суббота, 19 января 2019 г.

Shree MahaLakshmi as "Jnana-Ananda-Kriya-Mayi", Shaiva-pashupatas and answering to the question: "If Bhagavan Shree Vishnu is Vishwa-Atma, living in a heart of every jiva, then who eternally lives in His Very Heart?"

While reading the English translation of "Shree AhirBudhnya-Samhita" by Mitsunori Matsubara [#link to pdf-scan] I have written out several magnificent Pramanas. Below the Sanskrit versions with my English translations. 

The first very classic Pramana is the Verse with "easy-to-remember" number "2.22":

एकं निर्दुःखनिःसीमसुखानुभवलक्षणम् |
अनाद्यन्तं परं ब्रह्म नारायणमनामयम् || २.२२ ||
ekaM nirduHkhaniHsImasukhAnubhavalakShaNam |
anAdyantaM paraM brahma nArAyaNamanAmayam || 2.22 ||
"Shree AhirBudhnya-Samhita", 2.22: "Bhagavan Shree Narayana is The Only ParaBrahman. He is totally devoid of any trace of suffering and always immersed in His Inherent Bliss (Happiness, Sukha)". 
S H R E E   N A R A Y A N I - S H A K T I.

Verses 4.77-78 expand the ParaBrahman-Siddhanta, telling that in His being the ParaBrahman Bhagavan Shree Narayana actually never exists without His Adorable Shakti - Shree Vaishnavi, Shree Narayani (that is Shreemati MahaLakshmi-Devi): 

ब्रह्मभावं व्रजत्येवं सा शक्तिर्वैष्णवी परा ।
नारायणः परं ब्रह्म शक्तिर्नारायणी च सा 
व्यापकावतिसंश्लेषादेकं तत्त्वमिव स्थितौ ॥ ४.७७-७८ ॥
brahmabhAvaM vrajatyevaM sA shaktirvaiShNavI parA |
nArAyaNaH paraM brahma shaktirnArAyaNI cha sA 
vyApakAvatisaMshleShAdekaM tattvamiva sthitau || 4.77-78 ||
"Shree AhirBudhnya-Samhita", 4.77-78: "Being The ParaBrahman, Bhagavan Shree Narayana never exists without His Adorable Shakti known as Shree Vaishnavi-Shakti (Shree Narayani-Shakti). Shree Narayani-Shakti and Bhagavan Shree Narayana always exist as ONE (or the alternative translation - "Divya Dampatti always stays in Close Embrace, They Both never part from Each Other" - vyApakAvatisaMshleShAdekaM tattvamiva sthitau)". 
S H A I V A - P A S H U P A T A S.

"Shree AhirBudhnya-Samhita" is being told by Shiva, so the Verse 2.39 mentions Shaiva-Pashupata-Siddhanta:

अपनाशतपोयोगादपान्तरतपाः श्रुतः |
शिवंकरतया प्रोक्तः शिवः पाशुपते स्थितैः || २.३९ || 
apanAshatapoyogAdapAntaratapAH shrutaH |
shivaMkaratayA proktaH shivaH pAshupate sthitaiH || 2.39 ||
"Shree AhirBudhnya-Samhita", 2.39: "Bhagavan Shree Narayana is All-Auspicious, so He is known as Shiva to the followers of Shaiva-Pashupata". 
Compare with "Shree Lakshmi-Tantra", Verse 1.42:

एषा सा योगिनां निष्ठा यत्र गत्वा न शोचति |
एषा पाशुपती निष्ठा सैषा वेदविदां गतिः || १.४२ ||
eShA sA yoginAM niShThA yatra gatvA na shochati |
eShA pAshupatI niShThA saiShA vedavidAM gatiH || 1.42 ||
"Shree Lakshmi-Tantra", 1.42: "Bhagavan Shree Narayana is actually the Final Goal of all yogins and Shaiva-pashupatas". 
And compare additionally with the Verse 53.14 from "Shree NaraSimha-Purana", it says: 

