आगमे वैष्णवे विश्वासटिप्पन्यः

Validity and Antiquity

The Pancarātra Agama, which is mainly concerned with the worship of God in temples and houses, treats also of philosophy, linguistic occultism (mantra) and the theory of mystical diagrams (yantra), It is based on the Ekāyana recension of the Sukle Tajurveda and so is Vedic in its foundations. Vedic mantras are frequently used. Yet it reveals a liberal and progressive out- look in throwing open its portals to all, irrespective of caste and sex, thus bringing within its fold even those who are excluded by tradition from the study of the Vedas Conse- quently, mantras are created for their use and also for others. These are called tantrika mantras, It is the Vajspava initiation (diksā) that confers on the aspirants the necessary qualification to participate directly or otherwise in the ritualistic performance of worship.

A passage in the Pancardira text, Vispusamhi a, defines the word tantra’ as that which expounds all objects and protects people from fear 398 Five tantras are enumerated as derived from Vasudeva They are Vaikhanasa, Sattvata, Sikhin, Arkantika and Mülaka 399

According to the first, Visņu must be worshipped at all times. The family has to be looked after by the worship- per with what he gets unasked The second is also known as Bhagavata Pañcaratra. The third refers to that system the

398 VS II 10-35

389, Ibid. II, 37-39,

118

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISH

姐

adherents of which worship Visnu twice a day and take to agriculture, trade and cattle-breeding as the means of liveli hood. The Aikāntika system is adopted by those who worship Vişņu once in a day, render service to the twice-born and live on begging. The Mulaka is taken up by those who worship Visqu through thought, word and deed, and live on what is obtained unasked and on what they get from their pupils 400 A slightly different classification is offered by Atri, but it is not complete as regards information on the last two Besides, the third one is called Tirtha instead of Sikhın,401

It is not possible to identify the systems of Sikhın, Aikäntıka and Mülaka It is also doubtful whether there were systems with these names. These may not be names of any particular systems, but of groups who

of groups who were identified thus for their distinct practices

The Sikhin may refer to a group who wear

the tuft and do not remove it except when they enter into cer- tain orders of recluses 402 The Aikäntika may refer to that group which depends exclusively on Visnu for getting mokşa and for other purposes as well,403 The identification of the

Mūjakas is not easy

400

Ibid II. 28-38

401

SA Appendix, 1 3.

402 SKS Brahmarātra, V 33b-42 P V Kane: History of Dharma- #astra Vol II Part II pp 939-41

403, Vide

यो मोक्षफलेन साकं फलान्तराण्यपि भगवत पवेच्छति ल

एकान्ती देवान्तरशून्य इत्यर्थः ।

Vido:

Yatindramatadîpikā, p. 17,

wfmurararega në waaatsfq at Asofa er

परमैकान्ती ।

Ibid.

Cf. Vedantakärikä valī, VIII, 18, 19.

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMAS

119

• 404 &

The name, ‘Pañcarātra,’ is from the word, ‘pañcarātra ‘‚4 compound made up of two words ‘pañca’ and ‘ratra’ with the addition of the suffix ac The ‘word ‘pañca’ means five and rātra405 is a changed form of the ‘word, ‘rätri’, which is derived from the root, ‘ra", to give, with the suffix, trap 406 The word ‘ratri", which means “night, is interpreted as that which gives rise to pleasure 407 Then, the word, ‘pāñcarātra’ may be taken to mean a period of five nights and must have been used later to mean a system on the origin of which a period consisting of five nights has direct bearing

Several explanations are offered to justify the name Pañça- räträ’ for this system. These could be broadly classified under four groups

The meaning of the word, ‘rātr: ‘, is explained in eight ways under the first group. The other five systems, though great, become as night by the side of this system, like the moon and multitude of stars during the day, Here the word, ‘r@tri’, is used as a nominal verb. What these five systems are do not get

any referenee. A second explanation states that other systems seem dead by the side of this system like others (luminous objects) when the sun is shining 408 • Ratri” stands for the

The neuter gender of this word is formed according to the rule.

405

संख्या पूर्व रात्रे बहुलम् |

Aştadhyays II 4 29,

406 Vide cramfqui faq |

407

408

Lingānufāsana, 131

Unädisūtra, 50%

Vide -Bhānujidîkşıta on the Nāmalıngānus āsana, I 4.4.

पञ्चेतराणि शास्त्राणि रात्रीयन्ते महान्त्यपि । aafaât særegret à a atà gaaà 11

चन्द्रतारागणं यद्वच्छोभते नैव वासरे ।

तथेतराणि शोभन्ते पञ्च नैवास्य

सन्निधौ ।

aðæerfo Muzà qæ àarea affnet !

पञ्चत्वमथवा यद्वद्दीप्यमाने दिवाकरे ।

geyfta c1qqeagfgacıfo aqfats |

Pas, 1. 1. 72-74.

120

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

five objects of the senses, sound, touch, colour, taste and smell, or the five elements, is the third explanation These get destroy- ed when the higher knowledge is acquired. Thus Pañcarātra destroys all erroneous cognitions. According to the fourth explanation, the five elements are the products of avidy which gets destroyed by the system The fifth explanation takes the word, ‘ratri", to mean the five qualities of the elements They are taken to represent the embodied beings. The system deals with the selves getting those bodies and their getting rid of them, The next explanation declares that for man, the elements (bhūta), subtle elements (tanmatrā), ego (garva), intellect (buddhi) and unmanifest matter (avyakta) are the nights. These are dealt with here and hence the name. A seventh explanation takes the root, ‘ra’, in the sense of taking The word ‘pañca’ stands for the five senses, their objects, five elements or their qualities. This word ‘Pañca’ with the root ‘rā’ means human beings who take these which are donated by the word ‘Pañca’ The human beings are called ‘Pañcara ‘. They are protected by the system and so the name is Pâñcarātra’. The eighth and last expla- nation takes knowledge to be of five kinds arising from the Purana, Veda, Vedānta, Sänkhya and Yoga By the side of Pancarātra, these become like night, that is, become worthless and lustreless.409

In the second group of explanations, the word ‘rātrs’ is taken in the sense of knowledge which is of five kinds-Sättvika, Rājasa, Tāmasa, Nairguṇa and Sarvatah Param. Of these, the

P. 37

409

VS II. 49b-61c, Vişņutantra cited in the Introduction to Pars Vid vamitra, II 3-8, Pars I. 39b-4lc

Vide:-

पुराणं वेदवेदान्तं तथान्यत् सांख्ययोगजम् ॥ पञ्चप्रकारं विज्ञेय यत्र राज्यायतेऽब्जज । notendadiâa qxcıafafa egaq =

Paus. xxxvhi 307b-308,

PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

121

first three refer to the knowledge of the three ganas of matter, the fourth relating to non-material Nature and the last to the transcendental nature of Brahman The Pañcara tra system is said to treat of these matters and hence the name 410 A second explanation refers to the names of five persons who presented the doctrines of the systems after which the sections are known, making the total number five The names of the sections are Brahmaratra, Sivaratra, Indraratra, Nägarätra and Rsirātra,411

The explanations offered to the word, ‘pañca’, come under the third group

The fivefold manifestations of God by means of His Para, Vyuha, Vibhava, Antaryamin and Arrā forms may be meant by this word 412 A second interpretation is that Brahma propitiated Visnu for five nights in five ways near the five weapons of the Lord and hence the name.413 According to a third explanation, Brahma lost the Vedas to the demons, Madhu and Kaitabha. He approached Visnu with profound grief and requested directions as to how He is to be worshipped. The Lord asked him to offer worship for five nights with the Doāda. sākṣara and aṣṭākṣara This way of worship became known as Pañcarātra 414 The fourth and fifth explanations take the word, * pañca," to mean the fivefold classification of the daily routine and the five sacraments respectively 415

410 Sabdakalpadruma, III, p 13

411

Bharadvaja-samhita, II 12,

Vide ·

acqcoqefawazawıarfęfagquq » पञ्चरात्रायं तन्त्रं मोक्षैकफल्लक्षणम् ।

SA Appendix, III. pp 480-481, Jlokas 8b-9a.

414 KA. XXXVI. 11-14a,

Schrader, pp, 24-25,

AST-16

Ahs. XI, 63b-844.

122

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

The sixth interpretation is based on the number of sages who propagated the doctrines of the system. Sandilya, Aupagā- yana, Mauñjyayana, Kausika and Bharadvaja, who were incar- nations of the five weapons of the Lord, propitiated Him through penance. The Lord appeared before them and taught to each one of them for five nights the Ekayana Veda, also known as Rahasyāmnāya Hence the system is reputed as Pañca- rätra 416 According to a seventh explanation the five topics that are dealt with in the system gave the name to it. The topics are reality, the means of getting mokşa, devotion, yogic practice and the objects of the world.417

The eighth interpretation accounts for the name of the system “Pāñcarātra by referring to the pranava as having arisen from five sources. Brahman is held to be undivided and the other four are from māyā. From Sankarsana (or Balarama) arose ‘a’; from Pradyumna, representing Prajñā, u’, from Aniruddha who is of the nature of Prajñā, ’m’. Krsņa is the remaining source Thus, pranava arose from five sources It represents the Pancaraira system 418 Lastly, the system gets this name as it arose for Iving beings of five kinds (four castes and an inferior caste) for whom it was intended.419

Before examining how far the explanations cited above are acceptable, it is of interest to refer to a sacrifice named Pancarätra mentioned in the Satapatha-brähmana (XIII 6 1 1) Purusa Nārāyaṇa is stated here to have bad the idea of performing this sacrifice which lasted for five days in order to acquire superiority over all beings In a preceding chapter of

416 IS XXI 619-533

417

418

Schrader, p 24

Aniruddha S 1 39a, Gopalatapaniya Upamsad.

419, Aniruddha S I 39b.

Cf. Bharadwaj, K. D.. The Philosophy of Rāmānuja, pp. 18-19, 23-7

PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

123

the Brāhmaṇa (XII.3.4 ), it is shown how He sacrificed Himself and became the whole world. The rite, Agniştoma, was perform- ed on the first day, Ukthye on the second, Atiratra on the third, Ukthya on the fourth and Agnistoma on the last day. This is also called in the context by the other name, Purusamedha.’ The commentator, Harisvamin, 420 notes that Puruşa desired to have all the sentient as also the insentient beings under his control, and knowing that Purusamedha had to be performed to achieve this end, performed it. Then he became Narayana. This sacrifice has a bearing on the Purusasükta421 of which the seer is Nārāyaṇa, The act of offering Puruşa as the victim in this sacrifice, Puruşa medha, is symbolic in character and is found represented by a similar act in the Purusasukta

The word, ‘rätra’, in the name, ‘Pañcaratra’, of this sacrifice does not mean night, but the whole day (ahoratra) which begins with one dawn and ends with the next dawn. This name has a bearing on the name of the Pañcarātra system. Without going into the meaning of the words which constitute the compound word, ‘Pañcaratra’, it is possible to find the basis for naming the system after the name of the sacrifice, “ Pañca- ratra’ This sacrifice shows how Purusa became Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Deity having control over the sentient and insentient belngs Here is a reference to the Vyüha concept involving self- manifestatlon. The Pañcaratra sacrifice provides thus philosophical interpretation of the five fold manifestation of God by means of His Para, Vyuha, Vibhava, Antaryamin and Arca forms. This explanation accords well with the statement that He composed, out of the original sastra, the Pañcarātra

420 Satapatha-brahmane with Com. Madhyandına edn. p. 126. 421. RV X. 90, 11-14,

the124

ABAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

describing His fivefold nature such as Para and Vyuha.422 explanation comes under the fourth group.

The name,

This

‘Pañcaratra’ may be understood without reference to the component elements, ‘pañca’ and ‘rātra”. Thus, it is a system dealing with Reality (tattoa) and the means of liberation. The five forms of the Lord, concepts of the self, mokṣa and the theory of the periodical creation and dissolution of the world are matters brought under tattoo and treated in this Agama in the Jñāna-pāda. Toga, worship of the Lord in the arcă form and the ways and means of worship are dealt with in the Yoga, Kriya and Carya sections. While dealing with the details of Carya, it has become necessary to prescribe the divisions of the day (ratri, literally, ahoratra) into five parts and to indicate what should be done under each division The scope of the Pañcaratra system is well explained in the Ahırbudhnyasamhitä. The concept of Vyuha which forms the basis of the Pañcarātra Sattra is taken up in the Sattvata system which therefore acquired the name, & Pāñcarātra “. No specific significance need be attached to the words, pañca and ’ ratra”

However, the number, five, has come to play a prominent role in the evolution of the five forms of God and the fivefold division of the daily routine The earliest texts of the Pañca- sätra refers to these. Yet the Ahirbhudhnya does not include the forms of Antarryāmin and Arca while enumerating them. The Lakshmi-tantra and Sanatkumāra-saṁhitä do not refer to the form of the Antaryämin.

Vide :

सदागममयात् तस्मात् केवलाद्दिव्यशासनात् । निर्ममे सारमुद्धृत्य स्वयं विष्णुरसंकुलम् #s aercoygfanazawiaıfęfagong || पञ्चरात्रयं तवं मोक्षैकफललक्षणम् ।

Ahs. XI. 62-64a.

PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

125

It will not be, therefore, correct to connect the name,

• Pañcarātra’, with the number of forms which God assumes or with that of the divisions of the routine of the day Though some kind of justification could be offered for this theory, it will not be correct either to connect the concept of pañcasamskara with the name of the system.

The statement in the Ahirbudhnya-samhita 423 that the Pañcarātra system was formulated by Vişņu Himself gave rise to the theory that the Lord Himself taught the Sattvata system to five sages for five nights (literally, ahoratra’ or simply day “), And this is one of the explanations given for the name, ‘Pañcaratra’. There could be no doubt about ‘five’ being the meaning of ‘pañca”, but the interpretation given to the word, ‘rātri’, must be late in orgin. Found in the Isvarasamhita 424 it clashes with the five divisions of the Sanatkvmāra-samhitā called ‘Ratras’, named after Brahma, Siva. Indra, Rsi and Brhaspati However, this could be resolved by taking the five sages to be included among the rsis and by admitting that there

also others like Brahma and Siva who had acquired knowledge of the Pañcaratra tradition

Ahirbudhnya teaches Narada 425 that there are five systems, namely, Trayi (representing the three Vedas), Säńkhya, Yoga, Pasupata and Pāñcarātra, among which the last mentioned alone provides the means for obtaining liberation This statement should have made the sages take Pañcarātra alone as the perfect system by the side of which the other four pale Into insignifi- cance To make this clear, the sages understand the word, ’ rātri

to mean ‘becoming dark or obscure’. In order to proclaim the high status of the Pañcaratra, they have taken the word ‘pañca” to mean many things. Yet all those interpretations

Ibid.
IS. XI 519-534,

425, Abs, XI, & XII,

126

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAR VAISNAVISM

are late in origin and seem to have no direct bearing on the name of the system Nor is there anv justification for taking the word ‘räir:’ in the sense of knowledge. Likewise, there is no need to trace the rise of the pranava from Vyūha All other Interpretations do not seem persuasive

The Vaikhanasa texts 426 also seek to explain the significance of the name by attaching Importance to the words constituting the name. This also must be taken to represent a later attempt to justify the name through the component parts of the compound

•

It is worth considering in this context the views of Prof. J. A B van Buitenen 427 on the name, Pāñcaratra” The learned professor adduces evidence to show that the connotations attributed by Indian scholars to the word are not tenable. He offers some plausible pleas to take this name in a different sense and to justify its significance in a different setting

The Pancarātra texts, which are available at present, have more of a ritualistic character than philosophical The Agama- pramanya of Yamuna, the earliest work which vindicates the validity of the Pancarātra, touches only the ritualistic aspect of the system The philosophical portions of the Agama texts should have found their way into them in later days.

