[Advaita-l] Turiya Vishnu in Srimad Bhagavatam

[V Subrahmanian]

In this chapter of the Bhagavatam we have the concept of Turiya Ishwara,
the Brahman that is beyond the three forms of Brahmaa, Vishnu and Shiva :

श्रीमद्भागवतपुराणम्/स्कन्धः ११/अध्यायः २९

https://sa.wikisource.org/s/tw7

Sri Shuka says:

इत्युद्धवेनात्यनुरक्तचेतसा
     पृष्टो जगत्क्रीडनकः स्वशक्तिभिः ।
 *गृहीतमूर्तित्रय *ईश्वरेश्वरो
     जगाद सप्रेममनोहरस्मितः ॥ ७ ॥

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus questioned by the most affectionate Uddhava,
Lord Kṛṣṇa, the supreme controller of all controllers, who takes the entire
universe as His plaything and *assumes the three forms of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and
Śiva,* began to reply, lovingly displaying His all-attractive smile.

We have a similar verse in the Vishnu Puranam too:

The Vishnu purana teaches that Vishnu is non-different from the Trimurtis:
सृष्टिस्थित्यन्तकरणीं ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवात्मिकाम् ।
स संज्ञां याति भगवानेक एव जनार्दनः ॥ १,२.६६ ॥

One Janardana Tattva alone, owing to the tri-functions of creation, etc.
gets the name Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

We have a similar Turiya Shiva concept too in the Shiva Puranam:

In the Shiva Purana is a stuti by Vishnu and Brahmaa addressed to Shiva:

https://sa.wikisource.org/s/xlj

त्वमेव निर्गुणस्सत्योऽनंतोऽनंतपराक्रमः ।।

सगुणश्च सन्निवेशः प्रकृतेः पुरुषात्परः ।। ३३ ।।

You alone are NirguNa, Satya, Eternal, Infinite and of measureless power.
You are Saguna too, transcending the Prakriti and Purusha (jiva).

रजसा सृष्टिसमये त्वं ब्रह्मा सृष्टिकृत्प्रभो ।।

सत्त्वेन पालने विष्णुस्त्रिभुवावनकारकः ।। ३४ ।।

Owing to Rajoguna, at the time of creation, you are Brahmaa, the Creator, O
Lord. By assuming Sattvaguna, you alone are Vishnu, protecting the three
worlds.

तमसा प्रलये रुद्रो जगत्संहारकारकः ।।

निस्त्रैगुण्ये शिवाख्यातस्तुर्य्यो ज्योतिःस्वरूपकः ।। ३५ ।।

By Tamoguna, at pralaya, you are Rudra, the destroyer. Beyond the three
gunas, you are the Turya called Shiva, Pure Consciousness.

This is in consonance with the Mandukya upanishad 7th mantra which teaches
Brahman as the Chaturtham. Turiya, beyond the entire creation where alone
the three gunas operate. Turiya is Nirguna Brahman.

त्रयाणां जनकः त्रिगुणातीत निर्व्यग्र त्रिदेवजनक प्रभो ।। २७ ।।

This verse says: tri-deva-janaka which means: You, Turiya Shiva, are the
source of the Trimurtis. The word nirvyagra means: nishkriya, non-creator,
etc. Nirguna Brahman.

Thus we see the Puranas bring out the Advaita Tattva in no ordinary terms.

Read more on this here:

https://adbhutam.wordpress.com/2020/02/17/veda-vyasas-consistency-across-bhagavata-vishnu-and-shiva-puranas/

Om Tat Sat