आगमे वैष्णवे विश्वासटिप्पन्यः

The authenticity of the Agamas has been questioned from about the beginning of the Christian era. There was objection to their validity in a general way and also to that of particular kinds of Agamas The whole objection is based only on one point, namely, worship of God.

These who raise this objection, rest their arguments on the supposed non-Vedic character of the Agamas The word non-Vedic means that which is not Vedic, not based on what the Vedas stand for By Vedic the Vedas and the Vedāngas are meant These are concerned with the performance of the rituals enjoined in the Kalpasutras in accordance with the procedures recommended therein on the basis of the Brahmanas. They do not uphold the exclusive worship of any single deity. On the other hand, the rituals have different deities to be worshipped according to the nature of the rites

It is sacri- legious to offer worship to a deity in any ritual in which he is not to receive worship, in the place of another who is to receive it The Agamas which recommend strongly the worship of particular d’ities in an exclusive manner, go against the Vedic concept of devies Again, the Agamas miss the Vedic concept of God Idol worship marks the Agamic mode of adoring God The Vedas nowhere refer to the distinct concrete form of God, nor do they speak of adoring that form God is transcendental and also immanent, and so could not be comprehended by any one as having a finitized form. There is nothing in the world which can represent God, for whatever exists is neither tran- scendental, nor subtle enough to be immanent. Hence it is a sacrilege to conceive the idol or any other form as God44

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAYISM

Secondly, in order to get qualified for performing the worship in the sacred fire, one must have investiture with the sacred thread (upanuyana). And offering worship in the fire is the only mode of worship according to Vedic religion. The members of the first three castes alone are eligible to have upanay ana Contrary to this practice, the Agamas have allowed the Sūdras and women also to take part in offering worship to the deity. The qualification for this is initiation (dikṣa)

This is necessary for 1 and recomes the second qu’ification for the twice-born. There is no second initiation or special dikṣỡ sanctioned by the Vedas, and so the Agamas have no validity as regards the worship of God.

Thirdly, the Agamas prescribe täntrika mantras for adoption in worship, so that they can be used by all, irrespective of their having had upanayana. This is criticised as an anti-Vedic practice that proves the Agamas to be invalid.

Fourthly, the ceremony of installation (pratiṣṭhā) of an idol or any figure is unwarranted according to the Vedic rules of the rituals. There is invocation (avahana) and dismissal (visarjana) for a deity in Vedic ritual. The same cannot become applicable to idols in which the deities are ever present after installation. To add to non-Vedic practices, the Agamas prescribe the performance of such things as mudra and nyasa as part of the act of worship. These too have no Vedic saction and, besides, are meaningless.

Fifthly and lastly, the Agamas enjoin the practice of certain cruel rites such as marana uccäṭana, vasikaraṇa, akarṣaṇa sānti- karma, pauṣṭikakarma, vidvışana and oth-rs. These are calculated and intended to do harm to others. A system which does not promote justice and good deeds and encourages, by enjoining, such acts as corrupt the mind of the performers, does not deserve to be followed. There are also other detestable practices such as drinking wine,

as drinking wine, eating flesh, taking fish,

VALIDITY OF THE AGAMAS

gestures and sexual intercourse

practices are set out below ·

Five Important detestable

armreg ad aici aur great ger Ågaha a i

पञ्चतत्त्वमिदं प्रोकं

qxavafné dá tfa faafugað 1

।

कारपञ्चकं देवि देवानामपि दुर्लभम् ।

Guptasa dhanet antra, VII,

It is also argued that the origin of the Agamas is to be solely traced to the practices of primitive tribes. Those who base their rituals on Vedic authority, would not accept the Agamas as valid, not to speak of following the practices lud down

them. The life of the primitives is not governed by law or custom, nor based on ethical standards, Head-hunting vindictive pursuits and gruesome practices characterize the life of primitive peoples The Agamas, it is asserted, took their rise among them or at least arose under the * rong fluence of their practices and so cannot be held as valid.

