Veeravalli (sapthagiri magazine of TTD)
avikaaraaya shuddhaaya nityaaya paramaatmane;
roopa roopaaya vish Nave sarvajish Nave.
Introduction: The most ancient vedic religion of this blessed land, Bharat rests primarily on the bedrock of vedas.
This boundless vedic literature is equipped with auxiliary tools (functioning like the limbs of our body or to borrow a modem
phrase, functioning like sophisticated softwares) to facilitate rudimentary grasp of the complex vedic (shruti) texts. It
is also amply supported by a vast system of supplementary literature (vedopabrahmaNam) known as smrtis-viz. the itihasas and
puranas- which will enable or enhance an indepth comprehension of shruti texts.
The above mentioned auxiliaries are briefly put in a
karika as under: -
Chandah paadau shabda shaastram ca vaktram
paaNee jyautisham cakshushhee ca,.
Shikshah ghraaNam shrotram uktam niruktam
Vedasya angaani aahuretaani shhat (6) ca.
["The six organs of the vedas are: chandas (the pair
of feet), grammar (the mouth), kalpa (the pair of hands), astrology (the pair of eyes), shiksha (the nose), niruktam (the
pair of ears)"]
The sacred Sanskrit lore abounds in such personifications.
Take for instance, the Dhyana sloka of Vishnu Sahasranama. The infinite nature of Lord Vishnu is described in similar terms:
" bhoohpaadau yasya naabhih "tribhuvana vapushham vishNumeesham namaami".
To give another example, the veda purusha -"Aditya varNam
tamasastu paare"- is also conceptualized as a person in Purusha-Sukta. The Bhagavad Gita uses almost the same words -"Aditya
varNam tamasah parastaat"-(BG.8.9) in depicting the Lord Almighty .Among the vedas, the Purusha Sukta is held in the highest
esteem as it forms an integral part of each of the four vedas and it is also referred to in smrtis, itihasas, puranas and
Agamas. It is so named because it extols the pre-eminence of Paramaatma -Sriman Narayana.
The following sloka (from Padma Purana) enables us to
focus our attention on the subject we have chosen for study.
Bharate Bhagavad geeta
dharma shaastreshu maanavam.
(Among the hymns of the vedas, the Purusha Sukta is
the highest; among the puranas Vishnu Purana is the best; among the sections of the Mahabharata, the Bhagavad Gita is the
crest jewel; and among the law books the Manu dharma shastra is the greatest).
Gitopanishad enshrines the essentials of all the upanishads
and it flowed from the Lotus Lips of the Lord Himself (svayam padmanabhasya mukha padmaad vinih srutaa). Manu smrti
is par excellence in view of the verse from Gita itself (vide BG 4.1) and also according to a statement voiced by Maharishi
Manu, the author himself- "pra shaasitaaram sarveshhaam aNeeyaamsam aNeeyasaam" ("He, the Lord, is the Supreme Law
Giver for all. He is subtler among the subtlest" vide Manusmrti XII, 122).
Now to broach the subject proper, why is it that Vishnu
Purana is considered as the best among the puranas? In order to answer this question, a brief appraisal of the puranas is
essential per se. The puranas are 18 in number (not to speak of an equal number of upa-puranas as well) and they are said
to contain an aggregate of 4 lakh verses or 1.6 million lines or 40 million words! A mnemonic cast in the mould of a Sanskrit
verse facilitates easy remembrance of the 18 puranas.
Ma-dvayam bha-dvayam caiva
a-naa-pa-lim-ga-koo-skaa-ni puraNaani pracakshate
Decoding the verse, two puranas beginning with ma viz.
Markandeya and Matsya etc. We shall name them in the same order as in the mnemonic and indicate the number of verses in each
purana within brackets.
Markandeya (9000 verses or 9 K), Matsya (20 K), Bhavishyat
(13.5 K), Bhagavata (18K), Brahma (10 K), Brahma vivarta(18 K), Brahmaanda (12.2 K), Vishnu (7 K), Vaayu (24 K), Varaha (10
K), Vaamana (10 K), Agni (16 K), Naradiya (25 K), Padma (50 K), Linga (11 K), Garuda (15 K), Koorma (17 K) and Skanda (81.1
(Note: In the connected literature on puranas, when
Vayu.P is specified, Shiva.P will be found omitted and vice versa. For instance, in the text of Vishnu Purana, the Shiva purana
is enlisted with the obvious omission of Vayu -vide amsha 3-adhyaya 6-s1oka 21or to put it concisely, VP 3.6.21.) Broadly,
the 18 puranas fall under 4 types -Sattvika, Rajasa, Tamasa and mixed - sankeerNaah saatvikashcaiva raajasaah taamasaas
tathaa-vide Matsya. P.
