Purva Bhaga - RISHI ŚVETĀŚVATARA and the PĀŚUPATA VRATA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So far, <a href="http://narayanastra.blogspot.com/2018/01/in-previous-journal-post-we-published.html">we have seen</a> Jnāna Yoga, the means to attain the experience of the self as well as the Upasana of Rudra-Shariraka-Paramatma in the Atharvasiras that has the paśupata vrata as an accessory . There is an interesting section on the Upasana of Śvetāśvatara maharishi which is linked to the Atharvasiras and the Ishvara Gita, the latter being a pending publication for the blog. So, this section is described here.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Who was Śvetāśvatara maharishi? The identity can be ascertained from the name itself. According to Sri Mahacharya, it is “</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">śvetena aśvena tarati iti śvetāśvatara</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – One who has Hayagriva as his means. The name of this rishi itself indicates he was a hayagrīva-upāsaka. So, the vaishnavatva of this rishi is self-evident.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A short narrative regarding this rishi exists in the Kurma Purana, which we shall translate here.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Interestingly, the author of the Mahapashupatastra blog has taken this section as a pramāṇa for his beliefs that the rishi Śvetāśvatara was a Shaiva. Look at what he says here:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">//Source: www.mahapashupatastra.com/2013/04/the-unborn-rudra-of-svetaswatara.html</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tapasā karṣitātmānaṃ śuklayajñopavītinam ||” (Kurma Purana 1:13:31-32)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> “In the meantime, he spotted the great sage 'Svetasvatara' who was the best of the 'Pasupatas (devotees of Shiva). The said ascetic had applied ashes etc....</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then look at the below verse carefully – Here Svetasvatara rishi teaches him concepts of 'pasu (bonded jiva), 'pasa (maya), and 'pati (lord Shiva)', which are typically used in Shiva's path. “aśeṣavedasāraṃ tat paśupāśavimocanam | antyāśramamiti khyātaṃ brahmādibhiranuṣṭhitam ||” //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">According to our Shaiva friend, the mere application of ashes and the mention of the Paśu-Paśa-Pati concept is indicative of the rishi being a Śiva devotee. Well, what to say to that? He is surely ignorant of pramāṇas like these:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bandhako bhava paṣena bhava-paṣac ca mocakah</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kaivalyadah param brahma viṣnur eva sanatanah (~skanda purANa)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“He binds the souls with the ropes (Pasha) of birth and death. He unties the ropes of birth and death that bind the souls. The supreme Brahman, eternal Lord Vishnu alone (vishnur eva) is the bestower of Mukti (kaivalya).”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the Gita Bhashya, under "mama māya duratyaya..." it is stated that the Jivas are Paśus as they are bound and associated with anger that is likened to an animal in the Upanishads. Prakrti or Maya is the Paśa. Bhagavan Sri Krishna is Pashupati, who binds the Paśus with the Paśa of Prakrti.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That section of the Kurma Purana is Sattvika. It is a wonderful anecdote which contains the only available description of the great Maharishi Śvetāśvatara.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Our friend then adds:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">//From the Kurma Purana we clearly see that sage ‘Svetaswatara’ was a devotee of Shiva and his conception of the Supreme Being was Bhagavan Shiva only. Therefore, the ‘Rudra’ of Svetasvatara Upanishad is verily umapati beyond doubt. When we have Purana itself attesting this truth, it means Vedavyasa himself is supporting this point – then why do we need to even pay attention towards the poison-hearted cunning Vaishnavas?//</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Anyway, let us look at a cunning Vaishnava interpretation of the Purana below to see if it supports our friend’s absurd theories.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sa tu vainyaḥ pṛthurdhomān satyasaṃdho jitendriyaḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sārvabhaumo mahātejāḥ svadharmaparipālakaḥ // KūrmP_1,13.16 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Prithu, the son of Vena, was truthful, intelligent and had conquered his senses. He had sovereignty all over the Earth, being of great splendor and one who protected his svadharma (varṇāśrama dharma).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tasya bālyāt prabhṛtyeva bhaktirnārāyaṇe 'bhavat /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">govardhanagiriṃ prāpya tapastepe jitendriyaḥ // KūrmP_1,13.17 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: He had devotion to Narayana since his childhood. Going to Govardhana, he subdued his senses and undertook a penance.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tapasā bhagavān prītaḥ śaṅkhacakragadādharaḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">āgatya devo rājānaṃ prāha dāmodaraḥ svayam // KūrmP_1,13.18 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Bhagavan, who bears the conch, discus and mace which are ever displayed by him as ornaments for his devotees and weapons for the enemies of his devotees, was pleased by the penance. Coming in front of the King, the Lord who is called Damodara, as he was tied up by Yashoda (thus being accessible to his devotees), spoke thus.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dhramikau rūpasaṃpannau sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varau /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">matprasādādasaṃdigdhaṃ putrau tava bhaviṣyataḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ekamuktvā hṛṣīkeśaḥ svakīyāṃ prakṛtiṃ gataḥ // KūrmP_1,13.19 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: By my grace, two sons shall be born to you in the future, who are virtuous, of a pleasing appearance and the best among the wielders of all weapons. Saying this, the Lord Hrishikesha who is the controller of the senses of even gods like Brahma, Rudra, etc attained his own natural condition (of not being manifest to the senses).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vainyo 'pi vedavidhinā niścalāṃ bhaktimudvahan /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">apālayat svakaṃ rājyaṃ nyāyena madhusūdane // KūrmP_1,13.20 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Prthu indeed had unwavering devotion in the Lord and governed his Kingdom according to the injunctions of the Vedas, constantly in contemplation of Madhusudhana (the destroyer of “Madhu”, means desire for material things as well as the Asura).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">acirādeva tanvaṅgo bhāryā tasya sucismitā /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">khikhaṇḍanaṃ havirdhānamantardhānā vyajāyata // KūrmP_1,13.21 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: His wife who had slender limbs and a smiling face gave birth to Sikhandin and Havirdhana by holding in (breath?)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">śikhaṇḍano 'bhavat putraḥ suśīla iti viśrutaḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dhārmiko rūpasaṃpanno vedavedāṅgapāragaḥ // KūrmP_1,13.22 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The son born to Sikhandin was known as Suśīla. He was virtuous, of a pleasing appearance and had mastery of the Veda and Vedangas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">so 'dhītya vidhivad vedān dharmeṇa tapasi sthitaḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">matiṃ cakre bhāgyayogāt saṃnyāṃ prati dharmavit // KūrmP_1,13.23 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: He studied the Vedas properly and according to established rules (dharma), being situated in penance. That knower of Dharma, by the power of fortune which is the Lord’s unconditional grace or will, became inclined to renunciation (of sense-objects).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: This means that Suśīla had acquired knowledge of the self as distinct from the body and wanted to attain the self. He had no dehātma bhrama or desire for sense objects.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sa kṛtvā tīrthasaṃsevāṃ svādhyāye tapasi sthitaḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">jagāma himavatpṛṣṭhaṃ kadācit siddhasevitam // KūrmP_1,13.24 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: As he was eager in the discussion of the meanings of the Vedic texts (svādhyāya) and being situated in austerities (aimed at realizing the bliss of the individual self), he resorted to holy places. Once he reached the summit of the Himalaya which is visited by Siddhas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tatra dharmapadaṃ nāma dharmasiddhipradaṃ vanam /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">apaśyad yogināṃ gamyamagamyaṃ brahmavidviṣām // KūrmP_1,13.25 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: There, he saw a forest named Dharmapada, which conferred success in the means undertaken to achieve something (dharmasiddhipradam). This was a place that those united in meditation on the self (yogināṃ) can attain, but not to those who are hostile to the self, ie, those indulging in sense-objects (brahmavidviṣām).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tatra mandākinī nāma supuṇyā vimalā nadī /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">padmotpalavanopetā siddhāśramavibhūṣitā // KūrmP_1,13.26 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: An auspicious, pure river named Mandakini was there. It was filled with blue and red lotuses and adorned with the Ashramas of Siddhas or those perfected in Yoga.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sa tasyā dakṣiṇe tīre munīndrairyogibhirvṛtam /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">supuṇyamāśramaṃ ramyamapaśyat prītisaṃyutaḥ // KūrmP_1,13.27 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: On the Southern Bank, he saw an auspicious, beautiful Ashrama occupied by the foremost of those who meditate on the self (munīndrair), and those who meditate on the auspicious attributes of Brahman (yogibhirvṛtam).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: The idea is that the place was the habitat for both Jnāna-Yogis who meditate</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">on the self as well as Bhakti-Yogis who meditate on Brahman.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Alternatively, “muni” means those who meditate on the meanings of the Veda (apara-vidyā) and “yogi” means those who perform upāsaṇa (para-vidyā)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mandākinījale strātvā saṃtarpya pitṛdevatāḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">arcayitvā mahādevaṃ puṣpaiḥ padmotpalādibhiḥ // KūrmP_1,13.28 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: He took a holy dip in the waters of the Mandakini and satiated the Pitr-devatas. He worshipped Mahadeva (Śiva) with red and white lotuses and other flowers.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: He did not worship Mahadeva as Supreme. The idea is that, just as he propitiated the Pitr-Devatas, so did he worship Śiva as part of his regular worship. He worshipped these gods by considering them as the bodies of the Lord who is the innerself, in accordance with Gita 3.11. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra is also worshipped to gain knowledge of Brahman, and thus the next shloka describes Suśīla’s worship of Brahman, succeeding his worship of Rudra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dhyātvārkaṃsaṃsthamīśānaṃ śirasyādhāya cāñjalim /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">saṃprekṣamāṇo bhāsvantaṃ tuṣṭāva parameśvaram // KūrmP_1,13.29 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: He meditated on īśāna, the Controller (Narayana) abiding in the orb of the Sun, joining his hands in Anjali Mudra over his head. Beholding the resplendent (inner controller of the sun), he praised the Supreme Ruler. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: By virtue of meditation, he could conceive the Lord within the sun. “saṃprekṣamāṇo” refers to meditation.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rudrādhyāyena giriśaṃ rudrasya caritena ca /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">anyaiśca vividhaiḥ stotraiḥ śāṃbhavairvedasaṃbhavaiḥ // KūrmP_1,13.30 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: He worshipped the Lord who abides in the Vedas (giriśa) by the Satarudriyam (to control his senses), by the texts such as Puranas narrating the sportive deeds of the Lord (rudra) who brings tears of joy to his devotees (for fixing the mind in Brahman) and by various kinds of praise in the form of Vedic Suktas of the Lord whose appearance causes happiness (śaṃbhu; this is done to secure the Lord as a means to attain the self).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: These names do not refer to Rudradeva. Note that each name is descriptive of the mode of worship detailed along with it and thus are to be treated as contextual as opposed to indicating a particular god. They thus refer to Narayana only. Furthermore, the initial section had already established that Prithu, Suśīla etc were all devotees of Bhagavan with correct knowledge.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This describes the Upasana of Suśīla to attain the individual self. The three steps in Jnāna Yoga are controlling the senses, fixing the mind on Brahman and meditating on the Lord who is the means to attain the state of the self.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He is “giriśa” – One who abides in speech which is the Vedas. Thus, he is propitiated by the Satarudriyam of the Vedas for curbing the mind and senses from sense objects. Even in the Satarudriyam, “giriśa” is used as a general term since it occurs in the context of speech “</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ṣivena vacasā tvā girisācca vadāmasi</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” which shows it is a name used on basis of context. There is no context in contrast, for interpreting this as “Lord of Kailaśa”, for Kailaśa has no relation to speech or praise. So, it refers to the Lord Narayana. This is step 1 or controlling the indrīyās from engaging in sense objects by focusing them on Brahman.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He is “Rudra” – the discussion of his exploits (carita) brings tears of joy to his devotees. This pleasing nature of the Lord’s exploits destroys sins and enables one’s mind to be fixed on Brahman. This is step 2 or fixation of mind on Brahman. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He is “śaṃbhu” – The Lord has a beautiful auspicious form that causes happiness, which is described by Vedic Suktas. This is for being absorbed in meditation on Brahman’s auspicious body and surrendering to the Lord to attain the self.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A seeker of the individual self like Suśīla needs to curb his senses, fix his mind on Brahman and meditate on his auspicious form to attain the experience of the self which is similar to Brahman. Thus, the names and the descriptions of the activities correspond to this aim. The Ishvara Gita explicitly recommends the Satarudriyam for one seeking to experience the self due to its’ fruit of restraining the senses.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">athāsminnantare 'paśyat tamāyāntaṃ mahāmunim /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">śvetāśvataranāmānaṃ mahāpāśupatottamam // KūrmP_1,13.31 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: In the meantime, he saw the great muni named Śvetāśvatara coming. He was the most excellent among the practitioners of the</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pāśupata vrata.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: “mahāpāśupatottamam” – One who is the best among those practicing the pāśupata vrata described in the Atharvasiras. The term “paśupati” refers to the jIvātma as it is the master of “paśu” or anger, ie, it transcends anger in its’ pure state. This Vrata is related to that attainment of that state of the Jiva, so it is called “pāśupata” – it involves transcending anger.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhasmasaṃdigdhasavāṅgaṃ kaupīnācchādanānvitam /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tapasā karṣitātmānaṃ śuklayajñopavītinam // KūrmP_1,13.32 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Śvetāśvatara Rishi had applied ashes all over his limbs and only had a loin-cloth covering his body. He had grown thin by his austerities and was wearing a white yajnopavitam.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: The application of ashes all over the body is a special component of the Pashupata vrata and is permitted only in this particular mode of upāsaṇa according to the atharvasiras “yadbhasma nāṅgāni saṃspṛśettasmādbrahma…” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The very fact that the practice of wearing ashes is unusual is the reason why Śvetāśvatara Rishi is specifically mentioned to be wearing them. If this was a Shaiva shāstra, then wearing ashes is not an unusual thing and even Suśīla would have been wearing them, so there is no need to mention it. The specific mention of wearing ashes for Śvetāśvatara rishi shows that Suśīla was not wearing ashes, and nor were any others. We never come across a statement such as “Veda Vyasa was wearing Urdhvapundra” in the Shastra because that mark is commonplace and so not mentioned. The ashes are thus related to a specific type of brahmavidya.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">samāpya saṃstavaṃ śaṃbhorānandāstrāvilekṣaṇaḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vavande śirasā pādau prāñjalirvākyamabravīt // KūrmP_1,13.33 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: After concluding his praise of the Lord Narayana whose auspicious form causes happiness (śaṃbhu), his eyes were blurred with tears of joy. He bowed down with his head towards his feet, holding his palms in Anjali Mudra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: The fact that he was crying tears of joy after praising the Lord clearly shows that the names of rudra, girisha etc mentioned earlier are to be interpreted based on etymology for Narayana and are not indicative of parvati pati.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Additionally, the Mahabharata clearly refers to Narayana only as Sambhu, as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">iti nārāyaṇaḥ śambhuḥ bhagavān jagatām prabhuḥ</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ādiśya vibudhān sarvān ajāyata yodoh kule ( ~ anuśasana parva 149।10) </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dhanyo 'smyanugṛhīto 'smi yanme sākṣānmunīśvaraḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yogīśvaro 'dya bhagavān dṛṣṭo yogavidāṃ varaḥ // KūrmP_1,13.34 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: I am grateful and blessed as the Master of those Jnāna-Yogis who meditate on the self (munīśvaraḥ), the Master of those Bhakti-Yogis who meditate on Brahman (yogīśvara), the greatest of those who know the means to attain liberation (yogavidāṃ varaḥ), the respected one who is omniscient (bhagavān) has been directly seen by me.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As mentioned before, “muni” can also mean those who meditate on the meanings of the Veda (apara-vidyā) and “yogi” can mean those who perform upāsaṇa (para-vidyā). The rishi is the superior most of both categories.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">aho me sumahadbhāgyaṃ tapāṃsi saphalāni me /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kiṃ kariṣyāmi śiṣyo 'haṃ tava māṃ pālayānagha // KūrmP_1,13.35 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Oh! Fortune, which is Bhagavad Nirhetuka Krupa, is indeed great. My penances have attained fruition (by delivering me to you). What can I do (to serve you)? I am your disciple. Protect me, O sinless one (by imparting knowledge).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">so 'nugṛhyātha rājānaṃ suśīlaṃ śīlasaṃyutam /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">śiṣyatve parijagrāha tapasā kṣīṇakalpaṣam // KūrmP_1,13.36 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Śvetāśvatara Rishi blessed the King Suśīla of good morals and gentle behavior. He accepted him as his disciple as his sins (obstructing Jnāna-Yoga) had been destroyed by his penance.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: The idea is that Suśīla has become an adhikārin for meditation on the self, since his prior meditation on the Lord had destroyed the sins obstructing his undertaking such meditation.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sāṃnyāsikaṃ vidhiṃ kṛtsnaṃ kārayitvā vicakṣaṇaḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dadau tadaiśvaraṃ jñānaṃ svaśākhāvihitaṃ vratam // KūrmP_1,13.37 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The learned sage made him perform all the injunctions pertaining to sannyasa and then bestowed on him the knowledge pertaining to the individual self that is the supreme ruler of the body (aiśvaraṃ jñānaṃ) for which the Vrata (of pāśupata) had been laid down in his own branch of the Veda.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“tad a</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">iśvaraṃ jñānaṃ” – “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">a</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">iśvaraṃ” refers to the individual self that is the Supreme Ruler of the body, senses and mind. This is the knowledge relating to that self. We will come across this in the Iśvara Gita as well.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“svaśākhāvihitaṃ vratam” – The pāśupata vrata of the Atharvasiras consisting of applying ashes and understanding the knowledge related to paśu</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and paśa, to attain the individual self. This again shows that the application of ash etc was only vrata-specific and not indicative of Shaiva practices.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Atharvasiras recommends bhakti-yoga which is meditation on the antaryāmin of Rudra, using the pāṣupata vrata as an accessory. This was practiced by Rishi Śvetāśvatara. Narayana is called paśupati, as he is the Master of the embodied Jivas who are “paśus” as they are associated with anger. Prakrti or Maya is the “paśa” used to bind them. The knowledge of the paśu and paśa is conferred by the pāśupata vrata, following which one meditates on Pati as the indweller of Rudra according to this upāsana.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">However, Suśīla, unlike the rishi, only sought the knowledge of the individual self (Jnāna-Yoga) and not Bhakti-Yoga. So, the rishi taught him the difference between the self and the body (</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">paśu</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">paśa</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) and instructed him on the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pāṣupata </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vrata which inculcates this knowledge. It is to be understood that once Suśīla is doing the meditation as prescribed in the Atharvasiras to attain the self as he was not a Bhakti-Yogi. So, he meditates on the Lord as a means to attain the self, and not as an end in itself. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The next shloka describes what this “a</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">iśvaraṃ jñānaṃ” is in more detail.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">aśeṣavedasāraṃ tat paśupāśavimocanam /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">antyāśramamiti khyātaṃ brahmādibhiranuṣṭhitam // KūrmP_1,13.38 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The rishi gave Suśīla the essence of the Veda in entirety (pertaining to the knowledge of the individual self) that causes release of the bound self (paśu) from prakrti or māya which is the rope that binds it (paśa). This knowledge is called “antyāśrama” or the state of the Paramahamsa Sannyasins and has been practiced by the gods beginning with Brahma or the rishis like Pulastya, Pulaha etc.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: For those who are tired of material objects and the perishability of their enjoyment, experiencing the imperishable bliss of the individual self is a higher goal that offers relief from the distress of samsāra. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“brahmādi” – This can refer to devas beginning with Brahma. Or, “brahmādi” can refer to the rishis beginning with Pulastya, Pulaha, etc. This is mentioned by Shri Viraraghavacharya in his Bhagavata commentary.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here it is seen that Suśīla only received Jivatma Jnāna and not Paramatma Jnāna, showing he was a Jnāna-Yogi. Rishi Śvetāśvatara, however, was a Bhakti-Yogi.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">uvāca śiṣyān saṃprekṣya ye tadāśramavāsinaḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">brāhmaṇān kṣatriyān vaiśyān brahmacaryaparāyaṇān // KūrmP_1,13.39 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Perceiving all his sishyas residing in the Ashramas, who were brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaishyas and brahmacharyas, the rishi Śvetāśvatara said the following.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mayā pravartitāṃ śākhāmadhītyaiveha yoginaḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">samāsate mahādevaṃ dhyāyanto niṣkalaṃ śivam // KūrmP_1,13.40 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: It is only after studying the branch of the Veda propagated by me, that the Yogis attain the great self-luminous entity that is the individual self (mahādevaṃ) after meditating on the self which is partless (niṣkalaṃ) and agreeable as it is blissful and divested of prakrti (śivam).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: These are not epithets of Parvati Pati. The individual self is the great one that shines out by itself as “I” (deva) and thus, is Mahadeva. It is great as it is superior to prakrti or because it is boundless in attributive knowledge (dharma-bhūta-jnāna). The self is partless or niṣkalaṃ as it is the same everywhere, whether it is in the body of a man, deva, etc. Alternatively, as it is knowledge and bliss everywhere, it can be said to be partless due to lack of organs, etc. It is “śivam” or agreeable on account of being blissful and divested of prakrtic guṇās. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The idea is that, the individual self is meditated as niṣkalaṃ and śivam to attain the experience of its’ intrinsic bliss. This is done using the pā</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ś</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">upata vrata, to attain vairagya as well as discrimination between the self and prakrti.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Another reading of the text replaces “</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dhyāyanto niṣkalaṃ śivam</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> with </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dhyāyanto visvam aiśvaraṃ</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”. The meaning does not change. It means “They meditate on the omnipresent self which is the Lordly ruler of the body”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">iha devo mahādevo ramamāṇaḥ sahomayā /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">adhyāste bhagavānīśo bhaktānāmanukampayā // KūrmP_1,13.41 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Here, the God Mahadeva sports with Uma. The omniscient ruler (bhagavānīśa) occupies the place to bless the bhakti-yogis (with knowledge).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: Readers should note that here “</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">devo</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> mahādevo” is mentioned to specifically highlight the fact that the God Rudra is being referred to, as opposed to the previous shloka which simply used “mahādevaṃ” to denote the individual self. This should make things clear that “mahādevaṃ” in the previous shloka denoted the self and not Rudra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This shloka establishes that the grace of Mahadeva is required to gain knowledge of Brahman to attain the individual self. Alternatively, if we interpret “bhakta” as those steadfastly engaged in practicing meditation on the individual self, then it can be said Rudra grants knowledge of the individual self directly.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The next 3 shlokas declare the reason why Rudra is a medium of knowledge for Brahman.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ihāśeṣajagaddhātā purā nārāyaṇaḥ svayam /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ārādhayanmahādevaṃ lokānāṃ hitakāmyayā // KūrmP_1,13.42 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Previously, Narayana himself, who is the creator of the entire Universe including brahma and others, worshipped Rudra for the benefit of the worlds.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: This is the place where the Lord worshipped Rudra for obtaining a son. Here, it is clearly mentioned that the Lord worshipped Rudra for the “sake of the benefit of the worlds”. Meaning, he did not worship Rudra because he was inferior to the latter, but only to make Rudra worshippable in the worlds as clarified by him in the shanti parva of the Mahabharata. Also, note that Bhagavan is hailed as the creator of the Universe. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“āśeṣa” implies he is the creator of all including Brahma and Rudra as well, which brings out his supremacy. Otherwise, there is no need for this word. It is intended to convey every being, including Rudra was created by him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The consequences of Narayana worshipping Rudra in this manner are described in the next shloka.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ihaiva devamīśānaṃ devānāmapi daivatam /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ārādhya mahatīṃ siddhiṃ lebhire devadānavāḥ // KūrmP_1,13.43 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: It is after worshipping the God īśāna (Rudra), the God of Gods beginning with Indra etc that Devas and Danavas attained great siddhis (anima, garima, etc).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: This is a consequence of the Lord worshipping Rudra. As Shri Krishna tells Arjuna in the Shanti Parva, whatever pramāṇa he gives, the world follows. If he did not worship Rudra, others would not worship him, meaning, Rudra, who is his body. As he worshipped Rudra and made him a bestower of boons, the devas and danavas worshipped him to gain powers.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Unlike Narayana who worshipped Rudra for the benefit of the worlds, they worshipped him for petty boons as is evident. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The next shloka clarifies that Rudra can also grant knowledge and not just petty boons.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ihaiva munayaḥ pūrvaṃ marīcyādyā maheśvaram /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dṛṣṭvā tapobalājjñānaṃ lebhire sārvakālikam // KūrmP_1,13.44 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: It was here that formerly, the sages beginning with Marici perceived Maheśvara by their ascetic power and gained knowledge of the everlasting or eternal (self).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: “</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sārvakālikam” refers to the individual self which is eternal. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra granted them that knowledge and aided them in their Upasana.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tasmāt tvamapi rājendra tapoyogasamanvitaḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tiṣṭha nityaṃ mayā sārdhaṃ tataḥ siddhimavāpsyasi // KūrmP_1,13.45 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Therefore, chief among Kings, you too abide here practicing “tapas” which is contemplation of the self as distinct from the body and performing desireless action that is karma yoga. Stay with me permanently and you will attain success in Yoga</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: “tapaḥ” means knowledge – tapobrahma. Knowledge in the form of meditation on the self as distinct from the body is tapas. The term “yoga” means skill in action and thus refers to performing activities without desire for their fruits. The rishi is thus instructing Suśīla to perform Karma-Yoga, which is carrying out prescribed duties while meditating on the self as distinct from the body.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Why is the rishi instructing Suśīla to do Karma-Yoga when he was qualified for Jnāna-Yoga? Sri Krishna explains in the Gita that while Karma-Yoga can lead to Jnāna-Yoga, it is possible to skip Jnāna-Yoga and attain the self by Karma-Yoga itself. This is because even Karma-Yoga has the knowledge component as it requires meditation on the self as distinct from the body. It is easier to perform actions as opposed to sitting still in a secluded place and meditating on the self. On account of these, the rishi has advised Suśīla to undertake Karma-Yoga to secure the experience of the self.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Alternatively, this statement can mean the rishi is recommending Jnāna-Yoga as well. We can take “tapaḥ” as referring to Jnāna-Yoga or meditation on the self, whereas “yoga” means desireless action (karma-yoga) which is practiced as its’ ancillary.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evamābhāṣya viprendro devaṃ dhyātvā pinākinam /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ācacakṣe mahāmantraṃ yathāvat svārthasiddhaye // KūrmP_1,13.46 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: After saying thus, the Brahmana meditated on Śiva who is Pināki. He gave the Mahamantra by which one attains his objective.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: It should be understood that the Rishi meditated on Rudra due to his status as a medium of the knowledge of Brahman. Alternatively, it can also be said that the meditation is on Narayana who is “Rudra-Śariraka-Paramatma” as described in the Atharvasiras which enjoins such meditation, and the Rishi is a Bhakti-Yogi following this Upasana.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“pinākin” – One who holds the Pinaka bow, or one who possesses “pināka” or the quality of drinking, ie, experiencing (pi) the bliss of the supreme abode which is the individual self.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sarvapāpopaśamanaṃ vedasāraṃ vimuktidam /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">agnirityādikaṃ puṇyamṛṣibhiḥ saṃpravartitam // KūrmP_1,13.47 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: That Mantra destroys all sins. It is the essence of the Vedas and confers liberation from the distress of samsara (in the form of experience of the self). It is “agniriti bhasma…”. The auspicious mantra has been propagated by the rishis.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: This is an aupachārika shloka glorifying the mantra for application of ashes. The application of ashes on one’s body signifies he has relinquished the body, understanding it to be temporary, and engaging in the pursuit of the self which is eternal.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">so 'pi tadvacanād rājā suśīlaḥ śraddhayānvitaḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sākṣāt pāśupato bhūtvā vedābhyāsarato 'bhavat // KūrmP_1,13.48 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Upon that instruction, the King Suśīla, with unwavering conviction (in attaining the self), verily became “pāśupata” or one who is associated with meditation on the individual self known as “paśupati”, engaged in study of the Veda.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: “paśupati” – The individual self that is the master of anger in its’ pure state.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> “pāśupata” – Practitioner of meditation on this self. Alternatively, it also means he is a practitioner of the pāśupata vrata.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhasmoddhūlitasarvāṅgaḥ kandamūlaphalāśanaḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">śānto dānto jitakrodhaḥ saṃnyāsavidhimāśritaḥ // KūrmP_1,13.49 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Suśīla resorted to the practice of sannyasa which is meditation on the self by smearing ashes all over his body, subsisting on fruits and roots, being calm, ie, a mind contented in experiencing the self and not having desire for material objects (śānta), subduing the senses (dānta) and conquering anger (jitakrodhaḥ).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: “sannyasa” means jnāna-yoga, performed after renouncing action. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">All these qualities are cultivated by the Jnāna-Yogi for meditation on the individual self. Note that there are no shaiva elements like “Suśīla attained Kailaśa in the end” or “Suśīla became a devotee of Śiva and Uma”. That itself shows that this meditation is not a Shaiva rite, but is for attaining the individual self.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">With this, the section is concluded. It can be seen that the Rishi Śvetāśvatara was no Shaiva, but only a follower of the Vaidika marga, considering Hari alone as Supreme.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">A MINOR CLARIFICATION</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the beginning, we mentioned that Rishi Śvetāśvatara was a Hayagrīva bhakta. In that case, how can he be said to perform the Atharvasiras upāsana of Rudra-Śariraka-Paramātma who is Narasimha? The answer is that, the only binding condition is to meditate on the indweller of Rudra in this upāsana. There is no mandate that one must only meditate on the antaryāmin as Narasimha. Though Narasimha is indeed the natural form of Śankarśana, the indweller of Rudra, the Lord assumes whatever form the Yogi desires to see him as. Furthermore, there is no difference in the greatness of one form from the other. On account of this, it is quite permissible to meditate on the antaryāmin of Rudra as Hayagrīva.</span></div>
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Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-76931452588196058872018-01-03T17:59:00.000+05:302018-01-03T18:03:37.757+05:30Prelude to Ishvara Gita - Part II: A Summary of Atharvashira Upanishad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">In a </span><a href="https://narayanastra.blogspot.com/2017/12/prelude-to-ishvara-gita-jnana-yoga.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">previous journal post</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, we published a short article on the Jnana Yoga and stated that it forms an important prelude to an upcoming article on the Ishvara Gita. This post serves to provide another important prelude to the article, involving a summary of Atharvashira Upanishad. This is because the upAsana detailed in this Upanishad is related to the AtmopAsana detailed in the Ishvara Gita.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shri Uttamur Swami has summarized the Atharvasiras in one page in his tamil work </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Upanishad Saram</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. This post is essentially a verbatim translation of the same. Its </span><a href="https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.384533/2015.384533.Upanishad-Saram#page/n199/mode/2up" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Tamil original can be read online in this link</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. This Swami has also authored a stotra called </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vedanta Pushpanjali</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. It envisages each Upanishad as a flower and is offered to the feet of Shri Venkateswara. The section dedicated to the Atharvasiras and a few lines of explanation in Tamil can be</span><a href="https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.383349/2015.383349.Vedanta-pushpanjali#page/n127/mode/1up" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> read online in this link</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. We will also translate these into English in this post.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">ATHARVASHIRAS - SUMMARY FROM ‘UPANISHAD SARAM’</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Devas approached Rudra in the Svarga-loka and asked him who he was. Rudra answered thus: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">‘I alone was there in the beginning, am there at present, and will be in future. There is nothing else apart from me’</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. The Devas were perplexed as Rudra spoke the words that must be spoken by bhagavAn. They doubted whether Rudra considers himself as the Supreme, or whether he considers the Supreme Lord Narayana as his antaryAmin. Rudra then explained his first reply thus: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">‘Devas! The paramAtman that you have in mind has entered what is subtler than the subtlest. He has entered all directions. Hence, I am indeed He (i.e., He is my antaryAmin). Thus, I am the all that is eternal, all that is perceivable and imperceptible, and so on (i.e., the antaryAmin of everything is my antaryAmin).’ </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Rudra answered in this manner due to the nature of his meditation on bhagavAn as his own antaryAmin and as the antaryAmin of everything. Indeed, Vamadeva and Prahlada also have stated thus (in the shruti and smR^iti, respectively). By this, Rudra announces himself as an adhikAri who performs bhagavad bhakti.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the second kANDa, the Devas praise and worship bhagavAn as their respective antaryAmin, in the manner that Rudra stated earlier. In the third, the praNava that signifies bhagavAn was named variously. In the fourth, those names were explained. In the fifth, the upAsana of bhagavAn as Rudra’s antaryAmin was introduced and specified as a way of bhakti. In it, wearing of the bhasma with mantras was also specified as a vow. Finally, the greatness of bhagavAn and the result of this upAsana were explained.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As stated in the upaniShad, the upAsaka who meditates on bhagavAn as the antaryAmin of Rudra has to perform bhasma-dhAraNa as part of it. The bhakti-yogi can do this, just as he can meditate on bhagavAn as the antaryAmin of Indra, Brahma, and Surya. Those who are unclear of this will tend to think that the upaniShad says it is appropriate to worship Rudra as the Supreme in the manner of the pAshupata Agamas. If that was the case, there would be no reason for the Devas to first ask Rudra who he was. The only reason was that Rudra’s appearance and actions were different from typical Vishnu bhaktas (in terms of smearing his body with ashes, etc). Rudra’s reply was ‘My antaryAmin is the same as your antaryAmin. Hence, my deeds and attire is also a kind of upAsana’. Having learned this, the Devas praised Rudra as a Vaishnava. Our Purvacharyas have discussed this upaniShad in </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vedArtha saMgraha, tattvasAra, shrutaprakAshikA, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and other works.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Those who read through this Upanishad superficially will think of Rudra as the Supreme. One should however note the words of Rudra ‘He has entered all. Hence, I am indeed Him and I alone am everything.’ He does not say ‘I have entered everything’, but ‘He has entered everything’. Note the third-person usage. Also, note other evidences such as the usage of the term </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhagavAn</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">that primarily denotes Vasudeva as per the Vishnu Purana.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">SOME ADDITIONAL POINTS</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the ashvamedhika parva, where bhAgavata-dharma is explained, Sri Krishna says that even those who worship Him with atharvashiras are bhAgavatas:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">atharvazirasA caiva nityam AtharvaNA dvijAH</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">stuvanti satataM ye mAM te 'pi bhAgavatAH smRtAH</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Mahabharata, Ashvamedhika Parva, BORI 14_004_3378 - 14_004_3379)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(You must) know that those AtharvaNa brAhmaNas who chant the atharvashiras daily as part of their worship of Me (KrishNa) are also bhAgavatas, my devotees.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The shruti itself (Nrsimha Purva Tapini) says that the nR^isiMha mantra is the essence of Sri Rudram, Atharvashikha, and atharvashiras.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">VEDANTA PUSHPANJALI</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sarvAtmyaM rudradR^iShTaM tadanubhavabalAt tasya devaiH stuti~nca</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tvadvAcyo~NkAranAmAnyabhihitavivR^itiM bhasmasaMsparshayuktam |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">IshAnAntarniyantuH shritarama | tava nidhyAnamitthamvidhatva-</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nmAhAtmya~ncApyadhIteH phalamiha ca shiraH saptabhiH prAha khaNDaiH ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rudro bhasmAvR^itA~Ngo visadR^iganimiShairvismitaiH ko bhavAni-</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tyuktaH svaM sAdhuvR^ittaM gamayitumagadat nityasarvAtmatAM svAm |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sa svasmAdantaraM tvAmapi bahirakhilAd vIkShya lakShmIsha ! so.ahaM </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sarvo.apyanyonyabhinno.ahamiti dR^iDhamatistaishca vedyaM svamAha ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tvadrUpastattvadR^iShTyA shritarama | vibudhairvindito.asau tatastvAM</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tasyAtmAnaM vidan san bhasitavilasitaH shAntimatyantameti |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tArastvaddhyAnamantraH, vidadhati vidhiviShNvIshalokAptimeta</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nmAtrAH turyAdhamAtrA punariha tanute.anAmayatvapadAptim ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Atharvashiras consists of seven kANDas detailing the following topics:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The sarvAntarAtma stage of meditation experienced by Rudra, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The praise of the Devas, after knowing that (Rudra attained that stage), </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The names and meanings of the syllable ‘om’, which relates to Bhagavan Sriman Narayana, and </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The dhyAna on Rudra’s antaryAmin performed with the wearing of ashes.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus the upaniShad explains Vishnu’s greatness. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Devas enquired Rudra as to who he was, in other words whether he was a Vishnu bhakta or not. This is because Rudra wears ashes in contrast to others. To announce himself as a Vishnu bhakta, Rudra answered their question from the point of view of the antaryAmin, thus: “Since bhagavAn (Sriman Narayana) is the antaryAmin to myself and everything, I can say that I am everything.” Knowing thus, the devas praised him. The upAsaka who meditates on bhagavAn as Rudra’s antaryAmin must wear ashes. The mantra is praNava (the syllable ‘om’). By it, one can attain Para Vasudeva’s eternal blemishless nitya vibhUti.</span></div>
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Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-70679417607737490312017-12-29T10:06:00.000+05:302017-12-30T04:34:32.875+05:30Prelude to the Ishvara Gita - Jnana Yoga<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We will soon be publishing a translation of the Ishvara Gita from the Kurma Purana on this blog. As it is a complicated text, we thought it would be wise to release a series of smaller articles as preludes, to enable an understanding of the fundamentals that the work is based on. This is the first of the preludes. Here, we will explain what Jnana-Yoga is according to the Shastra, as it is relevant to the Ishvara Gita.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jnana-Yoga is realization of the individual self. Among the various puruṣārthas that can be attained, the intrinsic bliss of the individual self is sought after by some. This is brought out in the following Gita shloka:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">catur-vidha bhajante mam janah sukrtino 'rjuna arto jijnasur artharthi jnani ca bharatarsabha (Gita 7.16)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Some people seek refuge in me, to attain the wealth they had lost (arta) and some for acquiring new possessions (artārtin). Still some others take refuge in me to experience the individual self (jijnāsu). Some noble persons do self-surrender to me to attain me (jnāni). All these four types of people are of meritorious deeds.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shankaracharya and Madhvacharya interpret “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">jijnāsu</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” as “One who seeks knowledge of Brahman” and “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">jnāni</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” as “One who has attained knowledge of Brahman”. This is wrong. This is because Bhagavan is dividing these noble people into four classes based on 4 different goals they seek. If jijnāsu and jnāni bear the meanings given by Shankaracharya and Madhvacharya, then it means both have the same goal of Brahman – as one is seeking Brahman and the other has attained Brahman. So, the classification itself is thwarted. Hence, “jijnāsu” means a seeker of the individual self which is a different goal to that of the “jnāni” who seeks to attain Brahman.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Moving on - Since the self is jnānānandamaya, it can be realized, perceived and experienced, as divested of prakrti. This Jnana-Yoga can be of two types – it can be a gateway to Bhakti-Yoga, since self-realization should result in a realization of the Lord who is the indweller of the self. And thus a Jnana Yogi can progress to Bhakti Yoga. Alternatively, Jnana-Yoga is an end in itself for those who consider experience of the individual self as their sole aim.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This Jnana-Yoga has Karma-Yoga, which is performance of desireless works, as its’ accessory. Since it is very difficult to attain the state of meditation on the self, Karma-Yoga is performed. The aspirant performs all duties to engage his senses and at the same time, he is constantly thinking of the self as different from the body. So, he does not hanker after the fruits of the works. This eventually allows him to attain the state of meditation constituting Jnana-Yoga. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Alternatively, Sri Krishna tells Arjuna that one can attain the experience of the individual self by Karma-Yoga, skipping the need for Jnana-Yoga. Because a Karma-Yogi is also constantly contemplating on the self as distinct from the body while doing actions – it thus has a knowledge component to it. Thus, this is a much easier path than Jnana-Yoga to attain the same goal.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To attain an experience of the self, it is not possible to constantly fix the mind on the individual self. So the only means to attain such an experience of the self is to meditate on the Lord. The idea is, one must meditate on the auspicious body of the Lord, using the praṇava, to wean one’s senses away from sense objects. By meditating on the Lord, one attains the highest similarity with him in the form of experience of the individual self. Thus, pranavopāsaṇa is thus an important anga of Jnana-Yoga.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is mentioned in Gita 8.13 as follows,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">om ity ekaksaram brahma vyaharan mam anusmaran yah prayati tyajan deham sa yati paramam gatim</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Constantly uttering “OM” which denotes me, the Brahman, and contemplating me, if a person fixes his life-force in the head and departs from the body, he attains the highest state which is the experience of the pure individual self that is similar to my form.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“paramam gatim” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">here means he attains the goal of the pure self, which is higher than other goals such as material objects, svarga etc under the dominion of the Lord. The pure self is immutable in nature, all-pervasive in knowledge, devoid of karmas and hence is similar to the Lord.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jnana-Yoga has 4 very important stages. These stages are described by Sri Krishna in the Gita as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Stage 1: The First Stage of Equality – Gita 6.29: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The first stage of equality is that the Yogi sees equality everywhere. He sees himself in all other selves and all selves in him. Meaning, he sees that all selves are of identical natures everywhere and there is no difference between them, just as there is no difference between grains of rice which are identical. Differences of man, deva etc lie in the body. Thus, he sees himself everywhere in the same manner as one says, “this is the same rice that I saw in another place”. This is sameness or oneness of vision with all Jivas. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Stage 2: The Second Stage of Equality – Gita 6.30: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He sees the Lord in all the selves and all the selves in the Lord. Meaning, just as he sees similarity between himself and the selves, he sees similarity between himself and the Lord. Both the Jivatma (in the liberated state) and Paramatma are devoid of karma. Thus, the Jnana-Yogi does not see himself as different from Paramatma on that account. This is sameness or oneness of vision with the Lord.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Stage 3: The Third Stage of Equality – Gita 6.31: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The phrase “ekatvamāstithaḥ” is used by the Lord here. In the second stage, the Jnana-Yogi realized his similarity with Paramatma in terms of both being outside the sway of karmas. Now, when karmas are removed, the Jivatma has uncontracted and all-pervasive knowledge (dharma-bhUta-jnAna). Bhagavan also has uncontracted all-pervasive knowledge. Thus, the Yogi increases his feeling of similarity with Paramatma here. He thinks, “As Bhagavan and I both have uncontracted knowledge, both are similar”. Just as Paramatma pervades all things, the Jiva pervades all things by his knowledge. Though the mode of pervasion is different, the similarity is focused on. In this state, the Jnana-Yogi even says, “I am that Paramatma” – meaning, “I am verily similar to that Paramatma”. This is like saying, “This rice in shop A is the same as the rice in Shop B”. Though there are two different rice grains, they are claimed to be the same due to similarity. This is the higher state of sameness or oneness of vision with the Lord.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Stage 4: The Fourth Stage of Equality – Gita 6.32: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In this state, the Jnana-Yogi has identified himself as all the other selves to such an extent, on account of similarity of natures, that he even considers the joys and sorrows of others as his own. This is the apex of Jnana-Yoga.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jnana-Yoga is not just a separate means to experience the self. Both karma and jnana-yogas are accessories to bhakti-yoga as well. Upon realizing the nature of the self as distinct from the body, one then realizes the self is subservient to the Lord, who is the indweller of the self and hence has the self as his body. This then leads naturally to bhakti-yoga.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">However, those seeking to only experience the bliss of the self, do not wish to progress to bhakti-yoga and hence do not meditate on the subservience (seshatva) of the self.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, this is a brief description of ātmopāsaṇa according to śrī rāmānuja.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">REFERENCE TO ATMOPASANA (KAIVALYA MUKTI) IN SHASTRA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The jivātmopāsaṇa is not a favorite of the Lord. Because he feels upset that people would try to attain their own intrinsic bliss as opposed to desiring to attain him! The major Upanishads, the bulk of Bhagavad Gita (barring the first 6 chapters and the 8</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 6pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> chapter), the īthihāsās and the major purāṇās (viśṇu and bhāgavata) focus primarily on Bhakti-Yoga and explain Jnana-Yoga mainly as an accessory to Bhakti-Yoga. Of course, they do contain references to Jnana-Yoga as a separate path to attain the self as well. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The sahasranāma says the Lord is “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">muktānām paramā gatiḥ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – He is the highest goal of the muktas. This implies that there is also a lower goal for the muktas, namely, Atmanubhava, is it not? Indeed so, vide the viśṇu purāṇa,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yoginām amṛtaṃ sthānaṃ yad viṣṇoḥ paramaṃ padam // ~ (viśṇu purāṇa 1.6.38)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">According to Engalazhwan, this shloka says that those yogins who (among those in their respective Asramas) do pratikopāsana (meditate using symbols) on the real nature of their own selves, reach the immortal region (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">amṛtaṃ sthānaṃ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) known as “viṣṇupada” where they meditate on the bliss of their own selves.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That this statement does not refer to Sri Vaikuntha and only refers to kaivalya mukti (bliss of the Jivatma) is seen by the very next statement of the viśṇu purāṇa:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ekāntinaḥ sadā brahmadhyāyino yogino hi ye / teṣāṃ tat paramaṃ sthānaṃ yad vai paśyanti sūrayaḥ // ~ (viśṇu purāṇa 1.6.39).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This shloka says that for those yogins who constantly meditate upon the Supreme Brahman alone, considering him alone as the means and the goal (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ekāntinaḥ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">), is reserved that Supreme Abode of his where the Nitya Suris perpetually perceive and enjoy him (as opposed to the yogins who meditate on their intrinsic bliss in the lower abode).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The usage of “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ekāntinaḥ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” and “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sadā brahmadhyāyino</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” shows that these yogins who are constantly meditating on Brahman are different from those yogins of the previous shloka who are content with the bliss of their own individual selves. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The usage of “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">paramaṃ sthānaṃ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” (that highest abode) qualified by “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sūrayaḥ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” (Nitya Suris perceiving Brahman) differentiates it from the previous “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">amṛtaṃ sthānaṃ</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” which is a lower state of mukti. The idea is, only Vishnu’s supreme abode is perceived eternally by the Nitya Suris like Adi Sesha, Garuda, etc. And thus “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sadā pashyanti suraya</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">:” is a distinguishing feature of Paramapada from Kaivalya Mukti.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The procedure of Jnana-Yoga as a separate means to attain the self (and not as an accessory to Bhakti-Yoga) is described in voluminous detail in other shruti and smriti as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Kurma Purana</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> – 2 sections in pūrva and uttara bhāga (we will get to this)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Garuda Purana</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> – You can read a rough translation of Jnana-Yoga here - </span><a href="http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/gpu/gpu18.htm" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/gpu/gpu18.htm</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Don’t be fooled thinking this section refers to the Lord – it is an account of yoga performed to attain individual self, which is “moksha” or liberation from the distress of samsāra considering the self is higher than material objects. The Lord is describing the individual self by those adjectives to Garuda.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vayu Purana</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> – The adhyāyās on pāśupata yoga or māheśvarya yoga are sāttvika and describe Jnana-yoga. This section has been wrongly assumed by Shaivas to refer to rudra. The terms “paṣupati” and “maheśvara” are applicable to the individual self, as it is the master of the senses or mind that are associated with anger or attachments (paṣupati) and it is the great ruler of the mind, senses and body (maheśvara). We will see these in detail later.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A few smaller Upanishads, which we will comment on later.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And of course, in some of the major Upanishads like the Chandogya and Brihadaranyaka, the chapters 1-6 of Bhagavad Gita, as well as aksharOpAsaNa in chapter 8. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">ROLE OF SHIVA IN ATMOPASANA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shiva is a bestower of knowledge regarding Brahman. He imparts the tāraka mantra (praṇava) to seekers of the individual self at the time of death, because Brahman and praṇavopāsaṇa is the means to attain the individual self. Thus, he is a mediator in this type of upāsaṇa. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In fact, the Vayu Purana, in the pāṣupata yoga adhyāya (also called māhEśvarya yoga), says that those seeking the individual self, having conquered material attachments, are exalted in rudra-loka:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">etena vidhinā yogo virakta sukśmavarjitaṃ prakrtiṃ samatikramya rudraloko mahīyate (~Vayu Purana 12.35)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The Yogi, by this procedure (of Jnana-Yoga), becomes detached from desire for material objects and being devoid of the (afflictions of) the senses constituted of the subtle elements, he crosses over prakrti (ie, attains experience of the individual self which is higher than prakrti) and is joyous or exalted in Rudra Loka.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Yogis are said to cross over prakrti as they eschew material objects and attain the self which is higher than prakrti. It does not imply liberation. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, they attain Shiva’s abode and partake of his knowledge to attain the individual self. This has again been wrongly understood by Shaivas as praising Rudra Loka as a supreme abode. The Garuda Purana shloka quoted by Dvaitins also reinforce this fact:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sthitaprajño'pi yastūrdhvaḥ prāpya raudraṁ padaṁ tataḥ | sāṅkarṣaṇaṁ tato muktimagād viṣṇuprasādataḥ || (~Garuda Purana)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: “A sthitaprajña (One who is unaffected by changes due to meditation on the individual self), who is also Urdhva (one who has risen above desire), obtained (reached) the abode belonging to Rudra (raudraṁ padaṁ), then the abode of Sankarshana (sāṅkarṣaṇaṁ) and thereafter obtained mukti by the grace of vishNu”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that these aspirants progress to Sankarshana Loka only if they have progressed from Jnana-Yoga to Bhakti-Yoga. In that sense, this shloka is not an absolute reference to Jnana-Yoga as a separate path, but as an accessory to bhakti-yoga. Still, the role of Rudra as helping Jnana-Yogis is clearly brought out here.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It should also be noted that it is not 100% necessary to get the help of Shiva. However, many wise sages choose to do it on account of him being a celebrated guru. Thus, the attainment of Rudraloka is only for those types of upāsakās who seek his grace and who meditate on the indweller of Rudra to attain the self. The others go to a place near Meru.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Varanasi is thus, recommended as a place of stay for such Kaivalyartis. Shiva, at the time of death, imparts the knowledge of the Lord denoted by the praṇava, which enables them to attain liberation from the distress of samsāra by experience of the individual self:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“O Pot-born Sage, without the knowledge that roots out Karmas (ie, lack of ability to undertake meditation on the self), a person who dies in Kashi attains the state of the imperishable self (amRta), with the favor of the Moon-crested Lord. With or without effort on one's part, one shall abandon the body and die in Kashi. Through the imparting of the Taraka Mantra, he shall attain the state of the individual self that is imperishable (amRta)”. (~</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Chapter 30, Purvavadha , Kasi Khanda of Skanda Purana).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, the liberation that Shiva grants is that of attainment of the individual self, not the ultimate moksha. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Some dveshis with affiliation to the Sringeri Mutt argue that the well-known claim that Shiva whispers “Rama, Rama” in the ears of the dying at Kashi is refuted by this and that “tāraka” refers to the praṇava as follows (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Source: </span><a href="https://www.kamakotimandali.com/misc/mokshapuri.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">https://www.kamakotimandali.com/misc/mokshapuri.html</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">):</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“The Taraka Mantra referred here is Pranava and not Rama Taraka. Pranava being the first and the foremost of all the Mantras, is the true tAraka mantra. Also, the scriptures explain anusandhana of Pranava as the path to Brahma Jnana. Some claim that Lord Mahadeva utters Rama mantra in the ear of a dying person in Kashi and grants him Moksha. This seems to be the belief of only some Vaishnavaite cults and has been well publicized. Though Rama mantra Japa can lead one to a state of Shuddha Chitta, required for Jnana, it is incorrect to assume that mere recitation of Rama mantra or any other mantra on deathbed can grant one Moksha.” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Well, where is the contradiction? The Brahman who is the referent of the praṇava is none other than Rama. This is confirmed by Shiva himself, vide the pramāṇa,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">O</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mityevam sadā viprāh padatvam dhyāta keśavam” – “O Brahmanas! Always keep chanting “OM”. Meditate on Keshava</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – These are the words of Shiva himself in the Mahabharata, who imparts the praṇava for those interested in ātmopāsaṇa. Who is Rama, but Keshava himself!!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">They are both correct. Shiva imparts the knowledge of Rama, through the tāraka mantra. As meditation on the Lord’s body is an anga of Jnana-Yoga, with praṇava japa, it is clear that Shiva, in his form as Vishvanatha at Kashi, himself meditates on the body of Rama and imparts the knowledge to those living there. Then they attain the state of meditation on the individual self, which is liberation from samsara.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">ROLE OF SHATARUDRIYAM IN ATMOPASANA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There are many places in the Shastra where the Shatarudriya japa is glorified as capable of bestowing liberation. Now, there is a reason why great Acharyas like Shankara, Ramanuja and Madhva have not given as much notice to the Shatarudriyam as compared to the Narayana Suktam (for instance). This is because while the Narayana Suktam is solely aimed at ascertaining the ultimate reality, the Rudram is a section that describes the qualities of the Lord to curb the distress of the senses. Thus, it has a lower level of importance than the Narayana Suktam or the Purusha Suktam, although it talks about the same Lord. The focus of the ṣatarudrīyam is not to determine the nature of the ultimate reality, but it takes the form of praise of the ultimate reality in the assumption that it is already known (as Narayana).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is similar to the Vishnu and Bhagavata Puranas. The Vishnu Purana is quoted by all Acharyas because it provides clarification on the nature of the Supreme Being. The Bhagavatam is more in the mood of someone who already knows all that, and is willing to simply immerse himself in the qualities and deeds of the Lord. Similarly, the Narayana Sukta is used to ascertain the nature of the ultimate reality, while the Rudram praises that ultimate reality which is already known, to curb the senses.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Since ātmopāsaṇa’s biggest challenge is curbing the senses, and since Shatarudriyam involves weaning the indrīyās away from sense objects to focus on the Lord whose meditation is a means to attain the individual self, the recitation of the Shatarudriyam becomes an accessory to Jnana-Yoga. It is thus glorified in Shastras wherever ātmopāsaṇa is described and its’ Japa is said to confer liberation in the sense of freedom from distress of samsara by focusing on attaining the individual self.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, we will come across several places in later articles where Japa of Rudram is glorified or mentioned in connection with Jnana Yoga. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I assume this brief description of Jnana-Yoga will have enlightened readers on its’ nature to an extent. This article serves as a prelude to future articles which will dwell heavily on this particular type of Upasana. By referring to this write-up, your doubts on other future articles (if any) will be clarified.</span></div>
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Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-55491293345454850112017-12-10T17:09:00.000+05:302017-12-10T17:09:57.882+05:30New Article: Part II continuation of "Sridhara, Anugita, and Miscellaneous Topics"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This journal entry is about the latest article titled “<a href="https://narayanastra.blogspot.com/p/sridhara-anu-gita-and-miscellaneous.html">Sridhara, Anugita, and Miscellaneous Topics: Part II</a>”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Part I of this two-part article focused on Sridhara Swami’s commentaries on Vishnu and Bhagavata Puranas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There are Vishnu/Vaishnava haters who similarly misinterpret the Anu Gita and other sections of the shAstra to show that Shiva is supreme. We have written up the second part focusing these issues.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Some interesting excerpts:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">para.n hi brahma kathitaM yogayuktena tanmayA |itihAsa.n tu vakShyAmi tasminnarthe purAtanam || 12||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yathA tAM buddhimAsthAya gatimagryA.n gamiShyasi |shR^iNu dharmabhR^itA.n shreShTha gadataH sarvameva me || 13||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This “yOga-yuktEna” has been misused and abused by a number of internet vishNu-dvEshis.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“yOga-yukta” – If the Shaivas had read how many times “yOga” occurs in the gIta, they wouldn’t be misusing this term to claim that “krishNa was in yOga with shiva to discourse gIta”. For that matter, why bizarrely introduce shiva when he is nowhere mentioned either here or in the bhagavad gIta?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“yoga-yukta” – By engaging or making use of my divine will, which is unimpeded by anything. It was his will or sankalpa to discourse the gIta to Arjuna, and he does not have that sankalpa now, due to Arjuna causing displeasure for him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">BhagavAn himself has said this in the gIta itself, as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">maya prasannena tavarjunedam rupam param darsitam atma-yogat (~gIta 11.47)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Through the unfettered power of my will (Atma-yOgAt), out of grace to you, ie, favoring you who are devoted to me (prasannEna), I have shown my cosmic form to you.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">…</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, bhagavAn, anticipating the objection mentioned previously, is saying, “Do not think, Arjuna, that you had any merit back then. Because even back then, I discoursed the gIta out of my own will to favor you, not because you were eligible, but because you didn’t reject my grace, which is an alpa-vyAjam for me. But now, by forgetting everything, you have rejected my grace. So in that sense, I am not acting arbitrarily. The “acceptance or rejection of my grace” is my reason for deciding to teach you”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">…</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The idea is that the term “yOga” can mean several things, but it definitely does not mean shrI krishNa meditated on some lesser deity who has repeatedly been defeated by the Lord whenever he came up against the latter.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">On the Kathaka Aranyaka:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There is an anecdote from the Aranyaka that is used by vaishnavas and shaivas alike. There are two opinions on this section:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Some vitanDa vAdis use this section to claim that it is declaring Rudra as the supreme. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">On the contrary, we have the Vaishnavas (Dvaitins) who claim that this section is declaring VishNu as the supreme.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">On the Kaivalyopanishad:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We have the upabrahmaNam for our interpretation in the brahmAnda purANa, which occurs in the form of a stOtra (kavacha) to Narasimha. Quoting the sloka,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">विवृतास्यं त्रिनयनं शरदिन्दुसमप्रभम् ।</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">लक्ष्म्यालिङ्गितवामाङ्गं विभूतिभिरुपाश्रितम् ॥ ३॥ (~ narasimha kavacham, brahmAnda purANA)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: His (Narasimha's) mouth is wide open, he has three eyes, and he is as radiant as the autumn moon . He is embraced by LakShmIdevI on his left side, and his form is the shelter of all auspicious attributes which are his wealth. </span></div>
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Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-52576876914437633842017-11-29T16:36:00.002+05:302017-11-29T16:38:28.304+05:30New Article: Sridhara Swamin's position<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Our latest article discusses the issue of Hari-Hara aikya vAda and shows how Sridhara Swamin has upheld Vishnu's Supremacy without compromising, in his commentaries on both bhAgavata and Vishnu Purana.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In this article, we highlight portions from Sridhara Swamin's commentaries that our adversaries are conveniently silent upon. Using this, we show how to consistently interpret the whole of the Advaita gurus' works. Also, we have quoted important portions from the Narayaneeyam of Narayana Bhattathiri that our hari-hara aikya vAdin friends cannot deny.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Some extracts worth highlighting:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sa paraḥ paraśaktīnāṃ brahmaṇaḥ samanantaram /</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mūrtaṃ brahma mahābhāga sarvabrahmamayo hariḥ // ViP_1,22.63 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He (Vishnu) is the Supreme of all powers of Brahman, being the closest to it. This is Brahman with form, oh great one, as Hari is Brahman embodied as a whole</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Shridhara’s Commentary:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“hareH sarvashreShThatvamAha, sa para iti dvAbhyAm | brahmaNaH shaktInAM madhye sa paraH shreShThaH | yataH samanantaraH atinikaTaH | yato mUrtaM ghanIbhUtaM brahmaiva saH | tatra hetuH, sarvabrahmamayaH kR^itsnabrahmarUpaH na tu brahmAdivat tadaMshaH |”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(parAshara) states that Hari is Supreme above all, in this shloka. Of all the powers of Brahman, He is the Supreme, most excellent. This is because He is nearest to it. In turn, this is because He is indeed the embodiment of Brahman. The reason for this is -- He is the complete form of all of Brahman, unlike Brahma and others who are partial manifestations of Brahman.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shridhara thus rips apart the trimUrti-aikyatva vAda of Vishnu-hating pseudo-vedAntins</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the fifth aMsha, shrIdhara svAmin shatters the hopes of shaivAdvaitins and hari-hara aikya vAdins, by showing that the shvetAshvatara upaniShad says Lord Vishnu is the progenitor of Brahma, and hence does not think that the shvetAshvatara is a shiva-para upaniShad:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Shloka:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tvaṃ parastvaṃ parasyādyaḥ paraṃ tvattaḥ parātmaka /</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">parasmātparamo yas tvaṃ tasya stoṣyāmi kinnv aham // ViP_5,7.62 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You are supreme, you are the progenitor of the highest, from you (springs) the highest, Oh Lord! You are Higher than the highest, how indeed is it possible for me to praise you in full? (It is not possible to praise You in full)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Commentary:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“tvamiti tvaM paraH sarvotkR^iShTa etadevAha parasya hiraNyagarbhasyAdyo janakastvaM ‘yo brahmANaM vidadhAti pUrvam’ iti shruteH | tatra hetuH | paramavyaktaM tvattaH pravartate he parAtmaka |”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that shrIdhara quotes “yo brahmANaM vidadhAti pUrvam” from the shvetAshvatara as addressing Vishnu.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the sixth aMsha, the commentator says that nindA of other devatAs is found in the shAstras to explain the Supremacy of Hari:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Shloka:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">anye tu puruṣavyāghra cetaso ye vyapāśrayāḥ /</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">aśuddhāste samastāstu devādyāḥ karmayonayaḥ // ViP_6,7.77 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The others such as devAs, oh tiger among men (parAshara addressing Maitreya), are sentient beings who are impure and are impacted by their karma.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Commentary:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“arvAgdevatAnindayA bhagavanmUrttidhAraNAmeva dR^iDhIkaroti anye ceti dvAbhyAM”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">By censuring the lower devatAs, parAshara is emphasising that the form of Bhagavan (Vishnu) alone is fit to be fixed in one’s mind.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that Shridhara is saying “nindA of the lower devatas” and not just “nindA of other devatas”. This means that our commentator agrees on the devatA tAratamya, with Vishnu as the Highest. We have already seen this in the astra-bhUShaNa adhyAya commentary above.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> In the article, we also show how Advaitins like Narayana Bhatta/Desha Mangala have interpreted alleged hari-hara abheda para vAkyas in purANas, such as the following spoken by Shiva:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“ahaM tvaM sarvago deva ! tvamevAhaM janArdana ! |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">AvayorantaraM nAsti shabdairarthairjagatpate ! ||”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“I am indeed you, who is all-pervading, oh effulgent one! You alone exist as me, oh janArdana! Between us, there is no difference in terms of words or meanings, oh Lord of the universe!”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Another extract from Desha Mangala's commentary:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For the sake of</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">the shaivas, the paurANikas have created injunctions to worship You in the form of Rudra/Shiva, as the One who is beyond the brahmANDa. You are indeed the “Purusha” (as You enter into the universe and establish Yourself there). Hence, You are the in-dweller in all of the different cosmic brahmANDas. Since you are the cause of all i.e., since the trimUrtis are established in You, the existence of such injunctions is not exceedingly inappropriate. Even so, from the paramArtha state, those forms are all Yours alone and not those of Brahma or Shiva. We have many pramANas that state so."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The interested reader can read the whole article <a href="https://narayanastra.blogspot.com/p/sridhara-anugita-and-miscellaneous.html">here</a>. This is the first of a two-part article series. The second part will contain some discussion of Anu-Gita and some portions in the brAhmaNas that are contended by Shaivas.</span></div>
