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THE PANCARATRAS OR BHAGAVATA-SASTRA
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By A. Govindacarya Svamin, M.R.A.S. Published by JRAS,
1909.
PART 11. The synonymyof what is well known as the
PAncarAtra is thus given in the PAdma-tantra (one of the 108 tantras or
SamhitAs) :-
SUris suhrid bhAgavatas sAtvatah pancakAlavit | EkAntikas
tanmayas' ca pancarAtrika ity api ||
(iv, 2, 88) From this it is evident that pAncarAtra = BhAgavata =
SAtvata = EkAntika.
2. The Sastra or Science (of the worship of the One Gog = Monotheism) is also
called EkAyana, which means the Only Way (Monotheism). For, as is stated in
Isvara SamhitA, NArada tells the Sages -
MoksAyanAya vai panthA etad anyo na vidyate | TasmAd EkAyanam
nAma pravadanti manIsinah || (i,
18) i.e. "whereas there is no other Path than this One to
Emancipation (moksa), the wise call this by the name EkAyana"
3. This science is also known as the MUla-Veda or Root Science (or Root
knowledge), inasmuch as VAsudeva is at the Root of all Knowledge, as the
following verse explicitly says -
Mahato Veda-vrksasya mUla-bhUto mahAn ayam | Skandha-bhUtA
Rg-AdyAs te sAkhA-bhUtAs' ca yoginah || Jagan-mUlasya Vedasya VAsudevasya
mukhyatah | PratipAdakatA siddhA MUla-VEdAkhyatA dvijAh || Adyam
BhAgavatam dharmam Adi-bhUte krte yuge | MAnavA yogya-bhUtAs te
anutisthanti nityas'ah
|| (Id.1,
24-26) i.e. "This (Science) is the root of the Veda-Tree; theRg and
others are its trunk and branches. The (science) is called by the name MUla-Veda
(=Root-Veda), because it is an expositin of VAsudeva, the Root of the Universe.
This is the original BhAgavata-Dharma which the krta age worthly men observed
always"
4. That this Ancient Science is Ancient, and not originated by
VAsudeva, the Son of Vasudeva = Kr*shna, is evident from the word VAsudeva,
meaning "He who permeates all", though, grammatically it is also a patronymic,
viz, "Son of Vasudeva." For firstly, the word VAsudeva occurs in the Taittiriya
Upanisad passage known as the Visnu-GAyatri, Secondly, we have in the
PAdma-Tantra -
Vasudeva-sutasyApi sthApanam VAsudeva-vat
|| (iii, 29,
28) i.e. "The installation of the Son of Vasudeva (krsna) is like
that of VAsudeva (the Ancient One)".
Thirdly, that the EkAyana Science is one of the Ancient Sciences learnt by
NArada, is evident from what NArada himself tells SanatkumAra in the ChAndogya
Upanisat -
" Rg-Vedam Bhagavo 'dhyemi Yajur-VEdam SAma-Vedam Atharvanam
caturtham IthihAsa-PurAnam pancamam VedAnAm Vedam Pitryam RAs'im Daivam Nidhim
VAko-vAkyam
EkAyanam."
(vii, 1, 2) i.e. "O SanatkumAra, I have learnt Rg-Veda, Yajur-Veda,
SAma-Veda Atharvanam, ..., EkAyanam." Also, See the word occurring in the
same Upanisat vii, 1, 4; 2, 1; 5, 2; 7, 1.
Fourthly, Sri Kr*shna Himself says in the Bhagavat GItA (vii, 19)-
VAsudevah sarvam iti sa mahAtmA sudurlabhah. i.e. "That
great soul is hard to find who knows 'VAsudeva is all';" Showing that the
Bhagavata or VAsudeva religion was not originated or invented in Kr*shna's days,
but was existent from time primeval.