The objetons noted above lose ground, when it is rem mbered that the Agamas are very near the Vedas, rather bast fou the Vedas They cite the Vedas for authority and so What is treated

cannot be trented as non-Vedic or anti-Vedic in the Vedas need not be treated in other texts New concepts and theories could have been evolved as a result of Vedic influ- ence, and they do not, on that account, become non-Vedic. The whole of the Veda, the Smrt texts, the conduct of those who know the Vedas, the conduct of the good and the satisfac- tion of the self become the sources of dharma ̧128 All these cannot be declared to be invalid, because they are not treated or mentioned in the Vedas, The Mimāmsā school seeks to defend the Vedic authority for certain practices which do not have direct Vedic sanction, but are dealt with only in the Smrti

126 MS II 6

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

texts, In such cases, the source of these practices is inferred to be some passage of the Vedas 127

Similarly, the monotheism of the Agamas is a concept derived from Vedic sources The Aitareya Brahmana makes an emphatic statement that, among gods, Agni is the lowest and Vişnu the highest.128 It is evident from this that Visnu, being at the head of the divine beings, must have been held then as not only the Supreme Deity but also as one who is preferred to others for worship. This concept was developed in the Agamas which is a proof to show that they are not non-Vedic For the same reason, Idol worship, as enjoined in the Agamas, needs to be treated as a religious act which is a logical extension of the monotheistic tendency. This is enough to concede that idol worship is not non-Vedic According to the Varivasyärahasya, the Agamas are Smpli texts and are to be treated as supplements to the Upanisads,129

Secondly, it is true that the Agamas enjoin a special initia- tion (dikşä-višeşa) as conferring a qualification for performing worship. It becomes an addicional qualification for those who have upanayana. Such specific initiation is not non-Vedic, but is a Vedic practice, as it is enjoined also for performing certain sacrifices. Here the agent who is already qualified to perform the ritual by virtue of having had upanayana, is required to undergo a special initiation.130 Thus the special initiation is rot confined to the Agamas alone.

Mimāṁsä-shtras I. 3. Vide: Tantravärttıka on I 3 2
Vide *

अग्निर्वै देवानामवमो देवता विष्णुः परमस्तदन्तरण सर्वा

POT taar: 1

A Br. I, 1. 1.

Varivasyärahasya, #1 6. Cf. Madhusudanasarasvati: Prasthana- bbeda. p. 16
Mīmāmsa-sutras, X. 6, 57; X. 8, 12, XI, 2, 59, XI. 4, 20, 21 XII. 1. 25. Cf. Pās. IV 1.9, 10.

VALIDITY OF THE AGAMAS

Thirdly, although the study of the Vedas is prohibited for Sudras, there are some references which uphold their participation in the performance of sacrifices The following passage occurs in the Apastamba Srautasūtras (I 19 9 )

हविष्कृदेहीति ब्राह्मणस्य हविष्कृदागाहेति राजन्यस्य, हविष्कृदाद्रवेति वैश्यस्य हविष्कदाधावेति शूद्रस्य ।

Here the Südra is described as one preparing the havis or offering it in the same way as the members of the other three castes, though the verb differs in calling the offerer of oblation from each caste The hunter and architect are known to have been allowed to perform the sacrifice 131 The wheelwright 19 asked to ignite the holy fires 132 These persons are lower than th⚫ Sūdras in the social scale,133 but they are permitted to take

131 निषादस्थपतिं याजयेत् ।

(Kātyāyana Srautasutra XXI 11. 11)

The wheelwright is permitted to have upanayana in the rainy season’ (Apastamba Srauta-sutra, V 3 18 )