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Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-78873480144168877652017-11-14T16:28:00.001+05:302017-11-29T16:15:38.643+05:30Analysis of Sauptika Parva<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Introduction</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the Sauptika Parva, Ashwattama performs a tAmasic penance to Rudra to gain the power to kill the pAndavas. Rudra appears before Ashwattama and says:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">satyaśaucārjava tyāgais tapasā niyamena ca kṣāntyā bhaktyā ca dhṛtyā ca buddhyā ca vacasā tathā</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> yathāvad aham ārāddhaḥ kṛṣṇenākliṣṭakarmaṇā</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here, Rudra says he has been worshipped by Krishna.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Our Shaivite friends, as usual ignoring context and meaning, take this shlOka and try to make out that Krishna worshipped Rudra as the supreme. So, let us address this.</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is nothing out of the ordinary. We know very well that shrI krishNa worshipped Rudra during his avatAra as per the following pramANAs:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">anyadevaM varaM dehi prasiddhaM sarvajantuShu |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">martyo bhUtvA bhavAneva mama sAdhaya keshava ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mAM bhajasva cha devesha varaM matto gR^ihANa cha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yenAhaM sarvabhUtAnAM pUjyAtpUjyataro.abhavam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning : (Rudra says): "Please give me this boon. By incarnating on Earth, Oh Lord Kesava, worship me and get boons from me. From this, I will become worship-worthy to all the beings”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">devakAryAntarEShu mAnuShatvaMupEyivan| tvamEvArAdhayiShyAmi mama tvaM varadO bhava||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: (VishNu says:) In all the devakAryAs, by taking forms resembling a human, I will worship you only and make you varadA or the granter of boons.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Also this shlOka,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">AhaMapyavatArEshu tvAM ca rudra mahAbala |tAmasAm mohanArthaM pUjayAmi yuge yuge||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: O Rudra of mighty arms! In every yuga (during his krishNavatAra), I in my avatArAs, for the sake of deluding the tAmasic people (like Ashwattama), worship you</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bhagavan himself explains in the Shanti parva that he had only worshipped Rudra’s antaryAmin and had he not worshipped Rudra, then the latter would never be worshipped by anyone as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yadyahaM nArchayeyaM vai IshAnaM varadaM shivam AtmAnaM nArchayetkashchiditi me bhAvitaM manaH (~shanti parva, mahAbhArata)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: If I did not worship Rudra, the bestower of boons, some would not worship me, the indwelling Lord (having Rudra as my body), at all - this is my opinion.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When Krishna says here that “Some would not worship me otherwise”, he means Rudra by “me”. Because Rudra is the body of Krishna, by sAmAnAdhikaraNya, “me” applies to Rudra and the antaryAmin of Rudra. So, what bhagavAn is saying above is that, “If I didn’t make this deity worship-worthy by worshipping his antaryAmin, none would worship him, which implies none would worship me in the form of Rudra, as he is my body and I am his antaryAmin”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Furthermore, shrI Krishna also clarifies in the Sauptika Parva itself that he worshipped Rudra for the sake of obtaining sons (and not as though Rudra is some supreme deity) as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">brahmacaryaṃ mahad ghoraṃ cīrtvā dvādaśa vārṣikam</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">himavatpārśvam abhyetya yo mayā tapasārcitaḥ</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: That son whom I obtained through ascetic penances and observances of austere brahmacarya for twelve years on the breast of Himavati whither I had gone for the purpose….</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And in the Harivamsha, this penance of Krishna is declared in detail and it also explains how Shiva worshipped Krishna after this “penance” and identified him alone as the Supreme. A sample of what Shiva tells Krishna in that section:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nAnyo jagati devo.asti viShNornArAyaNAtparaH |…(Harivamsha~3-89-9)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Spoken by none other than Shiva itself. It cannot get clearer than this. So much for “Shiva paratva” then!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There is not even any need to go all the way to Harivamsha. In the same Sauptika Parva itself, shrI Krishna declares that no deva or dAnava is superior to him as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">devadānavagandharvamanuṣyapatagoragāḥ</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">na samā mama vīryasya śatāṃśenāpi piṇḍitāḥ</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Gods, Asuras, Gandharvas, Manushyas, Birds and Snakes assembled together do not equal even a hundredth part of my power. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When that is the case, where is the question of Rudra being superior to Krishna?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, we have proven that the words of Rudra to Ashwattama about Krishna worshipping him pertained to the incident of getting progeny for Rukmini. Anyway, let us look at the dialogue between Rudra and Ashwattama in detail.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Explanation of Rudra’s Words</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ashwattama appeases Rudra by performing tapas. Rudra appears before Ashwattama. At this point, Rudra faces the following dilemma:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He knows that the boon he is about to give Ashwattama is directly against the will of shrI krishNa, as it transgresses dharma. Ashwattama has already invited the ire of the Lord.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Furthermore, by giving this boon, Rudra could become known as one who acted against shrI krishna as well. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To clarify and justify his stand, Rudra smiles and tells Ashwattama the following:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">satyaśaucārjava tyāgais tapasā niyamena ca kṣāntyā bhaktyā ca dhṛtyā ca buddhyā ca vacasā tathā</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> yathāvad aham ārāddhaḥ kṛṣṇenākliṣṭakarmaṇā</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: I have been worshipped by Krishna, of unwearied actions with (ie, in association with the auspicious qualities of) Good-Naturedness, Clarity of Mind, Integrity, Abandon, Knowledge, Controllership, Forgiveness, Determined Attachment, Patience, Intelligence and Sweet Words. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">By this shlOka, rudra clarifies his stand as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">First</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Rudra explains that he is installed as a boon giving god by the worship of Krishna, and thus is duty-bound to grant Ashwattama’s boon. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, by saying “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ahaM ArAddha krishNena</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">…”, Rudra clarifies that bhagavAn has fulfilled his boon to him, made him a deity who can grant boons and thus, he cannot be considered to be in the wrong to give this boon to Ashwattama. He is only acting as per the will of the Lord who appointed him as a boon-giver.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This absolves Rudra of blame for what will transpire.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Next</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, Rudra clarifies the question as to whether by such worship, KrishNa becomes inferior or superior to him. He says “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">krishNenAklishta karmaNA</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">:” – “I was worshipped by Krishna of unfatigued actions”. What is the meaning?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">akliShtakarmaNA</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – One who carries out actions without fatigue or weariness. Meaning, bhagavAn is one who is always carrying out actions to please his devotees unceasingly. He never tires of doing this. Always he is thinking, “what next can I do to make my devotee happy?”. In present context, it means that shrI krishNa carried out the action of worshipping Rudra to please his devotee Rudra, making him reputed as a boon-giver. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The proof of this interpretation can be seen in the rAmAyaNa where an almost similar shlOka occurs:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vibhiiShaNo.atha sugriivo hanumaan jaambavaaMstathaa || 6-128-86</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sarvavAnaravR^iddhAshcha raameNaakliShTakarmaNaa |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yathArhaM pUjitAH sarve kAmai ratnaishcha puShkalair || 6-128-87</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">prahR^iShTamanasaH sarve jagmureva yathAgatam |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Rama, who was unwearied in action, then suitably honoured Vibhishana, Sugreeva, Hanuma, Jamabavan and all other eminent monkeys with desired objects and abundant gifts. All of them went back, delighted in mind even as they had come.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The shlOka is very similar to what Rudra has said. Rama and Krishna are both mentioned to be “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">akliShtakarmaNa:”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> - of unfatigued action in the context of rewarding their devotees. Rudra uses the term “ArAddhaH” which is similar to usage of the word “pUjitAH” in the rAmAyaNa. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, Rudra, like Vibhishana, etc was also a devotee of the Lord and honored by being worshipped, which was the boon that Rudra sought from the Lord. While Vibhishana, etc were honored with gifts as per their desires, Rudra was worshipped as per his desire. BhagavAn honors his devotees as per their desires.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The usage of “akliShtakarmaNA:”, a kalyANa guNa of bhagavAn specifically in reference to his devotees establishes that Rudra, like VibhishaNa, etc, is a devotee of the Lord and was merely honored by worship. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Even Arjuna and others are often referred to as “akliShtakarmaNA:” elsewhere, but the term assumes a special significance when used in reference to bhagavAn in the context of him serving his devotees. For it is well known that he is never satisfied in granting the wishes of his devotees. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Having proven that Rudra is a boon-giving god due to shrI krishNa’s grace and is also the latter’s devotee, the adjectives that Rudra uses for shrI krishNa’s “worship” of Rudra can be interpreted as describing the auspicious attributes of the Lord, as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra says shrI krishNa worshipped him in association with the qualities of:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Satya </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">– BhagavAn is called “satya” because he is always good to sat-puruShAs like Shiva who seek favors from him. Shiva is a sat-puruSha as he is meditating on bhagavAn through the tAraka mantra, and thus becomes fit to be honored by bhagavAn.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Saucha </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">– Purity. BhagavAn is pure, and thus association with him makes one pure. In this case, bhagavAn gave rudra a boon that would make the latter worship-worthy, and thus, purified Rudra by making him worshippable through his association.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Arjava </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">– The quality of integrity. The idea is that, bhagavAn would never mean one thing, say another and do a third thing. When he says “I will worship rudra and make him worship-worthy”, he did exactly that. He is not capable of duplicity and is always sincere.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tyAga </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">– Forsaking his lofty position of being the worshipped, bhagavAn became the worshipper. This is “tyAga”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tapasA </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">– “tapas” means knowledge, as per “tapObrahma”. BhagavAn possesses the Supreme Knowledge of Paravidya, and when he worshipped Rudra, it was as per the shAstra only, whereby he worshipped himself, ie, the antaryAmin.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">niyama - jati, Ayuh, bhogadikam niyamyate asmin iti Niyamah – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">BhagavAn</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ordains the fruits of worship to each individual according to the nature of their worship of the anya devatas of their choice. He allows the individual to choose the deity of their choice, makes their conviction in the deity steady and empowers the deity to bestow the desired fruit on the individual. In this manner, he has empowered Rudra to fulfill the desires of others by worshipping Rudra with this quality.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kSantya – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Forgiveness</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He endures several transgressions of Rudra such as fighting with him during the bAnAsura yuddha, etc, forgives him for it and still elevates Rudra by worshipping him. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhaktya</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> – The root “bhaj-“ refers to incessant and determined engagement or practice in something. It means, he is ever engaged in looking after the welfare of devotees when they surrender to him. Thus, when Rudra surrendered to him, bhagavAn granted him his desire and worshipped him to elevate him. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dhRtya </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">– Patience. He endures whatever his devotees do with him patiently. When yaShoda wanted to tie him with the rope, he patiently allowed himself to be tied. When Rudra wanted bhagavAn to worship him, he patiently did so without fuss. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">buddhya </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">– Intellect. BhagavAn is acutely intelligent and knows the desires of his devotees very well. He knew the desire of Rudra and fulfilled it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vacasA </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">– With words which are pleasing to listen to for his devotees, he eulogizes them. Thus he praised Rudra with sweet words.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, all of these qualities indicate the supremacy of the Lord when he worshipped Rudra. This shloka does not support shiva-paratva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shiva, by citing the worship of Krishna, has clarified that he is competent to give Ashwattama a boon. Now, to dispel the idea that he is acting against Krishna, Shiva says,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tasmād iṣṭatamaḥ kṛṣṇād anyo mama na vidyate</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: On account of (his magnanimous nature and the auspicious qualities described above), there is none dearer to me than Krishna.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“tasmAd” here means, “on account of these auspicious qualities with which he lowered himself to the level of worshipping me and his magnamimous nature in elevating me”. This is as per the brihadAraNyaka which says that the Atman is dearer than wealth, wife, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kurvatā tasya saṃmānaṃ tvāṃ ca jijñāsatā mayā</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pāñcālāḥ sahasā guptā māyāś ca bahuśaḥ kṛtāḥ</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kṛtas tasyaiṣa saṃmānaḥ pāñcālān rakṣatā mayā</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: For honouring him (Krishna) and at his word I have protected the Pancalas and displayed diverse kinds of wondrous powers. By protecting the Pancalas I have honoured him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“sammAna” refers to the act of honor, ie, kainkarya. The maxim is, “bhagavAn follows his devotees, who follows his path”. As Shiva is a devotee of Krishna, he being rewarded by Krishna with his desires, paid respects to Krishna by offering him services in the form of protecting the Panchalas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shiva, by this, has clarified that he is competent to give Ashwattama a boon and that his own disposition is not against the will of Krishna. Now, he justifies his stand by declaring that what he is doing (in giving this boon) is dharmic as per the following:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">abhibhūtās tu kālena naiṣām adyāsti jīvitam</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: They have, however, been afflicted by time. The period of their lives has run out.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Furthermore, the same section says Mahadeva granted Ashwattama’s boon by entering the latter’s body through yogic power as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evam uktvā maheṣvāsaṃ bhagavān ātmanas tanum</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">āviveśa dadau cāsmai vimalaṃ khaḍgam uttamam</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> athāviṣṭo bhagavatā bhūyo jajvāla tejasā</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> varṣmavāṃś cābhavad yuddhe deva sṛṣṭena tejasā</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Having said these words unto the high-souled Ashvatthama, Bhagavan Mahesha entered Ashvatthama's body after giving him an excellent and polished sword. Filled by that divine being, Drona's son blazed up with energy. In consequence of that energy derived from Bhagavan (Rudra), he became all-powerful in battle.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">*Note that “bhagavAn” is an honorific here for a respected person.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Besides the fact that the power of entering another’s body as demonstrated here is typically that of yOgi (parakAya pravEsa) who is a jIva with merit, what “supreme being” associates himself with a tAmasic person like Ashwattama in this manner for an act of adharma?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For it is adharma. Despite Shiva’s justification, such a manner of killing is an act of tamO guNa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Of course, Shiva justifies his actions by saying the time of death for the sons of pAndavas has come. Ashwattama was a vyAja (excuse) to bring about their deaths. But it does not make Ashwattama’s actions dharmic. And therefore, it does not make Rudra’s actions of giving a tAmasic person boons dharmic either. There is never an instance in shAstra of bhagavAn vAsudeva ever empowering an Asura in the manner Rudra has empowered Ashwattama here. These are the actions of a lesser deity who is associated with tamo guNa, and who cannot offer protection to all unlike bhagavAn.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Sauptika Parva also says that even despite all this power granted to Ashwattama, both him and Rudra only achieved this heinous act because bhagavAn himself as well as his associates was absent during that time:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">teṣāṃ nūnaṃ bhayān nāsau kṛtavān kurunandana</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">asāṃnidhyād dhi pārthānāṃ keśavasya ca dhīmataḥ</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sātyakeś cāpi karmedaṃ droṇaputreṇa sādhitam</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">na hi teṣāṃ samakṣaṃ tān hanyād api marutpatiḥ</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Through fear of the Parthas, O son of Kuru's race, Ashvatthama could not achieve such a feat then. It was owing to the absence of the Parthas and the intelligent Keshava as also of Satyaki, that Drona's son could accomplish it. Who is there, the lord Indra unexcepted, that is competent to slay them in the presence of these heroes?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note the usage of “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Keshava</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” here. The name means that the Lord is the master of brahma and rudra, this he is Keshava. It is to highlight that Krishna is the master to Rudra, and thus the latter could not have empowered Ashwattama to achieve this had Krishna been here, that the name “Keshava” is specifically mentioned.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When it is said “Including Indra, none can slay them in their presence”, Rudra is also included by virtue of the fact that the current act was achieved by Rudra in the absence of the Pandavas. Had Rudra been able to slay them in the presence of Krishna, the shloka would have included him as an exception. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Not just Krishna. Even were the associates of bhagavAn like Arjuna and Satyaki were present, Rudra would not have been able to kill them through Ashwattama! The devotees of the Lord are as powerful as him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, the analysis of this section only brings out the paratva of the Lord nArAyaNa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Krishna’s Praise of Rudra</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Later on in the same Parva, Krishna explains to Yudhishthira as to why the sons of pAndavas were killed. We might as well explain this shlOka as well here, though it has been explained earlier by us in the comments:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nūnaṃ sa deva devānām īśvareśvaram avyayam jagāma śaraṇaṃ drauṇir ekas tenāvadhīd bahūn</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">prasanno hi mahādevo dadyād amaratām api vīryaṃ ca giriśo dadyād yenendram api śātayet</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vedāhaṃ hi mahādevaṃ tattvena bharatarṣabha yāni cāsya purāṇāni karmāṇi vividhāny uta</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ādir eṣa hi bhūtānāṃ madhyam antaś ca bhārata viceṣṭate jagac cedaṃ sarvam asyaiva karmaṇā | (MBH 10:17:6-9)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: (KrishNa says:) Drona’s son sought the aid of the Lord of Devas (Shiva), who is the Ishvareswara as he is the superior most to those others who are called Ishvaras (like sanat-kumArAs, etc) as they are masters of their minds, who are not covered, ie, their knowledge is unobscured (avyaya). Girisha can give such strength as can enable one to prevail over Indra himself. if Mahadeva is pleased, he can even grant mOksha, meaning, the knowledge that leads to Moksha. I indeed know mahAdeva in reality, ie, his essence which is nArAyaNa, and also his acts of old (accomplished by the aid of nArAyaNa). He (ie, the rudra sharIraka paramAtma) is certainly is the beginning, the middle, and the end of all creatures. This entire universe acts and moves through his will.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Ishvara gIta of the kUrma purANa contains a shlOka that describes one who regularly practices yoga as “mahEshvara” and thus “Ishvara” refers to those who are the masters of controllers of their mind (and senses). Rudra is the best among them, hence he is “IshvarEshvara”. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra is avyaya - na vIyatE - he is not covered (by ignorance). Meaning, his knowledge of Brahman is not obstructed by karmas which prevent one from undertaking bhakti yOga.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">On account of these qualities, Rudra has earned sufficient merit so as to grant others prowess capable of checking Indra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">On account of these qualities, Rudra can be said to grant moksha even. The “hi” in the shlOka shows that this is not a deity that is renowned to grant moksha, hence the fact that Rudra can grant moksha is a cause for wonder. So how can Rudra grant moksha?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He can grant the knowledge of vishNu that leads to moksha. What is the proof for this interpretation? “jnAnam iccet IshvarAt”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Mahadeva grants moksha because he grants knowledge of Brahman that leads to moksha. The speaker is krishNa who alone grants moksha to everyone. Thus, it is very easy for him to say "mahadeva grants moksha", for it only means "Those who surrender to Shiva for knowledge are never refused moksha as it is my will". The analogy is like a King saying "Talk to my minister, he can solve all your problems" - it only means the King solves everyone's problems when they approach the minister.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“vedAhaM hi mahAdevaM tattvEna” – I know mahAdeva in reality or essence, meaning, I know him in his true nature or essence as nArAyaNa. For the true nature of a jIva is nothing but paramAtma, who as the antaryAmin sustains the jIva and is the cause for existence of the jIva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"mahAdevaM tattvEna" - Unlike vishvAmitra who simply says "ahaM vedmi rAmaM" in the rAmAyaNa, sri krishNa says "vedAhaM hi mahAdevaM tattvena" - rather than just "mahAdevam". The reason is because while rAma has no antaryAmin, mahAdeva has that rAma (nArAyaNa) as his antatyAmin.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that krishNa uses "hi" again - it implies that the true nature of Mahadeva is his antaryAmin which is hidden to all.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This word “tattvEna” echoes the upanishadic statement “nityO nityAnAm” and “satyasya satyam” – paramAtma is the reality of the many realities and the truth of the other truths as he is the inner self of the jivA, has the jivA as his body and makes them exist as well as empowers them. Mahabharata also uses the term “nArAyaNatmaka” with respect to Rudra – spoken by krishNa himself.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The sahasranAma has the names “tattvam tattva vidEkAtma”. Here, it is mentioned “tattvam” is a name of vishNu. Bhattar gives the following meaning for “tattvam” nAma – “He who is the essence (sArAmSha) or principle of the Universe. Bhattar further adds - "dadhi dugdhayoriva dadhisAraH cit acitoH vyApti prayojanAbhyAm sArAmSaH tat-tvam" – Like butter which is the essence of milk and curd, bhagavAn, by His pervasion and usefulness in the sentient and non-sentient things, is the essence of all things. Butter gives texture, taste, the energy content, etc., to milk and curd. So also, bhagavAn is the essence of all things, by being the cause of their existence, the source of their sustenance etc.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, “vedAhaM hi mahAdevaM tattvEna” means “I know Mahadeva in his essence (Narayana)”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, it is to say that mahAdeva’s boon to ashwattama is very great because his antaryAmin (nArAyaNa) has aided mahAdeva to perform wondrous acts in the past. Then, the lines - he is the beginning, middle, end and universe acts by his will etc refer to paramAtma who is the innerself of Rudra and has Rudra as his body. So he last line describes that tattva, the antaryAmin only. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Finally, bhagavAn describes the destruction of a deva yajna in the past as a sample of Rudra’s prowess. The inner meanings of that incident have been covered in this blog under the </span><a href="https://narayanastra.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_57.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">article on Shiva Leelas here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, the Sauptika Parva has been covered to a substantial extent here. It, like other portions of the mahAbhArata, only talks about shrI krishNa as the supreme person and no other.</span></div>
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Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-49795540256812954292017-10-27T18:14:00.003+05:302017-10-27T18:14:58.097+05:30Tamasa Puranas: Additional Content Analysis<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dear all,<br /><br />We have been reading the actual shlokas from shiva
purANa, linga purANa, etc that describe the tAmasic incidents like
lingOdbhava, Siva-pUja using vishNu's eye, etc. It is very amusing to
see that if Shaivas were to claim these incidents as pramANa, then they
have to accept the supremacy of Hari in some way. Because these purANAs,
while trying to deny his supremacy, inadvertently reveal his supreme
attributes here and there even in those incidents!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">These purANAs are meant for people with aversion to the Supreme Lord nArAyaNa and thus contain stories contradictory to the Vedas. The stories are to be considered as “arthavAda” for glorification of a particular deity (like Shiva) for the sake of people inclined to such deities.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In that sense, these purANAs do have certain instances of sattva as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">They contain certain statements such as the following which are perfectly vaidika and prove vishNu alone is supreme:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vaikunthE pare lOkE sriyA sArdhaM jagatpatiH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">astE viSnur acintyAtmA bhaktair bhAgavataiH saha||~ Linga purANa</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Which says that shrI vaikuntha is the supreme abode where vishNu, along with his consorts who are nitya sUrIs themselves (shrI, bhU and nIla –mentioned in the AgamAs as well) are surrounded by “bhaktAs” and “bhAgavatAs”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">General topics like etymology of names, etc is quite acceptable.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">These two points were covered in the previous article. In this small write-up, we will show a third way as to how these purANAs are useful. This is something that has been mentioned by sri Vaishnava acharyas. We will address the tAmasic stories themselves.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The idea is that these purANAs, despite trying to elevate other deities over vishNu, nonetheless end up indicating the supremacy of Hari indirectly even in incidents which glorify Shiva and denigrate Hari. Thus, these episodes become indirect upabrahmaNAs for certain tattvas promoted by the shruti.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We will take up the two major stories of lingOdbhava and SivArAdhana for consideration. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">LINGODBHAVA IN THE SHIVA PURANA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As we all know, this story undisputedly aims to promote the supremacy of shiva over brahma and vishNu. Let us however, look at certain shlOkas embedded in this incident as described by the shiva purANa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The story starts as a dialogue/argument between Brahma and Vishnu as to who is superior. The purANa quotes vishNu as saying the following:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">matsthaṃ jagadidaṃ vatsa manuṣe tvaṃ hi coravat // </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mannābhikamalājjātaḥ putrastvaṃ bhāṣase vṛthā // (Shiva Purana 1.6.7)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vishnu: O Dear One (Brahma), the whole Universe is situated within me but your way of thinking is like that of a thief. You are born of the lotus from my navel. You are my son. Your words are futile therefore. (Ch 6.7)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: Vishnu labels Brahma a thief, for those who seek that which belongs to the Lord, namely, themselves and the objects of the Universe, as their own, are thieves. But even so, bhagavAn is “akruraH” and never openly derides another person like this, even if said person had ego. Remember he massaged the feet of Bhrigu who kicked him. This alone shows that this story did not happen, but is entirely tAmasic. Nonetheless, we can take whatever tattva doesn’t contradict shruti.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In this shloka, vishNu claims to be the controller of the Universe as it is situated in his navel. Keep that in mind for now.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then Vishnu and Brahma fight. Upon which Shiva manifests in the form of a fiery Linga. Brahma and Vishnu take the guise of a swan and a boar to measure the top and bottom respectively. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brahma is unable to reach the top of the Linga, but he utters a falsity that he has seen the top of the Linga. Hari takes it to be true and eulogizes Brahma. Then Shiva appears and speaks to him. Among the things he says, one of the statements below:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vatsaprasanno 'smi hare yatastvamīśatvamicchannapi satyavākyam // </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">brūyāstataste bhavitā janeṣu sāmyaṃ mayā satkṛtirapyalapthāḥ // (Shiva Purana 1.7.31)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Siva says:) O Hari, I am pleased with you because despite your desire to be “Isa” or a Ruler, you are of true words. Hence among the general public you shall have a footing equal to mine. You will be honored too likewise (ie, everyone will worship you also in temples, etc).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Let us forget the supremacy of Shiva being claimed here, as it is a tAmasa purANa and thus will not do anything else. However, one must notice here that Shiva admits that Vishnu has adhered to the truth. What does this imply?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It implies that bhagavAn vishNu is of true words. So, that in turn means that what Vishnu said about the whole Universe situated in him earlier, is true, for he is not prone to lies. Which again makes him the Supreme Lord, as he had declared himself to be so.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shiva does say “despite your desire to be a Lord”, implying that Vishnu is not the highest. But this is not surprising as it is the nature of the story –it is tAmasa and thus seeks to degrade Vishnu. The point to note is that inadvertently, it has admitted the kalyANa guNa of bhagavAn – that he is established in Truth. Thus, even his desire to be an “ISa” is to be taken as rooted in Truth no matter what Shiva thinks! For it is not possible that someone is hailed as truthful and yet untruthfully claims himself as a Lord!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Even this purANa does not dare to paint bhagavAn in a bad light as a liar, although it refers to Brahma as untruthful. The tAmasa purANa even denigrates vishNu in a vile manner by using terminologies like “eunuch” and so on, but it does not deny his auspicious qualities like being of truthful speech. And if bhagavAn is not a liar, and is of true speech, then whatever he says and does is true. Which makes his declaration as the One in whom the Universe is stationed, as well as his desire to be a Lord of all, are all true!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In which case, the words of Shiva become an indirect supporting proof of the following ithihAsa shlOka:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Satye pratisthitah Krishnah satyam asmin pratihthitam |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sattasatte ca govindah tasmat Satyah satam matah ||(~mahAbhArata Udyoga Parva 69.12)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Lord Krishna is rooted in Satya, and the Truth (Satya) is rooted in Lord Krishna. The sentients and insentients are both established in Lord Govinda. Hence He is called ‘Satya’ or ‘Truth’. (These are the words of Sanjaya to Dhridarashtra on why Krishna is called Satya). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, Shiva saying vishNu is “satyavAkyaM” is a simple admission of the Lord being rooted in Truth always, which makes his desire to be an “ISa” true and appropriate to his nature. This is the absurd self-contradiction of Lingodbhava in the Shiva Purana!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">LINGODBHAVA IN THE LINGA PURANA</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In elaborating the tale of Lingodbhava, this purANa begins with a description of the Lord prior to creation as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ekārṇave mahāghore tamobhūte samantataḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">suṣvāpāṃbhasi yogātmā nirmalo nirupaplavaḥ // LiP_1,17.10 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sahasraśīrṣā viśvātmā sahasrākṣaḥ sahasrapāt /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sahasrabāhuḥ sarvajñaḥ sarvadevabhavodbhavaḥ // LiP_1,17.11 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">hiraṇyagarbho rajasā tamasā śaṅkaraḥ svayam /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sattvena sarvago viṣṇuḥ sarvātmatve maheśvaraḥ // LiP_1,17.12 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kālātmā kālanābhastu śuklaḥ kṛṣṇastu nirguṇaḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nārāyaṇo mahābāhuḥ sarvātmā sadasanmayaḥ // LiP_1,17.13 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tathābhūtamahaṃ dṛṣṭvā śayānaṃ paṅkajekṣaṇam /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">māyayā mohitastasya tamavocamamarṣitaḥ // LiP_1,17.14 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kastvaṃ vadeti hastena samutthāpya sanātanam /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tadā hastaprahāreṇa tīvreṇa sa dṛḍhena tu // LiP_1,17.15 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">prabuddho 'hīyaśayanāt samāsīnaḥ kṣaṇaṃ vaśī /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dadarśa nidrāviklinna- nīrajāmalalocanaḥ // LiP_1,17.16 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">māmagre saṃsthitaṃ bhāsā- dhyāsito bhagavān hariḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">āha cotthāya bhagavān hasanmāṃ madhuraṃ sakṛt // LiP_1,17.17 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">svāgataṃsvāgataṃ vatsa pitāmaha mahādyute /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā smitapūrvaṃ surarṣabhāḥ // LiP_1,17.18 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rajasā baddhavairaś ca tamavocaṃ janārdanam /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhāṣase vatsa vatseti sargasaṃhārakāraṇam // LiP_1,17.19 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mām ihāntaḥsmitaṃ kṛtvā guruḥ śiṣyamivānagha /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kartāraṃ jagatāṃ sākṣāt prakṛteś ca pravartakam // LiP_1,17.20 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sanātanamajaṃ viṣṇuṃ viriñciṃ viśvasaṃbhavam /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">viśvātmānaṃ vidhātāraṃ dhātāraṃ paṅkajekṣaṇam // LiP_1,17.21 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brahma says: (Prior to creation) it was terribly dark all around. Everything was a vast sheet of water. In that water, the Lord whose nature is of being the means (yOgAtma), devoid of impurities and one who is free of calamities had gone to sleep. He had a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet and a thousand arms. He, the Universal self, omniscient, the source and origin of all, was characterized by rajas, tamas and sattva in the forms of Brahma, Rudra and Vishnu. He was omnipresent and the great lord (Maheshvara) in view of being the self of all. He was the Self of time, with the Universe which is “death” (kAla) as it is the place of samsAra, in his lotus, Narayana, the one of great arms, the Self of all, who constitutes the sentients and insentients….(etc etc)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that even before the appearance of the Linga, this Purana has contradicted itself by eulogizing Vishnu in terms which can only denote the Supreme Deity who has no-one above him! And this description of vishNu is perfectly in tune with the vedAntic description of Parabrahman.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Also note that this tAmasa purANa, while describing Lingodbhava, has openly referred to nArAyaNa as “mahEshvara”, thus showing he alone is the referent of the name in shruti! So much for Shaiva claims that the name can only belong to their deity, even the linga purANa in the context of lingodbhava attributes the name to vishNu!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Linga Purana continues by saying that this deity is the lotus-eyed one. Brahma also calls him eternal. Vishnu then says:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rajasā baddhavairaś ca tamavocaṃ janārdanam /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhāṣase vatsa vatseti sargasaṃhārakāraṇam // LiP_1,17.19 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mām ihāntaḥsmitaṃ kṛtvā guruḥ śiṣyamivānagha /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kartāraṃ jagatāṃ sākṣāt prakṛteś ca pravartakam // LiP_1,17.20 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sanātanamajaṃ viṣṇuṃ viriñciṃ viśvasaṃbhavam /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">viśvātmānaṃ vidhātāraṃ dhātāraṃ paṅkajekṣaṇam // LiP_1,17.21 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kimarthaṃ bhāṣase mohād vaktumarhasi satvaram /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">so 'pi māmāha jagatāṃ kartāhamiti lokaya // LiP_1,17.22 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhartā hartā bhavān aṅgād avatīrṇo mamāvyayāt /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vismṛto 'si jagannāthaṃ nārāyaṇamanāmayam // LiP_1,17.23 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">puruṣaṃ paramātmānaṃ puruhūtaṃ puruṣṭutam /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">viṣṇumacyutamīśānaṃ viśvasya prabhavodbhavam // LiP_1,17.24 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tavāparādho nāstyatra mama māyākṛtaṃ tvidam /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">śṛṇu satyaṃ caturvaktra sarvadeveśvaro hyayam // LiP_1,17.25 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kartā netā ca hartā ca na mayāsti samo vibhuḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ahameva paraṃ brahma paraṃ tattvaṃ pitāmaha // LiP_1,17.26 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ahameva paraṃ jyotiḥ paramātmā tvahaṃ vibhuḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yadyaddṛṣṭaṃ śrutaṃ sarvaṃ jagatyasmiṃścarācaram // LiP_1,17.27 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tattadviddhi caturvaktra sarvaṃ manmayamityatha /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mayā sṛṣṭaṃ purāvyaktaṃ caturviṃśatikaṃ svayam // LiP_1,17.28 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nityāntā hyaṇavo baddhāḥ sṛṣṭāḥ krodhodbhavādayaḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">prasādāddhi bhavānaṇḍāny anekānīha līlayā // LiP_1,17.29 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sṛṣṭā buddhirmayā tasyām ahaṅkārastridhā tataḥ /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tanmātrāpañcakaṃ tasmān manaḥ ṣaṣṭhendriyāṇi ca // LiP_1,17.30 //</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ākāśādīni bhūtāni bhautikāni ca līlayā /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gist of this is: “Know that I am the cause of the creation and annihilation of the Universe. O sinless one (Brahma), you address me as a preceptor would address a disciple. But I am the creator of the Universe, the prompter of prakrti, the eternal, unborn Supreme Brahman, the origin and self of the Universe. I am the lotus eyed Lord……..(etc etc)” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vishnu continues by saying – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“I am the creator, preserver and destroyer of the Universe</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” etc and describes his supremacy with adjectives like iShaNa, Achyuta, etc. It is more of the same, so we can skip it for brevity.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then the Purana says that Vishnu and Brahma start fighting, upon which a fiery linga arises, and the usual story of how neither of them could find the beginning or end of it, and Shiva is hailed as the Supreme, with Vishnu singing praises of Shiva. There is a long stuti in which Vishnu addresses Shiva as the supreme. That is of course mandatory, as it is the nature of this purANa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There is a point to note regarding the “stuti” of Hari to Shiva. While the adjectives used in the above shlOkas for Hari conform to vedAnta, the stuti of Shiva is very general. It of course describes him as creator, preserver and destroyer, infinite, etc…but there is no distinct vedAntic philosophy to glean out of it. No specific reference to sharIrAtma bhAva or anything else which is a staple of vedAnta. This is actually the character of these shiva-stutis everywhere in the tAmasa purANAs – they are general in proclaiming him as Parabrahman, but have no real substance in them. It is like a poet praising a King – just adjectives without a philosophy which are exaggerations or arthavAda.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Compare this to say, the dhruva stuti of vishNu in the vishNu purANa which is full of majestic vedAntArthAs.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Once the Shiva stuti was completed, Shiva addresses Vishnu thus:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pralayasthitisargāṇāṃ kartā tvaṃ dharaṇīpate /</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vatsa vatsa hare viṣṇo pālayaitaccarācaram // LiP_1,19.11 //</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“O Lord of Bhumi Devi (dharaNipatE), you are the doer of dissolution, preservation and creation. O Hari, protect this Earth with all its’ mobile and immobile beings.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shiva then declares himself to be supreme, who has divided himself into 3 forms of Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra. He then tells vishNu to free himself of delusion and protect the worlds and Brahma. That is obviously the object of the story, to denigrate Vishnu. However, it contradicts the very shloka above where Rudra called Vishnu is the creator, preserver and destroyer as well as the protector!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If vishNu is indeed the “karta” of creation, preservation and destruction as Rudra claims, then it makes him the Parabrahman, as “jagatkAraNatva” is the primary lakShaNa for paratva. Although Rudra says in the next shloka that he divided himself into brahma, vishNu and rudra, it does not make sense in the presence of this shloka. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The following contradictions occur:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If it is argued that vishNu being “kartA” means he is an “agent” or vibhUti who creates, preserves and destroys, then that means Brahman (Rudra) is pretty inactive, if he is using an agent for everything! While the Supreme Brahman can create and destroy through agents, he himself should be a protector, as it is not possible to ascribe all functions to vibhUtis. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If vishNu alone creates, preserves and destroys, what is the need for Rudra to then say “I divide myself as brahma, vishNu, rudra”? What are the functions of Brahma and Rudra, and what is the function of this “sadA-shiva” who has given away all functions of Parabrahman to a vibhUti.</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Furthermore, a vibhUti of Brahman cannot be “sahasrasIrsha” or “sahasrAksha” as that signifies him being the sarvAntaryAmin. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If it is argued that Rudra=VishNu, that goes contradictory to the entire incident which claimed vishNu was deluded, which would then attribute delusion to Rudra as well. Brahman cannot suffer delusion.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For, if Rudra had said vishNu is only the protector, and not the creator or destroyer, that would be consistent with sada-shiva-tUriya-vAda denigrating vishNu (even there, a major contradiction arises as none other than the Supreme can be a protector/preserver, which is why bhagavAn does not allot that role to a jIva!) . However, vishNu cannot be a vibhUti of rudra, and yet be the creator, preserver and destroyer, all in one. That makes him Brahman. In that case, he is either superior to Rudra or equal to him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If he is equal to Rudra, it raises a further contradiction as to what Rudra’s role in the Universe is. If vishNu is the creator, preserver and destroyer, as well as “sahasrasIrsha” etc, what is the need for Rudra’s form then, does vishNu’s delusion accrue to Rudra, etc? Basically it is a bundle of contradictions.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The important takeaway from this Purana is that Rudra has not contradicted what was said earlier. If Vishnu is indeed the thousand armed, thousand eyed, etc., it means he is the sarvAntaryAmin as the heads, eyes of all beings are his. And if he is both the sarvAntaryAmin and the protector, he is the Supreme Brahman. He is also hailed as the creator, preserver and destroyer. In addition, the Purana while describing Vishnu also hails him as free of impurities, which contradicts with Rudra saying he was deluded earlier. So, despite this story elevating Rudra above Vishnu, the declaration of Vishnu as “sahasrasIrsha” etc is a direct upabrahmaNa for the Purusha Sukta and other such portions!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is not possible for a lesser being to be eulogized as sahasra-sIrsha, etc, and hailed as the creator, preserver and destroyer. For if Vishnu is a just an agent, he should not be entrusted with all the acts of creation, preservation and destruction. So if vishNu is lower to Rudra, then it implies someone other than the Supreme Brahman is doing all the acts of creating, preserving and destroying as well as protecting the Universe and Rudra has no role. If Rudra is verily Vishnu, there is no purpose of rudra-rUpa then, when Vishnu alone is doing everything and any delusion attributed to vishNu accrues to Rudra as well. Thus, the tAmasatva of this story is clearly established, and the Supremacy of Vishnu alone comes out of this in an indirect manner.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SIVA-PUJA WITH THE EYE AS A LOTUS</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The story is seen in the Linga purANa as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evaM nAmnAM sahasreNa tuShTAva vRRiShabhadhvajam||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> snApayAmAsa cha vibhuH pUjayAmAsa paMkajaiH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In this way Vishnu pleased Siva whose flag is the Bull. Vishnu did Abhisheka of Siva and worshipped with lotus flowers.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">parIkShArthaM hareH pUjAkamaleShu maheshvaraH ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">gopayAmAsa kamalaM tadaikaM bhuvaneshvaraH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Siva the Lord of the Worlds hid one lotus flower from the Puja lotus flowers to test Vishnu.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">hRRitapuShpo haristatra kimidaM tvabhyachintayat ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vishnu was missing one lotus and thought 'How has it happened?'</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">j~nAtvA svanetramuddhRRitya sarvasattvAvalambanam |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pUjayAmAsa bhAvena nAmnA tena jagadgurum ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Vishnu plucked out His own eye and offered it in the worship with devotion to the Jagadguru Siva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tatastatra vibhurdRRiShTvA tathAbhUtaM haro harim |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tasmAdavatatArAshu maNDalAt pAvakasya cha ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Siva saw Vishnu in that condition without the eye and immediately appeared in the Fire Altar.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">j~nAtaM mayedamadhunA devakAryaM janArdana |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sudarshanAkhyaM chakraM cha dadAmi tava shobhanam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Siva said - I know You have to do the work of the gods. I will give You the Sudarshana Chakra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">netraM cha netA jagatAM prabhurvai padmasannibham |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tadAprabhRRiti taM prAhuH padmAkShamiti suvratam ||</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Lord of the World also gave back the lotus like eye to Vishnu. From that time people call Vishnu padmAksha or kamalanayana.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Let us ignore this entire incident which as usual is tAmasa and is merely an arthavAda to glorify Shiva for the purpose of people with tamO guNa vAsanas . </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The main takeaway is that this story admits that people call vishNu “padmAksha” or “kamalanayana”, ie, the lotus eyed one and that his eyes resemble a lotus. So, that means the Being described in the ChandOgya as “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tasya yathA kapyAsam puNdareekamEvamakshiNI:”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> can only refer to the Lord who is lotus-eyed as per this incident!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In other words, this story seeking to denigrate vishNu becomes an upabrahmaNa for the ChAndogya Upanishad in identifying the lotus eyed Lord alone as Parabrahman, and not Shiva or any other deity who doesn’t have lotus eyes according to this story. This is the absurd contradiction of the purANa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So what is the purpose of this write-up?</span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Besides the proof given in the “tAmasatva of purANAs” article, this is further proof of the tAmasatva of these stories. While seeking to denigrate vishNu, they inadvertently admit certain auspicious qualities of the Lord that are indicative of his supremacy.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As such, these self-contradictory stories are no more than “arthavAda” to promote worship of a particular deity for those who have tamo guNa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">All the purANAs were first narrated by Brahma. When Brahma is overcome by tamo guNa, he narrated the tAmasa purANAs. </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The narration of Brahma in his tAmasic mood is such that he, while beginning the story in a manner that is almost truthful, diverts to glorifying another deity. </span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is likely that the rishis like Suta, etc aided in the propagation of these stories as well for the sake of loka-kShema, so that even those with tAmasic inclinations can follow these stories.</span></div>
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<br /><ol start="6" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">None of the Vaidikas admit the historicity of these stories, but they recognize that these purANAs do inadvertently confirm certain truths of shruti and thus quote those parts occasionally, like Sridhara did in his vishNu purANa vyAkhyana. They recognize the little merit these stories have in this manner.</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In conclusion, these purANAs perfectly embody the traits bhagavAn has described in the gIta:</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">adharmaM dharmamiti yA manyate tamasA.a.avRRitA|</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sarvArthAnviparItAMshcha buddhiH sA pArtha tAmasI|| (~Gita 18.32)</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That Buddhi is of the nature of Tamas which is 'enveloped in Tamas' and 'reverses every value.' The meaning is that it regards Adharma as Dharma and Dharma as Adharma, existent as non-existent, and non-existent as existent, and higher truth as the lower and the lower truth as the higher, and thus reverses every value.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">These stories are a perfect example of the above.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A SHORT NOTE ON SHANKARA-NARAYANA AVATARA</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A small observation on another topic. There is a pAsuram by peyazhwar in mUnrAm thiruvandhAdhi as follows:</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">thaazh sadaiyum neeN mudiyum ON mazhuvum sakkaramum</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">soozh aravum pon Naanum thONRumAl soozhum</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">thiraNdu aruvi pAyum thiru malai mEl enthaikku</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">irAndu uruvum ONRAy isainthu</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The matted hair that hang down to his neck, the tall crown, the beautiful weapon called mazhuvu (axe), the chakrayudha, the nAgABaraNa worn as ornaments, the golden waist band -- these two forms opposed to one another are seen as one form in my swAmi who resides in tirumalai form where streams flow down on all sides.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This pAsuram is not saying Lord venkateshwara is half-vishNu, half-shiva as some dvEshIs think. The same azhwar declares Shiva is subservient to bhagavAn in many places. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Azhwar is simply saying, “the Lord who resides in Tirumala, is the same one who took an avatara as “Shankara-Narayana” once, as he exhibits the same sousIlya guNa”. Explanation as below.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The acharyas comment on this pAsuram by saying that among the avatArAs of the Lord, one is called “Harihara” or “Shankaranarayana”. Bhagavan wanted to enlighten a rishi once that those who worship Rudra, are worshipping him in reality, as he, being Rudra’s antaryAmin, is the true granter of boons. So, bhagavAn assumed a form that was half-vishNu, half-shiva and appeared before the rishi. The attributes of vishNu were on the right side, while the attributes normally seen in shiva were on his left side.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is not some “fusion”. ShrI periyavAcchan pillai clarifies here – Just as Narasimha is a man-lion form that wholly the lord and not the fusion of some random lion with him, similarly this Harihara rupa is wholly his, and it does not involve Shiva at all. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The purpose of this was to demonstrate the “sAdhaka rUpa” and the “siddha rUpa”, as Rudra meditates on nArAyaNa. Thus, Hari has all the attributes and it is by his accessibility that people gain their desires even if they worship Rudra. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It does not mean ShrI venkatEshwara has this form at Tirumala. In the previous pAsuram, azhwar said the Lord in other temples was the same as Trivikrama, etc. It only means, the Lord who resides in that temple, is the same as Trivikrama in guNAs. Similarly, the Lord who resides in Tirumala, has the same guNa of accessibility that ShankaranArAyaNa avatAra exhibited.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The tAmasa purANAs contain descriptions of Hari-Hara as fusions of Shiva and Vishnu which is avaidika and are not the same as this ShankaranArAyaNa avatAra. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Just a small note on the issue.</span></div>
</div>
Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-21350556996127020862017-10-11T17:42:00.003+05:302017-10-22T16:35:13.980+05:30Sri Bhishma Stavam<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Dear all,<br />
<br />
While digging up material for my study of
the Ishvara gIta in the kUrma purANa, I came upon this. In the
Santi parva of theMahabhArata, there is a touching stOtra by shrI
bhIshmAchArya. He recognizes the
Lord nArAyaNa as the Supreme Being, and as krishNa who is standing
before him.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
It is an incredibly touching stOtra of one who was
such a great jnAni, yet reduced to the bed of arrows, who has realized
the supreme tattvas. Also touching is fact that the Lord to whom it has
been addressed to, is full of auspicious attributes, who “a-mAni” as per
the sahasranAma (never proud), who stood respectfully at the side
of bhIshma as though he was an inferior, exhibiting
his sousIlya (accessibility).<br />
<br />
The stOtra begins with the following:<br />
<br />
hariṃ sahasraśirasaṃ sahasracaraṇekṣa<wbr></wbr>ṇam<br />
<div>
<br />
prāhur nārāyaṇaṃ devaṃ yaṃ <wbr></wbr>viśvasyaparāyaṇam<br />
<br />
(bhiShma:)
You are called Hari, who has a thousand heads, a thousand feet and a
thousand eyes. You are called nArAyaNa, the God who is the Supreme
Object of Attainment for the Universe.<br />
<br />
srI bhIshma, by
addressing Hari as "sahasrasIrsha..,” etc, recognizes him as the self of
all, having everything as his body. A few verses later, he puts this
into practice, as below.<br />
<br />
I am not commenting on the
entire stOtra, but only a few verses which are exceptionally beautiful.
Please note that the translation is rudimentary and done in haste for
the sake of basic understanding. There may be a few minor errors as I
did not proofread, but readers can be assured that no error will be so
great as to cause confusion or impart an entirely opposite meaning.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-style: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Also, readers should note that this exposes how bogus the shiva sahasranAma is. For it makes no sense for shrI bhIshma to first eulogize shrI krishNa as higher than all, then reveal a sahasranAma about the Lord, then follow it up with a sahasranAma about a deity supposedly higher than krishNa!</span></span></span></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
hiraṇyavarṇaṃ yaṃ garbham<br />
<div>
<wbr></wbr>aditir daityanāśanam ekaṃ dvādaśadhā jajñe <wbr></wbr>tasmaisūryātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
Which abode (of the sun), that is golden hued, brought forth by Aditi,
as one that is in 12 forms for the destruction of thedaityas,
Salutations to Krishna, who is the inner controller of the Sun
(sUryAtma)!<br />
<br />
śukle devān pitṝn kṛṣṇe <wbr></wbr>tarpayaty amṛtenayaḥ<br />
yaś ca rājā dvijātīnāṃ <wbr></wbr>tasmai somātmanenamaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
That which by virtue of its’ ambrosia satiates the gods in the bright
half of the fortnight and the Pitrs by the dark fortnight, which also
rules (ie, is sought after by) the kings and dvijAs, Salutations to
Krishna, who is the inner controller of Soma (sOmAtma)!<br />
<br />
(Note:
This is an upabrahmaNa for the “sOmaH pavatE…” mantra. While “sOma” in
that mantra can be directly taken asparamAtma sriman nArAyaNa, it can
also be taken as the Soma juice that nourishes all gods
including vishNu who partakes of it as part of his avatAra leela. This
is mentioned by srI sudarshaNa sUri. Either way, it proves it doesn't
refer to any lesser deity).<br />
<br />
mahatas tamasaḥ pāre <wbr></wbr>puruṣaṃjvalanadyutim<br />
yaṃ jñātvā mṛtyum atyeti <wbr></wbr>tasmaijñeyātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
He who is the great effulgentPurusha, beyond the darkness of prakrti,
knowing whom one surpasses death, Salutations to Krishna, who is of the
nature of being the object of knowledge (jnEyAtma)!<br />
<br />
yaṃ bṛhantaṃ bṛhatya ukthe <wbr></wbr>yam agnauyaṃ mahādhvare<br />
yaṃ viprasaṃghā gāyanti <wbr></wbr>tasmaivedātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
He who is sung by the groups of the wise (bhakti yOgIs and prapannAs)
as the greatness of great praise (ie, praise is great only when it is
about him), as one who abides in the mind of his devotees upon such
praise (upon) which (mind) moves swiftly away from sense-objects and
towards him (mahAdhvarE). Salutations to Krishna, who is of the nature
of enlightening others with true knowledge (vedAtma)!<br />
<br />
ṛg yajuḥ sāma dhāmānaṃ <wbr></wbr>daśārdha havirākṛtim<br />
yaṃ sapta tantuṃ <wbr></wbr>tanvanti tasmaiyajñātmane <wbr></wbr>namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning: Whose
abode is the Rg, Yajur and Sama Veda, who is of the form of the five
oblations characterized by Abhigamana,Ijya, UpAdhAna, <wbr></wbr>SvAdhyAya and
Yoga, who is of the form of the seven fibers (senses, mind and
intellect) used to reach him, Salutations to Krishna, who is the Self of
Worship as all that is done for attaining him (yajnAtma)!<br />
<br />
yaḥ suparṇo yajur nāma <wbr></wbr>chando gātrastrivṛc chirāḥ<br />
rathaṃtara bṛhaty akṣas <wbr></wbr>tasmaistotrātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
Who has beautiful wings (as garuDa), whose name is Yajus or Sacrifice,
whose limbs are the chhandas, whose heads are the three Vedas, whose
speech is the greatrathAntara, Salutations to Krishna, who is the inner
controller of Garuda, who is the instrument of praise (Vedas) as he
supports the Vedas that praise the Lord (stOtrAtma)!<br />
<br />
(stOtra – stu –
to praise, shTran – means of praise. Garuda has the Vedas which are
praise as his body and hence is the instrument for praising bhagavAn).<br />
<br />
yaḥ sahasrasave satre jajñe <wbr></wbr>viśvasṛjāmṛṣiḥ<br />
hiraṇyavarṇaḥ śakunis <wbr></wbr>tasmaihaṃsātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
You are the seer, ie, omniscient one (rishi) who had appeared in the
sacrifice of the thousand fold mind by the progenitors of the Universe
(the prajApatis and Brahma). You are the golden swan. Salutations to
Krishna, who is of the nature of everything that is good and nothing
that is not good (hamsAtma)!</div>
<div>
<span class="im"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<br />
<span class="im">padāṅgaṃ </span><br />
<div>
<wbr></wbr>saṃdhiparvāṇaṃsvaravyañjana <wbr></wbr>lakṣaṇam<br />
yam āhur akṣaraṃ nityaṃ <wbr></wbr>tasmai vāgātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
Words with affixes and suffixes are your limbs. The Sandhis are your
divisions. The consonants and the vowels are your ornaments. Who is
declared by the Vedas to be the eternal “OM”. Salutations to Krishna,
who is the Self, abiding in speech (vAgAtma)!<br />
<br />
yaś cinoti satāṃ setum <wbr></wbr>ṛtenāmṛta yoninā<br />
dharmārthavyavahārāṅgais <wbr></wbr>tasmaisatyātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
Who constructs the bridge (means) for the sAttvikas by (propagating)
the shAstras which are Truth, who is the cause (means) of immortality,
who has the conducts pertaining to dharma and artha as his limbs,
Salutations to Krishna, who is the Self, abiding in Truth (satyAtma)!<br />
<br />
yaṃ pṛthag dharmacaraṇāḥ <wbr></wbr>pṛthagdharmaphalaiṣiṇaḥ<br />
pṛthag dharmaiḥ <wbr></wbr>samarcanti tasmaidharmātmane <wbr></wbr>namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
Those who practice diverse varNAshrama dharmas, who are desirous of
fruits bestowed by diverse sacrifices that constitute dharma, worship
you by diverse means. Salutations to Krishna, who are of the nature of
being the Means (dharmAtma)!<br />
<br />
yaṃ taṃ vyaktastham <wbr></wbr>avyaktaṃvicinvanti maharṣayaḥ<br />
kṣetre kṣetrajñam āsīnaṃ <wbr></wbr>tasmaikṣetrātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
Maharishis seek that unmanifestform (body) of yours which is the
individual self, situated in the manifest form which is the body. The
one abiding within the bodies (in the form of) the individual self
(having it as his body) known as “kShetrajna”. Salutations to Krishna,
who is the inner controller of the embodied individual self
(kShEtrAtma)!<br />
<br />
yaṃ dṛg ātmānam ātmasthaṃ <wbr></wbr>vṛtaṃṣoḍaśabhir guṇaiḥ<br />
prāhuḥ sapta daśaṃ <wbr></wbr>sāṃkhyās tasmaisāṃkhyātmane <wbr></wbr>namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
He who is the perceiver, the self situated in the individual self,
hidden within. The sAmkhyAs speak of you with 16 attributes and of the
form of the 17th. Salutations to Krishna, who is the Self to be realized
by discrimination (sAmkhyAtma)!<br />
<br />
(Here, this 16 attributes and 17
fold state is similar to the mAndUkya Upanishad’s descriptions of the
states. If memory serves me right, it refers to
the panchabhUtAsconstituting the body, the 10 indrIyAs and the mind. The
17th is the Self. The acharyas have described it, but it really goes
over my head, so I won’t bother explaining it anymore.)</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
yaṃ vinidrā jitaśvāsāḥ<br />
<div>
<wbr></wbr>sattvasthāḥsaṃyatendriyāḥ<br />
jyotiḥ paśyanti yuñjānās <wbr></wbr>tasmaiyogātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
Those yogIs who cast off sleep, restrain breath, situated in sattva,
withdrawn senses, perceive you as the (supreme) light. Salutations to
Krishna, who is of the nature of “yOga” or being associated with
innumerable auspicious attributes (yOgAtma)!<br />
<br />
apuṇya puṇyoparame yaṃ <wbr></wbr>punar bhavanirbhayāḥ<br />
śāntāḥ saṃnyāsino yānti <wbr></wbr>tasmaimokṣātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
Freed of pApa, distant frompuNya, with no fear of rebirth, those
tranquil sanyAsis obtain you. Salutations to Krishna, who is of the
nature of liberation from samsAra (mOkShAtma)!<br />
<br />
yo 'sau yugasahasrānte <wbr></wbr>pradīptārcirvibhāvasu<br />
saṃbhakṣayati bhūtāni <wbr></wbr>tasmaighorātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
He who, at the end of a thousandyugAs, in the form of a resplendent
fire with brilliant flames, consume all creations. Salutations to
Krishna, who is the self, abiding in a terrible form (ghOrAtma)!<br />
<br />
saṃbhakṣya sarvabhūtāni <wbr></wbr>kṛtvācaikārṇavaṃ jagat<br />
bālaḥ svapiti yaś caikas <wbr></wbr>tasmaimāyātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
Having consumed all beings, and making the Universe an expanse of
water, you sleep on the waters in the form of a child. Salutations to
Krishna, who is the self, abiding in that wondrous form (mAyAtma)!<br />
<br />
sahasraśirase tasmai <wbr></wbr>puruṣāyāmitātmane<br />
catuḥsamudraparyāya <wbr></wbr>yoganidrātmanenamaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
You have a thousand heads and you are the Purusha of an immeasurable
nature. You are the means for the four large collections (samudra) of
seekers – arTa,arthArthin, jignyAsu <wbr></wbr>and jnAni. Salutations to
Krishna, who is the self, abiding in the form of the yoga-nidra on the
milky ocean, meditating on how to secure the welfare of all beings
(yoganidrAtma)!<br />
<br />
ajasya nābhāv adhyekaṃ <wbr></wbr>yasmin viśvaṃpratiṣṭhitam<br />
puṣkaraṃ puṣkarākṣasya <wbr></wbr>tasmaipadmātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
From the navel of the lotus eyed one, arose a lotus in which the
Universe is established. Salutations to Krishna, who is the inner self
of the lotus which is the Universe (padmAtma)!</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
yasya keśeṣu jīmūtā nadyaḥ sarvāṅgasaṃdhiṣu<br />
kukṣau samudrāś catvāras tasmai toyātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
Whose hairs are the clouds carrying water, whose limb joints are the
rivers, whose belly contains the four oceans. Salutations to Krishna,
who is the inner controller of water (tOyAtma)!<br />
<br />
yugeṣv āvartate yo 'ṃśair dinartv anaya hāyanaiḥ<br />
sarga pralayayoḥ kartā tasmai kālātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
Birth (samsAra) and the changes caused by death arise from you, ie, you
sustain samsAra. Who is the cause of dissolution of the Universe as
well, Salutations to Krishna, who is of the nature of death to the death
of his devotees (kAlAtma)!<br />
<br />
brahma vaktraṃ bhujau kṣatraṃ kṛtsnam ūrūdaraṃ viśaḥ<br />
<br />
pādau yasyāśritāḥ śūdrās tasmai varṇātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
The brAhmaNAs are your mouth, the Kshatriyas are your 2 arms, the
Vaishyas are your stomach and thighs and the Shudras abide in your feet.
Salutations to Krishna, who is the inner controller of the varNAs
(varNAtma)!<br />
<br />
yasyāgnir āsyaṃ dyaur mūrdhā khaṃ nābhiś caraṇau kṣitiḥ<br />
sūryaś cakṣur diśaḥ śrotre tasmai lokātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
Whose mouth is fire, Whose crown is the celestial region, whose navel
is the sky, whose feet is the Earth, whose eye is the Sun, whose ears
are the directions. Salutations to Krishna, who moves about in the
world, permeating it (lOkAtma)!<br />
<br />
(Bhattar uses the root of Atma - “ata” – to move about)<br />
<br />
viṣaye vartamānānāṃ yaṃ taṃ vaiśeṣikair guṇaiḥ<br />
prāhur viṣayagoptāraṃ tasmai goptr ātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
The beings who abide in sense objects, according to attributes peculiar
to them (karma-vAsanas), call you the protector of the sense-objects.
Salutations to Krishna, who moves about as a protector in his condition
as the inner self of all entities (gOptrAtma)!<br />
<br />
annapānendhana mayo rasaprāṇavivardhanaḥ<br />
yo dhārayati bhūtāni tasmai prāṇātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
Being of the form of food, drink and wood (used for kindling), you
augment tastes and vital breaths. Who is the sustainer of all beings,
Salutations to that Krishna, the inner controller of the prANAs
(prANAtma)!<br />
<br />
<br />
paraḥ kālāt paro yajñāt paraḥ sad asatoś ca yaḥ<br />
anādir ādir viśvasya tasmai viśvātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
Who is higher than time that controls all, who is higher than sacrifice
which represents actions performed due to karma, who is higher than the
sentients and insentients, who is without a beginning, who is prior to
the Universe, Salutations to Krishna, who is the self of the Universe
(viSvAtma)!<br />
<br />
<br />
yo mohayati bhūtāni sneharāgānubandhanaiḥ<br />
sargasya rakṣaṇārthāya tasmai mohātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
By the bonds of attachment and desire, you delude all beings for
protection, ie, continued sustenance of the creation. Salutations to
Krishna, who is the inner self of the deluded jIva designated as “mOha”
(mOhAtma)!<br />
<br />
ātmajñānam idaṃ jñānaṃ jñātvā pañcasv avasthitam<br />
yaṃ jñānino 'dhigacchanti tasmai jñānātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
Understanding the jIvAtma which is called “jnAnaM” that is abiding in
the five senses to be the self-knowledge, who is approached by people of
knowledge, Salutations to Krishna, who is of the self, abiding in the
jIvAtma called “knowledge” (jnAnAtma).<span class="im"></span></div>
<div>
<br />
<span class="im">aprameyaśarīrāya sarvato '</span><br />
<div>
<wbr></wbr>nanta cakṣuṣe<br />
apāraparimeyāya tasmai <wbr></wbr>cintyātmanenamaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
Your body is indescribable (as it is made of suddha sattvam which is
incomparable), you have infinite eyes on all sides (as you have others
as your body too). You are immeasurable, Salutations to Krishna, who is
of the nature to be known or deliberated about (cintyAtma)!<br />
<br />
jaṭine daḍine nityaṃ <wbr></wbr>lambodara śarīriṇe<br />
kamaṇḍaluniṣaṅgāya <wbr></wbr>tasmaibrahmātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
You as Vamana, bear the matted locks, staff, who is eternally having a
body with a spacious stomach that protects all during pralaya (despite
his diminutive form), clinging to a kamandalu, salutations to Krishna,
who is the self, abiding in the great body of Trivikrama (brahmAtma)!<br />
<br />
“brahma”
– refers to vastness or greatness. It is a reference to the vast body
of Trivikrama. He is the Atma, abiding in his own divine body. Thus is
because he cannot be called the inner self of vAmana or Trivikrama as
they are identical to him.<br />
<br />
<br />
śūline tridaśeśāya <wbr></wbr>tryambakāyamahātmane<br />
bhasma digdhordhva <wbr></wbr>liṅgāya tasmairudrātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
You bear the shUla, are the lord of the gods beginning with Indra, who
has 3 eyes, who is a great soul, who is smeared with ashes, whose
inferential mark (linga) is “urdhva” or rising above desire, ie,
detachment. Salutations to Krishna, who are the inner controller
of Rudra (rudrAtma)!<br />
<br />
(Note: When bhagavAn’s own form such
asTrivikrama is described, the term used is not “vAmAnAtma” or
“trivikramAtma”. As he cannot be the Atma of himself, the term
“brahmAtma” was used to denote that he is residing in his own large
body. However, when deities like Surya, Soma, Garuda and now Rudra are
mentioned, the terms used are “sOmAtma”, “rudrAtma” etc which indicate
they are jIvAs who are his body.<br />
<br />
He is the Atma abiding in his
own body, and he is the Atma who has the jIvAs and their bodies as his
bodies as well and hence their attributes are also his by inseparable
association. This clearly differentiates the likes of Garuda,
Soma, Rudra, etc from his own avatArAs).<br />
<br />
pañca bhūtātmabhūtāya <wbr></wbr>bhūtādinidhanātmane<br />
akrodha droha mohāya <wbr></wbr>tasmaiśāntātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
You are existing as the self of the panchabhUtAs, you are of the nature
of being the refuge of all beings, you are without anger despite the
trespasses of the jIvAs, who destroy delusion. Salutations to Krishna,
who is of a tranquil mind (SAntAtma).<br />
<br />
(Here, “Atma” is taken as mind.)<br />
<br />
yasmin sarvaṃ yataḥ sarvaṃ <wbr></wbr>yaḥ sarvaṃsarvataś ca yaḥ<br />
yaś ca sarvamayo nityaṃ <wbr></wbr>tasmaisarvātmane namaḥ<br />
<br />
Meaning:
In whom is all (ie, you sustain all), from whom arises all (ie, you are
the cause), who is verily all (ie, everything is your body, so that
explains how you sustain and create as well) and who is everywhere (ie,
just likeAtma pervades the body, you pervade everything which is your
body). You who are also eternally containing all (ie, protecting them as
they being your bodies, are dear to you), Salutations to Krishna, who
is inner controller of all (sarvAtma)!<br />
<br />
This shloka explains
the sharIrAtma bhAva that bhIshmAchArya had used for this stOtra.