Further, Sri Kr*shna confirms this position, viz., the eternity of the
BhAgvata Religion, by telling Arjuna that what he taught him now was Ancient
religion, which from time to time is forgotten by men, and He comes and revives
it. Read Bhagavad-GItA, iv, 1-3 -
Imam Vivasvate yogam proktavAn aham avyayam || VivasvAm Manave
prAha manur IksvAkave 'bravit | Evam paramaparA-prAptam imam rAjarasyo
viduh || Sa kAlen-eha mahatA yogo nastah Parantapa | Sa ev-Ayam mayA
te 'dya yogah proktah purAtanah || i.e. "It was I (the Ancient, not
merely as Kr*shna now) who taught this Devine Science (Yoga) to VivasvAn (The
Sun). VivasvAn taught Manu; and Manu taught IksvAku. That this is thus
traditionally derived, the Royal Sages know. But by long lapse of time the
Science was lost. And this Ancient Science has again by Me now told thee, O
Foe-dread (Arjuna)". Here "Royal Sages Know" does not mean that
only the Royal Sages or Kshatriyas know, and that BrAhmanas therefore do not
know; nor does it mean that Kshatriyas originated it without reference to the
BrAhmanas. Also, the term "Royal" is also interpretable as "those Sages whohave
attained royalty or eminence in the Devine Science"; and therefore need
not neccessarily mean Kshatriyas. Desides, if the Ancient, as He says, taught
VivasvAn, may it be adduced from this that the Ancient was a Kshatriya, or that
VivasvAn (the Sun) is a Kshatriya? It is simply NArAyana, the Primeval God,
teaching NArada to begin with - NArada, the mind-born son of BrahmA and
therefore a divine BrAhmana (Brahmarishi) - as many be seen fron
Is'vara-SamhitA, i, 4, 11; -
NArAyanam tapasyantam Nara-NArayanas'ramo Samsovantas sadA
bhaktyA mokshopAya-vivitsavah SamsthitA munayas sarve NArAyana-parAyanAh
KAlena kena cit svargAt NArayana-didrkshayA TatrAvatIrya devar*shih
NAradas sa kutUhalah Dr*shtvA NArayanam devam namaskr*tya kr*tAnjalih
PulakAncita-sarvAngah prshr*shta-vadano munih StitvA nAnAvidhaih
stotraih pranamya ca muhur muhuh PUjayAmAsa tam Devam NArAyanam anAmayam
Atha NArAyano devah tam Aha munipungavam Munayo hy atra tishthanti
prArthayAnA Hareh padam EteshAm SAtvatam s'Astram upadestum tvam arhasi
Ityuktv-antardadhe Sriman-NArAyana-munis tadA i.e. "the Sages
(munis) lovingly served NArAyana absorbed in meditation at Nara-NArAyan-As'rama
(Badari in the Himalayas). Wishing to see NArAyana, NArada descended from
Svarga; and seeing Him, prostrated and stood up with hands clasped, with joy
beaming in his face and thrilling in his frame. He burst forth in praise, again
and again casting homself at His feet. he worshiped (thus) the Holy NArAyana.
Then spake NArAyana to the sage-chief thus: 'The Sages sit here praying for
Hari's feet and Thou art fit to teach them the SAtvata-Sastra (= PAnca-rAtra).'
So saying Sriman NArAyana made Himself invisisble".
Also read BhAradvAja-SamhitA cited under par. 6 infra, as also iii, 41 (id.)
and its Paris'ista, 1, 88.
As to the primordial or prmeval character of this BhAgavata (=VAsudevic or
PAncarAtra) religion, further reference is invited to MahA-nArAyana,
Brahma-bindu, Mukti, RAmatApani and VAsudeva Upanisads.
5. That PAncarAtra is Vedic and possesses Authority (so that its precepts and
practices are to be followed by all those who own allegiance to Veda) is
expressed in the PAdma-tantra verse -
S'ruti-mUlam idam Tantram pramAnam
kalpa-sUtravat. (i, 1,
88.) i.e."This tantra is S'ruti-origined or S'ruti-rooted, and is an
Authority like, for example, the Kalpa-S'utra".
6. The meaning of the term pAncarAtra is thus explained -
(a) PAdma-tantra: The question is put -
Mahopanisad-Akhyasya s'Astrasya-Asya mahAmate !