निषादस्थकारयो राधानादग्निहोत्रं दर्शपूर्णमासौ च नियम्येते ।

Vide

(Satyaşadha Srauta-sūtra, III 1}

स्थपतिर्निषादः स्याच्छन्द सामर्थ्यात् । लिङ्गदर्शनाच्च ।

132 रथकारोऽग्नीनादधीत |

(Mīmamsā-sūtras. VI 1 51, 52 )

The agni to be used here must be of the laukika kind (Bhāttadīpike on ibid)

वास्तुमयं रौद्रं वरु निर्वपेत् । पतया निषादस्थपतिं याजयेत् । तात्कालिकाचार्योपदेशादिना विद्यां संपाद्य धनिको निषादो

133 Vide

रौद्रयागं कुर्यात् ।

(Jaiminsya- nyāyamālā on ibid.)

वैश्यायां क्षत्रियादुत्पन्नो माहिष्यः । शूद्रायां वैश्यादुत्पन्ना करिणी ||

Yājñavalkya-smrh, I. 95

माहिष्येण करिण्यां तु रथकारः प्रजायते । निषादः शूद्रकन्यायां स पारशव उच्यते ॥

MS. (X, 8),

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

an active part in the performance of the ritual. In order to make them get fully qualified on particular occasions, they are allowed to study and repeat the particular mantras when these rites are to be performed The same principle must apply to the Südras and women for performing worship The Agamas do not permit them to utter the Vedic mantras, but have evolved new mantras on the model of the Vedic ones These are tantrika mantras, which no: only thes- who are not but also others are asked to wile.

qualified for Vedic study, The Vedic mantras also have

to be used by the twice-born. The tantrika mantras are created for use in cert in practices which do not have Vedic mantras Thus the Agamus are more liberal in allowing the act of initiation (diksä) to all, and this answers the second objection Provi- sion in the form of täntrika mantras which is thus made, silences the third objection.

Fourthly, the objection may be made to stand on the strength of a passage which declares that worship in the fire is for the Brahmins, that in the heart for those who could perform yoga, that in the idol for the unlearned and that in all these three for those who view the world impartially 134 This may be admitted, but a comment is required here Absence of the spirit of devotion which characterizes the culture of the Vedas, need not actually mean rejection of the idol Even those whose outlook in life is characterized by detachment require a con- crete form for worship. The question of the aspirant being unlearned or otherwise is immaterial Worship of the idol is discussed in the Agamas and recommended by great siges lik. Sanatkumāra, Bharadvaja, Atri, Kasyapa and others who were the staunch followers of the Vedas They could not be regarded as wanting in wisdom in preaching idol worship to various audi- ences who were also, like them, following the practices laid

Vide

arat fagfa fagroi gfą fæefa dtftarg i

afaneangamni ada anzfâarg i समदर्शिनाम् ॥

प्रतिमास्वप्रबुद्धानां सर्वत्र

VALIDITY OF THE AGAMAS

down in Vedic texts. Idol worship, which the Agamas recom- mend, should be looked upon as deriving its authority from the Vedic practices themselves, though the Vedic texts may not make a direct recommendation to that effect The Agamas enjoin also worship of gods in fire and meditation through yoga and, as such, could not be taken to go against Vedic authority.

aterial cannot receive have to be infused into

Any figure made out of any worship The presence of the deity will the idol, for which purpose Vedic mantras are primarily employed This ritual cannot be called non-Vedic For the purpose of ensuring the installation of the immanent God in the idol or yantra, pratistha is required to be done Mantra, nyāsa, bhữ tasuddht and mudra are quite necessary to offer worship to God who has taken His abode in a finitized form

Mantras are classified into bija, pinda, saṁjñā and näda. This has full relevance to practical utility, as they require to be changed according to the deity whose adoration is to be under- taken. This is not meddling with Vedic mantras. A change in mantra involves the introduction of alterations in the case- suffixes, number and other parts of the words occurring in the Vedas, so as to suit those mantras for application in the particular contexts. This is sanctioned in the Mimāmsā.