Even here, the ritualistic contents, which show the growth of many concepts for several centuries, could not be traced to a single source. The attempt, made by Indian scholars, to connect the name of the system with the Pancaratra-sattra to establish its non-yajñte character, indicates the eagerness of the scholars to establish, for the Pancaraira rituals, a link with the Vedic rituals.

On the side of the philosophical background, the Maha. bhārata (Moksa-dharma-parvan) contains two accounts of the

SA, p. 480, KA p 411
Introduction to Agamapramanya, pp, 6-18.

PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

127

Vyuha doctrine. Nara, Nārāyana, Hari and Krsna, all of them being the sons Dharma, belong to the earlier concept The later development, as found in the second account, seems to be based upon the theistic Sankhya doctrines preached in the epic. In the background of these dectrines, there arose a different concept of Vyüha in which Purușa, the Supreme Being, jiva, manas and ahankara play a prominent role with the names, Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. The earlier concept is replaced by the later one,

Names like Pañcayajňa, Рañcakalakartrpati and Pancaratrika are used by Narada to address the Lord, Yet, no convincing explanation is offered about what the word, ‘rätra’, means and why the word ‘pañca’ is used with it in the name of the system.

The learned professor therefore turns to other sources to get at the sense of the name. The Brhatkatha-sloka-sangraha of Budhasvamin represents a recluse as a pañcaratrika and also enjoins that a recluse must not stay in a village for more than three days and in a town for more than five days 428

Vide:

chua đánh quá

già gì!

gfa gafaararé gå de warfafa 1

1b: 22:220

A prosperous farmer is represented in this context to have left his profession and gone in quest of mokṣa He is reported to

have said:

carareqrggarå a fafgá fugaff ra ! àgynaffugmer av armfq afa î ||

Ibad lb 63

The professor observes on the strength of these and similar references in the same work of Budhasvamin that the word,

428, Thi is mentioned also in the Brahmapurāna, II, 34, 49.

128

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVÍSM

their practices

‘pancaratra", could have been coined to denote a person who becomes a recluse and stays in a town for five days only. Evidently, such persons should have been wandering sages and recluses The Vedic rituals did not necessarily form part of The farmer refers to himself as a Vaisya. He has taken to the way of life of ascetics and so is referred to as a päncäratrika He visited the holy places of the Hindus and Buddhists and at last became a Buddhist. ** A Рäñcarātrika lo this very large sense is therefore an itinerant religious recluse who follows the five-nights rule regardless of doctrinal allegi ance Pancarātra must have been associated originally with devotional religion Later, the word ‘Pancarā trika’ must have been formed from this word in this general sense and must have meant a follower of five-nights rule, pancarätränusärin The name, ‘Pancară tra’, should have meant this tradition which its adherents followed.

紫黯

In course of time, the devotional element of such votaries must have come to characterize a tradition associated with the name of Vişņu, The name ’ Pāñcarātra’ must have been invest- ed with specific features which substituted for the Vedic rituals Agamic practices. It is thus quite likely that the name rātra’ owes its origin to this rule of five-nights explanations, which are offered in the Samhitas are mutually contradictory and appear to be reliable tradition.

€ Panca- The several of this school, based on no

based

The findings of the learned professor deserve very careful study It will be prudent to agree with him in treating the several explanations contained in the Samhitās as not very convincing One is left only with speculation No evidence, outside the texts which offer these explanations, is forthcoming All the same, it seems difficult to subscribe fully to the views expressed by Dr. van Buitenen.

The formation of the word ‘pañcarātrika’ requires expla- It is formed from the word, ‘pañcarātra’, with the

nation.

THE PANCARATBA AGAMA

६

129

addition of the suffix, thak, according to the Aştadhyayi-sūtre, “ tatra niyuktaḥ".429 Then the word means one who is engaged io ‘pāñcarātra’. This word also is a compound of the dongu kind, meaning a group of five-nights There are words formed like this with a numeral as the first member and rātn as the second member For instance, ’ dvirātra’, ’trirā tra”, “daŝaratra’ etc All these occur one after another in Apastamba-srauta- sutra $30

The word ’triratra’ occurs in Manusmrti431 and the word ‘pañcaratra’ also is found in the same work 432 Besides the words, ’trirătra’ and ‘dasarātra’, are too well-known for their occurrence in the texts on Dharmașăstra in the sense of the number of days during which pollution (āśauca) is to be observed.

It is significant that the word, ‘rätri’, occurs in these compounds to justify the Hindu concept of the duration of a day which ends with the explry of the night following it. The day therefore starts with dawn and ends with the night which is to be followed by the next dawn Thus, the word ‘ratri’ means hereday and night’ (ahoratra) The compound thus formed conveys several senses For instance, the word triratra’ means a period of pollution which covers three full days including nights, as in Manusmrti The word ‘pañcarātra", later in the same work, means a period of five days. This word is repeated here. The king is required to fix the price of commodities at the expiry of this period, that, is once in five days. Here this word does not convey any specific sense except that of a group. The words, duratra’, ’trirätra’ and others which occur in the Apostamba-srauta-sūtra, refer to the number of days during which specific sacrifices are to be performed.

Astadhyays, IV, 4. 69.
Apastambas rautasūtra, XXII. 14
MS, V. 80.

432 Ibid. VIII, 402.

ASV-17

130

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

The words,

́ekarātrika’ and ‘pāñcarātrika’, occur in the

directed to stay for a day These words are used in

Mahabharata,433 where recluses are in villages and for five days in towns.

the very same sense in the sloka cited by the learned professor from the Brhatkathās lokasangraha

(The professor, by the way,

must have used the expression three nights’ by oversight in

€

the place of one night “.)

€

▸

The word. pañcaratra’, has thus merely the sense of a group of five nights with no specific connotation attached to it, such as that of the period of stay for a recluse in a town or a period which should cover the performance of a sacred rite The Mahabharata and Slokasangraha use the words, ‘pañcarātra’ and ’ekaratra’, in the sense only of duration of time They do not intend them to be the names of any groups of people If we are to conclude that the name ‘pāñcarātrika was coined later on to denote itinerant reeluses, then ekaratrika’ could have also been coined, unless there is the suggestion that the recluses moved and stayed only in towns The word, ‘Pancarātrika’, occurs in the Harṣacarita 434 of Bhaṭṭa Bāņa in the sense of a particular group of persons professing particular doctrines and leading a specific way of life, as it is clear from the names of other groups in the context who could be identified from the practices and doctrines which they followed. This work was written in the first half of the 7th century A.D., that is, before Budhasvamin (c 900 A D)

The farmer who refers, according to Budhasvamin, to the restriction for the stay of the recluses, is not known as a * pāñcarātrika’, but is referred to by that name The writer knew of the practice and custom of the recluses. That he became a Buddhist later, after visiting the places dear to the Hindus and

Mbh $antı, CXC 3.
p. 237,

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

131

Buddhists, does not at once suggest that recluses who observed this principle of ‘pāñcarātra’, must have been following the rule of five-nights, regardless of doctrinal allegianee This principle has been in vogue long before the rise of Buddhism. Nor does the name, ‘vihāra’, given to the resting places built after the period of the Buddha for the stay of the Buddhist monks during the rainy season, deserve specific attention, The vihāras could have been built to house the itinerant recluses of Buddhism, but the rule, that the recluses should not travel during this period, is too well known under the name, ‘Sankalpa’, or rather’ Căturmāsya-sankalpa’. The order of recluses and the principles governing their lives were not invented by the Buddhs. In fact, he was an inheritor of Hindu ideals. He did not teach any new religious doctrine, but laid greater stress on some of the ethical doctrines which were already known to the people. Thus it seems that the learned professor’s thesis cannot be accepted, as it is based on unverified principles and assumptions.

The sacrifice called Pañcarātra Sattra’ is already stated to have been the basis for the name of this Agama The ritualistic aspect of this connotation of the word, pañcaratra’, does not affect the name which the Vaisnava Agama assumed later. There is parity between this aspect of the Agama and that of the Rgveda. Both had only the ritualistic aspect at the beginning, Philosophical speculation arose later, both in the case of the Vedas and this Agama Authenticity cannot therefore be denied

to this Agama.

It is suggested that the non-yajñic aspect of this sacrifice should have been a later development under the influence of Buddhism and Jainism. This also is open to doubt. That is, there is the symbolic representation of the sacrifice in the Pañcaratra-sattra. This is intentional. Such a representation is found also in the passage of the Chandyoga Upanisad435 where

435, V, 18, 2,

132

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

the chest, hair and heart of the worshipper are imagined to be respectively the altar, darbha grass and the Garhapatya fire Hence, the Pañcarà tra Agama must not be taken to have Intro- duced the symbolic representation of the sacrifice. The Upanı- şad is found to contain already this feature

As regards the replacement of the earlier oyiha of Nara, Nārāyaṇa, Krsņa and Hari by the latter, it must be borne in mind that the Ekäntıdharma is said to have disappeared several times and evolved again and again.436 On the last occasion, which is identical with the rise of the Pañcaratra tradition, new vyuha was evolved in which the four manifestations of God find representation, allowing the mind and ego to have their due place in the scheme through their presiding deities

Thus, an explanation has to be given for the rise of the Päñcaratra doctrine, offering a twofold meaning for this name. One lies in the doctrines which were preached by Brahma, Siva, Indra, Naga (or Brhaspati) and Rşi. According to the other, the word ‘pañca’ stands for an aggregate having the five limbs of abhigamana, upādāna, iyā, oddhyāya, and yoga With refer- ence to ‘rätra’ which means ahoratra’, these five convey the sense that the daily routine should be divided into five parts having these names

The name Pañcaratra’, in its latter significance, is appli- cable to the system with special reference to the practical side, that is, the rituals The words, ijya’ and ‘svadhyaya’, bring out the Vedic foundations on which this daily routine is based. It is to vindicate this aspect of the system that Vedanta Desika wrote the Pañcarātra-rakṣā.

Vide:

।

q2+13=0afeaà àgtafaufaar | »qızcıafazra sagedá enffar |

(p 44, Adyar edn.)

Mbh, Šantı CCCCVIII.

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

133

The division of the full period of ahoratra 18 treated in the Jayakhya-samhita437, perhaps belonging to the oldest group among the Päñcarātra works

That the ritualistic contents of the system could not be traced to a single source, must be admitted The Pancarătra- sattra, described in the Satapatha-Brāhmaṇa, provided the system with the concept of the period of five nights. In this sense, the classification by the name of the system gets justified. The greater significance, attached to this source, is due to the unassalled supremacy and overlordship of Visņu. The system drew sufficient inspiration from this for its philosophical back- ground. At the same time, the ritualistic aspect of this sattra is reflected in the treatment of the acts of Visņu as having the nature of performing the sacred ritual as enjoined by the Vedas themselves However, how and when the classification of the daily routine into five parts arose cannot be proved with evidence Perhaps the five parss of the day, prātaḥ, samgava, madhyāhna, aparāhna and sä yam as named in the Dharmasastras,438 Influenced a similar attempt at diurnal division for the purpose of worshipping God

In this context, it is necessary to criticise the following statement of Prof Hazra It is more reasonable to hold that the original non-Vedic as well as anti-Vedic ideas of the Pañcaratras were permeated through the Samhi tās439** It is unfortunate that many Indian scholars have been encouraged to hold views such as these, under the influence of the Western Orientalists Ideas and practices such as these could be held as non-Vedic, as they do not form part of the contents of the Vedas. There is, however, no justification to

JS. ch. XXII Pārs. IX. 161-178
Aparirka on Yājñavalkyasmyti, pp. 464.

430 Upapurānas, p. 110.134

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

treat them as anti-Vedic. No idea or practice that is found in the Pañcaratra could be proved as opposed to the teachings of the Vedas That is, the Vedas do not contain any doctrine or enjoin any practice which is contradicted in the Agamas. The latter do not preach doctrines or prescribe any practices which condemn particular Vedic injunctions. Many of the recensions of the Vedas are lost. The Mimāṁsä system agrees to treat the Smrti texts as authoritative to uphold certain practices which find no mention in the Vedas440 On this ground, the Smṛtı

texts are not held to be anti-Vedlc.

The sources for the Agamic practices could be traced to those of people in certain parts of the country and confined to them alone The Kalpa-sutras support the authenticity of such practices and their adoption 441 Those who have taken to practices not traceable to the Vedas and Smptis, are not stated anywhere as having preached anti-Vedic doctrines,

From ume immemorial, Hindu society has been dynamic and progressive. While the externals of the practices remained unchanged, internal changes were allowed to take place, as is clear from statements recorded in the Dharmasastra texts which seem to have contradictions and inconsistencies The division of Hindu society into Vedic and aboriginal was made by Western scholars with the sole intention of underrating the worth of the Vedic texts and suggesting that the aborigines did not have an inferior cultural background The attention of the readers 18 drawn to the introductory chapter of this work, where Hindu

Tantravärttıkä on I. 3 2.

441

•

1 Dharmasastra’, III, pp 848-855

P. V Kane History of Cf. Bharatiya Vidyā, VI. pp. 27-30

अथ खलच्यावचा जनपदधर्मा ग्रामधर्माश्च तान् विवाहे प्रतीयात् ।

As valāyana Grhya-sūtra, I. 5, 1,

Cf. Bodhāyana Dharme-sūtra, I. 1. 19, 20.

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

135

society is shown to have been advanced in progress and civilization in very early days, It is needless to belleve in a cleavage of Hindu society as postulated by the Western Orientalists and their Indian followers. Hindu society has been culturally one and the same, having provision for diversity at various levels of thought and practice

It must be thus conceded that there are no anti-Vedic ideas and practices in the Agamas. Non-Vedic ones are, however, there, as the Vedas are not to be looked upon as an encyclopaedia treating of all aspects of the life of society Many concepts and practices should have been in vogue even with people professing Vedic culture, that were not recorded in the Vedas. On this ground, the Agamas, which deal with them, could not be treated as non-Vedic or antl-Vedic.