In the bygone vast expanse of time, the epochs (kalpas)
of Brahma (the Creator), are chequered with the dominant ambience prevailing in that particular aeon. During the tamasa kalpas
for example, the greatness of Agni or Shiva is dominated. (agne shivasya maahatmyam taamaseshhu prakeertyate- vide
Matsya P. ) In the Rajasa kalpas, the greatness of Brahma is described as high. During sattvika kalpas, the greatness of Sri
Hari is extolled in no uncertain terms as being very high and only in those kalpas, people could acquire perfection in the
system of yoga and attain siddhi. Certain acid tests have been prescribed by our Acharyas (vide Srutaprakaashika of Sri Sudarshana
Suri.) to determine the nature of the purana, whether it is sattvic or otherwise.
Only sattvika puranas are authoritative in view of the
guidelines provided by Gitacharya. Sattvaguna - oriented knowledge alone develops adhyaatmic or spiritual awareness. (Atma
yaathaatmyajnaanam-vide BG 14.17). Such an awareness will enable one to attain liberation (oordhvam gacchanti sattvaslaa-
vide BG 14.18). Study of rajasic puranas, on the other hand, will cause non- apprehension (vipareetajnaanajananeem)
which would mistake the right for the wrong and what ought to be done for what ought not to be done. (ayathaavat prajaanaati
buddhi satapaartha raajasee-vide BG 18.31).
The worst of all is the tamasic intellect which would
conceive contrary comprehension- dharma as adharma, real as uneal, regard the Supreme Reality as an inferior entity and vice
versa. (sarvaarthaan vipareetaamsca buddhih saa paartha taamasee-vide BG 18.32). Those of tamasic nature fall precipitously
down to the lower rungs in the heirarchy of living beings i.e. fall from manushyajanma to krmi keetaadi janma etc. (adho
gacchanti taamasaah-vide BG 14.18). In this context, it merits to mention the views of Manu (XII,96) who states thus:
"The smrtis that are at variance with vedas are perverse since they are founded in tamas".
Besides, all the sattvic puranas without exception describe
the greatness of Lord Sri Vishnu - "saattvikeshhu ca sarveshhu vishNor maahaatmyam ishyate". And, in particular, Vishnu
Purana towers head and shoulders above all other puranas in this respect. A sample from it (VP 6.4.30) is given below:
2. paramaatma ca sarveshhaam adhaarah parameshvarah;
vishNu naamaa sa vedeshhu vedaanteshhu ca geeyate.
"Paramatma is the substratum of everything and is the
Supreme Godhead, Paramesvara. His glory is sung in the name of Lord Vishnu, as in the vedas and upanishads". In Gita it is
sung in first person thus: "I am the origin and dissolution of the whole universe" -vide BG 7.6. The main topic Vishnu P.is
dealt with under 10 headings (Art I to Art X). The Gita Press, Gorakpur edition of VP ( costing only Rs.50) and Bhagavad Gita
in bold Devanagari script should be kept ready at hand for a correct reading of spelling and pronounciation and for comparison.
Only verses from VP (quoted here verbatim in full) are numbered from 1 to 32.
Art I. Vishnu Purana, the Purana Ratna.
A purana is defined thus: "puraapi navam puraaNam" -though
ancient yet appears refreshingly new. A purana should have five characteristic topics, says the lexicon of Amarakosa. They
should deal with I. Primary creation or cosmogony. 2. The dissolution of the worlds or pralaya 3. Geneology of devatas and
patriarchs. 4. Reigns of Manus or periods called Manvantaras. 5.History of the dynasties of Solar and Lunar races tracing
their descendants to modern and futuristic times. VP conforms more closely to this definition of a pancha lakshana purana
than any other purana. It is not merely a purana, but can even be considered as a Maha kavya according to Sudarshana Suri,
(a kavya has 6 distinguishing features, taatparya lingas, such as upakrama, upasamhara etc. ) .VP is hailed as Purana Ratna
in view of the following specialities associated with it.
The author is a great celebrity. "paraan aashrNaati
iti paraasharah" - one who tortures the disputants in an argument with arrows of unassailable logic is known as Parashara.
The author is of vedic fame. "sa ho vaaca vyaasah
paaraasharyah" - Tait.Aran.I.9
The author is a great Muni. "paraasharam munivaram"
(VPI.I.5). Even as a child in the mother's womb, he was heard chanting vedic hymns (karuvile thiru udaiyavar)
He belongs to a renowned class of noble lineage "vyaasam---paraasharaatmakam
In recognition for his exemplary behaviour (kshamaa
saaraa hi saadavah) he was blessed with divine vision.
He of prodigious intellect, is known to be one among
the few who had given total instructions (krtsnopadesham) to a student viz. Maitreya. Other such exemplary student-teacher
combinations are: Janaka- Yajnavalkya, Taalpa-Chaunaka, the student pair Vaishampayana/Jaimini- Sage Veda Vyasa and Madhurakavi-Nammalwar.
Swami Desika justifies it by pointing out the similarities
between VP and a priceless diamond couched in a verse thus.
"atraasam maanadam ratnam sthiram
mahaargham mangalam maanyam
suraksham sugraham nrNaam "
From the stand points of faultlessness, respectability,
stability, delightful experience, luminosity, value addition, auspiciousness, praiseworthiness, protectability , conciseness
- in all these ten criteria for assessment, VP enjoys as much a comparable esteem or status as that of a priceless diamond.