गदासिशङ्खाब्जकरं श्रियः पतिं सदाशिवं शार्ङ्गधरं रविप्रभम् |
पीताम्बरं हारविराजितोदरं नमामि विष्णुं सततं किरीटिनम् || ५३.१४ ||
gadAsisha~NkhAbjakaraM shriyaH patiM sadAshivaM shAr~NgadharaM raviprabham |
pItAmbaraM hAravirAjitodaraM namAmi viShNuM satataM kirITinam || 53.14 ||
"Shree NaraSimha-Purana", 53.14: "I bow to Bhagavan Shree Vishnu, Who is known as ShriyaPati and SadaShiva". 
V A I D I K A - S I D D H A N T A
A N D
S H R E E   K A T H A - U P A N I S H A D.

Verse 2.62 of "Shree AhirBudhnya-Samhita" chimes with Vaidika Siddhanta, which states that "Bhagavan Shree Narayana desired to become many"

ज्ञानमेव परं रूपं ब्रह्मणः परमात्मनः |
षाड्गुण्यं तत् परं ब्रह्म स्वशक्तिपरिबृंहितम् |
बहु स्यामिति संकल्पं भजते तत् सुदर्शनम् || २.६२ || 
j~nAnameva paraM rUpaM brahmaNaH paramAtmanaH |
ShADguNyaM tat paraM brahma svashaktiparibRRiMhitam |
bahu syAmiti saMkalpaM bhajate tat sudarshanam || 2.62 ||
"Shree AhirBudhnya-Samhita", 2.62: "Know, that Only Bhagavan Shree Narayana is ParaBrahman and Para-Rupa, because Only Bhagavan Shree Narayana has ShadGunya (All 6 Divine Qualities in the fullest possible extent). Once Bhagavan Shree Narayana desired to become many (desired to manifest the endless multitude of jivas - bahu syAmiti saMkalpaM)". 
Compare with the following classic Vadika Pramanas, telling about बहुधा ("bahudha" - manifold, multitude) of Bhagavan Shree Vishnu:

एको वशी सर्वभूतान्तरात्मा एकं रूपं बहुधा यः करोति - eko vashI sarvabhUtAntarAtmA ekaM rUpaM bahudhA yaH karoti - "One ParaBrahman (Bhagavan Shree Vishnu) exists in the multitudes of jivas and rupas". ["Shree Katha-Upanishad", 2.2.12]

तदैक्षत बहु स्यां - tadaikShata bahu syAM: - "One ParaBrahman desired to become many" - ["Shree Chandogya-Upanishad", 6.2.3]

अग्निर्यथैको भुवनं प्रविष्टो रूपं रूपं प्रतिरूपो बभूव - agniryathaiko bhuvanaM praviShTo rUpaM rUpaM pratirUpo babhUva - "Bhagavan Shree Vishnu enters all existing rupas/jivas in the same way as Agni (fire) enters into (embraces) everything on its way". ["Shree Katha-Upanishad", 2.2.9]***

***Note: "Shree Katha-Upanishad" always tells only about Bhagavan Shree Vishnu, NOT other devatas, because Mantra 1.3.9 of "Shree Katha-Upanishad" says तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम्  - tad viShNoH paramaM padam - see, for example, the original Sanskrit text on #sanskritdocuments.org

The Puranika angle is the same as the Vaidika one. For example, "Shree NaraSimha-Purana", 37.15 states: 

अमूर्तिस् त्वं महाबाहो यज्ञमूर्तिर् अधोक्षज |
साम्नां मूर्तिस् त्वम् एवाद्य सर्वदा सर्वरूपवान् || ३७.१५ || 
amUrtis tvaM mahAbAho yaj~namUrtir adhokShaja |
sAmnAM mUrtis tvam evAdya sarvadA sarvarUpavAn || 37.15 ||
"Shree NaraSimha-Purana", 37.15: "One Bhagavan Shree Narayana, known as YajnaMurti-Vishnu and Adhokshaja-Vishnu, dwells in the multitude of all existing forms and jivas (sarvadA sarvarUpavAn)". 
B H A G A V A N   S H R E E   N A R A Y A N A
A S   V I S H W A - A T M A. 