The same explanation holds good for the philosophical background of the Agamas which arose with explanations for rituals The schools of Vedanta, which drew inspiration from the Nyaya and Sänkhya doctrines, changed those borrowed materials to suit their needs. The same feature is found in the Agamas The Sankhya doctrines, preached in the Mokşadharma section of the Mahabharata, were changed to suit the Agama doctrines in the Päñcarātra Samhitās.

The Pañcaratra Āgame ¡egards Visnu with Sri as the Ultimate Reality. For the purposes of creation and for worship, Visqu manifests Himself in three forms called Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. It is said that Visnu is Vasudeva from whom arises Sankarşapa standing for the self From Sankarsana arises Pradyumna representing the mind. From Pradyumna arises Aniruddha representing the ego (ahaṁkāra).442 All these con- stitute the fourfold vyuha There are the divine descents called

Mbh, $antı, CCCXLVII, 32-40.

136

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

avatāras of the Lord which are also enshrined in temples. The Lord is also present everywhere inside all living beings as antaryāmin The self will have to devote itself to the observance of the five daily duties, such as abhigamana and upādāna. Worship is to be done both in the temple and in the house, Such is in brief what this Agama teaches.

The authority of the Pañcaratra Āgama has been questioned by adherents of different faiths The question of validity in the case of the Veikhānasa Āgama is not so serious, as it is based exclusively on the Vedas. Even if Vlkhanas is not held to be Brahma,443 the authority of the Agama tradition known by his name cannot be questioned, for he himself was a Vedic seer and his doctrines are hence valid. The same cannot be said of the Pancaratra Though expounded by Narayana Himself who is identified with Visnu444, it cannot be readily admitted as intrinsically valid like the Vedas which are not the work of any author or authors, human or divine

The main ground for any objection of this kind is that the Pañcaratra doctrines are not only not based on Vedic authority, but preach many a practice which is pronouncedly anti-Vedic The Kurmapurāṇa mentions this system as one among others which are outside the pale of V.dic culture and so deserving rejection,445 Medauthi on Manu (X 22) has a similar remark on this system.

443 Vide

à ar à àaraar: 1

Taittiriya Aranyaka (1 23)

Brahma, who was performing

penance, shook his body

The

from

Vaikhānasas arose from his nails. The word ‘Vaikhanasa’ 18

which illustrates the phonetic change of metathesis.

• Vikhanas

444 Mbh. Šant CCCLIX. 95-88.

See under fn. 153.

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

137

Again, the adherents of the system adopt, in addition to the Vedic mantras, the tantrika ones also All the sacra - mental practices (samskäras) beginning from impregnation ( niseka) are governed by their own doctrines. For them, the Doādas aksara mantra is everything. Neither the Gayatri 1s recommended nor utilised, nor Vedic study, japa and other works enjoined in the Vedic tradition undertaken

Vide

पकाध्वना निषेकादि संस्कारश्च बलादिभिः । द्वादशाक्षरविधैव तेषां विद्या न तयी ||

न सावित्री न मन्त्रेभ्यः स्वाध्यायजपकर्म च । ये पुनः सावित्र्यनुवचनप्रभृति त्रयीधर्मपरित्यागेनेकायन-

श्रुतिविहितानेव संस्कारान् कुर्वन्ति ।

Agamaprāmānyas p 78.

Secondly, the pañcasamskära is considered as a sacrament necessary for initiation (dīksā) for any one to get qualified for offering worship to God. Brahmaņas, Ksatriyas and Vaisyas can get initiated into Vedic study through the upanayana The Pāñcarātra tradition prescribes the pañcasamskāra both for those who are dvrjas (twice-born ) and for those (Sūdras and women ) who are not eligible to have the upanayana

Vide

।

ब्राह्मण क्षत्रियै वैश्यैः शूद्रैश्व कृतलक्षणै’ । वर्णनीयश्व सेव्यश्च नित्ययुक्तः स्वकर्मसु ॥ सात्त्वतं विधिमास्थाय गीतः संकर्षणेन यः । द्वापरस्य युगस्यान्ते आदौ कलियुगस्य च ॥

Mbh. Bhişma LXVI.39, 40.

The word, ‘kştalaksana’ in the first line quoted above must be taken to mean one who has obtained marks of identity, and so must refer to one who gets identified as a Sattvata by having the pancasamskāra ‘ca’ in ‘Sudraśca can imply women, for women

ASV- -18

132

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

are not denied the pañcasemskära. Thus, an

additional or specific initiation is enjoined by this Agama as obligatory, while the Vedic tradition does not prescribe any such thing

Thirdly, as a corollary of this pañcasamskära initiatlon, it follows that those who are otherwise totally disqualified for understanding the act of worshipping God get adequate qualifi- cation The upanayana is not enjoined for those who are not twice-born. On these grounds, it is evident that the Pancaratra tradition lays down rules for practices which can be claimed to go against the Vedic tradition,

But if Narayana Himself has expounded such doctrines going against the Vedle tradition, how can He be justified in doing so, as He is thus contradicting His own statements:-

gfaeegát æðarar |

Visnudharma 6.31

“The Vedas and Smrtis are only My commandments”

वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यः ।

BG (XV 15)

“I alone am to be known through all the Vedas "

It is not possible to believe that the Lord would have preached the Pañcarātra centradicting Vedic tenets

Fourthly, another argument against the Pāñcarātra system is set out in the Utpattyasambhavādhikarana of the Brahmasutras. This section contains the following tûtras

उत्पत्यसंभवात् ।

न च कर्तुः करणम् ।

446

(II 2 39)

(II 2 40)

(II,2.41)

faararfqurà ar aqgfadu: 1

विप्रतिषेधाच ।

(II.2 42)

The Brahmasutras given here are numbered as 42 to 45 according to to the Šrābhāṣya of Ramanuja,

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

139

The Agama declares that the self called Samkarṣana is born of Vasudeva, the mind called Pradyumna from Samkarsana and the ego called Aniruddha from Pradyumna.

Vide :

परमकारणात् परब्रह्मभूताद्वासुदेवात् संकर्षणो माम जीवो जायते, संकर्षणात् प्रद्युम्नसंशं मनो जायते, तस्मादनिरुद्धसंक्षो Sहंकार जायत इति ।

Sribhāsya on II. 2. 39.

The self has neither birth nor death

Vide·

न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचित् ।

(Katha Upanisad. I. 2. 18)

In the Agama passage cited above, the self is stated to have birth Hence the Agama of the Pañcarātra system cannot be valid. This is conveyed in the Sūtra (II 2. 39) clted above.

That the mind called Pradyumna arises out of the self named Sankarsana cannot be admitted, because the breath, mind and all the sense organs are stated to spring from Brahman.

Vide :

एतस्माज्जायते प्राणो मनस्सर्वेन्द्रियाणि च ।

Mundaka Upanisad ( II 13)

The self which is the agent cannot be the source for the mind. This objection to the Pañcarātra doctrine that admits the rise of the mind from the self is conveyed in the Sūtra (II. 2 40 )

If the adherents of the Pancarātra system seek to Interpret the rise of the self and mind as stated in II 2. 39, by taking Sankarsapa and Pradyumna as Vasudeva Himself in His essential characteristic of knowledge, the impossibility of origination is not contradicted that is, the objection stands undisturbed. If all the four represent only Vasudeva, the rise of one from another cannot be admitted as also the plurality of the divine manifestations. This is the sense of the Sūtras, II. 2. 42.45..

140

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

Fifthly, the Pañcarātra position prescribing idol worship stands contradicted on the strength of the Vedic passages which prescribe the ways of obtaining release. The Supreme Reality is to be meditated upon.

Vide:

arear ar at ggsq: sitasqt grasat fafqvarfaasa: 1

(BrU, II. 4. 5)

(0 the self is to be seen, listened to, reflected upon and contemplated upon.)

The pranava must be meditated upon.

Vide:

ओमित्येतदक्षरमुद्गीथमुपासीत ।

(ChU I. 1, 1)

(One must meditate upon the Sama chanting of the syllable ‘Om’)

These four sutras together form an argument directed against the validity of the Pancarätra system

Sixthly, Sandilya, it is said, learnt the Vedas, Itshasas, Purānas and all other subjects required to be studied. He could not find, from what he had learnt, the final means to get what was good for him. He felt miserable at this 447 He prayed to God who gave him the Pancaratra doctrines

Vide·

aeftar #mara âgreenstorgreefaæacr: 1

garfa mı açıfa anddarqagarfa a

a àìy areàg einða foar afaq |

श्रेयोमार्ग प्रपश्यामि येन सिद्धिर्भविष्यति ॥ ( ParS 1.3-4 )

447 This bears close likeness to the treatment of a similar theme in

the Bhumavidya-prakarana in ChU (VII 1).

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

वेदान्तेषु यथासारं संगृह्य भगवान् हरिः ।

भक्तानुकम्पया विद्वान् संचिक्षेप यथासुखम् ॥448

141

The foregoing passages reveal that Sandilya had doubts as to the uulity of studying various subjects. He could get full satisfaction only from the Pañcarātra doctrines This attitude of Sandilya questions the usefulness of Vedic study and, as such, the Pancaratra doctrines should be considered as anti-Vedic, thus losing their validity.

Seventhly, the Pañcarātra system is not included in the traditional list of subjects studied

Vide

MON

gumzaraṁtajar asiaraışfafua: I वेदाः स्थानानि विद्यानां

agr: erarfa faumni affe a agêu | चतुर्दश ||

Yajnavalkya Smrti (1.3)

Eighthly, the Pañcaratra system is called Sattvata. What does this word mean? It is a system belonging to the Sattvatas, who are said to belong to a particular community called Vaisya- Vratya which includes Sattvata, Sudhanva, Acarya and others 449

Those who are devoted to worshipping an idol and earning thereby their livelihood, are called Devalakas Those who do this work for livelihood without initiation are Karmadeval akas and those with Initiation are Katpadevalakas. Both are unfit for any responsible work in religious rites They are to be kept at a distance from enlightened society There are two more kinds of

448

Rāmānuja mentions this in continuation of the previous slokas cited from the ParS I 3-4 Sudarsanasuri notes that this loka is the one following I 3-4, but it is not found in the present text of Par$ I 3-4

Vide.

अधीता भगवन् वेदा इत्यादिश्लोकानामुत्तरश्लोकोऽयं

aqrag qararcfafa i

(śrutaprakāṣıkā on II, 2, 42,)

449

MS X 23 See Medhatthi on Ibid. X. 22, 23

142

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

Devalakas, all of whom are not considered to be real Brahmins. In fact, they are treated as outcastes.450

Ninthly, what is offered to the deity, whether flowers or food, must not be taken by any one and must be thrown away in water. Acts of expiation are prescribed for taking such offerings which are called technically nirmalya 451

Vide:

निवेदितं यद्धव्यं पुष्पं फलमथापि वा । तन्निर्माल्यमिति प्रोकं तत्प्रयत्नेन वर्जयेत् ॥

SKS Sivaratra.V.48,49.

The name ‘Sattvata’, the description of Devalaka as a priest for worship and the practice of taking nirmalya prove that the Pancaratra Agama deserves severe condemnation and so is totally invalid.

Finally, the derogatory expressions found in the Vaikhanasa texts against the Pancaratra Agama and in those of the Pañca- vātra against the Vaikhanasa are to be taken into account while considering the question of validity. The Vaikhanasa which is based on the authority of the Vedas, should be considered as not only valid, but also ancient The Pancaratra Agama, it is argued, must therefore be treated as later in origin and unauthoritative.

Ägamapramanya, p 8

451 Vide

facon fâàfeá gẻ gfafa dîfzugsuð I arafaðá fanfed yraı aızın ata !

cited in SR. p 82 as taken from the Brahmapurāna

Cf Pars XII 36b, 37a, VII 44a for the prima facie view See Das gupta S. N

History of Indian Philosophy III ch XVI for an account of objections of this kind

THE PANCARATBA AGAMA

143

The Vaikhanasa texts frequently refer to the Pañcarātra practices as non-Vedic, täntrika and as harmful to the people. The Vaikhānasa system is claimed to have been taught formerly to Vikhanas by Narayana Yajnavalkya and others introduced into it the mantras of the Ekayana recension when there was some danger to the system

The Vaikhanasa is called Saumya and the Pañcarātra, Āgneya. The latter was revealed by Vasudeva to safeguard the former. The former must be adopted for offering worship in villages and cities, in palaces and private houses The latter should be confined to forests, hills, the seashore, banks of rivers and the confluence of holy rivers and the sea. That system which was adopted at first for excavating the ground for the construction of the temple must be continued to be adopted for subsequent purposes. The other system should not be brought in on any

account

Vide

आदौ यत्तन्त्रमाश्रित्य कृतं वै कर्षणादिकम् । àa şufenfagrá a gufazaeiscq ||

SA LXXVIII II

and

If an attempt is made to mix up one with the other, the king- dom or administration of the locality will suffer 452

If an adherent of the tantrika system touches the idol or enters the sanctum sanctorum of the Varkhanasas, relos tallation reconsecration must be done according to the Vaikhānasa system. If the Varkhanasa mode is to be adopted in a temple which is based on the Pañcarätra Āgama, there is no harm. But the reverse will be attended with grave consequences Those who meddle with the Vaikhānasa mode would go to hell.453

452 SA. LXXVIII 2-12, VK 77

SA, LXXVIII, 18-24.144

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

A person who offers worship to an idol, whether of Siva or Visnu, through the tantrika mode is a Devalaka That country will be prosperous where the Vaikhānasa system is adopted. Any other system, when followed, will not yield any result. The Lord is stated to favour the Vaikhanase method and to like only the Vaikhānasas who are His own sons, while those who follow the practice of initiation are His adopted sons.454

The Pañcarātrā texts too do not favour the mixing up of the practices enjoined by them with those of the Vatkhānasa texis.

Vide.

यद्विम्बं येन शास्त्रेण समारब्धं पुरा द्विज । प्रासादं वा ततस्तेन शास्त्रेणैव तदर्चयेत् ॥ तच्छास्त्रमन्तरेणैव यो यजेदन्यवर्त्मना । राजो राष्ट्रस्य कर्तुश्च विनाशं कर्तुमिच्छति || न कदाचिदपि प्राज्ञः प्रकुर्याच्छास्त्रमङ्करम् । शास्त्रमङ्करदोषेणैव महान् दोषो भवेद्ध्रुवम्

(cited from the Kalottara in PRp,100)

The Vatkhanasa system is severely condemned as yielding misfortune, and as ugly and impure

This mode is there to be replaced by the Pañcarātra system 455 In general, the rejection of the Vaikhānasa mode of worship and the rules for purification, if the temple and the system of worship are connected with their priests or practices, are found treated in most of the Samhitās of the Pancaratra Agama under the heading of Prayascutta.