Being a veritable treasure VP was named Purana Ratna by Sri Alavandar (refer Art VIII).
Art II. Scanning the contents of VP:
Vishnu Purana is in 6 parts or Amsas. A few selected
verses from each amsa is presented in this section.
Amsa I. Sri Maitreya demonstrates the manner in which a disciple should approach an Acharya of great standing
viz. a Tattva Darshi of the stature of Sri Parasara Maharishi. The opening verse in VP is a lesson on reverential obeisance.
3. paraasharam munivaram krta paurvaahNika-kriyam;
maitreyah paripapraccha praNipatya- abhivaadya ca.
The words -"pranipatya, abhivaadya, pari-papraccha"
are of a piece with Gitacharya's definition of a praiseworthy disciple viz. "praNipaatena pariprashnena sevayaa"
(vide BG 4.34). The set of questions posed by Sri Maitreya are about the ultimate Truth. Acharya Parashara, after offering
his prayers, recalls reverentially the answers to those questions thanks to the blessings and instructions he had received
concurrently from his grandfather Vasishta and Pulastya Maharishi respectively. (VP 1.1.26):-
4. PuraaNa- samhitaa -kartaa bhavaan; vatsa
devataa paaramaarthyam ca yathaavad -vetsyate bhavaan.
The ultimate truth and reality is the glory of Lord
Sri Vishnu and His Ubhaya Vibhuti. This is what Paradevataa Paaramaarthyam is all about. Bhagavan Krishna describes
it at length in Vibhuti Vistaara Yoga, BG.lO. Valmiki maharishi's treatment of this subject will be found dealt with under
the heading "Paratattva upabrmhaNa- adhikaara" by Swami Desika in Abhaya Pradhaana Saarah (chapter 2). Again, in view
of the paramount importance of this immaculate principle, Swami Desika has devoted one full chapter (Ch.6) viz. "paradevataa-
paaramaar- thyaadhikarah" in his magnum opus Srimad Rahasyatraya Saarah.
The evolution of Bhagavan' s vibhuti is described by
Parashara Maharishi under the following headings in Amsha 1 thus:- Varaha Avatar (ch.4); the role of Brahma as a Creator (
ch.5) the four classifications i.e. chaaturvarnyam (ch.6); creation of 9 prajapatis- Bhrgu, Pulastya, Vasishta, Marichi, etc.(ch.7);
Creation of Rudra (ch.8); Avatar of Mahalakshmi (ch.9 and also refer to Art VIII); descendants of Bhrgu, Marichi etc. (ch.lO);
Dhruva charitra (ch.ll& 12); king Vena and how the name pritvi came to earth (ch..13); growth of Prathu vamsha (ch.14);
story of Kandu and Daksha's vamsha (ch.15); Narasimha-avataara (ch.16 to 20); Kashyapa's descendants and the creation of Marutganaa
( ch.21 ); a holistic view of Bhagavan Vishnu's vibhuti (ch.22).
A few representations from this Amsa 1 are highlighted
a) The young lad Dhruva expresses his incapability to
praise the Lord Vishnu, who appears before him: "katham aham deva! stotum shaknomi baalakah ? " In response, the Lord
rubs the lad's lips with the tip of the conch (shanka praantena govindastam pasparsha -VP 1.12.49. Here the conch is the vedas
and the tip is vedanta). Lo and behold! The boy goes into raptures and waxes lyrical hymns! One such verse charged with lofty
thoughts is given below.(VP .1.12.55)
5.brhattvaad brmahaNatvaacca yad roopam
tasmai namaste sarvaatman-yogi cintya avikaariNe!
What a wonder that a lad of five gives the definition
of Parabrahman in the above verse! This definition forms the pith and marrow of Ramanuja Siddhaanta.
b) The longest questionaire from Maitreya is: regarding
Sri Nrsimha Avatara and the whole of chapter 16 is devoted for this. Sri Parashara' s response also is very lengthy- the largest
in this Amsa. A few verses sampled from this section will be highly educative.
i) Bhakta Prahlada stands foremost in
the rank of true and profound bhaktas. (Prahlaadash-ca-asmi daityaanaam- vide BG 10.30). He remained staunch in his
steadfast devotion to Bhagavan. (eka bhaktih -vide BG 7.17) in spite of the torments and tortures given to him by his
ego-centric and cruel father. He remained unaffected thanks to his thoughts firmly fixed on Sri Krishna (satvaasakta- matih
krishNe- VP 1.17.39).
ii) Sri Prahlada Azhwan's advice to generate bhakti
-VP 1.19.41 :-
6. "tat-karma yan-na bhandaaya
saa vidhyaa yaa vimuktaye;
aayaa saayaa param karma
vidyaa-anyaa shilpa naipu Nam"
"Those acts alone which help one to avoid bondage are
the rightful/righteous acts and that learning alone which leads one to release is real knowledge or vidya. All other acts
end up only in fatigue and all other learning is a mere exhibition of skill in arts".