“sarvAtma” sums up everything that was said earlier.<span class="im"><br /></span></div>
</div>
This is not the end of the stOtra. It continues for awhile. But for us,
and especially with relation to this blog, which interprets so many
things based on sharIrAtma bhAva, this portion of the stOtra is
relevant.<br />
<br />
This is a moving praise of the God of
sAttvikAs (shrI krishNa) by the chief of sAttvikas (bhIshma), who had
fully realized the truth. It is very touching. At the end of the
entire stOtra, the following is mentioned (taken frkm sacred texts,
rough translation is enough):<br />
<br />
“Having uttered these
words, Bhishma, with mind concentrated upon Krishna, said, 'Salutations
to Krishna!' and bowed unto him. Learning by his Yoga prowess of the
devotion of Bhishma, Madhava, otherwise called Hari, (entering his body)
bestowed upon him heavenly knowledge compassing the Past, the Present,
and the Future, and went away. When Bhishma became silent, those
utterers of Brahma (that sat around him), with voices choked in tears,
adored that high-souled chief of the Kurus in excellent words. Those
foremost of Brahmanas uttered the praises of Krishna also, that first of
Beings, and then continued in soft voices to commend Bhishma
repeatedly.”<br />
<br />
It should move anyone thinking of how this great
devotee, lying down on that bed of arrows, drained of strength but full
of knowledge, eulogized the Lord in recognition of him being Supreme
over all, who is of an incredibly soft nature and who by his
accessibility, was close to bhIshma, protecting him even in death.<br />
<br />
What did all this prove? The following:<br />
<br />
1) That shrI krishNa and no one else is the Supreme who was meditated upon at the time of death by bhIshma.<br />
<br />
2)
That this stOtra is extremely beautiful and full of meanings, as
opposed to interpolated stOtras in the mahAbhArata and Harivamsha which
are clearly inferior and at times incomprehensible.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3)<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="color: #222222;"> That the praise of shrI krishNa as the supreme, as the inner controller of all, shows that it makes no sense for a "shiva-sahasranAma to be sandwiched in the mahAbharata amidst vishNu stOtrAs. </span></span></span></span><br />
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />
4) That shrI krishNa is the only sAttvika god worthy of worship and is the God meditated upon at the time of death.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-77141676438792306822017-09-19T18:40:00.000+05:302017-10-22T16:35:38.388+05:30First post under "journal" section<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Dear readers,<br />
<br />
From now on, this is where you will find latest updates about new articles/pages, small articles, interesting information about pUrvAcAryas' works, additional thoughts about existing articles/pages etc.</div>
Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-64522294639123045962013-05-06T13:00:00.000+05:302015-02-06T08:03:05.154+05:30Vishnu – The Supreme Brahman according to all Vedas, Upanishads, Smritis, and prominent Acharyas <p class="c3"><span class="c6 c14 c11 c10 c43">sarvadA sarvakAryeShu teShAM nAstyamaN^galam |</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c6 c14 c11 c10 c43">yeShAM hR^idistho bhagavAn maN^galAyatano hariH ||</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c6 c14 c11 c10 c43"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c43"> </span><span class="c6 c14 c11 c10 c43">lAbhasteShAM jayasteShAM kutasteShAM parAjitaH |</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c6 c14 c11 c10 c43">eShAm indIvarashyAmo hR^idayastho janArdanaH ||</span></p>
<a href="#" name="id.te34rpj0ll0i"></a>
<h3 class="c3 c46"><a name="h.qujfvpacz4ic"></a></h3>
<p class="c13 c25 c3"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="#h.e305a2ale1tc">Introduction</a></span></p>
<p class="c13 c25 c3"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="#h.n3ryy68twj0c">The royal Vedic path of Vaishnavism</a></span></p>
<p class="c13 c25 c3"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="#h.xvt4bmj5k88y">The way of anti-Vaishnavite agents</a></span></p>
<p class="c13 c3 c25"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="#h.82ut69sp6t4p">The "Mahapashupatastra" blog</a></span></p>
<p class="c13 c25 c3"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="#h.7jcdnzqam4nc">Questionable tactics employed by the blog's author to hide the truth</a></span></p>
<p class="c13 c25 c3"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="#h.15rumbdvw247">The anti-Vaishnavite’s motives made clear</a></span></p>
<p class="c13 c25 c3"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="#h.xiurz0qx4qwo">A few truths revealed</a></span></p>
<p class="c25 c3 c42"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="#h.8toth7olt7zr">Truth# 1: The Uttama Purusha in Chandogya Upanishad is Vishnu only. Hence, the Supreme Lord identified in the Bhagavad Gita is Lord Vishnu only, and not Lord Shiva:</a></span></p>
<p class="c25 c3 c42"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="#h.65zjr22zskcg">Truth# 2: Shri Rudram extols shrIman nArAyaNa only. Moreover, the Vedas speak about the supremacy of Lord Vishnu only everywhere</a></span></p>
<p class="c25 c3 c42"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="#h.jpsmv0y5s5sd">Truth# 3: Narayana Suktam praises Shriman Narayana alone as the Supreme, and tAmasa purANas are not authoritative</a></span></p>
<p class="c25 c3 c42"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="#h.e4llf1stj8jb">Truth# 4: The so-called Upanishads which proclaim Shiva/Shakti's supremacy are bogus</a></span></p>
<p class="c25 c3 c42"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="#h.7ull5yyo1b9z">Truth# 5: Adi Shankara did not write <i>stOtras</i> which glorify any deity other than Vishnu</a></span></p>
<p class="c13 c25 c3"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="#h.p6x515kw19r1">Conclusion</a></span></p>
<p class="c25 c3 c51"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="#h.9ddo5eduf4fg">Appendices</a></span></p>
<p class="c13 c25 c3"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="#h.298ler3kbg3j">The works of Shri Ramasubba Shastri of Tiruvisanallur</a></span></p>
<p class="c13 c25 c3"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="#h.nprkjv2742o4">Appayya Dikshita’s desperation, confession, and confusion</a></span></p>
<p class="c25 c3 c51"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="#h.7dn7y9qmms3l">References</a></span></p>
<p class="c13 c25 c3"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="#h.reading_list">Reading list for the interested</a></span></p>
<h3 class="c3 c46"><a name="h.weukzwa3nqfr"></a></h3>
<h3 class="c3"><a name="h.e305a2ale1tc"></a><span>Introduction</span></h3>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>My dear friends! Seekers of The Truth! The purpose of this essay is not to coerce anyone to accept what I believe in, or to hurt well-meaning people of any faith </span> (especially those among <span class="c6">smArtas, advaitins</span><span>, and </span><span class="c6">shaivas</span>)<span>. What is written below is indeed what I believe with utmost sincerity, illustrated by undeniable evidences that have not been tampered with. This endeavour of mine was undertaken to defend </span><span class="c6">vaiShNava dharma </span><span>that </span><span>has been unfairly maligned, lampooned, and denigrated on the internet and other media by individuals with vested interests. Be you a Vaishnava or not, if you are committed to truth, honesty, and above all to the presentation of Vedantic traditions in a fair and honest way, you will certainly be opposed to this trend.</span> </p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>What you are going to read in this essay may shake you up a little bit, but it has been written with the best of intentions to present the truth without mincing words. While I have done everything to maintain good decorum, you may find my tone a little stern and confident at places. But this is only to emphasize important facts and not to spew hatred at anyone. Those who are willing to honestly consider what I have to say, even if it contradicts their favorite and dearly held beliefs, are invited to continue reading. Those who would rather give this a miss are welcome to avoid my writing and close this page immediately.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>We begin here...</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Readers, I state thus with confidence: From time immemorial, the most enlightened of souls in this great nation <span class="c6">bhAratavarSha</span> (India), including Adi Shankara whose fame is worldwide, have considered Lord Vishnu alone as the Supreme Soul and as the Person par excellence (</span><span class="c6">puruShOttama</span><span>) spoken of by the Vedas</span><span>. Not only is He the agent behind the universe's sustenance (signified by his popular conception of the “protector” among the trinity -- Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva), but also the One who performs creation and destruction as well. He Himself creates the four-faced </span><span class="c6">brahmA </span><span>from the lotus that springs from His navel (due to which He is popularly known as </span><span class="c6">padmanAbha</span><span>) and assigns the task of creation during every great eon. Likewise, He is the creator of Lord </span><span class="c6">rudra</span><span>, variously known as </span><span class="c6">shiva, pashupati, IshAna, mahAdEva, mahEshvara</span><span> etc. in common parlance in India. He is their in-dwelling controller (</span><span class="c6">antaryAmin</span><span>), as He is to the entire universe, performing the threefold acts of creation, sustenance, and destruction all by Himself. Thus say the scriptures about Lord Vishnu:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">atashca saN^kShiptamimaM shR^iNudhvaM nArAyaNaH sarvamidaM purANaH |</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">sa sargakAle ca karoti sarvaM samhArakAle ca tadatti bhUyaH ||</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c6 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c10">Translation:</span><span> Hear thence this short statement: The ancient </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa </span><span>is all this; he produces the creation at the due time, and at the time of reabsorption he consumes it again.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c10"></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">yataH sarvANi bhUtAni bhavantyAdi yugAgame |</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">yasmiMshca pralayaM yAnti punareva yugakShaye ||</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c10">Translation:</span><span class="c10"> </span><span>(This </span><span class="c6">puruShOttama, </span><span>this </span><span class="c6">viShNu</span><span>) is from where all the beings were born when the great eons start, into whom they dissolve when these eons pass.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c10"></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>The first quote is given as a </span><span class="c6"> </span><span>statement from the </span><span class="c6">purANas </span><span>by </span><span class="c6">Adi shaN^kara bhagavatpAda</span><span> (Adi Shankara/Adi Shankaracharya) in his </span><span class="c6">brahma sUtra bhAShya, </span><span>in the </span><span class="c6">smR^ityAdhikaraNa </span><span>section <sup><a href="#Ref_BrSuBhS">[BrSuBhS:1]</a></sup>. The </span><span class="c6">brahma sUtra bhAShya </span><span>is </span><span>arguably the most important work in Advaita Vedanta by this </span><span class="c6">AcArya</span><span>. The second verse occurs in the Vishnu Sahasranama Adhyaya of the Mahabharata, and is also quoted by </span><span class="c6">bhAskara </span><span>(who lived after </span><span class="c6">shaN^kara </span><span>but before </span><span class="c6">rAmAnuja</span><span>), in the same </span><span class="c6">smR^ityadhikaraNa</span><span> section of his commentary on the </span><span class="c6">brahma sUtras</span><span> <sup><a href="#Ref_BrSuBhB">[BrSuBhB]</a></sup>. Hence, by no hook or crook can any honest being on the earth dismiss these verses as inauthentic.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>Indeed, Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada says in his commentary to the Bhagavad Gita thus:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>"(Lord Krishna says) 'I, the Supreme Parabrahman known by name as </span><span class="c6">vAsudeva</span><span>, am </span><span class="c17">the source of the whole world</span><span>. </span><span class="c17">From Me alone evolves the whole universe in all its changes, including existence and dissolution, action, effect, and enjoyment'</span><span>":</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">ahaM paraM brahma vAsudevAkhyaM sarvasya jagataH prabhava utpattiH | matta eva sthiti-nAsha-kriyA-phalopabhoga-lakSaNaM vikriyA-rUpaM sarvaM jagat pravartate |</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>(Sri Sankara's commentary to Bhagavad Gita, 10.8) <sup><a href="#Ref_GBhS">[GBhS:1]</a></sup>.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>"It (the Bhagavad Gita) expounds specially the nature of the Supreme Being and the Truth known as </span><span class="c6">vAsudeva</span><span>, the </span><span class="c6">para-brahman</span><span>, who forms the subject matter of the discourse":</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">paramArtha-tattvaM ca vAsudevAkhyaM parabrahma-abhideya-bhUtaM visheSataH abhivyaj~nayad vishiSTa-prayojana-sambandha-abhideyavad gItA-shAstraM </span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>(Introductory Chapter, Sri Sankara's bhagavadgItAbhASya). <sup><a href="#Ref_GBhS">[GBhS:2]</a></sup>.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>As per </span><span class="c6">all </span><span>the </span><span class="c6">vedAnta darshanas</span><span>, there can only be one Supreme God. </span><span class="c10">Even </span><span>as per </span><span class="c10">Adi Shankara's Advaita </span><span class="c6">vedAnta</span><span>, the existence of multiple supreme beings is denied. In his authentic works (the </span><span class="c6">bhAShyas </span><span>on </span><span class="c6">brahma sUtras</span><span>, </span><span class="c6">gIta</span><span>, and the ten </span><span class="c6">upaniShads</span><span>), Shri Shankara identifies the Supreme Being as none other than Vishnu. Here is a short summary:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c36" start="1">
<li class="c13 c3 c7 c40"><span>In his introductory section in bhagavad </span><span class="c6">gItA bhAShya</span><span>, it is stated that the Supreme Being is "Vishnu, the one known by the name </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa, </span><span>the primordial Creator" (</span><span class="c6 c11 c10">Adi kartA nArAyaNAkhyo viShNuH</span><span>), that he is "beyond the material universe" (</span><span class="c6 c11 c10">nArAyaNaH paro.avyaktAt</span><span>) and that He is the original Creator of the universe (</span><span class="c6 c11 c10">sa bhagavAn sRShTvedaM jagat</span><span>). <sup><a href="#Ref_GBhS">[GBhS:3]</a></sup>.</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c36" start="2">
<li class="c13 c3 c7 c40"><span>In his commentaries to the Upanishads, where the </span><span class="c6">shruti </span><span>(the text of the Upanishad) talks about the Supreme Deity but does not show that the name or form of the deity, Shankaracharya clearly identifies the Supreme Being as</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c33" start="1">
<li class="c3 c7 c40 c32"><span> "Supreme Lord with with the name </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa</span><span>" (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad </span><span class="c6">bhAShya</span><span>, 3.7.3) <sup><a href="#Ref_BrUBhS">[BrUBhS:1]</a></sup>.</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c13 c7"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c33" start="2">
<li class="c3 c7 c40 c32"><span>"Vishnu, or Ananta, who is the primordial being, who has all the three worlds for His body, and who is the in-dwelling Soul of all the beings" (Mundaka Upanishad </span><span class="c6">bhAShya, </span><span>2.1.4) <sup><a href="#Ref_MuUBhS">[MuUBhS:1]</a></sup>.</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c13 c7"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c33" start="3">
<li class="c3 c7 c40 c32"><span>"The all-pervading Brahman, the Supreme Soul, known by the name </span><span class="c6">vAsudeva</span><span>" (</span><span class="c6">kaTha upaniShad bhAShya</span><span>, 1.3.9) <sup><a href="#Ref_KUpBhS">[KUpBhS:1]</a></sup>.</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c13"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c36" start="3">
<li class="c13 c3 c7 c40"><span>In the </span><span class="c6">bhagavad gItA bhAShya </span><span>11.43</span><span class="c6">, </span><span>Shri Shankara says that Vishnu is the unparallelled Supreme Deity, and that there can not be another Supreme Deity, since that would violate logic: <sup><a href="#Ref_GBhS">[GBhS:4]</a></sup>.</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c32"><span class="c6 c11 c10">na tvat samo.asti, abhi adhika kuto-anyo loka-trayo-api, apratima-prabhAva?</span></p>
<p class="c3 c32 c48"><span>(Bhagavad Gita, 11.43)</span></p>
<p class="c3 c32"><span>[There is none who is equal to you, and when that is the case, </span><span class="c17">how even can there be any who is superior to You in any of three worlds, Oh Lord, who is of unrivaled power?</span><span>]</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span>Sri Shankara's explanation reflects the Acharya's opinion that the above mode of praise is not at all exaggerated. The Bhagavatpada-Acharya explains thus:</span></p>
<p class="c0 c13"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c32"><span>"</span><span class="c6 c11 c10">na hi IshvaradvayaM saMbhavati, anekeshvaratve vyavahAra-anupatteH</span><span>" </span></p>
<p class="c0 c32"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c32"><span>Translation: </span><span class="c10">For there cannot be two Supreme Gods, if so, the world as it exists now will not be able to function properly</span><span>. </span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c36" start="4">
<li class="c13 c3 c40"><span>Commenting on Gita verse 10.2, Sri Shankara explains: <sup><a href="#Ref_GBhS">[GBhS:5]</a></sup>.</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7 c32"><span class="c6 c11 c10">na me viduH na jAnanti suragaNAH brahmAdayaH | kiM te na viduH? mama prabhavaM prabhAvaM prabhushakti-atishayam, athavA prabhavaM prabhavanaM utpattiM | na-api maharSayaH bhR^igvAdayaH viduH | kasmAt te na viduriti-ucyate -- aham AdiH kAraNaM hi yasmAt devAnAm maharSINAM ca sarvashaH sarvaprakAraiH</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7 c32"><span class="c6 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7 c32"><span>["(Lord Krishna says) 'neither the devas -- Brahma and others -- know; -what do they not know? My majesty, abundance of lordly power-or, derived in the sense of 'coming into being', it means origin. Nor even the great sages, Bhrgu, Marici, Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vasistha. This is because </span><span class="c17">I (Lord Krishna) am the Supreme Primordial Cause of all, including the devas and the sages.</span><span>'"]</span></p>
<p class="c0 c32"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>[Note: As to why Adi Shankara later came to be wrongly depicted as though he smeared ashes in his body, followed the six faiths equally (Shanmatha), and had works such as "Shivanandalahari" (singing deities other than Vishnu to be supreme and superior to Vishnu) attributed to his name is a matter that is outside the scope of our discussion, at this point.]</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>That all the other prominent Vedanta Acharyas - Ramanuja, Madhva, Vallabha, Chaitanya, Nimbarka, etc. have thus praised Lord Vishnu as the Supreme Brahman, does not need any proof. However, for the sake of completeness we have provided the details in the "Vaishnava commentary on Rudram" page.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="#id.te34rpj0ll0i">Back to contents</a></span><span class="c8">]</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<h3 class="c3"><a name="h.n3ryy68twj0c"></a><span>The royal Vedic path of Vaishnavism</span></h3>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>This Lord Vishnu, Person par excellence (the </span><span class="c6">puruShottama) </span><span>is also the means to liberation from suffering, the </span><span class="c10">most approachable and the best means to eternal bliss</span><span> and is an </span><span class="c10">End in Himself</span><span>. Thus, the most enlightened of the souls in the great nation of India, exemplary in their discipline, conviction, and virtues, have been taking refuge in Him from time immemorial thus establishing Vaishnavism as the most supreme and complete path in Vedic </span><span class="c6">sanAtana dharma</span><span>. With single-minded devotion (</span><span class="c6">ananya bhakti</span><span>), following the best of the bliss-bestowing scriptures (</span><span class="c6">sAttvika shAstras</span><span>) such as </span><span class="c6">pA~ncarAtra Agama</span><span>-s, they have been practicing and preaching the five-fold path of </span><span class="c6">abhigamana, ijyA, pUjA, japa, </span><span>and </span><span class="c6">svAdhyAya.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="#id.te34rpj0ll0i">Back to contents</a></span><span class="c8">]</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<h3 class="c3"><a name="h.xvt4bmj5k88y"></a><span>The way of anti-Vaishnavite agents</span></h3>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>From time to time, however, fallen souls, driven by their lowly nature which they have unfortunately accrued as a result of their own actions (</span><span class="c6">karma</span><span>)</span><span>, have developed a sense of contempt at such single-minded </span><span class="c6">ananya bhakti</span><span>. Shankara, the </span><span class="c6">advaita AcArya</span><span>, instead says that the </span><span class="c6">vaiShNava </span><span>position regarding the (i) supremacy of </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa</span><span>, (ii) the practice of single-minded devotion, and (iii) the various holy rites and rituals enjoined in </span><span class="c6">pA~ncarAtra samhitas </span><span>are not to be refuted, but respected by any one who claims to be in the path of Vedanta (Upanishads):</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">"tatra yattAvaducyate yo.asau nArAyaNaH paro.avyaktAt prasiddhaH paramAtmA sarvAtmA... yadyapi tasya bhagavato.abhigamanAdilakShaNam ArAdhanam ajasram-ananya-cittayA.abhipreyate, tadapi na pratiShidhyate, shrutismR^ityorIshvarapraNidhAnasya prasiddhatvAt"</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c10">[</span><span>We do not intend to oppose the doctrine that </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa</span><span>, who is superior the material universe, who is the supreme soul (</span><span class="c6">paramAtmA</span><span>), and the soul for all (</span><span class="c6">sarvAtmA</span><span>)... Nor do we mean to object to the inculcation of unceasing single-minded devotion on the Supreme Lord which appears in the Pancharatra doctrine under the forms of </span><span class="c6">abhigamana </span><span>(visiting Vishnu temples with utmost devotion in mind, with senses subdued) etc., for that we are to meditate on the Lord we know full well from </span><span class="c6">shruti </span><span>and </span><span class="c6">smRti</span><span>.</span><span class="c10"> - Brahma Sutra Bhashya, 2.2.42]</span><sup> <a href="#Ref_BrSuBhS">[BrSuBhS:2]</a></sup></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Instead of following this advice, today they cavil at </span><span class="c6">vaiShNava</span><span>s when these devotees, with the sole purpose of enjoying the Lord’s form, nature, and deeds (</span><span class="c6">bhagavad-anubhava</span><span>), write or talk about</span><span> the supreme position of </span><span class="c6">bhagavAn vAsudeva</span><span> as it is established clearly in the </span><span class="c6">veda </span><span>as well as </span><span>in the </span><span class="c6">itihAsas, purANas, </span><span>and other ancillary texts</span><span class="c6"> </span><span>that solely serve the purpose of explaining the purport of the Vedas. They find it unbearable when the </span><span class="c6">bhAgavatas </span><span>show lucidly that the </span><span class="c6">puruShottama, </span><span>the Person par excellence in the Vedas, is none but</span><span class="c6"> shrIman nArAyaNa. </span><span>They ask, "why can't you let Shiva have his share of glory?", seldom knowing that there is nothing from Lord Vishnu's Supreme attributes that are available for sharing by others. For it is clearly stated in the Gita and in the commentaries of Shri Shankara and other knowledgeable personalities thereon that "there cannot be two Supreme Gods, if so, the world as it exists now will not be able to function properly".</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Filled with hate directed at Vaishnavas and desperate to win them in debate (which is impossible), they resort to dishonest means such as:</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c36" start="1">
<li class="c13 c3 c7 c40"><span> Spreading blatant lies deliberately,</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c36" start="2">
<li class="c13 c3 c7 c40"><span>Maliciously interpolating verses into</span><span class="c6"> shruti </span><span>and </span><span class="c6">smRti </span><span>texts, making them look as if these texts actually support their side,</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c36" start="3">
<li class="c13 c3 c7 c40"><span>Appropriating works that celebrate Vishnu and fabricating ways to reinterpret them, with the same motive as above,</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c36" start="4">
<li class="c13 c3 c7 c40"><span>Hiding and misrepresenting historical information,</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c36" start="5">
<li class="c13 c3 c7 c40"><span>Demonizing </span><span class="c6">vaiShNava</span><span>s as “intolerant”, “abrahamic”, etc., </span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c36" start="6">
<li class="c13 c3 c7 c40"><span>Hiding and misrepresenting </span><span class="c6">vaiShNava </span><span>writings, and</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c36" start="7">
<li class="c13 c3 c7 c40"><span>Destroying works written by </span><span class="c6">vaiShNavas</span><span>, thereby effectively silencing them.</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>We shall briefly describe one such attack on Vaishnavism and explain the truths revealed by the incident.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>These attacks against Vaishnavism are not new. Nor is there any reason to think that Vaishnavism has no defense to such attacks, for history has shown otherwise.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="#id.te34rpj0ll0i">Back to contents</a></span><span class="c8">]</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<h3 class="c3"><a name="h.82ut69sp6t4p"></a><span>The "Mahapashupatastra" blog</span></h3>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>The owner of the aforementioned blog displays his hostility to traditional Vaishnavism through his articles. Through them, he seeks to vehemently oppose traditional <span class="c6">vedantin</span>s, especially those who follow <span class="c6">rAmAnuja</span> and <span class="c6">madhva</span>. In addition, his aim is to censure authors on the internet and social media who boldly speak about the supremacy of Vishnu, the Purushottama. His blog page itself (</span><span class="c17 c22"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com.au/">link</a></span><span>) contains ridiculous claims, such as:</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>(i) </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa sUktam</span><span> is a </span><span class="c6">shAkta </span><span>hymn and </span><span class="c6">shrIman nArAyaNa</span><span> is not the deity praised in it.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>(ii) Bhagavad Gita is actually told by Shiva and Lord Krishna is just a mouthpiece/loud speaker through whom Shiva speaks</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>(iii) The </span><span class="c6">bhAgavata purANa</span><span>, which extols Vishnu above Shiva, is a bogus text.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7 c50"><span>There are many such utterances and loads and loads of garbage on that blog that can easily confound any genuine truth-seeker. Moreover, the way such anti-Vaishnavites explain the Vedas makes it look as if the Vedas are all gibberish.</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="#id.te34rpj0ll0i">Back to contents</a></span><span class="c8">]</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<h3 class="c3"><a name="h.7jcdnzqam4nc"></a><span>Questionable tactics employed by the blog's author to hide the truth</span></h3>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c8">I, along with a </span><span class="c6 c8">shrIvaiShNava bhAgavata</span><span class="c8">, entered into a debate with the author of "Mahapashupatastra" (from here on, whenever I refer to 'our friend', it will refer to this person) by posting comments under a certain article. The article under question was titled "Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is FAKE!" (</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html">link</a></span><span class="c8">). Of course, anything that clearly establishes Vishnu's supremacy is fake according to our friend.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c8">In the course of the debate, this </span><span class="c6 c8">shaivite </span><span class="c8">author was clearly owned by me and the </span><span class="c6 c8">bhAgavata</span><span class="c8">. Our friend was clearly getting choked. </span><span class="c8 c10">Enraged because of this and afraid that his friends may find out that he lost in debate, </span><span class="c8">he removed all the comments that I and the </span><span class="c6 c8">bhAgavata </span><span class="c8">posted. The </span><span class="c6 c8">bhAgavata </span><span class="c8">protested, followed by a reply by our </span><span class="c6 c8">shaivite </span><span class="c8">friend smugly laughing at us, as if he had won something:</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c5 c18"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/08063187545902058684">Unknown</a></span><span class="c5 c18"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?showComment=1365836751225#c6142960331101242358">April 13, 2013 at 12:05 AM</a></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c8 c18">I see you have deleted my posts as well as that of another Vaishnava which soundly refuted your asinine views.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c8 c18"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c8 c18">Deleting our posts does you no good. Only shows your ignorance and desperation. Oh well, atleast it shows that what you have is not a 'mahApashupatastra', but a broken twig!</span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c5 c18"><a class="c16" href="http://draft.blogger.com/null">Reply</a></span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c5 c18"><a class="c16" href="http://draft.blogger.com/null"></a></span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c5 c18"><a class="c16" href="http://draft.blogger.com/null"></a></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c5 c18"><a class="c16" href="http://draft.blogger.com/null">Replies</a></span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c17 c22 c14 c18"><a class="c16" href="http://draft.blogger.com/null"></a></span></p>
<ol class="c36" start="1">
<li class="c3 c7 c27 c49"><span class="c5 c18"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/00593473763893225230">Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula</a></span><span class="c5 c18"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?showComment=1365854782665#c9100760333422353772">April 13, 2013 at 5:06 AM</a></span><span class="c8"><br></span><span class="c8 c18">I am NOT scared of your and his absurd arguements. It is your opinion that your points successfully refuted me. Live in your utopia.</span><span class="c8"><br><br></span><span class="c8 c18">I deleted those stupid arguements to save the readers of this blog from getting misled or confused. I have full capacity to refute every such arguements and I'll do slowly slowly. You know what? Your and his arguements gave me nice points tro write articles. I don't debate with my full intensity because of two reasons:-</span><span class="c8"><br><br><br></span><span class="c8 c18">1. I don't keep a database of anti-vishnu references handy with me like you vaishnavas who are always equipped with anti-shiva references. For me Vishnu is also adorable but not the way you vaishnavas do. I have my own love for him hence seldom prepare with references to attack.</span><span class="c8"><br><br></span><span class="c8 c18">2. I strongly believe in the saying what my friend's guru said to him - "Debate produces a lot of heat but no light!". Therefore you and your friend are not so significant in my life to spend my valuable time in clarifying/countering your points. My time is precious hence cannot waste it on you and your friend.</span><span class="c8"><br><br></span><span class="c8 c18">3. Gone are those days when people used to debate professionally, following the right rules of it. Now I see all these Vaishnavas doing mud-fight and not a professional debate. Debate needs to be done following authentic scriptures, NOT demented cult generated philosophies. And hence I have no interest in speaking to you and your cult-people.</span><span class="c8"><br><br></span><span class="c8 c18">4. I gain my coherent thoughts while writinga rticles where i refute strongly the demented philosophies. But in direct debates i usually do not remain synergetic and coherant. So, even whatever replies I gave to your and your friend's comments; all were very casual and fluffy. SO, removed even my replies which were also confusing to the audience.</span><span class="c8"><br><br><br><br></span><span class="c8 c18">But rest assured your and your friend's time spent on this space is not wasted. I have deleted all your and your friend's stupid comments from this blog, but know that I have saved a copy of them with me personally. You both have given me NICE points to refute. Thanks to both of you. You have given me nice topis to create articles. In fact you both have helped me in generating more articles here.</span><span class="c8"><br><br></span><span class="c8 c18">I deleted your comments because they were arbitrarily posted and I see a great opportunity for thrashing them through articles, but the readers of this blog would get misled by your arbitrarily placed specially tailored arguments; which I don't want to do to the readers of this blog.</span><span class="c8"><br><br></span><span class="c8 c18">And yea, your comment on mahapashupatastra as a broken twig really gave me laughter. I laughed for few seconds. Thanks for giving a good HUMOUR. But rest asusured in few years I will give you all a big TUMOUR (hehehe...just some word to follow a rhyme scheme, but you would have understood what it meant :-) )</span><span class="c8"><br><br></span><span class="c8 c18">You have no idea about my capacity, my strengths; so pinching me every now and then by posting comments is not good for you. Pls refrain from visiting my blog or at least posting your stupid arguements here. In 2-3 years (if everything goes right by god's grace)I'll make sure that you all would not even dare to visit this blog, commenting is a remote option! (Sounds funny? It should sound funny now, but it would take away your laughter off your face once i succeed in establishing my vision)</span><span class="c8"><br><br></span><span class="c8 c18">Good bye! I don't want to see anti-shiva people's inauspicious presence in my blog. So, kindly stop irritating me with your comments.</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14 c18"></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14 c18"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>You can clearly see our friend's dishonesty here. His statement that he "removed comments because it will confuse its readers" makes his position look like that of Islamist fundamentalists who run Saudi Arabia that won't allow any religious literature "written by infidels" that criticize Islam out of fear that "it will spread corruption in their pristine Islamic society".</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14 c18"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c17 c10">A person who hides truths from innocents and gullible people that have placed blind trust on him commits an act of violence and betrayal. Such an act is a deliberate effort to push the gullible and faithful truth-seekers into the hellfire of self-denial. </span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14 c18"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>We now come to the main point here. Our poor friend was seldom aware that I had subscribed to the comments in that thread, and that </span><span class="c17">every comment that was posted in that thread made its way into my email inbox</span><span>, and hence removing the comments from his blog post did not do any good. I am posting here below, all of the comments that were removed by our </span><span class="c6">shaivite </span><span>friend. Genuine seekers of truth can see below what is being hidden from their viewing. (Note: the </span><span class="c6">bhAgavata </span><span> posted as "Unknown" and I posted as "Humble Bhagavata Bandhu"). For completion, I am posting these with the first few comments which our friend has not deleted. I have highlighted a few points made by our side in green and have explained it here below the comments.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/08063187545902058684">Unknown</a></span><span class="c8"> </span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?showComment=1364981325172#c1787793355042044291">April 3, 2013 at 2:28 AM</a></span><span class="c8"><br></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">LMAO, This blog is utter rubbish.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c37 c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Fact no. 1 - Vaishnavas do not interpret jR^imbhitam as 'unstrung'. We interpret it as 'rendered inert'. That means, the war cry of Vishnu rendered both Shiva and his bow ineffective. Shiva became unconscious and the bow was rendered 'inert', ie, incapable of usage.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">'saayakam dhanuu' means pArvati pati handed over the bow along with the arrows. It does not indicate he fitted the arrows to the bow. Again, read the vaishnava commentaries on ramayana.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Fact 2: Your other posts on nArAyaNA being tripura sundari, etc are errant nonsense not supported by pracIna vaidikas like adi shankara, ramanuja, madhva, etc.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Fact 3: The Rudra mentioned in the Rudram is none other than Sriman Narayana. I have written a detailed commentary on the 1st anuvakam of Rudram myself. All names like Nilalohita, Tripurantaka, Tryambaka, Rudra, Sarva, Shiva, Shambhu, Svayambhu, Girisha, etc refer only to nArAyaNa.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">In fact, Rudram establishes the 5 forms of Vishnu in the mantra 'asau yo tamrO aruna...' and goes on to say that this Rudra descends as Vishnu (avasarpati), as the antaryamin of nilagriva (parvati pati) and antaryami of vilohita (brahma; he is red because of rajO gunam)!</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Fact 4: The tattvam of the Tripura Samharam is as follows.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">The name 'Hara' as per ranga ramanuja muni's vyakhyanam for svetasvatara means 'one who enjoys prakrti', ie, refers to the jivatmna. In the Banasura charithra of Harivamsha, the Sivajvara refers to Shiva as 'Hara,the destroyer of Tripura'.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">So, In the tripura samharam, Shiva is Hara, ie the Jiva. The facts about vedas becoming chariot, devas giving their powers, omkara becoming bow string, brahma as chariotdriver refers to various accessories of upasana, namely, bhakti yoga such as pranavOpasanam, sadaacharyan, etc. Vishnu, as the arrow tip, is the indirect upayam for completion of bhakti yoga, as he is the parabrahman. The three cities are sattva, rajo and tamo guna, which are transcended by completion of upasanam. The releasing of the arrow by Shiva is equal to the performance of upasanam by jivatma, ie, the self effort required. The arrow tip destroyed the cities, ie, Vishnu, the eternal brahman, completes the upasanam.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Thus, this incident shows shiva is a jivatma. 'Eko ha vai nArAyaNa asIt, na brahma, nEshana...' Siva did not exist during pralaya. The 'nakaara' in nArAyaNa makes it a proper noun and he is identified with Vishnu in the Vishnu gayatri. All other gayatris, including RudraGayatri, begin with 'tatpurusha' whereas Vishnu Gayatri begins with 'Narayana'.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Fact 5: The mandara mountain did not literally become the bow, just as the sun and moon did not literally become chariot wheels. It means, the power of the mandara mountain, sun, moon, devas, etc was imparted to parvati pati during tripura samhara. So, there is no contradiction in saying the bow mentioned in the rAmAyaNa is the same as the one used in Tripura Samharam.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">It was Vishnu who misled the asuras with false matham. It was Vishnu who took away the chastity of the wives. It was Vishnu who drank up the pool that rejuvenated the asuras to life, preventing them from rejuvenation. It was Vishnu who was 'tripurAntaka', ie, the arrow tip that destroyed the cities.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">The tamasa puranas try to hide all this by saying Shiva destroyed tripura with a smile. Since they are tamasa puranas that contradict the veda, they are rejected.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Even now, I have no issues with Shaivas claiming supremacy of Shiva. That is their matham. I only wanted to counter the claim that we interpret jrimbhitam as unstrung, when we do not. Just don't put words into the mouth of Vaishnavas that we do not utter ourselves.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Of course, all this is lost on a Vaishnava dveshi like you. I am sure you will come up with more incoherent ideas that are the product of an overactive imagination in a feeble attempt to counter this. Keep rambling..</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/00593473763893225230">Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula</a></span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?showComment=1365062520710#c5962110757553391030">April 4, 2013 at 1:02 AM</a></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?showComment=1365062520710#c5962110757553391030"></a></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[QUOTE]I am sure you will come up with more incoherent ideas that are the product of an overactive imagination in a feeble attempt to counter this. Keep rambling.[UNQUOTE]</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">I didn't want to reply to your comment because i don't like to interact with anonymous/"unknown" people. But seeing your "surity" of belief that i would reply, in order to make your words not to get falsified, i am replying. May your belief be true! :-)</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Your parents would have given a very beautiful name to you, and you should be pround of displaying your name. What is this name "unknown"??. I don't like people who hide behind screens and pass comments. I don't play hide and seek with anyone hence byd efault i expect others also to be open, revealed to me. Ownership is important. What you write, you should own it. Whatever i write i own it. that's why i always display my full name with all expansions. Hope you would follow my suggestion in future.</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Well, yes your belief is correct. i'll keep rambling; but unfortunately these days i am over burdened with work and higher studies so not able to ramble much. But surely your wish ("keep rambling") would be fulfilled. Just pray to god to give me some free time so that i can ramble hehehe. :-)</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[QUOTE]Of course, all this is lost on a Vaishnava dveshi like you. I am sure you will come up with more incoherent ideas that are the product of an overactive imagination in a feeble attempt to counter this. Keep rambling.[UNQUOTE]</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Who told you i am a vaishnava dweshi? i oppose only those vaishnavas who hate shiva. My late maternal grandpa was a great devotee of krishna and i always enjoyed his krishna-bhakti. i had no issues with his devotion which was flawless, and he never saw any differences between krishna and other gods. he was a true vishnu bhakta and i am always ready to hug such pious devotees of vishnu.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">{QUOTE]Even now, I have no issues with Shaivas claiming supremacy of Shiva. That is their matham. [UNQUOTE]</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">If you have no problems with shaivas then my blogs are not for you. Kindly do not block my path. My blogs are only for those vaishnavas who hate shiva and not for them who are neutral towards shiva.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Here are explanations for your points:</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/00593473763893225230">Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula</a></span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?showComment=1365062574068#c7048257272624533669">April 4, 2013 at 1:02 AM</a></span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Ans to your fact no. 1:</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">jRmbhitam has several meanings as given below. It can be used as an adj. or a n. and likewise here are the meanings.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Adj -caused to yawn (fatigued / broken), expanded, increased, enlarged, unstrung, exerted, opened</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">n.-bursting, wish, exertion, opening, yawning/fatigued, swelling, developing, unfolding, kind of coitus.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">I've called jrimbhitam as "unstrung", if that is incorrect as per you, then be it so. Let me go by some authoritative translator. Valmiki ramayana has been translated into english by sri Desiraju Hanumanth Rao. He translates that verse as follows.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">tadaa = then; hum kaareNa = by 'hum', sound [of Vishnu]; bhiima paraakramam shaivam dhanuH = ruinously, overpowering, Shiva's, longbow; jR^imbhitam = yawned [fatigued, broken]; atha trilocanaH mahaadevaH = then, triple-eyed, Mahadeva; stambhitaH = motionless [frozen.]</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"By the 'hum' sound of Vishnu that ruinously overpowering longbow of Shiva is broken, and the triple-eyed God, Mahadeva, is frozen... [1-75-17b, 18a]</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">This is even a much bigger contradiction if you see. If by hummm sound that bow is broken how could shiva again give that to devaraata? The rendered inert is given as "sthambhitah" , and it was shiva who was rendered inert and not his bow. his bow was broken by vishnu's humm sound. Jrmbhitam and sthambhitah both are different and jrmbhitam doesn't mean rendering inert. I don't care what you translate it as, since your personal opinions are immaterial to me.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Regarding saayakam dhanuh here is the translation by Desiraju hanumanth rao ji.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">samkruddhaH = with indignation; mahaayashaaH rudraH tu = celebrated, Rudra, on his part; videheSu = among Videha [kings]; sa saayakam dhanuu = with, arrow, longbow; raaja R^iSeH = to Kingly, sage; devaraatasya haste dadau = in Devaraata's, hand, handed over.</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"That celebrated Rudra on his part with indignation has handed over that longbow, which is already fitted with unloosened arrow, to the sagely king among Videha kings, namely Devaraata... [1-75-20b, 21a]</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">And again i do not care what you personally translate it as! And you have asked me to read vaishnava commentaries on ramayana. thanks for the suggestion but sorry i can't take it. Ramayana is not a vaishnava property, Sri Rama and Vishnu are also not a copyright of vaishnavas. they are equally worshippable for all hindus. And i like impartial translations instead of secetarian translations. Your secetarian commentaries have always tried to supress truths and elevate falses. so can't follow your suggestion, sorry!</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Ans to your fact no. 2:</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Hmmmm my errant nonsense on narayana suktam as being a hymn of tripurasudnari is not analyzed by prachina vaidikas because they wanted this information to be disclosed by me :-) shankara, madhawa, ramanuja had foreseen myself to be the right person to analyze that hehehe. Well, whether it looks errant nonsense to you or whatever, the fact is fact that none of the scriptures ever called vishnu as travelling through susumna nerve. that is always kundalini (tripurasundari) and hence my analysis is correct. If you donot like, then it's your problem. please keep your problem with you. I don't go by your opinions, i go by scriptures and my intellect. Thx!</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/00593473763893225230">Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula</a></span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?showComment=1365062757117#c6303344481784326770">April 4, 2013 at 1:05 AM</a></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Ans to your fact no. 3:</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Congratulations to you for having written a commentary on rudram first anuvaka. At personal level i can congratulate you and can say good job! But at professional level i am sorry to say that your udnerstanding of rudram being a hymn to narayana is totally wrong!</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">In mahabharata veda vyasa and sri krishna have indicated rudram being a hymn of lord shiva in 3 instances. I would go by their words rather than following your "opinion" unless you want to say you are greater scholar than vyasa and sri krishna.</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">You said, "vilohita (brahma; he is red because of rajO gunam)!" LOL...I think you didn't read puranas where brahma is depicted to have the same color as lakshmi, pink of golden complexion. Brahma is not red!! If i go by your logic of red means rajas then narayana/vishnu being black/dark complexioned must be a god full of tamo-gunam! :-)</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Ans to your fact no. 4:</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Well, i don't follow kaliyugi saints and their logic. i go by scriptures. hence i respect "ranga ramanuja muni ji's" opinion, but that's just his opinion and not a fact! Several acharyas came in kaliyuga and expressed several opinions, but none of their opinions are acceptable if they contradict scriptures or words of ancient sages. ranga ramanuja ji cannot propose a theory different from what's there in scriptures. Kaivalya upanishad states that tripura is sthoola, sukshma, karana dehas and the lord who sports within them is shiva and he liberates jiva by destroying those tripuras. The three gunas are not tripuras. And for your kind information, the arrow tip was NOT vishnu; vishnu was just the shaft/stem of the arrow, the actual hood (point) was agni which destroyed the tripura. And again agni is none other than rudra. You'll not understand this but still let me state - it again shows "agni somAtmakam jagat" principle and it again glorifies uma-maheshwara tatwam alone.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">You said "shiva is jivatma" - but that's not true however, the truth is the other way round - "jivatma is verily shiva". You need to understand the difference between these phrases. I don't know which acharya first propagated this bogus theory of shiva being a liberated jiva and all such nonsense; but know from me that none of the standard scriptures support that view. shiva is verily the parabrahman, the supreme lord.</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Well, for your verse which stated shiva didn't exist at the time of pralaya, may i request you to read my narayana suktam article completely? i have already refuted that verse and explained what it means. And regarding narayana being a proper noun or a verb or an adjective, i don't care what part of speech it is, but one thing i can tell you is narayana has several meanings and yes it definitely refers to vishnu but the narayana sukta doesn't praise vishnu there narayana is the name of goddess tripurasudnari.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/00593473763893225230">Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula</a></span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?showComment=1365062780448#c6631652497607126240">April 4, 2013 at 1:06 AM</a></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Ans to your fact no. 5:</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Well, i agree that the mountain didn't become the bow etc. that arguement i need to correct in my article which even i realized lateron but didn't get a chance to rework on that. Will do that when time permits. But leaving that also the other contradictions that i showed they are valid and hence that story is bogus one. The bow used in tripurasamhara is not the same as the one present in janaka's palace.</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Even if for time being i assume that they really fought and then also the reason why shiva got defeated is because shiva gave a boon to narayana saying he would be invulnerable to every weapon and he also said that even if he ever has to fight against shiva then he would be victorious.it exists in mahabharata. so it is shiva's mercy that vishnu would win whenever he has to fight with him. Vedas cleary declare that rudra is unconquerable, and he overpowers his enemies in battle. And if you still want to say ramayana story (which contradicts vedas) is true, then ramayana story needs to be rejected as anti-vedic. Now coming back to tripura-samhara, Vishnu misled the asuras and their wives so how does that make shiva inferior? Staff always does the actual hands-on work but always reports to the supervisor. vishnu helping shiva cannot be a yardstick to call shiva as inferior. Also, i have told you above that vishnu was not the arrow tip he was just the shaft/stem, arrow tip was agni and agni is rudra alone.</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">There is no logical reason behind calling a purana tamasic. you people are fond of rejecting shaiva puranas as tamasic because they are threat to your beliefs. other than that there is no reason to categorize puranas with gunas. Your satvik purana bhagawatam itself is bogus one, and you are pointing a finger at shiva related texts, huh!</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span>And here come the deleted comments. As the readers can see, these comments were seen by our anti-Vaishnavite friend as a formidable opposition:</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/08063187545902058684">Unknown</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[QUOTE] My late maternal grandpa was a great devotee of krishna and i always enjoyed his krishna-bhakti. i had no issues with his devotion which was flawless, and he never saw any differences between krishna and other gods. he was a true vishnu bhakta and i am always ready to hug such pious devotees of vishnu.[/UNQUOTE]</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">A Vaishnava is one who worships Vishnu as Supreme and who consider Shiva as a Jivatma. This is based on pramanas like Satapatha Brahmana declaring Rudra to be anapahatapapma and the MahOpanishad declaring Ishana to be absent during pralaya.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Hence, you are no vaishnava. Neither are your friends.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[QUOTE]This is even a much bigger contradiction if you see. If by hummm sound that bow is broken how could shiva again give that to devaraata? The rendered inert is given as "sthambhitah" , and it was shiva who was rendered inert and not his bow. his bow was broken by vishnu's humm sound. Jrmbhitam and sthambhitah both are different and jrmbhitam doesn't mean rendering inert. I don't care what you translate it as, since your personal opinions are immaterial to me.[/QUOTE]</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Let me give you a gist.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">As pert Govindaraja's vyakhyanam, 'Jimbritam' means Broken. The war cry of Vishnu cracked Shiva's bow just a little. And hence, it was rendered unusable. So, Shiva gave the bow along with the arrows to Janaka's dynasty.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">And this is also one of the reasons why Parasurama is claiming that Rama's feat of breaking the bow was not great. Because, the Bow was already slightly cracked. It broke entirely when Rama handled it.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">As per the commentary of some madhva scholars, jrimbhitam means rendered 'motionless' or 'jada'. This means, the bow lost its tejas. As you know, the bow of shiva is a divyAstra and hence, it lost its divya tejas and became motionless, ie, incapable of usage.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Either way, the interpretation is consistent.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[QUOTE]And again i do not care what you personally translate it as! And you have asked me to read vaishnava commentaries on ramayana. thanks for the suggestion but sorry i can't take it. Ramayana is not a vaishnava property, Sri Rama and Vishnu are also not a copyright of vaishnavas. they are equally worshippable for all hindus. And i like impartial translations instead of secetarian translations. Your secetarian commentaries have always tried to supress truths and elevate falses. so can't follow your suggestion, sorry![/QUOTE]</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">LMAO, you take one commentary as authoritative and then say that we are sectarian for following other commentaries. This is hilarious. You are trying to refute us evil vaishnavas, who have such wicked and crooked minds!! So, I suggest you take Vaishnava commentaries to refute us.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">We interpret sAyakam dhanu as 'he gave away the bow along with the arrows'.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[QUOTE]shankara, madhawa, ramanuja had foreseen myself to be the right person to analyze that hehehe. Well, whether it looks errant nonsense to you or whatever, the fact is fact that none of the scriptures ever called vishnu as travelling through susumna nerve. that is always kundalini (tripurasundari) and hence my analysis is correct. If you donot like, then it's your problem. please keep your problem with you. I don't go by your opinions, i go by scriptures and my intellect. Thx![/QUOTE]</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Here we have the proverbial 'patting oneself on the back'. Fact remains, what Shankara, Ramanuja, Madhva say is taken more seriously than what you have to say. Tripura Sundari is not nArAyaNa and the identification of nArAyaNa with Vishnu is as per pracIna vedAntA. </span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Unknown to</span><span class="c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email"> </a></span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 4, 2013 at 6:17 AM </span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871">Humble Bhagavata Bandhu</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">There have been many non-Vaishnavite commentators on the Ramayana, including Shiva bhaktas like Nagoji Bhatta, Shiva Sahaya etc. None of them have identified this section about the battle between Shiva and Vishnu as bogus! Somehow that is apparent to you!!</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">The claims made by you sir, the blog's author, are ludicrous and can be demolished easily.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c15 c8">The name "nArAyaNa" cannot be interpreted etymologically, and can ONLY be used to denote Shankha Chakra Dhari Vishnu, since as per grammar the name can only be used as a proper noun. Only if it was "nArAyana" and not "nArAyaNa" you could interpret it as a common noun etymologically. This is because of the rule "pUrvapadAt saJjyAyAM agaH" (8.4.3) identified by Panini in his Ashtadhyayi.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">This point has been accepted by even non-Vaishnavites such as Bhanuji Dikshita (who, btw, is the disciple of Bhattoji Dikshita, in turn a disciple of Appayya Dikshita) in his treatise Ramasrami on Amarasimha's Amarakosha. (look in this treatise where the name "nArAyaNa" occurs as one of the names of Vishnu). Much more important, the point has been accepted by another non-Vaishnavite, Bhatta Bhaskara, a commentator on the Vedas, who lived before the time of Ramanuja (see Bhatta Bhaskara's Bhashyam on Purusha Suktam section of Taittiriya Aranyaka 3.12).</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Hence, it is quite well established that "nArAyaNa" refers only to Shankha-chakra dhAri viShNu and none else.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c15 c8">You quote Shankaracharya as an authority. You will benefit to know that the authentic works of Shankara are his Bhashyas, and not Stutis like the Laharis, which were authored by later-day Advaitins after the 15th century and propagated in Shankara's name. Proof? Because none of the Advaitic commentators between 8th and 15th centuries have even touched these texts. They invariably quote only from his Upanishad, Brahma Sutra, Gita, and Vishnu Sahasranama Bhashyas only. This may not be accepted by Mutts and the lay people, but both Indian and Western scholarship accepts this. Even a child reading Shankara's Bhashyams would identify Adi Shankarar as a pure Vaishnava only.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Sri Shankara, while rejecting Pashupata/Saiva/Maheshwara matham categorically (Brahma Sutra Bhashyam 2.2.37-41), pauses to concede that the Upasana parts of Pancharatra matham (specificically he cites Ananya Bhakti) are perfectly acceptable for Vedantins such as himself. Note that this is the only instance (2.2.42-45) where the Acharya concedes merit to any other religious/philosophical system.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">It is the same Shankara Acharya who proclaims in the Gita Bhashya (9.25) that Vaishnavas (Shankaracharya specifically uses the word "Vaishnavas" here) attain to the highest state of liberation, while the worshippers of other devatas receive comparitively petty fruits.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c15 c8">And in the same Gita Bhashya Shankara explains Gita 18.61 as "IshvaraH IshanashIlaH nArAyaNAkhyaH (one known by the name 'nArAyaNa')", while you interpret it as Siva! Thus your interpretation is not acceptable even to Sri Shankara Acharya, who you proudly proclaim is Siva's avataram!!</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">(contd. in next post)</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Humble Bhagavata Bandhu to</span><span class="c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email"> </a></span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 4, 2013 at 6:06 AM </span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/08063187545902058684">Unknown</a></span><span class="c37 c8"> </span><span class="c8">has left a new comment on the post</span><span class="c37 c8"> "</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8 c37">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[QUOTE]Jivatma is verily shiva". You need to understand the difference between these phrases. I don't know which acharya first propagated this bogus theory of shiva being a liberated jiva and all such nonsense; but know from me that none of the standard scriptures support that view. shiva is verily the parabrahman, the supreme lord.</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Well, for your verse which stated shiva didn't exist at the time of pralaya, may i request you to read my narayana suktam article completely? i have already refuted that verse and explained what it means. And regarding narayana being a proper noun or a verb or an adjective, i don't care what part of speech it is, but one thing i can tell you is narayana has several meanings and yes it definitely refers to vishnu but the narayana sukta doesn't praise vishnu there narayana is the name of goddess tripurasudnari.[/QUOTE]</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Oh, Jivatma is Shiva alright. However, the Shiva is not pArvati pati, but as per vishnu sahasranama, 'sarvam sarva shivas sthanur', it is nArAyaNa.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">And no more of that tripura sundari nonsense. Your so called 'narayana suktam commentary' is a fail. Everyone from Adi Shankara till recent vedantins know that nArAyaNa is Vishnu. I won't even deign to answer that.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[QUOTE]ven if for time being i assume that they really fought and then also the reason why shiva got defeated is because shiva gave a boon to narayana saying he would be invulnerable to every weapon and he also said that even if he ever has to fight against shiva then he would be</span><span class="c8"><a class="c16" href="http://victorious.it"> </a></span><span class="c17 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://victorious.it">victorious.it</a></span><span class="c8"> exists in mahabharata. so it is shiva's mercy that vishnu would win whenever he has to fight with him. Vedas cleary declare that rudra is unconquerable, and he overpowers his enemies in battle. And if you still want to say ramayana story (which contradicts vedas) is true, then ramayana story needs to be rejected as anti-vedic. Now coming back to tripura-samhara, Vishnu misled the asuras and their wives so how does that make shiva inferior? Staff always does the actual hands-on work but always reports to the supervisor. vishnu helping shiva cannot be a yardstick to call shiva as inferior. Also, i have told you above that vishnu was not the arrow tip he was just the shaft/stem, arrow tip was agni and agni is rudra alone.</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">There is no logical reason behind calling a purana tamasic. you people are fond of rejecting shaiva puranas as tamasic because they are threat to your beliefs. other than that there is no reason to categorize puranas with gunas. Your satvik purana bhagawatam itself is bogus one, and you are pointing a finger at shiva related texts, huh![/QUOTE]</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">That which contradicts Veda is tamasic. The tamasa puranas like shiva, vayu purana, etc have not been considered pramanika from the time of adi shankara till madhusudhana saraswati. So pracIna tradition is honored here.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Vishnu being supreme is not a belief. It is a fact based on veda.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c15 c8">The anusasainika parva containing shiva sahasranama has not been commented upon by anybody. Hence, shiva sahasranama is an interpolation. Only Vishnu sahasranama has been commented on. Hence, it is authentic. Nobody prior to 16th century has even referenced shiva sahasranama. If it had existed, shaivites before 16th century would have quoted it.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Unknown to</span><span class="c22 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email"> </a></span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 4, 2013 at 6:19 AM </span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/08063187545902058684">Unknown</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[QUOTE]Well, i don't follow kaliyugi saints and their logic. i go by scriptures. hence i respect "ranga ramanuja muni ji's" opinion, but that's just his opinion and not a fact! Several acharyas came in kaliyuga and expressed several opinions, but none of their opinions are acceptable if they contradict scriptures or words of ancient sages. ranga ramanuja ji cannot propose a theory different from what's there in scriptures. Kaivalya upanishad states that tripura is sthoola, sukshma, karana dehas and the lord who sports within them is shiva and he liberates jiva by destroying those tripuras. The three gunas are not tripuras. And for your kind information, the arrow tip was NOT vishnu; vishnu was just the shaft/stem of the arrow, the actual hood (point) was agni which destroyed the tripura. And again agni is none other than rudra. You'll not understand this but still let me state - it again shows "agni somAtmakam jagat" principle and it again glorifies uma-maheshwara tatwam alone.[/QUOTE]</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Well, it doesn't matter what opinion you follow. As I said, I don't mind you calling Rudra as supreme so long as you stop foisting unfounded claims on Vaishnavas.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">The shastras indicate that Vishnu was the arrow and Agni was the tip. In other cases, it says Agni was the arrow and Vishnu was the tip. It does not change the meaning. Agni refers to sacrifice. Let me explain once again.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">The vedas are the chariot, meaning Shastra jnAnam is required. Brahma is the charioteer, meaning, he is acharyan who guides the Jivatma. As Brahma is senior to Rudra, it is appropriate. The bow is sometimes referred to as mandara, at other places as time and so on. The bowstring is the pranava. The poles of the chariot are the directions. All these refer to the accessories for the upasana. Such upasanas are aimed at destroying samsara. What is samsara? it is caused by prakrti also known as maya, which consists of sattva, rajas and tamas. And in the tripura samhara, the asura maya builds the three cities which are the sattcva, rajas and tamas.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Agni is the sacrifice, ie, the offering of 'namaha' essential to upasana. The arrow, or its tip, is the Parabrahman Vishnu, without whose grace, the Upasana cannot be completed. The other acts of Vishnu, such as misleading the asuras, taking away their punya, removing the rejuvenating well, etc show the grace of parabrahman in making the environment conducive for the jivatma to perform upasanam.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Shiva is the jivatma known as haran, who enjoys prakrti, who shoots the arrow, ie, performs upasana with the small act of releasing the arrow.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Unknown to </span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 4, 2013 at 6:17 AM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/08063187545902058684">Unknown</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[QUOTE]Congratulations to you for having written a commentary on rudram first anuvaka. At personal level i can congratulate you and can say good job! But at professional level i am sorry to say that your udnerstanding of rudram being a hymn to narayana is totally wrong![/QUOTE]</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Rudra simply means one who destroys samsara. The Vishnu Sahasranama contains these names - 'RudrO bahushirA babhrU', 'Svayambhu Shambhur Aditya', 'IshAna prAnada prAnah', 'AdidevO mahAdevO', etc.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c15 c8">So, these names indicate Vishnu only. And Vaishnava Scholars have interpreted Rudram with perfect grammatical usage to refer to nArAyaNa only.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[QUOTE]In mahabharata veda vyasa and sri krishna have indicated rudram being a hymn of lord shiva in 3 instances. I would go by their words rather than following your "opinion" unless you want to say you are greater scholar than vyasa and sri krishna.[/QUOTE]</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c15 c8">The mahabhArata incident involving Arjuna and Krishna chanting Satarudriyam to Rudra is not at all contradictory. As Krishna mentions in the Santi Parva, whenever Maheswara (pArvati pati) is worshipped, it is only nArAyaNa, the antaryamin of mahEswara who is worshipped. Furthermore, as Krishna is Parabrahman, all weapons of all devas get their strength from Krishna. So, worshipping Pasupatastra with Satarudriyam is also not a problem.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Even in Tripura Samharam, Karna Parva (or is it Drona Parva), it is said that Rudra's bowstring was made untouchable by the asuras. This was because Bhava (Rudra) had Vishnu as his inner self, ie, antaryamin.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8 c15">The Satarudriyam involves asking Bhagavan to shed his Ghora rupam (Vishwarupam) and attain a peaceful form, ie, as shanka chakra gada pAni, which is Aghora (not terrifying) and shantamaya. This is in accordance with the 11th chapter of Gita.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[QUOTE]You said, "vilohita (brahma; he is red because of rajO gunam)!" LOL...I think you didn't read puranas where brahma is depicted to have the same color as lakshmi, pink of golden complexion. Brahma is not red!! If i go by your logic of red means rajas then narayana/vishnu being black/dark complexioned must be a god full of tamo-gunam! :-)[/QUOTE]</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">The same Brahma is also said to have red color because of RajO gunam elsewhere in Srimad Bhagavatam (I believe the verse is 10.3.20). It is also mentioned elsewhere that Bhagavan Narasimha donned the red skin of Brahma as a metaphor to describe his skin color.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Red is symbolic of rajO gunam.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">And your comment on nArAyaNa is quite irrelevant. Bhagavan has appeared in many colors, with black being his preferred color. Know why? Its actually because black is symbolic of tamas. But Bhagavan's blackness is not prakrti made, but a body assumed of suddha sattvam (pure jnanam). This quality of bhagavan, ie, appearing in a color perceived as negative is to show people that even the base things become transformed in association with him. This quality is called agatitagatanasamarthyam and is mentioned as 'Aho Ratre' in Purusha Suktam - Day and Night are at his sides, ie, he can combine opposites!</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Unknown to</span><span class="c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email"> </a></span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 4, 2013 at 6:17 AM </span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/08063187545902058684">Unknown</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Addendum:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">I forgot to address this in my previous posts:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">You mentioned: "agni somAtmakam jagat....glorifies uma-maheshwara tatwam alone".</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">I say: Wrong again. As I mentioned before, 'Agni' in the Tripura Samharam incident is the offering of 'namaha'. The Upanishads describe the jivAtmA as 'somarAja' (panchAgni vidyA, chandogya upanishad). 'SomarAjA' means he who enjoys 'sOma', and 'sOma' refers to the objects of enjoyment.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">The jagath is filled with agni and sOma, ie, sacrifice and objects of enjoyment. And you have convieniently omitted the next line in the mahAbhArata which states that the jagath is filled with Vishnu, who pervades all this and hence, agni and sOma as well.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">So, Agni refers to namaha and sOma refers to the articles of sacrifice, or the objects of enjoyment procured by the upAsaNa. This includes wealth, long age, etc. which are all ancillories needed for performing the upAsaNa.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">This is the meaning of SOma in this context.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Next thing - sOma also has another meaning of 'umApati', which is not intended as the meaning of Tripura samharam incident. But 'umApati' is not only the name of pArvati pati. umApati is the name of Narasimha, along with Sankara, PinAkI, Nilalohita as per the Tapaniya Upanishad. And in case anybody thinks the Narasimha TapanIya is of recent origin, let me assure you that it has been quoted and referenced by the great VedAnta Desikan, kavi tArkika simham, the acharyan of Vishishtadvaita, in the 13th century in his work, kAmAshikashtakam.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">So even 'sOma' as it occurs in, for instance, the satarudriyam, is not a monopoly of pArvati pati.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Unknown to </span><span class="c17 c11 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 4, 2013 at 9:01 AM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871">Humble Bhagavata Bandhu</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">It is indeed Adi Shankarar who, in his Upanishad Bhashyams, in three important places identified Brahman as Lord Vishnu:</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"IdRgIshvaro nArAyaNAkhyaH" - Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, 3.7.3</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"eSha devo viShNur anantaH... sarva bhUtAnAM antarAtmA" - Mundaka, 2.1.4</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"viShNOr vyApanasheelasya brahmaNo vAsudevAkhyasya paramam utkRShTam padam sthAnam" - Katha, 1.3.9</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Thus Shankarar has stamped his Upanishad Bhasyam with the three namas found in Narayana Gayatri, especially where the Upanishad does not specify the name of the Parabrahman, thus showing that the devatA of nArAyaNa gAyatri is indeed parabrahman.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Shankara argues clearly in the first Chapter of Brahma sutra that the Saguna Brahman, the Highest Lord paramAtmA cannot be a deity who was created at the beginning of the Kalpam. He specifically rules out the sUrya devatA from the position of the Highest Lord (as an aside: this ruling out of Surya devata means Shankara could not have accepted Saura matham, thus debunking the theory that he was "Shanmata Sthapaka"). In bRhadAraNyaka Upanishad bhAShya, the same Shankara says that Lord Rudra, the Pasupati, was created by Brahman (1.4.10-11). Again the same AchArya says in Brahma Sutra Bhashya third chapter that Rudra is a receiver of a boon from Sanatkumara (3.3.32). Putting this together, Adi Shankara's original matham cannot have taken Rudra for Highest Lord!</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">You quite often quote verses in current editions of Mahabharatam, which no Acharya before has used. Here is what all Acharyas, including Shankara (see his Vishnu Sahasranama Commentary) quote from the Mahabharata and Harivamsa:</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"After having analyzed all the shastras critically many times, I can say for sure this one rule -- that nArAyaNa is always to be meditated upon" (AlODya sarva shAstrANi vicArya ca punaH punaH idam ekam suniShpannam dhyeyon nArAyaNaH sadA)</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"There is no shAstra higher than the Veda and there is no deity higher than Keshava". (vedAt shAstram param nAsti na daivam keshavAt param)</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"In the Vedas, Ramayana, and Mahabharata, Vishnu is alone proclaimed as the highest everywhere" (vede rAmAyaNe puNye bhArate ca bharataRShabhaH Adau madhye tathA cAntau viShNuH sarvatra gIyate) note: hence there is no dOsham in identifying Vishnu as the upAsya devatA in rudram, shvetAshvatara upaniShad etc.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">The first and last verse above have been quoted by Sri Adi Shankara in Vishnu Sahasranama Bhashyam.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">In the Mahabharata, there is a samvAda between Shiva and Brahma about the nature of Parabrahman. Here Brahma addresses Shiva as his son, and tells Shiva that "the Supreme Brahman cannot be known by me, or by you. He is the Lord of all beings" and goes to identify the Supreme Purusha as Vishnu, Narayana. This part has been quoted by Ramanuja in Vedartha Sangraha, and more importantly by Shankara in Brahma Sutra Bhashyam 2.1.1.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">If you want challenge me to give proofs of the above citations (with exact references) I can do the same! You don't even have to go hunting for the books, I can scan the pages and send to you!!</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Humble Bhagavata Bandhu to </span><span class="c17 c11 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 4, 2013 at 6:06 AM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/08063187545902058684">Unknown</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's</a></span><span class="c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email"> </a></span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">The Rudra mentioned in the Satarudriyam and the Svetasvatara Upanishad is none other than nArAyaNa, who is Vishnu. 'RudrO bhaushira babhrur' in the sahasranama clearly states this. Rudra means, 'one who destroys samsara', 'one who makes others cry with happiness on experiencing his gunas'. The same Rudra is hailed as Girishanta, which means 'Creator or Girisha (shiva)'. Here, 'anta' refers to limit, which is etymologically interpreted as the source or cause of Girisha.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c15 c8">No matter, Shiva can grant boons. But in the same mahabharata, santi parva, Krishna explains that nobody grants boons to Vishnu and that he bows down to his devotees and takes boons out of his own volition. He, by his own supreme will, lowers himself to accept the boons of others. It is like a mother condescending to her child. This gunam is called 'SousIlyam', it is the purport of the Rudram mantras like 'avasarpati nilagrIvo vilohita', he descends (avasarpati) as himself (vishnu), as the antaryamin of nilagriva and vilohita (rudra and brahma). He can be seen by cowherds and all beings, says this mantra. This is called sousIlyam.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">So much for that.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Unknown to</span><span class="c11 c8"> </span><span class="c17 c11 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c11 c8"> </span><span class="c8">at April 4, 2013 at 6:19 AM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/00593473763893225230">Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Dear friend,</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Mahabharata defines Narayana as follows in two chapters</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"In ancient times I called the waters by the name of Nara; and because the waters have ever been my ayana or home, therefore have I been called Narayana (the water-homed)". (MBH.Vana Parva)</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"The waters have been called by the name of Nara, for they sprang from Him called Nara. And since the waters in former times, were my refuge, I am, therefore, called by the name of Narayana". (MBH.Santi Parva)</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">So, it means "that entity whose resting place (ayana) is waters (nara) is narayana". My definition of Narayana as tripurasudnari is also in similar lines as "that entity whose direction (ayana) is nara is narayana and is nothing but tripurasudnari". If my definition is erroneous then even the Mahabharata definition of narayana should be erroneous because both follow the same logic.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Secondly, the Vedic grammar is non-paninian and preceeds Panini in time. so, I don't think it is correct to apply Panini grammar on Vedic verses. thirdly, even srikantha acharya seems to have believed the way my thought process goes. However, I don't know much about his works so kindly don't ask me to quote from his works.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">I quote acharyas only in those instances where they remain in sync with vedas and other scriptures. </span><span class="c15 c8">Whatever shankara might have said about Vishnu as brahman, I may or may not completely agree with him. so, your quotes from his bhashyam I may not buy. for me the first authority is scriptures; an dthen only come acharyas.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">You are bombarding me with too many missiles at once; I have very less free time these days, busy at work. Wait for 2-3 years, and then you'll find some more articles from me which would clear all your misconceptions. that's what I can say at present. I've no time to enter a never ending debate now. 2-3 years later (hopefully I get time to complete my works), then there would not be any need for debates.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula to </span><span class="c17 c11 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 4, 2013 at 9:25 PM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/00593473763893225230">Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">I have no interest in reading proofs from your "vaishnavite-mahabharata" :-) I have the Mahabharata with myself and I can read that on my own. your say on Mahabharata as "current versions" from which I quote is baseless. all these claims are originated from your cults who have customized the Mahabharata in their own taste and removed/altered all the non-vaishnavite portions. it's your books which are unauthentic, not what I follow.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Your versions of Mahabharata, Ramayana and puranas are not followed outside of your cult. And if you cannot accept the version of Mahabharata that everyone (excluding vaishnavas) follow, then there is no point debating with you. our sources are different hence we can never come to a concensus.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">therefore saying "good bye" to you is the only intelligent thought I feel.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula to </span><span class="c17 c11 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 4, 2013 at 9:31 PM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/00593473763893225230">Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">I am not a vaishnava that is true, but as I said, Vishnu is not your personal property. I have full rights to love him. I do not need your permissions or a "U" mark stamp on my forehead for worshipping him.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">OK? I do not need to explain you my love for Lakshmi-narayana. but at the same time know that I cannot tolerate insult to shiva.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula to </span><span class="c17 c11 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 4, 2013 at 9:34 PM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/00593473763893225230">Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">That's what! you guys analyze Vedic hymns by using Vishnu sahasranama a smriti portion huh??</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Did any of your ahcaryas ever do abhishekam on Vishnu's idol while chanting rudram? no!</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8 c41">Those acharyas had their duty to establish/elevate Vishnu bhakti so they used all such tools to manipulate meanings and to establish Vishnu's lordship. but none of them ever worshipped Vishnu with rudram.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula to </span><span class="c17 c11 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 4, 2013 at 9:37 PM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/00593473763893225230">Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">commentaries are not a yardstick to judge what is authentic and what is not. in that case many texts have not been commented upon, that doesn't mean all of them are unauthentic. Anushashana parva's shiva sahasranama is very much authentic and I don't believe in the commentators and their commentary logic what you stated. Moreover, interpolating a chapter at the end of a book is easy but it would get caught if you instert a chapter at the beginning of the book since you would have to move the rest of the chapters by n+1 number, whereas if you add a new chapter towards the end the no. of chapters need to be moved would be less hence less chances of getting identified as interpolation.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">therefore shiva sahasranama which happens to be in the 13th chapter (beginng of the huge book anushasana parva) is logically more valid than the Vishnu sahasranama which happens to come after 100s of chapters (towards the end).</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula to</span><span class="c11 c8"> </span><span class="c17 c11 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c11 c8"> </span><span class="c8">at April 4, 2013 at 9:45 PM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/00593473763893225230">Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[quote]Here we have the proverbial 'patting oneself on the back'[unquote]</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">hehehe...don't you understand what has been said in jest as a joke ?</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula to </span><span class="c17 c11 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 4, 2013 at 10:02 PM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871">Humble Bhagavata Bandhu</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c8">I quote acharyas only in those instances where they remain in sync with vedas and other scriptures. Whatever shankara might have said about Vishnu as brahman, I may or may not completely agree with him. so, your quotes from his bhashyam I may not buy. for me the first authority is scriptures; an dthen only come acharyas.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Amusing, you believe you are smarter and much more learned when it comes to interpreting scriptures, than the veda bhAShyakAras and even Adi Shankara! (which means that you are smarter than your own Lord Shiva) Very nice to know! What do you say for this *authentic* (unlike your references) Harivamsa verse quoted by authorities: "vede rAmAyaNe puNye bhArate ca bharataRShabhaH, Adau madhye tathA ca ante viShNuH sarvatra gIyate"? Are you smarter than Veda Vyasa?</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c8">"In ancient times I called the waters by the name of Nara; and because the waters have ever been my ayana or home, therefore have I been called Narayana (the water-homed)". (MBH.Vana Parva)</span></p>
<p class="c0 c13"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c8">"The waters have been called by the name of Nara, for they sprang from Him called Nara. And since the waters in former times, were my refuge, I am, therefore, called by the name of Narayana". (MBH.Santi Parva)</span></p>