The Verse 3.41 of "Shree AhirBudhnya-Samhita" is remarkable due to the unification of several points of the above-mentioned Siddhantas (ParaBrahman + ShadGunya + Multitude + Final Goal) with Vishwa-Atma emphasis: 

षाड्गुण्यं यत् परं ब्रह्म या गतिर्योगिनां परा |
नारायणः स विश्वात्मा भावाभावमिदं जगत् || ३.४१ || 
ShADguNyaM yat paraM brahma yA gatiryoginAM parA |
nArAyaNaH sa vishvAtmA bhAvAbhAvamidaM jagat || 3.41 ||
"Shree AhirBudhnya-Samhita", 3.41: "Bhagavan Shree Narayana is ShadGunya-ParamaBrahman, the Final Goal of all yogins and Vishwa-Atma, dwelling in every jiva as Antaryamin". 
S H R E E M A T I   M A H A L A K S H M I - D E V I
A S   S A R V A - B H A V A - A N U G A M I N I . 

And let's conclude with one of the most beautiful Pramanas in the entire Vaishnava-PanchaRatra - "ekA shaktirharerviShNoH sarvabhAvAnugAminI":

एका शक्तिर्हरेर्विष्णोः सर्वभावानुगामिनी |
देवी षाड्गुण्यपूर्णा सा ज्ञानानन्दक्रियामयी || ७.६५ || 
ekA shaktirharerviShNoH sarvabhAvAnugAminI |
devI ShADguNyapUrNA sA j~nAnAnandakriyAmayI || 7.65 ||
"Shree AhirBudhnya-Samhita", 7.65: "Bhagavan Shree Hari-Vishnu has Only One Shakti - Shreemati MahaLakshmi-Devi, Who accompanies Him absolutely in all states (all bhavas). This Devi (Shree MahaLakshmi) is also endowed with ShadGunya-Purna and always immersed in Jnana-Ananda-Kriya-Bhava!". 
Compare with the Verses 10.8-9 from "Shree NaraSimha-Purana" about The Heart of Bhagavan Shree Vishnu-Govinda:

विष्णुं पुरुषं पुरातनम्
जगत्पतिं क्षीरसमुद्रमन्दिरं तं शार्ङ्गपाणिं मुनिवृन्दवन्दितम् |
श्रियः पतिं श्रीधरम् ईशम् ईश्वरं नमामि गोविन्दम् अनन्तवर्चसम् || १०.८-९ ||
viShNuM puruShaM purAtanam
jagatpatiM kShIrasamudramandiraM taM shAr~NgapANiM munivRRindavanditam |
shriyaH patiM shrIdharam Isham IshvaraM namAmi govindam anantavarchasam || 10.8-9 ||
"Shree NaraSimha-Purana", 10.9: "I bow to Bhagavan Shree Vishnu, JagatPati, Who lives in Kshira-Samudra and Who is worhipped by the multitudes of munis. I bow to Bhagavan Shree Vishnu, Who is known as ShriyaPatih (The Husband of Shreemati MahaLakshmi-Devi) and Vishnu-Govinda-Ishwara, Who always holds Shree MahaLakshmi-Devi within His Heart". 
Article, the translations of the Pramanas 
from Sanskrit/Hindi to English 
by Vishnudut1926, Moscow, 19-January-2019

You can find 2 editions of "Shree NaraSimha-Purana" in my E-Library:
1. Sanskrit-Hindi edition from Varanasi (very much recommended, it is much better than Sanskrit-English variant) - #LINK TO PDF-SCAN
2. Sanskrit-English variant - #LINK TO PDF-SCAN

Pure and impure creation: scheme, based on "Shree AhirBudhnya-Samhita"...

