============================= Shri Ekanath ji Maharaj’s nishtha towards commentarial traditions of Shaankara Vedanta

In the Advaita sampradaya, there are three commentarial traditions which adopt different prakriyas in explaining the bhashya of Bhagavatpada.

Vivarana prasthana : based on Panchapadika-vivarana of Shri Prakashatma Yati
Bhamati prasthana : based on Bhamati of Shri Vachaspati Mishra
Vartika prasthana : based on Vartikas of Bhagavan Sureshvaracharya

Ekanathi Bhagavata

Shri Ekanath ji, a great Advaitian Acharya and a paripakva bhakta of Vittala, makes a reference to these commentarial traditions in his Ekanathi Bhagavata.

The 11th Chapter of Ekanathi Bhagavata has the commentary on the following shloka of Shrimad Bhagavata :

शब्दब्रह्मणि निष्णातो न निष्णायात्परे यदि ।
श्रमस्तस्य श्रमफलो ह्यधेनुमिव रक्षतः ॥१८॥

While commenting upon the word ‘शब्दब्रह्मणि’, Eknath ji maharaj briefly lists various shastras and darshanas. In this context, he describes Vedanta thusly :

विवर्ण वाचस्पति वेदांत । शास्त्र जाणे वार्तिकांत ।
तिन्ही प्रस्थानें मूर्तिंमंत । पुढां तिष्ठत योग्यत्वें ॥१७॥

~ श्री एकनाथ जी महाराज, एकनाथी भागवत, अध्याय ११

Eknath ji says that Vedanta shastra consists of Prasthana-traya (Upanishads, Brahma-sutra, Bhagavatgeeta), Vivarana ie Panchapadika-vivarana of Prakashatma yati ji, Bhamati of Vachaspati Mishra and it culminates in Vartika of Bhagavan Sureshvaracharya. Thus, in his view, Vedanta is Shaankara Vedanta only and Bhamati,Vivarana and Vartika are its vyakhyana bhedas.

It is interesting to note the word ‘वार्तिकान्त’. In Advaita sampradaya, the following phrase is quite popular : ‘वार्तिकान्ता ब्रह्मविद्या’. This suggests that Vartikakara’s word is final in matters pertaining to Brahma-vidya and study of Brahma-vidya culminates with the study of Vartika. Such is the significance of Bhagavan Sureshvaracharya’s Vartika in our tradition. It is heartening to see that Ekanath Maharaj also conveys the same by using the word ‘वार्तिकान्त’ in his Bhagavata commentary.

The above reference is made while describing various branches of Shastras. But Eknath ji Maharaj makes a reference to the Vartika again in a totally different context!

Rukmini Swayamvara

In his Rukmini Swayamvara, there are certain verses which give a beautiful, poetic description of Bhagavan Krishna. Here, Ekanath ji Maharaj says :

बाहुवटे कीर्तिमुखें । चारी वेद जाहले सुखें । करि कंकणे जडित माणके। वार्तिकान्त वेदान्त ॥ ५०॥

~ श्री एकनाथ जी महाराज, रुक्मिणी स्वयंवर, १.५०

[ The four armlets which Krishna is wearing are verily the four Vedas and the gem studded kankana (wrist bands) are indeed Vedanta culminating in Vartika]

The conviction that, the Vartika of Bhagavan Sureshvaracharya is the very essence of Vedanta and Vedanta study becomes complete on studying it, is so firmly rooted in Shri Ekanath ji Maharaj’s heart that he spontaneously mentions it even while describing the beauty of his Ishta.

Warkaris

Such is the Adavita-nishtha of Shri Ekanath ji Maharaj. Following his footsteps, the Warkari tradition of Maharashtra also reveres Bhagavatpda and his siddhanta greatly. Infact, Advaita remained safe in Maharashtra due to the stronghold of Warkari parampara. Even BNK Sharma, the well known Maadhva scholar, concedes that the further spread of Maadhva faith in Maharashtra was thwarted due to Warkari parampara. Such being the case, every Advaitian ought to be ever grateful to the Warkari saints for their contributions in safeguarding and enriching the Advaita sampradaya.

विश्वास-टिप्पनी

How certain can we be about warkaris’ affiliations? Do they move beyond saguNopAsana at all? Could their reverence of shankara just be just a matter of good manners and generic hindu gratitude??