[Advaita-l] Trimurtis are created of Pancha bhūta-s - Shankara

[H S Chandramouli]

>
> Reg  << The birth of Hiranyagarbha is quite popular. In the
>> Mundakopanishat 1.8 bhāṣyam, Shankara says:
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>>
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>> पसा चीयते ब्रह्म ततोऽन्नमभिजायते ।
>> अन्नात्प्राणो मनः सत्यं लोकाः कर्मसु चामृतम् ॥ ८ ॥
>>
>> यद्ब्रह्मण उत्पद्यमानं विश्वं तदनेन क्रमेणोत्पद्यते, न
>> युगपद्बदरमुष्टिप्रक्षेपवदिति क्रमनियमविवक्षार्थोऽयं मन्त्र आरभ्यते — तपसा
>> ज्ञानेन उत्पत्तिविधिज्ञतया भूतयोन्यक्षरं ब्रह्म चीयते उपचीयते
>> उत्पादयिष्यदिदं जगत् अङ्कुरमिव बीजमुच्छूनतां गच्छति पुत्रमिव पिता हर्षेण
>> । एवं सर्वज्ञतया सृष्टिस्थितिसंहारशक्तिविज्ञानवत्तयोपचितात् ततः ब्रह्मणः
>> अन्नम् अद्यते भुज्यत इत्यन्नमव्याकृतं साधारणं कारणं संसारिणां
>> व्याचिकीर्षितावस्थारूपेण अभिजायते उत्पद्यते । ततश्च
>> अव्याकृताद्व्याचिकीर्षितावस्थात् अन्नात् प्राणः हिरण्यगर्भो ब्रह्मणो
>> ज्ञानक्रियाशक्त्यधिष्ठितो जगत्साधारणोऽविद्याकामकर्मभूतसमुदायबीजाङ्कुरो
>> जगदात्मा अभिजायत इत्यनुषङ्गः । >>
>>
>>
>>
>> followed by
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>>
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>> << It is clear from the above that Hiranyagarbha is a product of the
>> apanchīkṛta pancha bhūtas. Since he is popularly admitted to be the
>> samashṭi bhuddhyabhimānī, the buddhi being admitted as a product of
>> apanchikrta pancha bhutas, it is quite in order to say that Hiranyagarbha
>> is a product of pancha bhutas. Since he is equated, synonymously, as
>> sūtrātma, trimūrti, as stated by Vidyaranya, the bodies of these murtis is
>> also of the apanchikrita panchabhutas only. >>,
>>
>>
>>
>> I am a bit surprised at this.  I am copying below the immediately
>> following portion of the Bhashyam on Mundaka 1-1-8 itself
>>
>>
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>> << तस्माच्च प्राणात् मनः मनआख्यं सङ्कल्पविकल्पसंशयनिर्णयाद्यात्मकमभिजायते
>>  । ततोऽपि सङ्कल्पाद्यात्मकान्मनसः सत्यं सत्याख्यमाकाशादिभूतपञ्चकमभिजायते
>> । >>
>>
>>
>>
>> << tasmAchcha prANAt manaH manaAkhyaM
>> sa~NkalpavikalpasaMshayanirNayAdyAtmakamabhijAyate | tato.api
>> sa~NkalpAdyAtmakAnmanasaH satyaM
>> satyAkhyamAkAshAdibhUtapa~nchakamabhijAyate | >>
>>
>>
>>
>> Translation of the Bhashyam by Swami Gambhirananda ( including
>> translation of the quote in the original post )
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>>
>>
>> << The next verse is begun in order to show a fixed order of creation,
>> viz that the universe, while emrging out of Brahman, does so in this order
>> of succession and not simultaneously like a handful of jujubes thrown down
>> :
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>>
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>> *TapasA*, through knowledge, by virtue of possessing the knowledge of
>> the process of creation ; *brahma*, Brahman, the Immutable, the source
>> of creation--- when desirous of creating this world, like a seed sending
>> out its sprout ; *cIyate*, increases in size, as a father procreating a
>> son does out of elation. From that Brahman, thus become inflated because of
>> Its possession, through Its omniscience, of the power and knowledge of
>> creation, preservation, and dissolution ; *abhijayate*, originates (
>> grows ) *annam*, food ; the word being derived from the root *ad* in the
>> sense of that which is eaten, i.e. enjoyed, means the Unmanifested ( MAyA )
>> that is common to all creatures. ( That food originates or ) gets evolved
>> into the states of imminent manifestation. ( Footnote ; The beginningless
>> MAyA is the unmanifested food ; the Upanishad speaks of its origin in the
>> sense of its becomimg ready for evolution. Otherwise MAyA has no
>> beginning). From that Unmanifested, i.e. from that food in a state of
>> imminent manifestation. ( was born ) *prANaH*, Hiranyagarbha, who is
>> common (Footnote ; He is the sum total of all the individuals. Being common
>> to all, He is called Sutra, the thread (running through all). End of
>> Footnote) to all the beings in the universe that are endued with ( a part
>> of His ) power of knowledge and action, who sprouts from that seed of all
>> beings, constituted by ignorance, desire, and action, and who identifies
>> Himself with he universe ; “was born” this is to be supplied. From that
>> Hiranyagarbha evolved *manah*, that which is called the (cosmic) mind,
>> comprising volition, deliberation, doubt, determination, etc., evolved
>> *satyam*, the five elements, such as space etc., which are called satya
>> (i.e. the gross, *sat*, and the subtle, *tyat*). >>.
>>
>>
>>
>> To my understanding, it is clear that according to this Bhashyam,
>> Hiranyagarbha is NOT a product of panchabhutas.
>>
>>
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>> I  leave it at this. It is for members to come to their own conclusions.
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>> Regards
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