The following scheme is very useful, when you study not only "Shree AhirBudhnya-Samhita", but other Granthas of the Orthodox Vaishnava-PanchaRatra ("Shree Lakshmi-Tantra", "Shree Parama-Samhita", "Shree Iswara-Samhita" and many others!). 

This scheme was extracted by me from "Pancaratra Samhitas & Early Vaisnava Theology" by Mitsunori Matsubara [#link to pdf-scan]

You can also find this scheme on #flickr, #dropbox, #plurk and #gett:


Vishnudut1926, Moscow, 19-January-2019

"VISISTADVAITA" #by A. Srinivasa Raghavan# [Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams - 1985]

DOWNLOAD (English):

English annotation by Vishnudut1926: Very much recommended, I got captivated by this simple, but very powerful Grantha!!! 

It is not about Vishishta-Adwaita, its headline is quite misleading, because actually this Grantha is the synopsis of the principal tenets within Vadakalai Branch of Shree Ramanuja-Sampradaya (Shree Vedanta Desika MahAcharaya). 

Due to this reason A. Srinivasa Raghavan quotes Shree Vedanta Desika MahAcharya amply. 
The book is truly captivating, recommended both for the beginners and advanced readers!
Note about the cover: the original cover in this scan was corrupted, so I have made the totally new cover in green, which you can see above!

T H I S   S C A N   B E L O N G S   T O   T H E   F A M I L Y   O F   M Y   C O M P A C T  
 V A I S H N A V A   E - L I B R A R I E S ,   T H E Y   C A N   B E   F O U N D   O N :  
Wordpress (a catalogue with pictures and cloud links to PDF-scans) - #Wordpress
Nimbus (this is just a TXT-version without pictures) - #Nimbus
Airborn (the mirror of Wordpress) - #Airborn
GoogleDocs (the mirror of Wordpress) - #GoogleDocs

"Pancaratra Samhitas & Early Vaisnava Theology" #by Mitsunori Matsubara# [Motilal Banasirdass - 1994]

DOWNLOAD (English):

FULL EDITION (148MB, with the research part, which is not worth of attention and a time waster, see my annotation below): 

Only Part #2 (44MB, English translation of the first 7 Chapters of "Shree Ahirbudhnya-Samhita", only this part is recommended by me for the study!!!):

English annotation by Vishnudut1926: I have mixed feelings about this research - it seems that the author (Mitsunori Matsubara) got totally puzzled by the entire PanchaRatra tenets and failed to comprehend them.  

What I definitely did NOT like in this edition: 

1. Mitsunori Matsubara follows to some very absurd and offensive theories by western sanskritologists. For, example on the page 101 Bhagavan Shree Narayana is attempted to be traced to, sorry for the stupid quote, "jala-devatas". See this offensive quote below or on #flickr, #plurk:

Of course, the absurd ideas of this kind are offensive not only to Vaishnavism, but to Hinduism in its entirety. 
2. Another point of epic fail - Mitsunori Matsubara fails to note, that the so-called "Shree Narada-PanchaRatra" and 5th Chapter of "Brahma-Samhita" have nothing to do with the Orthodox Vaishnava PanchaRatra at all, because both belong to just Radha-Krishna Tantras of spurious Bengali origins, BUT NOT TO the original brahmanical Vaishnava PanchaRatra of South India. 