PancarAtra-samAkhy-Asau katham loke
pravartate (i, 1,
681/2-69) i.e. "How, O wise sire! is this Mahopanishad currently
known in the world as PancarAtra? To which Samvarta is made to answer thus:-
Pan-etarAni s'AstrAni rAtriyante mahAnty api Tat-sannidhau
samAkhyAsau tena loke pravartate. i.e. "Because the five other great
S'astras are like darkness in the presence of this (PAncarAtra), thence is it
currently known by the term PAncarAtra".
The other Five S'astras are - (1) Yoga (author Virinca or Hiranya-garbha)
(2) SAnkhya (author kapila) (3) Buddha (author Buddhi-mUrti) (4)
Arhata (author Arhata or Jina) (5) KApAla, Suddha-S'aiva, PAsupata (a
group-author S'iva).
or it may be also thus interpreted:-
Pancatvam athavA yadvat dipyamAne divAkare Rcchanti rAtrayas
tadvat itarAni tad-antike. i.e. "As when the Sun rises, the nights
die, so others die in the vicinity of this (PAncarAtra)".
(b) NArada-PAncarAtra
RAtram ca jnAna-vacanam jnAnam panca-vidham smr*tam TEn-edam
Panca-rAtram ca pravadanti
manishinah.
(i, 1, 44) i.e. "RAtram is a term signifying knowledge and because
of this there are five (panca) kinds, therefore the wise call it
Panca-rAtram".
The five kinds of knowledge (read op. cit., verses 45-56) are said to be:
(1) Tattva (this is sAttvika) (2) Mukti-prada (also
sAttvika) (3) Bhakti-prada (this is nairgunya) (4) Yaugika
(this is rAjasa) (5) Vaishayika (this is tAmasa).
(c) Sri-Pras'na-SamhitA, ii, 40, states - RAtrir ajnAnam ity uktam
Panc-ety ajnAna-nAs'akam. i.e. "RAtri, night, means nescience, and pane,
derived from the root pac, to cook, means that which 'cooks', i.e. destroysthat
nescience". Hence PancarAtra is the science which dispels ignorance.
Also (d) Ahirbudhnya-Samhita xi-64, 65, 66 (?) and Kapinjala-Samhita, chap.
1, may be referred to.
7. The AcAryas or Teachers in succession who promulgated these
doctrines (omitting NArAyana and NArada, vide par. 4 supra) are thus stated:
PuraA TotAdri-s'ikhare S'Andilyo 'pi mahA-munih SamAhita-manA
bhUtvA tapas taptvA mahattaram AnekAni sahasrAni var*shAnam tapaso 'ntatah
DvAparasya yugasy-Ante Adau kali-yugasya ca SAkshAt SamkarshanAt
labdhvA vedam EkAyanabhidam Sumantum Jaiminim caiva Bhrgum
caiva-AupagAyanam MaunjyAyanam ca tam Vedam samyag adhyApayat
purA (Is'vara-SamhitA, i,
38-41) i.e. "In days past, on TotAdri peak, S'Andilya the greatsage
sat fixed in severe austerities (tapas) for many years. In the end he obtained
from Samkarshana - in the interim between DvApara age and kali age- the Veda
going by the name of EkAyana, and taught them well to Sumantu, Jaimini, Bhrgu,
AupagAyana and MaunjyAyana". And then in viii, 175-7, of thesame
Samhita, NArada tells -
EkAntino mahAbhAgAh S'athakopa-purassarAh KshonyAm
kr*r-AvatArA ye lokojjIvana-hetunA S'AndilyAdyAs' ca ye c-Anye
PancarAtra-pravartakAh PrahlAdas' c-aiva SugrIvo VAyusUnur VibhUshanah
Ye c-Anye SanakAdyAs' ca PancakAla-parAyanah i.e "Sathakopa and
others, great devout saints, became incarnate on earth to save creature. Sanaka
and others, Sandilya and others, prahalAda, SugrIva, the Wind-Son (HanumAn),
VibhIshana and others - the strict observers of the Five Timed Injunctions
(PancakAla)- these are the Promulgators of the PancarAtra.