<p class="c0 c13"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c8">So, it means "that entity whose resting place (ayana) is waters (nara) is narayana". My definition of Narayana as tripurasudnari is also in similar lines as "that entity whose direction (ayana) is nara is narayana and is nothing but tripurasudnari". If my definition is erroneous then even the Mahabharata definition of narayana should be erroneous because both follow the same logic.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">I didn't say the Mahabharata definition is erroneous. It goes only as far as to give the reason behind the naming. It doesn't show how "nArAyana" became "nArAyaNa", which can be explained only by grammar.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Panini only codified the earlier Vedic grammar that is one of the six Vedangas. He didn't concoct things in the sense that you understand.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Srikara/Srikanta's Bhashya is plagiarism of Ramanuja Sri Bhashya, with Vishnu forcefully replaced by Shiva out of envy. Proof: the book "Srikantha Samalochana" which even Smarthas have accepted.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c15 c8">Good to know you finally have been forced to renounce Adi Shankaracharya also.</span><span class="c8"> Let me now show that you now even have to renounce Appaya Dikshita also.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Appayya Dikshita was converted into Vaishnavism (he tried to reconcile Advaita, Dvaita, and Vishishtadvaita and wrote treatises on all three) later in his life. Proof: see Siddhanta Lesha Sangraha, a treatise in Advaita Vedanta written by Dikshita, where he has identified Lord Sri Rama as parabrahman (in contrast to his earlier works such as Shivatattva viveka). Bhanuji Dikshita, whose parama-guru was Appayya Dikshita writes in his Grammatical treatise "rAmAshramI" that nArAyaNa can only refer to shankha-chakra-dhAri viShNu.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">All Vedanta darshanas followed Vaishnavism as theology, until Appayya Dikshita's time. Purely because of this reason, Meykkandar (principal Saiva Siddhanta Acharya of South India) in 13th century rejected Brahma Sutras and wrote his own Saiva Siddhanta Sutras.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Humble Bhagavata Bandhu to </span><span class="c17 c11 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 4, 2013 at 9:57 PM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/00593473763893225230">Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Good! I would still request you to visit my site back after 2-3 years. why hurry? I am confident that I would not die for the next 3 years, and am also sure that you would also be there. so why hurry? let's see what I have to say from scriptures.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">let me ramble first and then let's discuss if need be:-)</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula to </span><span class="c17 c11 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 4, 2013 at 10:08 PM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/00593473763893225230">Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[quote]Appayya Dikshita was converted into Vaishnavism[unquote]</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">ok. let me also try my best to support shaivism, and let me learn on my own at the end what's right and what's wrong. why should i follow others? they might also be erroneous. if i happen to reveal right things about shiva that's great, and if at all i happen to udnerstand by my own that vishnu is the ultimate reality, that is also fine with me since vishnu is also my father. Let me go my way and realize the truths on my own. why to refer to other's experiences?</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula to </span><span class="c17 c11 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 4, 2013 at 10:21 PM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871">Humble Bhagavata Bandhu</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[QUOTE]</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Let me go my way and realize the truths on my own. why to refer to other's experiences?</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[UNQUOTE]</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Well said. You are welcome to test all paths and decide which one is best for you. But please, show some humility, at least until you are educated enough in scriptures, bhAShyas, and religious history, by not calling other Acharyas' pramANas (especially Srimad Bhagavatam for which) as "bogus" etc.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Humble Bhagavata Bandhu to </span><span class="c17 c11 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 4, 2013 at 10:38 PM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871">Humble Bhagavata Bandhu</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Oh really?? I am quoting from "customized" Mahabharata? I give you the references from your own current versions, where two of these verses have survived the hands of interpolators and vandals:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">(2)</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">satyaM satyaM punaH satyamuddhR^itya bhujamuchyate l</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">vedashAstrAtparaM nAsti na daivaM keshavAtparam ll 2-15</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahabharata-resources.org/harivamsa/sheshadharma/sheshadharma-chap2.html">http://mahabharata-resources.org/harivamsa/sheshadharma/sheshadharma-chap2.html</a></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahabharata-resources.org/harivamsa/sheshadharma/sheshadharma-chap2.html"></a></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">(3)</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">vede rAmAyaNe punye bhArate bharatarShabha |</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Adau chAnte cha madhye cha hariH sarvatra gIyate ||3-132-95</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahabharata-resources.org/harivamsa/bhavishyaparva/hv_3_132_mpr.html">http://mahabharata-resources.org/harivamsa/bhavishyaparva/hv_3_132_mpr.html</a></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahabharata-resources.org/harivamsa/bhavishyaparva/hv_3_132_mpr.html"></a></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">(Vishnu has been replaced by hariH, which is no harm).</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">And here is the most important one: </span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m12/m12c050.htm">http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m12/m12c050.htm</a></span><span class="c8"> (Mahabharata translation by Kisari Mohan Ganguli), from which I quote</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[Quote]</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"While the four-faced Brahma of great intelligence was seated there, his son Mahadeva, who had sprung from his forehead encountered him one day in course of his wanderings through the universe."</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"In days of yore, the Three-eyed Siva endued with puissance and high Yoga, while proceeding along the sky, beheld Brahma seated on that mountain and, therefore, dropped down quickly on its top."</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"With a cheerful heart he presented him before his progenitor and worshipped his feet. Beholding Mahadeva prostrated at his feet, Brahma took him up with his left hand. Having thus raised Mahadeva up, Brahma, that puissant and one Lord of all creatures, then addressed his son, whom he met after a long time, in these words."</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"The Grandsire said, 'Welcome art thou, O thou of mighty arms. By good luck I see thee after such a long time come to my presence. I hope, O son, that everything is right with thy penances and thy Vedic studies and recitations. Thou art always observant of the austerest penances. Hence I ask thee about the progress and well-being of those penances of thine!'"</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"Rudra said, 'Self-born thou art. Many are the Purushas that have been created by thee. Others again, O Brahma, are being created by thee. The Infinite Purusha, however, of whom thou speakest, is one and single. Who is that foremost of Purushas, O Brahma, that is being meditated by thee? Great is the curiosity I feel on this point. Do thou kindly dispel the doubt that has taken possession of my mind.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">(continued in the next post)</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Humble Bhagavata Bandhu to </span><span class="c17 c11 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 4, 2013 at 10:33 PM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871">Humble Bhagavata Bandhu</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">continuing here: </span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m12/m12c051.htm">http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m12/m12c051.htm</a></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m12/m12c051.htm"></a></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"'Brahma said,--'Listen, O son, as to how that Purusha is indicated. He is eternal and immutable. He is undeteriorating and immeasurable. He pervades all things. 1 O best of all creatures, that Purusha cannot be seen by thee, or me, or others. Those that are endued with the understanding and the senses but destitute of self-restraint and tranquility of soul cannot obtain a sight of him. The Supreme Purusha is said to be one that can be seen with the aid of knowledge alone. Though divested of body, He dwells in every body. Though dwelling, again, in bodies, He is never touched by the acts accomplished by those bodies. He is my Antaratma (inner soul). He is thy inner soul. He is the all-seeing Witness dwelling within all embodied creatures and engaged in marking their acts. No one can grasp or comprehend him at any time."</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"The learned speak of him as the one Purusha. That one eternal Being deserves the appellation of Mahapurusha (the great supreme Purusha)."</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"The person who realises that inconceivable Purusha and comprehends his subtile existence in the quadruple form of Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Sankarshana, and Vasudeva, and who, in consequence of such comprehension, attains to perfect tranquillity of heart, succeeds in entering into and identifying himself with that one auspicious Purusha. Some persons possessed of learning speak of him as the supreme soul. Others regarded him as the one soul. A third class of learned men describe him as the soul. 2 The truth is that he who is the Supreme Soul is always divested of attributes. He is Narayana. He is the universal soul, and he is the one Purusha."</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[End Quote]</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">I hope this is enough!</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Humble Bhagavata Bandhu to </span><span class="c17 c11 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 4, 2013 at 10:34 PM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/08063187545902058684">Unknown</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[QUOTE]Did any of your ahcaryas ever do abhishekam on Vishnu's idol while chanting rudram? no![/QUOTE]</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c15 c8">Highly errorneous. My own acharyas have indeed referenced the Rudram, as can be seen in srI ranga rAmAnuja muni's vyAkhyAnam on the svetAsvatArA.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c15 c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c15 c8">Furthermore, who told you Rudram is not chanted in Vishnu temples? I have myself heard the Rudram being chanted for SrI pArthasArathy in Thiruvallikeni along with various other suktams during major utsavams. The 1st rk of Rudram talks about SrI rAmA's anger at the ocean king itself!</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c15 c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c15 c8">In addition, it is also a misconception that our acharyas do not use the name of Shiva to address nArAyaNan. In the works of Vedanta Desika, you will come across such names being addressed in praise of nArAyaNa. Lokacharya, another great acharya, repeatedly uses only the name 'Iswara' to address nArAyaNa in his works.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c15 c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c15 c8">Although the devata of the Rudram may be pArvati pati, the mantras and the qualities described by the mantras address the nArAyaNa indwelling in pArvati pati. This indwelling nArAyaNa is also called 'Rudra', 'Sankara', 'Nilalohita', etc. Jaimini, the disciple of Veda vyAsA states 'sAkshAt api', meaning that the mantras are *directly* (note the word *sAkshAt*) addressed to nArAyaNa.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c15 c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">In the case of the mahAbhAratA quoting Satarudriyam for pArvati pati, it is necessary to use the concept of body-soul analogy expounded by the brihadAranyaka which states 'yasya AtmA sarIram', ie, the universe and the jivas are the body of Brahman. So, just as a name 'jack' denotes both jack's body and soul, all names denote bhagavan nArAyaNa only.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">So, any prayers to the pasupatAstra go the indweller of that astra namely nArAyaNa. Any prayers to Shiva go to Keshava, the indweller of Shiva, who has Shiva as his body. The mantras like Rudram directly address Vishnu. This is what is explained by Krishna in the Santi Parva where he clearly states that when he worshipped MahEswara (pArvati pati), he was worshipping the nArAyaNa within MahEswara (ie, himself) using the Satarudriyam mantras. Krishna also states that nobody can give Vishnu boons and that Vishnu will not bow to anyone unless it is of his own will.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">The Shiva Sahasranama is not found in the ancient manuscripts of mahAbhArata. Whereas, the Vishnu SahasranAmA is found in all manuscripts and has multiple commentaries. If the Shiva SahasranAmA had existed, so many Shaivites would have commented or even referenced to it. But they haven't. This has and will always be the yardstick to judge the authenticity of a particular work.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Sarvam SrI KrishnArpanam astu.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Unknown to </span><span class="c17 c11 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 4, 2013 at 11:00 PM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/00593473763893225230">Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">hmmm I know these chapters from MBH since I follow KMG MBH. However, the system of vasudeva, sankarshana, pradyumna, aniruddha is something which is pancharatra type and is not authentic. seems that you have also read shankara bhashyas. then you might have read that in brahma sutras shankara rejects the fourfold expansion theory of this system saying there cannot be four eshwaras.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">this system of fourfold Vishnu expansion is not even present in shruti. so I don't believe in these chapters. Vishnu is only one and he is narayana, his names are anirudha, pradyumna etc..but I dislike this system where people create new separate gods out of his names. even if that were to be true then also after death I wouldn't like to go to that abode where I would get confused to know which Vishnu is which Vishnu and so on..all are of same appearance but hold weapons differently in cyclic fashion et. all such stories I have heard many times and they are not convincing to me. there is only one Vishnu and his names are all these, that's it! and any theory which states him to be of fourfold form etc., is not available in vedas and Upanishads and also in VR and also stands incorrect in terms of logic.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">anyway, "yad bhavam tad roopam", so I don't have any issues with what others follow, but this system is not correct. therefore the chapters what you quoted are most probably interpolations since santi parva of Mahabharata contains lot many interpolations even this is called out by KMG.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula to </span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 5, 2013 at 1:07 AM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871">Humble Bhagavata Bandhu</a></span><span class="c23 c8"> </span><span class="c8">has left a new comment on the post </span><span class="c23 c8">"</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c23 c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">How arbitrarily and conveniently you are able to deem certain portions of Mahabharata as inauthentic, but the portions that you like are authentic! Don't you see the bias in your own stance?</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Again, you are wrong. vyUha concept occurs in Vishnu Sahasranama itself.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Yes, Adi Shankaracharya refutes the vyUha concept *as it is explained in the Pancharatra*, but he accepts the vyUha concept in his Vishnu Sahasranama Bhashya, for which he quotes vyAsa smRti as authority. "caturAtmA caturvyUhas caturdamShTrash caturbhujaH" goes Vishnu Sahasranama, a text praised by the Ayurvedic Charaka Samhita as one of the best stotras. How can this be un-vedic?</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Amalananda Sarasvati, 13th century advaitin, respectfully disagrees from Sri Adi Shankara in his "Vedanta Kalpataru" (which is a commentary on "bhAmati" written by vAcaspati mishra) and defends pA~ncarAtra as 100% Vedic. Vedanta Kalpataru, btw, has a sub-commentary by Appaya Dikshita called "parimaLa".</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Coming to Shankaracharya, he does not disagree that there can be four vyUhas. In his commentary the Acharya says:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"Concerning this system we remark that we do not intend to controvert the doctrine that Nârâyana, who is higher than the Undeveloped, who is the highest Self, and the Self of all, reveals himself by dividing himself in multiple ways; for various scriptural passages, such as 'He is onefold, he is threefold' (Kh. Up. VII, 26, 2)', teach us that the highest Self appears in manifold forms.".</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Here Shankaracharya interprets Pancharatra text to be teaching jIvOtpatti. (Ramanuja, and even the later advaitin amalAnanda, disagree saying that the statements have to be taken in the "gauNa" sense).</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Vishnu Purana, from which Shankara has quoted (and which has no interpolations, since we have commentaries on it intact, right from Sridhara Swami's time) also supports the four vyUha theory:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"To him who is one with true knowledge, who is and is not perceptible, I bow. Glory be to him, the lord Vásudeva, to Sankarshańa, to Pradyumna, and to Aniruddha 7." (Book V, Chapter 18).</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">(shrImad bhAgavatam also supports the four vyUha concept, but of course, you have deemed the whole text as bogus, so I am not quoting it.)</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">What more? Read sUrya siddhAnta, written by Vedantin/Astronomer AryabhaTa, who in the 12th chapter of his work, identifies puruSha sUkta as referring to Lord vAsudeva only. Here, AryabhaTa identifies the roles of two of the other three vyUhas, Sankarshana and Aniruddha in the creation:</span></p>
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<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">12.12a: *vāsudevaH* paraṃ brahma tanmūrtiH puruṣaH paraH/</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">12.12b: avyakto nirguṇaH śāntaH pañcaviṃśāt paro +avyayaH//</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">12.13a: prakṛtyantargato devo bahir antaś ca sarvagaH/</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">12.13b: *saṅkarṣaṇo* +apaH sṛṣṭvādau tāsu vīryam avāsṛjat//</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">12.14a: tadaṇḍam abhavad dhaimaṃ sarvatra tamasāvṛtam/</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">12.14b: *tatrāniruddhaH* prathamaṃ vyaktībhūtaH sanātanaH//</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">This explanation is the same as you find in "Mudgala Upanishad" from which Adi Shankara has quoted a statement in his Taittiriya Upanishad bhAShya:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"We shall explain the Purusha-sukta... The glory of Vishnu is given in 'Etavan' (so much is his greatness). The same stanza states his four-fold nature. 'Tripad' etc., speaks of the glory of Aniruddha."</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Mudgala Upanishad itself is thus 100% Vedic, and here you find the vyUha concept as well.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Humble Bhagavata Bandhu to</span><span class="c23 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email"> </a></span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 5, 2013 at 3:17 AM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/00593473763893225230">Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">I didn't conveniently reject some portions from Mahabharata as per my comfort. the chapters what you quoted this vyuha theory from they encapsulate the topics on samkhya and yoga systems. And here is what Kisari mohan ganguly has to say about them in the beginning of santi parva itself.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">"The Santi Parva is a huge interpolation in the Mahabharata, in the genre known as 'wisdom literature.' The narrative progression is placed on hold almost from the first page. Instead we get a long and winding recapitulation of Brahmanic lore, including weighty treatises on topics such as kingcraft, metaphysics, cosmology, geography, and mythology. There are discussions of the Sankya and Yoga philosophical schools, and mentions of Buddhism.". hence he says santi parva having these topics are interpolations.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">therefore I said I don't accept those theories. again your Vishnu sahasranama is a smriti scripture and you cannot use it to analyze vedas which are shruti. actually vedas should be used to analyze puranas and other smritis. my style of analysis is to analyze smriti using shruti and when we do so, many puranic concepts get negated.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">anyway, one thing I liked in you is you quote relevant references in your posts which is a best practice and it is what I follow in my articles so naturally I would like that even in opponents, good job.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Well, this discussion with you is very useful and adds to my learning, but as I stated earlier, I am too busy these days to find time out of work, so this discussion is wasting my time in that sense. Let god give me some free time and let some more articles come from my pen, many of the theories would get refuted. yeah I know people might not agree with me, but this is my duty that my antar-atman has assigned me, hence I would do that at the cost of anything.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">See, we are not comparing apples with apples. the acharyas which you follow, I don't concur with their thoughts; so debate/discussion between us is fruitless and is a time waste for both of us. if you disagree with my articles, you may stop visiting this blog, and if you have patience to wait for 1-2 years, you'll see some nice reasoning done in some articles (upcoming ones). Hope to see a good bye note from you and not another "reply-inviting" post. hehe :-)</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula to </span><span class="c17 c11 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 5, 2013 at 3:59 AM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/08063187545902058684">Unknown</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[quote] again your Vishnu sahasranama is a smriti scripture and you cannot use it to analyze vedas which are shruti. actually vedas should be used to analyze puranas and other smritis. my style of analysis is to analyze smriti using shruti and when we do so, many puranic concepts get negated.[/quote]</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Again, more nonsense. We do not not use smriti to interpret the shruti (though there is nothing wrong in that). We interpret Shruti using smriti as a tool.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">For the record, we do not need Vishnu Sahasranama to prove that the Rudra of Sri Rudram is NarayaNa. Considering that the mahOpanishad declares Rudra to be absent during pralaya (eko ha vai nArAyaNa asIt, na brahma nEshana), the nArAyaNopanishad declares Rudra to be born of nArAyaNa (nArAyaNat rudrO jAyatE), the name 'nArAyaNa' being a proper noun and the names like Rudra, Shiva being common nouns having general meanings like 'auspicious', 'one who destroys samsara', the conclusion is that it is well within grammatical and logical limits to attribute the names of Rudra, etc to nArAyaNa only.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Furthermore, the satapatha brAhmana declares this Rudra to be 'anapahatapapma', ie not cleansed of karmas when he was born to brahma. This new born requests Brahma to therefore give him names that would cleanse his karmas. Brahma gives him names like Rudra, Mahadeva, Isana, etc. This clearly shows that these names were pre-existent and applied to the supreme brahman before pArvati pati was born.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Even in nArAyaNa suktam, you come across terms like 'shivam achyutam', which confirms that such names belong to nArAyaNa, who is Vishnu only as per the Vishnu gAyatri.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">The Vishnu SahasranAmA, is then, not the primary text, but merely a *CONFIRMATION* of this interpretation of shruti. Since it gives the names of nArAyaNa as Rudra, Shambhu, Shiva, etc. The only reason we resort to Vishnu Sahasranama is to show that our interpretation is supported by the ancient rsis as well.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">And even if we first see the Vishnu SahasranAmA and then go on to interpret the shruti, there is nothing wrong with that. It will still be correct as opposed to interpretations that blindly search for 'Rudra', 'Shiva' and other such names in the Veda and jump on them to give wrong meanings that clash with other vAkyAs declaring the birth of pArvati pati.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Unknown to </span><span class="c17 c11 c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 5, 2013 at 5:59 AM</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/00593473763893225230">Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula</a></span><span class="c8"> has left a new comment on the post "</span><span class="c5"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/2011/10/story-of-subduing-shivas-pride-from.html?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Story of Subduing Shiva's Pride from Ramayana is F...</a></span><span class="c8">":</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">See Mr. Unknown,</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">For the last time let me tell you, this narayana meaning based on grammatical thing is not there in Mahabharata. in Mahabharata the logic what has been used is same as what I have arrived at in my article. From narayana as Shakti, all the so called ambiguities get clarified (mhopanishad, narayanopanishad etc.). Evan himavan in purana hails devi as "I salute your that thousand headed form called narayana". so, my logic of narayana = tripurasudnari is not bogus one rather a hint of it exists in puranas itself. Whether you accept/deny it doesn't matter to me. You cannot prove that Vishnu travels through sushumna nerve using any scripture. it is always kundalini that does that. So, either accept my theory or stop blabbering, leave me alone and let me live in peace. secondly you have seen shatapatha br. but haven't seen the vedas which state rudra existed before brahma and he manifested again through brahma. brahma is hiranyagarbha which is nothing but this universe, so rudra's manifestation is nothing but his appearance within this universe. it has nothing to do with physical birth and he is unborn who appeared within this. so all your understanding about birth of rudra is bogus. I can explain but don't want to owing to less time with me.</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Boss. know one thing, your opinions aren't going to change me. But my articles are going to always taste bitter since truths are bitter and we both come from different streams hence can't meet in common stream. therefore, I do not see any value add in continuing this discussion, so may I request you to move away and not waste mine and your time further?</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">Posted by Santosh Kumar Ayalasomayajula to</span><span class="c8"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email"> </a></span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com/?ext-ref=comm-sub-email">Maha Pashupatastra</a></span><span class="c8"> at April 5, 2013 at 7:48 AM </span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="#id.te34rpj0ll0i">Back to contents</a></span><span class="c8">]</span></p>
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<h3 class="c3"><a name="h.15rumbdvw247"></a><span>The anti-Vaishnavite’s motives made clear</span></h3>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>You can see clearly above who made a spectacle of themselves in the debate. And you can see why our friend deleted the above posts. He found the following facts hard to digest:</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c36" start="1">
<li class="c13 c3 c7 c40"><span>That Adi Shankara was a Vaishnava though philosophically an advaitin,</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c36" start="2">
<li class="c13 c3 c7 c40"><span>That the section that is traditionally called "Mokshadharma" in the Mahabharata (and therefore, merely from its name a very authoritative section) identifies the supreme being as Vishnu only, and never as Shiva,</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c36" start="3">
<li class="c13 c3 c7 c40"><span>That Adi Shankara has identified "Ishvara" in "IshvaraH sarva bhUtAnAM" as Lord Narayana only,</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c36" start="4">
<li class="c13 c3 c7 c40"><span>That Adi Shankara has specifically used the term "Vaishnavas" in the Gita Bhashyas, and states that "The worshipers of other deities reach the realm of those other deities. Even though their effort in worshiping is the same, they do not reach the highest result, but obtain finite results which are impermanent and run out in time. Vaishnavas alone reach the highest fruit of mukti",</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c36" start="5">
<li class="c13 c3 c7 c40"><span>That Adi Shankara has specifically praised the method of worship followed by the Vaishnavas (including their single-minded devotion to Vishnu without praying to other deities) as Vedic,</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c36" start="6">
<li class="c13 c3 c7 c40"><span>That all Vedanta Acharyas (including Adi Shankara) have identified the Supreme God praised by Vaishnavites, Lord Vishnu/Narayana/Krishna/Vasudeva as the Supreme Being sung in the Bhagavad Gita; our friend thus stands against even Adi Shankara's position regarding the Gita,</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c36" start="7">
<li class="c13 c3 c7 c40"><span>That it was accepted by even Adi Shankara that Lord Vishnu ALONE is praised as the Supreme Being EVERYWHERE in the Vedas, Itihasas, and Sattvika Puranas, and</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c36" start="8">
<li class="c13 c3 c7 c40"><span>That Vyasa has stated in the Mahabharata as follows: "Having examined all the Vedic scriptures inside out many times, I deem the following to be sure: That it is Narayana who is always to be meditated upon".</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>The aforementioned truths are big obstacles to our anti-Vaishnavite friend's unholy cause. Hence, he wants these to be hidden from as many people as possible, so that the gullible followers of his blog can be cheated with lies.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>After timidly stating:</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>"ok. let me also try my best to support shaivism, and let me learn on my own at the end what's right and what's wrong. why should i follow others? they might also be erroneous. if i happen to reveal right things about shiva that's great, and if at all i happen to udnerstand by my own that vishnu is the ultimate reality, that is also fine with me since vishnu is also my father. Let me go my way and realize the truths on my own. why to refer to other's experiences?", he retracts this sentiment by deleting ALL the comments except for the first few, followed by a return to anti-Vaishnavite ranting in </span><span class="c17 c22"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/the-unborn-rudra-of-svetaswatara.html">his latest post</a></span><span>. What a display of honesty!</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>The fact that our friend will resort to any sort of dishonest means is exemplified by the following episode in the debate:</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>When I tried to show that Lord Vishnu's supremacy is established clearly in the </span><span class="c6">mOkShadharma </span><span>section of the </span><span class="c6">mahAbhArata</span><span>, he tried to claim that the </span><span class="c6">mOkShadharma </span><span>(which is part of the twelfth book, </span><span class="c6">shAnti parva</span><span>) is a later interpolation, citing the English translator K. M. Ganguli's opinion that can be found on </span><span class="c17 c22"><a class="c16" href="http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m12/index.htm">this link</a></span><span>.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>However, our friend quotes liberally from the thirteenth book, the </span><span class="c6">anushAsana parva</span><span>. He uses quotations (which were never authenticated by any of the early </span><span class="c6">AcArya</span><span>s like Shankara) found in that section to establish Shiva's supremacy as per his whim. The same K. M. Ganguli says that the </span><span class="c6">anushAsana parva </span><span>is also a later interpolation (see </span><span class="c17 c22"><a class="c16" href="http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m13/index.htm">this link</a></span><span>):</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>"The Anusasana Parva, like the Santi Parva before it, is a long hiatus in the narrative of the Mahabharata. Set on the deathbed of Bhishma, the Anusasana Parva is a huge treasure-trove of Brahmanic lore which is obviously a later interpolation in the epic."</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span> But of course, our friend won't accept this when it comes to his favorite quotations regarding Shiva's supremacy (some very clearly later interpolations). Wise people are aware that if we were to take modern indologists' opinion without examining them critically, then we may as well say that the Vedas are just poems composed in 2000 BC and are the figments of the minds of early forest-dwellers who were afraid of natural forces like thunder, rain, cyclone etc., shall we not???</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c8">[</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="#id.te34rpj0ll0i">Back to contents</a></span><span class="c8">]</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<h3 class="c3 c7"><a name="h.xiurz0qx4qwo"></a><span>A few truths revealed</span></h3>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Let us now come to the following points highlighted in green in the comments above:</span></p>
<h4 class="c3"><a name="h.8toth7olt7zr"></a><span class="c10">Truth# 1: The Uttama Purusha in Chandogya Upanishad is Vishnu only. Hence, the Supreme Lord identified in the Bhagavad Gita is Lord Vishnu only, and not Lord Shiva:</span></h4>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>It is well known that the Bhagavad Gita has been recognized by everyone as the highest Hindu scripture. Hence, every attempt is made by anti-Vaishnavites to distance the Bhagavad Gita from Vishnu's supremacy, Vishnu, and Vaishnavism. Our </span><span class="c6">shaiva </span><span>friend is no exception to this, and has taken great pains to explain in about 10 blog postings (conveniently omitting key verses that clearly speak for Vishnu's supremacy) that Siva is identified as the supreme being in the Bhagavad Gita.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Getting into details, we relate this attack to the identification of "</span><span class="c6">uttamaH puruShaH</span><span>" as stated in the Chandogya Upanishad by Shaivites as Shiva. The reader can see below which side is true. The following is found in a Shaivite work called "</span><span class="c6">shrIkaNTha bhAShya</span><span>" (written by someone known as <i>shrIkaNTha</i> between the 13th and 16th centuries, and was supported by Appayya Dikshita in his works such as Shivadvaita Nirnaya):</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c17">Saivite opponent:</span> <sup><a href="#Ref_SrkBh">[SrkBh:1]</a></sup></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c17"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>The Vaishnavites claim thus: As the highest light, an object to be attained by the freed souls, is denoted by the word 'Highest Person' (Purusottama), so the phrase. 'The Highest Person" (Uttama Purusah) refers to it. Further, the word 'Highest Person* directly refers to Narayana. Hence, he is the highest light standing for the highest person. To this, we reply : Here the highest light, an object to be obtained by the freed souls, is none else but the Supreme Brahman, called Supreme Siva. For, it is seen that those only who attain Him do not return (to transmigratory existence). How can this kind of non-return be appropriate on the part of those who attain some one other than the Supreme Brahman? Although the words 'Highest Person' directly refer to Narayana, yet it is applicable to Brahman as well, as He is superior to all persons or individual souls. In the Brahma-medha-kalpa too, viz. in the text, "To encircle the Highest Person", the name 'Highest Person' has been employed as a synonym for the Supreme Brahman, the object to be obtained. Hence, the Supreme Brahman alone is the highest light. </span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c17">The Truth:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c17"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>The above explanation of Chandogya Upanishad is not authenticated by any early Acharyas. In fact, it directly contradicts and condemns Shankara Bhashyam, and hence deserves to be rejected by those who place authority on Shankara. It is also against the Bhagavad Gita. We shall see how.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>(1) First of all, in Bhagavad Gita, Shri Krishna says:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c20 c3 c27"><span>uttamaḥ puruṣastvanyaḥ paramātmētyudāhṛtaḥ.</span></p>
<p class="c20 c3 c27"><span>yō lōkatrayamāviśya bibhartyavyaya īśvaraḥ..15.17..</span></p>
<p class="c0 c27"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>Here, Shankara's commentary says that Uttama Purusha in the </span><span class="c6">vedAnta </span><span>refers to Ishvara, the controller whose name is Narayana: <sup><a href="#Ref_GBhS">[GBhS:6]</a></sup>.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c20 c3 c7 c27"><span class="c6 c11 c10">uttamaḥ utkṛṣṭatamaḥ puruṣastu anyaḥ atyantavilakṣaṇaḥ ābhyāṅ paramātmā iti paramaśca asau dēhādyavidyākṛtātmabhyaḥ, ātmā ca sarvabhūtānāṅ pratyakcētanaḥ, ityataḥ paramātmā iti udāhṛtaḥ uktaḥ vēdāntēṣu. sa ēva viśiṣyatē yaḥ lōkatrayaṅ bhūrbhuvaḥsvarākhyaṅ svakīyayā caitanyabalaśaktyā āviśya praviśya bibharti svarūpasadbhāvamātrēṇa bibharti dhārayati; avyayaḥ na asya vyayaḥ vidyatē iti avyayaḥ. kaḥ? īśvaraḥ sarvajñaḥ nārāyaṇākhyaḥ īśanaśīlaḥ..</span></p>
<p class="c0 c27"><span class="c6 c11"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>and then in 15.18 comes the bombshell which should impale Vishnu-haters. Prelude given by Shankara below, and then the Sloka: <sup><a href="#Ref_GBhS">[GBhS:6]</a></sup>.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c27"><span class="c6 c11"></span></p>
<p class="c20 c3 c7 c27"><span class="c6 c11">yathāvyākhyātasya īśvarasya </span><span class="c6 c11 c10">'puruṣōttamaḥ' ityētat nāma prasiddham</span><span class="c6 c11">. tasya nāmanirvacanaprasiddhyā arthavattvaṅ nāmnō darśayan 'niratiśayaḥ aham īśvaraḥ' iti ātmānaṅ darśayati bhagavān</span></p>
<p class="c0 c20 c7"><span class="c6 c11"></span></p>
<p class="c0 c7 c27"><span class="c6 c11"></span></p>
<p class="c20 c3 c7 c27"><span class="c6 c11">yasmātkṣaramatītō.hamakṣarādapi cōttamaḥ.</span></p>
<p class="c20 c3 c7 c27"><span class="c6 c11">atō.smi</span><span class="c6 c11 c10"> lōkē vēdē ca</span><span class="c6 c11"> prathitaḥ </span><span class="c6 c11 c10">puruṣōttamaḥ</span></p>
<p class="c0 c27"><span class="c6 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c13 c3 c7"><span class="c10">Translation</span><span>: "Since I am superior to the immutable and the mutable, I am known in the world and in the Vedas as the Purushottama". Here, the key phrase is "both in the world and in the Vedas". "In the world" refers to the popularity of the name "Purushottama" in the world as Vishnu's (rather than Siva's).</span></p>
<p class="c0 c13 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Madhusudana Sarasvati - another advaitin who lived in the 16th Century and followed Shankara’s Vedanta, quotes Kalidasa's Raghuvamsam <sup><a href="#Ref_RVmsKD">[RVmsKD:1]</a></sup>to this support in his </span><span class="c6">gUDhArtha dIpikA</span><span>: <sup><a href="#Ref_GuMS">[GuMS:1]</a></sup></span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c20 c3 c7 c27"><span class="c6 c11">“</span><span class="c6 c11">lōkē ca kavikāvyādau '</span><span class="c6 c11 c10">hariryathaikaḥ puruṣōttamaḥ smṛtaḥ</span><span class="c6 c11">' ityādiprasiddham |”,</span></p>
<p class="c0 c20 c7"><span class="c11"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>showing that even Kalidasa, who was a Shiva bhakta predominantly, accepted that the name “puruShOttama” refers to Lord Vishnu only.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c17"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c17">It is to be noted here, even without taking the support of Shankara Bhashyams, that those who proclaim that Krishna refers to Siva alone in the “</span><span class="c17 c6">so(a)ham</span><span class="c17">” </span><span class="c17 c6">bhAva </span><span class="c17">when he says "worship me", "surrender me", "I am the supreme" etc., will stumble when they come to this verse.</span><span> BhagavAn Krishna, who knows the past, present, and future, has foreseen these misinterpretations and hence to annihilate them, states "</span><span class="c6 c11 c10">loke vede ca</span><span>".</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c17">Saivites may very well use twisted yuktis to argue that Uttama Purusha in Vedas is Siva, not Krishna. But they stand exposed when they are asked to quote any </span><span class="c17 c6">itihAsa/purANa</span><span class="c17">statement or </span><span class="c17 c6">kavi </span><span class="c17">or </span><span class="c17 c6">kAvya </span><span class="c17">or </span><span class="c17 c6">nighaNTu </span><span class="c17">in history that assigns the name Purushottama to Siva. Their position is undermined even by Kalidasa, himself a devotee of Siva!!!</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c17"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c17 c18">I challenge our anti-Vaishnavite author of the “mahapashupatastra” blog page to refute logically this ONE observation. I will promise that I would consider such a refutation tantamount to answering all of my points here defending Vaishnavism!</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c17"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>For "</span><span class="c6">vede</span><span>" Madhusudana Saraswati quotes the Chandogya verse which Dikshitar adamantly proclaims as Siva's: </span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">sa uttamaḥ puruṣa iti vēda udāhṛta ēva</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Hence, Bhagavad Gita is all about Lord Vishnu's supremacy alone, and not Lord Shiva's as "</span><span class="c6">mahA pAshupata astra</span><span>" author claims.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>(2) Let us take Chandogya Upanishad Bhashyam of Shankara, and look at the corresponding verse that Dikshitar vehemently argues as referring to Siva:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>Chandogya 8.12.3 Shankara Bhashyam: <sup><a href="#Ref_ChUpBhS">[ChUpBhS:1]</a></sup></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">evaṃ ca sa uttamapuruṣa uttamaścāsau puruṣaścetyuttamapuruṣaḥ sa evottamapuruṣo 'kṣisvapnapuruṣau vyaktāvavyaktaśca suṣuptaḥ samastaḥ saṃprasanno 'śarīraśca svena rūpeṇeti /</span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">eṣāmeṣa svena rūpeṇāvasthitaḥ kṣarākṣarau vyākṛtāvyākṛtāvapekṣyottamapuruṣaḥ </span><span class="c17 c6 c11 c10">kṛtanirvacano hyayaṃ gītāsu</span><span class="c6 c11 c10"> /</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c6 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Here, Shankara refers to the Nirvachanam in Gita, hence again confirming that the Uttama Purusha is Vishnu only. This is supported by Anandagiri, who in the Chandogya Upanishad Tika, quotes the Gita 15.17 and 15.18.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>All this firmly establishes that the “Uttama Purusha” spoken about in the Chandogya Upanishad is none but Lord Vishnu only. These also establishe that only Lord Krishna is glorified as Supreme Brahman in Bhagavad Gita.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c35"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c35"><span class="c8">[</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="#id.te34rpj0ll0i">Back to contents</a></span><span class="c8">]</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<h4 class="c3"><a name="h.65zjr22zskcg"></a><span class="c10">Truth# 2: Shri Rudram extols shrIman nArAyaNa only. Moreover, the Vedas speak about the supremacy of Lord Vishnu only everywhere</span></h4>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>The </span><span class="c6">shrIvaiShNava bhAgavata </span><span>in the above debate has commented on the Sri Rudram mantras, and says that they sing Vishnu's supremacy alone. This may come as a surprise to many from the Smarta/Shaiva background who see Rudram chanted in Shiva </span><span class="c6">pUjas</span><span>. Here is my analysis:</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>We first take a look at the Bhagavad Gita verse 15.15::</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c6 c14 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">sarvasya ca-ahaM hRdi sanniviSTo mattaH smRtirj~nAnamapohanaM ca |</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">vedaishca sarvairahameva vedyo vedantakRt-vedavit-eva ca-aham ||</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c6 c14 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c48"><span>(Bhagavad Gita 15.15)</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>In the above verse, Lord Narayana, in his Krishna form, teaches the following to Arjuna: "I am seated in the hearts of all beings. Memory, knowledge, as well as their loss come from Me. </span><span class="c17">I alone am to be known from all the Vedas</span><span>; I am indeed the author of Vedanta as well as its knower."</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Here, the message is that Lord Krishna/Vishnu </span><span class="c17">alone</span><span> is glorified by </span><span class="c17">all</span><span> the Vedas.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>The following portion, pertaining to the </span><span class="c6">nAma </span><span>"</span><span class="c6">kathitaH</span><span>" from Shri Shankara's Vishnu Sahasranama commentary contains a key verse from the Harivamsa. The commentary and this verse establishes that Lord Vishnu indeed is spoken of everywhere in the Vedas as the Highest, and that this was in accordance with Adi Shankara's own belief <sup><a href="#Ref_VSBhS">[VSBhS:1]</a></sup>. Read carefully below:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c6 c11">vedAdibhir-ayameka eva paratvena kathita kathita iti kathitaH | sarvairvedaiH kathita iti vA kathitaH | </span><span class="c6 c11 c10">"sarve vedA yatpadamAmananti", "vedaishca sarvairahameva vedyaH", "vede rAmAyaNe puNye bhArate bharatarSabhaH! adau madye tathA cAnte viSNuH sarvatra gIyate"</span><span class="c6 c11"> iti shruti-smRtyAdi-vacanebhyaH |</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c6 c11"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c10">Translation: </span><span>He (Vishnu) is known as </span><span class="c6">kathitaH </span><span>since He alone is declared as supreme by the Veda and Vedic texts; or He who is described by all the Vedas. The following statements from the </span><span class="c6">shruti </span><span>(Vedas) and </span><span class="c6">smRtis </span><span>confirm this:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>"All the Vedas describe His status.." (</span><span class="c6">Kathopanishad </span><span>1.2.15),</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>"I alone am to be known from all the Vedas" (</span><span class="c6">Bhagavad Gita </span><span>15.15),</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>"Vishnu is sung everywhere at the beginning, middle, and end of the Vedas, the holy </span><span class="c6">rAmAyaNa </span><span>and the </span><span class="c6">mahAbhArata</span><span>, O Best of the lineage of Bharata!" (</span><span class="c6">Harivamsa</span><span>, 3.132.95).</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>This is the reason why everyone begins and ends Vedic chanting with "</span><span class="c6">hariH OM</span><span>" (Lord Vishnu's name).</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>The above points, by themselves, should put to rest any objection against identifying Rudram as Shriman Narayana's praise.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>Nevertheless, we shall discuss the Sri Rudram portion specifically, in order to confirm these statements. The full details are found in the "Vaishnava commentary on Sri Rudram" page bearing an article written by the </span><span class="c6">shrIvaiShNava bhAgavata </span><span>who supported Vaishnavism along with me in the above debate.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>One needs to consider the following:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>(1) The </span><span class="c6">shvetAshvatara upaniShad </span><span>contains a few mantras from Sri Rudram. Clearly, the Supreme Brahman established in the Vedas is Vishnu alone, as shown by the above arguments. Hence, </span><span class="c6">shvetAshvatara upaniShad </span><span>must be a praise of Vishnu alone, and hence at least a few mantras in Sri Rudram must be considered a praise of Vishnu as Parabrahman.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>(2) It is well known that Valmiki Ramayana is traditionally considered an </span><span class="c6">avatAra </span><span>of the Veda, and which Valmiki composed to explain the Veda. This is established in the following</span><span class="c6"> shloka </span><span>recited traditionally before the recitation of Ramayana:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">"veda vedye pare puMsi jAte dasharathAtmaje</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">vedaH prAcetasAt AsIt sAkShAt rAmAyaNAtmanA"</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c6 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>In the Ramayana, there is a chapter where Valmiki describes Shri Rama's anger when He threatens to annihilate the Samudra Raja with a single arrow. At this juncture, Samudra Raja appears praises Shri Rama, fearing his wrath. The verses recited by Samudra Raja correspond in meaning to mantras in Shri Rudram. Hence, it is Valmiki Maharishi's opinion that Shri Rudram indeed addresses Lord Vishnu. The specific verses and their connection to Shri Rudram can be found in the relevant page</span><span>. Here is the relevant portion:</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c10">yAmishuM girishanta haste bibharshyastavE |</span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c10">shivAM giritra tAm kuru mA himsI: purushaM jagath ||</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c6 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c10">Meaning:</span><span> </span><span class="c10">O Girishanta (Creator of GirishA/pArvai pati Rudradeva), O Giritra (Lord, who is propounded in the VedAntA), shoot that auspicious arrow you hold in your hand (to destroy the obstacles to my knowledge of Brahman). Do not cause injury to the JivAtmA who is migrating in the samsAra (purusham jagat).</span><span>...</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>The same happens in srimad rAmAyaNam. When samudra rAjan appeases the anger of SrI rAman, he gets a reply from bhagavAn that his arrow needs a target. Upon hearing this, samudra rAjan makes the following statement:</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6"> </span><span class="c6 c10">tairna tatsparshanam pApam saheyam pApakarmabhiH || amoghaH kriyatAm rAma tatra teShu sharottamaH | (~ vAlmiki rAmAyaNam 2-22-33)</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c6 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c10">Meaning: </span><span class="c10">(Samudra rAjan said:) I am not able to bear that touch of those wicked people, the evil doers. O rAmA, Let this excellent arrow (that is never rendered in vain) be released over them there.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>(3) It is accepted that the </span><span class="c6">devatA </span><span>of Sri Rudram is Lord Siva or Rudra. However, this does not mean that Rudram can not be considered as a hymn of Vishnu. For that matter, the </span><span class="c6">devatA </span><span>of </span><span class="c6">vishvakarmA sUkta </span><span>is recognized as </span><span class="c6">vishvakarmA</span><span>. However, the hymns in this </span><span class="c6">sUkta </span><span>contain a description on of how the entire Universe, after </span><span class="c6">mahApralaya</span><span>, was created from Lord Vishnu's navel. This</span><span class="c6">mantra </span><span>that goes as:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">"ajasya nAbhau adhyekaM arpitaM yasmin vishvAni bhuvanAni tasthuH"</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c6 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>[In the navel of the unborn was (the entire universe) stationed - </span><span class="c6">Rg veda, </span><span>10th </span><span class="c6">maNDala, </span><span>82nd </span><span class="c6">sUkta, </span><span>6th </span><span class="c6">mantra</span><span>]</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>has been explained by Bhishmacharya in the Mokshadharma parva of Mahabharata as referring to Lord Vishnu, occurring in the </span><span class="c6">stOtra </span><span>that he sang for Shri Krishna </span><span class="c6">paramAtmA</span><span>:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">"ajasya nAbhAv adhyekaM yasmin vishvaM pratiShThitaM |</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">puShkaraM puShkarAkShasya tasmai padmAtmane namaH ||"</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>[I salute that lotus flower which appeared from the navel of the unborn Lord with lotus-like eyes, in which the entire universe was stationed (during creaetion)]</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Moreover, Shri Adi Shankaracharya states in his Vishnu Sahasranama commentary that the </span><span class="c6">mantra </span><span>in the </span><span class="c6">vishvakarmA sUkta</span><span> only refers to Lord Vishnu's form as </span><span class="c6">padmanAbha</span> <sup><a href="#Ref_VSBhS">[VSBhS:2]</a></sup><span>:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c11 c10">"</span><span class="c6 c11 c10">sarvajagatkAraNaM padmaM nAbhau yasya saH padmanAbhaH, 'ajasya nAbhAvadhyekaM arpitaM' iti shruteH"</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span><b>Translation: </b>The explanation for the name </span><span class="c6">padmanAbha </span><span>is as follows: The one whose navel contains the lotus that is the cause of the entire universe. '</span><span class="c6">ajasya nAbhAvadhyekaM arpitaM</span><span>', says </span><span class="c6">shruti.</span></p>
<br/>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Hence, it is accepted by authorities of great reputation that the Vishvakarma </span><span class="c6">sUkta </span><span>speaks of Vishnu alone as the Highest Brahman, even though the </span><span class="c6">devatA </span><span>for that </span><span class="c6">sUkta </span><span>is named </span><span class="c6">'vishvakarmA</span><span>'. Similarly, the being praised as the Highest Brahman in the Shri Rudram is Lord Vishnu only, even though the </span><span class="c6">devata </span><span>for Shri Rudram is identified as Rudra.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span> (4) Another point in support of this was offered by the </span><span class="c6">shrIvaiShNava bhAgavata</span><span>, the details of which are given in the relevant page "Vaishnava commentary on Sri Rudram" on this page. The proof is</span><span> from </span><span class="c6">bhagavAn </span><span>Lord Krishna</span><span>'s himself. The verses quoted in that page relating to this point correspond to the Shanti Parva section in the Mahabharata (12.328.5 onwards, dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna). </span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Thus, the Rudram refers to Shriman Narayana as the </span><span class="c6">antaryAmi </span><span>of Lord Rudra, and also refers to Shriman Narayana Himself directly at places. This explanation is in line with Brahma Sutras. This was explained by the </span><span class="c6">bhAgavata </span><span>to me, in private: When we say '</span><span class="c6">vaishvAnara</span><span>', it refers to gastric fire. At the same time, the name '</span><span class="c6">vaishvAnara</span><span>' means 'giver of life', which is a direct name of </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa</span><span>. The Brahma Sutras establish that </span><span class="c6">vaishvAnara </span><span>therefore, refers to the </span><span class="c6">antaryAmin </span><span>of (the) gastric fire, i.e., </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa</span><span>.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Vaishnavas (rightly) claim that Shri Rudram can be interpreted to address Lord Vishnu, and that this is as per the pronouncement of </span><span class="c6">maharShis</span><span> like Vyasa and Valmiki who held that He alone is praised in all the Vedas.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>To this our friend retorts thus: "Can Vaishnavas show even one Vishnu temple where Shri Rudram is chanted as part of </span><span class="c6">abhiSheka</span><span>, as in Shiva temples?"</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Our friend does not seem to be aware that there are prescribed </span><span class="c6">sUktas </span><span>in </span><span class="c6">pA~ncarAtra</span><span> and </span><span class="c6">vaikhAnasa Agamas </span><span>(the Vaishnavite Agamas) for recitation during </span><span class="c6">tiruma~ncanaM </span><span>(</span><span class="c6">thirumanjanam</span><span>, or </span><span class="c6">abhiSheka</span><span>) and that traditional worship of Lord Vishnu are strictly based on these </span><span class="c6">Agamas</span><span>. For that matter, one can not substitute the </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa sUkta </span><span>or </span><span class="c6">viShNu sUkta </span><span>in an area where the Vaishnava </span><span class="c6">Agamas </span><span>prescribe the chanting of </span><span class="c6">puruSha sUkta</span><span>.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>The </span><span class="c6">bhAgavata </span><span>who defended Vaishnavism in the debate also notes that in a Vishnu temple in his locality in Chennai (</span><span class="c6">pArthasArathi perumAL </span><span>temple in </span><span class="c6">tiruvallikkeNi/</span><span>Triplicane), Shri Rudram is recited as part of </span><span class="c6">veda pArAyaNa</span><span> and in major </span><span class="c6">utsava</span><span>s</span><span class="c6">.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c6"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>I also wish to point out an authority from a non-Ramanuja/Madhva source in these matters as an evidence. The great Mahamahopadhyaya Ramasubba Shastri of Tiruvisanallur in Tanjore district, who lived in the last half of the 19th and first few years of the 20th century, has proclaimed Vishnu's supremacy in his works.This advaitic scholar has upheld Shankara as a Vaishnavite in his works.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>He has written a work called "</span><span class="c6">shvetAshvatara upaniShad vilAsa</span><span>" in which he has explained that the mantras of </span><span class="c6">shvetAshvatara upaniShad</span><span>, some of which are in Shri Rudram, clearly extol Lord Vishnu as the Supreme. Another such work of his is "</span><span class="c6">atharvashiropaniShadvilAsa</span><span>" which proves similarly that Vishnu is declared as the Supreme in Atharva Shiropanishad also.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Yet another important work of his is </span><span class="c6">viShNudveShakara-mahAshaivamata-mardanam </span><span>directed against a </span><span class="c6">shaivAdvait</span><span>ic personality known as "Mahamahopadhyaya Raju Shastri" of Mannargudi</span><span class="c6">. </span><span>Unfortunately, Raju Shastri held clout in the Kumbhakonam mutt (Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt of today), even though he lost in debate to the former after finding himself unable to answer questions after a certain point. This is the reason why Adi Shankara continues to be misrepresented till today as a </span><span class="c6">shaiva </span><span>or as advocate of </span><span class="c6">shaNmata</span><span>. </span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Though Ramasubba Shastri's manuscripts have not been published in the press till now, they are well preserved. In the recent years, some of them have been passed on to a trustworthy scholar, which gives us hope that Shri Ramasubba Shastri's works will see the light of the day very soon. See this article for some light on this matter: </span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://www.academia.edu/1119793/Ramasubrahma_yas_Manuscripts_A_Kaveri_Delta_Collection_Then_and_Now_preprint_version_">http://www.academia.edu/1119793/Ramasubrahma_yas_Manuscripts_A_Kaveri_Delta_Collection_Then_and_Now_preprint_version_</a></span></p>
<h4 class="c3"><a name="h.w9a1t3mdbhpv"></a><span class="c8">[</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="#id.te34rpj0ll0i">Back to contents</a></span><span class="c8">]</span></h4>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<h4 class="c3"><a name="h.jpsmv0y5s5sd"></a><span class="c10">Truth# 3: Narayana Suktam praises Shriman Narayana alone as the Supreme, and </span><span class="c6 c10">tAmasa</span><span class="c10"> </span><span class="c6 c10">purANas </span><span class="c10">are not authoritative</span></h4>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>It is well established that the name "</span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa</span><span>" refers to Lord Vishnu only - in the Vedas and in common parlance. This is because of the grammatical rule explained above. Vedas themselves identify </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa </span><span>with </span><span class="c6">viShNu </span><span>and </span><span class="c6">vAsudEva, </span><span>all of which are names of Hari:</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">"nArAyaNAya vidmahe vAsudevAya dhImahI </span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c10 c11">tanno viShNuH pracodayAt"</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Our friend retorts that Paninian grammar is post-Vedic and hence can not be relied on for explaining Vedic mantras. The truth is that Panini only codified existing Vedic grammatical rules, and did not create new rules.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>It is exactly because of this reason that Appayya in his Shivadvaita Nirnaya, identified </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa </span><span>as </span><span class="c6">viShNu </span><span>only in his </span><span class="c6">shivAdvaita nirNaya</span><span>, taking pains to prove and state time and again that </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa </span><span>is not brahman. This is also the reason for his attempt to explain the mantra "</span><span class="c6">nArAyaNaH paraM brahmA</span><span>" as "</span><span class="c6">nArAyaNAt paraM brahmA</span><span>" which was condemned by even advaitins such as </span><span class="c6">bOdhEndra sarasvati </span><span>in works such as </span><span class="c6">hariharAdvaita-bhUShaNa</span><span>.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>We will look at the opinion of learned people in this matter. All Vaidikas, including Advaitins explained the Narayana Sukta as a hymn of the Puranic Narayana/Vishnu only. You can see this point from </span><span class="c6">surEshvara</span><span>'s </span><span class="c6">bRhadAraNyaka upaniShad bhAShya vArtika</span><span> in the </span><span class="c6">antaryAmi brAhmaNa</span><span> section, and Anandagiri's TIka to the same (Sureshvara is one of the disciples of Adi Shankara, and Anandagiri is an advaitin of the 13th/14th Century): <sup><a href="#Ref_BrUpBhV">[BrUphV:1]</a></sup><span>:</span></span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">kR^iShNadvaipAyano vyAso vedAtmA dhvAntahAnikR^it |</span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">prahemameva bahushaH praNInAM hitakAmyayA ||</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">nArAyaNaH paro.avyaktAt aNDamavyakta saMbhavam |</span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">aNDasyAntastv ime sarvAH lokAH saptadvIpAshca medhinI ||</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">tasmai namostu devAya nirguNAya guNAtmane |</span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">nArAyaNAya vishvAya devAnAM paramAtmane ||</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">etameva samuddishya mantro nArAyaNastathA |</span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">vedavidbhir mahAprAj~naiH puruShair viniyujyate ||</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c10">Translation:</span><span> Krishna Dvaipayana, the Vyasa, who is Vedas personified and who is the remover of ignorance, has said the following time and again for the welfare of beings: Narayana is beyond </span><span class="c6">avyakta </span><span>(</span><span class="c6">prakRti</span><span>); from </span><span class="c6">avyakta </span><span>is the entire cosmig egg born; inside this cosmic egg are all the worlds, the seven islands, and the earth. To that Narayana, I offer salutations - to Him, who is lustrous, devoid of attributes (</span><span class="c6">nirguNa</span><span>) and also the one with all auspicious attributes - to Him, who is the universe personified, who is the Supreme among all deities. With Him as the object are the </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa</span><span> mantras (in the Vedas) being recited by the great knowledgeable personalities who are well-versed in the Vedas.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6">Anandagiri</span><span>'s </span><span class="c6">TIka </span><span>says here: <sup><a href="#Ref_BrUpBhV">[BrUpBhV:1]</a></sup><span>:</span></span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">na kevalaM purANAgamAbhyAMeva so.adhigamyate, kiM tu shrutyakSharair api ityarthaH | etameveti | sahasrashIrShaM devaM vishvAkShaM vishvashaMbhuvaM vishvaM nArAyaNaM devaM akSharaM paramaM padaM' ityAdi mantraH vedavidbhir antaryAmiNaM uddishya viniyukto.ataH sa vaidikaH ityarthaH</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c10">Translation</span><span>: (</span><span class="c6">surEshvarAcArya</span><span> explains here that) not only is </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa</span><span>'s greatness known from Puranas and Agamas, but from Vedic mantras such as</span><span class="c41"> </span><span class="c10 c41">'</span><span class="c6 c11 c10 c41">sahasrashIrShaM devaM vishvAkShaM vishvashaMbhuvaM vishvaM nArAyaNaM devaM akSharaM paramaM padaM</span><span>' that serve to show this as the Vedic position.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>This shows that the Narayana Sukta mantras praise the Puranic Vishnu only.</span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span></span></p><br/>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Moreover, in Sayanacarya's commentary on the Narayana Sukta, we find the following statement pertaining to the </span><span class="c6">mantra </span><span>"</span><span class="c6 c11 c10">nArAyaNaH paraM brahmA</span><span>" etc: <sup><a href="#Ref_TASyB">[TASyB:1]</a></sup></span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">"purANeShu nArAyaNashabdena vyavahriyamANo yaH parameshvaraH, sa eva 'paraM' utkR^iShTaM"</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c10">Translation</span><span>: The Supreme Lord who is denoted by the term '</span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa</span><span>' in the </span><span class="c6">purANas - </span><span>He alone is the Highest.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Hence, Sayana also understands the Narayana of the Narayana Sukta as the puranic </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa </span><span>only.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Our friend says in his latest post (in </span><span class="c17 c22"><a class="c16" href="http://mahapashupatastra.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/the-unborn-rudra-of-svetaswatara.html">this link</a></span><span>) that </span><span class="c6">sAyaNa </span><span>and </span><span class="c6">bhaTTa bhAskara</span><span> were 'impartial commentators'. The same 'impartial commentators' identified the deity praised in the Narayana Sukta as the Puranic Narayana only. Will he accept the following observations made by these 'impartial commentators'?</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c29" start="1">
<li class="c13 c3 c7 c40"><span>The </span><span class="c6">puruSha sUkta </span><span>refers to Lord Narayana only (Sayana and Bhatta Bhaskara in their Taittiriya Aranyaka commentary) <sup><a href="#Ref_TASyB">[TASyB:2]</a></sup> <sup><a href="#Ref_TABBB">[TABBB:1]</a></sup></span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c29" start="2">
<li class="c13 c3 c7 c40"><span>The name "</span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa</span><span>" is a proper name and refers only to Vishnu, and this is because of Panini's grammatical rule (Bhatta Bhaskara on Narayana Sukta commentary) <sup><a href="#Ref_TABBB">[TABBB:2]</a></sup></span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Our </span><span class="c6">shaivite </span><span>friend's claim that Itihasa-Puranas can not be used to understand and explain the Vedas is rather bizarre. All traditional scholars accept the maxim: </span><span class="c11 c10">"</span><span class="c6 c11 c10">itihAsapurANAbhyAM vedaM samupabrahmayet</span><span class="c11 c10">"</span><span>, which means that the Vedas have to be understood with the help of Itihasas and Puranas, where there is no contradiction. In Valmiki Ramayana also, we have the following </span><span class="c6">shlOka </span><span>which explains that Valmiki composed the Ramayana to explain Vedas in a lucid manner:</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">sa tu medhāvinau dṛṣṭvā vedeṣu pariniṣṭitau |</span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">vedopabṛṃhaṇārthāya tau agrāhayata prabhuḥ || 1-4-6</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c10">Translation:</span><span> On seeing that pair intellectuals who are proficient in Veda-s that self-reliant sage Valmiki made those two to memorize the epic, as the epic Ramayana is composed only to reinforce the import of Veda-s, as an ancillary. [1-4-6]</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>In light of all this, our </span><span class="c6">shaivite </span><span>friend's claim that the </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa sUkta </span><span>is a hymn to Tripura Sundari is indeed laughable. So is his vulgar commentary that the </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa sUkta </span><span>"describes the union of Tripurasundari with her consort Shiva" and that it describes the ascent of "seminal fluids". He claims that the "heart" in </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa sUkta </span><span>is actually the </span><span class="c6">sushumnA nADi</span><span>. Nowhere does the </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa sUkta </span><span>talk about these terms.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Also ridiculous is his explanation of the name "</span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa</span><span>" as "</span><span class="c6">nara </span><span>+ </span><span class="c6">ayana</span><span>". Our friend does not even know how </span><span class="c6">sandhi </span><span>operates in Vedic Sanskrit. If you combine the word "</span><span class="c6">nara</span><span>" with "</span><span class="c6">ayana</span><span>", you would get the word "</span><span class="c6">narAyanaH</span><span>" (</span><span class="c43">नरायनः</span><span>) and not "</span><span class="c6">nArAyaNaH</span><span>" (</span><span class="c43">नारायणः</span><span>)</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Our friend asks as follows:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14 c38"></span></p>
<p class="c13 c3 c7"><span class="c8 c38">Another example could be “rAmAyaNa” which is “rAma + Ayana (direction of movement)” is identically same as the definition of Tripurasundari as nArAyaNa. And on similar lines it is spelt as “rAmAyaNa” and not “rAmAyana”. This “rAmAyaNa” is again a proper noun applicable on Rama’s lifestory (epic) only but still we have Valmiki Ramayana, Kamba Ramayana, Bhushundi Ramayana, Tulasidas Ramayana and so on… Where has been the rAmAyaNa which is again a proper noun, infallible in this case? It has become a common noun when only read as “rAmAyaNa”, but it remains a unique proper noun when we prefix the version (Valmiki, Kamba etc…) to the word “rAmAyaNa”. </span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14 c38"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>This a</span><span>gain shows his ignorance. These other </span><span class="c6">rAmAyaNa</span><span>s are called </span><span class="c6">rAmAyaNa </span><span>because they have been </span><span class="c17">named</span><span> thus. Similarly, my neighbor's son can very well be called "</span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa</span><span>" if he has been </span><span class="c17">given that name</span><span> by scholars, and also because these books revere the original </span><span class="c6"> rAmAyaNa </span><span>of </span><span class="c6">vAlmIki </span><span>as the authoritative one. In contrast, nowhere are Shiva, Durga, and others given the name </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa</span><span>. In any case, Kamban's work was not originally called "</span><span class="c6">rAmAyaNa</span><span>" but "</span><span class="c6">irAmAvatAram</span><span>", and Tulsidas' work "</span><span class="c6">rAmacaritamanas</span><span>".</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>The point behind the "Na" in </span><span class="c6">rAmAyaNa </span><span>is as follows: You can not take a story of some other person named "Rama" and describe it as "</span><span class="c6">rAmAyaNa</span><span>". But you can describe it as "</span><span class="c6">rAmAyana</span><span>" since it makes sense etymologically.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Our friend quotes a </span><span class="c6">kUrma purANa </span><span>passage which seems to proclaim that </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa </span><span>is a name of Uma. He claims that the verse goes like this:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c6 c11">"I salute thy form called Narayana, O Lalita, which has a thousand heads, which is of infinite energy, having a thousand arms, the ancient Person..."</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c6 c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>I have checked the Kurma Purana text available in the following non-Vaishnava pages:</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://is1.mum.edu/vedicreserve/puranas/kurma_purana.pdf">http://is1.mum.edu/vedicreserve/puranas/kurma_purana.pdf</a></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://fiindolo.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gret_utf.htm#Pur">http://fiindolo.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gret_utf.htm#Pur</a></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span><s>However, I could not find the verse that this </span><span class="c6">shaiva </span><span>friend has quoted. It seems that Bhaskararaya has quoted from his own version, interpolated with pro-</span><span class="c6">shAkta </span><span>verses</s> (Update: Mahapashupatastra's author has pointed out that the verse exists as 1.11.245 in the above version. Point taken and I acknowledge this). Even then, this does not matter. The verse that Bhaskararaya has quoted just says that </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa </span><span>is a </span><span class="c6">vibhUti </span><span>of Shakti not </span><span class="c6">sAkShAt shakti</span><span>.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>If </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa </span><span>is the name for Tripurasundari used by Vedas to denote parabrahman, how come Lalita Sahasranama does not have the name "</span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa</span><span>" as a name of </span><span class="c6">umA</span><span>? If </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa </span><span>is the name used by Vedas to denote Shiva who is absolutely non-different from </span><span class="c6">umA </span><span>as parabrahman, how come the </span><span class="c6">shiva sahasranAma</span><span>s do not contain the name "</span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa</span><span>" as a name of Shiva? If the name "</span><span class="c17 c6">nArAyaNI</span><span>" is to be found in Lalita Sahasranama, </span><span class="c17">this can very well be etymologically interpreted as "one who is related to </span><span class="c17 c6">nArAyaNa</span><span class="c17">"</span><span>.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Tamasic </span><span class="c6">purANas</span><span> are not authoritative, and hence can not be used to understand the Vedas. This has been very well spelled out not only in Padma Purana, but also in the Matsya Purana. Ramanujacharya and even prior to that Yamunacharya has quoted the following verse from it:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c6 c14 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">agneḥ śivasya māhātmyaṃ tāmaseṣu prakīrtyate /</span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">rājaseṣu ca māhātmyam adhikaṃ brahmaṇo viduḥ //</span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">sāttvikeṣu ca kalpeṣu māhātmyam adhikaṃ hareḥ /</span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">teṣv eva yogasaṃsiddhā gamiṣyanti parāṃ gatim //</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>The respective works of Yamunacharya and Ramanuja which quote this passage are </span><span class="c6">Agama-prAmANya</span><span> and </span><span class="c6">vEdArtha-saMgraha. </span><span>The full text of the Vedartha Sangraha is available here and the reader can verify that I have copied the text from there: </span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c17 c19"><a class="c16" href="http://fiindolo.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/1_sanskr/6_sastra/3_phil/vedanta/ramvaspu.htm">http://fiindolo.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/1_sanskr/6_sastra/3_phil/vedanta/ramvaspu.htm</a></span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span> In the </span><span class="c6">Agama-prAmANya</span><span>, this verse is quoted in the 81st section.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>The above Puranic verse quoted by Ramanuja is authentic and <s>(unlike Bhaskararaya’s quote which can not be found in the current versions of Kurma Purana)</s> is to be found in the current editions of Matsya Purana hosted on non-Vaishnava pages also. See line 68 in page 216 </span><span class="c17 c22"><a class="c16" href="http://is1.mum.edu/vedicreserve/puranas/matsya_purana.pdf">here</a></span><span> and in the plain text version </span><span class="c17 c22"><a class="c16" href="http://fiindolo.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/1_sanskr/3_purana/mtp176pu.htm">here</a></span><span>. The reading is slightly different, but the meaning is the same:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c6 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">sāttvikeṣu purāṇeṣu māhātmyamadhikaṃ hareḥ /</span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">rājaseṣu ca māhātmyam adhikaṃ brahmaṇo viduḥ // MatsP_53.68 //</span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">tadvadagneśca māhātmyaṃ tāmaseṣu śivasya ca /</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Due to the three-fold division of Puranas into </span><span class="c6">sAtvika, rAjasa, </span><span>and </span><span class="c6">tAmasa </span><span>conveyed by the above verse,</span><span> </span><span class="c6">prAcIna advaita AcAryas </span><span>such as Adi Shankara never quoted any verse from these Tamasic </span><span class="c6">purANa</span><span>s which show Shiva as supreme, but quotes only the passages which show Vishnu as supreme in all his </span><span class="c6">bhAShya</span><span>s.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Another advaitin's opinion can also be cited here, that of Sri Narayana Bhattathiri of Kerala who composed Narayaneeyam (</span><span class="c6">nArAyaNIyam</span><span>), now popular in </span><span class="c6">smArta </span><span>homes. After stating that Lord Krishna is indeed the refuge of even Shiva, and that the boons granted by Shiva are impermanent and are not to be desired by </span><span class="c6">mumukShus</span><span>, in the 90th </span><span class="c6">dashakam, </span><span>Sri Narayana Bhatta says:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">ye svaprakṛtyanuguṇā giriśaṃ bhajante</span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">teṣāṃ phalaṃ hi dṛḍhayaiva tadīyabhaktyā /</span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">vyāso hi tena kṛtavānadhikārihetoḥ</span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">skāndādikeṣu tava hānivaco'rthavādaiḥ // 90.9</span></p>
<p class="c0 c13"><span class="c6 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">bhūtārthakīrtiranuvādaviruddhavādau</span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">tredhārthavādagatayaḥ khalu rocanārthāḥ /</span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">skāndādikeṣu bahavo'tra viruddhavādās-</span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">tvattāmasatvaparibhūtyupaśikṣaṇādyāḥ // 90.10</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c10">Translation:</span><span> Those who, in conformity with their natural inclinations, or tendencies (Vasanas), worship Siva, do obtain the desired ends by firm devotion to him (Siva) only. It is with a view to encourage and motivate such persons that Sage Vyasa has eulogised Siva in his works like Skanda Purana, and made statements deprecating Thee. Arthavadas, or exaggeratory declarations, are of three kinds, namely, those which are neither contrary to available pramanas (proofs or authority) nor verifiable by experience; those which are verifiable by experience; and those which are contrary to experience, bordering on perverted interpretations. These are all devices employed by their proponents with a definite objective in view, or to score debating points, and are not to be taken in the literal sense. Statements in the Skanda and other Puranas attributing Tamoguna or defeat to Thee etc fall in this category and are motivated by the objective of intensifying devotion to one's chosen deity, and are not to be understood as belittling Thee.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>This clearly puts into perspective the division of </span><span class="c6">purANa</span><span>s into </span><span class="c6">sattvika, rAjasa, </span><span>and </span><span class="c6">tAmasa</span><span>.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Shri Mahamahopadhyaya Ramasubba Shastri also notes that Shri Shankara never quoted from the sections in the </span><span class="c6">anushAsana parva</span><span> of </span><span class="c6">mahAbhArata </span><span>that claim Shiva-supremacy (such as Shiva Gita, Suta Samhita, Shankara Samhita) and hence they are not authoritative (specifically, the Upamanyu episode found in some editions of the </span><span class="c6">anushAsana parva</span><span> is a later-day interpolations). All of the </span><span class="c6">mahAbhArata </span><span>quotations in Shankara's </span><span class="c6">bhAShya</span><span>s are from sections such as </span><span class="c6">mOkShadharma</span><span> which proclaim Vishnu's supremacy.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Our </span><span class="c6">shaivite </span><span>blogger is really deluded to think that he is smart enough to achieve what Appayya did not achieve, i.e. explain the name "</span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa</span><span>" as referring to someone else other than </span><span class="c6">viShNu</span><span>.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Our friend asks Vaishnavas in which Vishnu temple Shri Rudram is chanted while during </span><span class="c6">puShpArcana </span><span>or </span><span class="c6">abhiShEka.</span><span> Has he seen any Shiva/Shakti temple in which the </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa sUkta </span><span>is recited during </span><span class="c6">puShpArcana </span><span>to </span><span class="c6">umA</span><span>?</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c8">[</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="#id.te34rpj0ll0i">Back to contents</a></span><span class="c8">]</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<h4 class="c3 c7"><a name="h.e4llf1stj8jb"></a><span>Truth# 4: The so-called Upanishads which proclaim Shiva/Shakti's supremacy are bogus</span></h4>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Our </span><span class="c6">shaivite </span><span>friend presents certain "Upanishad" texts to support the theory that </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNa sUkta </span><span>is a praise of Tripurasundari. From the first three truths, it is clear that these </span><span class="c6">shaiva </span><span>and </span><span class="c6">shAkta </span><span>texts that go in the name of "Upanishads" today are not part of Vedas at all unlike authentic Upanishads, but texts written by </span><span class="c6">shiva </span><span>and </span><span class="c6">shakti </span><span>worshipers of the medieval ages (14th-15th Century onwards). This fact is also strengthened by the observation that no </span><span class="c6">shaiva/shAkta </span><span>personalities before 14th Century ever quoted from these so-called "Upanishads". Haradatta (a </span><span class="c6">shaivite </span><span>writer who lived before </span><span class="c6">appayya dIkShita</span><span>) labors in his "Sruti-Sukti-Mala" to establish </span><span class="c6">shiva </span><span>as the brahman by quoting only from the authentic Upanishads which all </span><span class="c6">advaita, vishiShTAdvaita, </span><span>and </span><span class="c6">dvaita AcAryas </span><span>accept. If these pro-</span><span class="c6">shaivite upaniShads </span><span>were extant at Haradatta's time, he would have easily established </span><span class="c6">shiva </span><span>as the supreme using them.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c8"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c8">[</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="#id.te34rpj0ll0i">Back to contents</a></span><span class="c8">]</span></p>
<h4 class="c3 c28 c47"><span class="c14"></span></h4>
<h4 class="c3"><a name="h.7ull5yyo1b9z"></a><span>Truth# 5: Adi Shankara did not write <i>stOtras</i> which glorify any deity other than Vishnu</span></h4>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>I have shown in numerous quotations above that Adi Shankara was a Vaishnavite by theology, even though he is an Advaitin (belief in </span><span class="c6">EkAtma vAda</span><span>) by philosophy. In spite of this, and after deleting all my comments which establish this truth, our </span><span class="c6">shaiva</span><span> friend claims that </span><span class="c6">dakShiNAmUrti upaniShad </span><span>which proclaims Shiva's supremacy is authoritative and quotes a </span><span class="c6">dakShiNAmUrti stOtra </span><span>attributed to Adi Shankara. Adi Shankara wrote no stotras or shlokas praising Shiva, Uma, Ganesha, Skanda, or Surya as </span><span class="c6">paramAtmA</span><span>. This has been stated by </span><span class="c6">shrI nArAyaNa bhaTTa </span><span>in </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNIyam, </span><span>90.5 <sup><a href="#Ref_Nym">[Nym:1]</a></sup></span><span class="c6">:</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c6 c14"></span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">śrīśaṅkaro'pi bhagavān sakaleṣu tāvat</span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">tvāmeva mānayati yo na hi pakṣapātī /</span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">tvanniṣṭhameva sa hi nāmasahasrakādi</span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">vyākhyad bhavatstutiparaśca gatiṃ gato'nte //</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c6 c14 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span class="c10">Translation: </span><span>Sri Sankara Bhagavadpada, who is reputedly free from bias, worshipped Thee particularly among all Sakala forms (those having attributes) of Thine. He wrote Commentatries only on Vishnu Sahasranama, Bhagavadgita and other works depicting Thee. In the end, he also attained salvation singing Thy praises.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>In the commentary to the above </span><span class="c6">nArAyaNIyam </span><span>verse, </span><span class="c6">desha maN^gala varya, </span><span>another Keralite advaitin states that "Shankara wrote commentaries explaining Vishnu alone and not Shiva and others as the Supreme. He was not inclined to writing stotras glorifying Shiva.". <sup><a href="#Ref_Nym">[Nym:1]</a></sup></span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>This establishes that the stotras glorifying Shiva, Shakti etc. (such as the two Laharis) are authored by some recent Shankaracharyas who are heads of mutts, and they have been attributed to Adi Shankara for the cause of Shaivite propaganda and anti-Vaishnavism.</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>I wish to reiterate the following points, observed from Shri Shankara's authentic </span><span class="c6">bhAShya</span><span>s:</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>In Bhagavad Gita Bhashya (</span><span class="c10">9.23-9.25</span><span>), Shankara says worshipers of other deities, such as </span><span class="c6 c10">vinAyaka</span><span> etc. obtain finite results, whereas the </span><span class="c6">vaiShNava</span><span>s, who worship Lord </span><span class="c6">vAsudEva </span><span>obtain the eternal fruit of </span><span class="c6">mOkSha</span> <sup><a href="#Ref_GBhS">[GBhS:8]</a></sup><span>. Here, </span><span class="c10">Shankara specifically uses the term "</span><span class="c6 c10">vaiShNavas</span><span class="c10">"</span><span> and states that they alone attain eternal bliss, worshiping </span><span class="c6">vAsudEva </span><span>as the Supreme and as the in-dweller of all other deities</span><span>. He specifically says that </span><span class="c10">even though the devotees of other deities spend an effort of equal measure as the Vaishnavas (but not directed at the worship of </span><span class="c6 c10">vAsudEva</span><span class="c10">), they obtain finite results which are subject to return to the </span><span class="c6 c10">samsAra </span><span class="c10">(cycle of birth and death).</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Shri Shankara states, also in the </span><span class="c6">bhagavad gItA bhAShya </span><span>(</span><span class="c10">6.47</span><span>) that among the </span><span class="c6">yOgi</span><span>s, those who worship Rudra, Aditya, etc. are inferior to those who are </span><span class="c6">vAsudEva bhakta</span><span>s: <sup><a href="#Ref_GBhS">[GBhS:9]</a></sup></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c6 c14 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c13"><span class="c6 c11 c10">yoginām api sarveṣāṃ rudrādityādi-dhyāna-parāṇāṃ madhye mad-gatena mayi vāsudeve samāhitenāntarātmanāntaḥ-karaṇena śraddhāvān śraddadhānaḥ san bhajate sevate yo mām, sa me mama yuktatamo 'tiśayena yukto mato 'bhipreta iti</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Shankara also says in the </span><span class="c17 c6">pA~ncarAtra adhikaraNa</span><span> (Brahma Sutra Bhashya, 2.2.42) that there are certain aspects of the Pancharatra doctrine which are to be accepted, and says that worshipping Lord Vishnu as the Supreme Soul with unceasing </span><span class="c6">ananya </span><span>devotion as inculcated by the Pancharatra Shastras is as per the </span><span class="c6">vEda </span><span>and </span><span class="c6">smRti</span><span>s. However, </span><span class="c10">Shankara does not make any such approving statements regarding the rites of worship according to the </span><span class="c6 c10">shaiva </span><span class="c10">doctrine </span><span>(discussed in the previous </span><span class="c6">adhikaraNa</span><span>, from 2.2.37-2.2.41). Shankara rejects the whole doctrine as </span><span class="c6 c10">vEda bAhya</span><span>. He does not identify the </span><span class="c6">pUja aspect </span><span>of the </span><span class="c6">shaivas </span><span>to be according to the </span><span class="c6">vEda</span><span>.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Other early advaitins such as Sureshvara and Sarvajnatma muni also held Vishnu as supreme. Sureshvara calls Vishnu as "</span><span class="c6">purANaH</span><span>" and "</span><span class="c6">shAshvataH</span><span>". <sup><a href="#Ref_BrUpBhV">[BrUpBhV:2]</a></sup> <sup><a href="#Ref_BrUpBhV">[BrUpBhV:3]</a></sup></span>
