[Advaita-l] महायोग वटवृक्षः

[Venkata sriram P]

Namaste,

In Srimad Bhagavatam (4th skandha) vide 6th chapter, there is a beautiful description of 
vaTa vriksha which is associated with Lord Dakshinamurti.  

After the destruction of the daksha’s sacrifice, Lord Shiva relapses into solitude and assumes 
the form of Dakshinamurti in Kailasa.  He is seen seated under the Banyan tree (वट वृक्षं).  
The size of this banyan tree is of 100 yojana height and spread across the area of 75 yojana.  
This banyan tree is so dense that neither a streak of light could pass nor birds can form nests in the branches.  

Beneath this grand banyan tree, is seen Lord Dakshinamurti seated assuming the posture of mahAyOga ie.,
right leg placed on the left thigh and one palm placed on the knee and other holding the “tarka-mudra”.  
He is seen shining like the clouds of twilight; besmeared with sacred ashes and holding a staff. 
He is sported with jaTa and is wearing animal skin and moon over His crown.  
Seated on darbhAsana under the banyan tree, expounding the shastra rahasya to Sanaka, Sanandana etc. 

वैदुर्यकृतसोपाना वाप्य उत्पलमालिनीः । प्राप्तं किम्पुरुषैर्द्ष्ट्वा त आराद्ददृशुर्वटम् ॥ ३१

While commenting on this mysterious banyan tree and it’s shadow, some of the commentators like 
Sridhara, Vamshidhara, Vira Raghava, Shuka Deva etc. describes it as: तापवर्जितः त्रिविधतापरहित, पूर्णा अमला छाया.

Subsequently, a beautiful attribute has been used to describe this grand banyan tree as महायोगमय -
तस्मिन्महायोगमये मुमुक्षुशरणे सुराः । ददृशुः शिवमासीनं त्यक्तामर्षमिवान्तकम् । ३३

Shri Vira Raghava describes this mahAyoga-maya vaTa-vrikSa (महायोगमय वटवृक्षः) as:
महायोगमये महायोगो भगवदुपासनायोगस्तत्प्रचुरे महायोगनिष्ठापुरुषप्राचुर्यात तत्स्थानस्य महायोगमयत्वं ।

Having seated under such mahA-yOga vaTavrikSa, is expounding the adhyAtma vidyA with 
chinmudra / tarka mudra / jnAna mudra which is described as:

उपविष्टं दर्भमय्यां वृस्यां ब्रह्मसनातनम । नारदाय प्रवोचन्तं पृच्छते श्रृण्वतां सताम ॥ ३७
कृत्वारौ दक्षिणे सव्यं पादपद्मं च जानुनि । बाहुं प्रकोष्ठेऽक्षमालामासीनं तर्कमुद्रया ॥ ३८

While explaining this “tarka-mudra”, shri sridhara says:

तर्जन्यंगुष्ठयोरग्रे मिथः संयोज्य चांगुलीः

Such a Dakshinamurti is seen immersed in nirvana samAdhi (ब्रह्मनिर्वाणसमाधिमाश्रितं)  
who also the foremost among the muni’s (मुनयो मनूनामाद्यं मनुः). Shri.Vira Raghava comments 
this as मुनीनामाद्यं मुख्यं मुनिं गिरीशं.

Regs,
Sriram