Vide:

grgazuraqfaaqqrafacerda: 1 ऊहः प्रयोगो षिकृत ऊद्यमानतयोदितः ॥

(Jaiminiya-nyāyamālā, IX, 1, 1).

Such a change has the sanction of the grammarians also.

Vide:

रक्षोहागमलघ्वसन्देहाः प्रयोजनम् ॥

(Katyayana’s Varttika, cited by Patanjali in the Paspas@hnika of his Mahabhāṣya,)

ASV-7

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

A change in the Vaidika mantra is permitted on this principle. For instance, the passage, Agnaye justam nirvapāmi’ which is to be used while offering cooked cakes to Agni (ägneya raru) must change into ‘Suryaya justam nirvapämi" when the cake 14 to be offered to the sun 185 Such a change is necessitated, even according to Vedic texts, as the deities to whom the offer- ings are to be made are many and mantras are not available for each offering to be made to each one of those deities Though each deity has a mantra 36 it is required to be changed accord- ing as the occasion demands Though the Agamas intend to enjoin the exclusive worship of a particular deity, other denies are not fully dropped out from the purview of the ritual or worship. These deities form part of the retinue of the principal deity Hence mantras are required to worship them. Thus tantrika muntras arose on the foundation of the Vaidika mantras On this account, they do not lose their validity 137

Vaidika mantra have a deity Similarly, each letter in the The word, bijaksara’ means

The syllables or letters in a presiding over each of them 138 alphabetical system has a deity the foundational part of a mantra. This is not peculiar to the Agamas alone The Vedic texts contain many of them,189 from which the Agamas have developed their own list 140 The sylla- ble how is used in the Vedic texts,141 So a further development

135 Jaiminiya-nyayam-la, II 1 9

138 RV III 82 10.

Vide.

gfa fafaar afat arfset efa i

ABr. II 3 6, II. 5 S

(Kulluğa on MS II 1 )

Ibid. VII. 3.8; Copatha Brahmana, X, 1 24,

Aitareya Aranyaka. VII 8, Chand, Up. 1.1 1.

Asvalayana Grhvasútra, IV 8 34.

140 Pranava, hrîm, frïm, aım, klim and others are bijākṣaras,

ABr. II. 12. Cf. Chand. Up. II. 13. 1.

VALIDITY OF THE AGAMAS

of such syllabic sounds must be taken as indicative of the pro-Vedic character of the Agamas,

Similarly, nyasa is a practice which may be traced to Vedic texts 142

Karanyasa and angulinyasa form part of many of the daily religious practices like the adoration of samdhya. Either the nyasa must be traced to a Vedic source to defend this daily practice or practices of samdhya must be traced to Agamic

sources

The drawing of mandalas and the worship of yantras could also be traced to Vedic sources 143 Likewise, mudra which is gesture conveying one’s intentions, is traceable to the Satapatha- brahmana 144

Lastly, the Agamas are condemned for enjoining cruel practices It is true that they do so They do not stop there. They recommend the slaying of the enemy The Vedas also are not free from rituals for such purposes 145 If such practices arc claimed to be not cruel on the ground that they are enjoined by the Vedas, it is not possible to justify the expiatory rites 146 (prāvasesita) which are to be performed to get freed from their evil results The Vedas also recommend certain practices for malevolent sorcery (abhicāra),147 slaying148 and enchanting

$Br I 1 18,

142 $Br VII 5 2 12, Aitareya Aranyaka, III 2 1 2, III 2 5 2.

143

VI 1 1 6. XI 7 1, Kausikasutra LXXVI 21. The lotuslike drawings of cakras are described in AV X 2 32, 34.

144 Vide ŚBr III 1 3 25

$Br III 9 1, 7 V 5 4.1, XII 7 2.3 Cf RV, X 127 1 146. Apastamba Dharmasūtras, I 9 26, 27.

