[Advaita-l] [advaitin] Re: Fwd: Brahman has no default form; Only contextual form - Varaha Purana

[V Subrahmanian]

Copying from an old post:

In the short work 'Bhārata sāra sangraha stotram', Sri Appayya Dikshita
concludes by pointing out that Rama and Krishna were jiva-s, endowed with
karma, delusion, etc. on the authority of the Mahabharata:

गोप्तारं ततो गच्छेत् सरव्यास्तीर्थमुत्तमम् ।
तत्र रामो गतः स्वर्गं सभृत्यबलवाहनः ॥
देहं त्यक्त्वा दिवं यातः स्थास्यतीन्द्रस्य वैभवात् ।’

[Rama went to svarga along with his retinue, after giving up the body, and
remains there with Indra's lordship.]

इति गोप्रतारतीर्थमहिम्ना श्रीरामस्य स्वर्गप्रतिष्ठावचनात्; सभापर्वणि
यमसभावर्णने -

Having thus proclaimed the greatness of Go-pratāra, Sri Rama's settlement
in Svarga, the sabhā parvan of the Mahabharata while describing the
Assembly Hall of Yama further says:

तस्यां राजर्षयः पुण्यास्तथा देवर्षयोऽमराः ।
यमं वैवस्वतं तात प्रहृष्टाः पर्युपासते ॥
ययातिर्नहुषः पूरुर्मान्धाता सोमको नृगः ।

  इत्यारभ्य  स्वर्गप्राप्त्यनन्तरं यमसभायामास्थाय तमुपासीनानां राजर्षीणां
परिगणनेन, ’रामो दाशरथिश्चैव लक्षमणश्च प्रतर्दनः’ इति परिगणनेन च सोऽपि
कर्माधीनलोकप्राप्तिको जीवविशेषः स्यात् ।

In the Assembly Hall of Yama are present: Rajarshi-s with puṇya,
devarshi-s, deva-s, who happily meditate upon Yama. Also are Yayati,
Nahusha, Puru, Māndhāta, Somaka, Nṛga. Having enumerated those present in
the Assembly and meditating Yama, the Mahabharata includes: Rāma the son of
Dasharatha, Lakshmana and Pratardana. By so counting Rama along with all
other entities, it can be concluded that Rama is a jiva who has attained a
loka that is subject to and attainable by karma.

After giving one instance for Rama to be taken as a jiva by someone, Sri
Appayya Dikshita gives an instance where Krishna is also not free from such
a possibility:

ततः शार्ङ्गं धनुःश्रेष्ठं करात्प्रपतितं मम।
मोहापन्नश्च कौन्तेय रथोपस्थ उपाविशम् ।।



Mahabharata Aranyaparvan: 3.21.25

Krishna says to Yudhishthira: Thereafter the excellent bow,  śārnga, fell
off my hand. O son of Kunti, deluded as I was, I, sat in the chariot.

इति आरण्यपर्वणि शाल्वयुद्धे कृष्णस्य मोहाज्ञानवचनेन सोऽपि जीवविशेषः स्यात्
।  The above words of Krishna admitting his delusion and ignorance, can
result in someone taking him to be a jiva.

Sri Appayya Dikshitar concludes that explanation: तस्मात् कृत्स्नमपि भारतं
गीतानुगीतामोक्षधर्मवैष्णवधर्मशास्त्रसहितं विशेषध्वनिवृत्त्या
शिवपारम्यविश्रान्तं तत्प्रधानमेव भगवता श्रीवेदव्यासेन कृतमित्येतत्
सुप्रतिष्ठितमिति सर्वम् समञ्जसम् ॥

Thus, the entire Mahabharata including the Bhagavadgita, the Anugita,
Moksha dharma, along with vaishnava dharma shastra, by the method of
'viśeṣadhvani', ('unique/emphatic purport') is upholding the supremacy of
Shiva alone. Such is the way Bhagavan Veda Vyasa has composed the MB. This
fact has been firmly established (by us) in this work:  'Bhārata sāraga
sangraha stotram'.

In the foregoing were given some references from Appayya Dikshitar's work
for Rama and Krishna's jivatva. However, does he really mean that? The
purport of Dikshitar's words is: If one would just go by a sentence or two
here and there and conclude something, then the consequence will be that
Rama and Krishna will have to be held to be jiva-s. The word 'syāt' is
indicative of this. He wants the global picture to be considered and not
any stray verses to determine what he has in mind. Dikshitar's mind is best
seen in this one important verse:

  Appayya has very clearly stated why he undertook the task of bringing to
light Shiva-supremacy:

// viShNurvA shankaro vA shruti-shikhara-girAmastu tAtparya-bhUmiH
na-asmAkam tatra vAdaH prasarati kimapi spaShTam-advaita-bhAjAm |
kintu-Isha-dveSha-gADhAnala-kalita-hRRidAm durmatInAm duruktIH
bhanktum yatno mama-ayam nahi bhavatu tato viShNu-vidveSha-shankAm ||

The meaning of the above beautiful verse is:

'I have not the slightest objection, to anyone coming to any conclusion,
that the spirit of the Vedas and the Vedantas, declare either Vishnu or
Shiva as the First God. I am a follower of the
Advaita doctrine. I have no difference between Shiva and VishNu. But if in
order to establish Vishnu as the main God, if somebody starts abusing Shiva
or hates him, I cannot bear it. There are as many proofs or pramanas in the
Vedas, Vedantas, Puranas and Agamas to establish that Shiva is a mighty
God, as there are to prove that Vishnu is a powerful one. However, I am
propagating my religion and indulging in debate and disputation, only to
persuade everyone not
to hate Shiva. Let no one have the slightest doubt that I either hate or
wish to denigrate Lord Vishnu simply because I praise the grace and
greatness of Lord Shiva.'

The sublime devotion of Dikshita to Lord Vishnu is fully seen from his
great work 'Varadaraja stava' where he has sung in ecstatic poetry about
Lord Varadaraja of Kanchipuram. Vaishnavas declare that Vishnu is the
supreme being and that Shiva has a lower status, being a mere jiva. Sri
Dikshita however proves in his 'Ratna-traya-parIkShA' that Shiva, Vishnu,
Ambika, all the three are the same, viz., the supreme reality, and proves
it with the pramanas taken
from the puranas, vedas and agamas. //

The above is quoted from the book: 'Sri Appayya Dikshita' (p.66,67) by
Dr.N.Ramesan, IAS.

Regards

subbu



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