454 Ibid LXXVIIL, 25-27 cf. ibid 38, 37 LXXVIII, 62b-64, KAR XXXVI 32-35, 36, 37, 45

Vide

ननु च वैखानस सूत्रानुसारिषु काश्यपमरीचिभार्गवात्रेयेषु शास्त्रेषु तदनुबन्धिषु चाधिकारग्रन्थेषु संग्रहविस्तररूपेषु भगवत्प्रतिष्ठार्चनादिकं पूर्णमुपदिशत्सु किं पञ्चरात्रेण ?

PR. p. 101.

PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

145

However, the Samhitās called Ratnatraya, namely, Pauşkara Jayakhya and Sattvata, do not have such insulting references to the Varkhanasa system.

When the idol in a temple where the Pañcaratra mode is followed is touched by the followers of the Vaikhanasa tradition, the idol is to be bathed in milk. It requires re-installation according to the Pañcarātra mode.

Vide

वैखानस्तु संस्पृष्ठे पयःस्त्रानेन शुध्यति । भाराधितं स्वमार्गेण प्रतिष्ठामाचरेत्पुनः ॥

ParS, XIX 373.374.

Offering the bath to the deity is of different kinds. “The worst of the lowest kind” will have to be offered when the idol is touched by women or those who have not had upanayana or the Vaikhanasa Brahmins or those who are not Vaisnavas. Homas to pacify the evil influence will have to follow.

Vide

स्त्रीभिर्वानुपनीतैर्वा तथा वैखानसैर्द्विजैः । अवैष्णव संस्पृष्टे बिम्बे त्वधमाधमम् । स्नपनं बिधिवत्कृत्य शान्तिहोमादिकं चरेत् ॥

IS XIX 135b, 136.

The Pancară tra system must, on no account, be replaced by any other system of worship The Vaikhanasa mode of worship is stated to be opposed to the Päñcarātra system

Vide

यद्यदिष्टतमं लोके पूर्वसिद्धान्ताविरोधि तत् । प्रतिग्राह्यमतोऽन्योन्यविरुद्धं संत्यजेद्बुधः वैखानसेषु तन्त्रेषु शैवपाशुपतेषु च ।

विहितान्यत्र जातानि विरुद्धानीति किं पुनः ॥ पञ्चरात्रविधानेन पूज्यमाने प्रतिष्ठिते । नान्येन पूजनं कार्ये विदुषापि कदाचन ||

ASV-19

ParS. XIX. 548-550.

146

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

A priest who has had initiation in a temple according to a parti- cular system, must not attend to excavating the ground and other acts according to another It is not proper for one who is a teacher or priest to change the system of which he is a follower

Vide.

एकत्र दीक्षितस्तन्ते सिद्धान्ते वा द्विजोत्तमः । क्रियां न कुर्यादन्यत्र कर्षणादिश्चतुर्मुख || आचार्यकमथात्विज्यं पूजाद्यं मधुद्विषः । तन्त्रभेदे च सिद्धन्तभेदे चापि न युज्यते ॥

Pas, IV 19 131-2

The Vaikhanasa system and those of the Salvas are declared as non-Vedic and as not benign (asaumya), while the Pañcarātra is saumya. Hence worship should not be according to these modes.

Vide.

शैववैखानसाभ्यां चार्चयेन कदाचन । बैख नस्य शैत्रस्यावैदिकत्वान्मुनीश्वर ॥ शैवं बखानसं चाप्यसौम्यं तदुदाहृतम् ।

सौम्यं तु सावतं चैव तस्मात्सौम्यं विशिष्यते ॥

ViS XXXIX.279,280

The Pancaratra system is stated to be the reverse of this in the Vaikhānasa āgama.

Vide

सौम्यं वैखानसं प्रोकमाग्नेयं पाञ्चरात्रकम् ।

SA. LXXVIII. 50.

The Pañcaratra mode of installation of the deity is enjoined even when the preliminary rites are performed in accordance with the Vaikhanasa or Saiva mode

Vide;

कर्षणादिकृतं पूर्व वैखानसविधानतः ॥

पञ्चरात्रेण शास्त्रेण स्थापयेत् पुरुषोत्तमम् ।

PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

शैवैखानसाभ्यां तु विधिना वास्तुसंग्रहम् ॥ तदेशे स्थापयेद्देवं सात्त्वतेन विधानतः ।

V1S.XXXIX.275b-277a.

147

At the same time, it is stated that the two must not be mixed up with each other.

Vide.

तस्मात् सर्वप्रयत्नेन न कुर्यात्तन्त्रसंकरम् ।

Ibid.285b

The Vaikhanasa system is stated to have been expounded by Bhargava (Bhrgu or his descendants) for the well-being of the Vaskhānasas This must not be adopted by the twice-born either for their private or public worship.

Vide

वैखानसहितार्थाय शास्त्रं भार्गवनिर्मितम् । नानुष्ठेयं द्विजश्रेष्ठैरात्मनोऽर्थे परस्य च ॥

Ibid 289b–290a

Those who take to the vänaprastha order are stated to be of two kinds, namely, Vaikhanasas and Sūtas The latter offer worship according to the Agama taught by Bhargava expounded this Agama for the pratilomass 456

Vide

Bhrgu, it is said,

ed वैखानसाः प्रोक्ताः भार्गवागमपूजकाः । प्रतिलोमहितार्थाय भृगुणा तन्त्रमीरितम् ॥

V1S XXXIX 295.

The systems of Pāñcarātra and Vaikhānasa must not be mixed up as this would lead to total destruction

Vide

पतेषां शंकरं तत्र वर्ज्यमा हुर्मनीषिणः । तन्त्रसंकरदोषेण सर्व नश्यत्यसंशयः ||

Ibid. 291.

456

One is said to be a pratiloma in social status, if he is born of a higher caste woman and a man of lower caste,

148

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

In many respects, the Ägamas differ from each other, and so diverse results happen when the practices prescribed by them are adopted. The deities who are installed by the procedures of different Agamas, would get enraged when the ways of worship get mixed up, and would bring ruin to the worshippers

Vide

मातं सर्ववृध्यर्थं शैवं सर्वविनाशकृत् । वैखानसममर्थार्थ तस्मात्तत्परिवर्जयेत् ॥ अस्थानस्थापिताः केचित् स्वस्थानवर्जिताः । देवताद्वयकोपेन सर्व नश्यत्यसंशयः ॥

॥

Ibid 302,303.

Elaborate rules of expiation are prescribed when the practices of the Pañcarātra system get mixed up with those of the Vaskhānasa. 457

Thus, both the Vaikhanasa and the Pancaratra Agamas prohibit the adoption of the practices prescribed in each other. On this ground, it is contended, the Vaikhānasa is held to be valid, leading to the declaration of the Pañcaratra Agamas as lacking authority.

Right from Yamunācārya who wrote the Agama-prāmānya defending the validity of the Pañcaratra, scholars have been putting forth fresh grounds to maintain it.

The Pañcara tra system was revealed by Narayana Himself

Vide •

पार्श्वगत्रस्य कृत्स्नस्य वक्ता नारायणः स्वयम् ।

Mbh Sānta CCCLIX 68a

इदं महोपनिषदं चतुर्वेदसमन्वितम् । सांख्ययोगकृतं तेन पाञ्चरात्रानुशद्वितम् ॥ नारायणामुखोद्गीर्ण नारदोऽश्रावयत्पुनः ||

Ibid, CCCLVIII.62,63a

457, VIS XXXIX

THE PĀNCARĀTRAA GAMA

149

Narayana is stated here to be only the ‘speaker’ (or expounder) and not the author of the Pañcaratra. It is a great Upaniṣad related to all the four Vedas and built up by Sankhya and Yoga, When the Supreme Being is mentioned here as the ‘speaker’, the validity of this Agama cannot be questioned. The Ekayana recension is claimed to have been the basis for the development of the system

This is said to be the root of the big tree of the Vedas, of which the Rk and others are the branches 458 of course this recension is now lost The question does not there- fore rise about its validity, much less whether that validity is intrinsic or otherwise Thus, the Pañcarātra Āgama is as valid as the Vedas are held to be.

The Pañcaratra Agama is thus based on the contents of the Vedas It is pro-Vedic, not because Vedic mantras are frequently cited for the rituals, but also because its tantrika mantras are based on Vedic passages 459 Certain Gayatri mantras480 are found evolved out of the Vedic Savitri and included as part of Vedic passages. This adaptation of the Vedic pattern is followed in Pañcaratra Agama and therefore cannot make it anti-Vedic

The practices of a sacramental character are not non-Vedic, but are based on the Рäñcarātra tradition which in turn is based on the Ekayana recension The ceremonial practices of the Pañcarā tra system are exclusively based on this recension and do not deserve condemnation, as is the case with the practices of the Vaikhānasa system which are based on the Vaikhānasa-sutra.

With reference to the practice of pañcasamskāra enjoined by Pañcaratra tradition, it must be said that while the Vaikhanasa

458 Pas I 1 56 Pārs 1 76 The Ekāyana recension is included in the Chu VII 1 2

459 Cf. Omgüm ganapataye namah is based on Om ganapataye namah (LT XXXIII 63 )

460 Nārāyana Upanisad, 5, 6, 7

150

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

tradition recognizes mere birth in the family of the Brahmins who belong to the Vaskhanasa-sutra as itself a qualification for its members (who have had upanayana) for worshipping God ceremonially, the Pancarātra system prescribes an initiation in the form of pañcasamskära With the liberal intention of permitting every person, irrespective of caste and sex, to worship God personally, this act of initiation is enjoined The procedure of pañcasamskāra is not Vedic, but its practice bas sufficient Vedic authority. Vedic mantras are used and the procedure is on the lines of the Kalpasūtras This is not a proof for the Agama’s non-Vedic character. The pañcasamskāra is the only initiation (dīkṣā) for the Sūdras and women and a second one for those who have had upanayana Such initiation is not an anti-Vedic practice in the case of the twice-born, for a special initiation 461 is ordained even for those who have bad upanayana for performing certain Vedic rites.462 This is also called ‘yañadiksä.”

Vide.

argcàsfaaná fæatá stígaryà | adta avatarai fgaez gfadtzara ||

द्विजस्य

तृतीय

॥

MS II. 169

With this special initiation, the Ksatriya and Vaisya are declared to have become Brāhmaṇas.

Vide:

ब्राह्मणो वा एष जायते यो दीक्षते । azzıçıneq#zarafa argo cardqafa 11

Apastamba Srauta X 11 5-6

The pañcasamskāra makes one who receives it Vaisnava, which Vyasa calls krtalaksana. Thus the second initiation is not enjoined by the Agama only It is taken to have been inspired by the Srauta practice.

461

Special initiation is ordained only for these who get a generaj kind of initiation For details, see P. V. Kane, History of Dharma Sastra, Vol. II, Part 2, pp. 1137-40.

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

151

The charge which is levelled against the Pancaratra that those who are not qualified for the upanayana are also given this initiation and declared qualified for worshipping God, cannot be sustained The rathakara, who does not belong to any of the first three castes and is not entitled to the upanayana, is permitted by the Srautasutras, to consecrate the Vedic fire.462 Similarly, permission is given to the nisādasthapati, who is not also qualified, to have the upanayana to perform sacrifices such as the Agnihotra and Darsapürnamāsa 483 It is also curious to note that the rathakara, who is held to be not qualified to the upanayana, is allowed to have it under certain eircumstances When viewed dispassionately, one can see the growing tendency of a liberal and broad-minded attitude in extending the application of the rules of the Kalpasūtras This is not conservatism, but progress. It is this tendency that is witnessed in the Pāñcarātra Agama.

That the Pañcārātra tradition is not anti-Vedic becomes evident from the creation of the tantrika mantras No attempt is made to stretch the rules of the Kalpasūtras beyond limits and deprive them of their sanctity and individuality. The tantrika mantras are not really Vedic, but they could be treated as mantras There are instances of even ordinary non-Vedic passages having been elevated to the level of mantras. Such passages find their place in the Vatkhanasa464 texts also which are held to be Vedic to the core. The objections against the Pāñcarātra tradition which are noticed in the Kürmapurāṇa and elsewhere should have been raised with a view to safeguard the Vedic traditions from getting mixed up with täntrika ones,

462 Eg, Diksapiyesti

of LT, Introduction. p 14.

483

See note under fn, 133.

464 Vide

arci acq agai awqigon

VK. p. 368 Cf. SA XXXVI PāS. IV. 13. 187-143)

152

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

When God declared that Sruti and Smṛte are His command- ments and that He could be known only through the Vedas, what is meant is that the Vedas are of supreme validity and the Smrti comes next to them when it does not clash with their authority. Otherwise, the epics, Purānas and the host of kindred works would have to be treated as of no authority Like the Agama which was taught to his disciples by Vikhanas on the basis of the teachings of the Vedas, the Pañcar ātra Agama too was revealed by God Himself to sages and, as Vyasa put it, this Agama, revealed by God, represents the quintessence of the Upanisads The validity of both the Agamas cannot therefore be

questioned.

The Utpattyasambhavādhikarana forms part of the second chapter of the Brahmasūtras called Avirodhã dhyāya Here it is shown that the concept of Brahman as developed in the first chapter cannot be controverted by any concept of any other system whatsoever. This must imply that this adhikarana dealing with the Pañcarātra system, should be interpreted to prove that it is not authoritative This is claimed to be pre-supposed by the author of the Brahmasutras.

The view of Sankara on this adhikarana is contained in his Brahmasūtrabhāsya, which is the earliest available commentary. He interprets the sutras here as refuting the view of the Päñcarā tra system, that the self called Sankarsana is born out of the Supreme Being, Vasudeva. His objection is directed only against this doctrine. He admits openly that the other aspects of this Agama are not refuted.

Vide

aìsåt arcıyor: qètsamra afaz: qcanzar aafar a परोऽव्यक्तात् प्रसिद्धः परमात्मा सर्वात्मा स आत्मनात्मानमनेकधा व्यूह्यावस्थित तन्त्र निराक्रियते ।

(II. 2. 43 )

This is because the Upanışads recognise this self-manifestation 485

afungararcıad a gfafovgà

ChU. VII. 26. 2.

(Ibid.) 2. 2. 42.

THE PANCARATBA AGAMA

153

Nor is there any objection to worship as prescribed by Abhi, gamana. Even if Samkarsana and others are to be treated as gods, then there will be four gods to be recognized which goes against the Pañcarātra tradition that Vasudeva is the only one Supreme Deity. If they are qualities, namely, knowledge etc., then this amounts to treating, for example, the same ‘Sankarṣaṇa” as a person and also as his quality. This position is Inadmissible. Besides, Sandilya is stated to have given up the study of the Vedas and taken to that of the Pañcarātra system. This goes against the authority of the Vedas.

From this, It appears that Sankara is not against the Pancaratra Agama as such, except for the doctrine that the self, Samkarṣaṇa, arose from Vasudeva. From the name of the adhikarana and the first sutra there, It seems that the entire objection against the Pañcarātra tradition is based upon this contention only.