iii) A brief discussion on the word 'maayaa'. A plethora
of instances from the Sanskrit lore have been pointed out to show that the word maayaa (the opium of the Maayaavaadins who
define it as "yaa maa saa maayaa" -that which is not is maayaa) never means 'illusion' in any context. Sri Ramanuja
cites the following example from VP in support of this, while commenting on the verse "mama maayaa duratyayaa" (vide
BG 7.14). The meaning of the relevant VP verse (VP 1.19.19 & 20) is as follows:-
The thousand wonderful weapons (maayaa sahasram) created
by Sambara to torture Prahlada were foiled one after another by the flaming Sudarsana of Lord Vishnu. In Ramanuja Darshana,
the world is Brahma-maya and not bhrama-maya and maayaa has its primary meaning only in Maayin since the ubhaya vibhuti lies
in the hands of Loka Maheshwara. Only Krishna bhakti can free us from sins (BG 10. 3) and transport us from this transcient,
joyless world of taapatraya (vide BG 9.33) to the land of Absolute Bliss, Paramapadam i.e. a transformation from being a nitya
samsaari to a nityasuri.
c). The importance of contemplating on Brahman, the
Supreme Cosmic Reality is stressed in Bhagavata.P (X.I.27) in the lines -"satyavratam satyaparam ---satyasya satyam-sharaNam
prapannaah". In VP, Parashara Maharishi conjures up that vision in fine poetry (VP 1.22.67-90). And Tuppul Vallal has
captured the formless form in fine Tamil -purudan mani varamaaka -(vide RTS 5). For our purpose let us quote VP 1.22.68.
7. "Atmaanam asya jagato nirlepam-aguNa-amalam;
bibharti kaustubha-maNi-svaroopam bhagavaan-harih."
In the Beatific Form of the Lord, the jivatma is represented
by the diamond Kaustubha, moola prakrti as Srivatsa, manas as Chakraayuda etc. The idea of the Jiva residing in the heart
of reality as redeemer furnishes the raison d' etre for universal salvation.
Amsa 2 The break-up of this section is as under:-
On geography- ch.2 to 4, description of the underworld
(paatala loka) ch.5, different shades of hell- ch.6, the seven celestial (upper) worlds- ch. 7, astrology- ch.8 to 11, astronomy
(the nava grahas) -ch.12, biography of Jadabharata- ch.13, the famous socratic dialogue between Jadabharata and the king,
Sowveeraraja- ch.15 & 16.
Attention is drawn to a few aspects in this amsa.
a) We can never compromise on the Kashmir border issue
with Pakistan in view of the eternal geographical boundary of peninsular Bharat eulogised in the verse -VP 2.3.1.
8. uttaram yat samudrasya himaadresh caiva dakshiNam;
varshham tad bhaaratam naama bhaaratee yatra santatih.
b) As many as 30 different types of hell viz. Raurava,
Sookara, Rodha, Taala etc. are described succinctly in 30 verses -VP 2.6.1 to 30. The hell 'asipatra vanam', for example,
lies in store for the person who destroys forests. Those who don't honour their vows and fall from grace of righteous conduct
will fall into the hell 'sandamsha' and so on. Human beings are basically ignorant fools steeped in darkness (ajnaana tamasaa
-aacchanno moodaanthahkaraNo narah). The rationale for their suffering is graphically portrayed by Sri Parashara in VP
.6.5. As regards atonement for all types of sins, refer VP.2.6.39.given below:
tapah karmaatmakaani vai;
Atonement is got by observing austerity measures (tapas)
and rites(karma). Of all of them constant remembrance of Sri Krishna is the highest.
c) The phala-shruti given at the end of Amsa 2 is as
10. iti bharata-narendra saara vrttam
kathayati yash-ca shruNoti bhaktiyuktah;
sa vimala-matireti na aatmamoham
bhavati ca samsaraNeshhu muktiyogyah.
Those who hear or discuss Sri Bharatha' s teachings
will develop clarity of thought, will never succumb to infatuation and will become fit to get release from bondage. In view
of this phala-shruti, paramount importance is given to inculcate Sri Bharatha' s message on spirituality .The whole discussion
is critically examined in Sri Bhashya and a few are discussed in Art IV and V of this article.
Amsa 3 Begins with a description of manvantaras and the same is continued in Ch.2. Description of a host ofVeda
Vyasa(s) starting from the Creator Svayambu down to the 28th Veda Vyasa viz. Krishna Dvaipaayana are listed in Ch.3. One chapter
each is devoted to a description of Rig Veda, Shukla Yajur Veda and Sama Veda. The 6th Ch also contains the classification
of 14 vidyaa sthanas. Chapter 7 is on Yamagita.