With reference to SandilyA, attention is invited to No 10, SAndilya-VidyA and
No. 32 S'riman NyAsa-VidyA in the Table of the 32 VidyAs, pp 129-30 of our
Bhagavad-GItA with RAmAnuja's Commentary.
Next, after Sathakopa and others, comes RAmAnuja. For NArAyana tells
Bala-bharads (or Bala-rAma, the brother of Kr*shna) thus (Is'vara SamhitA, xx,
278-80):
Asti te vimalA bhaktih Mayi YAdava-nandana | Prathamam
S'esha-rUpo Me kaimkaryam akarod bhavAn || Tatas tu Lakshmano bhUtvA MAm
ArAdhitvAn iha | IdAnIm api MAm yastum Balabhadra ! tvam arhasi ||
kalAv api yuge bhUyah kas'eid bhUtavA dvijottamah | NAnA-vidhair
bhoga-jAlair arcanam Me karishyasi || i.e. "O Son of Yadu-race
(BalarAma) ! thou hast clean (or pure) devotion (or love) for Me. Thou, first as
S'esha didst the great service for Me. Then next didst thou worship me as
Lakshmana. Thou art now serving me as Balabharada. Thou shalt again in Kaliage
be born as a great BrAhmana (=RAmAnuja), and shalt worship me with many things
of joy".
Br*had-Brahma-SamhitA makes this clear, thus:
Dvija-rUpena bhavitA yA tu SamkarshanAbhidhA || DvAparAnte
kaler Adan pAsanda-pracure jane | RAmanuj-eti bhavitA
Vishnu-dharma-pravartakah || S'riranges'a-dayA-pAtram viddhi RAmAnuja
munim | Yena sandarsitah panthA VaikunthAkhyasya sadmanah ||
PAram-aikAntiko dharmo bhava-pAs'a-vimocakah | Yatr-AnanyatayA proktam
Avayoh pAda-sevanam || KAlen-AchhAdito dharmo madIyo 'yam varAnane ! |
TadA mayA pravr*tto 'yam tat-kAl-Ocita-mUrtinA || Vishvaksen-Adibhir
bhaktair S'athAri-pramukhair dvijaih | RAmAnujena muninA kalau samsthAm
upeshyati || i.e. " 'My Samkarshana part (O Sri),' says NArAyan, 'is
the form ofa BrAhmana, by the name RAmAnuja, which it is going to take, after
the DvApara age and in the kAli age, to expound the Vishnu-dharma
(=BhAgavata Religion), when the world will be full of heretics or renegades
(pAsanda). Know that RAmAnuja will be the specially favoured of S'riRanga
(-natha) and he will show the way to the Realm known as Viakuntha. The
One-pointed Religion exclusively to be rendered to Thee and Me (=Sriman
NArAyana) the religion which delivers (creatures) from the bonds of samsAra
(material existance) becomes dimmed by age, O fair faced one ! According tothe
requirements of the age, I take many forms, and act by means of My devoteessuch
as Vishvaksena, Sathakopa, etc., and RAmAnuja in the Kali age.".
BhAradvAja-SamhitA iv, 92, teaches - Abhyarthito jagad-dhAtryA S'riyA
NArAyanas svayam UpAdis'ad imam yogam iti me NAradAt s'rutam, i.e
"Prayed to by Sri, the Universal Mother, NArAyana Himself taught (Her) this
yoga. So did I hear from NArada".
From the above it will be seen how the hierarchy (Guru-paramparA) if the
S'ri-Vaishnavas or Sri-Sampradhayam came to be constituted thus:
(1) NArAyana (2) S'ri (3) Vishvaksena = Senes'a = the Lord
of the Hosts (the Eternals) (4) S'athakopa or S'athagopa (the
Mortal-Immortal) (5) The others between (4) and (6) (6) RAmAnuja
(7) Succession after (6), up to one's own Holy Preceptor. In the
work called VArta-mAlA (or Garland of Talks), p 98, 202nd Talk (Telugu edition,
Madras, 1887, SarasvatI-BhandAra Press), aquestion was asked how the
efficaciousness of the Apostolic Pedigree would be affected |