The Visistadvalta thinkers treat this adhikarana as conveying not merely the objection to the Pāñcarātra tradition, but also the answer in favour of its validity. The first two sutras repre- sent the prima facie view and the next two show that the Pañca- rätra Agama is valid. There are certain adhikaranas466 in the Brahmasutras which are of this kind in containing both the objection and answer for the particular concepts or theories treated therein.

The first sutra (II.2 39) which refutes the statement of the Agama that the self in the form of Samkarṣana is born, is based on wrong premises: for this Āgama does not state anywhere

· Adhikaraṇa’ is thus defined

•

विषयो विशयश्चैव पूर्वपक्षस्तथोत्तरम् ।

निर्णयश्चेति पञ्चाङ्कं शास्त्रेऽधिकरणं स्मृतम् ॥

Šabdakalpadruma 1. p. 37.

Cf, Jaadhikarana II. 3. 19-42, Sambandhādhikarapa III, 3, 20-22;

Sämparāyadhikaraṇa III, 3, 27-31,

ASY-20134

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

that the self is born, but emphatically declares that the soul 19 eternal The statements made in the Agama text that the self, mind and ego are born must be taken to mean that the delties presiding over these are born. Besides, this Agama passage must be interpreted like the Upanisad passage467 which says that be who has no birt is born in several ways By ‘birth’ self- manifestation is meant It does not mean that the mind and ego are produced from the self as stated in the sūtra II 2.40, for all these are stated to be produced from Brahman 468

The sūtras, II 2 41-42, could be taken to convey the siddhānta view According to the sutra 41, the objection to the statement that the self, Samkarşapa, was born of Vasudeva, cannot stand, as Vasudeva and the other three are only of the nature of knowledge and the origin (of the world). That is, these four are only Brahman which is knowledge and which represents the original cause of the world. The words, ‘self’, ‘mind’ and ’ego", denote Samkarṣaṇa, and others who manifest themselves in particular forms. Hence the question of the self getting birth does not arise. The very same Agama text which states that the self, Samkarṣaṇa, is born of Vasudeva and the mind, Pradyumna, from the self, declares that matter and the self are inseparably connected with each other and that the self Is known definitely to be beginningless and endless.

487 Taıttırîya Aranyaka III 13 1,

468

Vide.

यतस्माज्जायते प्राणो मनस्सर्वेन्द्रियाणि च

gaegrargà groìì xacaäftgarfo = (MU H. 1.3)

Also यो वासुदेवो भगवान् क्षेत्रज्ञो निर्गुणात्मकः ।

ज्ञेयः स एव राजेन्द्र जीवः संकर्षणः प्रभुः ॥

संकर्षणाच प्रद्युम्नो मनोभूतः स उच्यते । agaratsfazzez disinic: a feat: 1

(Mbh. Santi, CCCXLVIII, 39, 40.)

Vide

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

155

व्याप्तिरूपेण संबन्धस्तस्याश्च पुरषस्य च सानादिरनन्तश्च परमार्थेन निश्चितः ॥

Pars. II. 19.

This passage runs counter to the one which refers to the birth of the self, and so the latter passage should be taken to mean that there is no birth for the self from Vasudeva or for the mind from the self. ‘Birth’ must be taken in the sense of self-manifesta- tation, as is done in the case of the Upanışad passage :

asragrat agar faaraà

(TA III.13.1)

Regarding the sutra, II.2.42, it must be noted that It is interpreted differently in different systems of thought, The particle ‘ca’ in it does not have any additional sense of argument, but only the sense of objection or contradiction to what is contained in the previous sūtra. It is claimed to mean that what is taught in the Pancarātra Agama stands contradicted. This contradiction should rise only from the Vedic passages as referred to in the sutras, II 2 39-40. Such passages as the Chandogya Upanışad (1 1 1) and Brhadāranyaka Upanışad (II 4.5,) enjoin meditation as the means of getting moksa. The Pañca- raira texts, on the other hand, prescribe worship of God, primarily in the form of the idol. Hence a contradiction to this Agama prescription is held to be found in the Vedas,

This kind of interpretation does not stand to reason, for the very aim of the Agamas is not to prohibit the method of meditation, but to prescribe idol worship as an easier way which could be practised by all without distinction. So it is not anti- Vedic. Ramanuja’s interpretation which is based upon that of Yamunacārya, seems to be reasonable. That the self is born is contradicted in the Agama texts is the sense of the sutra II.2.42.

The objection of Sankara is not justified. If the four manifestations of God as Vasudeva, Samkarṣapa, Pradyumna

156

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

and Aniruddha are quite independent of one another, there is the question of more than one Supreme Being But these are only the manifestations of the same God and so have only functional differences The other objection which is based on the adoption of the Pañcaratra Agama by Sandilya is not also tenable, for Sandilya did not question the validity of the Vedas He could not obtain satisfaction from them, which is an indication of his difficulty to get it This does not suggest his irreverence towards the Vedas, and as such the Agama tradition is not opposed to the Vedic tradition. Hence no objection could be raised against the validity of the Pañcarātra Agama on the basis of this adhikarana, which aims only at silencing the objection that was entertained against its validity at the time when the Brahmasutras were composed by Badarayana.

It is interesting to note in this connection the views of some other schools of thought on this adhikaraṇa Bhaskara, the exponent of the Bhedäbhedavāda, treats all the sutras in this ahhikarana as directed against the validity of the Pañcarātra Agama. While interpreting the Sutra, II 2. 41, he questions the propriety of taking the self, mind and cgo as the self and notes that the episode of Sandilya is directed against Vedic authority

Madhva, the exponent of the Dvaita school, takes a different attitude This adhikarana Is, according to him, not directed against the Pancarātra Agama, but against Saktaism and Saivism The rise of the world from Sakti cannot be admitted, nor should Devi, Tripura and Bhairavi be treated as the source of the world. Siva also is not the cause, If knowledge is held to be the cause, then that itself, being the Supreme Reality, could be admitted to create the world. The Vedic passages declare Visqu as the cause, and so any other Interpretation stands contradicted, as it is opposed to Vedic authority. It is a matter of opinion as to how far this interpretation could be admitted.

THE PĀNCARĀTRAA AGAMA

157

The previous adhikarana called Pasupatyadhikaraņa (II. 2. 35-38) is devoted to the rejection of the systems which are devoted to the worship of Siva It is not the Pasupata system alone that is meant there, but all of them, including the system of Saivism.469 Hence this adhikaraṇa cannot be concerned with Saivism Treating it as directed against Saktaism is meaningful, but the Sakti cult is not totally free from the principles of Siva’s worship In a way, this cult may be taken to have been condemned in the previous adhikaraṇa itself, though not fully Anyway, Madhva’s intrepretation is original, and avoids the difficulty which Sankara and Bhaskara were required to face, namely, partial acceptance of the validity of the Pañcarātra doctrines, The Visistadvaita interpretation is sane and sound In that the objection to the validity of the Pañcarātra Agama is noted and the refutation of this objection is admitted. Treatment of a prima facie view and its rejection at the end in one and the same adhikarana do not affect the unitary concept of the adkikarana

Nimbārks, the exponent of the Soabhävika-bhedābheda-vāda, interprets this adhikarana as containing the refutation of the system of the Sāktas. Sakti cannot be the cause, as no effect could be produced by it without the control of Purusa over it. The sūtra 40 (which is numbered by him as 43) means that Sakti cannot be the cause, if Purusa is the agent The sutra 41 (numbered as 44) admits Sakti to be the cause, if it rests in Brahman. That Sakti could not be admitted as an independent cause is conveyed in sūtra 42 (numbered as 45), as it is contra- dicted by Sruti and Smrti In this context, it is curious to find that Kasmirabhaṭtā, the sub-commentator of Nimbārka’s Brahma- sūtra-bhāsya which is called Vedanta-pārijāta-saurabha, follows the Visistadvaitic interpretation in his Kaustubhaprabha Nimbarka thus follows the line taken by Madhva

469, Tattvamārtīnda, p,55%.

158

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

Vallabha, the founder of the Suddhädvaita school of Vedänta, notes that this section is against the school of the Bhagavatas. He holds that objection is taken against only one aspect of the Pañcarātra doctrine, namely, the rise of the self, Samkarşṣaṇa, from Vasudeva. While interpreting the sutra, II 2.44 (according to his numbering), he writes that the objection against the Pañcarātra cannot stand, if all the four vyü has are of the form of knowledge and the origin of the world. Objection would how- ever be valid, if all are to have absolute independence.

As regards the objection raised here on the passage of rhe Agama which mentions the birth of the self, Samkarşaņa, from Vasudeva, it is difficult to understand what made the exponents of the schools which are opposed to the spirit of this adhikaraṇa, ignore a passage of the Taittiriya Upaniṣad(III.13.1). While the word ‘jayale’ used there is no objected to with reference to Brahman’s birth, objection is raised when it is used with refer- ence to the self. By taking the sense of the root, ‘janı’, as standing for ‘prādurbhāva”, it is quite easy to note that ‘birth’ means only emergence or manifestation. Only what already exists will make its appearance Similarly, the root, ’nas’, mean- Ing ‘adarsana’ denotes disappearance and not destruction or annihilation. As such, when the self is said to be born, what is meant is that it has been in existence even before its appearance which is possible only as encased in a physical body. Hence Samkars pa’ is a word used to refer to a deity who has emerged from Vasudeva with a body and also to mean the self (jiva) which it controls.470 It is in this sense the following passage is required to be understood:

€

यतः प्रसूता जगतः प्रसूतिस्तोयेन जीवान्व्यससर्ज भूम्याम् ।

(Nārāyaṇiya Upanışad 1)

Regarding the objection that the Pāñcarātra Agama is not included in the list of subjects which are intended to be studied,

470, LT VI. 13.

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

159

it must be understood that the list enumerating fourteen subjects in the Yajnavalkya-smpti (1-3), is not exhaustive, for there is another list471 which mentions eighteen subjects, adding four more, namely, Ayurveda, Dhanurveda, Gāndharva and Artha§āstra. Itihasas are also included here. Similarly, the Agamas are to be considered as a subject of study, and their absence from the lis does not declare their invalidity.

The word, Sattvata’, did refer to a Vaidya tribe which became elevated in social status by the birth of Kṛṣṇa In It. But it came to denote the Pāñcarātra system and hence lost its pejorative sense. The validity of the system does not lie merely in its name. It is the doctrine that proves its validity. Therefore, the word ‘Sattvata’ is derived in more than one way so as to make it deserve the name of the system

One of them connects it with the word, ‘Sat’, which means Brahman. Those who believe in It or do work (1.e, worship) for It are called ‘Sättvantaḥ’ Their system is called Sättuato,

€

Vide

सत् सखं ब्रह्म तद्वन्तः सात्वन्तः

Or, arftar aufaged¶rfng zef orði ar erad

argafo aragnon ar erfèas:

Parāśarabhatta : Bhagavad-guna-darpana on

Visņusahasranama, Sloka 54,

The second way of explaining it is by taking it as delighting those who adopt it.

Vide·

eraufa (gaufa) arferarz

(Ibid )

471, V,P. III, Q. 28-29,

160

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

A third way is by taking the word ‘Sat’ in the sense of the Supreme Being:-

Vide:

arræ (qcorear) a zà¶rnedtfa ar entaar:, arcazat ar #gTHITTAT: 1

(Ibid.)

This word Sattvata’ may mean a despicable person in its conventional sense. When it can yield another acceptable sense, through etymology, the latter sense should be preferred, particularly when the conventional one could be left aside. Otherwise, the word ārārya412 which is grouped here, along with the word, Satinata’, should mean a low-born man, while the conventional sense of a learned teacher is to be preferred.

The word ‘devalaka’ refers to those who are not initiated according to the Pañcarãtra rites and who worship dertles like Rudra.

Vide.

Vide

भवेडेवलको यो वै रुद्रकाल्युपजीवकः ।

cited in the Agamaprāmāṇya p.72

शिवकेशवयोः पूजामेकाहमपि वा चरेत् । giðar einnig à à àaoni: egar: ||

KA XXXVI 32,33.

Thus, there is no stigma attached to the priest who offers worship in the temple according to the Pañcara tra tradition, and hence invalidity could not be attributed to the Pañcarātra system on this ground.

MS. X. 23 Cf. Agamaprāmāṇya, pp. 68-71,

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

161

Nirmalya Is prohibited to those not devoted 10 God 474

Sandal, unguent and others which represent nirmalya, are applied to the holy idol of Visnu and become purified. They purify the devotees of Vispa who take them. So it is sinful to refer to it and food offered to Visqu in degrading expressions.474 When these are offered to Visvaksena, they become defective as nirmalya, and so they could be partaken before being offered to Vişvaksena, by the devotees of Visnu.478 Hence the Pancarātra Ägama does not lose Its vali- dity for prescribing the partaking of ’nirmā¡ya’.

Lastly, the authority of the Pañcaratra system cannot be assailed on the ground that the Vaikhanasa system contains vehement attacks on this Agama. That the Vaskhanasa is based on Vedic authority cannot be an argument in favour of its superiority over the Pancaratra, since the latter is also based on the Vedas to a limited extent and this can be used as a defence in its own favour. Mutual recrimination is noticed in the texts of both the Agamas, and so it is not easy to settle the authority of one at the expense of the other. It would be prudent to treat each one as valid without reference to the other. In all proba- bility such passages which condemn the authority of each other should have got into these texts at a later date.

Vedanta

PaiS XXXI 197-199,
Vide, Ägamaprāmānya, pp 74-78
ParS. XXVII, 24b, 25a VS. offers a Wise interpretation. Nirmalya is a reject when offered to other deities (XXIX 12). This text refers to the view of some scholars who hold that what is offered to Viļņu, must be taken by His devotees. (Ibid, XXIX 13a) Cf, Näradīyasamhita XXIV. 80b 81.

The following passage in it is worth nothing:

तेभ्यो दद्याच्च नैवेद्यं मधुपर्कःसरम् । fifardenca qarâ fatandner gåa: 11

॥

II. 122b, 123a

ASV-21

162

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

Desika remarks that such passages should have been inters polated by those who were greedy (or cager) to occupy forcibly each other’s place and thereby were keen to taste the sugarcane of pleasure, ur by bachelors who were degraded priests.

Vide :-

तानि जूनमिश्रणकर्तृचिकीर्षुभिः प्रक्षिप्तानि परस्पर- स्थानाकमणलोलुपेर्वदुभिर्वा पूजकाथ पेर्निवेशितानि ।

PR. p 101,

It is possible to offer some kind of defence for this mutual attack Each system 19 anxious to speak of itself in the highest self-praise Naturally, to achieve this, it is required to thrw mud at the other.

Vide:

afe farar fनन्धं निन्दितुं प्रवर्तते अपि तु निन्दा दिनप्रशंसितुमिति ।

Hence serious thought need not be bestowed on this question. One of them must not be unduly extolled, ignoring the intrinsic worth of the other.

Such indulgence ip mutual accusations is not confined to these two Agamas The Vedas too contain passages which

illustrate this tendency.