The lion's share of this Amsa is reserved for the delineation
of code of conduct rules i.e. VarNa-Ashrama-Dharma (ch.8 to 16). In ch.17 and 18 spread over 150 verses, Sri Parashara describes
the mindset of nagnas/pashandis i.e. atheists/agnostics. The concluding note (VP;..3.18.105) is a stern warning not to associate
with these non-believers in any way -not even in talking terms.
Two gems from this Amsa are given below:-
i) No other way pleases Lord Vishnu as by doing one's
duty according to the dictates of varNa-Ashrama-dharma.(VP .3.8.9.)
naanyas tat-toshha-kaarakah .
ii) Yamagita is widely discussed in Sri Bhashya (vide
the aphorism, smaranti ca' viz.Brahma-Sutra 3.1.14) The special proviso coming straight from Yama ' s mouth (VP 3.7.14) merits
12. sva purushham abhiveekshya paasha hastam
vadati yamah kila tasya karNamoole;
parihara madhusoodana prapannan.
prabhuraham anya nrNaam avaishNavaanaam.
Noose in hand, when the servants of Yama are ready to
go for the kill, their Lord Yama whispers a note of caution on their ears thus: " Avoid those who are prapannas of Madhusudhana.
I am the Lord only of non- vaishnavites!"
Amsa 4. Gupta's age is used to be described as a golden age in our history text books. But according to the
traditional view, it is during the reign of solar/lunar dynasties that the people of Bharat enjoyed maximum prosperity. As
per VP, to that golden age the solar dynasty of princes offers 93 descents, while the lunar offers 45. Several poets have
waxed lyrical about them -Srimad Valmiki Ramayana, Raghuvamsha kavya of Kalidasa and Paduka Sahasram of Desika, to mention
only a few. Sri Rama Paduka' s ascension to the throne of Ayodhya is the most significant event adding lustre and glory to
the illustrious race of Manu. (vide Abhisheka Paddhati of Paduka Sahasram)
Amsa 5. Bhagavata P. opens up with a dialogue known as Vyasa-Narada-samvaada, wherein Sage Narada addresses a
depressed Vyasa Maharishi with words of entreaties thus: "In spite of knowing all that is worth knowing and having composed
the grand epic Mahabharata, thou art still looking sad and morose. Do thou knowst why? It is because thou have not described
the immaculate glory of the Supreme" ("na tathaa vaasudevasya mahima hi anuvarNitah '). Agreeably to this advice, Sage
Vyasa composed the Bhagavata P. and taught it to his son- "shukam adhyaapayaamaasa nivrtti niratam munih". No wonder
Parashara Maharishi, Vyasa's father had devoted the largest Amsa in VP to the description of Sri Krishna Avatara- the Paripoorna
Avatara. And according to Lord Krishna's own upadesha, "he who knows (the secrets of) His Janma and Karma will not remain
in samsaara (punar janma naiti- maam eti) and attain Him after leaving the mortal coil." (vide BG 4.9). Parashara Maharishi
ends up Amsa 5 with a phalashruti in an identical vein (VP .5.38.94).
13. yash cai tac-caritam tasya
krishhNasya shrNuyaat sadaa;
sarva paapa vinir mukto vishhNu lokam sa gacchati.
Amsa 6. This is the smallest part containing only 8 chapters. The shape of things to come in Kaliyuga is predicted
here. Though Parashara strikes a pessimistic note in Ch.l , his son Vyasa is all optimism. Small effort will yield great results,
says he: "alpako dharmo dadaati sumahat phalam". The age of Kali belongs to shudras and women: "shoodras saadhuh kalis
saadhuh " (vide VP .6.2.6.) .Further, after a holy dip in the cool waters of pure Ganga, he says: "who else could be more
fortunate than women!": "yoshhitas saadhu dhanyaas-taas-taabhyo dhanyataro asti kah?" Sage Vyasa's son Shukabrahmam
is even more forthright in his predictions of the then immediate future.(vide Bhagavatam XI.5.38,39): " On the banks of sacred
rivers such as Tamraparani, Kaveri etc. will be born great souls (i.e. Alwars) of unsurpassed devotion to Sriman Narayana".
The science of yoga is taught in Ch.6 and 7. Let us
conclude this section by giving the phalashruti. (VP. 6.8.57).
14. yasmin nyasta matir na yaati
narakam svargopi yac-cintane
vighno yatra niveshita-aatma manaso
braahmopi lokah alpakah;
Muktim cetasi yah sthitah amaladhiyaam
Kim citram yadagham prayaati vilayam
"A person whose mind is fixed on Him does not go to
hell. To him even the Svarga is but an obstacle and the Satya loka is a trifle. The Lord grants immortality to such souls.
Should anyone doubt that praising the Lord destroys sin?" This verse rings in resonance with the one given by Gitacharya who
has stated that all the fruits prescribed for the study of vedas, performance of yagnas etc. pale into insignificance before
the fruit that accrues to the one who studies the 7th and 8th chapters of Gita (tat sarvam trNavat manyate -vide Gita Bhashya
BG.8.28). Note the Dhyana sloka on Bhagavan Ramanuja underscores this lofty ideal: "yo nityam---trNaaya mene ---Ramanujasya
caraNau sharaNam prapadye"
Art III. VP in Vedartha Sangraha
Vedartha Sangraha (VS) is considered to be the maiden work of Sri Ramanujacharya. It expounds the doctrine of Visishtadvaita.