<br/>
<br/>
Sarvajnatman (<span class="c6">sarvaj~nAtma </span><span>muni) begins his work "</span><span class="c6">saN^kShepa shArIraka</span><span>" (Sankshepa Sariraka) with an invocation to "</span><span class="c6">murArEH paramaM padaM</span><span>" (The supreme station of </span><span class="c6">murAri, </span><span>the slayer of the demon 'Mura'). After mentioning Vishnu as the Supreme Brahman time and again, and at a certain point disowning Vaisheshika and </span><span class="c6">mAhEshvara/pAshupata</span><span> theories as un-Vedic, Sarvajnatman ends his work with an invocation to Vishnu's Supremely Auspicious Form and Pastimes: <sup><a href="#Ref_SSSM">[SSSM:1]</a></sup></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">bhujaN^gamAN^ga shAyine vihaN^gamAN^ga gAmine</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">turaN^gamAN^ga bhedine namo rathAN^ga dhAriNe</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span> [Concluding verse of Sankshepa Sariraka]</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>As for </span><span class="c6">umA-mahEshvara</span><span>, Sureshvara says that their mutual affection is </span><span class="c6">laukIka</span><span> i.e., worldly, and hence subject to the three modes of </span><span class="c6">prakRti</span>. <span>This reference is found in Yajnavalkya's dialogue with Maitreyi, as told by Sureshvara in his Brihadaranyaka Bhashya Vartika. After commending Maitreyi thus (Br.Up.Bhas.Vart. 2.4.67-68):</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>"All persons, by their own nature, give up a person who is seeking liberation. You however do not wish to abandon me even while I am seeking for liberation, because of your intense devotion to me Unable to endure separation from me, you wish to follow me even in liberation with the full desire of being one with me.", </span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>Yajnavalkya, according to Sureshvaracharya, tells Maitreyi thus (2.4.69): <sup><a href="#Ref_BrUpBhV">[BrUpBhV:4]</a></sup></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">atisnehApakR^iShTomA dehArdhaM shUlinaH shritA</span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10">tvaM tu sarvAtmanA AtmAnaM kR^itsnaM mAm Aptmuicchasi</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c10">Translation:</span><span> Carried away by great love, Uma occupied half of the trident-bearer's (Shiva's) body body. You, however, wish to secure the whole of me, the Self, by your whole self.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>Thus, all the early advaitins where Vaishnava in their theology and faith.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>In light of all this, will our friend honestly and loudly proclaim that he rejects Adi Shankara, in addition to retracting the comment "Adi Shankara established 6 sects (Shanmatha Sthapana) viz. Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism, Koumaram, Ganapatyam, Souram." from his introductory page? Will he stop using any of the </span><span class="c6">stOtra</span><span>s praising Shiva as supreme that have been wrongly attributed to Adi Shankara in his arguments? It would be interesting to see how far our friend's honesty carries him.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c50"><span class="c8">[</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="#id.te34rpj0ll0i">Back to contents</a></span><span class="c8">]</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<h3 class="c3"><a name="h.p6x515kw19r1"></a><span>Conclusion</span></h3>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Sri Vedanta Desika in </span><span class="c6">tAtparya candrikA</span><span>, commenting on the </span><span class="c6">shlOka </span><span>18.66 of Bhagavad Gita, points out thus (the interested reader can do a fact check at the <i>Gita Supersite 2.0</i> web page, the details of which are given in the <a href="#h.7dn7y9qmms3l">References section</a>):</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c13 c3"><span class="c6 c11 c10"><b><i>"pishAca-rantideva-gupta-shaN^kara-yAdavaprakAsha-bhAskara-nArAyaNAryayaj~nasvAmi-prabhR^itibhiH svaM svaM matamAsthitaiH parashshatairbhAShyakR^idbhiH asmatsiddhAntatIrthakaraishca bhagavadyAmunAcAryabhAShyakArAdibhiravigItaparigR^ihIto.ayamatra sArArthaH -- bhagavAneva paraM tattvam, ananyasharaNairyathAdhikAraM tadekAshrayaNaM paramadharmaH -- iti"</i></b></span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span><b>Gist:</b> "The conclusion 'Bhagavan (Narayana) is the Supreme Brahman. Taking refuge in Him alone, and resorting to none else is the highest of all </span><span class="c6">dharma</span><span>s.'-this has been unanimously accepted as the essence of the Bhagavad Gita by Shankara, Bhaskara, Yadavaprakasha, Narayanarya, Yajnasvami and others, though they were different in philosophy".</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>This is observation of Vedanta Desika is being conveniently hidden/forgotten by anti-Vaishnavites who claim that Ramanuja or other later Vaishnavas started maligning Shiva by preaching </span><span class="c6">ananya bhakti </span><span>and </span><span class="c6">viShNu sarvOttamatvam</span><span> .</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Truth will always prevail no matter how hard detractors try. Anti-Vaishnavism will fail because it is anti-Veda. Bhagavan Manu states thus:</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c13 c20 c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">yā vedabāhyāḥ smṛtayo yāś ca kāś ca kudṛṣṭayaḥ /</span></p>
<p class="c13 c20 c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">sarvās tā niṣphalāḥ pretya tamoniṣṭhā hi tāḥ smṛtāḥ // 12.95 //</span></p>
<p class="c13 c20 c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">utpadyante cyavante ca yāny ato 'nyāni kāni cit /</span></p>
<p class="c13 c20 c3 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10">tāny arvākkālikatayā niṣphalāny anṛtāni ca // 12.96 //</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span class="c6 c11 c10"></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>[All those traditions (smriti) and those despicable systems of philosophy, which are not based on the Veda, produce no reward after death; for they are declared to be founded on Darkness. All those (doctrines), differing from the (Veda), which spring up and (soon) perish, are worthless and false, because they are of modern date.]</span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>So will the contents and the message of the "</span><span class="c6">mahA pAshupata astra</span><span>" blog be regarded, since it contains many newly invented and newly imagined explanations with newly fabricated logical devices that have no trace of existence in past traditions. They are also fundamentally flawed. </span></p>
<p class="c0 c7"><span></span></p>
<p class="c3 c7"><span>Our opponent's blog contradicts the Vedas</span><span class="c6">, pUrvAcArya</span><span>s</span><span class="c6">, </span><span>and the Supreme Purusha of the Vedas. Thus, it is a work that knowledgeable and neutral people can read and have a good laugh at.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c31 c3"><span>What to say of the crushing power and compassionate grace of Shri Lakshmi Narasimha, the parabrahman!</span></p>
<p class="c31 c3"><span>He indeed is the destroyer of the foes of </span><span class="c6">vaiShNavas</span><span>, shredding them into bits with the sharp nails of logic!</span></p>
<p class="c31 c3"><span>I am but an instrument at the Supreme Vishnu's hand; whatever good may come out of my writing will go to show His glory alone.</span></p>
<p class="c3"><span>Humble prostrations to </span><span class="c6">bhAgavata</span><span>s of every sect who worship Lord Shriman Narayana as the Supreme.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span></span></p>
<p class="c31 c3"><span>|| <i>sarvaM shrIman nArAyaNArpaNamastu</i> ||</span></p>
<p class="c0 c31"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c0 c31"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c0 c31"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c0 c31"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c31 c3 c50"><span class="c8">[</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="#id.te34rpj0ll0i">Back to contents</a></span><span class="c8">]</span></p>
<h3 class="c3 c46"><a name="h.x6tij4pdrt3m"></a></h3>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="#id.te34rpj0ll0i">Back to contents</a></span><span class="c8">]</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<h2 class="c4 c20 c3"><a name="h.9ddo5eduf4fg"></a><span>Appendices</span></h2>
<h3 class="c4 c20 c3"><a name="h.298ler3kbg3j"></a><span>The works of Shri Ramasubba Shastri of Tiruvisanallur</span></h3>
<p class="c4 c20 c3"><span>Coming soon! Keep checking this page periodically.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="#id.te34rpj0ll0i">Back to contents</a></span><span class="c8">]</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<h3 class="c4 c20 c3"><a name="h.nprkjv2742o4"></a><span>Appayya Dikshita’s desperation, confession, and confusion</span></h3>
<p class="c4 c20 c3"><span>Coming soon! Keep checking this page periodically.</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="#id.te34rpj0ll0i">Back to contents</a></span><span class="c8">]</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<h2 class="c4 c20 c3"><a name="h.7dn7y9qmms3l"></a><span>References</span></h2>
<p class="c92"><span class="c90 c93">Note:</span><span class="c90"> Most of the links provided with the references contain scanned pages (courtesy of Digital Library of India) from original books. The entire book can be downloaded from these links. Links from Göttingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages are as [Göt]. English translations are indicated as (tr.) where available.</span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span></span></p>
<a href="#" name="c834408755562b7daa68d4e4998ab82e415b56b5"></a><a href="#" name="0"></a>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="c918">
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<td class="c95">
<p class="c97 c92"><a name="Ref_BrSuBhS"><span>[BrSuBhS]</span></a></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span>Adi Shankara’s Brahma Sutra Bhashya:</span></p>
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">[</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://fiindolo.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/1_sanskr/6_sastra/3_phil/vedanta/brssbh1u.htm" target="_blank">Göt.:Chapter 1</a></span><span class="c90">][</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://fiindolo.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/1_sanskr/6_sastra/3_phil/vedanta/brssbh2u.htm" target="_blank">Göt.:Chapter 2</a></span><span class="c90">][</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://fiindolo.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/1_sanskr/6_sastra/3_phil/vedanta/brssbh3u.htm" target="_blank">Göt.:Chapter 3</a></span><span class="c90">][</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://fiindolo.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/1_sanskr/6_sastra/3_phil/vedanta/brssbh4u.htm" target="_blank">Göt.:Chapter 4</a></span><span class="c90">]</span></p>
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<td class="c95">
<p class="c94 c97 c92"><span></span></p>
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<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span>“</span><span class="c911">The Brahmasutra Shankara-Bhashyam, with the commentaries Ratnaprabha, Bhamati, and Nyayanirnaya of Shri-Govindananda, Vachaspati, and Anandagiri</span><span>”, Ed. 2, edited by Mahadeva Shastri Barkare, Nirnaya Sagar press, Bombay, 1909. [</span><span class="c99"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/scripts/FullindexDefault.htm?path1=/data3/upload/0066/953&first=1&last=938&barcode=4990010212801" target="_blank">Link</a></span><span>] (orig.)</span></p>
<p class="c94 c97 c92"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="1">
<li class="c912 c92"><span>Adhyaya 2, Pada 1, Sutra 1 (pp. 348), retrieved from </span><span class="c99"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/data3/upload/0066/953/PTIFF/00000379.tif" target="_blank">[</a></span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/data3/upload/0066/953/PTIFF/00000379.tif" target="_blank">1]</a></span><span class="c90"> and </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe34/sbe34140.htm" target="_blank">[2]</a></span><span class="c90"> (tr.)</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c92 c94"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="2">
<li class="c912 c92"><span>Adhyaya 2, Pada 2, Sutra 42 (pp. 494-495), retrieved from </span><span class="c99"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/data3/upload/0066/953/PTIFF/00000525.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span><span>, </span><span class="c99"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/data3/upload/0066/953/PTIFF/00000526.tif" target="_blank">[2]</a></span><span>, and English (tr.) </span><span class="c99"><a class="c91" href="http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe34/sbe34218.htm" target="_blank">[3]</a></span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c94 c92"><span></span></p>
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<td class="c95">
<p class="c97 c92"><a name="Ref_BrSuBhB"><span>[BrSuBhB]</span></a></p>
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<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span>Bhaskara’s Brahma Sutra Bhashya:</span></p>
</td>
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<tr>
<td class="c95">
<p class="c94 c97 c92"><span></span></p>
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<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span>“</span><span class="c911">Brahma Sutra, with a commentary by Bhaskaracharya, Part I</span><span>”, the Chowkhambika Sanskrit Series (A collection of rare & extraordinary Sanskrit works), vol. ??, no. 70, Vidya Vilas Press, Benaras, 1902. [</span><span class="c99"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/scripts/FullindexDefault.htm?path1=/data/upload/0047/449&first=1&last=106&barcode=1990020047444" target="_blank">Link</a></span><span>] (orig.)</span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="1">
<li class="c912 c92"><span>Adhyaya 2, Pada 1, Sutra 1 (pp. 87-88), retrieved from </span><span class="c99"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/data/upload/0047/449/PTIFF/00000090.tif">[1]</a></span><span> and </span><span class="c99"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/data/upload/0047/449/PTIFF/00000091.tif" target="_blank">[2]</a></span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c94 c92"><span></span></p>
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<td class="c95">
<p class="c97 c92"><a name="Ref_GBhS"><span>[GBhS]</span></a></p>
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<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span>Adi Shankara’s Gita Bhashya:</span></p>
<p class="c92"><span>[</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://fiindolo.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/1_sanskr/6_sastra/3_phil/vedanta/bhgsbh_u.htm" target="_blank">Göt.</a></span><span class="c99"><a class="c91" href="http://fiindolo.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/1_sanskr/6_sastra/3_phil/vedanta/bhgsbh_u.htm" target="_blank">: up to Chapter 17</a></span><span>] </span></p>
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<td class="c95">
<p class="c94 c97 c92"><span></span></p>
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<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">“</span><span class="c911 c90">The Bhagavad-Gita Bhashya</span><span class="c90">”, Shri Shankara Granthavali - Complete Works of Sri Sankaracharya in the original Sanskrit, Volume 6, Samata Books, Madras, 1982 (first pub. 1910). [</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.new.dli.gov.in/scripts/FullindexDefault.htm?path1=/data51/upload/0022/621&first=1&last=646&barcode=99999990842046" target="_blank">Link</a></span><span class="c90">]</span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="1">
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Adhyaya 10, Shloka 8, pp. 283, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.new.dli.gov.in/data51/upload/0022/621/PTIFF/00000334.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span></li>
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Introductory section, pp. 4, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.new.dli.gov.in/data51/upload/0022/621/PTIFF/00000055.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span></li>
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Introductory section, pp. 1-2, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.new.dli.gov.in/data51/upload/0022/621/PTIFF/00000052.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span><span class="c90"> and </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.new.dli.gov.in/data51/upload/0022/621/PTIFF/00000053.tif" target="_blank">[2]</a></span></li>
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Adhyaya 11, Shloka 43, pp. 328, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.new.dli.gov.in/data51/upload/0022/621/PTIFF/00000379.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span></li>
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Adhyaya 10, Shloka 2, pp. 280, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.new.dli.gov.in/data51/upload/0022/621/PTIFF/00000331.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span></li>
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Adhyaya 15, Shlokas 17 & 18, pp. 445, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.new.dli.gov.in/data51/upload/0022/621/PTIFF/00000496.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span><span class="c90"> and </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.new.dli.gov.in/data51/upload/0022/621/PTIFF/00000497.tif" target="_blank">[2]</a></span></li>
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Adhyaya 15, Shloka 15, pp. 443, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.new.dli.gov.in/data51/upload/0022/621/PTIFF/00000494.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span></li>
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Adhyaya 9, Shlokas 23-25, pp. , retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.new.dli.gov.in/data51/upload/0022/621/PTIFF/00000319.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span><span class="c90">, </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.new.dli.gov.in/data51/upload/0022/621/PTIFF/00000320.tif" target="_blank">[2]</a></span><span class="c90">, and </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.new.dli.gov.in/data51/upload/0022/621/PTIFF/00000321.tif" target="_blank">[3]</a></span></li>
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Adhyaya 6, Shloka 47, pp. 210, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.new.dli.gov.in/data51/upload/0022/621/PTIFF/00000261.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span></li>
</ol>
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<p class="c94 c97 c92"><span></span></p>
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<p class="c92"><span class="c90">“</span><span class="c911 c90">The Bhagavad Gita with Eleven Commentaries</span><span class="c90">”, critically edited and thoroughly revised second edition, The Proprietors of the Gujarati Printing Press, Bombay (Mumbai), 1935. [</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/scripts/FullindexDefault.htm?path1=/data_copy/upload/0070/637&first=1&last=1494&barcode=1990030070632" target="_blank">Link</a></span><span class="c90">] (orig.)</span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span></span></p>
<p class="c92"><span>“The Bhagavad-Gita, with the commentary of Sri ankaracharya”, English translation, edited by Alladi Mahadeva Sastri, The “Vedic Religion” series, Mysore, 1901. [</span><span class="c99"><a class="c91" href="https://archive.org/details/bhagavadgitawith00maharich" target="_blank">Link</a></span><span>] (tr.)</span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span></span></p>
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">“Gita Supersite 2.0”, contains original Sanskrit verses, English translations, various commentaries in Sanskrit and their English translations, in Unicode Text format. URL: </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://202.3.77.102/acquia/?q=node/20" target="_blank">http://202.3.77.102/acquia/?q=node/20</a></span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
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<p class="c97 c92"><a name="Ref_BrUBhS"><span class="c90">[BrUBhS]</span></a></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">Brihadaranyaka Upanishad - Adi Shankara’s commentary</span></p>
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">[</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://fiindolo.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/1_sanskr/1_veda/4_upa/brupsb_u.htm" target="_blank">Göt.</a></span><span class="c90">]</span></p>
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<td class="c95">
<p class="c94 c97 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
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<p class="c92"><span class="c90">“</span><span class="c911 c90">Brhadaranyaka Upanishad - Shankara Bhashya with Anandagiri’s Tika</span><span class="c90">”, edited by M. C. Apte, Anandashrama Sanskrit Series, no. 15, Anandashrama Press, 1891. [</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/scripts/FullindexDefault.htm?path1=/rawdataupload/upload/0095/784&first=1&last=842&barcode=4990010095784" target="_blank">Link</a></span><span class="c90">] (orig.)</span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="1">
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Verse 3, section 3.7 (</span><span class="c911 c90">antaryAmi brAhmaNa</span><span class="c90">), pp. 450, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/rawdataupload/upload/0095/784/PTIFF/00000473.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<p class="c917 c92"><span class="c90">Text:</span></p>
<p class="c92 c914"><span class="c90">“ya īdṛgīśvaro </span><span class="c93 c90">nārāyaṇākhyaḥ</span><span class="c90">, pṛthirvī pṛthivīdevatām, yamayati niyamayati svavyāpāre, antaro 'bhyantarastiṣṭhan, eṣa ta ātmā, te tava, mama ca sarvabhūtānāṃ”</span></p>
<p class="c94 c914 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
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<p class="c97 c92"><a name="Ref_MuUBhS"><span class="c90">[MuUBhS]</span></a></p>
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<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">Mundaka Upanishad - Adi Shankara’s commentary</span></p>
</td>
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<p class="c94 c97 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">“</span><span class="c911 c90">The Mundaka Upanishad with Sri Shankara’s commentary</span><span class="c90">”, edited with notes by Swami Satchidanandendra Saraswati, Adhyatma Prakasha Karyalaya, Holenarsipur, 1960. [</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/scripts/FullindexDefault.htm?path1=/data7/upload/0202/065&first=1&last=146&barcode=5010010017941" target="_blank">Link</a></span><span class="c90">] (orig.)</span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="1">
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Second Mundaka, Section 1, Verse 4, pp. 50-51, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/data7/upload/0202/065/PTIFF/00000071.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span><span class="c90"> and </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/data7/upload/0202/065/PTIFF/00000072.tif" target="_blank">[2]</a></span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<p class="c917 c92"><span class="c90">Text:</span></p>
<p class="c914 c92"><span class="c90">“</span><span class="c911 c90">ESha dEvO </span><span class="c93 c911 c90">viShNur anantaH</span><span class="c911 c90"> | prathamasharIrI trailOkyadEhOpadhiH sarvEShAM bhUtAnAm antarAtmA |</span><span class="c90">”</span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">“</span><span class="c90 c911">Mundaka Upanishad, with the commentary of Shankaracharya</span><span class="c90">”, edited by Pt. Shridhara Shastri Pathak, Lokasangraha Press, Pune, 1925. [</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/scripts/FullindexDefault.htm?path1=/data_copy/upload/0083/642&first=1&last=109&barcode=1990030083637" target="_blank">Link</a></span><span class="c90">] (orig.)</span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c95">
<p class="c97 c92"><a name="Ref_KUpBhS"><span class="c90">[KUpBhS]</span></a></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">Katha Upanishad - Adi Shankara’s commentary</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c95">
<p class="c94 c97 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">“</span><span class="c911 c90">Kathakopanishad - </span><span class="c90">Shankara’s Bhashya with Tika”, Anandashrama Sanskrit Series, no. 7, pub. by Hari Narayan Apte, Anandashrama Press, 1906. [</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.new.dli.gov.in/scripts/FullindexDefault.htm?path1=/data8/upload/0213/225&first=1&last=370&barcode=4990010016443" target="_blank">Link</a></span><span class="c90">] (orig.)</span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="1">
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Adhyaya 1, Valli (section) 3, Verse 9, pp. 66, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.new.dli.gov.in/data8/upload/0213/225/PTIFF/00000075.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span><span class="c90"> </span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<p class="c917 c92"><span class="c90">Text: </span></p>
<p class="c914 c92"><span class="c90">“</span><span class="c911 c90">tad viShNOr vyApanashIlasya </span><span class="c93 c911 c90">brahmaNaH paramAtmanaH vAsudevAkhyasya</span><span class="c911 c90"> paraM prakR^iShTam padaM sthAnaM satattvaM ityetad-asAv-Apnoti vidvAn ||</span><span class="c90">”</span></p>
<p class="c94 c914 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c95">
<p class="c97 c92"><a name="Ref_SrkBh"><span class="c90">[SrkBh]</span></a></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">Srikantha Bhashya (commentary) on the Brahma Sutra</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c95">
<p class="c94 c92 c97"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">“Srikantha Bhasya </span><span class="c911 c90">or Commentary of Srikantha on the Brahma Sutras </span><span class="c90">(in English)”, Doctrine of Srikantha vol. II, Pracyavani Research Series, vol. XI, ed. by Dr. Roma Chaudhuri, Calcutta, Apr. 1959. [</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://archive.org/stream/doctrineofsrikan032751mbp#page/n5/mode/2up" target="_blank">Link</a></span><span class="c90">] (tr.)</span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="1">
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Sutra 1.3.42, pp. 140, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://archive.org/stream/doctrineofsrikan032751mbp#page/n151/mode/2up" target="_blank">[1]</a></span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c95">
<p class="c97 c92"><a name="Ref_GuMS"><span class="c90">[GuMS]</span></a></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">Gudhartha Dipika - a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita by Madhusudana Sarasvati</span></p>
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">[</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://fiindolo.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/1_sanskr/2_epic/mbh/ext/bhg4c15u.htm" target="_blank">Göt.]</a></span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="1">
<li class="c92 c912"><span class="c90">Adhyaya 15, Shloka 18 (verse 15.18), retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://fiindolo.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/1_sanskr/2_epic/mbh/ext/bhg4c15u.htm" target="_blank">[1]</a></span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c95">
<p class="c97 c92"><a name="Ref_RVmsKD"><span class="c90">[RVmsKD]</span></a></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">Raghuvamsa of Kalidasa</span></p>
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">[</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://fiindolo.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/1_sanskr/5_poetry/2_kavya/kragh_pu.htm" target="_blank">Göt.</a></span><span class="c90">]</span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="1">
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Verse 3.49, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://fiindolo.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/1_sanskr/5_poetry/2_kavya/kragh_pu.htm" target="_blank">[1]</a></span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c95">
<p class="c97 c92"><a name="Ref_ChUpBhS"><span class="c90">[ChUpBhS]</span></a></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">Adi Shankara’s Bhashya (commentary) on the Chandogya Upanishad</span></p>
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">[</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://fiindolo.sub.uni-goettingen.de/gretil/1_sanskr/1_veda/4_upa/chupsb_u.htm" target="_blank">Göt.</a></span><span class="c90">]</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c95">
<p class="c94 c97 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">“</span><span class="c911 c90">Samaveda’s Chandogya Upanishad, with the Bhashya of Shri Shankaracharya...</span><span class="c90">”, Advaita Grantha Ratna Manjusha Ratna, no. 24, ed. by Pandit Subrahmanya Shastri, Maharishi Research Institute, Varanasi, 1982. [</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="https://archive.org/details/upanishadbhashya015937mbp" target="_blank">Link</a></span><span class="c90">] (orig.)</span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="1">
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Verse 8.12.3, pp. 417, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="https://archive.org/stream/upanishadbhashya015937mbp#page/n499/mode/1up" target="_blank">[1]</a></span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c95">
<p class="c97 c92"><a name="Ref_VSBhS"><span class="c90">[VSBhS]</span></a></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">Adi Shankara’s Vishnu Sahasranama Bhashya</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c95">
<p class="c94 c97 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">“</span><span class="c911 c90">Visnusahasranama with the Bhasya of Sri Samkaracarya, translated into English</span><span class="c90">”, ed. by R. Ananthakrishna Sastry, The Adyar Library and Research Centre, 1980. [</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/scripts/FullindexDefault.htm?path1=/data_copy/upload/0069/623&first=1&last=504&barcode=5990010069618" target="_blank">Link</a></span><span class="c90">] (orig. & tr.)</span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="1">
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Nama 848 of 1000, pp. 361-362, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/data_copy/upload/0069/623/PTIFF/00000391.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span><span class="c90"> and </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/data_copy/upload/0069/623/PTIFF/00000392.tif" target="_blank">[2]</a></span></li>
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Nama 49 of 1000, pp. 109, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/data_copy/upload/0069/623/PTIFF/00000139.tif" target="_blank">[3]</a></span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c95">
<p class="c97 c92"><a name="Ref_BrUpBhV"><span class="c90">[BrUpBhV]</span></a></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">Suresvara’s Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Bhashya Vartika</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c95">
<p class="c94 c97 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">“</span><span class="c911 c90">Brihadaranyaka-upanishad-bhashya-vartikam of Srimat Suresvaracarya, with the gloss of Anandagiri called Shastraprakashika”</span><span class="c90">, Parts 2 & 3, Anandashrama Sanskrit Series, no. 16, ed. by M. C. Apte, Anandashrama Press, 1894. [</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/scripts/FullindexDefault.htm?path1=/rawdataupload/upload/0095/112&first=1&last=952&barcode=4990010095112" target="_blank">Link</a></span><span class="c90"> (part 3)] (orig.)</span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="1">
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Adhyaya 3, Brahmana 7, Verse 39-44, pp. 1286-1287, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/rawdataupload/upload/0095/112/PTIFF/00000159.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span><span class="c90"> and </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/rawdataupload/upload/0095/112/PTIFF/00000160.tif" target="_blank">[2]</a></span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="2">
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Adhyaya 1, Brahmana 4, Verse 135, pp. 135, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/rawdataupload/upload/0095/110/PTIFF/00000167.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span><span class="c90">.</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="3">
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Adhyaya 2, Brahmana 1, Verse 268, pp. 931, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/rawdataupload/upload/0095/110/PTIFF/00000644.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span><span class="c90">.</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="4">
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Adhyaya 2, Brahmana 4, Verse 69, pp. 1045, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/rawdataupload/upload/0095/110/PTIFF/00000758.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span><span class="c90">.</span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c95">
<p class="c97 c92"><a name="Ref_SSSM"><span class="c90">[SSSM]</span></a></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">Sanksepa Sariraka of Sarvajnatma Muni (10th C)</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c95">
<p class="c94 c97 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">Text with the commentary of Ramatirtha (orig.) in Sanskrit [</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/scripts/FullindexDefault.htm?path1=/data/upload/0046/817&first=1&last=850&barcode=2040100046812" target="_blank">Link</a></span><span class="c90">]</span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="1">
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Verse 1.1, pp. 3, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/data/upload/0046/817/PTIFF/00000016.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span><span class="c90"> & concluding verse (4.63), retrived from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/data/upload/0046/817/PTIFF/00000848.tif" target="_blank">[2]</a></span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c95">
<p class="c97 c92"><a name="Ref_TASyB"><span class="c90">[TASyB]</span></a></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">Sayana’s commentary on the Taittiriya Aranyaka</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c95">
<p class="c94 c97 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">“</span><span class="c911 c90">The Taittiriya Aranyaka of the Black Yajur Veda, with the commentary of Sayanacharya</span><span class="c90">”, ed. by Rajendralala Mitra, </span><span class="c911 c90">Bibliotheca Indica</span><span class="c90"> - A Collection of Oriental Works, Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1872. [</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/scripts/FullindexDefault.htm?path1=/data2/upload/0054/768&first=1&last=940&barcode=4990010200616" target="_blank">Link</a></span><span class="c90">] (orig.)</span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="1">
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Prapathaka 10, Anuvaka 11, pp. 824, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/data2/upload/0054/768/PTIFF/00000835.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="2">
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Prapathaka 3, Anuvaka 12, pp. 327, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/data2/upload/0054/768/PTIFF/00000332.tif" target="_blank">[2]</a></span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c95">
<p class="c97 c92"><a name="Ref_TABBB"><span class="c90">[TABBB]</span></a></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">Bhatta Bhaskara’s commentary on the Taittiriya Aranyaka</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c95">
<p class="c94 c97 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">“</span><span class="c911 c90">The Taittiriya Aranyaka, with the commentary of Bhatta Bhaskara Misra</span><span class="c90">”, Volumes I & II, ed. by A. Mahadeva Sastri and K. Rangacharya, Governmental Oriental Library Series, Bibliotheca Sanskrita, no. 26 & 27, Mysore, 1900 & 1902. [</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/scripts/FullindexDefault.htm?path1=/data_copy/upload/0083/065&first=1&last=385&barcode=1999990083060" target="_blank">Link (Vol. I)</a></span><span class="c90">] [</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/scripts/FullindexDefault.htm?path1=/data_copy/upload/0083/066&first=1&last=195&barcode=1999990083061" target="_blank">Link (Vol. 2)</a></span><span class="c90">]</span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="1">
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Prapathaka 3, Anuvaka 12, pp. 293, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/data_copy/upload/0083/065/PTIFF/00000297.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="2">
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Prapathaka 6, Anuvaka 11, pp. 124, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/data_copy/upload/0083/066/PTIFF/00000127.tif" target="_blank">[2]</a></span></li>
</ol>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c95">
<p class="c97 c92"><a name="Ref_Nym"><span class="c90">[Nym]</span></a></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">Narayana Bhatta’s Narayaneeyam with commentary</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c95">
<p class="c94 c97 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
<td class="c98">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">“</span><span class="c911 c90">The Narayaniya of Narayana Bhatta, with the commentary Bhaktapriya of Desamangala Varya</span><span class="c90">”, ed. by T. Ganapati Sastri, Trivandrum Sanskrit Series, no. XVIII, Travancore Government Press, 1912. [</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/scripts/FullindexDefault.htm?path1=/rawdataupload/upload/0097/016&first=1&last=380&barcode=5990010097016" target="_blank">Link</a></span><span class="c90">]</span></p>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
<ol class="c915" start="1">
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Adhyaya 90, Shloka 5 and commentary, retrieved from </span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/rawdataupload/upload/0097/016/PTIFF/00000322.tif" target="_blank">[1]</a></span></li>
</ol>
<p class="c94 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="#id.te34rpj0ll0i">Back to contents</a></span><span class="c8">]</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>
<h3 class="c92"><a href="#" name="h.reading_list"></a><span>Reading list for the interested</span></h3>
<p class="c94 c92"><span></span></p>
<a href="#" name="1"></a>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="c918">
<tbody>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c916">
<p class="c97 c92"><a name="Ref_SrKSL"><span class="c90">[SrKSL]</span></a></p>
</td>
<td class="c910">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">Srikanta Samalochanam:</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr class="c96">
<td class="c916">
<p class="c94 c97 c92"><span class="c90"></span></p>
</td>
<td class="c910">
<p class="c92"><span class="c90">“</span><span class="c911 c90">Srikanta Samalochanam</span><span class="c90">” (in Sanskrit orig.) by Varadacharya, Srimad Vedanta Desika Vihara Sabha, Mysore, 1963. [</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/scripts/FullindexDefault.htm?path1=/rawdataupload/upload/0102/865&first=1&last=114&barcode=1990020102863" target="_blank">Link</a></span><span class="c90">]</span></p>
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<p class="c92"><span class="c90">A work in Sanskrit that proves, among other things, the following:</span></p>
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<ol class="c915" start="1">
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">The so-called Srikanta Bhashya that poses to be of pre-Ramanuja time is actually a work of the 16th century or later.</span></li>
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Shiva-Vishishtadvaita is a recently devised bogus system, and that Vishishtadvaita has always been a monopoly of Vaishnavas traditionally.</span></li>
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Srikanta Bhashya steals ideas from Ramanuja’s Sribhashya. This has been pointed out by Purushottama and Giridhara of the Vallabha school of Vedanta, who call Srikanta as “</span><span class="c911 c90">rAmAnuja mata cOra</span><span class="c90"> (one who stole ideas from Ramanuja’s siddhanta)”.</span></li>
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Advaitins should reject Appayya Dikshita’s Shiva-paratva works, since they contradict and condemn Adi Shankara in many places.</span></li>
<li class="c912 c92"><span class="c90">Adi Shankara was Vaishnava, and did not write stotras praising Shiva, Ganapati, Ambika, Skanda, etc. and he did not wear Shaivite ashes (vibhoothi) all over his body.</span></li>
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<p class="c97 c92"><a name="Ref_SVaiKI"><span class="c90">[SVaiKI]</span></a></p>
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<p class="c92"><span class="c90">“Sankararum Vainavamum” -- A work in Tamil that establishes beyond doubt that Adi Shankara held only Vishnu/Narayana as Saguna Brahman.</span></p>
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<p class="c92"><span class="c90">“</span><span class="c911 c90">Sankararum Vainavamum</span><span class="c90"> (சங்கரரும் வைணவமும்)”, Sri S. Krishnaswamy Iyengar (Puthur/Puttur Swami - editor of </span><span class="c911 c90">Srivaishnava Sudarshanam</span><span class="c90">), Sri Vaishnava sri, Srirangam, 1965-1971. [</span><span class="c99 c90"><a class="c91" href="http://www.dli.gov.in/scripts/FullindexDefault.htm?path1=/data/upload/0047/621&first=1&last=180&barcode=1990020047616" target="_blank">Link</a></span><span class="c90">]</span></p>
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<p class="c3"><span class="c8">[</span><span class="c17 c8 c19"><a class="c16" href="#id.te34rpj0ll0i">Back to contents</a></span><span class="c8">]</span></p>
<p class="c0"><span class="c14"></span></p>Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com307tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-63113689205226114542012-09-11T11:56:00.000+05:302014-09-17T09:36:13.366+05:30Lord Rama - The Heart of Rishi Svetasvatara<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>(This article is a response to a <a href="http://hara-hara-mahadev.blogspot.com/2010/03/lord-rudra-heart-of-rishi-svetasvatara.html">shaiva article</a> that claims that the shvetAshvatara upaniShad talks of Shiva's supremacy.) </i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The following slOka is famous as far as the description of srimad rAmAyaNa goes,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">veda vedye pare puMsi jaate dasharathaatmaje | </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vedaHprachetasaadaasiid saakShaad raamaayaNaatmanaa ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When the Supreme Reality revealed by the veda took birth (avatAra) as the son of daSharatha, the Vedas took birth (avatAra) as the rAmAyaNa from the mouth of vAlmiki.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This vAlmiki rAmAyaNa is more exalted than the mahAbhArata. The latter ithihAsa talks about dharma, artha, kAma and mOksha, dwelling on stories of devas, manuShyas and beings other than paramAtma, srI KrishNa. Indeed, that is why the bhagavad gita and vishnu sahasranAma are hailed as the two gems of the mahAbhArata, as these talk exclusively about vishNu and parama puruShArtham. But the vAlmiki rAmAyaNa is “ithihAsa shreShTa” as it beings with “ko guNavan?” – who is the One with sousIlya guNa, which is an inquiry into the nature of the Supreme.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Nowadays, it has become the fashion of many shaivas posing as advaitins to malign this great ithihAsa and make ridiculous comments such as “rAma worshipped shiva” and “rAma was a human who worshipped shiva and not parabrahman”, etc. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This article will dispel these untruths and show how srI rAma is verily the parama puruShan of the veda, sriman nArAyaNa. It is also intended to quash the doubts of all readers regarding the paratva of srI rAma and the aparatva of brahma, rudra and indra vis-à-vis srI rAma.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SRI RAMA – THE PARABRAHMAN</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That srI rAma is the parabrahman (sriman nArAyaNa) and superior to Brahma, Rudra and Indra is established in many places. For a few examples, let us look at srI vedAnta desikan’s abhaya pradhAna sAram. AchAryan quotes two other slOkas that establish the supremacy of srI rAma over the devas:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">jR^imbhitam tad-dhanur dR^iShTvA shaivaM viSNuparAkramaiH | </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">adhikaM menire viShNum devAs-sarShi-gaNAstadA ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This one talks of the shiva-vishNu yuddha as narrated by paraShurAma and the victory of vishNu which proved his supremacy to the devas. This requires no explanation.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And this slOka:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">artaa sarvasya lokasya shreShTho j~naanavataaM prabhuH |</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">upekShase kathaM siitaaM patantiiM havyavaahane || 6-117-6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kathaM devagaNashreShThamaatmaanaM naavabuddhyase |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Oh! Lord, You are the creator, destroyer, and supporter of all the worlds, You are all knowing, and the doer of all actions. How can You ignore sIta who is falling to fire, as ordinary woman? How do you not recognize yourself to be the foremost of the troop of gods?"</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is self-explanatory as well. So, these slOkas clearly declare the supremacy of srI rAma.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then, take a look at the words of Hanuman:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“brahmā svayambhūś caturānano vā rudrastrinetrastripurāntako vā |</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">indro mahendraḥ suranāyako vā trātuṃ na śaktā yudhi rāmavadhyam ||” (V-51-45)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brahma the self-existing god with four faces or Rudra with three eyes and the destroyer of Tripura or Mahendra the god of atmosphere and sky as also the lord of celestials would not be able to protect the one to be killed by Rama in battle."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The specific mention of Brahma as self-born and having 4 faces (thus a knower of 4 vedas), Rudra having 3 eyes and being destroyer of tripurAsuras and Indra being known as “mahEndra” and the lord of devas is to show that even though these devas have such glory, none of them, single or combined, can stop one arrow of rAma.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note also the order in which it occurs – Brahma, Rudra, Indra. Analogous to “sa brahmA, sa shivah, sendraH…” in the nArAyaNa sUkta.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pUrvapakSha:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Did not rAma kill vAli by hiding? Does that not show he was afraid?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">siddhAntha:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Such nonsense needs to be dispelled. Take a look at the scenario. sugrIva was weaker than vAli and rAvaNa. rAvaNa was also weaker than vAli. So, sugrIva was the weakest, ravaNa in the middle and vAli the strongest. And what did rAma do? He sought the help of weak sugrIva, to vanquish an intermediate rAvaNa, and to get such help, rAma proved to weak sugrIva, that he was stronger than vAli (who was in turn stronger than sugrIva and rAvaNa combined) by uprooting the 7 trees with one arrow!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What a twist of events. Only leela of parabrahman can do this.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He also gave mokSha to jaTAyu by saying “I despatch you to that world where only those who practice austerities go”. In essence, he did not know where sIta was, but he knew the abode unattainable by ordinary people!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He also crowned vibhIshana as king of Lanka even before the war had begun or he had gauged the might of rAvaNa!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">During the agni parIkSha of sItA, he says that sItA appears to him as though a great light appears to a person with a diseased eye. This proves one thing – a great light has no blemish. If a person cannot see it, the defect lies with his eye and not the light. So, subtly, srI rAma showed that sIta was blemishless, the blemish lay on those who suspected her and this agni parikSha was an act.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Such incidents only show that srI rAma was parabrahman. To read more on this, please refer to shrI atimAnuSha stava of srI kUresha/koorattAzhwan.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SRI RAMA AND NARASIMHA – RAGHAVA-SIMHAM</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We have seen many times in this blog that the vedas and shAstra glorify Narasimha with the names of “rudra, shiva, shambhu, ishana, etc”. However, often the kalyAna guNas of rAma are praised under the name of Narasimha. Why so?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is because srI rAma exhibited the qualities of Narasimha and hence was known as rAghava simha. This is stated by srI vedAnta desikan in raghuveera gadyam as </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Raghava Simha! Jaya! Jaya!”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The vAmiki rAmAyaNam corroborates this in many places:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mahaabaahum mahoraskam siMha vikraa.nta gaaminam |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nR^isiMham siMha saMkaasham aham raamam anuvrataa || 3-47-35</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Sita tells rAvaNa) "He who is ambidextrous, broad-chested, supreme among men, and a lion-like person with the strides of prancing lion, and I (Sita) am avowed to adhere to such a Rama.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">niyamya kopam pratipaalyataam sharatkShamasva maasaam caturo mayaa saha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vasa acale asmin mR^iga raaja sevite saMvartayan shatru vadhe samarthaH || 4-27-48</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: (lakshmana tells rAma) "Let autumn be awaited while containing your anger, and along with me you may stay on this mountain which is adored by lions, and spend these four rainy months here like a monsoon lion, although you are capable to eliminate the enemy at any moment like a lion”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">SrI periyavAchan pillai comments: sIta placed a blade of grass between herself and rAvaNa (thruNamantharatha: kruthvA) with the intent that just as narasimha came out of a pillar and tore hiranyakasipu’s chest, she can make rAghava simha appear out of the blade of grass and break the chest of rAvaNa!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">THE RAMAYANA AND THE SVETASVATARA UPANISHAD</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">srI vedAnta desikan in his abhaya pradhAna sAra, establishes that the principal subject of the rAmAyaNa is directly linked to the subject matter of the shvetAshvataropaniShad. Indeed, the nature of the shvetAshvatara Upanishad is dedicated to show that the nature of the Supreme Being is to be the protector of all and that he is easily accessible to all by the veda mArga of prapatti. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In other words, shrI vedAnta desikan establishes that out of all the Upanishads, it is particularly the blemishless shvetAshvatara upaniShad that is the essence of the rAmAyaNa. The AcAryan, who is renowned as “vedAntAcArya”, would not say this without reason.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The shvetAshvataropanishad, mantra 3-8, echoes the puruSha sUkta rk as follows,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vedahametam purusham mahantam adityavarnam tamasah parastat </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tamevam vidvan amrita iha bhavati nanyah pantha vidyate'yanaya ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I know that great puruSha, luminous as the sun, who is beyond the darkness of prakrti. Only by knowing him does one become immortal here, ie., freed from the cycle of deaths and births in this life itself. There is no other way (ie, upAsana/prapatti) other than this.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This mantra, which occurs in the shvetAshvatara upaniShad, is echoed by both vishvAmitra and mandodari in the rAmAyaNa as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">aham vedmi mahaatmaanam raamam satya paraakramam || </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vashiShTho.api mahaatejaa ye ca ime tapasi sthitaaH | (~ vAlmiki rAmAyaNa, 1-19-14)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Oh DasarathA ! I fully comprehend Rama as the greatest of Souls and as the most valorous and righteous One . Sage VasishtA of great lustre due to his superior penance and others like him in Your court also understand these qualifications of Your young son, Rama .</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The first part of this shloka </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“ahaM vedmi mahAtmAnam”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> is nothing but the puruSha sUkta/shvetAshvataropaniShad mantra </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“vedAhametam puruSham mahantam”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. The knowing refers to meditation or sravaNa, manana, nidhidhyAsa. For a full commentary of this shloka by shrIvaiShNava acharyas, please refer this link - </span><a href="http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/aug2000/0117.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/aug2000/0117.html</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here, vishvAmitra is saying “even vashiShTa knows this rAma”. The idea is that these rishis do not always see eye to eye on other issues and are hostile to each other, but in this matter (of rAma being parabrahman), they are in agreement.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The second part of this mantra is explained by mandOdari as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vyaktameSha mahaayogii paramaatmaa sanaatanaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">anaadimadhyanidhano mahataH paramo mahaan || 6-111-14</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tamasaH paramo dhaataa shaN^khachakragadaadharaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shriivatsavakShaa nityashriirajayyaH shaashvato dhruvaH || 6-111-15</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">maanuShaM ruupamaasthaaya viShNuH satyaparaakramaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sarvaiH parivR^ito devairvaanaratvamupaagataiH || 6-111-16</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sarvalokeshvaraH shriimaan lokaanaaM hitakaamyayaa |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">saraakShasa pariivaaram hatavaaMstvaaM mahaadyutiH || 6-111-17</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This Rama is certainly a great ascetic (mahAyogI) , an eternal person, having no beginning middle or end, greater than distinguished universal spirit like Brahma, the one beyond the darkness of prakrti, the nourisher, wielding a conch, a disc and a mace, wearing the 'Srivatsa' mark on his chest, of lasting beauty, incapable of being conquered, a perpetual one, being the constant soul of the universe, truly mighty, the lord of all the worlds, the prosperous one having a great splendour and Vishnu, the lord of maintenance of the world with a wish to benefit the worlds, assuming a human form surrounded by all the gods in the form of monkeys, Rama killed you (rAvaNa), surrounded by demons.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note the words “tAmasaH paramo dhAtA”. This is nothing but “tamasah parastAt” of the Upanishad.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Having established that shrI vishNu/shrI rAma is the parama puruSha, we move onto the other mantras of the shvetAshvataropanShad. The following mantra is seen in this Upanishad:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yo devaanaaM prabhavashchodbhavashcha vishvaadhipo rudro maharshhiH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">hiraNyagarbha.n janayaamaasa puurva.n sa no buddhyaa shubhayaa sa.nyunaktu || (3.4)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">May that Rudra (the destroyer of the disease of samsAra), who is the cause of the origination of gods, who is the cause of their glory, who transcends this entire world, who is a great seer (ie, omniscient) and who created Hiranyagarbha first, unite us with an auspicious mind.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This mantra has a direct upabrahmaNa in the rAmAyaNa as explained by srI vedAnta desikan in his abhaya pradAna sAram. It is mentioned in the Uttara khaNdam of rAmAyaNa as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">samayas te mahAbAho svarlokAn parirakSitum |</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">saMkSipya ca purA lokAn mAyayA svayam eva hi ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mahArNave zayAno 'psu mAM tvaM pUrvam ajIjanaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">padme divyArkasaMkAze nAbhyAm utpAdya mAm api |</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">prAjApatyaM tvayA karma sarvaM mayi nivezitam ||</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">so 'haM saMnyastabhAro hi tvAm upAse jagatpatim |</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rakSAM vidhatsva bhUteSu mama tejaH karo bhavAn ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Brahma says) Oh! Lord (rAma), to protect the world, when You were sleeping in the great ocean after keeping the entire universe in Your stomach, You created me through Your navel, and instructed me to create the remaining world. You gave Your power to me to do that job without any interference.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, this shloka talks of rAma creating brahmA showing that he is the One referred to as Rudra in the shvetAshvataropaniShad. The remaining part of the shvetAshvatoropaniShad mantra praises as him being the origin of gods, transcending the world, etc is elucidated in the yuddha kANDa by Brahma himself as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">akSharaM brahma satyaM cha madhye chaante cha raaghava || 6-117-14</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">lokaanaaM tvaM paro dharmo viShvaksenashchaturbhajaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vaM trayaaNaaM hi lokaanaamaadikartaa svayaMprabhuH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">siddhaanaamapi saadhyaanaamaashrayashchaasi puurvajaH || 6-117-19</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">jagatsarvaM shariiraM te…. || 6-117-26</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ahaM te hR^idayaM raama jihvaa devii sarasvatii || 6-117-24</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You are Brahma, the imperishable, the Truth abiding in the middle as well as at the end of the universe….You are the first creator of all, the three worlds, and the self constituted Lord of all. You are the refuge and the forbear of Siddhas and Sadhyas….You are the supreme righteousness of people, whose powers go everywhere. You are the four-armed.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The entire Universe is your body. O Rama! I (brahma) am your heart. Saraswathi, the goddess (of learning) is your tongue…..</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Regarding “ahaM te hR^idayaM” shloka, Acharyan says, here Brahma calls himself the heart of rAma. The term “hR^idayam” in the shAstra is often used to denote the act of creation and all the devas as the vibhUtIs of that parabrahman. Hence, by saying “ahaM te hR^idayaM”, Brahma identifies the primary lakShaNa of Brahman, namely, “jagatkAraNatva” in shrI rAma.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">These slokas thus show that the mantra “yo devAnAm…” in the svEtAsvatAra denotes srI rAma only.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Acharyan says that while the shvetAshvataropaniShad describes the parama puruShan as creating Brahma and being the Cause of the Gods, here, Brahma himself is providing testimony to that claim. In effect, Brahma is saying, “You, shrI rAghava, are that parama puruShan celebrated by the shvetAshvatara as my creator”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One must note that Shiva calls Narasimha as “Padmanabha” in the Garuda purAna stuti, thus equating Narasimha as well to this Being who created Brahma. That is because of the rAghava simha tattva elucidated earlier.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To this stuti by Brahma, srI rAma curiously replies</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">aatmaanaM maanuShaM manye raamaM dasharathaatmajam || 6-117-11</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I consider myself as rAma, the son of dasaratha.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The key word is “AtmAnam manye”. “I consider myself” as such and such. ShrI rAma indeed does consider himself as the son of dasaratha *in this avatAra*, in so much as kR^iShNa considered himself a gopa. Here too, he is not lying. If he had really been the son of dasaratha, he would have said “aham rAmo dasharathAtmajaH”. Thus, bhagavAn is well known as one who speaks the truth! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then, there is the shvetAshvataropaniShad mantra,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sarvaanana shirogriivaH sarvabhuutaguhaashayaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sarvavyaapii sa bhagavaa.nstasmaat.h sarvagataH shivaH|| (3.11)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Having the faces, heads and necks of all as his, he resides in the cave of the hearts of all entities. Bhagavan is pervading everything. Therefore he is everywhere and also auspicious.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brahma reiterates the same in the rAmAyaNa as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dR^ishyase sarvabhuuteShu goShu cha braahmaNeShu cha || 6-117-21</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">dikShu sarvaasu gagane parvateShu nadiiShu cha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sahasracharaNaH shriimaan shatashiirShaH sahasradR^ik || 6-117-22</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tvaM dhaarayasi bhuutaani pR^ithiviiM cha saparvataam |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"You appear in all created beings in the cattle and in brahmanas. You exist in all quarters, in the sky, in mountains and in rivers. With thousand feet, with hundred heads and with thousand eyes along with Lakshmi, you bear the earth with all its created beings along with its mountains."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The meaning of this shloka is the same as that of the shvetAshvatara mantra. Essentially, all beings are his body as already indicated by “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">jagat sarvam sharIram te</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”. So, the hundred heads, thousand eyes, etc refer to the faces, heads and necks of the created beings. As they are his body, he can be said to have a thousand heads, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Then, the shvetAshvataropaniShad gives a beautiful mantra pertaining to the vibhUtI yoga as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nīlaḥ pataṅgo harito lohitākṣas taḍidgarbha ṛtavaḥ samudrāḥ /</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">anādimāṃs tvaṃ vibhutvena vartase yato jātāni bhuvanāni viśvā // (4.4 )</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You are the dark blue bird and the green parrot with red eyes. You are the thunder-cloud, the seasons and the oceans. You are without beginning and the Infinite. You are He from whom all the worlds are born</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is nothing but a description of bhagavAn as various beautiful vibhUtIs. This mantra occurs in the skambha sUkta as well. Now note what Brahma says:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tvaM yajJNstvaM vaShaTkaarastvamoMkaaraH paraatparaH || 6-117-20</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">prabhavaM nidhanaM vaa te no viduH ko bhavaaniti |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You (rAma) are the sacrificial performance. You are the sacred syllable 'Vashat' (on hearing which the Adhvaryu priest casts the oblation to a deity into the sacrificial fire). You are the mystic syllable 'OM'. You are higher than the highest. People neither know your end nor your origin nor who you are in reality.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The same concept expressed with different vibhUtIs. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And of course, this svEtAsvatAra mantra is the same as that of the Rudra prashna, as follows,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yAmishuM girishanta haste bibharshyastavE |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shivAM giritra tAm kuru mA himsI: purushaM jagath || (3.6)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">O Girishanta (Creator of GirishA/pArvatI pati Rudradeva), O Giritra (Lord, who is propounded in the VedAntA), shoot that auspicious arrow you hold in your hand (to destroy the obstacles to my knowledge of Brahman). Do not cause injury to the JivAtmA who is migrating in the samsAra (purusham jagat).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And its equivalent in the rAmAyaNa:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tairna tatsparshanam pApam saheyam pApakarmabhiH || </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">amoghaH kriyatAm rAma tatra teShu sharottamaH | (2-22-33)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Samudra rAjan said:) I am not able to bear that touch of those wicked people, the evil doers. O rAmA, Let this excellent arrow (that is never rendered in vain) be released over them there.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This exercise thus shows that the parama-puruShan exalted by all shAstra is srI rAma only. The viShNu sahasranAma contains the nAma </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">parama spaShTaH</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. srI parAshara bhattar comments on it thus – “He is parama spaShTaH because his paratva (supremacy) was very clearly revealed in rAmAvatAra especially”. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, an avatAra in which he acted as a human outshone all other avatArAs in revealing his identity as parabrahman. This is the quality of reconciling contradictions (aghaTitaghaTanA sAmarthyam) indeed!</span></div>
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Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-42587379341354011382012-07-30T12:04:00.000+05:302014-09-17T11:04:22.861+05:30On the name "Narayana" used to denote Supreme Brahman in the Vedas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is an article regarding the word <i>"<b>nArAyaNa</b>"</i>. It is well known that <i>vaiShNavas </i>prove <i>viShNu paratva</i> (Supremacy of Lord Vishnu) using the name <i>nArAyaNa</i>. One can look into the <a href="http://narayanastra.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_7196.html">introduction of the SrI Rudram vyAkhyAna</a> on this blog to understand how <i>viShNu paratva</i> is arrived at.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The shaivas pose the following argument:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>nArAyaNa</i>, even if it means a proper noun according to panini can still denote Shiva as he can be equated to this deity.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>nArAyaNa </i>is not a proper noun since there is no rule that the veda needs to follow panini grammar.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Argument 2) arises because shaivas are defeated by 1) and hence resort to this. But we will explain both. I am not going to go into details as to how <i>viShNu paratva</i> is proven because that has already been summarised in the <i>shrI rudram</i> intro section of the blog. But this article will simply clarify some truths with respect to the name “<b><i>nArAyaNa</i></b>”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">EXPLANATION OF THE NAME “NARAYANA”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><i>nArAyaNa </i></b>as a proper noun since all <i>vaidikas </i>have accepted this. And it is very easy to show that <i>nArAyaNa </i>does not denote Shiva. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Panini grammar states this name is a proper noun because of the <b><i>Na</i></b>-kAra. This has been discussed already and needs no more explanation.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Since <i>nArAyaNa </i>is a proper noun, the following explanation is arrived at. A word can have a <i>yaugika</i><b> </b>or <i>rUDhi</i> artha. <i>Yaugika artha</i> is a meaning obtained by joining words while <i>rUDhi</i> points to the commonly known meaning for the word. But when the word is accepted to be a proper noun as per panini grammar due to the <i><b>Na</b></i>-kaara, the yaugika<b> </b>meanings of the word <i>nArAyaNa </i>also point to the one who is denoted commonly by this name (rudi). Names like Shiva, Indra, Brahma, etc which are common nouns and hence can denote anyone besides the popular deities.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As an example, <i>"shUrpanakha" </i>can mean anyone with large <i></i>nails like a winnow if <i>yaugika </i>is used. But when it becomes <i>shUrpa<b>Na</b>kha</i>, a proper noun as per paninian grammar, it denotes the sister of <i>rAvaNa </i>who has large winnow-like <i></i>nails. In other words, if it is a proper noun, all meanings of the word denote the commonly known person referred by the name – in this case, the sister of <i>rAvaNa</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, similarly the proper noun makes the meanings of the word <i>nArAyaNa </i>denote only the person who is commonly referred to by the name. And the only one who is commonly referred to by the <i>yaugika </i>and <i>rUDhi </i>usage of the name is <i>shrI mahA-vishNu</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In other words, the name “<b><i>nArAyaNa</i></b>” has several meanings – “One in whom all things inhere”, “One who is the resorted to by all”, “One whose abode is in the waters”, etc. Because of the “<b><i>Na</i></b><i>kAra</i>”, ALL these meanings denote the person commonly known by this name, which is of course, <i>shrI vishNu</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Some ignorant of Sanskrit grammar and <i>vaiShNava </i>traditions mistakenly think we use only the meaning “He who lies in the waters” to identify <i>vishNu </i>with <i>nArAyaNa</i>. This is nothing but stupidity. Due to paninian grammar, even the <i>yaugika</i> artha of “He in whom all things inhere” denote only <i>mahA vishNu</i> and not any other deity.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But then, shaivas try another argument: It is not necessary to take Paninian grammar since the veda itself does not need to follow such rules.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To that we say: The very context where the <i>nArAyaNa nAma</i> occurs itself establishes it as a proper noun. What other <i>sUkta </i>has the words “<i>param brahma, para tattva, paro jyotiH</i>, etc” so explicitly stated? All <i>sUktas </i>glorify <i>vishNu </i>only. But the choicest and most clarifying epithets are used with this <i>nAma</i>. The reason is because while other <i>sUktas </i>are also <i>bhagavad stuti</i>s, the vedas expect us to begin with the most appropriate name for Parabrahman – <i>nArAyaNa</i>. So, all proofs must proceed from this name. Secondly,<i> shrI rAmAnuja</i> establishes in his <i>vedArtha saMgraha</i> the reason why the <i>nArAyaNa sUkta</i> holds precedence over others like <i>indra sUkta</i>, <i>agni sUkta</i>, etc.: Those other <i>sUktas </i>have come about because of a specific reason – take the example of the <i>rudram</i>. The <i>prashnam </i>came about because of a desire to quell the wayward <i>indrIyas </i>and recommends propitiating <i>narasiMha</i>. So, the underlying motive is <i>indrIya nigraha</i>. Therefore, it directly embarks on praising the <i>bhagavad guNas</i> (like beauty of his arms, etc) without dwelling much on giving a definition of Brahman.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But the <i>nArAyaNa sUkta</i> has no such underlying motive. It is solely devoted to ascertaining the true nature of Brahman and hence takes precedence over other <i>sUktas</i>. Please keep in mind that this does not belittle other <i>sUktas </i>– they all glorify <i>bhagavAn </i>only. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Common sense itself shows this paninian grammar holds.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">However, let us humor our opponents. Without even using Paninian grammar, it is easy to prove that nArAyaNa is not <i>shiva </i>or anybody other than <i>vishNu</i>. Firstly, <i>nArAyaNa</i> occurs in the same context as the terms “<i>sath,</i> <i>Atma, brahman</i>”, etc. And the reference to “<i>para tattvam</i>”, etc in the <i>nArAyaNa sUkta</i> shows that <i>nArAyaNa </i>is unambiguously the highest term for the supreme reality. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Secondly, because Shiva has been declared as different from <i>nArAyaNa </i>by various <i>shruti vAkya</i>s, he is not <i>nArAyaNa</i>. These shruti <i>vAkya</i>s include such as the following:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><b>"eko ha vai nArAyaNa AsIt, na brahmA, neshAnaH"</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><b>"nArAyaNAt brahmA jAyate, nArAyaNat rudro jAyate"</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And so on.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thirdly, the <i>vishNu gAyatri</i> equates this <i>nArAyaNa </i>directly with <i>vishNu:</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"<i><b>Om nArAyaNAya vidmahe, vAsudevAya dhImahi, tanno viShNuH pracodayAt</b></i>".</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Whereas, the <i>rudra gAyatri</i> uses the format,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><b>tatpurushhaaya</b></i> <i>vidmahe mahaadevaaya dhiimahi | tanno rudraH<b> </b>prachodayaat.h ||</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As interpreted elsewhere on this blog, the usage of “<b><i>tatpuruSha</i></b>” is to show the following meanings: “Rudra, who belongs (as <i>vibhUti</i>) to Brahman designated as <i>tat </i>(<i>tasya paramAtmanaH puruShAya</i>). Or, one can take <i>nArAyaNa </i>as “<b><i>tatpuruSha</i></b>” - ‘<i>sa cAsau puruShashcha</i>’ – and say “we meditate on Rudra to attain that <i>puruSha </i>known as <i>nArAyaNa</i>” which means that the usage of “<i>tatpuruSha</i>” is to show that Rudra is different and distinct from this <i>puruSha </i>and only leads the seeker to him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But in the case of the <i>vishNu gAyatrI</i>, the usage of the “<i>nArAyaNa</i>” <i>nAma</i> directly shows the identity (as opposed to merely acting as a mediator in the case of rudra) of <i>nArAyaNa </i>with <i>vishNu</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Other pramAnAs like “hrIshca te lakShmIshca patnyau” as referring to the consorts of vishNu have already been explained.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Fourthly, names such as “<i>shiva</i>”, “<i>shambhu</i>” etc are addressed to <i>nArAyaNa </i>in the <i>nArAyaNa sUkta</i> itself as well as <i>viShNu sahasranAma</i> showing all these names denote <i>viShNu </i>only.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, <i><b>nArAyaNa </b></i>is a <u>proper noun</u> because:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Panini says so.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">All ancient <i>vedAntins </i>have accepted this. <i><b>shrI yAmunAchArya</b></i> explicitly states in <i><b>stotra ratna</b></i> – “<u>what <i>vaidika</i> would deny <b><i>nArAyaNa </i></b>is the parabrahman<i>?</i></u>” showing that no <i>vaidika </i>– advaitin, vishishtadvaitin or dvaitin – ever contested this during his time.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The context of the name in the veda itself indicates this.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This <i><b>nArAyaNa </b></i>is <i>viShNu </i>and all meanings of the name denote only <u><i>lakshmIpathi viShNu</i></u> and no other deity because:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Other deities have been declared as distinct from <i>nArAyaNa</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Only <i>viShNu</i> is identified with <i>nArAyaNa </i>along with distinctive characteristics. This is proven both by using the “<i><b>Na</b></i>-<i>kAra</i>” rule (<i>“pUrvapadAt saMj~nAyAm agaH”, aShTAdhyAyi</i> 8.4.3) and even without using it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It also rules out bizarre claims that <i>nArAyaNa </i>is <i>nirguNa</i> brahman, etc. Adi Shankara himself has only used the “<i>nArAyaNa</i>” with the “<i><b>Na</b>-kAra</i>” showing that it denotes a specific entity, ie, saguNa brahman. Besides the fact that <i>nirguNa brahman</i> is devoid of names, the “<i><b>Na</b>-kAra</i>” makes it impossible to attribute this to any entity<i><b></b></i> besides <i>lakShmIpati viShNu</i>. And as seen earlier, even without “<i><b>Na</b>-kAra</i>”, it denotes <i>saguNa</i> brahman, ie, <i>viShNu. </i>Even according to shaivas like Appayya Dikshita, who had to accept this fact after much debate.</span></div>
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Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-87795883317963896262012-05-07T16:14:00.000+05:302017-08-15T18:52:06.619+05:30Bhagavad Gita: Shiva in the Vibhuti Yoga and Vishvarupa Chapters<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">INTRODUCTION – THE BHAGAVAD GITA ISSUE</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As is well known , ancient shaivas, despite being averse to Vishnu's supremacy in the Vedas, atleast abided by standard norms of debate. They did not consider vedAnta as their domain, and were content with glorifying their deity according to Shaiva Agamas and portions of certain purANas, independent of the vedAntic tradition.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Based on available evidences, we can confidently state that this scenario changed dramatically since the </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">16</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">th</span> century. Today's Shaivas, all the way from the scholarly ones</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> like Appayya Dikshita down to the digital-age gurus and "experts" of miniscule knowledge seen on internet blogs. Having distorted the meaning of Vedic verses such as the Rudram, they have butchered the meaning of mahAbhArata by resorting to interpolated verses denying the supremacy of Vishnu. At the same time, they ignore the innumerable verses that talk about the supremacy of Vishnu, whose authenticity is established by the observation that even Adi Shankara has quoted them. Having done this, they then obscured the narrative of rAmAyaNa, a foremost Srivaishnava shAstra, by claiming rAma worshipped shiva. Finally, they have proceeded to claim that Shiva is praised "in all the 18 Puranas", while resorting to nothing but the alleged episodes in tAmasa purAnas that claim shiva to be “matsyEswara”, “kUrmEswara”, “varAhEswara”, “sharabhEswara”, etc.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And not content with what was done so far, they now try to torture the text of the Bhagavad Gita with their distortions. Their main issues with the Gita are as follows:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the vibhUti yOga, when krishNa says <i><b>“rudrAnAm sankarAs casmi”</b></i> (Bhagavad Gita, 10.23), they claim that he is not talking about pArvati pati, but only about one of the 11 rudras. According to them, the 11 rudras are manifestations of pArvati pati and hence he himself cannot be counted as one among them. In other words, krishNa is only referring to a particular rudra named “shankara” here and not to the well-known pArvati pati as his vibhUti, they say.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The second instance occurs in the viSvarUpa adhyAya. The sloka <i><b>“brahmanam isam kamalasana-stham”</b></i> (11.15) is the bone of contention. They claim that “isam” here does not refer to rudra but is an adjective of Brahma. They contend that the above interpretation </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">alone</span></span>, supported by Adi Shankara, is impartial and that the bhAShyas of rAmAnuja and mAdhva are biased against Shaivism.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Let us examine their claims.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">THE VIBHUTI YOGA ADHYAYA ISSUE</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><b>“rudrAnAm sankarAscasmi”</b></i> – All acharyas interpret the <i><b>“shankara”</b></i> here as pArvati pati. So, the claim that it doesn’t refer to pArvati pati stands refuted. In fact, Adi Shankara does not add any statement here, unlike the modern-day Shaivas, that the <i><b>"shankara" </b></i>here refers to some being other than pArvati pati.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is true that the names of the 11 rudras change during each kalpa. But pArvati pati is the leader of the 11 rudras, the presiding deity of the mind and hence is the 11</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Rudra. It is precisely because of the names changing in various kalpas that bhagavAn uses the name <i><b>“shankara”</b></i>. The name means <i><b>“sam karOti iti sankaraH”</b></i>. In other words, pArvati pati is called <i><b>"shankara"</b></i> because he provides bliss (of the knowledge of vishNu) and is a lokaguru. Or, he is the presiding deity of the mind and enables control of the mind. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Also, here, by saying Shankara, bhagavAn indicates that the ability of pArvati pati to cause bliss by imparting knowledge of vishNu, comes from vishNu himself and thus is a vibhUti of vishNu.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Therefore, he is the 11</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> rudra and </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhagavAn specifically uses the name <i><b>“shankara”</b></i> </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">to avoid any form of confusion with the other rudras whose names change every kalpa. Among the 11 rudras, it is only pArvati pati who is called Shankara, owing to sAstra vAkyas like <i><b>“jnAnam icchet IshvarAt”</b></i>, <i><b>“tatpuruShAya vidmahe mahAdevAya dhImahi tanno rudraH prachodayAt”</b></i> and him being the controller of the mind.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, the argument that Shankara, or pArvati pati is not among the 11 rudras is quashed. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">However, let us parody our opponent’s argument. Even if we assume that pArvati pati is not among the 11 rudras, that still does not change the meaning that “Shankara” here refers to pArvati pati only. Consider the following gita slOka,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><b>“nakshatrAnAm ahaM sasi”</b></i>. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">BhagavAn says he is the moon among the stars. Bhagavad rAmAnuja points out that the moon is not a star. Yet, bhagavAn names it among the stars. So, Acharya interprets it as follows, “I am the moon, the leader of the stars”. In the shAstra, Chandra devatA is the leader of the Nakshatras. And hence, when bhagavAn says “among stars, I am the moon”, it does not mean moon is a star, but that moon, which leads the stars, is a vibhUti of bhagavAn.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Similarly, even if we take the shaiva argument that pArvati pati is not among the 11 rudras, he still leads them. So, <i><b>“rudrANAm shankarAshcAsmi”</b></i> only would mean, “I am shankara (pArvati pati) who leads the 11 rudras”.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, the Vaishnava interpretation remains validated. It is an irrefutable conclusion that, 1) bhagavAn specially uses the <i><b>"shankara" </b></i>nAma to denote pArvati pati, 2) That pArvati pati is different from bhagavAn and is a vibhUti of bhagavAn.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">THE VISVARUPA ADHYAYA ISSUE</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Let us consider the following verse,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><b>“brahmanam isam kamalasana-stham”</b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here are the interpretations of the 3 acharyas:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shankaracharya – “I see Brahma, the Lord of all Creatures (Isham), seated on the lotus”.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ramanujacharya - “I see Brahma and Siva who abides by the directions of the lotus seated Brahma”.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Madhvacharya – “I see Brahma and Siva who is seated in the lap of the lotus seated Brahma”.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Let us show how shaivas cannot resort to any of these interpretations, nor can reject any of them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shankaracharya’s interpretation</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shaivas of course, jump onto Shankaracharya’s interpretation because they think the Acharya shows some inclination towards their sect. Well, if they accept Adi Shankara’s interpretation, then they will also have to accept the fact that Shankaracharya has himself declared in several places that 1) Worship of vishNu is superior to Rudra (Gita Bhashya, 6.47), 2) Narayana is Parabrahman and the ruler of Brahma and Rudra (many instances in the vishNu sahasranAma bhAshya), 3) Pasupati was created among the Kshatriya varga by Brahma (brihadAranyaka bhAshya, 1.4.11).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, going by these comments of Shankaracharya, even his statement in the gita bhAshya does not accord any special status to pArvati pati. When Shankaracharya says “Brahma, Lord of all creatures”, from his other statements on the birth of Rudra, we can easily understand that Brahma is the Lord of all creatures including his son Rudra who was created by him. This is the opinion of Adi Shankara.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To argue against this would mean a biased attempt to selectively quote Shankaracharya and reject the rest of his works. Hence, Shaivas cannot take shelter of Adi Shankara here since the latter was a Vaishnava guru as is evident by his works.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Madhvacharya’s Interpretation</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">srI mAdhva takes the pramAnam that Shiva was born of Brahma to say that he (Shiva) was seen seated on the lap of his father (Brahma). While it is true that Shiva is Brahma’s son, this blogger humbly feels that Shiva is no longer a kumara, so I leave it to the mAdhvas to justify their acharya’s interpretation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ramanujacharya’s Interpretation</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, we come to the part where it will be proven how bhagavad rAmAnuja has given the right meaning for this sloka. Both Adi Shankara and Madhva have given grammatically correct meanings which are also perfectly in tune with the shAstra. But Acharya Ramanuja goes one step further as his meaning resonates with the intention of BhagavAn.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Acharya gives the following meaning,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><b>"tatha ishaM kamalasana-sthaM kamalasane brahmani sthitam IshaM tanmate avasthitam"</b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Lord! I behold in Your body all gods and all classes of living beings as also Brahma, the four-faced ruler of the cosmic egg. So too Shiva (Isa) who is seated in the lotus-seated Brahma, meaning that Siva abides by the directions of Brahma.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In other words, when it is said, “Shiva is seated on Brahma”, it means that Shiva is always dependent on Brahma’s guidance and obeys the dictates of Brahma. So, the words <i><b>“kamalAsanE brahmani sthitham”</b></i> mean that pArvati pati is always situated in a state of mind where he abides by the directions of Brahma.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">JUSTIFYING THE ACCURACY OF RAMANUJACHARYA’S INTERPRETATION</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, in what way does Shiva obey Brahma as stated by srI rAmAnuja? Fact is, it is everywhere in the shAstra.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is well known that Shiva is a yogi par excellence and always meditates on vishNu. But the nature of yOga is that it is fickle. The purpose of upAsaNa is to remain in a preponderance of sattva. But due to the strenuous nature of the path, sometimes the tAmasa and rAjasa guNas, which are kept in control by yOga, overcome the yOgi. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This can be seen in various instances of rishis like vishwAmitra succumbing to kAma and krOdha. Shiva is no exception as well.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When Shiva is overcome by rajO and tamO guNams, he has always fought against vishNu without knowing the supremacy of the latter. There are several instances when this happened:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shiva fighting Krishna in the bAnAsura yuddham.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shiva fighting the nara-nArAyaNa rishis in badrikAshramam.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shiva fighting Vishnu in the rAmAyaNa as narrated by paraShurAma.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shiva in the form of Sharabha being destroyed by Narasimha. </span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Except in the Sharabha incident, where Shiva was decimated by Narasimha and resurrected upon the prayers of pArvati, it is Brahma who has always interrupted the battle. Brahma speaks words of advice to Shiva, reminding him that he is fighting against nArAyaNa. Then, Shiva immediately obeys Brahma and stops fighting. <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(<a href="https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/SriRangaSri/conversations/messages/5652">See the commentary to Shloka 12 of Kuresar's atimAnuSha stavam here</a> for the Sharabha-Narasimha incident as per the <i><b>sAttvika purANas</b></i>.) </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The pramAnas are as follows </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Incident One: Shiva abides by the directions of Brahma during bAnAsura yuddham, the fight with krishNa (quoted from harivamSha)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">During the battle with bANAsura, Brahma interrupts the fight saying the following:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note: Translation is not accurate and is pasted from the net. I do not intend to a translation myself since this rough internet translation is enough to get the points across.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><i>dR^iShTvA tu bhagavAnbrahmA rudraM vachanamabravIt |</i></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>sR^iShTo</i> <i>mahAsuravadhaH kiM bhUyaH parirakShyase ||2-125-16</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Translation:</b> The lord brahmA looked at rudra (shiva) and spoke the following words: "The destruction of great demons has started now (with your consent). Then why are you protecting them?"</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>na cha yuddhaM mahAbAho tava kR^iShNena rochate</i> <i>|</i> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>na cha budhyasi kR^iShNaM tvamAtmAnaM tu dvidhA kR^itam ||2-125-17</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Translation: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"O the one with great arms! I do not like your fighting with kR^iShNa. Also you are not understanding kR^iShNa with your intellect. You are divided in mind (ie, confused between sAmAnya dharmam and viShesha dharmam, due to rajo/tamO gunam)."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>tataH sharIrayogAddhi bhagavAnavyayaH prabhuH |</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>pravishya pashyate kR^itsnAMstrI.NllokAnsacharAcharAn ||2-125-18</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Translation: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(vaishampAyana continued: O janamejaya!) When he was advised thus by brahmA, the lord (shiva), the lord who is changeless in yoga, entered his (own) body by yoga and visualized the entire three worlds along with all the moving and fixed beings.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>pravishya yogaM yogAtmA varAMstAnanuchintayan</i> |</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>dvAravatyAM yaduktaM cha tadanusmR^itya sarvashaH</i> |</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>jagAda nottaraM kiMchinnivR^itto.asau bhavattadA ||2-125-19</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Translation: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shiva, the soul of yoga, entered the state of yoga and thought about the boons he had given earlier (to bANa) and remembered all that he spoke in the city of doors (dvAravati).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Considering all this) he (shiva) did not say anything in answer. Then he (shiva) retreated from the battle.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>AtmAnaM kR^iShNayonisthaM pashyata hyekayonijam |</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>tato niHsR^itya rudrastu nyastavAdo.abhavanmR^idhe ||2-125-20</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Translation: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Through the discriminating power of buddhIyOgA (bhakti), Rudra realised his source to be the same as Krishna (ie, Krishna is the AtmA of Rudra). Then, without any arguments, he retreated from the battle.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><b>brahmANaM chAbravIdrudro na </b><b>yotsye bhagavanniti |</b></i></span><i><b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>kR^iShNena saha sa~NgrAme laghvI bhavatu medinI ||2-125-21</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Translation:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Then rudra (shiva) told brahmA: O lord! I will not fight the battle with kR^iShNa. Let the earth become light.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Incident Two: Shiva abides by the directions of Brahma during the fight with nara-nArAyaNa (quoted from mahAbhArata) </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When nArAyaNa strangled Shiva and turned the latter’s neck black-blue, Brahma appeared and again put an end to the fight (quoted from mahAbhArata):</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When such dire omens appeared everywhere, O son of Pandu, Brahma surrounded by all the deities and the high-souled Rishis, soon arrived at that spot where the battle was raging. The four-faced Brahma, capable of being understood with the aid of only the Niruktas, joined his hands and addressing Rudra, said,--</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Let good happen to the three worlds. Throw down thy weapons, O mahEswara, from desire of benefiting the universe. That which is unmanifest, indestructible, immutable, supreme, the origin of the universe, uniform, and the supreme actor, that which transcends all pairs of opposites, and is inactive, has, choosing to be manifested, been pleased to assume this one blessed form, (for though double, the two but represent the same form). This Nara and Narayana (the displayed forms of Supreme Brahman) have taken birth in the race of Dharma. The foremost of all deities, these two are observers of the highest vows and endued with the severest penances. Through some reason best known to Him, I myself have sprung from the attribute of His Grace. You (Rudra) too are born of his (nArAyaNa, as the indweller of