Vids :

ऋग्गाथा कुख्या स्मितं यजुर्निदो वृथा वातदमित सामाथी यः कञ्चन ष्णः सस्वर भोमिति सत्यं नेत्यनुतम् ।

Attareya Aranyaka 11368.

The verse of this passage is as follows:

अग्निमीळे पुरोहितम् (11,1) is a 7h,

प्रातः प्रातः मनु से afta (Aitareya Brahmana V 31 Ga)

is an utterance (gdth@) There is a passage technically called kumbya which takes the form of giving Instruction for good cor duor.

Vide:

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

163

आचारशिक्षारूपा कुम्न्या ।

This is illustrated by the following passage:

(Sayana on (bid.)

agardeatgrana af ge år ggrut; i

S.P.Br. XI.5.4.5.

The rk cited above is of a general nature. The gatha and kumbya given above are treated as particular rks. All the three are metrical and are of a definite length and so are held to be within limits (mita).

gð zatŝear arga (T.S. 1.1.11)

is a yajus passage.

अग्ने महाँ असि ब्राह्मण भारत (T.S. II. 59.1.)

is a nigada which is stated as of the nature of addressing another. Then there are arthavadas which are referred to here as vṛthā vāk.

Vide

asdarer at a craemrai oftererfeequiìsuà ar aaf gar ar

(Taittiriya Brāhmaṇa III.5.3.1)

The pajus, nagada and vṛtha vak together constitute one whole and are treated as pajus itself, but the formation here is not regular and so is said to be not within a particular limit (amita).

The Pranana is uttered as part of the Sama chants as in

श्रमिति सत्यं न

This is not true (anṛia) · that is, it is a lie.

Here the Tajurveda and Samaveda are referred to as inferior to the Rgueda. The latter alone has regularity, while the Tajus has no regularity and the Sama is only music and has no relevance to reality. The purpose of this passage is not to ridicule or condemn the Tajurveda and Samaveda, but to show how164

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

superior the Rgveda is to both of them. A passage of this kind occurring in the Aranyaka of the Ṛgveda, illustrates how contra- dictory passages occur even in the Vedas This does not prove

the other two Vedas to be invalid

Similarly, the Samaveda 18 condemned by treating it as belonging to the departed souls and contrasting it with the Rgoeda which is said to be divine and with the Tajurveda stated to be human Hence its sound is impure,

Vide:

ऋग्वेदो

mràgt tageat agäteg mig¶: | argâzeg fqsa: erasargfaáfa: 1

MS IV 124

The passage which mentions Sandilya to have been dis- appointed in not getting at the truth by studying the Vedas and to have become enlightened by studying the Pañcarātra doctrine must also receive the same interpretation. The reference to his disappointment with Vedic study is not intended to devalue the Vedas, but to extol the Pañcarātra Agama.

Similarly, it is said that, when weighed against each other, the Mahabharata was found to be heavy, while the Vedas were light This is only praise conferred on the importance of the Mahābhārata at the expense of the Vedas

Vide.

चत्वार एकतो वेदा भारतं चैकमेकतः । समागतै : सुरर्षिभिस्तुलामारोपितं पुरा || महत्त्वे च गुरुत्वे च प्रियमाणे ततोऽधिकम् । महत्त्वाच्च गुरुत्वाश्च महाभारतमीरितम् ॥

Mbh Adı. 1. 297,299.

Thus these statements convey that while a particular text is intended to be extolled, other texts are given an apparent condemnation. This must be treated only as arthavāda, and so the tex’s which are condemned cannot be treated as

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

165

unauthoritative. The mutually recriminatory passages in the Pañcarātra and Vaikhānasa texts can only show that each of these Agamas is valid, without getting affected in the least by such condemnation,

The Pancaratra Agama should not be treated unauthoritative, because of the alleged deceitfulness of Vasudeva as stated in the passage:

argèarfaarða kafafgufogar |

goîtá gegå arînfa fafagut aug |

(cited in the Agamaprāmānya p. 23.)

The Pancaratra Agama was revealed by Narayana who is identified with Vasudeva and glorified in the Upanisads as omniscient and compassionate, and so evil designs could not be attributed to Him.

The Vedas, are claimed to be intrinsically valid by not being the composition of any author. But their authority could be questioned, as they too contain contradictory passages like works of human authorship. 476

Vide:

अतिरात्रे षोडशिनं गृह्णाति ।

arfacrà defá verfa 1

उदिते जुहोति ।

अनुदिते जुहोति ।

व्रीहिभिर्यजेत ।

यवैर्यजेत ।

We may resolve the contradictions by treating the first set of passages as giving rise to different results when the practice is

P V Kane History of Dharmasastra, Vol. II, part 8, pp. 1204- 1205 (1) Aitareya Brāhmaṇa, XVI. 1. 4, SP. Br、 IX,7, (2) Aitareya Brahmana, V 5.4, Taittiriya Brāhmaṇa, II, 1, 42,

166

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISH

carried out Independently, the second as intended to be practised by persons with different qualifications for each and the third as to be carried out at different times.477

The Pancaratra Agama, though it has an author or proclaimer In omniscient Nārāyaṇa, is free from all kinds of defects such as deception, delusion and perversity It is therefore valid, and the more so, because it gives correct knowledge about the Lord The glorification of Viṣpu in this Agama as the supreme among the gods, is a question already settled in many of the texts which declare, on the authority of the Upanisads, that He alone is great

Such texts are in the Mahabhārata, Visnupurāna, Varahapurana, Manusmpts and others. In parucular the Maha- bhārata plays a significant role here It is in the Santiparvan of the epic that the Pancarätra doctrine gets detailed treatment. The author Vyasa, who gets the entire credit for this, is believed to be not different from Badarayana, the author of the Brahma sü tras 418

Hence the objection to the authenticity of the system is questioned in the Brahmasutras (II, 2 39-42) and is answered in favour of admitting the Agama’s validity

The origin of Ekänti-dharma, which is the basic foundation from which the Pañcaratra Agama is developed, is described in

477

Brutaprakašike on II 2 42

478 Sudarsanasürt cites passages from the Skandapurana to support the identity of Vyasa with Badarayana (Srutaprakāšikā, Madras edn. with ten commentaries, pp 59-80) Vedantadefika also cites the above passage Vide. Tattvațikā (Madras edn with ten commentaries, p.73) He cites a passage from the Bhāmatî of Vacaspatımıéra

Vide·

आह व परमाध्यव्याख्याता-

ब्रह्मसूत्रकृते वेदव्यासाय परवेधसे । ज्ञानशक्त्यवनाराय नमो भगवतो हरेः ।

All other exponents of Advaita dispute this identity For a detailed account on this matter, see SVOL VII

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

167

an interesting way in the Santiparvan, ch.358. The sages called Phenapa wore the earliest persons to practise this dharma, Valkbanasa got it from them and Soma received it from Valkhanasa. Then this dharma disappeared In the Cakṣuşa cosmic epoch, Brahma got it from Soma who taught it to Rudra, who imparted it to the Valakhilyas in the Krtayuga, Then this dharma disappeared for a second time. In the Vacika manifesta tion of Brahma, it appeared from Nārāyaṇa who imparted it to the sage, Suparna, who preached it thrice whence it got the name Trisauparna. Vayu received it from Suparna and preached It to the sages. Again, this dharma went out of sight, Nārāyaṇa brought it out and taught it to Brahma.

Vide:

धर्म चायं जग्राह मरहस्यं ससंग्रहम् । आरण्यकेन सहितं नारायणमुखोद्रतम् ||

Mbh Santi, CCCLVIII. 30b,318.

Brahma created the world with the help of this dharma. He taught this to Svārocisa Manu from whom his son, Sankhapada, got it. It passed on from him to his son Sudharmā All theso happened in the Kplayuga This dhorma then disappeared for the fourth time in Trelayuga Nārāyaṇa brought it out and taught it to Sanatkumara from whom it was acquired by Virapa Prajapati who taught this to the sage Raibhya It was then transmitted to his son Kukşipäla. The dharma disappeared then for the fifth time. Narayana taught it again to Brahma from whom it passed to the sages, B.rbişadas; from them to the sage Jyestha who studied the Samavede and from him to King Avikampana. Again, for the sixth time this dharma was lost. Brahma was then taught this in his seventh birth by Narayana. Daksa got it from Brahmi and gave it to Jyestha, his grandson by his daughter. From him it passed to Aditya and then to his son Vivasvin. At the beginning of the Tretayuga, Vivasvan gave it to Menu who taught this to Ikşyaku, Again it disappeared and was restored by Narayana who taught this to Narada.

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AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISH

This system is called Pāñcaratro, wherein the Lord’s manifestations are one, two, three and four under various reckonings. The Sankhya, Yoga, Vedas and Aranyakas (which stand for the Upanisads) form part of the system.

Vide.

anoqefaumit ar anferę faeqzcifra: 1 fasqɛenfa avaraagafem ́aquà |

एवमेकं सांख्ययोग वेदारण्यकमेव च । परस्परान्यङ्गान्येतानि पाञ्चरातं च कथ्यते ॥

Ibid 81

The Pañuaratra doctrines were promulgated by seven sages called Citrasikhandins. Their names are Marici, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu and Vasistha. They wrote 1,50,000 Slokas The Lord commended what they composed as authorl- tative, conveying His commandments, Svayambhuva Manu and after him Usanas and Brhaspati preached them. King Vasu received them from Brhaspati. Vasu practised them and then the system disappeared.479

The Citrafıkhandins mentioned here are only the well known seven sages whose names are given differently in some sources.480 Whether Vasu obtained these doctrines from Brhaspati requires consideration. An account of the practice of these doctrines by Vasu is given in the Mahābhārata, Sāntiparvan, Chapter 343. King Vasu performed the Asvamedha No animal was offered as

victim, but instead the effigy of an animal, prepared out of grains brought from the forest. Visnu was pleased with this and appeared before the king and received the offering, but was invisible to others. Brhaspati who was the priest there, became angry when the king informed him that Visnu received the

479

480

Mbh Sanh, CCXLII 28.5%

The seven sages who are called Citraśıkhandıns are included among the nine pupils of Vikhanas See fm 287.

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

169

offering in person. He blamed the king for discarding the animal sacrifice and using the effigy of an animal made of flour in its place. Besides, the Lord did not appear before him. Brhaspati refused to associate himself further with the perfor- mance of the sacrifice The sages, Ekata, Dvita and Trita, the mind-born sons of Brahma who were present there, recounted their vain attempts to visualize the Lord In spite of severe penance, they could not see Him,481 Brhaspati was then convinced, and he helped Vasu in completing the sacrifice

From this account, it is clear that King Vasu was following the principles of religion as set out in the Pañcarātra doctrines. Brhaspati learnt about them only on the occasion when the sacrifice was performed by Vasu It is only possible to say that Brhaspati agreed to continue his participation in the sacrifice, when convinced of the value of the Pañcarātra doctrines by the sages; and in this sense, he was also an exponent of these doctrines.

An account of the visit paid by Narada to Svetadvipa gives some information about the Pañcaratra Agama. Narada went to an island called Svetadvipa and found certain persons who had no sense-organs, did not take food and were motionless. They emitted fragrance. He saw there the three sages, Ekata, Dvita and Trita. They told him that at the conclusion of their

481

These are stated to be sons of Brahma (Mbh Santi CCCXLIV. 6).

There are hymns in RV, SY and SV for which they are seers.

Vide RV IX. 33, 34, 10 I 3. Their hymns glorify Vişņu. Yaska derives their names in different ways

fræeatdivat Raur agaıfa ar eiconarðarfadag 1

About the inadequacy of penance, vide :

Nirukta IV. 8.

A UFUEƐAN! F‘Znenrfuaf ggerà | यस्य प्रसादं कुरुते सर्वे तं द्रष्टुमर्हति ॥

ASV-22

Mbb. Šantı, CCCXLIII, 25.

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AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

penance for a thousand years, they were advised by an incorporeal voice to go to Svetadvipa and meet the holy persons there. Accordingly, they did so, but could not see anything there, being blinded by light of extreme brilliance They could not see the Lord, but with divine grace they again performed penance and beheld men white in complexion, resembling the moon in lustre, and ever uttering mantras with folded palms. This was mental japa All of them were of the same uniform splendour. Suddenly, a flash of light appeared before the sages who saw a group of people uttering the word ’namah" The Vision of these sages became blinded by their extreme brilliance Only the following sloka which they were uttering was heard by the sages

Vide

जिन ते पुण्डरीकाक्ष नमस्ते विश्वभावन । नमस्तेऽस्तु हृषीकेश महापुरुष पूर्वज ॥

A breeze was then wafting fragrance. Those persons were conversant with the fivefold division of time (pañcakāla) and they were exclusively devoted to Hari (Visņu) and worshipped Him with great devotion through mind, speech and action. The sages felt that the Lord should have presented Himself before them, as they heard those persons utter words indicating the Lord’s presence These sages, however, could not behold the Lord Those persons did not observe the presence of the sages there

A voice addressed the sages asking them to wait till Tretayuga. The sages were doing japa from then onwards. As yet, they had not seen God and they informed Narada that

he too could not do so

However, Narada went to Svetadvipa and praised Hari, addressing Him and using several expressions such as ‘Pañcarāt rika’, ‘Vaikha nasa’, ‘Sriväsa’, ‘Vasudeva’ and others. The Lord appeared before him. Narada praised Him. The Lord said that even Ekata and other sages could not behold Him After directing him to go away from that place, lest his presence

THE PĀNCARĀTRAA AGAMA

171

should disturb the devoted life of the persons there, He went out of sight 482

Närada witnessed then those persons entering into the Lord. This is called vilaya, which is described in the bhutasūddhi process Vasudeva is declared to be the soul of all beings, Samkarṣana the self, Pradyumna the mind and Aniruddha the ego 483

In the brief period when Narada beheld the Lord, the latter gave him an account of His divine descents. Ekata and others were born as monkeys when the Lord incarnated as Rama, Nārada learnt that the Lord had four forms (Vasudeva, Samkarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha). The Lord referred to Himself as Sattvata instead of as Krsna,484

After the Lord disappeared, Narada went to Badarikāśrama and learnt the Pañcaratra doctrines from Nārāyaṇa. Vyasa is stated in the epic to have gone to the Milky Ocean and returned to the hermitage 485

The doctrines of the Pancarātra Āgama are set forth by Vyasa Aniruddha is the lord of creation 480 Nara and Nārāyana explain the glory of Bhagavan 487 The descent of God as Hayagriva and the Ekanlıdharma are well depicted,488 The Lord is stated to be the expounder of the Pāñcarātra.

Vide.

पाञ्चरावस्थ कृत्स्नस्य वक्ता तु भगवान् स्वयम् ।

Mbh Sants, CCCLIX, 68.

482

Ibid CCCXLVI

483 Ibid. CCCXLVII,

484

Ibid CCCXLVIII. 55.

485 Ibid. 62-80

486

Ibid. CCCXLIX. 69

487 Ibid. CCCLIV.

Ibid. CCCLVII, 47-76, CCCLVIII.

