[Advaita-l] The eptithet Vedavedya, vedantavedya, etc. - apply to many deities.

[V Subrahmanian]

  The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 3.9.26 has this statement: तं त्वौपनिषदं
पुरुषं पृच्छामि; (I ask of that Purusha, Brahman, that is knowable only
from the Upanishad) While this Purusha, Brahman, is not at all assigned any
deity in the Upanishad, one might like to assign a deity of his own
choice/liking like Vishnu or Shiva. However, we do find that kind of an
epithet applied to many deities in the Puranas.

The Uttara Khanda of Padma Purana has a beautiful reference to Panchayatana
puja. Bhagavan Krishna says the following to Satyabhama in the 88th Chapter
:

शैवाः सौराश्च गाणेशा वैष्णवाः शक्तिपूजकाः ।

मामेव प्राप्नुवंतीह वर्षांभः सागरं यथा ॥ ४३ ॥

एकोऽहं पंचधा जातः क्रीडयन्नामभिः किल ।

देवदत्तो यथा कश्चित्पुत्राद्याह्वाननामभिः ॥ ४४ ॥ ( 6.88.43-44)

Bhagvan says to Satyabhama , "As rain-water reaches the ocean, so also, the
worshippers of Shiva,Surya,Ganesha,Vishnu and Shakti attain me. I am one,
yet manifest in five ways. As one Devadatta is addressed in many ways, so
also, I am called variously owing to my play. "

It now comes to my light that the first line directly and the second line
implicitly form the basis for this shloka of Sri Madhusudana Saraswati in
his Gudhartha dipika commentary to the Bh.Gita:

शैवाः सौराश्च गाणेशा वैष्णवाः शक्तिपूजकाः।

भवन्ति यन्मयाः सर्वे सोहमस्मि परः शिवः।।3।

I am that Supreme Consciousness that Shaivas, Sauras, Gaaneshas, Vaishnavas
and Shaakta hold to be their upasya devataa. It is well known that the
Ishta Devataa of Madhusudana Saraswati is Balakrishna. So, we have the
authority of the Padma purana that the five sects such as Shaiva, Saura,
etc. are authentic. I had once shown the Narada purana reference too to a
similar mention. But this shloka you have fished out is a very strong
pramana. Krishna says that as Para Brahman as he has included 'vaishnavas'
too in that Big Five🙂

The Uttara Khanda of Padma Purana has a beautiful reference to Panchayatana
puja. Bhagavan Krishna says the following to Satyabhama in the 88th Chapter
:

शैवाः सौराश्च गाणेशा वैष्णवाः शक्तिपूजकाः ।

मामेव प्राप्नुवंतीह वर्षांभः सागरं यथा ॥ ४३ ॥

एकोऽहं पंचधा जातः क्रीडयन्नामभिः किल ।

देवदत्तो यथा कश्चित्पुत्राद्याह्वाननामभिः ॥ ४४ ॥ ( 6.88.43-44)

Bhagvan says to Satyabhama , "As rain-water reaches the ocean, so also, the
worshippers of Shiva,Surya,Ganesha,Vishnu and Shakti attain me. I am one,
yet manifest in five ways. As one Devadatta is addressed in many ways, so
also, I am called variously owing to my play. "

 Annamacharya too holding the Lord of Tirupati as Para Brahman who is
looked upon by various sects as their god:

Annamācārya reflects in this song:
http://karnatiklyrics.blogspot.in/2011/06/entha-matramuna.html

//The Vaishnavas worship you with reverence as Vishnu.
The Vedic philosophers tell that you are the Supreme Consciousness.
The Shaivas believe that you are Śiva & the Kapalikas praise you as
Adibhairava.
The Shakteyas consider you as the manifestation of the supreme power
Shakti. People chant your praise in a number of ways. Ignorant people
assume that you are insignificant.The wise recognize your infinite
greatness.//


[It is noteworthy that Sri Annamācārya distinguishes Vedāntins from
‘vaiṣṇavas’,

*koluthuru mimu vaishnavulu, koorimitho vishnudani*

palukuduru mimu *vaedaantulu, parabrahma anuchu*


By ‘Vedāntins’ he obviously refers to Advaitins for they alone hold the
Supreme Reality to be ‘Brahman’ beyond all names and forms.  Those who hold
the highest tattvam to be ‘Viṣṇu’ (the deity identified as Lakṣmipati,
etc.) are not vedantins as per this composer.

In this kriti he says:


Bhaavamulona .. Baahyamunandunu .. Govinda Govinda ani koluvabo Manasa ..
Hari Avataaramule Akhila Devatalu .. Harilonidhe Bramhandambulu ..