brahma) wrath, being ancient (sanAtana) as you are prior to the creation
of Brahma such as the prajApatIs etc. (pUrvasargE) </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">With
myself then, these deities, and all the great Rishis, do thou adore
this displayed form of Brahman, and let peace be unto all the worlds
without any delay.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The above slOka by brahma is a direct upabrahmaNa of the following shruti vAkya describing Rudra:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /><br /><i>"virUpAkShAya brahmaNa putrAya jyEshtAya shrEshtAya"</i><br /><br />Meaning: Rudra, the one with dissimilar eyes, is the eldest and most celebrated son of Brahma.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, going back to the above slOka, we can correlate it with the shruti vAkya:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /><br />- "brahmaNa putrAya" in the shruti vAkya is indicated by "krodhaja" - Rudra is born of Brahma's wrath.<br /><br />-
"jyEshta" in the shruti vAkya is correlated with "sanAtana" in the
above slOka. "sanAtana" means belonging to an ancient time. It does not
indicate eternality in all contexts, but is used to indicate someone who
has just been around for a very long time. As Rudra was one of Brahma's
earliest sons, he is called "jyEshta" and hence, the term "sanAtana"
refers to Rudra being very ancient in that sense.<br /><br />- "shrEshta" in
the shruti vAkya is correlated with "pUrvasargE" - As Rudra is prior to
the creation of brahma such as the prajApatis, it also implies he is
the most celebrated of Brahma's sons. "pUrva" can also mean he is the
first of brahma's sons in terms of jnAna, ie, he is the most
distinguished of them all and hence is "shrEshta".</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The section continues as follows:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Thus addressed by Brahma, Rudra forthwith cast off the fire of his wrath, and set himself to gratify the illustrious and puissant God Narayana. Indeed, he soon placed himself at the disposal of the adorable boon-giving and puissant God Narayana. That boon-giving God Narayana, who hath his wrath and the senses under control, soon became gratified and reconciled with Rudra."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Incident Three: Shiva abides by the directions of Brahma in the fight with vishNu (in the rAmAyaNa) </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, here the situation shifts. For we see that, Shiva not only obeys Brahma in good matters (like stopping his fight with Narayana), but also obeys Brahma blindly when he is motivated to fight against Narayana!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note what the rAmAyaNa says,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>adaa tu devataaH sarvaaH pR^icChanti sma pitaamaham || shiti kaNThasya viShNoH ca bala abala niriikShayaa |abhipraayam tu vij~naaya devataanaam pitaamahaH || virodham janayaamaasa tayoH satyavataam varaH |</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Translation: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Once, all the gods were asking the Grandparent, Brahma, as to who is powerful and who is less powerful among the blue-throated Shiva and Vishnu... but the Grandparent Brahma on inferring the intent of gods started to create adversity among those two, Shiva and Vishnu, for the Grandparent is the best adherer of truthfulness, as truth cannot be demonstrated on hearsay evidence...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Parashurama says that it was Brahma who induced both Shiva and vishNu to fight to show the devas that vishNu alone was supreme. Obviously, vishNu being parabrahman, is sarvaj~na and knows the intent of all the devas very well, so he condescended to fight. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shiva was overcome by tamO guNa and ahamkAra after the tripurAsura vadham and hence fought against nArAyaNa. It was Brahma who coaxed Shiva to fight with sweet yet poisonous words inducing ahamkAram in Shiva. But it must be understood that Brahma did it to show only the supremacy of vishNu.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And the fact that Shiva was swayed by Brahma’s words shows his inclination to obey Brahma again.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Incident Four: Shiva obeys Brahma during the TripurAsura vadham (quoted from mahAbhArata)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brahma requests Shiva to undertake the war against the tripurAsurAs in the karna parva of mahAbhArata. Here, Brahma praises Shiva as the lord of all and one who is above himself (Brahma).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">However, the key word here is "Loka hitavachah". It does not mean "for the benefit of the universe". "Loka" means shastra or the veda, so it means "agreeable to the veda". Brahma praises shiva and tells him it was by his grace that Brahma attained his position of prajapati. So, "lokahitavachah" implies Brahma said this in a manner agreeable to the veda, ie, He was referring to the antaryAmin of Shiva here. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This explanation is validated by subsequent statements such as “vishNu is the inner self of Bhava” and Shiva’s own statement that Brahma should be his charioteer as the latter is his (Shiva’s) senior (as mentioned previously, the inner tattvam is that the acharya, who is senior, guides the yogi). Obviously, this admittance is enough to show that Brahma’s words were directed at the antaryAmin of Shiva, in a manner that is agreeable to the veda.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And the fact that Shiva obeyed Brahma shows that he abides by the latter's directions.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">AND YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE – SHIVA ABIDES BY THE DIRECTIONS OF BRAHMA EVEN DURING HIS BIRTH (QUOTED FROM SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Bhagavatam shows how Shiva obeyed Brahma even from the time of his birth:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>maitreya uvaca ~ evam atmabhuvadishtah parikramya giram patim badham ity amum amantrya vivesa tapase vanam</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Translation: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sri Maitreya said: Thus Rudra, having been ordered by Brahma, circumambulated his father, the master of the Vedas. Addressing him with words of assent, he entered the forest to perform austere penances.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This shows very clearly how Shiva holds Brahma in high regard. Be it flattery or genuine advice, he ALWAYS obeys Brahma, even though he cut off Brahma’s head once in a fit of anger.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">THE CONCLUSION</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This shows that bhagavAn krishNa, by saying “brahmanam isam kamalasana-stham” is showing how Shiva always remains in bhakti towards nArAyaNa thanks to the timely directions and guidance of Brahma. This is even illustrated in the Tripura Samhara where Shiva asks Brahma to be his charioteer as the latter is his senior. The inner meaning – Shiva is the upAsaka and Brahma is the Acharya who guides the yOgi.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And the same pArvati pati also obeys Brahma blindly even when the latter misleads him or speaks flowery words to goad him!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, the conclusions are:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Adi Shankara has stated the birth of Rudra and his subordination to nArAyaNa in many places. So, resorting to Shankara bhAshya does not provide any relief to Shaivas since they will have to accept Shiva as a creation of Brahma and hence “Brahma, lord of all creatures” would include Shiva among the creatures.</span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Even if Shiva is not mentioned by bhagavAn, that does not mean he was not present. For that matter, even Indra is not mentioned specifically. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">However, the truth is that “isam” refers to Shiva. He is mentioned along with Brahma in the vein of the mahOpanishad which says “eko ha vai nArAyaNa asIt, na brahma, nEshana…” </span></span></div>
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<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The interpretation of yatirAja, that “isam” refers to Shiva who always abides by the directions of Brahma, has been conclusively established.</span></span></div>
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Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com51tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-9011336734520102962012-05-03T17:39:00.000+05:302018-01-31T07:41:34.541+05:30Sri Rudra Gita (Varaha Purana)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Introduction</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pAsho.ayaM pashubhAvastu sa yadA patito bhavet | tadA pAshupataM shAstraM jAyate vedasa~nj~nitam ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This pAsha (trap), ie, delusion, is the state or nature of the paShu (anger or attachments) when it becomes wicked. Then the “pAShupata shAstra” ( the shAstra relating to paShupati, the possessor of anger or attachments) becomes suitable to be termed as the Veda.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">~ Rudra Gita (70.43)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The doctrine of paShupati consists of 4 sects – the kApAlikAs, kAlamukhAs, Saiva siddhAnthins and pAShupatas. While there are internal differences between these sects, there are several common aspects – the acceptance of 36 tattvas, non-acceptance of iSvara as the upAdAna kAraNam, Identification of paShupati/rudra/siva as Brahman and the practices such as smearing oneself with ashes, wearing rudrAksha etc. The allied sects are the shAktas, kaumAras, gAnapatyas and tAntrikas, who more or less draw from the same philosophy. The bhAshyam known as “srikaNtha” is a bogus one written by appayya dikshita by plagiarizing the system of srI rAmAnuja (ineffectively and erroneously, we may add) and hence is not considered authentic or part of this system here, having no history of followers.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This pAShupata maTha has been rejected comprehensively in the brahma sUtras and by vedAntins. All vedAntins accept that this was a doctrine propagated by Siva for the purpose of deluding those with the quality of rajas or tamas. In addition, the adherents of these doctrines themselves do not claim to be vedAntins, but rather focus on their Saiva Agamas, to some extent on the tAmasa purAnAs and only pay lip-service to the Veda, potentially due to the fact that terms like “Siva” etc are applied to Parabrahman in shruti.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The proof for rejection of this maTha also comes from the following pramAnAs quoted by srI yAmunAchArya in his Agama pramAnya:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Linga purAna: </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ye tu sAmAnyabhAvena manyante puruShottamam | te vai pAShaNDino j~neyA vedamArgabahiShkR^itA ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Those who think of Purushottama in an ordinary manner (equal to or inferior to other deities such as Rudra etc.) they indeed are known as the “pAShaNDi-s” who have been excluded from the Vedic path.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Aditya purAna:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">anye bhasmajaTopetA yathoktA gautamAt purA | shApAtsantyAjitA vedaM devaM nArAyaNaM tathA ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: As stated by Gautama long ago, the others endowed with ashes and matted hair surely due to curse have given up the Veda and Narayana, the divine.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that while the Linga and Aditya are tAmasa purAnAs, these sections which are sAttvika are quoted by vedAntins. srI yAmuna muni adds that this refers only to the Saivas because the following is said in their own Saiva agama:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rudrAkShaM kaN^kaNaM haste jaTA caikA ca mastakI | kapAlaM bhasmanA snAnam</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">[“The Rudraksha and bracelet in the hand, with the matted hair, and a single skull, and bathing in the ashes”]</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To this, some modern day “shAstri-s” (Saiva advaitins), claim the following – these verses in the purAnAs and the pAShupata adhikaraNam of the brahma sUtrAs, even if true, condemn only the extreme sects like the aghori-s, vAmAcArins, etc and not the sect of Saiva SiddhAntha such as those propagated by the nAyanmars, thirumUlar, etc. Because the Saiva siddhAntins stress on bhakti as a means and not the extreme practices like eating human flesh, sexual union, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We reply – the Saiva SiddhAntins subscribe to the same philosophy condemned by the brahma sutra-s. In addition, the wearing of ashes, etc is also common to them. If this is not enough, Saiva SiddhAntins tacitly approved of the practices of the kApAlika-s and considered themselves as part or related to that clan. The nAyanmArs had great reverence for these practices (such as kApAlikas, etc) and revered these practitioners as great jnAnis, even though they may not have engaged in them. We have evidence from them:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jnanasambandhar mentions Saivas and pAshupatas worshiping in Seerkazhi Shiva sthalam:</span><a href="http://tamilvu.org/slet/l4100/l4100uri.jsp?song_no=2921&book_id=120&head_id=7&sub_id=1484" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #196ad4; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://tamilvu.org/slet/l4100/l4100uri.jsp?song_no=2921&book_id=120&head_id=7&sub_id=1484</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And in Srikalahasti, it is mentioned that “those who have the kapAla skull in their hands”(kapAlak-kaiyar) were seen in the temple: </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.thevaaram.org/thirumurai_1/songview.php?thiru=12&Song_idField=1228&padhi=72&startLimit=1019&limitPerPage=1&sortBy=&sortOrder=DESC" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.thevaaram.org/thirumurai_1/songview.php?thiru=12&Song_idField=1228&padhi=72&startLimit=1019&limitPerPage=1&sortBy=&sortOrder=DESC</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> In Thiruththondar Puranam, Sekkizhar says that Kapalikas etc. who form "six types of thoNDars (the clan of servants of Siva)" were guests at Jnanasambandhar's wedding ceremony: </span><a href="http://www.tamilvu.org/slet/l41C5/l41C5dis.jsp?n=3101" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #196ad4; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.tamilvu.org/slet/l41C5/l41C5dis.jsp?n=3101</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Moreover, the nAyanmArs describe Shiva as follows: “one who wears ashes from cremation grounds” (காடுடைய சுடலைப்பொடி பூசி); “the supreme mahAvratI (name of a kApAlika sect) bearer of dead bodies on his shoulders, the one who accepted the blood of Vishnu to fill the skull obtained by chopping of Brahma’s head” (ஏன்ற அந்தணன் தலையினை அறுத்து நிறைக்க மால் உதிரத்தினை ஏற்றுத், தோன்றுதோள்மிசைக் களேபரந்தன்னைச் சுமந்த மாவிரதத்த கங்காளன்), “wearer of the yaj~nopavIta thread made of grey hair” (நரை விரவிய மயிர்தன்னொடு பஞ்சவ்வடி மார்பன்)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We find explicit condemnation of the bhagavad gita in sivaj~nAna siddhiyar (a work of another disciple of Meykandar, called aruNandhi sivAchArya):</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">பார்த்தனார் இரதமேறிப் படைதனைப் பார்த்துச் சார்பைக்,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">கூர்த்தஅம் பாலே எய்து கொன்றர சாளே னென்னத், தேர்த்தனி</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">லிருந்து மாயை செய்துமால் கொல்லச்செப்பும், வார்த்தைநூ லாக்கிக்</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">கொண்டாய் புரங்கொல் நூல் மதித்தி டாயே. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">293</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Translation: When Partha (Arjuna) seated on the car saw the assembled hosts and all of them his kinsmen and he refused to slay them with his sharp arrows and reign as king after their death, the wily words uttered by Vishnu to induce him to fight, you accept as your high authority. Why don't you also accept the words of the Buddha Avatar of Vishnu, propagated for the conquest of the Tiripura Asuras (~ Sivaj~nAna Siddhiyar – 293 of Arulnandi SivAchArya).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that the Saiva scholar condemns the bhagavad gita, accepted as a pramAna and part of the prasthAna trayaM by all AchAryAs beginning with Adi Shankara, as “the wily words of vishNu” and compares it to Bouddha sAstra given by Buddha. That certainly shows that Saivas had no compulsions to accept vedAnta or profess themselves as vedAntins.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The second argument posed by Saivas is this - The brahma sUtras condemn the practices of the Saivas and doctrines such as non-acceptance of upAdaNa kAraNatva, but not the idea of Siva as Brahman. To this, the srutaprakAsika and sri bhAshya say the following - It is not possible to separate the identification of Siva as Brahman from the practices adopted by these people. For it is the devotional practice to Siva that gives rise to such WRONG knowledge condemned in the Brahma sUtras. The ideas such as the 36 tattvas which are condemned in the sUtras, are directly impregnated in the doctrine of Siva bhakti which is said to lead to such knowledge. Hence, a condemnation of the philosophy includes within itself the devotional practices and convictions as well.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The acceptance of Siva as Brahman and bhakti, the practices such as smearing of ashes, the tacit approval of the sects like kApalika, etc which are condemned in the brahma sUtras, the indifference toapauruSheyatva of the Vedas and condemnation of Vaidika sAstrA-s like bhagavad gItA make the nAyanmArs and Saiva siddhAntins also unvedic as the other extreme sects. The brahma sUtras indeed do include this sect among the ones condemned in the pAShupata adhikaraNa according to srI rAmAnuja.We shall explain this in more detail in an FAQ section we will provide later.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> For now, we have shown the proof from the purAnAs, Brahma sUtras and from the words of the Saivas themselves. Now, we come to the most important proof, which is the Rudra Gita. This is a dialogue between Rudra and Agastya, occurring from chapters 70-73 in the varAha purAna of the following –</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here, Rudra elaborates the tattva of nArAyaNa paratva </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra also discloses the reason and events behind propagation of the pAShupata shAstra, the purpose of the pAShupata maTham, its adherents and what it contains. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra also provides a masterful exposition on the sharIrAtma bhAva, how and why vishNu worshipped him (rudra) in his krishNa avatAra and the appropriate times at which vishNu should be meditated upon</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">as the indweller of brahma and rudra, as opposed to worshipping him directly.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra explains the incident of how he obtained a boon from vishNu that he would be worshipped by the latter during krishNa avatAra</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Some consider the Rudra Gita to be from Chapter 70-89 of the varAha purAna. However, we feel that Rudra Gita proper ends with chapter 73. The dialogue after this involves description of geography, lOkas, etc by Rudra and hence is not important – the inquiry of philosophical tattvas ends with 73 and we have commented only until that part. This seems to be what AchAryas like srI yAmuna felt as well.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That the Rudra Gita is an authentic section of the sAttvika purAnAs is proven by the fact that it is quoted by srI yAmunAchArya, the guru of srI rAmAnuja in his work, “Agama prAmAnya”. He quotes the Rudra Gita as proof that the pAshupata maTha is inauthentic and justifies how the respected Rudra can propagate such a maTham. In addition, the Rudra Gita is quoted by srI sudarshana suri (srutaprakAsikAchArya) in his work “sruta prakAsika” which is a sub-commentary to srI rAmAnuja’s srI bhAshya. The Acharya quotes this section under the pAshupata adhikaraNam. SrI mAdhvAchArya also quotes a verse from this section.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Interestingly, srI sudarshana sUri hints that the pUrvapakShins (Saivas) also wrongly quote the Rudra Gita by misunderstanding the verses (as the one at the start of this introduction) as validation of their maTham. So, the universal antiquity of this section is unassailable.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So much for the introduction. Now, before we begin this article, a couple of instructions for the interested reader:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We have split the Rudra Gita into 7 sections named by us. This is to help the reader understand what each section basically focuses on. Since this is a long write-up, if you are impatient, use “section” as the keyword to search and understand the topic for each section – and whether you want to read it or not.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Rudra Gita employs to the fullest extent the sharIrAtma bhAva (body-soul analogy) of vishishtadvaita vedAnta. We have explained it to some extent in the commentary. However, for those who are absolute laypersons in this concept, we suggest you first read a short article explaining what sharIrAtma bhAva in vishishtadvaita is, before reading this article. That would help you understand our commentary better. For non-sri vaishnavas, it does not mean we are forcing you to become vishishtadvaitins, but just that it would also help you to understand where we are coming from better.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A short three-part article on sharIrAtma bhAva and vishistadvaita is written by one scholar here. Since the Rudra Gita is very big and we cannot always explain basic and self-explanatory tattvas of vishishtadvaita in detail, we recommend readers to understand vishishtadvaita first by reading from these 3 links:</span></div>
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<a href="http://aachaaryavaibhavam.blogspot.in/2011/03/vishitadvaitam-basics.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://aachaaryavaibhavam.blogspot.in/2011/03/vishitadvaitam-basics.html</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://aachaaryavaibhavam.blogspot.in/2011/03/vishitadvaitam-basics-part-2.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://aachaaryavaibhavam.blogspot.in/2011/03/vishitadvaitam-basics-part-2.html</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://aachaaryavaibhavam.blogspot.in/2011/03/vishitadvaitam-basics-conclusion.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://aachaaryavaibhavam.blogspot.in/2011/03/vishitadvaitam-basics-conclusion.html</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">(Note: In those links given above, We do not agree to the author’s distinction between philosophy vs religion in his introduction because in vedAnta, vishNu paratva is not separate from philosophies like advaita, VA or Dvaita. The way each Acharya regards vishNu as supreme is based on his philosophy and hence the two are not different. Sruta prakAsika says as much – the philosophy of the pAShupatas likewise, is linked to their acceptance of Siva as Brahman. So, please do not construe that opinion as ours. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">“abhEda” for srI rAmAnuja means one-ness and not identity. Just a point to note.Otherwise, it’s a useful article.) </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Having done that (of if you are already knowledgeable of Vishishtadvaita), you are ready. Let us begin!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">SECTION 1 – Tattva Vichara by Agastya to Rudra</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhadrAshva uvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhagavan kiM kRRitaM lokaM tvayA tamanupashyatA |vrataM tapo vA dharmo vA prAptyarthaM tasya vai mune || 70.1||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Bhadra asked Agastya - Revered One, what did you do as the means (vow, penance or dharma), while perceiving that world, for the purpose of attaining it?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“lokaM” here refers to paramam padam. It is to be understood that Agastya had a vision of srI vaikunta and did not actually attain it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">anArAdhya hariM bhaktyA ko lokAn kAmayed budhaH |ArAdhite harau lokAH sarve karatale.abhavan || 70.2||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Agastya replies: Without worshipping Hari with devotion, one cannot attain those worlds. Only by worshipping Hari are those worlds attainable.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is not erroneous to refer to sri vaikuntam as multiple worlds.As moksha sthAna is infinite, it is referred to in plural.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evaM sa~nchintya rAjendra mayA viShNuH sanAtanaH |ArAdhito varShashataM kratubhirbhUridakShiNaiH || 70.3||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Reflecting on this (ie, meditation), O best of Kings, I worshipped the eternal vishNu for a 100 years with sacrifices in which gifts were liberally given. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tataH kadAchid bahunA kAlena nRRipanandana |yajato mama deveshaM yaj~namUrtiM janArdanam |AhUtA AgatA devAH samameva savAsavAH || 70.4||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: O One of Royal Birth! As I was worshipping Janardhana, the inner controller of devas, the embodiment of sacrifice, for a long time thus, the Devas who were summoned by the sacrifice, came together along with Vasava (Indra)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that Agastya says that he performed the sacrifice meditating on Janardhana, who is the inner controller of devas (devEshaM) and yajnasvarUpi. Also note that the devas were present for accepting the offerings of the sacrifice. This implies vishNu is the recipient of all offerings of sacrifices addressed to other devas. Since these devas are the body of vishNu, he is their inner controller and hence whatever is addressed to the devas, goes to vishNu in actuality.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sve sve sthAne sthitA Asan yAvad devAH savAsavAH |tAvat tatraiva bhagavAnAgato vRRiShabhadhvajaH || 70.5||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: As the devas together with Indra were situated in their position, the revered (Rudra) who has the bull as his banner, arrived and stayed situated in his position.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra is called “vRishabhadvajaH” here. The bull is a metaphor for two things – it signifies both dharma as well as ignorance. Rudra in his sattva mood is situated in Dharma. Since the context is Rudra in a sattva mood, the intent of “vRRshibadhavaja” is to signify that Rudra knows dharma well.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mahAdevo virUpAkShastryambako nIlalohitaH |so.api raudre sthitaH sthAne babhUva parameshvaraH || 70.6||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: He who is known as the Lord of Great Intellect (Mahadeva), Three-Eyed (VirupAksha), the Knower of the Three Vedas (Tryambaka), of Bluish-Red Color (NIlalohitaH), that One who cried(Rudra), Who has the Supreme Knowledge of VishNu (ParamEshwara)becamesituated in his position.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">These epithets of Rudra have a meaning. He has great intellect and hence is mahAdeva. Being of great intellect, he has the third eye which burnt kAmadeva, thus indicating he is detached. Since he is detached, he is the knower of the 3 Vedas. Despite all these qualities, he has the bluish-red color indicating that he was born in a circumstance of tamO and rajO guNa (by the anger of Brahma), which makes the fact that he is a jnAni even a greater cause for wonder. Upon recognizing this tendency, he cried during his birth. And since he cried, he was cleansed and provided with the supreme knowledge of vishNu by bhagavad anugraham through his father Brahma.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The idea is that Rudra is a jnAni, which sets the stage for the upadeSha which follows. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tAn sarvAnAgatAn dRRiShTvA devAnRRSimahoragAn | sanatkumAro bhagavAnAjagAmAbjasambhavaH || trasareNupramANena vimAne sUryasannibhe |avasthito mahAyogI bhUtabhavyabhaviShyavit ||Agamya shirasA rudraM sa vavande mahAmuniH |mayA praNamitastasthau samIpe shUlapANinaH || 70.(7-9)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Seeing that all the devas, rSis and serpents had arrived, Sanatkumara, the son of Brahma, who is a great yOgI, knower of the past, present and future, arrived in a vimAna of very minute dimensions, resembling the sun. Having arrived, the great muni offered obeisances to Rudra by bowing his head. Standing near the bearer of the trident or death to asurAs(shUlapANinaH), I offered obeisances.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra is called “shUlapANi” as he bears the trident. “shUla” also means death or grief and it implies he has the duty of taking away lives. Rudra causes death to the asurAs. Thus, he is worthy of obeisances.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tAnahaM saMsthitAn devAn nAradAdInRRSiMstathA |sanatkumArarudrau cha dRRiShTvA me manasi sthitam || 70.10||ka eShAM bhavate yAjyo variShThashcha nRRipottama |kena tuShTena tuShTAH syuH sarva ete sarudrakAH || 70.(10-11)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: O best of Kings! I became acquainted to those devas, the rSis beginning with nArada, sanatkumAra and Rudra, perceiving them, with my mind fixed (onvishNu who is their inner self). I asked them “who is the greatest, to be worshipped by the sacrifice, by what way, is he satisifed, by which all these assembledalong with Rudra may be satisifed?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note the words. Agastya perceived the devas with a fixed mind in that he was meditating on their inner controller, thus implying that he knows that those assembled are not the true recipients of the sacrifice. Therefore, he asked the devas the following questions well knowing the answer – </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">who is to be greatest deva to be worshipped by the sacrifice?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">How is he to be worshipped? Is he equal to other devas so that they can be worshipped independently as Brahman, or should we worship him as the inner controller who has the devas as his body?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“sa rudra”, ie, those assembled along with Rudra, indicates that he regards Rudra as most competent to answer his question. His question was directed towards Rudra only.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evaM kRRitvA sthite rAjan rudraH pRRiShTo mayA.anagha |evamarthaM ka ijyo.atra yuShmAkaM surasattamAH || evamukte tadovAcha rudro mAM surasannidhau || 70.(12-13)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: In this manner, O King, Rudra, situated in the state of being free from blemish, was enquired by me – O best of the gods! In this sense, who is your sole object of worship in this respect (as he is the inner controller)? Having spoken thus, Rudra told me (the following) in the presence of the knowers of Brahman (suras).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“anagha” – Rudra is declared as situated in the state of being free from ignorance or karmas that obstruct knowledge of Brahman. It does not mean he is completely devoid of karmas. Just as Veda vyAsa is called “akalmashaM” (vyAsam vasishta-naptAram Sakteh pautram akalmasham) in the sahasranAma, so is Rudra called “anagha” in the sense of being free from the blemish of ignorance. It means he knows the truth clearly.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">SECTION 2 – Narayana as the Supreme Being, the Source of Devas and the Object of Worship</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rudra uvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shrRRiNvantu bibudhAH sarve tathA devarShayo.amalAH |brahmarShayashcha vikhyAtA sarve shrRRiNvantu me vachaH |tvaM chAgastya mahAbuddhe shrRRiNu me gadato vachaH || 70.14||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Rudra said- Listen, all you wise people, the pure devarSis , celebrated brahmarSis ! All of you listen to my words! You and Agastya of great intellect listen to my profound words!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Agastya is hailed as “mahAbuddhE” by Rudra because he knows that Agastya is well aware of the answer to the question. Rudra also understands that Agastya asked the question only to enlighten everyone else of the truth as well.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yo yaj~nairIDyate devo yasmAt sarvamidaM jagat |utpannaM sarvadA yasmiMllInaM bhavati sAmaram || 70.15||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: He who is to be worshipped by sacrifice, is that Deva or the One with auspicious attributes, from whom this entire Universe has arisen and in Whom the Universe with the gods is dissolved.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that Rudra does not begin immediately by saying “worship vishNu”. That would imply a bias. The method is to first provide the primary lakshaNam of Brahman, which is jagatkAraNatva as per the shAstras - </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“yato va imani bhutani jayante yena jatani jivanti yat prayanti abhisamvishantI</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“janmAdyasya yaTha</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> By usage of “deva”, Rudra declares that this being has infinite auspicious attributes.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nArAyaNaH paro devaH sattvarUpo janArdanaH |tridhAtmAnaM sa bhagavAn sasarja parameshvaraH || 70.16||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Narayana is the Supreme God, who is Janardhana (as he protects the sadhus from asurAs) of the nature of Sattva, the One with 6 auspicious attributes (bhagavAn), the Supreme Lord of All (paramEsvara), created himself in three ways (tridhA AtmAnaM sasarja) – Meaning, He became the inner self of gross forms that are his body in 3 guNas of varying proportions.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After describing the lakshaNam of jagatkAraNatva, Rudra follows the chAga paShu nyAya – the general context is subsumed in a specific context. He identifies that Supreme Brahman who is the cause of the Universe as Narayana, who is the Supreme Being, of the nature of sattva and hence the enemy of the wicked. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“He creates himself in 3 ways” – This means, he became the indweller of the gross forms which are created in varying proportions of the tri-guNas (sattva, rajas and tamas). By virtue of sharIrAtma bhAva and sAmAnAdhikaraNyam, it is said “he created himself”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He also</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">remains blemishless despite his pervasion with 6 auspicious attributes (jnAna, bala, vIrya, aishwarya, Shakti, tejas) and does not undergo reduction. He creates the gross forms which divide the jIvas into varNa-jAti-deva-manuShya, etc. He remains thus the supreme lord of all.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note also that Rudra simply says “nArAyaNaH parO devaH” which means that the qualities like jagatkAraNatva are well known to be seen in the person connoted by this name. There is no doubt about this.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, this answers Agastya’s question of who is to be worshipped. Now, Rudra proceeds to describe the tattvas related to how Narayana is the indweller of Brahma and Rudra. This would answer how Narayana is to be worshipped in sacrifice, ie, as the inner controller of the devas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rajastamobhyAM yukto.abhUd rajaH sattvAdhikaM vibhuH |sasarja nAbhikamale brahmANaM kamalAsanam || 70.17||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: He, who is unlimited or all-pervading in nature, associated Himself (by such pervasion) with rajas and tamas. In the lotus springing from His navel, He created Brahma who abounds in rajas and sattva and is seated in the lotus.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bhagavan does not directly associate himself with rajas or tamas. He remains as the indweller of Brahma and Rudra who respectively possess rajas and tamas, and thus, Bhagavan himself is said to possess these gunas by sAmAnAdhikaraNyam.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rajasA tamasA yuktaH so.api mAM tvasRRijat prabhuH |yatsattvaM sa harirdevo yo haristatparaM padam || 70.18||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Brahma associated with rajas and tamas, in turn created me. He who is of the nature of sattva is the God known as Hari (destroyer of pApa karmas). He who is known as Hari (destroyer of pApa karmas), is that Supreme Goal (to be attained).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This can also be taken as – “Hari who is associated with rajas as the indweller of Brahma, became associated with tamas, as the indweller of Brahma and created me”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ye sattvarajasI so.api brahmA kamalasambhavaH |yo brahmA saiva devastu yo devaH saH chaturmukhaH |yadrajastamasopetaM so.ahaM nAstyatra saMshayaH || 70.19||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Those two (guNas) that are sattva and rajas (in mixture), is indeed the (state or condition of the) lotus-born Brahma. He who has Brahma as His body, is alone the God with auspicious attributes, nArAyaNa (Deva). He who is the effulgent god (nArAyaNa), is the (inner self of) the four faced Brahma. That (Hari who is in the condition of) rajas (as the inner self of Brahma) which becomes endowed with tamas, is (the inner self of) me. Let there be no doubts.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hari is of the nature of sattva. As the indweller of Brahma, he is endowed with rajas, meaning, Brahma possesses rajO guNa admixed with sattva guNa, which is called "mishra-sattva". Hari, who has auspicious attributes signified by "Deva" which in turn indicates his nature of suddha sattva, is “Brahma” or One who has Brahma as his body. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hari who is the effulgent god as he is the Lord of Sri (Deva) is thus the inner controller of the 4 faced Brahma just as a body is controlled by the self. All names signifying the body denote the self. Since Brahma is his body, the name "Brahma" denotes Hari who is his inner self on account of sAmAnAdhikaraNyam. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That Hari, who is in the state of rajas as the inner self of Brahma, becomes endowed with tamas as the inner self of Rudra when the latter is created by Brahma. Here, "Rudra" or "me" as spoken by Rudra denotes the inner self of Rudra as well by sAmAnAdhikaraNyam and sharirAtma bhAva.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Let there be no doubts - this tattva is well known by the shastra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sattvaM rajastamashchaiva tritayaM chaitaduchyate |sattvena muchyate jantuH sattvaM nArAyaNAtmakam || 70.20||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The three guNas are called sattva, rajas and tamas. By sattva, all beings are liberated and Narayana is filled with, ie, of the nature of sattva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rajasA sattvayuktena bhavet sRRiShTI rajo.adhikA |tachcha paitAmahaM vRRittaM sarvashAstreShu paThyate || 70.21||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: By Rajas which is associated with Sattva (Narayana), creation predominated by Rajas occurs. That (creation born of rajas) proceeds from Brahma and is well known from the shastras</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yadvedabAhyaM karma syAchChAstramuddishya sevyate |tadraudramiti vikhyAtaM kaniShThaM gaditaM nRRiNAm || 70.22||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The Shastra stipulating actions which are opposed to the Vedas to be followed, that (Shastra) is called “Raudram” ie, originating from or related to Rudra, the lowly (doctrine) by people.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After declaring Narayana as the jagatkAraNa, Rudra explained the divisions of sattva, rajas and tamas, and thereby showed how Narayana alone is sattva and capable of liberation as opposed to Brahma and himself who are rajas and tamas. He now proceeds to elaborate that actions opposed to the veda, but which are followed as Shastra, originate from tAmas and rajas, giving as an example the pAshupata doctrine. “kaniSTHa” means lowly or base doctrine. This is a reference to the pAshupata Shastra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The recension quoted by srI yAmunAchArya has a slightly different version of the same verse as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tadvedabAhyaM karmoktaM mAmuddishyopasevyate | tadvai pAshupataM nAma kaniShThaM mohanaM nRRiNAm || mAM viShNuvyatirekeNa pUjayanti narAdhamAH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">[Rudra’s words: “The said act of worship concerning me which is being observed is really outside the Veda. This ritual called pAshupata is the lowliest and deceives men. Only the lowest people worship me with exclusion of Vishnu (ie, worshipping me independently without seeing vishNu as my inner self and our one-ness due to sharIrAtma bhAva).”]</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yaddhInaM rajasA karma kevalaM tAmasaM tu yat |tad durgatiparaM nRRINAmiha loke paratra cha || 70.23||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: That base action which is of the nature of rajas and that (action) purely out of tamas, that (action) leads people to misery in this world as well as the next.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sattvena muchyate jantuH sattvaM nArAyaNAtmakam |nArAyaNashcha bhagavAn yaj~narUpI vibhAvyate || 70.24||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: By sattva, all beings are liberated and Narayana is the nature of sattva. Narayana, who is also the One with 6 auspicious attributes, is considered as the embodiment of sacrifice.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Therefore, nArAyaNa alone is to be worshipped in the sacrifice as the inner controller. Now, as an extension to the question asked, Rudra proceeds to elaborate on the various means by which nArAyaNa is worshipped.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kRRite nArAyaNaH shuddhaH sUkShmamUrtirupAsyate |tretAyAM yaj~narUpeNa pa~ncharAtraistu dvApare || 70.25||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: In the Krita Yuga, Narayana is worshipped in his form which is pure and subtle or difficult to comprehend (ie, realized by meditation). In the Treta Yuga, he is worshipped in the form of Sacrifice. In the Dvapara, he is worshipped according to the pAncharAtra (archAavatAra in temples).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">BhagavAn is meditated upon as the inner controller, who is difficult to comprehend via the senses in the Krita yuga. People in this yuga thus can meditate on the divyAtma svarUpa of the Lord. Whereas, sacrifice is the mode of worship in Treta Yuga. In the Dvapara, people worship him in his forms in temples.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kalau matkRRitamArgeNa bahurUpeNa tAmasaiH |ijyate dveShabuddhyA sa paramAtmA janArdanaH || 70.26||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: In the Kali Yuga, Janardhana, the Supreme Self, is worshipped in various forms that are of the nature of Tamas, through the path established by me, with the intention of aversion (towards the true nature of the Lord).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The conversion of worshipping the Lord in various ways now leads naturally to the discussion on the paths opposed to the Vedas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This talks about the nature of the pAShupata maTha he propagates in kali yuga. Since this maTha is more prevalent in this yuga, it was called “kaNiSTha” or young. This path is for those who are averse to the true nature of the Lord. By aversion, it is meant that these people, owing to karma vAsaNas, are not attracted to the auspicious qualities of the Lord and could potentially also turn to paths which lead to further harm for themselves and others.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To ensure that these people are kept in check from further regression, Rudra has created the new doctrine whereby they worship various forms and other gods which are of the nature of tamas, ie, forms which are not suddha sattva and cause delusion. This is a reference to the pAShupaTha maTha and the rAjasa/tAmasa purAnAs.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">At the same time, it is also clarified that even such wrong worship only goes ultimately to Narayana, who is the supreme self and the inner controller of the gods worshipped even in these paths and also is the slayer of the wicked (Janardhana). SrI rAmAnuja points out in the srI bhAshya that even the pAShupata maTha etc ultimately is directed towards nArAyaNa only, its just that the followers do not know that the inner self of paShupati is nArAyaNa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">na tasmAt parato devo bhavitA na bhaviShyati |yo viShNuH sa svayaM brahmA yo brahmA so.ahameva cha || 70.27||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There is no god superior to (Narayana) in the past, present or future. He who is well known as vishNu, is Himself (the inner self of) brahma. He who is (the inner self) of Brahma (in this way), is alone (the inner self of) me too.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra here clarifies how even tAmasa modes of worship also are ultimately directed ay Narayana. It is because there is no god above him; therefore Narayana alone is worshipped by these means. How does he accept such worship? By abiding as the inner controller of the gods who are worshipped by such people.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here, there is no direct identity intended by saying “sa svayaM brahma, yaH brahma sohaM eva ca” since it was established in the previous line that there is no god superior to nArAyaNa (and hence, equal to him too). Since Brahma and Rudra are the body of Narayana, by sAmAnAdhikaraNyam, the antaryAmi is implied. Names which denote the body, denote the self. “Brahma” and “Rudra” thus denote the self of these deities as well, namely vishNu.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that Rudra says “he who is vishNu, is the inner controller of Brahma, and that inner controller of Brahma is my inner controller” instead of simply saying, “vishNu is mine and Brahma’s inner controller”. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The reason for this long windedness is because if we simply say “vishNu is the antaryAmin of Brahma and Rudra”, a doubt can arise as to whether vishNu suffers any modifications during such pervasion, ie, whether vishNu, as the inner controller of Brahma, is different from the inner controller of Rudra. shAstras refute this by saying “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">neha nAnAsti kincana</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – he does not undergo any diversity because of pervasion. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, Rudra is saying – “vishNu is the antaryAmin of Brahma. That same antaryAmin is my antaryAmin” – which shows vishNu alone is supreme and also that he remains unchanged as the indweller in both Brahma and Rudra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vedatraye.api yaj~ne.asmin yAjyaM vedeShu nishchayaH |yo bhedaM kurute.asmAkaM trayANAM dvijasattama |sa pApakArI duShTAtmA durgatiM gatimApnuyAt || 70.28||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: O best of Brahmanas! Those who are learned in the 3 vedas and also adept at sacrifices are of the conviction, through study of the Vedas, that he who makes distinctions between us three gods – brahma, vishNu, Siva – that person is sinful, is of wicked mind and will obtain misery.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As explained earlier, this is not direct identity but only sarIrAtma bhAva. One must see the oneness of the three gods in that brahma and rudra are the body of vishNu, and this vishNu as the inner controller of brahma and rudra is not different from vishNu who is himself. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Anyone who sees distinctions in the sense of thinking that Brahman undergoes reduction in attributes or deformation by becoming the inner self of different beings, attains misery. Those who see Brahma and Rudra as different from vishNu as though they are independent and not dependent will attain misery. The wise see the three deities as one since vishNu alone is the inner controller of the other two.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In this context, one must not think vishNu, by being the inner controller of the other 2 gods, attains the rajas and tamas which are characteristics of those gods. He remains sattva even as their inner self. This is what yajnavAlkya intends by saying “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">neha nAnAsti kincana</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” as well.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Those who see distinctions, go from death to death, ie, they revolve in samsAra always.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">SECTION 3 – The“Fit Doctrine”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">idaM cha shrRRiNu me.agastya gadataH prAktanaM tathA |yathA kalau harerbhaktiM na kurvantIha mAnavAH || 70.29||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: O Agastya! Listen. I shall tell you about the ancient times during kaliyuga</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">when all the people did not have devotion to Hari.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra had briefly alluded to the kaNiShTa or lowly doctrine while describing nArAyaNa. He realized that this had caught the attention of the rSis and proceeds to elaborate it in detail now.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhUrlokavAsinaH sarve purA yaShTvA janArdanam |bhuvarlokaM prapadyante tatrasthA api keshavam |ArAdhya svargatiM yAnti kramAnmuktiM vrajanti cha || 70.30||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: In olden times, the residents of the Bhu Loka all worshipped Janardhana. Arriving at Bhuvar Loka, they stayed there and engaged in devotion to Keshava, attaining Svarga loka, andsuccessively progressing to that abode which is (relatively) freed from sorrow.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vishNu loka is the abode of bhagavAn within the material universe. It is referred to as “mukti” or “kArya vaikunta” since it is relatively more free of misery as compared to other places in the Universe and the yOgIs progress from this abode directly to sri vaikunta proper (paramam padam) once they are liberated. But even this place is not liberation but only within samsAra as seen in the case of Jaya and Vijaya who were cursed here.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bhagavata purAna describes this abode as “amalAtmaNa” as it is relatively pure due to the presence of bhagavAn and great devotees, hence it is referred to as “mukti” here.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evaM muktipade vyApte sarvalokaistathaiva cha |muktibhAjastato devAstaM dadhyuH prayatA harim || 70.31||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: In this manner, having obtained the abode known as “kArya vaikunta” and also all other worlds, abiding there, worshipped that Lord of Sri, engaging in meditation, offering (themselves, ie, self-surrender) to Hari.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“deva” – he attains his devatva due to srI (sraddhAya devO devatvam asnutE). Therefore, she precipitates his qualities of affection, etc which are required for self surrender.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">so.api sarvagatatvAchcha prAdurbhUtaH sanAtanaH |uvAcha brUta kiM kAryaM sarvayogivarAH surAH || 70.32||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: He (Hari) who is all pervading, and also ever associated with a form, became manifest before them. He asked them, “what can I do for you, O best of all yogis, people of great intellect”?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He is everywhere by virtue of pervasion and hence is sarvagataH. But as denoted by the word “api”, he is also “sanAtanaH” – ever associated with a form since ancient times. Bhattar interprets “tana” in this nAma in bhagavad guNa darpaNam as “tanu” – “sadA tanatvaM” – One who is ever associated with a form. So, despite being all pervasive, he also has his own unique and bewitching form.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">te taM praNamya deveshamUchushcha parameshvaram |devadeva janaH sarvo muktimArge vyavasthitaH |kathaM sRRiShTiH prabhavitA narakeShu cha ko vaset || 70.33||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: They offered obeisance to him, the ruler of the devas, the Lord of all and said: O God of Gods! All people are situated on the path to liberation. How will creation occur and who will then reside in hell?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The number of jIvas are infinite and even if an infinite number is liberated, that means an infinite number of jIvas still exist in samsAra and shRshti never stops. That being the case, why do these jnAnIs ask this question to bhagavAn? The only reason is because they wish to hear the tattvas from bhagavAn himself. They are also aware of the fact that most of the population in the Universe is of sAttvika disposition and bent on moksha, so they wish to know how long such a situation lasts and how that will change.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evamuktastato devaistAnuvAcha janArdanaH |yugAni trINi bahavo mAmupeShyanti mAnavAH || 70.34||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Asked thus by the devas, Janardhana spoke – “In the first 3 yugas, most of those who are competent to meditate will attain me”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“mAnava” – manana shIla – This includes manuShya, deva and all those competent to meditate and perform sAdhana, excluding animals and so on.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Just because someone is competent to meditate on bhagavAn, it does not mean he attains him. The desire to attain him must be there, or the competency is wasted. This is mentioned in gita as “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vAsudevam sarvam idam mahAtmAnam sa durlabha</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">:” So, what bhagavAn is saying here is that in the first 3 yugas, all those competent to meditate will have the desire to attain him, and thus most will attain him.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">antye yuge praviralA bhaviShyanti madAshrayAH |eSha mohaM sRRijAmyAshu yo janaM mohayiShyati || 70.35||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: In the last yuga (Kali), peoplewho resort to me are very rare. I shall produce delusion which will confuse the people.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One must note that bhagavAn is not saying he will deliberately mislead the people away from Him. He first points out that very few will resort to him in Kali yuga. This means, these people, though provided with the means, will not have the desire or sAttvic disposition to attain him. They will try to indulge in acts which cause harm. To prevent them from totally going astray, bhagavAn will produce delusion in the form of shAstras which belittle his greatness, but which will be followed by these people. By following this path, they will be kept in check from pursuing more dangerous paths.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tvaM cha rudra mahAbAho mohashAstrANi kAraya |alpAyAsaM darshayitvA phalaM dIrghaM pradarshaya || 70.36||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: “You, Rudra, of mighty arms, shall produce the (seemingly) instructive texts which cause delusion. By just a little effort, produce a large result!”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">By this statement, it is clear that Rudra was among those who were present in kArya vaikunta at that time. BhagavAn thus orders Rudra to produce a new doctrine for those whose vAsana-s cause aversion to Brahman. These shAstras are seemingly instructive – they deceptively appear to be guidelines that preach for the good of the people, but actually cause illusion. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">BhagavAn also says that a little effort is only needed on the part of Rudra. The point is that, while there may be few who are willing to accept the truth despite the best efforts of the wise to educate them, that which is false or misleading always gains a number of followers with the merest of efforts!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">srI yAmunachArya quotes a slightly modified version of the same verse from another recension:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tvaM hi rudra! mahAbAho! mohashAstrANi kAraya |kuhakAdIndrajAlAni viruddhAcharaNAni cha ||darshayitvA.alpamAyAsaM phalaM shIghraM pradarshaya |darshayitvA janaM sarvaM mohayAshu maheshvara! || </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">[Sriman Narayana’s words: “You indeed Rudra, having large powerful arms, (I command to) teach scriptures that are intended to delude. Thus shall you propagate illusions, trickery, jugglery, and the like, as well as contradictory doctrines. Having shown the way for practices that need little effort, present the fruits (of those actions) swiftly. Having shown, delude all these people quickly.”]</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">srI mAdhva too quotes this, and once again, a slight modification is seen:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">eSha mohaM sRRijAmyAshu yo janAnmohayiShyati / tvaM cha rudra mahAbAho mohashAstrANi kAraya /atathyAni vitathyAni darshayasva mahAbhuja / prakAshaM kuru chAtmAnamaprakAshaM cha mAM kuru /</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Translation: Now I shall create such things as would soon engender doubt and misconception among men; mighty Rudra, thou too hadst better have misleading works produced (by Dadichi, etc.) Let the people be made to see what is not true and what is against truth. Make thyself well-known to the world and spread darkness with regard to me.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The fact that it is in all recensions vouches for its authenticity. Minor modifications are due to oral transmission.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kuhakaM chendrajAlAni viruddhAcharaNAni cha |darshayitvA janaM sarvaM mohayAshu maheshvara || 70.37||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: By the web of mAya that is prakrti, concealinghimself from those averse to resorting to him, all the people were also then made to perceive the delusion caused by the Great Lord (nArAyaNa).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“indrajAlam” is nothing but mAya which is prakrti of the three guNas. BhagavAn is concealed from the ajnAnIs by this mAya. Remaining hidden, he, the Lord nArAyaNa who is mahEshwara, the wielder of mAya, deluded these people of Asuric svabhAva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This new doctrine propagated by Rudra is the pAShupata maTha which was intended to confuse people. This has two-fold purpose. Firstly, it prevents them from seeking worse paths whereby they could fall. Secondly, by making them follow a misleading path, it means they are experiencing the fruits of their pApa karmas by suffering such delusion – thus, these pApa karmas are getting diminished which in turn would eventually lead to them being purified and resorting to vishNu. Therefore, such delusion is an act of compassion by bhagavAn and there is no malicious intent in it, as otherwise they could never expend their pApa karmas and would continue to have asura bhAva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This doctrine of Rudra thus has a particular purpose and is not entirely worthless, but this does not mean it is an honorable path or the true knowledge. It is unvedic.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evamuktvA tadA tena devena parameShThinA |AtmA tu gopitaH sadyaH prakAshyo.ahaM kRRitastadA || 70.38||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Such was spoken at the time by the effulgent Lord who resides in the Supreme Abode (parameShThinA), concealing himself instantly, made me manifest or celebrated (for those people).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Lord who by nature is the Supreme Being, full of auspicious attributes, the resident of the Supreme abode, concealed himself and from then all, those people of Asuric svabhAva only saw Rudra very clearly and celebrated him – meaning, they saw Rudra who is the body of nArAyaNa without realizing that nArAyaNa is the inner self of Rudra. Being deluded thus, they would resort to Rudra in a manner that the Gita condemns as “avidhi pUrvakam”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tasmAdArabhya kAlaM tu matpraNIteShu sattama |shAstreShvabhirato loko bAhulyena bhavedataH || 70.39||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: From that time, O virtuous one, the world thus became strictly engaged in the practice of the shAstras propagated by me</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The usage of “loka” means that most of the world were following the moha-shAstra. It is a predominant majority, but not absolute since there are always some wise people here and there.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vedAnuvarttinaM mArgaM devaM nArAyaNaM tathA |ekIbhAvena pashyanto muktibhAjo bhavanti te || 70.40||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Following the path of the Vedas, worshipping nArAyaNa, seeing all as One, ie, seeing all as having nArAyaNa as their inner self and everything as his body, people become liberated.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The true path which leads to moksha is upAsaNa which involves meditation on bhagavAn having everything as his body and being the inner self of all. This is distinguished from the path of the moha-shAstra which does not recognize this fact and considers deities other than nArAyaNa as supreme.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mAM viShNorvyatiriktaM ye brahmANaM cha dvijottama |bhajante pApakarmANaste yAnti narakaM narAH || 70.41||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: O best of the twice-born! Those people who are engaged in such worship which sees me as distinct from vishNu and brahma (in terms of vishNu being the antaryAmin of both), are driven to do acts which are sinful and attain hell.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The previous sloka emphasized that understanding nArAyaNa as the inner self of all was the vedic path which led to liberation. In this sloka, Rudra expounds the behavior of the asurAs.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Both Brahma and Rudra are the body of vishNu (yasya Atma sarIram) as he is their inner self. Just as names which denote the body denote the self, the terms “brahma” and “rudra” denote vishNu. In that sense, vishNu himself is all the gods and everything. So, there is oneness, but not identity. The equation is only by sAmAnAdhikaraNyam.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here it says that the ignorant think that the three gods – Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra – are distinct in the sense that brahma and rudra are independent and supreme. They fail to realize that vishNu alone is the inner self of the two gods, and hence everything is the body of bhagavAn – these people are doomed to commit sins and attain hell. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is because such people see others distinct from themselves without realizing all have vishNu as their inner self and hence cultivate feelings of enmity, they think that Brahma and Rudra are independent, thus get temporary and harmful boons from these gods (such as rAvaNa and hiranyakasipu) and attain hell.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So how can they be redeemed from their state? Rudra explains:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ye vedamArganirmuktAsteShAM mohArthameva cha |nayasiddhAntasa~nj~nAbhirmayA shAstraM tu darshitam || 70.42||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Indeed for the purpose of deluding these people who are bereftof the path of the Vedas, I also revealed the shAstra named “the doctrine that is fit” (naya siddhAntha).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The previous sloka explained that if left to their devices, these people who do not see the oneness of all gods and beings in the sense of the sarvAntaryAmitvam of nArAyaNa could do great harm to themselves and to others. To redeem them, the compassionate Lord nArAyaNa, who is always thinking of ways to save the jIvas, directed Rudra to propagate a doctrine of delusion. This doctrine is called “naya siddhAntha” because it is fit to be practiced by those who are outside the vaidika mArga.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This doctrine is meant for those people who due to their karmas, are unable to comprehend nArAyaNa is the self of all. It would direct these people to the worship of other deities. Despite the fact that these people would still lack knowledge that nArAyaNa is the inner self, they would nonetheless be restrained from harm because they would follow specific injunction and commands in this moha-shAstra – observing certain religious practices and conducts which would eventually improve them and make them turn towards the ultimate truth in the long run.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, they would not become asurAs like rAvaNa and hiranyakasipu. These shAstras claim to lead to moksha by preaching wrong meanings; but it would inculcate the desire of moksha in these people so that they leave aside their temptations (despite the description of mokSha being erroneous in these works). In time, the respective deities would instruct them on the real truth.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Why is this doctrine known as “fit to be practiced by those outside of the path of the Vedas”? In other words, when does this doctrine become fit for them? Rudra answers below.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pAsho.ayaM pashubhAvastu sa yadA patito bhavet |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tadA pAshupataM shAstraM jAyate vedasa~nj~nitam || 70.43||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: This pAsha (trap), ie, delusion, is the state or nature of the paShu (anger or attachments)when it becomes wicked. Then the “pAshupata shAstra” (relating to paShupati, the possessor of anger or attachments)becomes suitable to be termed as the Veda.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“pASha” means a trap or rope that binds.This refers to delusion. “paShu” according to the mahAnArAyaNa Upanishad means anger or desire, ie, material attachments. When such desire or attachments reach a certain level of degradation, then that state is termed as “pASha” – the trap of delusion. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is mentioned in the Gita where it says “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kAmAt krodho abhijAyatE, krodhAt sammoham bhavati</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” – (Gita 2.62-63)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When this state is reached, these individuals become eligible to follow the new doctrine propagated by Rudra. And for these individuals, this new doctrine becomes suitable to be called as the Veda, ie, it is to be followed by them diligently and it would keep them from degrading further.Thus It is verily the Veda for them as they are ineligible for the true Veda – and it would help them restrain their tendencies. The term “jAyatE” implies that the pAshupata shAstra becomes suited to the appellation of the Veda and not that it is the very Veda itself. “tadA” means at the time when they reach that state of tamO guNa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This new doctrine, on this basis, becomes known as “pAShupata” – related or belonging to paShupati. Here “paShupati” means the possessor (pati) of anger or desire (paShu) and denotes the individuals following this darShana.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus, the pAShupata shAstra has some elements that are useful. However, this usefulness does not validate the doctrine, which is still false. Sri Sudarshana Suri remarks in sruta prakAsika that whatever good is in the pAShupata maTha is actually pointing towards nArAyaNa, and that alone imparts some practical value to the maTha. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What is good in the pAShupata maTha is not unique to it as it is found in the Vaidika maTha; what is unique to the pAShupata maTha is simply wrong and not good. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vedamUrtirahaM vipra nAnyashAstrArthavAdibhiH |j~nAyate matsvarUpaM tu muktvA vedamanAdimat |vedavedyo.asmi viprarShe brAhmaNaishcha visheShataH || 70.44||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: O wise sage! I (as the body of nArAyaNa), have the Vedas as my form. However, my nature (of having nArAyaNa as the inner-self), is not known to those who have given up the apauruSheya veda, adhering to the meanings of other shAstra-s (which are opposed to the Vedas and pauruSheya). I am (nArAyaNa, who has Rudra as his body) to be known by the Vedas, O wise rSi and especially by the instructors of the Vedas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Having described the nature of the pAshupata maTha, Rudra now proceeds to explain the true vaidika darShana.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here, wherever Rudra uses the word “I” and “Me”, it should be taken to refer to his inner self, nArAyaNa. This is because Rudra is the body of nArAyaNa and names that denote the body, denote the self. If we say “Jack”, it denotes both Jack’s body and Jack’s self, thus Jack is a name for both. Thus, “ahaM” here refers to nArAyaNa, who has Rudra as his body.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The gist of this slOka is that the followers of the naya siddhAntha or the pAShupata maTha regard Rudra as independent. However, Rudra says here that the followers of the Veda consider nArAyaNa, who has rudra as his body, as the form of the Veda and is to be known by the Veda and the teachers of the Veda.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This nature of Rudra, which is that of having nArAyaNa as his inner controller, is unknown to the followers of the inferior shAstra. They conceive Rudra as independently supreme.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">By the logic of sAmAnAdhikaraNyam, Rudra uses “ahaM” to denote his inner self, nArAyaNa. This The same logic is used by Prahlada in Vishnu Purana as follows:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"I am all things: all things are in me, who am everlasting. I am undecayable, ever enduring, the receptacle of the spirit of the supreme. Brahma is my name; the supreme self, that is before all things, that is after the end of all."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Just as prahlAda is not Brahman, neither is Rudra. Both are jIvas</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">simply using sharIrAtma bhAva to express the Oneness with nArAyaNa. This illustrates Rudra’s dependency and seshatva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yugAni trINyahaM vipra brahmA viShNustathaiva cha |trayo.api sattvAdiguNAstrayo vedAstrayo.agnayaH || trayo lokAstrayaH sandhyAstrayo varNAstathaiva cha |savanAni tu tAvanti tridhA baddhamidaM jagat || 70.(45-46)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: I am the three yugas, O seer, and also Brahma and Vishnu. I am also the three guNas – sattva, rajas and tamas, the three Vedas and the three fires.I am the three worlds, the three sandhyAs and the three varNas. I am the three savanas, the three kinds of bonds or suffering – Adhyatmika, Adhidaivaka and Adhibautika-in this world.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is again an expression of shArIrAtma bhAva – “I, that is to say, my inner self, nArAyaNa is also the inner self of all these” is the indicated meaning. The inner self of Rudra is verily the inner self of Brahma, and is verily vishNu too. The mention of other things like triguNas, agni-traya, etc shows this is not absolute identity but oneness. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Similarly, the rishi vAmadeva declares, “I am Manu, the Sun” in the Upanishads. It is a realization of sharIrAtma bhAva and seshatvaM.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ya evaM vetti viprarShe paraM nArAyaNaM tathA |aparaM padmayoniM tu brahmANaM tvaparaM tu mAm |guNato mukhyatastveka evAhaM moha ityuta || 70.47||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: He who knows the truths in this manner, O wise sage, therefore (tathA) knows nArAyaNa who is the Supreme (paraM), the lotus born Brahma who is inferior to nArAyaNa (aparaM) and me who again is inferior to nArAyaNa (aparam tu mAm), as primarily One, differentiated by guNas. It is delusion which causes (perception of) difference.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The jnAni who reflects on the fact of sharIrAtma bhAva as expounded by Rudra above understands first that it is nArAyaNa who is the referent of all those terms as he is the inner self. Hence, he understands nArAyaNa to be the Supreme, and by virtue of sharIrAtma bhAva, he sees Brahma and Rudra, who are inferior, as the body of nArAyaNa – thus, there is oneness in the sense of sharIra-sharIrI bhAva. The three are One in that Brahma and Rudra have nArAyaNa as their inner self, but they are differentiated by the guNas of sattva, rajas and tamas – for each of the three deities – vishNu, brahma and rudra – respectively. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Those who do not understand this, see Brahma and Rudra as different in the sense of being independent from nArAyaNa, which is caused by delusion.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">SECTION 4 – The Vision of Narayana as the indweller ofRudra</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">agastya uvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evamuktastato devA RRiShayashcha pinAkinA |ahaM cha nRRipate tasya devasya praNato.abhavam || 71.1||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Agastya said: Oh King (Lord of men), after the bearer of the pinAka spoke thus to us, the devas, rSis ,I bowed to that Deva</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: line-through; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“pinAka” – the name does not just mean Siva has the pinAka bow, but it also signifies he bears the quality of drinking or experiences (pi-) the bliss of the supreme abode (nAkha) which is the lotus feet of nArAyaNa. Thus, it signifies he is a knower ofvishNu.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">praNamya shirasA devaM yAvat pashyAmahe nRRipa |tAvat tasyaiva rudrasya dehasthaM kamalAsanam || 71.2||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: O King! Upon bowing our heads to that foremost of devas, I saw, at that time, truly, indeed the (form) of that (nArAyaNa), situated in the body of Rudra, seated in the lotus (of the heart).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The rSi had a darshaNa of the Supreme Being seated in the heart of Rudra. “kamalAsanam” means seated on the lotus. The heart is referred to as the lotus here. “tasyaiva” – tatparamAtmanaH rUpaM eva. Since “rudrasya” occurs, the word “tasyaiva” should be taken as someone who was referred to as earlier. This is nArAyaNa, who has been the object of discussion so far. This is indicated by “eva” here. “tat” always denotes parabrahman.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> If we remember, the nArAyaNa sUkta contains the words “viSva-sambhUvam” – he who is the inner controller of Shambhu – and goes on to describe bhagavAn in the heart lotus. That should be remembered here.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nArAyaNaM cha hRRidaye trasareNususUkShmakam |jvaladbhAskaravarNAbhaM pashyAma bhavadehataH || 71.3||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: In the body of Bhava, I saw nArAyaNa in his heart, as very subtle and minute, effulgent with the color of the Sun (due to association with srI mahAlakshmi).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“bhava” – He who brings forth knowledge of vishNu. This is the etymology behind Siva’s name.This sloka is a description of the form of bhagavAn in the lotus of the heart.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">taM dRRiShTvA vismitAH sarve yAjakA RRiShayo mama |jayashabdaravAMshchakruH sAmaRRigyajuShAM svanam || 71.4||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Seeing that, all the rSis who were involved in my sacrifice were amazed. They hailed (nArAyaNa) with words of “Jaya” and by uttering the rk, yajus and sAma Vedas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“jaya” – may you live long, may auspiciousness and victory be yours, etc. Such words are uttered to bhagavAn out of extreme love defined by periyazhwar as “pongum parivu”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kRRitvochuste tadA devaM kimidaM parameshvara |ekasyAmeva mUrtau te lakShyante cha trimUrttayaH || 71.5||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Then, they asked parameshvara (rudra), “what is the (nature) of this deva, whereby the three form s(brahma, vishNu, Siva) are attributes of his unique form alone</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Prior to seeing the form of nArAyaNa in the lotus of the heart of Rudra, the rishis had been instructed that the trimUrti is essentially one in the sense of nArAyaNa being the inner self. Having seen visual confirmation, they became convinced that nArAyaNa is the inner controller of the devas. Hence this question.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“parameshvara” – Rudra, who is the master of the highest knowledge of Brahman.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">His One form is the form that is unique form (ekasya) that is matchless and immense since it is the resort of everything in the Universe. The second “eva” signifies that this form is the cause and has everything as its body. Anything that is a body of bhagavAn is an inseparable attribute of bhagavAn.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brahma and Rudra have nArAyaNa as their inner self and they are his body, hence they are inseparable attributes of bhagavAn. However, vishNu is verily nArAyaNa – thus it is not correct to say “vishNu is the inseparable attribute of vishNu”. So, what is meant here is that the *body of vishNu* - ie, his glorious form, weapon, ornaments, etc which is his own unique body are the attributes of nArAyaNa, the mUla rUpa. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, brahma and rudra are themselves attributes of nArAyaNa, in the case of vishNu, being verily nArAyaNa, it is vishNu’s *form* that is the inseparable attribute of nArAyaNa. This must be understood </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The rSis, by this query – “kim idam devam” – want to know thus – “what is the nature of this Being” – They already know the identity of this Being as nArAyaNa. What is his essential nature? That is the question.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rudra uvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yaj~ne.asmin yaddhutaM havyaM mAmuddishya maharShayaH |te trayo.api vayaM bhAgaM gRRihNImaH kavisattamAH || nAsmakaM vividhO bhAvo vartatE munisattamaH|samyagdRRishaH prapashyanti viparIteShvanekashaH || 71.(6-7)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Rudra said: O best of seers! Whatever is offered in this sacrifice for me by the maharSis, indeed is a share forthe three of us. The wise regard us, O best among munis, as not having different natures; there is no diversity</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra answers this question put by the rSis in the context of the sacrifice that is being conducted. He has appeared for his share of the sacrifice but clarifies that whatever is offered to him, is shared by all 3 –vishNu, brahma and rudra.This implies that bhagavAn alone is the means.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning, whatever is offered to him, goes to his inner self, nArAyaNa. And since the same nArAyaNa is the inner self of brahma and the same nArAyaNa is verily vishNu as well, it can be said that the offerings go to all 3. “bhAva” refers to the essential nature of having nArAyaNa as the antaryAmin.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The context of the sacrifice is used as an example or analogy by Rudra to show that the paramAtman who has brahma and Siva due to “sarvAntaryAmitvaM” and his own (vishNu’s) body as his attributes due is the acceptor of all offerings. This means that all merits of the sacrifice are bestowed by nArAyaNa alone. This makes him the means. Therefore, the essential nature of nArAyaNa is “upAyatva” or being the means.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Thus is answered the question of Agastya in full.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">SECTION 5 – The Curse of Gautama and the Creation of the “NiHshvAsa Samhita” by Rudra</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evamukte tu rudreNa sarve te munayo nRRipa |paprachChuH sha~NkaraM devaM mohashAstraprayojanam || 71.8||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: O King! Thus said by Rudra, all the munis inquired that god known as Shankara about the occasion (behind) moha-sAstra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note the usage of “Shankara” to denote Rudra. “Sam karOti iti Samkara” – He causes bliss by providing knowledge of vishNu. The rSis were highly pleased with the knowledge imparted to them by Rudra. Considering how Rudra preached the truths, proving he was “Shankara”, the rSis now wondered, how could this same person be responsible for the moha-sAstra pravachana? This reminded them again of his role as the moha-shAstra karta.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra had already described the purpose of the pAShupata shAstra. So, the interest of the rSis was piqued. Here, the intent of the rSis is to ask, how did that order by nArAyaNa, to propagate moha-shAstra, come to fruition? How did you achieve it? That avoids redundancy since the purpose of the moha shAstra was already described.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">RRiShaya UchuH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mohanArthaM tu lokAnAM tvayA shAstraM pRRithak kRRitam |tat tvayA hetunA kena kRRitaM deva vadasva naH || 71.9||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The rSis asked: You have produced a shAstra separate (from the veda) for the purpose of deluding the worlds (as said earlier). Please tell us, O deva, by what means did you do this?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The rSis want to know the circumstances by which Rudra was able to fulfill the duty allotted to him by nArAyaNa. Thus, Rudra tells them the incident.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rudra uvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">asti bhAratavarSheNa vanaM daNDakasaMj~nitam |tatra tIvraM tapo ghoraM gautamo nAma vai dvijaH || chakAra tasya brahmA tu paritoShaM gataH prabhuH |uvAcha taM muniM brahmA varaM brUhi tapodhana || 71.(10-11)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Rudra said - In Bharatavarsha, there is a forest called Dandaka. A brahmaNa named Gautama was performing severe penances there. On account of his penances, Brahma was pleased and asked him to seek a boon.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evamuktastadA tena brahmaNA lokakartR^iNA |uvAcha sadyaH pa~NktiM me dhAnyAnAM dehi padmaja || 71\.12||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Asked by Brahma, the Creator of the Worlds thus, Gautama said, “O lotus born! Give me an abundance of grains!”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evamukto dadau tasya tamevArthaM pitAmahaH |labdhvA tu taM varaM vipraH shatashrR^i~Nge mahAshramam ||chakAra tasyoShasi cha pAkAnte shAlayo dvijAH |lUyante tena muninA madhyAhne pachyate tathA |sarvAtithyamasau vipro brAhmaNebhyo dadAtyalam || 71.(13-14||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Having asked this boon, Pitamaha (Brahma) granted it, and the rSi built a great Ashram in SatashRnga. Every morning, the rSi could reap the grain, cook it at noon and offer it to all his guests including the rSis and brahmaNas. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kasyachit tvatha kAlasya mahati dvAdashAbdikA |anAvR^iShTirdvijavarA abhavallomaharShiNI || tAM dR^iShTvA munayaH sarve anAvR^iShTiM vanecharAH |kShudhayA pIDyamAmAstu prayayurgautamaM tadA || 71.(15-16)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The rSi became accustomed to this routine. However, a great drought occurred which lasted for 12 years. Distressed by the lack of food and drought, the rSis living in the forest went to Gautama.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">atha tAnAgatAn dR^iShTvA gautamaH shirasA nataH |uvAcha sthIyatAM mahyaM gR^ihe munivarAtmajAH ||evamuktAstu te tena tasthurvividhabhojanam |bhu~njamAnA anAvR^iShTiryAvat sA nivR^itA.abhavat || bhu~njamAnA anAvR^iShTiryAvat sA nivR^itA.abhavat||nivR^ittAyAM tu vai tasyAmanAvR^iShTyAM tu te dvijAH |tIrthayAtrAnimittaM tu prayAtuM manaso.abhavan || 71.(17-19)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Seeing the approaching rSis , Gautama paid respects to them and asked those sons of munis to stay at his Ashram. Having told thus (by Gautama), the rSis stayed there eating a variety of foods until the drought was over. Once the drought ended, those brahmaNas desired to undertake a tIrtha-yAtra. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tatra shANDilyanAmAnaM tApasaM munisattamam |pratyuvAcheti saMchintya mIrIchaH paramo muniH || 71.20||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Then, the great muni mArIcha spoke regarding this matter to one going by the name of Shandilya, who was the best among munis doing penances.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mArIcha uvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shANDilya shobhanaM vakShye pitA te gautamo muniH |tamanuktvA na gachChAmastapashchartuM tapovanam ||evamukte.atha jahasuH sarve te munayastadA |kimasmAbhiH svako deho vikrIto.asyAnnabhakShaNAt || 71.