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AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

The contents of Chapters 342 to 359 of the Santiparvan show how the Pañcaratra doctrines arose from Nārāyana and were expounded through the ages The statement that Vaikhanasa obtained them from Phenapa suggests that the Vaikhānaṛa system is ancient and was not different, as it is held now, from the Pañcaratra, Vaikhānasa was taught the Ekänts- dharma by Phenapa, and this is called Pāñcarātra 489

The accounts given in the Vaikhānasa texts are confusing.490 Vakhanasa is said to be Srisästra, having the name Ekāyana". In another context, Yajnavalkya and others are stated to have scented danger to the Vaskhanasa system and created another in which the Ekayana mantras were freely used 491 This came to be known as the Pancarā tra If this be the case, either the Vaikhānasa system (which was also called Ekāyana) should have been using the Ekayana mantras and as such could not be different from the Рañcaratra, or the former must not have been based on the Ekāyana recension. When the account given in Chapter 358 of the Santsparvan is considered, It seems that the Varkhanasa was the forerunner of the Pañcarātra Perhaps these are not two systems with minor differences, but only one and the same system with different names. That this is probable is evidenced by the use of mantras in which the names of Vasudeva, Saṁkarṣana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha occur, 492 At least, the second and third belong to the Pañcaratra. Vasudeva is not given prominence in the Vaikhānasa system

The account given in the Mahabharata refers to bhutasuddhi,493 but there is no reference to yantra and mudrā The Ekantidharma

489 Ibid 81

490 SA LXIII 117

491

Ibid LXXVIII 4

492

Ibid LXIV, p 392

493 Mbh. S’anti. CCCXLVII, 28-31,

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

173

which was expounded and promulagated by several authorities at different periods, should have been practised exclusively by the descendants or pupils of Vikhanas who developed a vyaha doctrine consisting of five deities-Vișnu, Purușa, Satya, Acyuta and Aniruddha 494 As the dharma continued being expounded and developed, the Krsna cult should have given rise to the caturoyuha concept which forms part of the Päñraratra but is not noticed by the Veikhānasa system. The Vaikhānasa may have had its development in a single family professing the Varkhanasa-sutra, and so was

was not adopted by others. The Pañcaratra, on the other hand, had to appeal to a very large community which had no specific doctrine for worship.

It is at this time that the two systems had to assert their Individuality and superiority over each other in a spirit of rivalry The texts in both the systems therefore contain passages of mutual attack, and these should be treated as Interpolations made by those who were interested in advocating their own doctrines It is thus that we find certain passages which contradict one another 495 When viewed without blas, the two systems seem to have had the same source, though their development might have been in slightly different directions.

It is said in the Mahabharata that Aditya got the Ekäntıdharma from Jyestha. He taught this at the beginning of the Tretayuga to Vivasvaa and it passed on from Vivasvan to Manu and from Manu to Iksvaku 496 This Ekantidharma consists in the practice of devotion exclusively to Visņu, To be devoted, one has to carry out the act of worship which is of various kinds and is brought under karma- or kriya-yoga according to Patanjali, the author of the Yoga-sutras 497 This dharma can

494 JS IV 13b-14a.

495 SA LXV 117, LXXVIII. 4. VS XXXIX. 276, 279, 285b.

496

Mbh Santi CCCLVIII, 41-58.

497

Bhojavṛtti on YS, II. 1174

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

be equated with the karma-yoga taught in the Bhagavadgita where the Lord mentions that it was taught by Him to Vivasvän who transmitted this to Manu From Manu it passed on to Iksvāku, Then it disappeared. The order in which this karma-yoga was transmitted is the same as in the case of Ekäntıdharmain the epic. The contention of many scholars is that the Bhagavadgita does not refer to the teachings of the Pañcarātra Yet the order in which the doctrine was handed down is the same in both the Pancarātra and the Bhagavadgītā and the temptation is irresistible to discover the Päñcarātra doctrines in the Gitä 498

The doctrines of the Pañcarātra Àgama must be admitted to be of ancient origin They were known to Vyasa, the author of the Mahabharata The Vaisnavadharma-parvan, 10 the Asvamedhika-parvan,499 contains an account of the Pañcara tra doctrines. The concept of oyuha is frequently referred to there

The Fitante Stotra, which contains 128 stokas in six sections, is a khila of the Rgoeda 500 The verses are unaccented When Nārada visited Sveladvipa and met the sages, Ekata, Dvita and Trita, they advised him to repeat a Jitanie sloka and taught the stotra. Then, Narada went to a mountain called Jayanta where Brahma was performing penance and taught it to him Accordingly, this found a place in the epics and the purā nas

The first five sections are expected to be recited each at a part of the day into which it is divided according to the Pancaratra system

The last is to be recited at any part of the

498 Bh C does not teach the doctrines of the Pañcaritra, as is clear from the absence of reference to the vyuha doctrine and the fivefold division of the daily routine

499 Mbh Aiva OII 84, CIV 84-89.

500 The Jitante-stotra is stated to have formed part of the Rgveda Khila by Periyavaccān Pillai in his commentary on this stotra,

THE PANGARATRA AGAMA

179

day. The name of the stotra is taken from the first sloka which has already been quoted in the earlier account of the visit of Narada to Svetadvipa and which begins with the words, “Jstam le “.

Some of the concepts of the Pancaratra system are found here. For instance, God has six auspicious qualities which are the foremost among His countless qualities 501 The three vyuhas, Samkarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha, have each two of these qualities 502 The number of vyuhas 503 and the divisions of the day504 are also mentioned The doctrine of self- surrender 505 which has a special importance in the Pañcaratra Agama, is referred to frequently. The Lord’s figure is gloriously depicted and the left hand of the Lord holds the club which is a particular feature of the idol,506

The date of this work cannot be settled. The opening stanza could have been there from the very earliest times. This is treated as a mantra in the Pañcardtra texts,507 some of which 508 contain an exposition of it. By itself, it does not convey any particular concept of the Agama. The stotra as such could have been composed during the period when the particular concepts became fully developed. It cannot be late in origin, as most of the Pañcaratra 509 works refer to it and cite passages from it.

501 Jitante Stotra II 30, v 2.

502

Ibid IV. 4

503

Ibid II 31, IV 5

504

Ibid. 18, 19, 32, III. 3, IV. 9, 10.

Ibid V. 4,

Ibid II 4,5, 22

SOT LT. XVII. 20

AhS. LIII.
Ibid. LT, XVII, 20; GS, XIII, 223b-2248.

176

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

The Visnupurāņa contains some of the doctrines of the

Pancaratra system

Vasudeva is the Supreme Lord 510 He is

present everywhere and everything rests in Him

Vide.

सर्वत्रासौ समस्तं च वसत्यत्वेति वै यतः । ततस्स वासुदेवेति विद्वद्भिः परिपठ्यते ॥

८

VP. I 2. 12.

The word,

Bhagavān, refers to Visnu, possessing the six qualities of jñāna, saktı, bala, atsvarya and tejas without a tinge of any blemishes. 511

Vide.

ज्ञानशक्तिबलैश्वर्यवीर्यतेजांस्यशेषतः । भगवच्छब्दवाच्यानि चिना हेयगुणादिभिः ॥

VP. VI 5 79.

Visņu with Sri is the Supreme Reality Sri is never without

Him.

Vide :

नित्यैषैषा जगन्माता विष्णोः श्रीरनपायिनी ।

यथा सर्वगतो विष्णुस्तथैवेयं द्विजोत्तम ॥

VP 18 17.

She is Tusti and Sakti.

Vide

सन्तोषो भगवाँलक्ष्मीस्तुष्टिर्मैत्रेय शाश्वती ।

Ibid I. 8 17.

अवष्टम्भो गदापाणिः शक्तिर्लक्ष्मीर्दिजोत्तम |

Thrd, I. 8. 29 a

610 VP VI. 5. 75, 80, 82.

$11

Ibid. VI, 5. 74, 78, 85

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

177

She awards mokṣa to the selves.

Vide :

यज्ञविद्या महाविद्या गुहाविद्या च शोभने । आत्मविद्या च देवि त्वं विमुकिफलदायिनी ॥

Ibid. 1.9 120.

There is mention of the four manifestations of God in oyühe form 512

Vişpu pervades both matter and the selves and is the Self of all Both the animate and inanimate beings are enveloped by Visnu’s power which sustains them. This power is of the mature of these.

Vide.

प्रधानेऽवस्थितो व्यापी चेतनात्मात्मवेदनः । प्रधानं च पुमांचैव सर्व भूतात्मभूतया || विष्णुशक्त्या महाबुद्धे वृतौ संश्रयधर्मिणी । तयोः सैव पृथग्भावकारणं संश्रयस्य च ॥

VP. II. 7. 29, 30.

शक्तिः सापि तथा विष्णोः प्रधानपुरुषात्मकम् ।

513

Ibid. II 7 32a.

These doctrines which belong to the Pañcaratra system, are dealt with in this Parāna Its date must be before the fourth century A D., as a reference is made to it in the Mansmekalai, 514 a Tamil classic composed about the third century A D.

Since these doctrines are of ancient origin, they could have been incorporated in this Purāņa, but the indebtedness of the

612 Ibid V 18 58.

That Sri is the source of matter and selves is admitted by both the Vaikhanasa and Pañcaratra Agamas. Vide -VK. pp. 493-494, LT, 6.3-25 614 See fn, 183

ASV-23

178

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

Pāñcarātra texts to it, at least for some of them, cannot be completely ruled out.

The tenets and some of practices which pertain to the Pancardira are mentioned in the Bhagavata God is sativatām pati, the leader of the Sattvatas 51 The fourfold manifestation of the Lord is frequently referred to516 He has Sri as His consor:517 and has the six qualities 518

Reference to the

self as ‘jivakosa'519 Indicates the author’s acquaintance with the Pāñcarātra doctrine. There is no method other than prapatti to get moksa 520 This Purana is doubtless late in origin and contains references to the tantrika mode of worship 521 But this is not of much help in determining the antiquity of the purā ņas

The Visnudharmottara,522 Sandilyasmrti,523 Purānas like Padma,524 Vāraha,525 Gāruḍa,528 Linga527 and Vamana528 and the Itihasasamuccay a529 contain topics dealt with in the

$15

Ibid Bh I 2. 14,

516

Ibid, I. 5. 37.

$17

Ibid. I 16, 30.

$18

Ibid I. 3 36

519

Ibid X 82. 48.

520

Ibid. XI 12 15

521

Ibid XI 11 37 Abhinavagupta (C 1050 AD) mentions the name Bhāgavata’ and its eleventh skandha and quotes the 17th sloka in the 20th chapter in his commentary on Bh. G

522

Part III

523

Cited in RTS I, p. 424

524 Uttarakhaṛṇda ch. LXXXVIII.

525

LXVI 11, LXIX. 25a.

526 I 137,

II. 7
XIII-XVIII.
Cited in PR, pp. 104, 149 (Adyar edn).

THE PĀNCARĀTRAA AGAMA

179

Pañcarātra texts.

The dates of these works have not been fixed with any degree of certainty. It is therefore hard to find out whether the Pāñcarātra texts are indebted to these sources or whether what they say on these doctrines should be considered to bear the influence of the Agamas,

The ancient Tamil classics contain a graphic description of the gods, particularly Visņu. The account is identical with that given in Sanskrit workr like the Visnupurana. The Pari paḍal which is a collection of small poems composed about the beginning of the Christian era, has six pieces devoted to the praise of Visnu. Among them, the third selection is said to refer to Visņu as glorified in the Agamas.

Vide -Virindu ahanra kēļvı anaıttınum

Paripaḍal III. 48.

The word ‘kelvi’ is taken to mean Agama. The four vyü ha manifestations of Vasudeva, Samkarsapa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are mentioned in the following lines:

Senkatkāri karunkan vellai,

Ponkat paccai pasñkan mä al.

Ibid. III. 81 12

The two passages cited above require some consideration. The word, ‘kelvi’, in the first passage need not necessarily mean ‘Agama’, much less the Pañcarātra The Vaikhanasa Agama too glorifies Visnu exclusively. It may mean any text like a purana or some other kind of religious literature,

While interpreting the second passage, the commentator, P V. Somasundaranar, writes that the two lines refer to Vasu- deva, Samkarsina, Pradyumna and Aniruddha respectively, as they can be identified from their colours, black, white, red and green. He bases this identification on the black complexion of Krspa, who is treated as Vasudeva (son of Vasudeva), and the white one of Balarama who is the same as Samkarsana and who

180

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

18 taken to be Adisesa descended on earth

Vasudeva 18, however, not Krspa, but the primeval Lord. The colours of the four deities are given differently in the Pañcaratra texts. According to one version,530 they are white, red, yellow and black, and another531 has it that they are white, blue, yellow and black The second version meations that Samkarsana’s colour is similar to that of indranila, a sapphire which is blue in colour.

These two lines of the poem may, however, be taken to denote the four defties through their representation by their colours, without considering discrepancies in the colours of the deitles as given in the different versions The Pañcara tra doctrines should be taken to have been popular in Tamil Nadu long before the beginning of the Christian era Paripädal is taken to have been compiled about the first century A D 532

as the

Such a date may not be accepted by some scholars who would offer a different interpretation. The colours may stand for the complexion of the Lord in the Krta, Treta, Doäpara and Kali yugas respectively. The Va:khānasa 533 and Pāñcarātra 534 texts and the Bhagavata 535 make a reference to this concept. If this interpretation is regarded as forced, the conclusion will not be in favour of the prevalance of th. Pāñcarātra doctrines at the beginning of (or prior to) the Christian era, but 11 may accept the prevalence at that time of a concept of a general kind which is not characteristic of any particular Agama

530 Bh XI 5 20-32

631 LT, X 27-38. For a slight difference in the account, see Mapavalamahāmuni Tattvatrayabhāṣya, p. 103

532

See Introduction to the Pars,

533 VK p 103

534 SS V 82-92, cf LT. XXXVI. 62-63.

535, See under fn. 513.

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

181

The same work refers to the shrine of Vişnu at Tirumaliruficolai near Madural in Tamil Nadu, It mentions the black-complexioned Krsna and white-coloured Baladeva,538 The banners of the two delties help in identifying them. Similarly, the temples of Krsna and Balarama are referred to in the Silappadikäram 537 and Puranänūru 538 In both these works, the two deities are identified by their complexions and also by their banners.