Many of the slokas quoted from VP in VS will also be found in Sri Bhashya, but the treatment between them is different. The
former is more tutorial ( said to have been delivered as a lecture before the presence of Lord Srinivasa at Tirupati) while
the latter is polemical or argumentative, but together they complement each other.
Among the founding fathers of this great tradition (avicchinna
sampradaya-vide para 47 ofVS) one of them is traced to Maharishi Parashara. VP itself bears testimony to its long lineage
(from Lord Brahma to Rubu, from Rubu to Priyavrata and so on delineated in 8 verses VP 6.8.43 to 50).
15. pulasya vara-daanena mamaapyetat smrtim gatam;
mayaapi tubhyam maitreya! yathaavat kathitam tvidam.
Three examples ofVP in VS is given below:-
i) Para 49 of VS:- The word 'Bhagavan ' according to
Parashara is applicable only to the Supreme One of Infinite Glory, who is the cause of all causes.(VP 6.5.72):-
16. shuddhe mahaa vibhoot yaakhye
pare brahmaNi shabdyate;
maitreya! Bhagavac-chabdah sarva kaaraNa kaaraNe.
For all others, the prefix 'Bhagavan' is used only as
a mark of respect. For instance, the son of Kanva Rishi is addressed as Bhagavan Kandu.(VP 1.15.52) who is admired even by
Sri Rama as ((kandunaa paramah- rishhiNaa 11 (vide Ram.yudh.18.26).
ii) para 127 of VS:- The great preceptor Yamunacharya
has said in Siddhitraya that Bhagavan is attainable through the means of Bhaktimarga. He has enunciated this with the
support of shruti and smrti texts. Take for instance, Isavasyopanishad wherein the words vidya and avidya are defined in the
11th rik or verse. The two words are not merely the opposite of each other, but have a much deeper vedantic meaning. By avidya,
it is meant that one should fulfill one's commitment in life, exhausts the vasanas thereby cross over the sea of samsara and
by (brahma) vidya one attains Brahma Praapti. The same thought is conveyed in VP 6.6.12.
17. iyaaja sopi subahoon yajnaan
(vidya is a term for meditation that has developed into
bhakti). This is the highest attainment according to Gita-paraam siddhi (BG.8.15 & 14.1,2).
iii) para 208 ofVS:- The word, Paramapadam' is a sacred
jargon in Ramanuja Darshana having 3 meanings.
a. The highest Abode of Lord Vishnu is Paramapadam-
"tad vishNoh paramam padam "
b. The nature of the individual soul (pratyak-Atma)
freed from prakrti is also denoted by 'Paramapadam'-VP 1.22.41.
c. In VP the very nature of Bhagavan is designated as
'Paramapadam':-"samasta heya rahitam vishNvaakhyam paramam padam' - VP.l.22.53.
The Lord Sriman Narayana is the Supreme ground of all
and the Supreme goal to be attained i.e. He is the summum genus and summum bonum and hence He is hailed as 'Paramapadam' while
the two other constituting factors are also referred as 'Paramapadam '- a coalescence par excellence!
Art IV. VP in Gita Bhashya
The longest discussion in Gita Bhashya is reserved for
the verse B.G.13.2. The whole of this discussion is also incorporated verbatim in Sri Bhashya, at the conclusion of the 7
major objections against advaita.
The advaitins ride roughshod over the meaning of the
word 'kshetrajna'. They misinterpret it to mean identity between the individual self and brahman. To understand at
a rudimentary level, consider the following analogy. If X and Y reside in a house (say), then X is as much an inhabitant of
the house as Y is. In the realm of metaphysics, the place of inhabitancy, kshetra is the karmic body and the inseparable pair
of inhabitants are the antaryami brahman and the jivatma. For this very reason, each of the pair is designated as kshetrajna
(vide BG 13.1,2). The mantra 'dva suparna' (vide Svetaashvataropanishad - 4th ch.6th verse) spotlights this distinction
between jivatma and the antaryamin. Gitacharya Himself reiterates this point at several places, such as BG.18.61, 15.15,10.20
and so on. Above all, Gitacharya makes a pointed reference to VP in support of His view point (BG.13.4) and taking up the
cue, Sri Ramanuja quotes the relevant passages from VP viz "VP 2.13.69 to 71; VP 2.13.89; VP1.13.102,103. For instance, VP
2.13.70 explains acetana tatva and 71 defines Atma.