(21-22)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Maricha said - O Shandilya! Gautama muni is like a virtuous father (to us). We should not leave this tapOvaNaM (place of penance) seeking other places without telling him.When spoken to in this manner, all the munis then laughed, saying, “Have we sold ourselves to him (Gautama) for partaking of his food?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Note- As Gautama had provided food for them which helped them continue their upAsaNa, he has attained an Acharya sthAna for these rSis . Therefore, just as a pupil cannot leave a teacher without his permission, neither can these rSis leave Gautama without his assent. They also knew that Gautama would not be happy to let them go since he considered them as devotees. This in turn makes it their duty to make him happy as he has the status of acharya over them). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evamuktvA punashchochuH sopAdhigamanaM prati |kR^itvA mAyAmayIM gAM tu tachChAlau te vyasarjayan || 71.23||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Having spoken thus, they talked of leaving the place again and decided to go, creating a wondrous (illusory) cow, letting it loose in the Ashram. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tAM charantIM tato dR^iShTvA shAlau gAM gautamo muniH |gR^ihItvA salilaM pANau yAhi rudretyabhAShata |tato mAyAmayI sA gauH papAta jalabindubhiH || 71\.24||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: When Gautama Muni saw that cow wandering around in his Ashram, he took some water in his hands and splashed it on his body. Then that illusory cow fell down even as a drop of water.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Note – One cannot control the rapid fall of a drop of waterwhich then hits the surface violently and loses its configuration. Similarly, the cow fell down and died)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nihatAM tAM tato dR^iShTvA munIn jigamiShUMstathA |uvAcha gautamo dhImAMstAn munIn praNataH sthitaH || kimarthaM gamyate viprAH sAdhu shaMsata mAchiram |mAM vihAya sadA bhaktaM praNataM cha visheShataH || 71.(25-26)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Seeing that cow slain thus, the munis proceeded to leave. Gautama, turning around, bowed to those munis and asked them, “For what purpose are you going so quickly, O rSis , leaving me, who is ever your devotee, who is always obedient to you.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Note – Gautama for his part, regarded them as devotees and his feeding them was construed by him as service to devotees of bhagavAn).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">R^iShaya UchuH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">govadhyeyamiha brahman yAvat tava sharIragA |tAvadannaM na bhu~njAmo bhavato.annaM mahAmune || 71.27||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The rSis said - “O mahA muni! So long as the sin of cow slaughter remains with you, we shall not eat your food”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evamukto gautamo.atha tAn munIn prAha dharmavit |prAyashchittaM govadhyAyA dIyatAM me tapodhanAH || 71.28||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Hearing them speak thus, Gautama, who was conversant with dharma, asked the munis – “You who possess the wealth of penance give me (instructions) as to the prAyaschitta for killing the cow”. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">iyaM gauramR^itA brahman mUrchChiteva vyavasthitA |ga~NgAjalaplutA cheyamutthAsyati na saMshayaH ||prAyashchittaM mR^itAyAH syAdamR^itAyAH kR^itaM tvidam |vrataM vA mA kR^ithAH kopamityuktvA prayayustu te || 71.(29-30)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: “This cow is not dead but only unconscious. If it is bathed in the waters of the Ganga, it will rise up, there is no doubt. prAyaschittaM is for actual killing. For this sin, the mere performance of this vrata will suffice. Please do not be angry (about our leaving on this account)”. So saying, they left.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Note – This indicates that the rSis still felt guilty. But they used the opportunity to excuse themselves and leave.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">gataistairgautamo dhImAn himavantaM mahAgirim |mAmArAdhayiShuH prAyAt taptuM chAshu mahat tapaH ||shatamekaM tu varShANAmahamArAdhito.abhavam |tuShTena cha mayA prokto varaM varaya suvrata || 71.(31-32)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: When they left, the intelligent Gautama went to the mighty Himalayas, where he undertook a great penance to worship me (Rudra). I was worshipped by him for 100 years and pleased with such penance, I asked him to seek a boon.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">so.abravInmAM jakaTAsaMsthAM dehi ga~NgAM tapasvinIm |mayA sArdhaM prayAtveShA puNyA bhAgIrathI nadI ||evamukte jaTAkhaNDamekaM sa pradadau shivaH |tAM gR^ihya gatavAn so.api yatrAste sA tu gaurmR^itA || 71.(33-34)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: He asked me to give him Ganga of great ascetic merit held in my matted locksand to let go half of that sacred bhAgirathI river to follow him. Being asked thus, I granted him that auspicious river from one part of my matted locks. And he led the river to his place where the cow still remained. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Note – Ganga is called “puNya” as it arises from the lotus feet of vishNu, which Rudra received on his head. The river is also already called bhAgIrathi here. However, this incident can be construed as happening before bhagIratha brought the Ganga to Earth, because otherwise Gautama did not need to do penance. Since the narrator is Rudra, he calls this river “bhAgIrathi” to show that it was the same Ganga requested by bhagIratha as well. This is actually the origin of the godAvari river.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tajjalaplAvitA sA gaurgatA chotthAya bhAminI |nadI cha mahatI jAtA puNyatoyA shuchihradA|| taM dR^iShTvA mahadAshcharyaM tatra saptarShayo.amalAH | AjagmuH khe vimAnasthAH sAdhuH sAdhviti vAdinaH || 71.(35-36)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Washed by that water, the cow rose up as a beautiful woman. The river became great and passed through sacred places. Seeing that phenomenon with wonder, the sinless saptarSis came there in their vimAna-s saying “very good”!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Note – It should be understood that this Ganga is not the celestial Ganga, making bhagIratha’s penance a necessity to bring it back to Earth. This part of Ganga became known as the Godavari, as will be seen later. This then ties with the narrative in the rAmAyaNa where Siva is requested to contain the flow of Ganga from the celestial world to the Earth by bearing it in his hair.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> SaptarSis are sinless in the sense of not having karmas obstructing knowledge of Brahman. We say this because some of our readers seem to be confused on this aspect).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sAdhu gautama sAdhUnAM konyo.asti sadR^ishastava |yadevaM jAhnavIM devIM daNDake chAvatArayat || evamuktastadA taistu gautamaH kimidaM tviti |govadhyAkAraNaM mahyaM tAvat pashyati gautamaH || 71.(37-38)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: “You are indeed very virtuous, O Gautama. Who else can bring the Devi jAhnavI (Ganga) to the DandakArANya?”When they spoke thus, Gautama pondered over as to how he had become the cause of cow slaughter.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Note – the words of the saptarSis are always true. It convinced Gautama that he could do no wrong and hence, he started wondering if he was accused falsely).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">R^iShINAM mAyayA sarvamidaM jAtaM vichintya vai | shashApa tAn jaTAbhasmamithyAvratadharAstathA |bhaviShyatha trayIbAhyA vedakarmabahiShkR^itAH || 71.39||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: He realized it to be the illusion created by the rSis and cursed them to bear the appearance of matted locks, ashes, etc and in the future to be outside of the fold of the three vedas, thus ineligible for vedic rites</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Note – This becomes the vyAja (excuse) to propagate the naya siddhAntha)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tachChrutvA krUravachanaM gautamasya mahAmuneH |UchuH saptarShayo maivaM sarvakAlaM dvijottamAH |bhavantu kiM tu te vAkyaM moghaM nAstyatra saMshayaH || 71.40|| yadi nAma kalau sarve bhaviShyanti dvijottamAH | upakAriNi ye te hi apakartAra eva hi | itthaMbhUtA api kalau bhaktibhAjo bhavantu te || 71.(40-41)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Hearing the harsh words of the great muni Gautama, the saptarSis said, “Your words will come true doubtless, but let it not be for all time, O best of the twice-born! In kali yuga, the future, O best among the twice-born, let even those who have harmful intent for their benefactors, in such manner as they can, become possessed of some conviction or predisposition.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(“bhaktibhAjo” – here, “bhAjo” means possessing, “bhakti” means trust or predisposition – a desire towards something.”itthambhUta” – according to their capacity. The saptarSis do not want these brahmaNas to be total nAstikas, but to have some conviction to cling on to, so that they don’t totally go astray).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tvadvAkyavahninirdagdhAH sadA kaliyuge dvijAH |bhaviShyanti kriyAhInA vedakarmabahiShkR^itAH || 71.42||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Burnt ever by the fire of your curse, those brahmaNas in kali yuga, in the future, let them be deprived of the eligibility of vedic karmas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">asyAshcha gauNaM nAmeha nadI godAvarIti cha |gaurdattA varadAnAchcha bhaved godAvarI nadI || 71.43||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Let this river (the part of Ganga brought down by Gautama) also have the secondary name of godAvari. Let them give gift of cows and other materials to godAvarI.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Note - The etymology of “godAvarI” – “go vara dAna datta” iti godAvari is explained. While the brahmaNas were cursed because of the mischief they created with the cow, the ganga became the godAvarI because of that very cow. The idea is that, some good has arisen out of the entire incident by bhagavad saMkalpam.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">etAM prApya kalau brahman gAM dadanti janAshcha ye |yathAshaktyA tu dAnAni modante tridashaiH saha || 71.44||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Let the people come to this river and offer cows as gifts in kali yuga. Whatever they offer according to their capacity, shall be enjoyed by them in association with the Gods (in svarga).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">siMhasthe cha gurau tatra yo gachChati samAhitaH |snAtvA cha vidhinA tatra pitRRIM starpayate tathA || svargaM gachChanti pitaro niraye patitA api |svargasthAH pitarastasya muktibhAjo na saMshayaH || 71.(45-46)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: “At the time when the planet guru is in simha, those devoted ones who go there to take a bath and propitiate the pitrs. Those fathers (of the devoted ones who propitiate the pitrs) shall go to svarga even if they had fallen to hell. Those (fathers of the devout) who are in svarga, shall attain liberation. There is no doubt.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evamuktvA.atha munayo yayuH kailAsaparvatam |yatrAhamumayA sArdhaM sadA tiShThAmi sattamAH || 71.47||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: “You (Gautama) shall attain great eternal fame and liberation”. Speaking thus, O best of sattvikAs, the sapta-rSis came to Kailasa Mountain, where I was ever residing with Uma who is half of my body.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">UchurmAM te cha munayo bhavitAro dvijottamAH |kalau tvadrUpiNaH sarve jaTAmukuTadhAriNaH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">svechChayA pretaveShAshcha mithyAli~NgadharAH prabho || 71.48||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: O Best among BrahmaNas! Those munis told me – “ In the age of kali, all (those cursed by Gautama) will wear your form (ie, the form dictated by you), of the crown of matted hair. O Prabhu!By their own will or desire, they will wear the forms of the pretas and the improper marks</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> “tvadrUpa” does not mean they will wear the form of Siva, but that they will wear forms dictated by Siva in the tAmasa shAstra. “mithyAlingadharaH” means “improper marks” and refers specifically to the attire of matted locks, drinking from the bowl of a skull as the kApAlikAs do as well as the Saiva siddhAnthins who wear bhasmam or ashes. These marks are called “mudrAs” by these sects and claimed to lead to liberation by them It also refers to the devotion to Rudra and considering him as independent, which was condemned by Rudra himself earlier in his discourse on sharIrAtma bhAva. These mudras and practices have been discussed and condemned as a-vaidika in the pAShupata adhikaraNam of the brahma sUtras by srI rAmAnuja in his srI bhAshya.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">srI yAmunAchArya quotes a slightly modified version of the same verse:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shashApa tA~njaTAbhasmakapAlavratadhAriNaH |bhaviShyatha trayIbAhyA vedakarmabahiShkRRitAH || kalau tadrUpiNassarve jaTAlaguDadhAriNaH |svachChandavrataveShAshcha mithyAli~NgadhArAstathA ||brahmashApAgninirdagdhA rudrabhaktA jaTAdharA ||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">[Rudra’s words: “He (Gautama) cursed those who kept the observances of matted hair, ashes, and skull: ‘be you outside the Veda and disqualified from Vedic rites. In the Kali Age all those who assume that appearance, wearing matted hair, laguDa stick, exhibiting arbitrary observances and carrying false signs (mithyA-linga), all these matted-hair-wearing devotees of Rudra will be burnt by the fire of Brahmana’s curse.’”]</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">teShAmanugrahArthAya kiMchichChAstraM pradIyatAm |yenAsmadvaMshajAH sarve varteyuH kalipIDitAH || 71.49||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: For the purpose of showing them mercy, give them a shAstra so that those born of this clan can redeem themselves from the harmful influence of kali yuga.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">These people are outside the vedic fold. Without guidance and being disposed towards tamO guNa, they could sway towards worse darShanas like charvAka, and bereft of morals, cause harm to themselves and others, thus falling deeper into samsAra. To prevent this, the rSis ask Siva to provide them with a shAstra which serves to regulate them and keep them in control. It is not the absolute truth, but something which if they follow, will be considered as the experience of the pApa karmas. This way, their pApa karmas will be diminished and they will eventually turn to sattva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evamabhyarthitastaistu purA.ahaM dvijasattamAH |vedakriyAsamAyuktAM kR^itavAnasmi saMhitAm || 71.50||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Thus asked by them, O best of brahmaNas, I produced a samhitA which was similar to, but not in harmony to actions stipulated by the Veda.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“samAyukta” – sama + ayukta – It is similar to, but not united or harmonious with the Vedakriyas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This samhitA created by Siva contained certain injunctions which bore a resemblance outwardly to the Veda, but was in fact not in harmony with the Veda. That is to say, this shAstra too appeared to advocate liberation as the ultimate goal and enjoined certain means to attain such liberation. However, the means as well as the nature of liberation are not in harmony with the actions enjoined by the Vedas. So, this shAstra is deceptive in nature.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">niHshvAsAkhyAM tatastasyAM lInA bAbhravyashANDilAH |alpAparAdhAchChrutvaiva gatA baiDAlikA bhavan || 71.51||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: This Samhita is called “nihshvAsa” or “that which draws in or absorbs” as the bAbhravya (kAma shAstra) and shAndila (bhakti shAstra) are absorbed in it. Just as it is heard indeed that little transgressions (make one) attain the state of being opposed to the path of Veda (eventually).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The last part is a comparison that just as small transgressions eventually lead one to become completely opposed to the path of the Veda (the text should be “vaiDAlika” - vaiDAri (enemy of the path of the veda). The idea is that smaller defective shAstrAs are lumped to create a great delusion that is the niHshvAsa shAstra. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This samhitA is called “niHshvAsa” because it absorbs the other isolated nAstika doctrines. This samhitA includes within itself certain doctrines propagated by bAbhravya and shAndilaH. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The bAbhravya is the kAma shAstra authored by a rSi of the same name.The author of the kAma sUtras, vAtsyAyaNa, acknowledges a “bAbhravya Agama” as a shAstra which was the basis of his work. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“shAndilya” here refers to the shAndilya bhakti sUtras. It cannot be taken as the shAndilya Samhita of the pAncharAtra because earlier, Rudra himself had declared the vedic authority of the pAncharAtra by stating that those in dvApara worship Hari through pAncharAtra. Neither is it the shAndilya vidyA of the chandOgya Upanishad as that is a vedic brahma-vidyA. In which case, it makes perfect sense that the bAbhravya, a kAma shAstra is absorbed into the shAstra created by Rudra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This niHshvAsa thus combines the injunction of bhakti in the shAndilya bhakti sUtras, with the practices enjoined in the kAmashAstra and the philosophy of the pAShupatAs. Different sects of the pAShupata draw on some or all of these teachings.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That aspects of the kAma shAstra are used by Saivas is very clear from the text known as “Thirumandiram” of thirUmUlar belonging to the Saiva siddhAntha tradition which enjoins “paryanka yoga” or sexual union as a means. Other tAntric paths like vAmachara emphasise on the kAma aspect even more.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In addition, Rudra incorporates the aspect of bhakti in this system from the shAndilya bhakti sUtras, which implies that devotional practices directed to Rudra are also present in this maTham. The idea is that different Saiva sects use some or all of these elements.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that each of these – the shAndilya, bAbhravya and pAShupata – do contain certain elements which may be vedic, but the bulk of it is unvedic and is lumped together in the niHshvAsa. The different sects of pAShupata practice certain aspects of the niHshvAsa samhita.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mayaiva mohitAste hi bhaviShyaM jAnatA dvijAH |laulyArthinastu shAstrANi kariShyanti kalau narAH || 71.52||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Deluded by me, O brahmaNa, these people with the purpose of rajas or passion will propagate (such) shAstras in the age of Kali.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The idea is that these shAstras are for people with rAjasa/tAmasa tendencies. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">niHshvAsasaMhitAyAM hi lakShamAtraM pramANataH |saiva pAshupatI dIkShA yogaH pAshupatastviha || 71.53||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The niHshvAsa samhitA with one lakh verses alone indeed gives the science of pAshupati dIksha for these pAshupatas. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“pAshupatas” – people who possess (pati) desire or anger (paShu).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It should be understood that this Samhita also includes the doctrine of the rAjasa/tAmasa purAnAs. As these were spoken by Brahma in rAjasa/tAmasa kalpas, they too contain meanings derived from or inclusive of niHshvAsa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">etasmAd vedamArgAddhi yadanyadiha jAyate |tat kShudrakarma vij~neyaM raudraM shauchavivarjitam || 71.54||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Therefore, these (shAstras) produced in this manner, which are other than (opposed to) the path of the Veda, that (shAstra) is to be known as (having the nature of) lowly act, related to desire or rajas which cause weeping or attachments (raudraM), devoid of purity.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“raudraM” – related to the cause of weeping or attachments in samsara which is desire.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ye rudramupajIvanti kalau vaiDAlikA narAH |laulyArthinaH svashAstrANi kariShyanti kalau narAH |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">uchChuShmarudrAste j~neyA nAhaM teShu vyavasthitaH || 71\.55||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Those people who sustain themselves on desire which causes weeping or attachment (Rudram) in kali are enemies of the path of the Veda. These people create their own shAstras (derived from the niHshvAsa) for the purpose of rajas or passion in Kali. They of manifest passion (rajas),abide in Rudra (myself), but it should be known that I am not situated with them (in that path). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The first “Rudram” signifies desire which causes weeping. In the last line, Rudra here clarifies that these people who possess rajO/tamO guNa do indeed resort to him, but he himself does not endorse that path. “uchChuShma” – manifest passion.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If he does not endorse this, why was he appointed by bhagavAn to spread these shAstras? This is explained below.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhairaveNa svarUpeNa devakArye yadA purA |nartitaM tu mayA so.ayaM saMbandhaH krUrakarmaNAm || kShayaM ninIShatA daityAnaTTahAso mayA kR^itaH |yaH purA tatra ye mahyaM patitA ashrubindavaH |asaMkhyAtAstu te raudrA bhavitAro mahItale || 71.(56-57)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: In ancient times, for the sake of the devas, I danced by (assuming) my terrible form and this (form of) mine became associated with or suited for difficult deeds. For the destruction of the Daityas who wished to rule, I laughed. Then, by my fallen tear-drops were raised innumerable fierce beings from the Earth.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra earlier said that while the people of rAjasic/tAmasic paths resorted to him, he himself did not endorse that path. That being the case, he now explains how he became associated with these people.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">uchChuShmaniratA raudrAH surAmAMsapriyAH sadA |strIlolAH pApakarmANaH saMbhUtA bhUtaleShu te || 71.58||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: They were born as beings diminutive (in intellect), highly fierce, fond of women, the flesh of devas, ever delighting in violence.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One needs to also understand the inner meaning of this incident. Rudra is the upAsaka. His dancing and laughing is the act of upAsaNa and experiences arising from it respectively. During this time however, the tear drops represent the attachments which are aroused even for the best of yOgIs. The various fierce creatures represent the indrIyas which enjoy sense objects. However, it is the historicity and literal meaning that is more relevant here.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">teShAM gautamashApAddhi bhaviShyantyanvaye dvijAH |teShAM madhye sadAchArA ye te machChAsane ratAH || svargaM chaivApavargaM cha iti vai saMshayAt purA |vaiDAlikA.adho yAsyanti mama saMtatidUShakAH ||prAg gautamAgninA dagdhAH punarmadvachanAd dvijAH |narakaM tu gamiShyanti nAtra kAryA vichAraNA || 71.(59-61)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: In the future, those brahmaNas cursed by Gautama will be born in that clan. Among them, those who conduct themselves well, devoted to my commands (in the pAShupata shAstra) will attain svargaM and also get pardon (from the curse) indeed,there is no doubt. Those of my clan, opposed to the path of the Veda, who transgress (this pAShupata doctrine) go down. Burnt by the curse of Gautama previously, and now by my words, they will go to hell. We need not doubt this.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra thus shows here why nArAyaNa specifically made him the propagator of the pAShupata shAstra and why these people resort to him. The ones cursed by Gautama were to be born outside the vedic fold. The clan of their birth would be the race of those daityas who were born from Rudra’s tears. Thus, Rudra has a responsibility over them, which is why nArAyaNa chose Rudra for propagating this shAstra. Since the sapta-rSis entreated with Gautama and obtained a concession on the curse, these people, being born of Rudra’s clan, would be inclined to this deva.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra then pronounces a curse himself. He says that of these depraved people, those who are atleast willing to conduct themselves to the pAShupata shAstra would attain higher worlds like svarga, kailasa, etc (“svarga” here can denote all lofty abodes other than sri vaikunta). And eventually, they will be freed of the curse and attain Hari bhakti. However, those who are even unwilling to follow this, such as the chArvakas, etc will attain worse gatIs, burnt by the curse of both Gautama and Rudra. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This shows that the pAShupata maTha has a relative value and is not absolute. And it also shows why Rudra, of all deities, is associated with the darShana consisting of kApAlika, kAlAmukha, Saiva and paShupata.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rudra uvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evaM mayA brahmasutAH proktA jagmuryathAgatam |gautamo.api svakaM gehaM jagAmAshu paraMtapaH || 71.62||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Rudra then said - After hearing my wods, the sons of Brahma left and Gautama too returned to his abode.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">etad vaH kathitaM viprA mayA dharmasya lakShaNam |etasmAd viparIto yaH sa pAShaNDarato bhavet || 71.63||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: What is told by me thus, O seer, is acquainted with dharma. He who is against this will be prone to indulge in impious activities.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">SECTION 6 – The method of worshipping nArAyaNa as the trimUrti-tattva</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shrIvarAha uvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sarvaj~naM sarvakarttAraM bhavaM rudraM purAtanam |praNamya prayato.agastyaH paprachCha parameshvaram || 72.1||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: ShrI varAha said - Agastya offered obeisance to Rudra, who is omniscient, the performer of all good deeds, who brings forth intellect (knowledge of vishNu), who is the prior offspring, ie, the jyEstha putra (of Brahma) and questioned Parameshvara (Rudra).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“virUpAkShAya brahmaNaH putrAya jyEshtAya srEshtAya” – says the ChAndogya brAhmaNa.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: red; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra is the oldest and most excellent son of Brahma, thus he is “purAtanam”. The sanatkumaras entered celibacy and hence are not counted here.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">agastya uvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhavAn brahmA cha viShNushcha trayametat trayI smRRitA |dIpo.agnirdopasaMyogaiH sarvashAstreShu sarvataH || 72.2||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: This trio of you, Brahma and also vishNu are declared in all the shAstras that illumine everything like the flame of a lamp, to constitute the three-fold (guNas – tamas, rajas and sattva)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vishNu is sattva, brahma is rajas and rudra is tamas. That is very well known in the shAstra. Even the tAmasa purAnAs like the linga purAna declare this truth.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kasmin pradhAno bhagavAn kAle kasminnadhokShajaH |brahmA vA etadAchakShva mama deva trilochana || 72.3||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Tell me O three-eyed god, predominantly at which time, are you (ie, nArAyaNa as your inner self of) your revered self, when are you (ie, nArAyaNa who is your indweller), srI mahA vishNu who is never diminished (adhokshajaH), when are you (ie, nArAyaNa who is your inner self) Brahma? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Agastyaunderstands that nArAyaNa alone is the indweller of all deities and is to be propitiated by sacrifice due to one-ness of the trinity. So, he now wants to know what the appropriate times are and circumstances when nArAyaNa should be worshipped as the indweller of brahma and rudra, and when should vishNu be worshipped in his own form.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Agastya is using the principle of sharIrAtma bhAva as follows. Remember that names which denote the body denote the self and vice-versa:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> “When are you Rudra?” means, “When is your inner self, nArAyaNa, you (ie, having you as his body), possessing tamO guNa (as the indweller)?” Here, the term “you” denotes vishNu having Rudra as his body and being the indweller.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“When are you Adhokshaja?” means, “When are you, (the innerself of Rudra, ie, nArAyaNa), adhokshaja, possessing sattva guNa?” Here, the term “you” denotes vishNu who is the innerself of Rudra. The term Adhokshaja also denotes vishNu who is part of the trimUrti. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“When are you Brahma?” means, “When are you (nArAyaNa, the inner self of Rudra), (the inner self of) Brahma, possessing rajO guNa?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that vishNu is referred to as “adhOkshaja”. This means one who does not diminish according to srI parAsara bhattar. The mahAbhArata has the following pramAna:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">adho na kshIyate jAtu yasmAt tasmAt adhokshajah - He is adhokshajah also because His vitality never diminishes, and He is not diminished by repeated births and deaths (mahAbhArata udyoga 4.69.10).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is to show that vishNu among the trimUrtIs is verily Parabrahman who is undiminished. Whereas, Brahma and Rudra are jIvAs subject to diminishment and by virtue of sharIrAtma bhAva, it can be said that vishNu, as the inner self of Brahma and Rudra, is subject to diminishment (meaning, Brahma and Rudra who are his body are diminished) whereas vishNu as himself is unchanged.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Agastya calls Rudra trilOchana as he knows the 3 vedas. Thus, he acknowledges that Rudra knows the truth.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra now proceeds to explain the nature of bhagavAn first.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rudra uvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">viShNureva paraM brahma tribhedamiha paThyate |vedasiddhAntamArgeShu tanna jAnanti mohatAH || 72.4||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Rudra said -vishNu alone is the Supreme Brahman and is mentioned to be differentiated threefold (as sattva, rajas and tamas – indweller of the other two and as himself). Those people who do not know the path advocated by the doctrine of the vedas are ignorant of this.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Firstly, to dispel any notions of trimUrti aikyatva, Rudra clarifies that vishNu alone is Parabrahman and he alone is worshipped everywhere at all times.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vishapraveshane dhAtustatra ShNu pratyayAdanu |viShNuryaH sarvadeveShu paramAtmA sanAtanaH || 72.5||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The root “vis” means to enter and from nominative singular suffix “ShNu”, we get vishNu. He is the Supreme Self of (superior to) all devas (as there is no-one superior to him), the most ancient or the One ever associated with a beautiful/suddha sattva form</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The name “vishNu” means the act of pervasion. The jIvas enter the Universe during sRshti. Since he is the inner self of all sentients and insentients who has them as his body, when the jIvas enter the Universe, he (having the jIvas as his body) is said to enter. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The idea is that he pervades everything that is his wealth according to the pramAna:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“vyApya sarvAn imAn lOkan sthithah kesava: tatasca vishNu nAmAsi viserdhAto: pravesanAt” ~ keSava exists everywhere and permeates everything that is His Wealth; He is unlimited by space, time, and substance; He pervades the whole universe internally and externally.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As he pervades all, everything is his wealth. Thus, he is the supreme self, superior to all devas as there is none superior with him. “sanAtanam” means ancient. Or, “sadA tanatvaM iti sanAtanam” – despite such pervasion, he is always associated with a beautiful body according to Bhattar.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra clarifies that vishNu pervades all and has everything as his wealth. Why? Because in succeeding slokas, he is going to use sAmAnAdhikaraNyam and sharIrAtma bhAva to explain when vishNu is worshipped as indweller of Brahma, himself, etc. So, this preliminary understanding is needed to comprehend that Brahma and Rudra are the property (vibhUti) of vishNu.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yo.ayaM viShNustu dashadhA kIrtyate chaikadhA dvijAH |sa Adityo mahAbhAga yogaishvaryasamanvitaH || 72.6||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: He who is this vishNu (all-pervading lord) is celebrated as having a ten-fold form (of the 10 indrIyas) and a one-fold form (of the mind), is the (inner self of the) Aditya or the jIvatma luminous like the sun, pure, possessing the wealth of auspicious attributes like apahatapApmatva, etc</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Aditya” refers to the individual self divested of prakrti. The pure self is knowledge-bliss and also has attributive knowledge or dharma-bhUta-jnAna which expands like radiance from a lamp. Thus, it is luminous like a sun and is called Aditya. The 10-fold form includes the 5 karmEndrIyas and 5 jnAnEndrIyas. The one-fold form is the mind which is the leader of the indrIyas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vishNu is Aditya, meaning, he is the inner self of Aditya or the individual self. Since the individual self has the indrIyas and mind as its form or body, vishNu, who is the inner self of the individual self, also has them as his forms. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is an application of sAmAnAdhikaraNyam. “yasya AtmA sarIraM” should be used to understand that “ahaM brahmAsmi” means “I am the body of Brahman”. All names denoting the self denote Brahman.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, Rudra hammers home the truth that vishNu alone is supreme and the indweller of the jIvatma, and hence is denoted by sharIrAtma bhAva. Now, he proceeds to explain when is bhagavAn worshipped as himself and when he is worshipped as the indweller of other devas (having understood this tattva).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sa devakAryANi sadA kurute parameshvaraH |manuShyabhAvamAshritya sa mAM stauti yuge yuge |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">lokamArgapravRRittyarthaM devakAryArthasiddhaye || 72.7||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Acting for the sake of the devas, that vishNu, the great ruler (paramEsvara), assuming the conduct or manner of manuShya, eulogises me (ie, my inner self) in every yuga for the purpose of showing the path of the Vedas and fulfilling the purpose of the acts carried out by the devas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Describing vishNu as the inner self of all, Rudra has clarified to Agastya that bhagavAn alone is all 3 devas by virtue of being the indweller. Now, he clarifies the mode of worship that is to be done, ie, how to offer worship to the indweller, nArAyaNa. He (Rudra) takes himself and the krishNa avatAra as the example as he is reminded of such an incident.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The name “paramEsvara” is purposely used by Rudra to show that vishNu has no ruler and is not subject to anyone – he is the supreme ruler.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This refers to the instances in krishNa avatAra where bhagavAn worshipped rudra. Here, by saying “mAm stauti” – “he eulogises me” – it is meant, “he eulogises my inner self, namely nArAyaNa”. That is to say, bhagavAn always worships himself only. Only this interpretation fits the context of the previous slOkas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vishNu performs such worship to show the way for the other devas. Rudra is entrusted with the task of protecting the devas and hence, by showing how to worship Rudra (ie, by worshipping himself as the inner self of Rudra), he shows the mode of worship to the devas. And only by worshipping the inner self of Rudra, are the aims of the acts carried out by devas like Rudra, Indra, Brahma, etc fulfilled.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This has been confirmed by krishNa himself in the shAnti parva as seen here (translation taken from the internet with slight modifications) - </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">asmin hi pUjyamAne vai devadeve maheshvare sampUjito bhavetpArtha devo nArAyaNaH prabhuH…ahamAtmA hi lokAnAM vishvAnAM pANDunandana tasmAdAtmAnamevAgre rudraM sampUjayAmyaham yadyahaM nArchayeyaM vai IshAnaM varadaM shivam AtmAnaM nArchayetkashchiditi me bhAvitaM manaH…mayA pramANaM hi kR^itaM lokaH samanuvartate pramAnAni hi pUjyAni tatastaM pUjayAmyaham…na hi viShNuH pranamati kasmai chidvibudhAya tu R^ita AtmAnameveti tato rudraM bhajAmyaham</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is nArAyaNa, who is well-known as Deva (Possessor of auspicious attributes worthy of worship), PrabhuH (Master of all and hence the only one fit to worship) IN Maheshwara, the Lord of the Devas (pArvati pati rudradeva, who is mahEshwara and devadeva only due to nArAyaNa’s grace), who is worshipped.O Son of Pandu, I am indeed the AtmA, the indweller of the Vedas (lokAnAm) and worlds (vishvAnAm). Therefore, I worship myself first when I supposedly worship Rudra. If I did not worship the inner Self of Rudra also called Ishana, Shiva, the bestower of boons, some would not worship me. This is my opinion.Whatever I follow and give due worth as a pramANa, the world followsthat. Such pramANAs have to be duly followed; therefore I follow them.Indeed Vishnu does not bow to any one and [even when He bows to [Himself], for what sake, but for the sake of showing the path to the wise. Therefore, it is the truth that I worship myself even when I worship Rudra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ahaM cha varadastasya dvApare dvApare dvija |ahaM cha taM sadA staumi shvetadvIpe kRRite yuge || 72.8||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: I (ie, my inner self) isalsohis boon giver every dvApara, O brahmaNa. And I worship him always in shvEtadvIpa in krita yuga.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This refers to KrishNa seeking a son from Rudra. Not only does bhagavAn worship the antaryAmin OF Rudra, but the actual boon giver is also the antaryAminThe term “ahaM” in the first line refers to the inner self of Rudra, namely vishNu, who is the actual boon giver. This is indicated by the usage of “cha”, meaning, not only is the antaryAmin the true object of worship, but is also the boon-giver.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> By sharIrAtma bhAva, “ahaM” denotes the antaryAmin only. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To eliminate the idea that the act of vishNu seeking a boon makes him inferior, Rudra had used the name “paramEsvara” to denote vishNu earlier. Now, he further reinforces it by saying – “I worship him always (sadA) in shvEtadvIpa in krita yuga”. This is to show that the act of boon giving does not make him superior to vishNu, but is itself a favor bestowed on Rudra by bhagavAn. The second “ahaM” only denotes Rudra as it makes no sense to use sAmAnAdhikaraNyam here. The second “cha” means “and”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, Rudra has clarified so far – 1) vishNu is worshipped as the indweller of Rudra during dvApara as in the case of krishNa worshipping the antaryAmin, 2) vishNu is worshipped directly in krita yuga in shvEtadvIpa, as Rudra himself does.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sRRiShTikAle chaturvaktraM staumi kAlo bhavAmi cha |brahmA devAsurA stauti mAM sadA tu kRRite yuge |li~NgamUrtiM cha mAM devA yajante bhogakA~NkShiNaH || sahastrashIrShakaM devaM manasA tu mumukShavaH |yajante yaM sa vishvAtmA devo nArAyaNaH svayam || 72.(9-10)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: At the time of creation, I worship the (inner self, nArAyaNa of) four-faced Brahma and become time or reckoner of others’ lives, ie, the duty of destruction. Brahma, the Devas and Asuras always eulogise me, ie, my inner self (nArAyaNa)in Krita yuga.The devAs (those of sAttvika svabhAva) who seek material enjoyments surrender to my form as the inseparable attribute (of nArAyaNa). Those who seek liberation reflect mentally, ie, meditate on the God who has a thousand heads (nArAyaNa), surrendering to that Self of the Universe, the Lord of Sri (Deva), Narayana himself.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, Rudra clarifies the following –</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vishNu is worshipped as the indweller of Brahma during creation.He cites the example of himself worshipping this indweller for attaining his position as the destroyer. Once again, he employs the sharIrAtma bhAva – by saying “staumi chaturmukha vaktraM” he means the antaryAmin of brahma, ie, nArAyaNa. As Brahma gave him names to cleanse him of his karmas according to the satapatha, and Brahma’s powers are derived from nArAyaNa, his antaryAmin, it makes sense that rudra worshipped nArAyaNa. “kAlaH” means the reckoner of the time of death – the act of taking away lives was entrusted to Rudra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra then says that the devas, brahma and asurAs who are desirous of material benefits such as swallowing poison to secure their safety, etc all surrender to Rudra as the inseparable attribute of nArAyaNa. This is a concept called pratIkOpAsaNa and employs the sharIrAtma bhAva, whereby the prayers go to indwelling nArAyaNa and the meditation involves rudra as his inseparable attribute by virtue of being his body. “lingamUrti” – Rudra’s form (mUrti) as a characteristic or attribute (linga) of nArAyaNa who is his indweller.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that 2) – worshipping Rudra as the inseparable attribute of nArAyaNa (lingamUrti) is different from worshipping nArAyaNa as the inner self of Rudra (As mentioned previously for dvApara yuga). Former is pratIkOpAsaNa, where nArAyaNa is worshipped, but the focus of meditation is on the jIvAtma or rudra who is his body. The latter is antaryAmin upAsaNa, where the indweller is directly visualized. We saw this in the bhAgavataM stuti for swallowing the poison during the churning of the ocean.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, for material benefits, nArAyaNa is worshipped through rudra. But what of those who desire liberation? Rudra clarifies that they directly reflect on nArAyaNa as “sahasrasIrshaM devaM” – the deva who is the inner self of all and surrender to him directly (indicated by “svayaM” in the slOka) by recognizing him alone as the inner self of the Universe (viSvAtma). They do not need to worship the antaryAmin in any manner, though it is not restricted for them if they want to.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“yajantE” means self-surrender, ie, offering oneself as sacrifice. It implies sharanAgati. Now, Rudra elaborates that the sharanAgatas are the best of those who worship nArAyaNa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">brahmayaj~nena ye nityaM yajante dvijasattamAH |te brahmANaM prINayanti vedo brahmA prakIrtitaH || 72.11||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: O best of dvijAs! Those who always surrender by the sacrifice known as dharma, ie, prapatti (brahmayajna), those knowers of Brahman please the Veda celebrated as brahma or endless.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The veda is endless. The object of the veda is to understand that nArAyaNa alone is to be worshipped as the indweller of agni, indra, vAyu, rudra and other deities. Those who therefore surrender to nArAyaNa alone, be it for material benefits or liberation, thus please the Vedas greatly.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“yajantE” means surrender. “nityaM” implies a steady fixation of mind on saranAgati. “brahmayajna” refers to sharanAgati. Because “brahma” means tapas as in the shruti statement “tapObrahma” and tapas includes within itself dharma. It is sharanAgati which is the highest dharma.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nArAyaNaH shivo viShNuH shaMkara puruShottamaH |etaistu nAmabhirbrahma paraM proktaM sanAtanam |taM cha chintAmayaM yogaM pravadanti manIShiNaH || 72.12||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The eternal Supreme Brahman, is described by the names of “nArAyaNa” (the person who is the abode of all nArAs or attributes), “shiva” (free of all blemishes) “visNuH” (who pervades all sentient and insentient things), “shaMkara” (who performs good acts for his devotees) and the Lord of baddhas, muktas and nityas (puruSottamaH), and those competent to meditate (manIshiNaH)call that (Parabrahman) as the means to liberation of the nature of reflection.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The usage of “proktaM” shows that this sloka does not equate Rudra and Narayana, but rather than names like shiva, vishNu, shaMkara, puruShOttamaH and nArAyaNa signify certain attributes. In this, the “na-kAra” makes nArAyaNa a proper noun and hence indicates a person well known by the name, who is none other than the Lord of Sri. Furthermore, the anvaya krama of the names suggest a continuity of meanings as follows which shows that they are only used as names of srI mahA vishNu:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That parabrahman is described as “nArAyaNa” who is mahA-vishNu, the Lord of Sri (due to the nAkAra being a proper noun) as he is full of auspicious attributes (nArAs). Not only does he have auspicious attributes, but he is free of blemishes and hence “shivaM”. srI rAmAnuja calls these the ubhayalinga – attributes of “akhilaheyapratyanIkatvaM” and “samasthakalyAna guNAtmakaM” in the srI bhAshya.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Being full of auspicious attributes and devoid of blemishes, he pervades all as their inner self without being affected by the defects of prakrti and is “vishNu”. As he is their inner self, they are his body and they are subservient to him. So, he has a natural affection for the jIvAs and does good acts for them, hence he is “shaMkara”. Thus doing such acts, he shows that he is puruSottama or the natural Lord of the baddha jIvas, mukta jIvAs and nitya sUrIs (SrI Bhattar says “puruSha” signifies his lordship over baddhas, “ut” signifies lordship over muktas and “–tamap” signifies lordship over nityas).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Those manana-shIlAs who are skilled in meditation reflect on this bhagavAn as the means (yoga) to liberation. “yoga” in the sahasranAma is interpreted as such by Bhattar. “chintAmayaM” – prapatti is a Chaitanya kAryam or mental act, so they reflect on him as the means.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pashUnAM shamanaM yaj~ne homakarma cha yadbhavet |tadomiti cha vikhyAtaM tatrAhaM saMvyavasthitaH || 72.13||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: That (Brahman) which becomes the sacrifice (of anger), the act of offering (self-surrender) and the (means to) control the senses (paShUnAM shamanaM), that is called as the praNava (Om), and there I (Rudra) am situated in bliss.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Since bhagavAn is the means to liberation, he is verily the means for the chEtana to cast off his anger which is sacrificed, the actual act of surrendering oneself and the control of the senses and feelings like ahaMkara. Prapatti is described as such a metaphorical sacrifice by the mahAnArAyaNa Upanishad. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“paShus” refer to the senses which are the cause of attachments.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That Being who is the means is denoted by the praNava. Shiva says that he is always meditating on this Brahman signified by the praNava in bliss.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">karmavedayujAM vipra brahmA viShNurmaheshvaraH |vayaM trayo.api mantrAdyA nAtra kAryA vichAraNA || 72.14||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: O Seer! We - Brahma, vishNu and mahEshvaraH – are three indeed, connected (by the sharIrAtma bhAva) with the karmas stipulated by the Veda, by the mantras. Do not consider it as otherwise.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The idea is that the three gods are different, but in the context of performing vedic karmas, brahma, rudra and vishNu are addressed as one in the sense of brahma and rudra being the body of vishNu, with the names addressing the inner self, namely, vishNu. “yujAM” implies a connection by the body-soul analogy; this is explained by srI rAmAnuja in the vedArtha sangraha.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is a summary of the entire discourse on sharIrAtma bhAva so far.The next three slOkas summarize this entire section.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ahaM viShNustathA vedA brahma karmANi chApyuta |etat trayaM tvekameva na pRRithag bhAvayet sudhIH || 72.15||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: I am vishNu, the knowledge (sesha-seshi bhAva) and also the acts of dharma (sharanAgati with its 5 angAs). These three are actually one and the wise do not see it as different.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Using sharIrAtma bhAva, rudra says – </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ahaM vishNu - he is (the body of) vishNu</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ahaM vedA - he (ie, his inner self, vishNu) is (has as his body) the knowledge of the servant-master relationship between the jivA and brahman.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ahaM brahma karmANi - he (ie, his inner self, vishNu) is (has as his body) the actual acts of dharma which is sharanAgati with the angas like AnukUlyasya sankalpa, etc. “brahma karmANi” – “brahma” means dharma as mentioned previously and refers to the means.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The idea is that vishNu is the deity to be propitiated, he is alone the bestower of knowledge (and not our self efforts) and he himself is the means to all ends. Thus, the wise do not see a difference in these three in that they do not think they earn anything by their self effort.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yo.anyathA bhAvayedetat pakShapAtena suvrata |sa yAti narakaM ghoraM rauravaM pApapUruShaH || 72.16||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: He who considers the tattvas as otherwise is a sinner and will attain the terrible hells like Raurava.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The idea is that the vedas should be followed with the correct knowledge of vishNu as the means and end. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ahaM brahmA cha viShNushcha RRigyajuH sAma eva cha |naitasmin bhedamasyAsti sarveShAM dvijasattama || 72.17||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: I am (ie, my inner self, vishNu) is (the self of) Brahma and I am (the body of) vishNu. I am (ie, my inner self) is (has as his body), the Rg, Yajus and Sama. In all these, there is no difference, O best of brahmaNas!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, only vishNu is worshipped in various forms. That is the idea.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“neha nAnAsti kincana” – the paramAtma who is the indweller in all is the same without distinction. Similarly, everything is equally the body of paramAtma. See no difference in this respect.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is the teaching of Rudra.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">SECTION 7 – The Tapas of Rudra and the boon given by Vishnu</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rudra uvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shrRRiNu chAnyad dvijashreShTha kautUhalasamanvitam |apUrvabhUtaM salile magnena munipuMgava || 73.1||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Rudra said - O dvijashreShtha, who are full of curiosity for the truth! Listen to another extraordinary event of my being immersed in water (for my tapas), best of munis! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">brahmANA.ahaM purA sRRiShTaH proktashcha sRRija vai prajAH |avij~nAnasamartho.ahaM nimagnaH salile dvija || 73.2||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: In ancient times, I was created by Brahma, who told me to beget offspring. Not possessing the knowledge (to do so), I immersed myself in water (for tapas), O Dvija!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This story is found in the bhAgavatam where Rudra is born and Brahma sends him off to do tapas for begetting offspring. The varAha purAna elaborates what type of tapas Rudra did now.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tatra yAvat kShaNaM chaikaM tiShThAmi parameshvaram |a~NguShThamAtraM puruShaM dhyAyan prayatamAnasaH || 73.3||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: There, as long as (in that state), with a pure mind abiding in paramEsvara (nArAyaNa) at every moment, I meditated on the puruSha, having the size of a thumb. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is the “anguShtamAtra vidyA” of the Upanishads.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tAvajjalAt samuttasthuH pralayAgnisamaprabhAH |puruShA dasha chaikashcha tApayantoMshubhirjalam || 73.4||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Then, I saw 10 puruShas and one (the chief), rising out of the water, with a radiance resembling the pralaya agni, also making the waters glow with heat</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mayA pRRiShTAH ke bhavanto jalAduttIrya tejasA |tApayanto jalaM chedaM kva vA yAsyatha saMshata || 73.5||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: I asked them who they were, who rose out of the water so resplendently and how did they make the waters foam so brilliantly with heat.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evamuktA mayA te tu nochuH kiMchana sattamAH |evameva gatAstUShNIM te narA dvijapuMgava || tatasteShAmanu mahApuruSho.atIvashobhanaH |sa tasmin meghasaMkAshaH puNDarIkanibhekShaNaH || tamahaM pRRiShTavAn kastvaM ke cheme puruShA gAtAH |kiM vA prayojanamiha kathyatAM puruSharShabha || 73.(6-8)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Thus spoken by me, those beings, full of heat, did not say anything whatsoever and left, O best of sattvikas. Then, of those beings (stayed), a mahApuruSa was extremely beautiful, with the appearance of a cloud, with lotus-eyes. I asked him – “Who are you and who are these beings who left? What is the purpose (of your visit) here, please explain, O bull amongst purushas! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">puruSha uvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ya ete vai gatAH pUrvaM puruShA dIptatejasaH |AdityAste tvaraM yAnti dhyAtA vai brahmaNA bhava || 73.9||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Meaning: Those resplendent puruShAs who left earlier, they are the "Adityas" who quickly attain the ones (plural) that are meditated by Brahma, Oh Bhava!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The puruShas were the indrIyas, which shine on account of illumining external objects and are hot due to attachments. They are called “AdityAs” since they are sun-like, as they make objects shine.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brahma, during shrShti, meditates on account of desire. The indrIyas attain the objects constituting the desire which are meditated upon by Brahma for the purpose of creation.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shiva is referred to as Bhava because brings forth knowledge of vishNu. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sRRiShTiM sRRijati vai brahmA tadarthaM yAntyamI narAH |pratipAlanAya tasyAstu sRRiShTerdeva na saMshayaH || 73.10||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Brahma indeed orchestrates the creation, and for that purpose these (amI) “narAs” (indrIyas) attain. It is for the protection of that creation, without doubt.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> “narAs” – that which is imperishable is “narA”. Aaccording to srI pillai lOkAchArya, anything that does not lose its nature or characteristic is called “imperishable” or “narA”. The indrIyas, when controlled from sense objects, nonetheless indulge in other things like experience of Brahman or the bliss of the individual self. So, they are always engaged in shining out external objects – be it sense objects, paramAtma, or our own bliss. Since they never lose this character, they are called “narAs”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now bhagavAn has explained who these puruShas were. The second question is who is that paramAtma who is the cause of creation? For it is known by Rudra that Brahma is not paramAtma, so the next line of questioning is about paramAtma, as seen below.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shambhuruvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhagavan kathaM jAnIShe mahApuruShasattama |bhaveti nAmnA tatsarvaM kathayasva paro hyaham || 73.11||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Shambhu (one who is immersed in the bliss of nArAyaNa) asked: O excellent mahApuruSha, how can that bhagavAn (who creates through Brahma) be known? Please tell me, who has the name of Bhava, that (state) of being superior to all (in knowledge).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“bhava” means that which brings forth. Rudra recognizes how the mahApuruSha called him “bhava” and stakes his claim that he is superior to all in knowledge, which makes him worthy to know about bhagavAn.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Of course, Rudra already knows who this paramAtma is – the question should be taken as – “what qualities and nature of paramAtma are to be meditated upon?”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(There is no incongruency that Rudra is referred to in the third person here as “shambhu uvAcha”. One must note that the original narrator of the Rudra Gita is varAha bhagavAn and the listener is bhU devi. So, varAha narrates the dialogue between bhadrAsva and other rishis, who in turn narrate the dialogue about Rudra and Agastya, and in this dialogue, Rudra narrates a dialog between himself and BhagavAn. Due to the multifaceted nature of this narration, it is to be presumed that it is varAha, the original narrator, who uses the third person for Rudra here, switching to it to highlight his qualities by names like “shambhu” etc. And in most cases, bhagavAn refers to himself in the third person, so no problems there).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evamuktastu rudreNa sa pumAn pratyabhAShata |ahaM nArAyaNo devo jalashAyI sanAtanaH || 73.12||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: When asked by Rudra thus, the person replied – “I am the effulgent god nArAyaNa, who is ancient, who reclines on the waters (of the milky ocean).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The previous description of paramAtma was a general one of him being the creator of all as in “janmAdyasya yatha”. As per chAga paShu nyAya, general terms are applied to a specific term and thus, bhagavAn describes himself immediately afterwards as nArAyaNa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He is to be meditated as nArAyaNa (refuge of all), the ancient, the effulgent lord of sri and who has his abode on the waters. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">divyaM chakShurbhavatu vai tava mAM pashya yatnataH |evamuktastadA tena yAvad pashyAmyahaM tu tam || 73.13||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: “Let there be divya chakSus for you to perceive me with effort (of your upAsaNa)”. Speaking thus, I saw him indeed then as far (as is possible).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is not possible to understand or cognize him fully. Arjuna too could not see the beginning or end of the viSvarUpa. His qualities are also infinite. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tAvada~NguShThamAtraM tu jvaladbhAskaratejasam |tamevAhaM prapashyAmi tasya nAbhau tu pa~Nkajam || 73.14||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: I see your form, the size of a thumb, effulgent with the radiance of a flame and a lotus in your navel. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">brahmANaM tatra pashyAmi AtmAnaM cha tada~NkataH |evaM dRRiShTvA mahAtmAnaM tato harShamupAgataH |taM stotuM dvijashArdUla matirme samajAyata || 73.15||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: I see Brahma there, myself and that which moves (the Universe). Seeing that, mahAtma (Rudra) became joyous/thrilled. Upon obtaining composure of his mind, he proceeded to praise that (paramAtma).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“tada~NkataH” – the Universe which moves in the sense that it is the place of transmigration. Or it can be said that all entities move towards him who is the supreme controller.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tasya mUrtau tu jAtAyAM saktotreNAnena suvrata |stuto mayA sa vishvAtmA tapasA smRRitakarmaNA || 73.16||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: That form of paramAtma,who is the Self of the Universe, brought forth by being engaged in sinless actions directed towards liberation, by auspicious conduct, was eulogized by me, by (virtue of) my penance, the performance of meditation or repeated remembrance. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Thus begins the stOtra. We will not elaborate much on this, just a brief translation is enough. Our translation is fully derived from the etymology given by Bhattar in the sahasranAma bhAshya.)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rudra uvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">namo.astvanantAya vishuddhachetasesarUparUpAya sahastrabAhave |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sahastrarashmipravarAya vedhasevishAladehAya vishuddhakarmiNe || 73.17||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rudra said: Salutations to the limitless as he pervades all (anantAya), to the One of pure intellect as he understands the sufferings of the jIvas (viSuddhachetasE), to the One having a beautiful form that alleviates their sufferings (sarUparUpA), to the One with thousands of hands to destroy their obstacles to enjoying him (sahasrabAhavE), to the One with thousands of excellent rays of light like the moon which delights his devotees scorched by samsara (sahasrarashmipravarA), to One who has the Vedas as his body (vedhasE), to the One with immense body as it is the resort of everything in the Universe (viShAladehAya), to the One of pure actions which serve as the means to attain him (viShuddhakarminE). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">samastavishvArtiharAya shambhavesahastrasUryAnilatigmatejase |samastavidyAvidhRRitAya chakriNesamastagIrvANanute sadA.anagha || 73.18||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: One who destroys all the sufferings of the Universe (samastavishvArtiharAya), One who provides bliss by the beauty of his form and hence destroys suffering (shambhavE), who has the effulgence of a thousand suns which scorches the enemies of his devotees(sahasrasUryAnila), whose resplendence destroys the darkness of beginningless ignorance of even the tAmasic ones (tigmatejasE), who possesses all forms of knowledge needed to release the jIvas from samsara (samastavidyAvidhRRita), who the supreme master of all (chakriN), who is worshipped by all speechof his devotees or the vedas (samastagIrvANanute), who is always sinless or unaffected by karma and hence different from the jIvas under his control (sadA anagha). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">anAdidevo.achyuta sheShashekharaprabho vibho bhUtapate maheshvara |marutpate sarvapate jagatpatebhuvaH pate bhuvanapate sadA namaH || 73\.19||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Salutations to the God who is not realized by many due to their ignorance (anAdideva), who never lets his devotees fall by enabling them to realize him as he comes quickly for them (achyuta), who is the crown of the “seshas” or jIvas who are his natural servants (sheShashekhara), who has the supreme power to attract those towards himself (prabhu), who pervades alland protects them thus (vibhu), who is the master of all Beings as he alone can protect(bhUtapatE), who is the Great Lord of even other gods like brahma, rudra, indra, etc and hence is the supreme protector (maheshvara), who is the lord of the mUktas and nityas who do not cry or experience puNya and pApa (mArutpati), who is thus the lord of all – baddhas, muktas and nityas (sarvapati), and hence the master of the Universe consisting of sentients as well as insentients (jagatpati), who is the support for his devotees who recognize their nature as his servants (bhuvaH – svayam eva bhUH), who is the leader for such devotees (pati), who is the lord of the supreme abode (bhuvanaH)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(This is a description of para-vAsudeva)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">jalesha nArAyaNa vishvashaMkarakShitIsha vishveshvara vishvalochana |shashA~NkasUryAchyuta vIra vishvagA -pratarkyamUrtte.amRRitamUrtiravyayaH || 73\.20||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The Lord of the waters of the milky ocean (jalEsha), srI mahA-vishNu who is the refuge of all nArAs (nArAyaNa), the Lord who does good things for the Universe staying in the milky abode for that purpose (vishvashaMkara), the ruler of the Earth or samsara (kShitIsha), who quickly reaches who resort to him to dispel their uneasiness that they are unqualified to attain him (viSvesvaraH – viSva + aS + varaT – viSva + IsvaraH), who is the eye of all those who resort to him (viSvalochana), who is the ornament or mark of the evil-minded who resort to other paths as Buddha, etc (shashAnka – SaSa – pluta gatau + ANka), who moves (in preference) to his devotees (sUryaH), who is unchanging as he never falls from his position of lordship unlike the other devas (achyuta), who changes everyone else while remaining unchanged himself (vIra), who goes to the world through avatArAs, etc (vishvaga), whose true nature is not known during his avatArAs by logic (apratarkyamUrti), whose forms during his avatArAs is nectar for his devotees (amRtamUrti), whose qualities and form never get exhausted and each experience of bhagavAn feels new every time (avyayaH)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(This summarizes the vyUha, vibhava and archa forms).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">jvaladhutAshArchiviruddhamaNDalaprapAhi nArAyaNa vishvatomukha |namo.astu devArttiharAmRRitAvyayaprapAhi mAM sharaNagataM sadAchyuta || 73\.21||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Who is considered as the all consuming gastric fire (jvaladhUtAshA), whose abode in the heart lotus is surrounded by flames (archiviruddhamaNDala) the protector as the indweller (prapAhi), who abides in all the nArAs as the indweller (nArAyaNa), who has faces in all directions as he pervades (viSvatOmukha). Salutations to the One who destroys the sins of the devotees who meditate(devArtihara), who is full of nectarine qualities that can be meditated upon (amRRita), who is unchanging or undiminished despite being the indweller of the jIvas with flesh, skin and bone (avyaya). Protect me, who surrenders to you, you who never ever let your devotees fall (achyuta).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(This is a description of the antaryAmin).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note – In the pAncharAtra, the number of forms is either 5 or 3. If taken as 5, it is para, vyUha, vibhava, antaryAmin and archa. If taken as 3, it is para, vyUha and vibhava (which includes antaryAmin and archa within itself). The latter count of 3 seems to have been followed here.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vaktrANyanekAni vibho tavAhaMpashyAmi madhyasthagataM purANam |brahmANamIshaM jagatAM prasUtiMnamo.astu tubhyaM tu pitAmahAya || 73\.22||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: I see your many faces, O Lord (vibho!) I also see the Ancient One (vishNu) who has become situated in the middle, Brahma, myself (Isha), and the creation of the universe (jagatAM prasUti). Salutations to you, Oh Grandsire!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is not a contradiction to see bhagavAn himself in the viShvarUpa since it shows all forms in existence. Rudra, in addition to Brahma and himself, also saw bhagavad avatAra vishNu’s rUpa. Even in the Gita, Arjuna saw all forms of bhagavAn in the viShvarUpa. Since nArAyaNa himself takes avatAra as vishNu, the phrase “purANaM” and “madhyastha gataM” has been used to show vishNu is non-different from the person displaying the viShvarUpa.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">saMsArachakrabhramaNairanekaiHkvachid bhavAn devavarAdideva |sanmArgibhirj~nAnavishuddhasattvai -rupAsyase kiM pralapAmyahaM tvAm || 73.23||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Who are you, O primordial god, supreme god, who are the samsara chakra that bewilders in many ways? How can I, being on the right path, with pure knowledge of the nature of sattva, speak of this nature of yours (fully)?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ekaM bhavantaM prakRRiteH parastAdyo vettyasau sarvavidAdiboddhA |guNA na teShu prasabhaM vibhedyAvishAlamUrtirhi susUkShmarUpaH || 73.24||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: You are the One, unique and matchless, beyond prakrti. Those who know this (nature of yours), know all that is to be known.In those (Beings as the indweller), your qualities are not divided perforce (as a result of pervasion, ie, there is no diversity). You are the One with the immense form that is the resort of all, of a nature that is difficult to comprehend. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“ekaM” – refers to his unique nature of having matchless auspicious attributes. As he is the inner self of all and everything is his body, it is said that by knowing him, everything (that is his body) is known.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nirvAkyo nirmano vigatendriyo.asikarmAbhavAnno vigataikakarmA |saMsAravAMstvaM hi na tAdRRisho.asipunaH kathaM devavarAsi vedyaH || 73.25||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Material: You are without (material) speech, without (material) mind, without (material) indrIyas, who is in the state of actions here (as the inner self of the jIvAtma), who is uniquely (by nature) devoid of karmas himself.You indeed are the cause of samsara and no other, but how are you, O best of gods, to be known (fully)?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mUrtAmUrtaM tvatulaM labhyate teparaM vapurdeva vishuddhabhAvaiH |saMsAravichChittikarairyajadbhi -rato.avasIyeta chaturbhujastvam || 73.26||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: They (the wise) comprehend you as having gross forms as your form (mUrta), having as your form those which are a-mUrtIs (air, earth, fire, etc), the incomparable, the Supreme unaffected by prakrti, the effulgent god who has a body (not made of karma), of a pure nature (of suddha sattva). You have four arms (which shows your urgency to save your devotees),are not under the control (of samsara, so you have the knowledge to save your devotees easily), cause the cessation of samsara upon self-surrender (you also have the power to save your devotees).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">paraM na jAnanti yato vapustedevAdayo.apyadbhutakAraNaM tat |ato.avatAroktatanuM purANa -</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mArAdhayeyuH kamalAsanAdyAH || 73.27||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: That body of yours, which is the cause of wonder and mercy for the devas, which is beyond prakrti, is not comprehended (fully). You descend in that form spoken of as ancient, but ever new. The mortals (SamsArIs) drink (experience) this (form) seated in the lotus of the heart</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">na te vapurvishvasRRigabjayoni-rekAntato veda mahAnubhAvaH |paraM tvahaM vedmi kaviM purANaMbhavantamAdyaM tapasA vishuddhaH || 73.28||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The mahAnubhAvas do not ultimately (fully) know without doubt,your form, which is the cause of the Universe that appears as a lotus. I know you as the Supreme, the omniscient and the ancient appearing as ever new. You are unparalleled, who are pure (ie, the means as you purify others) by virtue of your tapas (which is the knowledge to lead the jIvas out of samsara).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">padmAsano me janakaH prasiddha -shchaitat prasUtAvasakRRitpurANaiH |saMbodhyate nAtha na madvidho.api</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vidurbhavantaM tapasA vihInAH || 73.29||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Seated in the lotus of my heart, causing renown (by virtue of bestowing knowledge) and that (knowledge) causes the ancient (karmas) to be cut off and not abide (with me). Teach me, O Lord, as unlike my kind, who are deprived of knowledge, you are intelligent (cognizant of my suffering) by virtue of your tapas (knowledge that leads jIvas out of samsara) </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">brahmAdibhistatpravarairabodhyaMtvAM deva mUrkhAH svamanantanatyA |prabodhamichChanti na teShu buddhi -rudArakIrttiShvapi vedahInAH || 73.30||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Brahma and others are distinguished by knowledge of that (truth of you being the means to moksha)). The foolish (nAstikas) do not bow to you, O deva, regarding themselves as unlimited (independent). Those destitute of the (highest) knowledge imparted by the vedas, indeed have dimunitive luster or contracted dharma bhUta jnAna (attributive knowledge), with no desire of understanding (you) by the mind (through meditation).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">janmAntarairvedavidAM viveka -buddhirbhavennAtha tava prasAdAt |tvallabdhalAbhasya na mAnuShatvaMna devagandharvagatiH shivaM syAt || 73.31||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: By your grace, in a future birth, for those learned in the vedas, that discriminatory knowledge arises in their mind by your grace, O Lord! When you are attained, the conditions of man, deva, gandharva, etc are not considered auspicious positions.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tvaM viShNurUpo.asi bhavAn susUkShmaHsthUlo.asi chedaM kRRitakRRityatAyAH |sthUlaH susUkShmaH sulabho.asi devatvadvAhyavRRittyA narake patanti || 73\32||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: You are of the nature of pervading all and giving them existence, you are also the (indweller) of all these subtle and gross forms, by which you have accomplished all that is to be done, ie, you yourself are the means(as you are close/inseparable to them and can shower them mercy). You, O god who possesses vAtsalya guNa or affection (deva) are easily accessible as (the indweller of) the gross and the subtle. (Those) not fixed (meditating) on you (thus), carried away (by desire), fall into hell. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kimuchyate vA bhavati sthite.asminkhAtmyenduvahnyarkamahImarudbhiH |tattvaiH satoyaiH samarUpadhAri -NyAtmasvarUpe vitatasvabhAve || 73.33||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Who can speak (of your) becoming situated in this (as the indweller of), air, fire, moon, Earth shining (as the indweller of these) divested of blemishes (despite such pervasion)? You equally bear the form of the jIvAtma which is the sentient principle (tattva) and also the “waters” or the subtle indrIyas constituting the body which is insentient (satoyaiH), the essence of the individual self (Atma-svarUpa) with the attribute (svabhAva) of extended knowledge or dharma-bhUta-jnAna (vitatasvabhAvE)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">iti stutiM me bhagavannanantajuShasva bhaktasya visheShatashcha |sRRiShTiM sRRijasveti tavoditasyasarvaj~natAM dehi namo.astu viShNo || 73.34||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: This stuti of mine, O bhagavAn who are of infinite kalyAna guNams, is for the sake of those engaging in devotion. Salutations tovishNu, who is inseparable to his devotees by virtue of pervasion! Give me all that knowledge which arises from you during creation for begetting offspring.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">chaturmukho yo yadi koTivaktrobhavennaraH kvApi vishuddhachetAH |sa te guNAnAmayutairanekai -rvadet tadA devavara prasIda || 73\.35||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: If Brahma creates a being with crores of mouths (for praising the infinite auspicious attributes), with pure intellect, then he (may) be successful in describing your innumerable and manifold auspicious attributes, O best of gods (meaning, no-one is competent or has enough prowess to fully describe your attributes)!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">samAdhiyuktasya vishuddhabuddhe -stvadbhAvabhAvaikamano.anugasya |sadA hRRidistho.asi bhavAnnamastena sarvagasyAsti pRRithagvyavasthA || 73\.36||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: The pure mind, which is associated with sama, dama and other characteristics, with the state of concentrated mind follows, ie, accepts your nature (of being the means). Salutations to you who are always situated in the heart, who are not situated as distinct from (in terms of having them as your inseparable attribitues) all those who move (in samsara) </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">iti prakAshaM kRRitametadIshastavaM mayA sarvagataM vibuddhvA |saMsArachakrakramamANayuktyAbhItaM punIhyachyuta kevalatvam || 73\.37||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Thus was made revealed this praise of the Lord by me, who has knowledge (dharma bhUta jnAna) that is everywhere or extended. That fear of the nature (of being born in) the samsara chakra repeatedly is disassociated, ie, broken by Achyuta alone, the Lord who does not let his devotees slip.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shrIvarAha uvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">iti stutastadA devo rudreNAmitatejasA |uvAcha vAkyaM saMtuShTo meghagambhIraniHsvanaH || 73.38||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: SrI varAha bhagavAn said - Thus did Rudra, of great tejas, praise (bhagavAn), who being pleased, spoke the following words with a voice like a rumbling thunder-cloud. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">viShNuruvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">varaM varaya bhadraM te deva deva umApate |na bhedashchAvayordeva ekAvAvAmubhAvapi || 73.39||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: vishNu said - Do ask for a boon from me, O Lord of Devas, Consort of Uma, who are auspicious! There is no difference between us, O Deva, as we are both of the same condition (ie, My essential nature and yours are the same as you have paramAtma as your essence or antaryAmin, which is non-different from me)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Since Rudra had understood the tattva of oneness between himself and vishNu, which is the sharIrAtma bhAva and was the subject of the stuti, he was qualified to ask a boon from vishNu. It implies a natural affection bhagavAn has for the jIvas who constitute his body, so we have all the right to ask him anything, just as a child asks his parent, no matter how ineligible we actually may be.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rudra uvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">brahmaNA.ahaM niyuktastu prajAH sRRija iti prabho |tatra j~nAnaM prayachChasva trividhaM bhUtabhAvanam || 73\.40||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Rudra said - O Prabhu! I was instructed by Brahma to create offspring. Bestow me that knowledge for creation of the three categories of beings (the beings in different proportions of triguNas)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">viShNuruvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sarvaj~nastvaM na saMdeho j~nAnarAshiH sanAtanaH |devAnAM cha paraM pUjyaH sarvadA tvaM bhaviShyasi || 73.41||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: vishNu said - You will be omniscient, with no doubt (ie, clarity of knowledge), always having a form that is a mass of knowledge (effulgent body due to knowledge). You will also be higher than the (other) devas, worshipped all in the future. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evamuktaH punarvAkyamuvAchomApatirmudA |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">anyaM dehi varaM deva prasiddhaM sarvajantuShu||mUrto bhUtvA bhavAneva mAmArAdhaya keshava |mAM vahasva cha devesha varaM matto gRRihANa cha |yenAhaM sarvadevAnAM pUjyAt pUjyataro bhave || 73.(42-43)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: When he spoke thus, the consort of Uma spoke again, “Give me this boon, O deva, so I become eminent among all beings. By incarnating on Earth, Oh Keshava, worship me and get boons from me. From this, I will become worship-worthy to all the devas. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">viShNuruvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">devakAryAvatAreShu mAnuShatvamupAgataH |tvAmevArAdhayiShyAmi tvaM cha me varado bhava || 73.44||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: vishNu said - For the sake of the devas, I shall take avatArAs assuming the form of a manuShya (as srI krishNa). I will worship you alone, by which you shall become “varada” or the bestower of boons.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Even by this, it is meant that vishNu only worships the indweller of Rudra. This was clarified earlier in varAha purAna and also the sAnti parva of mahAbhArata).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yat tvayoktaM vahasveti devadeva umApate |so.ahaM vahAmi tvAM devaM megho bhUtvA shataM samAH || evamuktvA harirmeghaH svayaM bhUtvA maheshvaram |ujjahAra jalAt tasmAd vAkyaM chedamuvAcha ha || 73.(45-46)||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: “That which was asked by you, O Lord of Devas, Consort of Uma, that I shall offer you, who are radiant. I shall do so by becoming a cloud equal to a hundred clouds.” Having said thus, Hari himself became a cloud and lifted maheshvara from that water. Then, He (Hari) indeed spoke as below.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Literally, it means Hari became a cloud, lifted Rudra from the water in which he was doing his tapas. Metaphorically, it means Hari is the cloud who sprinkles the boons on everyone through the medium of Rudra (Who is the water drawn by the cloud). It signifies Rudra is his vibhUti in the act of giving boons to others.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ya ete dasha chaikashcha puruShAH prAkRRitAH prabho |te vairAjA mahIM yAtA AdityA iti saMj~nitAH || 73.47||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: These which are the 10 puruShas (indrIyas) and the chief (mind) were created before, Oh Lord! They, divested of desire, (perceiving) knowledge, went towards knowledge, thus are known by the name of “Adityas”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">BhagavAn now describes the 10 puruShas and their chief who were
initially enquired about by Rudra again. They are the indrIyas and the
mind. They did not respond to Rudra when he called them because they
were divested of rajas or desire and hence were turned inward; meaning,
they did not perceive external objects. They went towards knowledge of
the self or Brahman; thus, as the indrIyas are luminious on account of
their ability to shine out knowledge and the mind channels the luminous
intellect, these indrIyas and mind are called “AdityAs”.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">madaMsho dvAdasho yastu viShNunAmA mahItale |avatIrNo bhavantaM tu ArAdhayati shaMkara || 73.48||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: My aMSa, which is the 12</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, which is known by the name of “vishNu”, is upon the Earth or in the body. I shall take avatAra and worship you shaMkara (as you are the aMSa and I am the aMSi).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The 12</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Aditya is the jIvAtma which is luminous as it is knowledge-bliss by nature. It is called bhagavAn’s “aMSa” as it is his inseparable attribute by virtue of being his body. It is in the Earth or the body.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The jIvatma is called “vishNu” since it has all-pervasive attributive knowledge (dharma-bhUta-jnAna). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Or, since jIvas are identical in nature and present everywhere, the individual jIva is called “vishNu”. Actually, the class of jIvas in the singular term can be called “vishNu”, just as when we say “the rice is in the shed”, it implies a bunch of rice grains having identical characteristics.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bhagavAn then says – “I shall worship you, Shankara”. The meaning is – “I shall worship you, Shankara, because you are the 12</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 8px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, my aMSa, ie, my inseparable attribute as you are my body. So, it is not wrong for me to worship you, since by worshipping you, I shall worship the aMSi or the indweller of the aMSa which is myself”.That is the significance of mentioning aMSa-aMSI bhAva here.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evamuktvA svakAdaMshAt sRRiShTvAdityaM ghanaM tathA |nArAyaNaH shabdavachcha na vidmaH kva layaM gataH || 73.49||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: Thus was spoken by (bhagavAn) who created the jIvatma known as “AdityA” of (the nature of being) his own aMSha, that is dense or not easily comprehended. nArAyaNa, to whom (the jIvas) go during dissolution, is not known (fully) by the speech of the Vedas. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here, creation of the jIva implies it attaining a gross form, being the inseparable attribute of bhagavAn.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rudra uvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">evameSha harirdevaH sarvagaH sarvabhAvanaH |varado.abhUt purA mahyaM tenAhaM daivatairvaraH || 73.50||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: In this manner, this deva who is Hari, pervades all who are in all states or conditions (in samsAra) made me “varada” or the bestower of boons in ancient times, so that I became the most excellent of the devas.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nArAyaNAt paro devo na bhUto na bhaviShyati |etad rahasyaM vedAnAM purANAnAM cha sattama |mayA vaH kIrtitaM sarvaM yathA viShNurihejyate || 73.51||</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Meaning: There is no god superior to nArAyaNa in the past, present or future. This is the secret of the Vedas and purAnAs, O best of sAttvikas! All the fame which I possess comes indeed from vishNu!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">---</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This concludes our write-up. After this, there is not anything much of relevance here. srI varAha relates how Rudra describes the geography of the Universe to the rSis , which is not a matter of great importance for us. However, before Rudra begins that narration, bhagavAn uses several names like “purANapuruShaM” and “sanAtanam” for Rudra. So, to clarify the meaning of those names when attributed to Rudra, we have just commented on the first slOka of the next chapter where those names are described.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shrIvarAha uvAcha |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">punaste RRiShayaH sarve taM paprachChuH sanAtanam |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">rudraM purANapuruShaM shAshvataM dhruvamavyayam |</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vishvarUpamajaM shaMbhuM trinetraM shUlapANinam || 74.1||</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The rishis then all asked that god who is ancient on account of being
among the earliest sons of Brahma (sanAtanaM), cried on being born
(rudraM), who is the valorous one of old (purANapuruShaM), who is
constant in his meditation on vishNu (shAshvataM), who is steady or
fixed in such meditation (dhruvaM), who is not covered by ignorance or
incited by the senses (avyayaM), whose form is full, ie, who is fully
endowed with Atma-guNAs like sama,</span></span></b></span><wbr></wbr><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">dama, etc (viSvarUpaM), who is
the instigator of the mind towards Brahman (ajaM), who is the source of
bliss which is the knowledge of Brahman (shambhuM), who has 3 eyes
knowing the 3 Vedas (trinetraM), who bears the trident or death for the
effects of the triguNAs(shUlapANinaM).</span></span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
The names of Rudra highlight successively as to how he has attained success in upAsana:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“<b>sanAtanaM</b>” – He was born as the “jyEshta-putra” of Brahma and is thus quite ancient or old.<br />
<br />
“<b>rudraM</b>” – When he was born, he realized the karmic nature of his birth and cried. This shows he was a jnAni from birth.<br />
<br />
“<b>purANapuruShaM</b>” - The term “<b>puruSha</b>” means “sarva vIryasampanna”. He is
“<b>purANapuruSha</b>” as he is the valorous one since ancient times and his
deeds such as tripurAsura vadham,</span></span><br />
<div class="a3s aXjCH m161409bb7ae72da9" id=":2su">
<wbr></wbr><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">andhakAsura vadham, etc are all
well-known on account of that. So, he is involved in deeds that
help sAttvikas. Alternatively, it can mean “purANapuruShAtmaka” – One
whose innerself is thepurANa puruSha – nArAyaNa.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
“<b>shAshvataM</b>” – He performs valorous deeds on account of his constancy in
meditation on Vishnu. Alternatively, as he is “purANapuruShAtmaka”, he
realizes that and is ever constant in meditation on the Lord.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
“<b>dhruvaM</b>” – His constancy in meditation on Vishnu is due to the fact
that he is fixed on the Lord’s auspicious attributes without being
interrupted by desire for material objects.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
“<b>avyayaM</b>” – He does not have desire for material objects as he is not
covered by ignorance, ie, he has extended dharma-bhUta-jnAna, or because
he is not incited by the senses (na vIyatE itiavyayaM).</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
“<b>viSvarUpaM</b>” – He is not incited by the senses or his knowledge is not
covered since his form (rUpaM) is full (viSvaM), meaning, he is in the
condition of being characterized by all Atma-guNAslike samam, </span></span><wbr></wbr><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">dhamam, etc.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
“<b>ajaM</b>” – On account of all the above qualities, he is the instigator of
the minds of all towards Brahman. “aj-“ signifies movement.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
“<b>shambhuM</b>” – He instigates the minds of all towards Brahman by granting
them knowledge of Brahman. Thus, he is the cause or source of bliss
which is brahma-jnAna.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
“<b>trinetraM</b>” – He is the source of knowledge of Brahman as he has three eyes signifying that he knows the 3 Vedas.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />
“<b>shUlapANinaM</b>” – As he is conversant with the Vedas which
areapara-vidya, he knows their essence is “para-vidya” or upAsaNa.