The mention of Balarama in the above texts may suggest that the Pancaratra concept is meant here. Or Balarama could have been respected, as He is considered as representing an Incarnation of Visnu. So the cult of Vaisnavism may be indicated here Particularly, we have to take into account the fact that the Vaikhānasa form of worship is adopted in the temple at Tirumaliruñcolai where both Krsna and Balarăma receive worship. Or this need not Indicate the prevalence of the Vaikhanasa Agama during the period, for the Vaikhānasa Agama does not attach importance to the worship of Balarama and Krsna as supreme deities

A composition of Tirumangal Azhvar is held to refer to the Pāñcarātra Agama in a passage 539 where the words, ‘aṛam nūl”. OCCUT. But this may refer to any text that is based on the Vedas. The Azhvars refer to the different complexions of God in different yugas 540 They mention the five weapons of Visnu,541 including the club (gada) which has to be held in one of His hands according to the Pāñcarātra tradition,542 and by a

536

Paripädal, III, IV, XV

537 Kripa and Balarama Sılappadıkāraṁ. V. 2 171, 172.

538

Puranănūru, 56.

539

Periya Tirumozhi

X 6 1 See com by Periyavaccinpillai.

$40. For instance, Tiruccandaviruttam, II.

Ibid 24, 97.

542, LT, XXXVIII, 54,

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

183

whom Vasudeva and Arjuna are adorable This would mean that Vasudeva and Arjuna were considered as fit to be worshipped. Posing a question as to why the word, “Vasudeva’, could not be taken as derived from the word, ‘Vasudeva’ with the suffix-,‘an’, according to the Aṣṭādhyayî (IV 1 114) in the sense of offspring. Patanjali, the author of the Mahabhaṣya, remarks that the word ‘Vasudeva’ here is the name of a god and not that of a Ksatriya, the latter sense referring to Vasudeva, a Ksatriys.

Vide:-

Hur «faurear áðar aaqua:

Mahabhasya on ibid.

The Kāšikāvṛtti offers a clear explanation :

संज्ञेषा देवताविशेषस्य न क्षत्रियाच्या

The word ‘Vasudeva’ which then is required to be taken as the name of God is derived in the Padamañjarī :-

aumfeng våfafasyeqtur qcarena QUI ÅET

Here the author, Haradatta, mentions that Vasudeva is the name He adds further that of the Supreme Being (Paramåtman) when it is said in the Käsikā that “‘Vasudeva’ is not the name of a Ksatriya, it is implied that it is not a patronymic. The compound ‘Vasudevärjunäbhyam’ is of the doandva type and must have the word, “Arjuna’ as its first member because of the less number of vowels, according to the rules

अजाद्यदन्तम्

and

अल्पान्तरम् ।

(Aṣtädhyāyi, II.2,33,34),

But in accordance with the Varttika,

अभ्यर्हितं च

(on II.2,34),184

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

the word ‘Vasudeva’ denotes one worthy of respect and so is placed as the first member.546

This evidence proves that about 800 B C., the period of Papini, the word, ‘Vasudeva’, already meant the name of a person who is shown respect. That it is not the name of a Ksatriya is made clear by Patanjali who lived about 150 B C. One can say that Panini may not mean God, but only the son of Vasudeva But it cannot be wrong to hold that Patanjali must have been following a tradition to which Panini also belonged. “Vasudeva’ Is the name of God and not of Vasudeva’s son alone, As the later commentators explain, there is justification for taking the word “Vasudeva’ in the sense of the Supreme Deity of the Pañcarātra system. This would give a date about 800 B C when the Pañcarātra doctrines became devloped into a system

It is held by some scholars that Arjuna, whose name is mentioned in the sutra cited above along with that of Vasudeva, was also respected and that there was also an Arjuna cult in vogue then, which however became merged into the Vasudeva cult and came to be forgotten in later days 547 This contention deserves serious consideration. Four different suffixes are enjoined in the sutras (II 3.96-99) in the sense of ‘bhakti”, which may mean attachment or liking as the illustration püpika, pāyasika, māhārājika, nākulika, panıniya and others suggest Similarly, ‘bhakti’ can be taken to mean devotion in the case of Vasudeva and mere affection in the case of Arjuna Arjuna received perhaps respect from some admirers for his valour or his intimacy with Krsna.

There are certain inscriptions of the centuries preceding the Christian era which suggest unmitakably the worship of Vasudeva.

546

Käsika on the Astädhyays IV 3.98.

547 Arjunayana was a living creed in Jaipur and Agra areas, according to Samudragupta’s Allahabad inscaiption Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum, Vol III p. 8. ed. by Fleet

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

185

during that perlod. The Basnagar Inscription which belongs to the 2nd century B.C., Identifies Vasudeva with Krapa. It mentions a column with the figure of Garuda on its top as erected by Heliodoros, the son of Dion and an inhabitant of Taksasila He is referred as a Bhagavata He came as an ambassador from the court of Antialkides to King Kautsiputra Bhagabhadra. The column is for Vasudeva, God of gods 548 It was not erected as a symbol of victory, but as connected with the temple of Visņu situated on the spot Perhaps there was a temple of Vasudeva which required a column, and that was raised by Hellodoros.

Another inscription, of the first century B C., has been found at Ghosundi in Rajasthan. It refers to the construction of a stone-enclosure called Nārāyaṇavātaka for the Images of Vasu- deva and Simkarṣapa by a devotes of Siva who performed the aframedha

Vide

कारितोऽयं राशा भागवतेन गाजायनेन पाराशरीपुत्रेण adaràænaĦuorfaar onagui eisdqargŝanar¤faarvqi सर्वेश्वराभ्यां पूजाशीलाप्रकाशे नारायणवाटक

Sircar: Select Inscriptions, pp 91 f.

It is found here that both Samkargana and Väsudeva had temples and enclosures in stone, implying their worship. The temples or at least the Tmages of the two delties should have already been there. The word ‘Samkarṣapa’ which occurs here as the first member of a compound of the doandva type has no sanction according to the rules of grammar, since Vasudeva is held to be more worthy of respect than Samkarşapa. Perhaps, Samkarşıņa Is here to be taken to refer to Balarama, elder brother of Kṛṣṇa, and so he is to be treated with greater reapest.

Sircar Select Inscriptions, 1, p. 96,

Epigraphica Indica, VolX, No.880,

ASV-24

136

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNA VISM

There is an inscription549 belonging to the first century A.D. at Morawell, seven miles west of Mathura. It is called Saudas and records the installation of five viras by a lady called Tosa. The five viras are taken by Luders to be Baladeva, Akrūra, Anidbṛṣṭi, Sarapa and Vidūratha 550 TN. Banerjee identifies them as Simkarṣaṇa, Vasudeva, Pradyumna, Samba and Ani- ruddha 551

This evidence is not in favour of the prevalence of the Pañcaratra It is only the Vaikhānasa Agama that admits the concept of the pancaviras552 Even the opinion of Luders does

not support any Agama tradition.

To the first century AD belongs the Nanaghat cave Inscription (Bombay State) of Naganika, the Satavībana queen 553 It contains the expression, “Namo samkarṣaṇa- väsndevānām.”* Naganika’s husband performed a number of sacrifices, including the advamedha. The position of the word ‘Simkarşına’ as the first member of the compound is to be justl. fied in the same way as in the Ghosundi inscription

The inscription of Pravarasena II in the 18th year of his reign and those of Skandagupta and the copper plate grant of Prabbavati Gupta, daughter of Chandragupta II, contain the words “bhāgavata”, ‘paramabhāgavata’, ‘bhagavadpādānudhyāta” and ‘atyantabhagavadbhakta all of which suggest the prevalence of the Pañcaratra doctrines, But it is possible to take the words ‘bhagavat’ and ‘bhāgavata’ as not referring to any particular Agamic source, but as reverent references to God as Visņu, The Vaikhānasa texts use generally the name, ‘Vişņu”, to denote the Supreme Being. They use off and on the name, ‘Bhagavän”, also to refer to Him.554 And so the words, ‘bhagavat” and ‘bhāgavata”, need not be from the Pañcarātra exclusively.

$49 Epigraphica Indica Vol.XXIV, R, 194,

Luder’s Inscriptions.
T.N Banerjee
XA, XXX 130b-131.

553, Sircar: Select Inscriptions 1, p. 186.

VK. pp. 507, 508: SÄ. Appendix II, 1,88,

THE PĀNCARĀTRAA AGAMA

187

Finally, the Bhāṇa, ‘Padatāḍitake’ of Syamilaka refers to temple of Pradyumna.

Vide.

aa ag nymataroanea Baazarofafzufa

(p 24)

The word, ‘devayatana’ shows that worship of Pradyumna was in vogue in the seventh century A.D,558 There seems no other reference to a separate temple for Pradyumna.

As there is not any serious objection to admit that the composition of the Mahabharata and the beginning of the Kaliyuga almost coincided, doctrines of the Pañcaratra Agama, as they are treated in the S’antiparvan of the epic, could not be later than this date. Due respect should be given to the tradition which mentions that the doctrines recorded in the version received by Narada, were revealed for the seventh time, and that they were originally preached in the Krtayuga To the sophisticated mind of the modern scholars, such an ancient date for these doctrines, or as a matter of fact for any aspect of Hiada culture, is not only absurd, unsupported as it is by circumstantial evidence, but also is against the trend of current thinking which assumes civilization to have been preceded by a period of pre-literate society. The existence of a society in the remote past which could have evolved and nurtured theistic concepts, framed the ways and means of adoring God and developed them through practice, is, according to modern scholars of the West and those of the East who have chosen to

555 Syamilaka, the author, could have been a friend of Bagabhatts, the famous prose writer. He was a kinsman of Bapa and a great scholar and poet Vide Harsacarita III, p 87 He cannot be be identical with Syamilaka, the teacher of Mahımabbaṭta (1050 A,D.), as he is cited by Abhi- navagupta (c 1000 AD) Therefore he may be placed as a contemporary of Bāņa (c 800 AD) Some scholars place this work before 500 A D, Vide Dr Dasaratha Sarma, Date of Pādētāḍītaka,’ Ganganath Jha Research Institute Journal, XIV, Parts 1-4

188

AQAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAVISM

abide wholly by the verdicts ot the former, opposed to the dictates of reason and thinking. Absence of historical data is, of course, a handicap in arriving at a conclusion on many of these issues On this account, it is not absolutely necessary to discard tradition as baseless. At any rate, the Mahābhārata needs to be placed in the remote past, and so the Pañcaratra doctrines could be admitted to have received development about 3000 B C

It will be of interest to note that Pañcara tra’s antiquity is borne out also by some literary evidence. Baņa, the author of the Harşacarita,556 is the earliest Sanskrit poet to mention the Pāñcarätrikas as the followers of the Pañcaratra system. The Brahmasutras 557 take note of the objection raised against the validity of the Pañcarātra and offer also the refutation of this Sankara 558 (c. 800) is the earliest commentator on the Brahma- sülras to offer bis views on the Pañcaratra doctrines Utpala’s (c. 850 A,D) Spandapradipikā 559 quotes from a Päñcarātra druti and Pāñrarātra Upanisad,

Vide:

marragarafq, az¶ àì¶àa ararqarsèa प्लवेन वा नदीं तरेत् तद्वच्छ्रास्त्रेण हि भगवान् शास्ता अवगन्तव्यः ।

Here’ Sasta’ refers to Viṣṇu.

णकारोऽभयदः शास्ता वैकुण्ठ इति कीर्तितः ।

p 2

LT XV 18a

gra¤rstofaafą a agar e arsi a vìsar a vitei a

556

557

P. 237

II. 2, 39-42

558 Brahmsútrabhāṣya on II & 42-45,

559 Vijayanagar Sanskrit series

p 40

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

189

Some more passages are also quoted in this work under the general name of Päñcarātra, Names of the texts are also mentioned such as Jaya, Saltoala, Pauskara, Vispuyāmale, Srikalparā, Vashayasa, Hamsaparamesvara, Samkarṣaṇasütre and Jabalasutra

The last-mentioned two works may be taken to suggest that there could have existed in Kashmir some aphorisms of the Pāñcaratra doctrine associated with the authorship of Samkarsana and Jabali. Perhaps this Samkarṣapa is the same as the character with this name playing the role of the Pancarātrika in the Agamāḍambara of Jayanta.560

Jayanta (c. 880 A.D) argues

in his Nyāyamāñjarī and Nyāyakalıkā 561 in favour of the validity of the Pañcarātra Agama. Bhaskara (c. 900 AD) who commented upon the Brahmasutras, was well aware of the Pañcarātra doctrine. Rajasekhara, the reputed dramatist of the same period, refers to the Vyuha doctrine of the Pâñcarātra system.

Vide.

zlaraera: 580: gerar: qan qeatscagarfæare: i सर्वज्वरान् धनन्तु ममानिरुद्धप्रद्युम्न सकर्षणवासुदेवाः ॥

Kāoyamîmāmsā (G.O.S.) p. 38.

However, Somadeva Süri who flourished about 950 A.D. does not mention the Pañcarātra system and its doctrines, while he takes care to refer to the doctrines of the systems of thought with which he was familiar then. It will not be wrong to infer that the Pañcaratra doctrines were not so well known in all parts of India, particularly in Deccan 582

580, Āgamādambara, Acts III & V.

581, Nyāyamañjarī (Chaukhamba edn.) pp. 241-242.

Nyāyakalıkā, pp. 3-4

562 See Handique: “Yasastılaka and Indian Culture’ p. 364.

190

AGAMAS AND SOUTH INDIAN VAISNAYISH

However, they were fully known and the texts

wherein these were treated were also quite familiar to Yamuna (916-1041 A D) who lived in the south and wrote his Agama. prāmāṇya 563 in which the Ekayana recension of the Veda is said to have been proved to be not of human origin. The wording in the text of Yamuna may permit the interpretation that this was written by Yamuna himself 584 It may also be taken to have been the work of a writer in Kashmir It is thus evident that the Pañcaratra doctrines are very ancient and their popularity for religious practice and philosophical thinking is attested by many

writers from about the beginning of the Christian era.

Apararka, the author of a commentary on the Tājħavalkya Smrti, attests to the authority of the Pañcarātra Agama and declares that its validity could not be questioned 585

Regarding the exotic origin of this Agama suggested by some scholars, it must be said that there is partial justification for this. From the account contained in the Santiparvan of the Mahabharata, it is found that the doctrines represented the seventh version when they were received by Narada from the Lord in the Svetadvipa. This island is stated to lie somewhere In central Asia, near Pamir mountains Whether Narada paid his visit to this island towards the close of Dvaparayuga cannot be easily decided Bişma is simply repeating an account of Narada’s visit This version, like many of the Itihasas and genealogical accounts included in the Mahābhārata, must be of very ancient origin. The date or dates of these cannot be settled for want of evidence. They

have been composed even when the sacrifices were popular, and so could

may

583

p. 89.

564 Van Buitenen holds this view. See ibid. note 300,

Acaràdhyaya, sloka 7.

THE PĀNCARĀTRA AGAMA

161

be placed at least when the Kalpasūtras were framed though not before that period. Besides, the previous versions of the docs trines are not stated to have been released from Svetadvips, Again. there is no evidence to prove that the frontiers of ancient India did not extend to the west and north-west beyond the present limits, With the present state of knowledge regarding the various pieces of evidence, it is too early to be dogmatle about whether or not the Pancara tra traditions and doctrines are of foreign or indigenous origio.