147

SY 7 3. Vide

ag 42 fograft furaft ag efa ara: mufu |

RV, VII, 104, X 145.

TA IV 27.

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

others.149 The Vedas also are not free from sensual prac- tices,150 Since many of these practices are traceable to the Vedic texts and the rest could be explained as having arisen under the influence of the Vedic rituals, there is no need to look to primitive society as the source for all these practices.

The authority of the Agamas is strongly upheld by Jayanta- bhatta, who flourished under King Sankaravarman of Kashmir (883-902 A.D) He is the author of the Nyayamañjarī, a treatise on the Nyaya system and the Agamaḍambara, an alle- gorical play. In the former, he divides Agamas into two kinds, one opposed to Vedas and the other not opposed to them. The Agamas of the Buddhists and others are opposed to the Vedas and so are invalid. Others are not opposed to the Vedas, but enjoin practices which are subsituled for the Vedic practices. Being an exponent of the Nyaya system which believes Vedas to be the composition of God, the author admits the Agamas as valid, as they are also the compositions of God. People who have been following ways of life based on Vedic authority, also follow Agamic practices. That these practices are opposed to Vedic practices is not a strong ground for rejecting the authority of the Agamas. The scheme of the pramanas and the aim in life (puruşartha) to be attained are common to all the Agamas and, as such, their validity does not suffer because of the mutual references contradicting each other’s practices.

If injury (himsā) is enjoined in the Agamas, the same is found in the Vedas also, and so both are equally valid. All Agamas are based on the Vedas. It is possible to trace, through inference, the authority for certain practices which are not based on Vedic and Agamic sources,151

TBr. II, 3. 1. 10.
Cf. Vămadevya upāsana in Chand. Up. II, 13. 1. 2.

Cf. Aitareya Araṇyaka, II, 3. 7. 3

151, Nyāyamañjarī, pp. 635-645,

VALIDITY OF THE AGAMAS

The Agamadambara is a play in four acts presenting some schools of thought which prevailed in Kashmir during the 9th century The opinions of the various schools, both astika and nastika, are presented by their adherents

Jayanta’s attitude

towards them is one of tolerance There were the Saiva and Vaisnava schools also. The author and his patron are shown as taking action against those sects or Agamas which carried out or enjoined corrupt practices like those of the Nilambaras, Bauddhas, Jainas and the extreme Saivas The Saivas who were following desirable practices and the Vaisnavas who adopted the Pancaratra way of life are declared to be leading virtuous lives, though they favoured Agamic authority, ignoring the direct dictates of the Vedas The traditions of these schools which, following the Agamas, have been uninterruptedly continuing, were adopted by the enlightened people, and so the Agamas are declared as authoritative hichever deity the

Agamas glorify, they are valid, since they are the compositions of a divine being The spirit of tolerance breathes In the following sloka which declares that many could be the courses or apmoaches to attain Really

Vide

नानाविधैरागममा गभेदेरादिश्यमाना बहवोऽभ्युपायाः ।

॥

पकत ते श्रेयसि संपतन्ति सिन्धौ प्रवाहा हव जाह्नवीयाः ॥

The analogy of many door-ways loading to the interior of a mansion is suggested in in other staŻN

प्रवेष्टुकामा बहवो पुमांसः पुरे यथैकत महागृहे वा । द्वारान्तरेणापि विशन्ति केचित् तथोत्तमे धानि मुमुक्षवोऽपि ॥

That the Agamas do not contradict one another is stated in:

152

परमं पुरुषार्थ प्रति न चागमानां विरोधिता कचित् । आदिश्यते हि सर्वैः केवल्यं तुल्यमेव फलम् 11152

Refer to ’ A New Play of the 10th Century, the Agamadambara of Bhaiya Jayanta of Kashmir’, printed in the Samskrta Ranga Annual III54

ACIAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

On the other hand, the Kurma Purana153 condemns several religious schools for their practices. Kāpāla, Nälula Väma, Bhairava, Püro, Pascima Pañcaratra and Pasupata are men- tioned in this connection It is true that some of these schools were adopting reprehensible and disgusting practices The question of their going against Vedic authority is not the main concern. As Tayanta pointed out, they were objectionable to good taste. The practic’s enjoined by the Saiva and Vaisnava Agamas were fr from them. They were perhaps included in the condemnation as they followed a different cosmology and theology not traceable to the Vedas. The passage in the Kurma Purana should have meant only this; and while listing the non- Vedic schools, the Saiva and Vaisnava schools were also clubbed along with them In the light of the evidence and reasoning given already in defence of the validity of the Agamas, this adverse criticism should be understood to relate only to anti- Vedic schools for their enjoining objectionable practices or for their lack of Implicit subservience to Vedic authority

The Bhagavata Purana, on the contrary, recommends the Agamic mode of worship which is referred to by the other name * tantrika *. One should take to the injunctions of the Vedas to b’come free from the results of karma, He who would tear away the knot of the heart must worship Krsna according to the rules laid down in the Tantras He has to receive the grace from the preceptor and guidance from him to pursue the Agamic He must adore the Supreme Deity in a form which is to his liking. Bhūtasuddhs and dedication of himself to God should follow next

course.

153 Vide

कापालं नाकुलं वामं भैरव पूर्वपश्चिमम् ।

पाञ्चरात्रं पाशुपतं तथान्यानि…… ॥

(Kurma Purine, II. 16. 15.)

Vide•

VALIDITY OF THE AGAMAS

वेदोक्तमेव कुर्वाणो निःसङ्गोऽर्पितमीश्वरे । Postal ard सिद्धिं रोचनार्था फलश्रुतिः ||

य आशु हृदयग्रन्थि निर्जिहीर्षुः परमात्मनः । विधिनोपचरेदेवं तन्त्रोक्तेन च केशवम् ॥

लब्धानुग्रह आचार्यात्तेन सन्दर्शितागमः ।। महापुरुषमभ्यर्चेन्मूर्त्याभिमतया आत्मानः ||

शुचि संमुखमासीनः प्राणसंयमनादिभि । पिण्डं विशोध्य संन्यासकृतरक्षोsर्णयेद्धरिम् ॥

(Bh XI. 346-49)

Elsewhere, both the Veda and Tantra are stated as being followed for adoring the Lord

तं तदा षुरुषं मर्त्या महाराजोपलक्षणम् । यजति वेदतन्त्राभ्यां परं जिज्ञासवो नृप ॥

Ibid XI 528

एवं क्रियायोगपथैः पुमान् वैदिकतान्त्रिकैः । अर्चयन्नुभयतः सिद्धिं मत्तो विन्दत्यभीप्सितान् ॥

Ibud XI 27. 49.

Those who denounce the authority of the Agamas may refuse to accept this testimony on the ground that the Bhagavata is of late origin. In that case, the evidence of the Kurma Purāņa must also be discountenanced. The difficulty lies in ascertaining the probable periods when the Puranas as a whole or any of them in particular was compiled.154 It must, however, be

154 Abhinavagupta (C. 1000 AD } cites passages from the Bhāgavata (X12017), mentioningt he portion as ekadasa-skandha in his Gitarthasangraha, the commentary on the Bhagavadgita, (XIV 8) This shows that at a period before the tenth century, it was held to be authoritative.

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAE VAISNAVISM

admitted that there were accretions to the originally compiled texts from time to time, but even here the dates when such additions where made are not known, The two Purānas noted above make specific references to the Agamas and the mode of worship based on them. This makes it clear that the Agamas were at least available when the Purāņas, like the two above mentioned, were getting finalised. Therefore, the validity of the Agamas is a settled fact, and it must be said that the way of life which the Hindus lead at present is chiefly guided by Agamic precepts and Vedic authority.