[Advaita-l] Shankara authenticates Shiva as the son of Brahma

[D Gayatri]

Please read Mbh 12.329 as 12.339 in my previous message.

On 13 August 2016 at 14:35, D Gayatri <dgayatrinov10 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Namaste
>
> In the Shanti parva of the Mahabharata, Krishna-Dwaipayana relates a
> conversation between Brahma and Shiva. Here it is revealed by
> Krishna-Dvaipayana, that Shiva is actually the son of Brahma and
> Brahma gives instructions to Shiva on the supreme purusha and brahman,
> who is none other than Narayana. This is another instance of Vishnu
> being praised as the vedAntic brahman in the Mahabharata.
>
> Now, the Shanti parva and Anushasana parva of the Mahabharata are
> widely believed to contain many interpolations, to the extent that
> even the critical BORI edition may not be free from interpolations as
> far as these two parva-s are concerned. Fortunately, the above
> instance of Brahma teaching his son Shiva about the nature of
> Narayana, the supreme Atman, is authenticated by none other than our
> own Shankara bhagavatpAda in his Brahmasutra Bhashya.
>
> Below, I will explain how Shankara bhagavatpAda authenticates this incident.
>
>
> Shankara's Brahmasutra Bhashya 2.1.1. contains the following
> quotations from the Mahabharata -
>
> महाभारतेऽपि च — ‘बहवः पुरुषा ब्रह्मन्नुताहो एक एव तु’ इति विचार्य,
> ‘बहवः पुरुषा राजन्सांख्ययोगविचारिणाम्’ इति परपक्षमुपन्यस्य
> तद्व्युदासेन — ‘बहूनां पुरुषाणां हि यथैका योनिरुच्यते । तथा तं पुरुषं
> विश्वमाख्यास्यामि गुणाधिकम्’ इत्युपक्रम्य ‘ममान्तरात्मा तव च ये चान्ये
> देहसंस्थिताः । सर्वेषां साक्षिभूतोऽसौ न ग्राह्यः केनचित्क्वचित् ॥
> विश्वमूर्धा विश्वभुजो विश्वपादाक्षिनासिकः । एकश्चरति भूतेषु स्वैरचारी
> यथासुखम्’ — इति सर्वात्मतैव निर्धारिता ।
>
>
> The above portion of the bhAshya contains 4 quotations from the Mahabharata -
>
> 1. बहवः पुरुषा ब्रह्मन्नुताहो एक एव तु
>
> 2. बहवः पुरुषा राजन्सांख्ययोगविचारिणाम्
>
> 3. बहूनां पुरुषाणां हि यथैका योनिरुच्यते । तथा तं पुरुषं
> विश्वमाख्यास्यामि गुणाधिकम्
>
> 4. ममान्तरात्मा तव च ये चान्ये देहसंस्थिताः । सर्वेषां साक्षिभूतोऽसौ न
> ग्राह्यः केनचित्क्वचित् ॥ विश्वमूर्धा विश्वभुजो विश्वपादाक्षिनासिकः ।
> एकश्चरति भूतेषु स्वैरचारी यथासुखम्
>
>
> The 4 quotations are found in the Shanti parva of the Mahabharata.
> Shankara himself says that all these quotations are from the
> Mahabharata.
>
> The first quotation of Shankara is from Mbh 12.338.1 in the critical
> edition. The complete verse is as follows -
>
> जनमेजय उवाच|| बहवः पुरुषा ब्रह्मन्नुताहो एक एव तु | को ह्यत्र पुरुषः
> श्रेष्ठः को वा योनिरिहोच्यते ||१||
>
> [Janamejaya asks Vaisampayana whether there are many purushas or
> whether there is only one. Who is the foremost of the purushas and who
> is the source of all?]
>
> (I have based my translations from the work of K M Ganguly)
>
> The second quotation of Shankara is from Mbh 12.338.2, the complete
> verse being -
>
> वैशम्पायन उवाच|| बहवः पुरुषा लोके साङ्ख्ययोगविचारिणाम् | नैतदिच्छन्ति
> पुरुषमेकं कुरुकुलोद्वह ||२||
>
> [Vaisampayana says, those who follow Samkhya and Yoga consider
> purushas as many. They dont think there is a single purusha]
>
> Shankara considers the above position of Samkhyas and Yogins as
> pUrva-paksha, which will be refuted in the subsequent sections of the
> Mahabharata itself.
>
> The third quotation of Shankara is from the Mbh 12.338.3 -
>
> बहूनां पुरुषाणां च यथैका योनिरुच्यते | तथा तं पुरुषं विश्वं
> व्याख्यास्यामि गुणाधिकम् ||३||
>
> [In the same manner in which the many Purushas are said to have one
> origin in the Supreme Purusha, it may be said that this entire