18. karmavashyaa guNaashcaite
Avidyaa sancitam karma
"0 King! All the qualities such as satva etc. are under
the influence of karma. Avidya (ignorance), sanchitam (sins) and karma are the raison d ' etre of all living beings." The
next verse defines the characteristics of Atma: " Atma is pure, imperishable, tranquil, free from defects, pre-eminent over
prakrti, immutable and is alike in all living beings.(VP .2.13.71 )
19.Atmaa shuddhah aksharah
shaantah nirguNah prakrteh parah;
pravrddha pacayau naasya ekasya
As regards Ishwaratatva, the popular verse from Vishnu
Sahasranama is quoted to clinch the issue.
IndriyaaNi mano buddhih sattvam tejo balam dhrtih;
Vaasudevaatmakaan yahuh kshetram kshetrajnam eva ca.
"Sense organs, manas, buddhi, sattvaguna, tejas, balam,
firmness, the body (kshetram) and the soul (kshetrajna) -all these have Lord Vasudeva as their inner controller or Atma".
The body- soul relationship (shareera-Atma bhaava) between the Lord and the universe is explicitly stated in this verse. It
may be noted that the word Atma is derived from the etymology "Apnoti iti Atma" (control in immanence and hence Atma). Just
as the self pervades the body, the Lord vivifies the universe as the life of all lives -like the electric current flowing
from the grid illumines a whole city .
Art V VP in Sri Bhashya (SB)
Quoting "testifying/supportive texts" (shodhaka vaakyas)
from shrutis and smrtis, the advaitins claim that pure intelligence alone sans attributes is real. (nirvisheshha jnaana
maatrameva paramaarthah) and all else is unreal (anyad -apaaramaarthikam) .This view is challenged and disproved
and hence rejected by Sri Ramanuja. While analysing those shodhaka vaakyas, he points to the inner harmony among them essentially
forming the building blocks of a massive, coherent, monolithic structure known as shaareerakam or pan-organismal monism. SB
is resplendent with thoughts deep and serene like the Milky Ocean embedded with gems (taatparya ratnaih) rare and some
still unseen. His teachings, in an allegorical sense are said to constitute the mirror of/for Lord Srinivasa.(vide Yatiraja
Let us highlight a few of those gems (refer to smrti,purana
ghatta of SB).
a. In Gita and VP, the glorious Supreme being, the Brahman
possessing infinite, auspicious attributes is only described and there is no whisper of a mention of nirvisheshha Brahman.
The Parabrahmam is praised as the Supreme Self (Paramatma) or Maha Vishnu in all the vedas. (vide BG 15.17 and VP 6.4.39,40).
He is Vaasudeva (sarvatraasau samastam ca vasati - VP 1.2.10 to 14). He is Paramatma, Iswara, and Purushottama (BG.15.17,18).
He is Maheswara (BG.10.3). He is Bhagavan. He is the Lord of thousand names.
Let us analyse how the six great quintessential attributes
of Lord Almighty are encoded in the word Bhagavan -vide VP .6.5.79:
20.jnaana shakti balaishwarya-
bhagavac chabda vaacyaani vina
The first syllable 'Bha' in Bhagavan has two meanings
namely that He is the cause of all causes (sarva kaaraNa kaaraNe) and He is the supporter (bhartaa) of everything
in the universe. The second letter 'ga' denotes three things viz. Leader (netaa), Destroyer (gamayitaa) and Creator (srashThaa).
But the word 'bhaga' is a product and not a sum of 'bha' and 'ga' and hence denotes 6 attributes viz. knowledge, power, strength,
sovereignty, , energy and radiance -all in absolute terms. The' va ' means all those abide in Him. (vasati tatra bhootaani).
All the abstract attributes are concretised in Bhagavan, who is the repository of all auspiciousness and devoid of any evil
attributes. (vinaa heyair- guNaadibhih). It should also be noted that 'nirguna ' does not mean ' attributeless ' as
advaitins contend, but means 'faultless'. (doshha-raahityam).
b. VP does not recommend meditation on the un- embodied
form of the Lord. The instructions for yoga (vimukti-prado yogah) are given by the king Kesidvaja to the king Khaandikya
comprising 75 verses i.e. from VP .6.7.27 to 101. After describing the preliminary four stages of yoga, (viz. yama, niyama,
praanaayaama and pratyahara) he mentions the paramount importance of shubhaashraya, meaning the object of meditation(VP
21. PraaNaayaamenapavane pratyaahareNa ca indriye;
vasheekrte tatah kuryaat sthitam cetah shubhaashraye.
All the other demi -gods (anye tu- VP .6.7.77) are born
of karma and hence impure and unfit for meditation. Only Lord Sri Vishnu alone should be meditated upon, because He destroys
all sins just like the fire that burns dry grass.(VP .6.7.74). Only the gross form of the Lord should be worshipped and not
the un- embodied form. (VP .6.7.55):
22. na tat yogayujaa shakyam nrpa! cintayitam yatah;
tatah sthoolam hare roopam cintayed-visva-gocaram.
