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srI:
SrI  upakAra  sangraham ? 51
--- 
adikAram ? 1
poorva upakAra paramparai
(The Foremost Series of Favours) 
---   
SECTION ? 5 (11) [continued] 
(27 Favours of the Lord leading to the means for
MOKSHAM)  
-----   
 
        The next religion mentioned by SwAmi Desikan in this
series is PAshupata, from which also, the Lord saves
the sAttvika persons. What is this PAshupata religion?

        
Before going into this newly mentioned religion, we
can look back a little so that we will understand the
significance of mentioning this religion here. 
        
Earlier, we were told that the SAnkhya system of the
sage Kapila, the VaishEShika of KaNAda, the NyAya of
Gautama, the Buddhism and the Jainism should be
disregarded by the sAttvikas who are desirous of
salvation from this miserable world. The reason is the
tenets of these systems are full of inconsistencies
and are out of the area of the Vedas. 
        
Now, a question is raised: Ok, those systems which
fell out of the Vedas have been rejected. But, should
we not accept the PAshupata religion that was
propounded by Rudra who is well known as ?sarvaj~na? ,
omniscient? 
        This argument is set aside in this AdhikaraNa,
(2-2-7) ?pashupatyadhikaraNam? from different angles. 

        Let us see the aspects of this PAshupata religion. 

        PAshupatam = pashu +pati+pAsam. All these three are
eternal and not dissolved at the time of deluge
(praLaya). 

Pashu : This represents jIva. He is also known as
kShEtraj~na, the soul. He is of atomic size and fully
talented. However, he is wandering in this samsAra,
bound by dirt, myth and karma. When these are gone, he
attains the status of being omniscient, all-pervading,
all-powerful and attains equality with Shiva. For
this, knowledge of the essentials is the means. 

        Pati : Pashupati is the SarvEshvara, the Ultimate
Lord. He is the efficient cause for all the worlds. He
blesses liberation to jIvas according to their karmas.
He enjoys limitless independence. 

        Vedas are accepted as a valid source of knowledge in
this religion, but, Ishvara is known through inference
only. Shiva is eternally a mukta. His form consists of
five tattvas ? Shiva tattva, Shakti tattva, Sadashiva
tattva, Ishvara tattva and VidhyA tattva. When He
creates the world with the powers of knowledge and
action, He is known as Shiva. When the powers of
knowledge and action are in equal proportion, He is
called SadAshiva. When the power of knowledge is less
and the power of action is more, He is called Ishvara.
In the reverse order, i.e., when the power of
knowledge is more and the power of action is less, He
is called VidhyA. 

        PAsam: Prakruti is the PAsam and mAya as well. It is
divided into avyakta and triguNa. When the three
qualities, namely, satva, rajas and tamas are in the
subtle state, it is known as ?avyakta? and in the
gross state it is called ?triguNa? 
        
>From this mAya, appear five things, namely, Niyati
(religious duty), KAlam (Time), rAgam, VidhyA and
Kalai for the jIva. 
        Niyati (Religious Duty) brings the fruits of his
actions.
        Time: It provides the divisions like seconds, minute
etc.
        RAgam: It enables the jIva to act by assuming the
absence of misery as happiness.
        VidhyA: It helps to know about an object.
Kalai: When knowledge is hidden by dirt, it removes
the dirt and makes the                          knowledge shine. 

J~nAnam: This reveals the truth and generates the
feelings of pleasure and pain. 
Sattva, rajas and tamas fill up the intellect and Time
and rules motivate the man to initiate action. 

The Brahmasootra declares the inappropriateness of the
PAshupata system in the first sutra of this
AdhikaraNa: ?patyurasAmancasyAt? (2-2-35) ? The view
in regard to Pashupati as the Supreme Lord is not to
accepted, because of its inconsistency. 

SrIBhAshyakAra explains that the wise who are aspiring
for salvation do not support this religion. Vedas at
innumerable places declare nArAyaNa as the material as
well as the efficient cause of the universe.
Meditating on Him alone is the means for the
salvation. It is very clear that all names including
Shiva, Rudra etc. refer only to nArAyaNa, the Ultimate
Reality. 
The second Sootra, ?adhiShTAnAnupapattEsca //?
(2-2-36) says that the PAshupata religion is
inappropriate as Shiva who is incorporeal (without a
body) cannot be a material cause. Shiva, who has no
body, cannot be the superintendent for the creation,
like a potter who with a physical body creates pots
using the clay and other instruments. If it is said
that it can be inferred that Shiva also has a body, He
cannot be eternal as His body has limbs. Any body with
limbs cannot be eternal, according to the Scriptures.
The third Sootra, ?karaNavaccEt na bhOgAdibhyah //?
(2-2-37) also rules out the possibility of Pashupati
being the cause. If it is held that like the jIva, He
also has sense organs, then He would be subject to
merits and demerits, (PunNya and Papa), and may have
to undergo the effects accordingly. 
The fourth Sootra, ?antavattvmasarvj~natA vA//?
(2-2-38) says that if the merits and demerits are
accepted for Shiva also, like the jIva, then it will
result in his having an end and his wanting in
omniscience. Therefore, PAshupata religion is
inappropriate.
Veda VyAsa, the author of the Brahmasootras and who is
also an incarnation of  the Lord  nArAyaNa, has thus
ruled out the possibility of  PAshupata religion is
not the right one for those who desire to attain
liberation. 

(To continue)
dAsan 
Anbil S.SrInivAsan
---------  



      
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