> universe is identical with that one Purusha of superior attributes.]
>
> (Now, before we come to Shankara's 4th quotation, we need to
> understand in what context it occurs, so I will explain the context.)
>
> Vaisampayana then goes on to relate a narrative about Brahma's
> instructions to his son Shiva, in this context. It is clearly
> specified in this section that Shiva is the son of Brahma.
>
> Mbh: 12.338.8 -
>
> अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् | ब्रह्मणा सह संवादं त्र्यम्बकस्य
> विशां पते ||८||
>
> [In this connection is cited the old narrative of the discourse
> between Brahma, O king, and the Three-eyed Mahadeva.]
>
> Mbh: 12.338.11 -
>
> अथ तत्रासतस्तस्य चतुर्वक्त्रस्य धीमतः | ललाटप्रभवः पुत्रः शिव
> आगाद्यदृच्छया ||११|| आकाशेनैव योगीशः पुरा त्रिनयनः प्रभुः ||११||
>
> [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. 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.]
>
> In the above, Shiva is called as lalATaprabhavaH putraH - the son who
> arose from the forehead of Brahma. This is also confirmed by the next
> few verses, where Shiva pays respects to Brahma, by touching his feet.
>
> Mbh: 12.338.12-15 -
>
> ततः खान्निपपाताशु धरणीधरमूर्धनि | अग्रतश्चाभवत्प्रीतो ववन्दे चापि पादयोः ||१२||
>
> तं पादयोर्निपतितं दृष्ट्वा सव्येन पाणिना | उत्थापयामास तदा प्रभुरेकः
> प्रजापतिः ||१३||
>
> उवाच चैनं भगवांश्चिरस्यागतमात्मजम् | स्वागतं ते महाबाहो दिष्ट्या
> प्राप्तोऽसि मेऽन्तिकम् ||१४||
>
> कच्चित्ते कुशलं पुत्र स्वाध्यायतपसोः सदा | नित्यमुग्रतपास्त्वं हि ततः
> पृच्छामि ते पुनः ||१५||
>
>
> [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. "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!']
>
> The discussion between Brahma and his son Shiva progresses and Brahma
> explains the meaning of Purusha to Shiva. The discussion continues
> into the next chapter (here is where we will find the 4th quotation
> from Shankara).
>
> Mbh 12.329.1-5
>
> ब्रह्मोवाच||
>
> शृणु पुत्र यथा ह्येष पुरुषः शाश्वतोऽव्ययः | अक्षयश्चाप्रमेयश्च
> सर्वगश्च निरुच्यते ||१||
>
> न स शक्यस्त्वया द्रष्टुं मयान्यैर्वापि सत्तम | सगुणो निर्गुणो विश्वो
> ज्ञानदृश्यो ह्यसौ स्मृतः ||२||
>
> अशरीरः शरीरेषु सर्वेषु निवसत्यसौ | वसन्नपि शरीरेषु न स लिप्यति कर्मभिः ||३||
>
> ममान्तरात्मा तव च ये चान्ये देहसञ्ज्ञिताः | सर्वेषां साक्षिभूतोऽसौ न
> ग्राह्यः केनचित्क्वचित् ||४||
>
> विश्वमूर्धा विश्वभुजो विश्वपादाक्षिनासिकः | एकश्चरति क्षेत्रेषु
> स्वैरचारी यथासुखम् ||५||
>
> (The fourth quotation from Shankara comprises the verses 4 and 5
> above. These are the words of Brahma addressed to his son Shiva).
>
> ['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. The universe is the crown of his head. The universe is
> his arms. The universe is his feet. The universe is his eyes. The
> universe is his nose. Alone and single, he roves through all Kshetras
> (Bodies) unrestrained by any limitations on his will and as he likes.]
>
> The discussion continues and a few verses later, Brahma reveals that
> the Purusha is Narayana -
>
> Mbh: 12.329.14
>
> तत्र यः परमात्मा हि स नित्यं निर्गुणः स्मृतः | स हि नारायणो ज्ञेयः
> सर्वात्मा पुरुषो हि सः ||१४||
>
> [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.]
>
> Thus, Brahma reveals to his son Shiva that Narayana is the supreme
> Purusha and the Atman of all. Since Shankara quotes this incident from
> both these chapters (328 and 329 of Shanti parva), these incidents are
> not interpolations as they have been authenticated by the great
> Shankara himself, who stands in greatness, next only to
> Krishna-Dvaipayana (vyasa).
>
> Thus, this is another instance in the Mahabharata, where Vishnu has
> been praised as the Vedantic brahman.
>
>
> Regards
> Gayatri