When we speak about Vaishnava PanchaRatra, we always speak about Granthas compiled by Bhagavan Shree Narayana for Narayana-prapannas from South India (nArAyaNaparAyaNAH kvachitkvachinmahArAja draviDeShu - see the predictions about Narayana-prapannas in this Kali-Yuga from "Shree Bhagavata-Purana", 11.5.39-40), so any PanchaRatra Grantha always must speak about:

  • either about Bhagavan Shree Narayana/Bhagavan Shree Vishnu (for example, "Shree Parama-Samhita" - #link to pdf-scan
  • or about Shreemati Lakshmi-Devi ("Shree Lakshmi-Tantra") 
  • or about Nitya Suris (for example, "Shree Ahirbudhnya-Samhita", which is devoted to Shree Sudarshana-Chakra) or 
  • or about Shreemati MahaLakshmi-Devi and Bhagavan Shree Narayana Together ("Shree Lakshmi-Narayana-Samhita", for example). 
  • or about Shree Vasudeva and Vyuhas ("Shree Sattvata-Samhita"). 
  • or about serious Orthodox Vaishnava Worship ("Shree Iswara-Samhita" - #link to pdf-scan).

If you scroll through more correct researches, for example, by Otto Schrader or by Swami Vijnananda, you will notice, that both researchers attribute various Radha-Krishna-Tantras and other Avatara-Tantras to "APOCRYPHAL OR SPURIOUS SAMHITAS".

See 2 quotes below or on #flickr, #plurk, #dropbox, #ge.tt:

Why? Because Samhitas/Tantras of this kind always follow to the very absurd and ridiculous ideas about Shree Krishna-Avatara (Shree Radha-Krishna) being the Supreme ParaBrahman, they contain very bizzare Vyuha theories, they are overburdened by oversimplifications, by very childish Bengalese/Assamese/North Indian ideas and very sentimental, poetic "dance-and-sing" Radha-Krishna-Bhakti for shudras and women.  
Moreover, various Radha-Krishna Tantras have nothing in common with Sattvika Vaishnavism and Orthodox Vaishnava-PanchaRatra. 
As you know, Shree Radha-Krishna Cult and descriptions of Goloka/Vrindavan hails only from Rajasika/Tamasika Puranas ("Shree Brahma-Vaivarta-Purana", "Shree Devi-Bhagavata-Purana", "Shree Skanda-Purana"), BUT NOT FROM SATTVIKA VAISHNAVA-PURANAS. 
There is no place for rajasika Shree Radha-Krishna Cult in purely Sattvika-Vaishnava Puranas such as "Shree Bhagavata-Purana", "Shree Vishnu-Purana" and "Shree Garuda-Purana". 
So, "Shree Narada-PanchaRatra", 5th Chapter of "Brahma-Samhita" and other apocryphal Tantras of this kind actually belong to rajasika Bengal Shaktism/Krishnaism, but not to Sattvika Vaishnavism and Orthodox Vaishnava PanchaRatra! 
And, back to Mitsunori Matsubara, good news - he pays attention to the fact, that 5th chapter of "Shree Brahma-Samhita" and "Shree Narada-PanchaRatra" differ from the entire Vaishnava-PanchaRatra, because they contain bizzare ideas about Vyuhas and Avataras (pages 33-34 - the screenshot below, see also on #flickr, #plurk):


What I liked in Mitsunori Matsubara's research: 

This edition contains the English translation of the first 7 Chapters of "Shree Ahirbudhnya-Samhita" - it is great for those who can't have an access to various Sanskrit editions, but would like at least to get acquainted with the Grantha. 

Still, back to the research part, if you are interested in the solid, top-notch and trustworthy surveys regarding Shree Vaishnava-PanchaRatra, then I recommend to turn to the very native and purely Vaishnava investigation by Dr. V. Varadachari -  "AGAMAS and SOUTH INDIAN VAISHNAVISM" by Dr. V. VaradachariRangAcharya, 1982 edition - #LINK TO PDF-SCAN IN MY E-LIBRARY

Additionally to this post see also:

1. My special selection of brilliant Pramanas from "Shree AhirBudhnya-Samhita" in Sanskrit-English - ###LINK

2. Correct scheme of Vyuhas according to "Shree AhirBudhnya-Samhita" - ###LINK

Vishnudut1926, Moscow, 19-January-2019