Hence, he indulges in upAsaNa and thus bears the trident which is death
to the triguNAs, since upAsaNa destroys the effects of the triguNAs.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
In this manner, the qualities of Rudra are brought out.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That explains these names. After this, the rSiS question him about various dvIpas, lOkas, etc. So we conclude with this.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The object of this write-up is to show how sriman nArAyaNa alone is resorted to by all the devas, how rudra is a vibhUti of bhagavAn and how the pAShupata maTham is unvedic.</span></div>
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Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8685390517890816599.post-57323754089467999642012-04-17T12:34:00.000+05:302014-09-17T07:36:43.291+05:30Sarvajnatman's Sankshepa Shariraka – A lucid example of an ancient Advaitic Vaishnava work<script type="text/javascript">
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<h3>Choose your transliteration scheme for the Sanskrit portions:</h3>
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Introduction</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This write-up is based on an important advaitic philosophical work of the 9th/10th Century, by an author called "Sarvajnatman". The name of the work is "saN^kShepa shAriiraka". The purpose of these write-ups is to show that in addition to Shankara, ancient advaitins who were his close followers held Vishnu alone as supreme.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Dedication to Vishnu and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">"viShNoH paramaM padam"</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the very first verse of this work, Sarvajnatma Muni has written the following </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mangaLa shloka</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> :</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"अनृतजडविरोधिरूपं अन्तत्रयमलबन्धनदुःखताविरुद्धम् ॥</span><br/></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">अतिनिकटमविक्रियं मुरारेः परमपदं प्रणयादभिष्टवीमि ॥" (1.1)</span><br/><br/></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"<i><b>anṛta jaḍa virodhi rūpaṃ antatraya mala bandhana duḥkhatā viruddham ॥</i></b></span><br/></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><b>atinikaṭam avikriyaṃ murāreḥ paramapadaṃ praṇayād abhiṣṭavīmi ॥"</i></b> (1.1)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Translation:</b> “Out of reverence, I praise the Supreme State/Nature of the Slayer of the demon Mura (Lord Vishnu), opposed in nature to falsehood and the non-self-illuminating, opposed to in nature to (i) the threefold limitations (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">desha - </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">place, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kAla </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- time, and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vastu </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- physicality), (ii) impurity, (iii) bondage, and (iv) suffering, which is very near by virtue of being the individual self’s own true nature, and which is not subject to change.”</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And again, Sarvajnatma Muni praises Lord Vishnu in the very last verse:</span>
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<div class="dev" style="display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"भुजङ्गमाङ्गशायिने विहङ्गमाङ्गगामिने । तुरङ्गमाङ्गभेदिने नमो रथाङ्गपाणिने ॥"<br/></div>
<div class="rom" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><i>"bhujaṅgamāṅga śāyine vihaṅgamāṅga gāmine । turaṅgamāṅga bhedine namo rathāṅga pāṇine ॥"</i></b><br/></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Translation:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Salutation to the one who rests on the Serpent (Adisesha), has the bird (Garuda) as His vehicle, who killed the (demon Kesi who came in the form of a) horse, to the one who bears the (Sudarshana) Chakra.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Today’s advaitins try to discredit Lord Vishnu’s supremacy in the Vedas by saying that “viShNu” in “viShNoH paramaM padaM” has to be interpreted etymologically as “all-pervading Brahman” and not as the “Puranic deity”. Here are some examples from a public email discussion group on advaita:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“It is very common to refer to the state of moksha as "viShNoH paramam padam". The word viShNu here need not be taken as a reference to viShNu with form. Rather, it refers to the upaniShadic statements that having created the universe, brahman enters it. The verb root "viS" means to enter, and therefore Brahman is called viShNu.” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“For 'tad viShNoH paramam padam' of the Kathopanishad 1.3.9 Shankara has commented that it is the 'the superior-most abode of VishNu, the vyApanashIla, all-pervading Brahman, the paramAtman, called vAsudeva, in<br class="kix-line-break" />its TRUE sense, satattvam.' This qualifying word is crucial: the saguNa aspect is denied and the purified nirguNa Brahman alone is realized to be one's true nature. So, Shankara has desisted from giving any saguNa-meaning for the term VishNu here.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">However, one can easily see that sarvaj~nAtman is against this view. While he could have written “viShNoH paramaM padaM”, instead he writes “murAreH paramaM padaM” (supreme nature/state of the Slayer of the demon Mura) . Thus, according to ancient advaitins, “viShNuH” in “viShNoH paramaM padaM” only indicates the shankha-chakra-gadA-dhAri, the slayer of mura.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shri sarvaj~nAtman always relates liberation in advaita to the state/nature of the saguNa-brahman who is endowed with shuddha-sattva upAdhis. See elsewhere:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1.239 – "परमके विष्णोः पदे शाश्वते"</span><br/></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1.248 – "परमं विष्णोः पदम्"</span><br/></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1.265 – "भगवतो विष्णोः परमं पदम्"</span><br/></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1.266 – "परमं पदं मुरारेः"</span><br/></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3.55 – "हरेः परमं पदम्"</span><br/></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3.144 – "विष्णोः परं पदम्"</span><br/></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3.291 – "अनाद्यनन्तं महतः परं ध्रुवं निचायनीयं पदमीदृशं हरेः"</span><br/></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1.239 – <b><i>"paramake viṣṇoḥ pade śāśvate"</i></b></span><br/></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1.248 – <b><i>"paramaṃ viṣṇoḥ padam"</i></b></span><br/></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1.265 – <b><i>"bhagavato viṣṇoḥ paramaṃ padam"</i></b></span><br/></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1.266 – <b><i>"paramaṃ padaṃ murāreḥ"</i></b></span><br/></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3.55 – <b><i>"hareḥ paramaṃ padam"</i></b></span><br/></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3.144 – <b><i>"viṣṇoḥ paraṃ padam"</i></b></span><br/></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3.291 – <b><i>"anādy anantaṃ mahataḥ paraṃ dhruvaṃ nicāyanīyaṃ padam īdṛśaṃ hareḥ"</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">One has to note the usage of the terms “Vishnu”, “Hari”, “bhagavAn”, “murAri” all of which refers to the Supreme Deity of the Vaishnavas only.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Some modern advaitin/smArthas might still claim that "murAri", "hari" etc., just like "viShNu" can still be interpreted using "inner meaning" rather than directly to indicate nirguNa brahman. This is incorrect since:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(i) The commentators on this work, Ramatirtha, Madhusudana, and Nrsimhashrama unanimously agree that "murAri" refers to bhagavAn viShNu only. See for example Ramatirtha's commentary: "Shri Krishna, the one who slayed the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">asura </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">named 'mura' is called 'murAri', a famous name specified by all purANas. That this is Lord Vishnu Himself, who descended for the protection of the earth, is shown there itself.<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;"> (मुरनाम्नो असुरस्य हन्ता श्रीकृष्णो मुरारिरिति सर्वपुराणेषु प्रसिद्धम् । स च जगत्पालनाय कृतावतरे भगवान् विष्णुरेवेति च तत्रैव निर्णीतम् ।)</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>(muranāmno asurasya hantā śrīkṛṣṇo murāririti sarvapurāṇeṣu prasiddham । sa ca jagatpālanāya kṛtāvatare bhagavān viṣṇureveti ca tatraiva nirṇītam ।)</i></b></span".</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(ii) Nowhere has the granthakAra (author) used similar phrases related to devatAntaras, like "kailAsa padaM", "nandivAhanasya padaM", "shUlinaH padaM", "pashupateH padaM" etc, which one would expect if the author believed in hari-hara abheda vAda and in "inner meanings" to negate the saguNa mUrti aspect.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As we shall see soon in this series, the author and the commentator Nrsimhashrama specifically negate jagatkAraNatvaM (status of being the universal cause), aparicchinna-jnAna-aishvaryatvaM (status of being the possessor of unbounded knowledge and rulership) for Shiva (in the section on the refutation of kaNAda and pAshupata matas), and in the very next verse says that "according to our siddhAnta, it is the son of vasudeva, who is beyond speech, who is devoid of origin and end, is the cause of the universe which He created effortlessly like the act of breathing". Again, while the author could have used the word "vAsudeva" to describe parabrahman (in which case etymological meanings can be employed to avoid Lord Vishnu), the phrase chosen is "the son of vasudeva". In the verse after that, the author condemns the mAheshvara/shaiva doctrine that shUlabhRt (bearer of the trident) is the author of the Vedas. We shall see the shlokas and the detailed commentaries as we cover the material in proper order.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Enough to say this much to those hari-hara-abheda-vAdins who say "Vishnu, Murari, Hari etc. are not to be interpreted as popular deities in advaita".</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Ganga the river is Lord Vishnu's Sri Pada Tirtha</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">That
the river Ganga emanates from Lord Vishnu's feet and that Shiva wishes
to bear it, is an affirmation of the Supremacy of Vishnu. This is a fact
that Shaivas deny. Appayya Dikshita spells the Shaiva position out very clearly in "Brahma Tarka Stava", saying that there are two Gangas and the one that emanated from Vishnu's foot flow straight to the ocean, becoming useless to the world while the other Ganga originates from Shiva's head and benefits the earth by flowing through the north-eastern plains of the bhArata country.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As we will see now, ancient Advaitins rejected such Shaiva misreadings. Sarvajnatman himself has</span> the following </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shloka </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">in the same work where he has dedicates the text to the Lotus Feet of Lord Padmanabha. In this verse, the authors prays that his work should bear the dust of Lord Vishnu's feet, just like the river Ganga bears the dust of His Lotus Feet. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A confirmation of the Vaishnava faith of ancient advaitins:</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.25; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"अविरलपदपङ्क्तिः पद्मनाभस्य पुण्या</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>"avirala pada paṅktiḥ padmanābhasya puṇyā</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; ">चरणकमलधूलिग्राहिणी भारतीयम् ॥</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>caraṇa kamala dhūli grāhiṇī bhāratīyam ॥</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; ">घनतरमुपघातं श्रेयसः श्रोतृसङ्घात्</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>ghanataram upaghātaṃ śreyasaḥ śrotṛ saṅghāt</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">सुरसरिदिव सद्यो मार्ष्टु माङ्गल्यहेतुः ॥" (4.61)</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>surasaridiva sadyo mārṣṭu māṅgalya hetuḥ ॥"</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Translation:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> May this literary composition, which causes auspiciousness, dense with its arrangement of words, purified due to its association with the dust from Lord Padmanabha’s Lotus Feet, immediately wash away the affliction of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">saMsAra </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">from those who hear it, just like Ganga -- the river of the</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> devas</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, which bears the dust of Lord Padmanabha’s feet (gathered during His </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">trivikramAvatAra</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">).</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sarvajnatman's predecessor, Sureshvara brings out the supremacy of Vishnu very clearly in a similar verse in Naishkarmyasiddhi. <b>Note that in addition to stating that Ganga emanates from the foot of Lord Vishnu, Suresvara states that these waters are indeed the one borne by Shiva:</b></span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.25; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">विष्णोः पदानुगां यां निखिलभवनुदं शङ्करोऽवाप योगात्</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>viṣṇoḥ padānugāṃ yāṃ nikhila bhava nudaṃ śaṅkaro'vāpa yogāt</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">सर्वज्ञं ब्रह्मसंस्थं मुनिगणैः सहितं सम्यगभ्यर्च्य भक्त्या ।</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>sarvajñaṃ brahma saṃsthaṃ munigaṇaiḥ sahitaṃ samyag abhyarcya bhaktyā ।</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">विद्यां गङ्गामिवाहं प्रवरगुणनिधेः प्राप्य वेदान्तदीप्तां</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>vidyāṃ gaṅgām ivāhaṃ pravara guṇa nidheḥ prāpya vedānta dīptāṃ</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">कारुण्यात् तामवोचं जनिमृतिनिवहध्वस्तये दुःखितेभ्यः ॥</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>kāruṇyāt tām avocaṃ jani mṛti nivaha dhvastaye duḥkhitebhyaḥ ॥</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Naishkarmyasiddhi, 4.76) </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Translation:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The River Ganga, which flows from the (toe nail on the left) foot of Vishnu was </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">obtained</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> by Shankara (Lord Rudra) </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">through yogic effort</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Later Bhagiratha worshiped the all-knowing Rudra, who is surrounded by groups of sages, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">who is ever fixated on Brahman</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, with devotion to obtain the river for the salvation of the people of the earth. Similarly, I worshiped the one endowed with great qualities who is called Shankara, who is also all-knowing, surrounded by sannyasis, who is ever meditating on Brahman, who obtained the brahmavidyA that flows from Vishnu's feet, so that out of compassion I can disseminate that brahma-vidyA so that those who are in sorrow due to cycles of births and deaths, may rid themselves of the same.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Maheshvara, the possessor and controller of Maya is none but Vishnu</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A famous verse in the shvetAshvatara upaniShad (4.10) states that “one should know mAyA as the prakR^iti and maheshvara as the possessor of the mAyA”. When it comes to the identity of this "maheshvara", ancient advaitins are pretty clear. Take Sureshvaracharya as an example, who first gives the above mantra and the explanatory verse from the Gita consecutively to make its meaning clear, in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad Bhashya Varttika:</span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“मायां तु प्रकृतिं विद्यान्मायिनं तु महेश्वरम् ।</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>“māyāṃ tu prakṛtiṃ vidyānmāyinaṃ tu maheśvaram ।</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">इति वेदशिरःसूक्तिस्तथा चोद्घृष्यते स्फुटा ॥” (1.4.382)</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>iti vedaśiraḥsūktistathā codghṛṣyate sphuṭā ॥” (1.4.382)</i></b></span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम मायेति च स्मृतिः ।</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>“daivī hyeṣā guṇamayī mama māyeti ca smṛtiḥ ।</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">वैष्णवी खल्वियं मायेत्यपि लोकेऽपि गीयते ॥” (1.4.383)</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>vaiṣṇavī khalviyaṃ māyetyapi loke'pi gīyate ॥” (1.4.383)</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Translation: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The statement from the Vedas “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mAyAM tu prakR^itiM vidyAn mAyinaM tu maheshvaraM</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” is extremely clear. Also from the Smriti statement “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">daivI hyeShA guNamayI mama mAyA…</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">” (Gita 7.14), and from the popularity of mAyA being sung as “vaiShNavI” in the world.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sarvajnatman similarly states in the following verses from the controller:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2.166 –</span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;">"जडशक्तिमात्रवपुषा गगनश्वसनादिकार्यजननी भवति । पुरुषोत्तमस्य वशवर्तितया प्रकृतिः परस्य जगदेकगुरोः"</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>"jaḍaśaktimātra vapuṣā gagana śvasanādi kārya jananī bhavati । puruṣottamasya vaśavartitayā prakṛtiḥ parasya jagadeka guroḥ"</i></b></span> [Prakrti generates the effects </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">AkAsha, vAyu </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">etc. with its form as Jada-shakti , by being subject to the control of Purushottama, who is the Supreme and is the only Guru for the entire universe.]</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2.190 –</span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;">"जीवेशानजगद्विभागजननी शक्तिर्जडा वैष्णवी"</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>"jīveśāna-jagad vibhāga jananī śaktir jaḍā vaiṣṇavī"</i></b></span> [The Jada-shakti of Vishnu, which generates the difference between the individual soul, the ruler, and the universe.]</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3.108 – <span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;">"माया सर्वेश्वरेण हरिणा दृढमभ्यधायि" </span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>"māyā sarveśvareṇa hariṇā dṛḍhamabhyadhāyi" </i></b></span> [Mayashakti, strengthened by Hari, the Lord of all.]</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4.46 – Consider this verse:</span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"क्षरं प्रधानममृताक्षरं हरः</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>"kṣaraṃ pradhānamamṛtākṣaraṃ haraḥ</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">क्षरात्मानावीशते देव एकः ॥</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>kṣarātmānāvīśate deva ekaḥ ॥</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">तस्याभिध्यानाद्योजनात्तत्त्वभावाद्</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>tasyābhidhyānād yojanāt tattvabhāvād</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">भूयश्चान्ते विश्वमायनिवृत्तिः ॥"</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>bhūyaś cānte viśva māya nivṛttiḥ ॥"</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Even though the statement of the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shvetAshvatara upaniShad </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">bearing the word </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">hara</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> is illustrated, the commentator Shri Ramatirtha explains it in his work (</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">anvitArthaprakAshikA</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">) as follows: “the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pradhAna </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">called </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mAyA</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, which is subject to modification is called </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kShara, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">hara </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">is the one who governs it” <span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;">[प्रधानं मायाख्यं क्षरं विनाशि हरः तदधिष्ठाता ईश्वरः ।]</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>[pradhānaṃ māyākhyaṃ kṣaraṃ vināśi haraḥ tad adhiṣṭhātā īśvaraḥ ।]</i></b></span>**, thereby using the etymological meaning for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">hara</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> instead of interpreting the word as a name of Rudra/Siva. Moreover, the commentator proceeds further thus: “The one Lord, who is Pure, the Supreme Atman, rules the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kShara </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Atman, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">i.e., the object of enjoyment and the enjoyer <span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;">[एको देवः शुद्धः परमात्मा क्षरात्मनौ भोग्यभोक्तारावीशते नियमयति]</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>[eko devaḥ śuddhaḥ paramātmā kṣarātmanau bhogya bhoktārāv īśate niyamayati]</i></b></span>, thus explaining the words “</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">devaH ekaH” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">from the mantra. Further in addition to that, Ramatirtha quotes Bhagavad Gita 15.18, saying that the being known as "<i>puruShottama</i>" in this verse is the controller of <i>mAyA</i> spoken of in the aforementioned <i>shvetAshvatara</i> text:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;">"यस्मात्क्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः । अतो अस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः" (भ। गी। 15.18) इति स्मृत्युक्तः पुरुषोत्तम एको देवो यः क्षरात्मानावीशते...</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>"yasmātkṣaramatīto'hamakṣarādapi cottamaḥ । ato asmi loke vede ca prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ"</i></b> (BG 15.18)<b><i> iti smṛtyuktaḥ puruṣottama eko devo yaḥ kṣarātmānāvīśate... </i></b></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">From this explanation, it can be seen that there were at least a few advaitins who agreed that “bhagavAn shrIman nArAyaNa who is called ‘Purushottama’ in the Vedas and Itihasa/Puranas, is the one who is declared as the Supreme One in </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">shvetAshvatara </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and other Upanishads, and not Parvatipati Rudra”.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**ATTENTION: It is important to note that this meaning is not accepted in Srivaishnavism. Rangaramanuja and Vedanta Desika interpret “hara” as the jeevAtmA, the enjoyer of prakR^iti. The paramAtma is only described by the words “Ishate ekaH devaH”.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Bhagavad-avataras are not subject to karma:</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Modern-day advaitins do not understand this point properly. They quote randomly to arrive at non-Vedic conclusions. There is a variety of statements that they make, and I make no attempt to list them here or refute them point-by-point. Let us just take a look at what our ancient advaitic author had to say here:</span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"स्वेच्छाविनिर्मितवपुर्भजतोऽपि तस्य</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>"svecchā vinirmita vapur bhajato'pi tasya</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">नाज्ञानिताऽवगतिरस्ति वशित्वहेतोः ।</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>nājñānitā'vagatirasti vaśitvahetoḥ ।</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">वश्यत्वहेतुकमिदं स्फुरणं नराणां</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>vaśyatva hetukam idaṃ sphuraṇaṃ narāṇāṃ</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">नाहं विजान इति नास्ति तदीश्वरस्य ॥" (२.१८१)</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>nāhaṃ vijāna iti nāsti tad īśvarasya ॥ (2.181)"</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Translation: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Even when He takes up a form out of His own will/at the request of His devotees, the condition of omniscience is not compromised. For He is the controller of all. He does not possess the quality of ignorance/avidyA as seen in men who are in bondage.</span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"सङ्कल्पपूर्वकं अभूद्रघुनन्दनस्य</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>"saṅkalpapūrvakaṃ abhūdraghunandanasya</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">नाहं विजान इति कं चन कालमेतत् ॥</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>nāhaṃ vijāna iti kaṃ cana kālametat ॥</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ब्रह्मोपदेशमुपलभ्य निमित्तमात्रं</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>brahmopadeśam upalabhya nimittamātraṃ</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">तच्चोत्ससर्ज स कृते सति देवकार्ये॥" (२.१८२) </span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>taccotsasarja sa kṛte sati devakārye॥" (2.182)</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Translation: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Once, Raghunandana (descendant of the raghu dynasty i.e., Rama), did display the condition of “ignorance”, out of His own volition, resolve, and free will (unlike a jIva). Brahma’s advice to Him (that He was indeed Parabrahman Vishnu/Narayana) was just a mere instrument. Taking up and giving up that resolution were executed by none but Him, for the benefit of the devas (i.e., to take a human form to kill Ravana).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Lord Krishna, and not Shiva, is the one declared as the Supreme in the Vedas:</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Towards the end of the 3</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">rd</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> adhyAya of this work, there is a refutation of the doctrine of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kaNAda </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">mAheshvaras. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shri Nrsimhashrama Saraswati’s commentary deserves great notice here.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">First, the context: According to the philosophy of </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kaNAda </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and other </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">vaisheShikas</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, who do not believe in the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">apauruSheyatva</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> of the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">veda</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, the connection between words and the sense conveyed by them have been constructed by Lord Siva, whom they claim can be inferred from perception and inference. This is disregarded by Sarvajnatman as un-Vedic. The author says that according to the Vedas, it is instead Lord Krishna, who is declared in the Vedas as the Supreme, is the one who created the universe effortlessly.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that if ancient advaitins such as Sarvajnatman were hari-hara-abheda vAdins, they would be quite less inclined to switch to Lord Krishna in the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">siddhAnta </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">portion when the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pUrvapakSha </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">talks about Lord Shiva.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3.263-264</span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"पदपदार्थपरस्परसङ्गतिं</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>"pada padārtha paraspara saṅgatiṃ</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">निरमिमीत ततो न जगद्गुरुः॥</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>niramimīta tato na jagadguruḥ॥</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">मतिमतां प्रवरो वृषभध्वजः</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>matimatāṃ pravaro vṛṣabhadhvajaḥ</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">कणभुगादिमुनिप्रवरः प्रभुः॥</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>kaṇabhugādi munipravaraḥ prabhuḥ॥</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">न तु (*) धरादिजगद्रचनाबला-</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>na tu (*) dharādijagadracanābalā-</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">दनुमितोऽनवखण्डितशक्तिकः ॥२६३॥"</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>danumito'navakhaṇḍitaśaktikaḥ ॥263॥"</i></b></span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"अपि तु वैदिकवाङ्मनसातिगा</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>"api tu vaidika vāṅmanasātigā</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">नुदितलुप्तचिदेकरसात् प्रभोः ॥</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>(a)nudita lupta cidekarasāt prabhoḥ ॥</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">अभवदानकदुन्दुभिनन्दना-</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>abhavad ānakadundubhi nandanā(t)</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">दमतिपूर्वमिदं सकलं जगत् ॥२६४॥"</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>amatipūrvam idaṃ sakalaṃ jagat ॥264॥"</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(*)<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;">‘ननु’</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>‘nanu’</i></b></span> as per the recension of Ramatirtha and Madhusudana, implying an objection from the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">pUrvapakSha</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. In Nrsimhashrama’s recension, it is <span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;">‘न तु’</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>‘na tu’</i></b></span>, implying an emphatic statement from the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">uttarapakSha</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Nrsimhashrama expands the first of the above two verses as follows in his commentary </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">‘tattvabodhini’</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> :</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“The Lord of sages such as </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">kaNAda </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">akShapAda</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, who is inferred as the Lord by virtue of creatorship of earth and the rest of the universe according to their philosophy, who bears the bull as his flag, who is called <b>Shankara (i.e., Shiva/Rudra), is excellent in his knowledge compared to us and in our opinion. However, he does not possess unbounded prowess, rulership, or knowledge.</b> Hence, he cannot have established the connection between the words of the Veda and the sense/object conveyed by the words. The Purvapakshin replies as follows: ‘Then, as per your </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">siddhAnta</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, by what reasoon is the omniscient Lord proven, and how does the connection between names and forms come from Him?’ The answer is that we only conclude all these things from the statements of the shruti, such as ‘</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">yaH sarvaj~naH sarvavit</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">’ and ‘</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">satyaM j~nAnaM anantaM’”</span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">[कणभुगादिमुनिप्रवरप्रभुः – कणादाक्षपादमुनिश्रेष्टानां स्वामी धरादिजगद्रचनाबलादनुमितः पृथिव्यादिजगन्निर्माणलक्षणकार्यबलादनुमितः (कणादमते इति उपधातव्यः) वृषभध्वजः शङ्करः यतो मतिमतां प्रवरः बुद्धिमतामस्मदादीनां श्रेष्टः अस्मदाद्यपेक्षयाऽधिकज्ञानवान् न तु अनवखण्डितशक्तिकः न त्वपरिच्छिन्नज्ञानैश्वर्यशक्तिकः ततः पदपदार्थपरस्परसङ्गतिः पदानि घटादिशब्दाः पदार्थाः घटादयः परस्परसङ्गतिः पदपदार्थयोरन्योन्यं वाच्यवाचकभावसम्बन्धः पदपदार्थसङ्केतान्न निरमिमीत बुद्धिपूर्वान्निर्मितवानित्यर्थः । तर्हि भवन्मते वा सर्वज्ञ ईश्वरः केन सिद्धः कथं वा तस्मान्नामरूपतत्सम्बन्धाः संभूता इत्याशङ्क्य यः सर्वज्ञः सर्ववित् सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तमित्यादिश्रुत्यैव सिद्धः ॥]</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>[kaṇabhugādi munipravaraprabhuḥ – kaṇāda akṣapāda muni-śreṣṭānāṃ svāmī dharādi-jagad-racanā balād-anumitaḥ pṛthivyādi-jagannirmāṇa-lakṣaṇa-kārya-balād-anumitaḥ (kaṇādamate iti upadhātavyaḥ) vṛṣabhadhvajaḥ śaṅkaraḥ yato matimatāṃ pravaraḥ buddhimatām-asmadādīnāṃ śreṣṭaḥ asmadādy-apekṣayā'dhikajñānavān na tu anavakhaṇḍita-śaktikaḥ na tv-aparicchinna-jñāna-aiśvarya-śaktikaḥ tataḥ pada-padārtha-paraspara-saṅgatiḥ padāni ghaṭādi-śabdāḥ padārthāḥ ghaṭādayaḥ paraspara-saṅgatiḥ pada-padārthayor-anyonyaṃ vācya-vācaka-bhāva-sambandhaḥ pada-padārtha-saṅketān-na niramimīta buddhipūrvān-nirmitavān ityarthaḥ । tarhi bhavanmate vā sarvajña īśvaraḥ kena siddhaḥ kathaṃ vā tasmān-nāma-rūpa-tatsambandhāḥ saṃbhūtā ityāśaṅkya yaḥ sarvajñaḥ sarvavit satyaṃ jñānam-anantam-ityādi-śrutyaiva siddhaḥ ॥]</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The commentary for the next verse runs thus:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“‘That which is unreachable by words or the mind, by virtue of the statement </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">‘yato vAco nivartante’</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, that which is devoid of origin and end, which is Pure Consciousness in essence, the Lord, who was doted upon as his own son by </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Anakadundubhi </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(vasudeva), Lord Krishna Himself. From this Lord Krishna, this universe proceeds effortlessly, as if it were his breath. In your religion, the conclusion that the connection between words and their sense is established by the Lord is conditional upon the premise that the Lord can be inferred. However, we hold that the word-sense connection is </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">apauruSheya</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.’ - This is the meaning. In this verse, the author (Sarvajnatman) also displays the greatness of his Vishnu-bhakti.”</span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">[सत्यज्ञानमनन्तमित्यादिना वेदेन लक्षणवृत्त्या गम्यो वैदिकः तत्र हेतुः – वाङ्मनसातिग इति । वाङ्मनसे अतिक्रान्तः यतो वाच इतिश्रुतेः अनुदितलुप्तचिदेकरसः उत्पत्तिविनाशरहितचैतन्यैकस्वरूपः सत्यादि वाक्यलक्ष्यवाङ्मनसागोचरानुदितानस्तमित बोधस्वरूपादित्यर्थः । आनकदुन्दुभिनन्दनाद्वसुदेवेन पुत्रतेत्वेनाभिमन्यमानात् श्रीकृष्णादित्यर्थः । अनेन स्वस्य विष्णुभक्त्याधिक्यं द्योतितम् । अमतिपूर्वमबुद्धिपूर्वं निश्वासवदनायासेनेत्यर्थः । इदं परिदृश्यमानं सकलं नामरूपकर्मात्मकमित्यर्थः । तथा च भवदभिमतेश्वरस्य अनुमानादसिद्धेः तत्सिद्धिं विना च सङ्केतस्य तत्कृतत्वासिद्धेर्न शब्दार्थसम्बन्धः पौरुषेय इति भावः ॥]</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>[satyajñānam anantam ityādinā vedena lakṣaṇa-vṛttyā gamyo vaidikaḥ tatra hetuḥ – vāṅmanasātiga iti । vāṅmanase atikrāntaḥ yato vāca iti śruteḥ anudita lupta cideka rasaḥ utpatti vināśa rahita caitanyaika svarūpaḥ satyādi vākya lakṣya vāṅmanasāgocarānuditānastamita bodha svarūpād ityarthaḥ । ānakadundubhinandanād vasudevena putratetvena abhimanyamānāt śrī kṛṣṇād ityarthaḥ । anena svasya viṣṇubhakty ādhikyaṃ dyotitam । amatipūrvam abuddhipūrvaṃ niśvāsavad anāyāsenety arthaḥ । idaṃ paridṛśyamānaṃ sakalaṃ nāma-rūpa-karmātmakam ityarthaḥ । tathā ca bhavadabhimateśvarasya anumānād asiddheḥ tatsiddhiṃ vinā ca saṅketasya tat kṛtatvāsiddher na śabdārtha sambandhaḥ pauruṣeya iti bhāvaḥ ॥]</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note especially the following words of Nrsimhasrama: "</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Shankara
(i.e., Shiva/Rudra), is excellent in his knowledge compared to us and
in our opinion. However, he does not possess unbounded prowess,
rulership, or knowledge.</b></span>" There can not be a more direct statement from an Advaitin supporting the position of Vaishnavas regarding Rudra.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note
also that even though the author Sarvajnatman calls Shiva as <span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;">“जगद्गुरुः” </span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>“jagadguruḥ”</i></b></span>in 3.263.
However, this does not imply any supremacy, but only says that Shiva
imparts knowledge as agreed by all Vaishnavas. In fact, looking at the
whole text from another angle, this description may even show that
Vishnu is superior to Shiva: While the author says that Lord Vishnu too
is a Guru elsewhere, he always employs the superlative degree unlike in
the case of Shiva. For example -- <span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;">“जगदेकगुरुः”</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>“jagadekaguruḥ”</i></b></span>(2.166), <span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;">“जगदेकहितः”</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>“jagadekahitaḥ”</i></b></span>
(3.353), <span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;">“अशेषगुरुः”</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>“aśeṣaguruḥ”</i></b></span>(3.351) etc.</div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The following verse in the same section asserts the same message again:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3.272 – <span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;">"विश्वं विष्णोरुत्थितं नामरूपं निःश्वासादिप्रख्यमित्याह वेदः॥"</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>"viśvaṃ viṣṇor utthitaṃ nāma-rūpaṃ niḥśvāsādi-prakhyam-ity-āha vedaḥ॥"</i></b></span> [The Veda says that the universe emanates like breath from Vishnu.]</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3.290 – Consider this verse:</span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"सर्वद्वैतविवर्जितं विगलितध्वान्तं शिवं शाश्वतम् ॥</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small; "><b><i>"sarva-dvaita-vivarjitaṃ vigalita-dhvāntaṃ śivaṃ śāśvatam ॥</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">प्रत्यग्रूपमरूपगन्धरसकं तच्छब्दवाच्ये स्थितं</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>pratyag-rūpam-arūpa-gandha-rasakaṃ tac-chabda-vācye sthitaṃ</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">वाक्यार्थान्वयि लक्षितं भगवतो विष्णोः पदं गृह्यताम् ॥"</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>vākyārthānvayi lakṣitaṃ bhagavato viṣṇoḥ padaṃ gṛhyatām ॥"</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In the above verse, though the adjective </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“shivaM shAshvataM”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> is employed in the beginning, the object of this description is later declared as: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“the State/Nature of bhagavAn viShNu”. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hence, it is very clear that the author considers descriptions such as </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“shivaM advaitaM caturthaM” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">found in the Upanishads as having to do with Bhagavan Vishnu only. The commentators on this verse also explain </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“shiva” </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">as auspicious.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Gurubhakti, Vighnopashanti, Sankalpa, Upasana, and Sattvika Tyaga</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1.9-1.10 – In these two verses, Sarvajnatman says that because of his gurubhakti and his/his guru’s nArAyaNa-bhakti, all obstacles to the start composition of this work have been removed:</span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">गुरुचरणसरोजसन्निधानादपि वयमस्य गुणैकलेशभाजः ।</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>guru-caraṇa-saroja-sannidhānād-api vayam-asya guṇaika-leśa-bhājaḥ ।</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">अपि महति जलार्णवे निमग्नाः सलिलमुपाददते मितं हि मीनाः ॥</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>api mahati jalārṇave nimagnāḥ salilam-upādadate mitaṃ hi mīnāḥ ॥</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Translation: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We possess a tiny bit of our guru’s good qualities, because of our proximity to his feet. Why, even fish that swim in the ocean receive a little bit of water on their body.</span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">शक्तो गुरोश्चरणयोर्निकटे निवासात् नारायणस्मरणतश्च निरन्तरायः ।</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>śakto guroś-caraṇayor-nikaṭe nivāsāt nārāyaṇa-smaraṇataś-ca nirantarāyaḥ ।</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">शारीरकार्थविषयावगतिप्रधानं संक्षेपतः प्रकरणं करवाणि हृष्यन् ॥</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>śārīrakārtha-viṣayāvagati-pradhānaṃ saṃkṣepataḥ prakaraṇaṃ karavāṇi hṛṣyan ॥</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Translation: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The absence of obstacles (to my composition) were possible because of living very close to my Guru’s feet, and because of his/my meditation on Lord Narayana. Hence, with excitement, let me compose this short minor work on the meaning of shArIraka mImAmsa shAstra (i.e., Brahma Sutras).</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here, the commentator Ramatirtha shows two shlokas from Smriti:</span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">तथा नारायणस्मरणतो निरन्तरायो निर्विघ्नश्चास्मीति योजना । तथा च स्मृतिः –</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>tathā nārāyaṇa-smaraṇato nirantarāyo nirvighnaś-cāsmīti yojanā । tathā ca smṛtiḥ –</i></b></span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“सर्वदा सर्वकार्येषु नास्ति तेषाममङ्गलम् ।</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>“sarvadā sarvakāryeṣu nāsti teṣām amaṅgalam ।</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">येषां हृदिस्थो भगवान् मङ्गलायतनो हरिः ॥</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>yeṣāṃ hṛdistho bhagavān maṅgalāyatano hariḥ ॥</i></b></span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">लाभस्तेषां जयस्तेषां कुतस्तेषां पराजितः ।</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>lābhas teṣāṃ jayas teṣāṃ kutas teṣāṃ parājitaḥ ।</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">येषाम् इन्दीवरश्यामो हृदयस्थो जनार्दनः ॥”</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>yeṣām indīvara-śyāmo hṛdayastho janārdanaḥ ॥”</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>[Meaning:</b> Always, in every undertaking, there is no bad luck to those in whose heart Lord Hari, the bringer of luck, is ever present. To such persons profit and victory is always ensured. To them, in </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">whose hearts are residences of dark-blue-hued Lord Janardana, </span> how can there ever be defeat at anyone's hands?<b>]</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b> </b> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">[Aside: These two shlokas are found in the appendix to shAntiparva (supplementary passages) in the BORI critical edition of Mahabharata.]</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note here that Sarvajnatman says vighnopashAnti was achieved by meditation on Lord Vishnu, showing the sarva-phala-pradatvaM of Vishnu including vighnopashAnti.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In fact, there is no specification in any shAstra that only Ganesha is to be primarily worshiped for vighnopashAnti. In fact as per the lakShaNas mentioned in alankAra-shAstra and other ancient treatises, it is only recommended that any literary undertaking be commenced with a praise on one’s iShTa-devatA. Take the mangaLa-shloka verse of another advaitin, Anandabodha (CE 13th C) in his work </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">nyAyamakaranda</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. The shloka runs as (long one, only parts shown):</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“…</span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">यस्याऽऽहुः भुवनोद्भवस्थितिलयान् लीलामयान् सूरयः</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>yasyā''huḥ bhuvanodbhava-sthiti-layān līlā-mayān sūrayaḥ</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">…</span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; "background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;>तस्मै शुद्धसुखाद्वितीयवपुषे शश्वन्नमो विष्णवे ॥”</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>tasmai śuddha-sukhādvitīya-vapuṣe śaśvan namo viṣṇave ॥</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Citsukha explains here as follows:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(The author Anandabodha) is instructing the readers on the shiShTAcAra i.e., practice of wise men that one should salute their chosen deity for obstacle-free completion, aggregation, and propagation of the work that they commence to write.</span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">[प्रारिप्सितग्रन्थस्य अविघ्नेन परिसमाप्तिप्रचयगमनकामः शिष्टाचारपरिप्राप्ततया कृतमिष्टदेवतानमस्कारम् आचारशिक्षार्थं प्रतिपादयन् प्रकरणस्याभिधेयसम्बन्धप्रयोजनानि निदर्शयति।]</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>[prāripsita granthasya avighnena parisamāpti-pracaya-gamana kāmaḥ śiṣṭācāra-pariprāptatayā kṛtam iṣṭadevatā-namaskāram ācāra-śikṣārthaṃ pratipādayan prakaraṇasyābhidheya sambandha prayojanāni nidarśayati।]</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hence, it is quite clear that the shloka</span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुं शशिवर्णं चतुर्भुजम् ।</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>“śuklāmbaradharaṃ viṣṇuṃ śaśivarṇaṃ caturbhujam ।</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">प्रसन्नवदनं ध्यायेत् सर्वविघ्नोपशान्तये ॥”,</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>prasanna-vadanaṃ dhyāyet sarva-vighnopaśāntaye ॥”</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">which is recited by both Smarthas and Vaishnavas should be properly interpreted as a prayer to Vishnu because of the above reason, in addition to the two below:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There are no visheShaNas (adjectives such as gajamukhatvaM, ekadantatvaM, bhUtagaNAdhipatitvaM, etc.) or shabdas with rUDhitvaM on any devatAntara mentioned.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There are two names that have rUDhitvaM in Vishnu (i.e., they are proper names of Vishnu) in that shloka: Vishnu and Chaturbhuja. The first name is well-known to be Lord Narayana’s, for example, from the Vishnu gAyatri. Regarding the second name which means ‘four-armed one’, look at amarakosha 1.1.41 where Vishnu’s names are listed: <span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;">“उपेन्द्रः इन्द्रावरजः चक्रपाणिः चतुर्भुजः”</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>“upendraḥ indrāvarajaḥ cakrapāṇiḥ caturbhujaḥ”</i></b></span>. This is further supported by Shankara’s Vishnu Sahasranama bhAShya: <span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;">“चत्वारो बाहवोऽस्येति चतुर्बाहुः इति नाम वासुदेवे रूढम्।”</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>“catvāro bāhavo'syeti caturbāhuḥ iti nāma vāsudeve rūḍham।”</i></b></span> which shows that it was quite popular in those days to call only Vishnu as the ‘four-armed one’.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Let us go back to the work of Sarvajnatman.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3.58 – In the following verse, narrated as a dialogue between Guru and the disciple, the latter says:</span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“वैराग्यं विषयेषु पूर्वमेव मे जातं हरेरर्चनात्</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>“vairāgyaṃ viṣayeṣu pūrvam eva me jātaṃ harer arcanāt</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; ">यज्ञादिक्रियया निरस्तफलया किं त्वद्य दार्ढ्यं गतं ।”</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>yajñādi-kriyayā nirasta-phalayā kiṃ tv adya dārḍhyaṃ gataṃ ।”</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Here, it is noted that worship of Lord Hari results in dispassion towards the material world, which is further strengthened by association with a Guru. Once again, the author chooses to mention the worship of Vishnu and not any other devata.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3.54 – In the below verse:</span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">श्रवणादिकं शमदमादिपरः</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>śravaṇādikaṃ śama-damādi paraḥ</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">परमात्मनः परमभागवतः ।</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>paramātmanaḥ parama-bhāgavataḥ ।</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">कुरु तावता परममेव पदं</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>kuru tāvatā paramam eva padaṃ</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">परमात्मनस्त्वमवलोकयसि ॥,</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>paramātmanas tvam avalokayasi ॥</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">the following are recommended by the Guru to the disciple, to be adopted until the disciple can experience the Supreme Bliss of paramAtmA (i.e., liberation): (i) shravaNa (hearing) of vedAnta vAkyas, (ii) developing tranquility and self-control (‘shama’ and ‘dama’), and (iii) being a parama-bhAgavata, i.e., an ekAnta viShNu bhakta who does not resort to the worship of other devatas.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Only the Purana that talks about the greatness of Vishnu is known as bhAgavata purANa (‘Devi Bhagavatam’ is a recent bogus fabrication). Those dealing with the greatness of other devatas are known by the names of the respective devatas. Only the verses spoken by Vishnu are collectively called “bhagavad-gItA”. The utterances of other devatas are known by the names of the respective devatas. Similarly, that the terms “bhAgavata” and “parama-bhAgavata” are used to describe Vishnu’s devotees alone, and not to describe others. Note also that Shankara uses the terms ‘pAncarAtra-siddhAntin’ and ‘bhAgavata’ interchangably in the pAncarAtra-adhikaraNa section of Brahma Sutra Bhashya (2.2.42-2.2.45), while he calls Shiva worshipers as ‘mAheshvaras’ in pAshupata-adhikaraNa (2.2.37-2.2.41).</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3.351-3.353 – The following three verses and Ramatirtha’s commentary thereupon deserve special attention:</span><br />
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<span style=""></span><span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"बहिरङ्गसाधनमशेषगुरोः</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>"bahiraṅga sādhanam aśeṣaguroḥ</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">परमेश्वरस्य चरणाम्बुजयोः ॥</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>parameśvarasya caraṇāmbujayoḥ ॥</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">नियमात् समर्पितमशेषमघ</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>niyamāt samarpitam aśeṣamagha</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; ">विनिहन्ति बुद्धिनिलयं सुमहत् ॥"</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>vinihanti buddhi-nilayaṃ sumahat ॥"</i></b></span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"न तथाऽन्तरङ्गमुपलब्धिजनेः</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>"na tathā 'ntaraṅgam upalabdhi janeḥ</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">उपकारकं शमदमप्रभृति ॥</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>upakārakaṃ śamadama prabhṛti ॥</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">तदनुष्ठितं परमहंसजनैः</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>tad anuṣṭhitaṃ paramahaṃsa-janaiḥ</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">परमात्मतत्त्वमुपलम्भयति ॥"</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>paramātma tattvam upalambhayati ॥"</i></b></span><br/><br/></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"भगवाननादिनिधनः कृपया</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>"bhagavān anādi-nidhanaḥ kṛpayā</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">हरिरेतदाह जगदेकहितः॥</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>harir etad āha jagadeka-hitaḥ॥</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">सकलं समर्प्य मयि युक्तमनः</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>sakalaṃ samarpya mayi yukta-manaḥ</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; ">कुरु कर्म शुद्धिकरमित्यसकृत्॥"</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>kuru karma śuddhi-karam ityasakṛt॥"</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It is indeed Lord Hari alone who is the subject matter in the above three verses. This is because of the following reasons:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The first reason comes from the following explanation of Ramatirtha for the first of the three verses. Additionally, Ramatirtha’s explanation also shows who exactly the “parameshvara” referred to by Sarvajnatman in that verse is, and keeping whom in mind must those smArtha-vaidikas who utter “parameshvara prItyarthaM” during sankalpa must perform it:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“While performing karmas, one should have the following sankalpa (resolve) in the beginning: ‘I give up the desire for the fruits and the notion that I am the doer. Instead, I am going to perform these actions as an act of worship of <b>Shriman Narayana, the Yajnasvarupi, who exists as (the antaryAmin of) different devas.</b>’ and in the end, ‘I dedicate the action, along with the credit for performing these karmas and all the karmaphalas (fruits of action) <b>to Shriman Narayana.</b>’ By taking resolve as per the rules, the karma is dedicated.”</span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">[कर्मणि कर्तृत्वाभिनिवेशं फलासक्तिं च हित्वा केवलं यज्ञात्मकस्य नारायणस्य तत्तद्देवतादिरूपेणावस्थितस्य समाराधनरूपमिदं कर्मं करिष्ये इति प्रारम्भे, श्रीमन्नारायणे भगवति सकारकं सफलं चेदं कर्मास्तु इदं यथोक्तं कर्मं कृतं नारायणार्पणमस्त्विति वाऽन्ते च सङ्कल्परूपो नियमस्तस्मान्नियमात्समर्पितमित्यर्थः]</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>[karmaṇi kartṛtvābhiniveśaṃ phalāsaktiṃ ca hitvā kevalaṃ yajñātmakasya nārāyaṇasya tat-tad devatādi rūpeṇāvasthitasya samārādhana rūpam idaṃ karmaṃ kariṣye iti prārambhe, śrīman-nārāyaṇe bhagavati sakārakaṃ saphalaṃ cedaṃ karmās tu idaṃ yathoktaṃ karmaṃ kṛtaṃ nārāyaṇārpaṇam-astv iti vā 'nte ca saṅkalpa rūpo niyamas tasmān niyamāt samarpitam ity arthaḥ]</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Note that while Sarvajnatman’s verse says: “The actions performed externally, dedicated as per the rules to the Lotus-feet of ‘parameshvara’, who is The Perfect Guru” <span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;">[बहिरङ्गसाधनमशेषगुरोः परमेश्वरस्य चरणाम्बुजयोः नियमात् समर्पितम्]</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>[bahiraṅga-sādhanam aśeṣaguroḥ parameśvarasya caraṇāmbujayoḥ niyamāt samarpitam]</i></b></span>, Ramatirtha says that the ‘dedication to parameshvara’ means ‘dedication to Narayana’ and performing the action as an upAsana of Narayana who is yaj~nasvarUpI.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The second reason is that in the third verse, it is clarified even by Sarvajnatman’s illustration from the bhagavadgIta. He points to the following two verses by using the phrase: <span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;">“सकलं समर्प्य मयि युक्तमनः कुरु कर्म शुद्धिकर”</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>“sakalaṃ samarpya mayi yuktamanaḥ kuru karma śuddhikara”</i></b></span> –</span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यास्याध्यात्मचेतसा ।</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>“mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi saṃnyāsyādhyātma cetasā ।</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युद्ध्यस्व विगतज्वरः ॥”</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>nirāśīr nirmamo bhūtvā yuddhyasva vigata jvaraḥ ॥”</i></b></span> (3.30)<br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“यतः प्रवृत्तिर्भूतानां येन सर्वमिदं ततम् ।</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>“yataḥ pravṛttir bhūtānāṃ yena sarvamidaṃ tatam ।</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">स्वकर्मणा तमभ्यर्च्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानवः ॥”</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya siddhiṃ vindati mānavaḥ ॥”</i></b></span> (18.46)<br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन्सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि ॥”</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>“mad-artham api karmāṇi kurvan siddhim avāpsyasi ॥”</i></b></span> (12.10)<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hence, all vaidika karma is dedicated to Vishnu only. Note that by Sarvajnatman’s usage of the words <span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none;">“भगवाननादिनिधनः हरिः”</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>“bhagavān anādi-nidhanaḥ hariḥ”</i></b></span> it is shown that Hari has no origin and end and is therefore paramAtmA.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The above verses and remarks confirm the well-known fact that shiShTas begin all vaidika karma with a sankalpa that the karma is undertaken for “bhagavat-preeti” (‘pleasing the Lord’) or “bhagavat-kainkaryaM” (divine service to the Lord), and at the end of the karma perform sAttvika-tyAga for shrIman nArAyaNa by chanting “nArAyaNAyeti samarpayAmi” in addition to seeking redemption by remembering Lord Krishna for carrying out the action improperly:</span><br />
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“प्रायश्चित्तानि अशेषाणि तपःकर्मात्कानि वै ।</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>“prāyaścittāni aśeṣāṇi tapaḥ-karmāt kāni vai ।</i></b></span></div>
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<span class="dev" style="font-size: large; display: none; background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">यानि तेषाम् अषेशाणां कृष्णानुस्मरणं परम् ॥”</span><span class="rom" style="font-size: small;"><b><i>yāni teṣām aṣeśāṇāṃ kṛṣṇānusmaraṇaṃ param ॥”</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">With this note, we finish this discussion on Sankshepa Shariraka. This small exercise is the result of a 3-year process involving searching, analyzing, and shaping points coherently.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As far as I have searched, all the verses in which bhagavAn shrIman nArAyaNa is mentioned by this advaitin have been listed out and explained. There may be many more if I search more carefully. Nowhere in this ancient advaitic work is found any praise of Rudra/Parvati/Skanda/Vinayaka/Surya as parabrahman, from beginning to end.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I dedicate this work to the lotus feet of bhagavAn shrIman nArAyaNa, bhAgavatas, and above all for the pleasure of sharaNAgatas who wish to know the manner in which the Lord is praised by followers of Vedanta matams outside the parama-vaidika sat-sampradAyaM nourished by Swami rAmAnujAcArya.</span></div>
</div>Humble Bhagavata Bandhuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01932475050150832871noreply@blogger.com28