[All devatas are incarnations of Hari alone']


Om Tat Sat





On Sat, Feb 1, 2025 at 11:09 PM V Subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com>
wrote:

>
> The epithet 'vedavedya/vedaikavedya/vedantavedya' is found to be applied
> in many puranas for a variety of deities:  ('known only through the
> Veda/Vedanta')
>
> Vishnu: Narada Purana and many other puranas.
>
> नारदपुराणम्- उत्तरार्धः/अध्यायः २९
> <https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D-_%E0%A4%89%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A8%E0%A5%AF>
> भूत्वा माधवं वंद्यमीश्वरम् ।। २९-३८ ।। जय जय जगदीश नाथ विष्णो जगदानंदनिधान
> वेदवेद्य ।। मधुमथन नृसिंह पीतवासो गरुडाधिष्ठित माधवादिदेव ।। २९-३९ ।।
> व्रजरमण रमेश...
>
> There are many..
>
> Shiva: in Skanda, Padma, Kurma, Shiva Puranas..
>
> स्कन्दपुराणम्/खण्डः १ (माहेश्वरखण्डः)/अरुणाचलमाहात्म्यम् १/अध्यायः ०७
> <https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7_(%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83)/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D_%E0%A5%A7/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A6%E0%A5%AD>
> स्तुवंति शिवविग्रहम् ।। 1.3.1.7.१० ।। नमस्ताम्रायारुणाय शिवाय परमात्मने ।।
> वेदवेद्य स्वरूपाय सोमाय सुखरूपिणे ।। ११ ।। त्वद्रूपमखिलं देव
> जगदेतच्चराचरम् ।। निधानमिव...
>
> पद्मपुराणम्/खण्डः ५ (पातालखण्डः)/अध्यायः ११६
> <https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AB_(%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83)/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%AC?wprov=srpw1_7>
> –नरकास्थिभूषणभसित परनारायणप्रिय शुभचरित पंचब्रह्मादिदेव पंचानन चतुर्वदन
> वेदवेद्य भक्तसुलभा भक्तदुर्लभ परमानंदविज्ञान पर पूषदंतपातन दक्षशिरश्छेदन
> ब्रह्मपंचमशिरोहरण...
>
> कूर्मपुराणम्-पूर्वभागः/त्रिंशत्तमोऽध्यायः
> https://sa.wikisource.org/s/41l
>
> एकमूर्त्ति महामूर्त्ति *वेदवेद्यं* दिवस्पतिम् ।
> नीलकण्ठं विश्वमूर्त्ति व्यापिनं विश्वरेतसम् ।३०.५०
>
> कालाग्निं कालदहनं कामदं कामनाशनम् ।
> नमस्ये गिरिशं देवं चन्द्रावयवभूषणम् ।३०.५१
>
> स्कन्दपुराणम्/खण्डः १ (माहेश्वरखण्डः)/केदारखण्डः/अध्यायः १३
> <https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7_(%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83)/%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A9>
> नानागमार्चायमतप्रभेदैर्निरूप्यमाणो जगदेकबंधुः॥ १३.३७ ॥ शिवं हि नित्यं
> परमात्मदैवं वेदैकवेद्यं परमात्मदिव्यम्॥ विहाय तं मूढजनाः प्रमत्ताः शिवं न
> जानंति परात्मरूपम्॥...
>
>    - शिवपुराणम्/संहिता ६ (कैलाससंहिता)/अध्यायः ०९
>    <https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE_%E0%A5%AC_(%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE)/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A6%E0%A5%AF>
>    परम्प्राहुः पुरुषम्पञ्चविंशकम्।।९।। यद्वेदादौ
>    स्वरम्प्राहुर्वाच्यवाचकभावतः ।। वेदैकवेद्यं याथात्म्याद्वेदान्ते च
>    प्रतिष्ठितम् ।। ।। 6.9.१० ।। स एव प्रकृतौ लीनो...
>    १५ KB (४९४ शब्दाः) - ०३:३०, ३० मार्च् २०१७
>
>
> Devi:  Devibhagavatam:
> देवीभागवतपुराणम्/स्कन्धः ०७/अध्यायः २८
> https://sa.wikisource.org/s/it4
>
> नमो *वेदान्तवेद्यायै *भुवनेश्यै नमो नमः ॥ ३१ ॥
> नेति नेतीति वाक्यैर्या बोध्यते सकलागमैः ।
> मिलित्वा ससुरा विप्रा देवीं समभितुष्टुवुः ।
> नमो वेदान्तवेद्ये ते नमो ब्रह्मस्वरूपिणि ॥ ४१ ॥
>
> श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम्  Sri Lalita Sahasra Naama stotram (Brahmanda
> Purana)
> https://sa.wikisource.org/s/7le
>
> सर्ववेदान्तसंवेद्या सत्यानन्दस्वरूपिणी ।
> लोपामुद्रार्चिता लीलाक्ळिप्तब्रह्माण्डमण्डला ॥ १२८॥
>
> Ganesha:  Ganesha purana:
>
> गणेशपुराणम्/खण्डः २(क्रीडाखण्डम्)/अध्यायाः ०६६-०७०
> <https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A8(%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D)/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A6%E0%A5%AC%E0%A5%AC-%E0%A5%A6%E0%A5%AD%E0%A5%A6>
> नित्यं पूर्वपुण्यफलोदयात् । विश्वस्य कारणानां च कारणं तद्विवर्जितम् ॥२४॥
> वेदान्तवेद्यं सज्जोतिर्ज्योतिषामपि भास्वरम् । नानारूपमरूपं यद्बालरूपेण मे
> गृहे ॥२५॥...
>
> Om Tat Sat
>
>
>