Auspicious form of Lord Sri Vishnu is then described
starting from the description of the charming face (prasanna vadanam) then proceeding up to abhayahastam ca mudrikaa
-ratna -bhooshhitam (VP .6.7.80 to 85).
c. A few points concerning Atma, the soul.
i. The in-dwelling Atma is neither God nor man, neither
a beast nor a tree. Various manifestations in bodies are due to the respective individuals' karma.(VP.2.13.98):
23. pumaan -na devo na naro na pashur -na paadapah;
shareeraakrti bhedaas tu bhoopaite karmayonayah.
Moreover, the in-dwelling Atma in all the creatures
is identical (samam) in form.i.e. the svaroopa is the same. Gita says the same thing. There is no difference between the Atma
in a dog and in the dog eater .(BG .5.18) This point is further clarified in the next sloka (ibid) -"nirdoshham hi samam
brahma". The word 'brahma' used in this context refers to Atma, (as also in BG.6.27). The meaning is that when Atma is
disconnected from prakrti, it should all look alike in form (prakrti viyukta svaroopaaNaam jnaanaika-aakaarataya saamyaat-
Gita Bhashya for BG 6.29 and 6.33)
ii. The basic difference between Atma and prakrti is
clearly brought out in VP.2.12.36 to 47 and Sri Ramanuja has given word for word meaning for all those verses. Put briefly.
Atma, the chetana vastu is immutable. (BG.2.17 to 39). For this reason, it is referred to as asti (VP.2.12.41), satyam (VP
.2.12.45), anaashhee (VP.2.14.24) and also avinaashinam .(BG.2.21) Quite the opposite is prakrti. Sri Ramanuja avers that
only the word 'asatya' is employed for prakrti in VP and not by any of the advaitin's jargon, anirvacaneeya. The acitvastu
is referred to as 'naasti '/asatya and not as 'tuccha' or 'mitya'. Moreover, it is described as subject to destruction
and not illusion as maayaavadins contend. Then he explains the purpose of creation of Leelavibhooti. Ishvara has created this
prakrti (BG 13.19) for the sake of karma bound kshetrajna (Sri kshobhaNaaya namah - of Sri Vishnu Sahasranama 374 and
also VP .1.2.29 given under).
pravishhya- aatmecchaya harih;
sarga kaale vyaya-avyayau.
A realized soul should aim to work out his/her destiny
and cut the Gordian knot of bondage or samsara. (jagat yaathaatmya -jnaana -prayojanam mokshopaaya- yatanam) .Sri Krishna
Bhagavan says that by unadulterated worship of Him (bhaktiravyabhicaariNee which literally means 'unlike the attitude of
a prostitute'. In other words it means ananya bhaktih-BG 13.10) one transcends prakrti and attain self-realisation (vide
iii. In the light of all the above discussions, let
us define shareeram as given by Sri Ramanuja. Shareeram is a substance which a sentient soul can completely support and control
for its own purpose and which stands to the soul in a subordinate relation. (yasya cetanasya yad-dravyam sarvaatmanaa svaarthe
niyantum dhaarayitam ca shakyam tat sheshhataika svaroopam ca tat tasya shareeram -vide SB 2.1.3).
That the universe is His shareeram is indicated by synonyms
such as 'kaayah' -yadambu vaishNavak-kaayah (VP.2.12.37); as 'tanuh'- tat sarvam vai hares-tanuh -(VP.1.12.38);
as 'vapuh' -taani sarvaaNi tad vapuh -(VP.l.12.86); as 'shareeram' -jagat sarvam shareeram te (Ram. Yudh.120.26).
Art VI. VP in Gadya-traya
To develop spirituality (adhyaatma jnaana nityatvam
tatva jnaanaartha darshanam - vide BG.13.11) Sri Bhashyakara has prescribed the study of his Gadya-traya which incorporates
the teachings from the sacred lore. A few selected passages which have a bearing on VP are given below.
i. Saranagati Gadya opens with an invocation
addressed to Bhagavan Narayana and later defines Almighty as having the powers jnaana, bala etc. all extracted from VP. (For
details refer to the Tamil commentary in manipravala style by Sri Periyavacchan pillai or to the Sanskrit commentary by Sri
ii. The chumika 17 of the above gadya refers to 3 types
of afflictions of the body and mind (taapatraya) and Parashara explains them scientifically in 8 verses beginning with
VP .6.5.1 as given below.
25. Adhyaatmikaadi maitreya
jnaatvaa taapa trayam budhah;
utpanna- jnaana vairaagyah
iii. In Sri Ranga gadya, the portion dealing
with jivatma viz. "tila tailavat daaru vahnivat" is based on VP. 2.7.28 given as under:-
26. daaruN yagnir yathaa tailam tile tatvat pumaanapi;
pradhaane- avasthito vyaapee cetana-Atmaatma vedanah.
iv. The 3 fundamental realities (tatva-traya) are succinctly
expressed in Sri Vaikunta gadya as: "svaadheena tri vida cetana-acetana ---" and lucidly explained in terms
of the verses from VP. (vide tattva traya cintanaadhikaara of RTS 5)
Art VII. VP in Sri Bhagavad Guna Darpana
Sri Bhagavad Guna Darpana (a commentary on Vishnu Sahasranama
authored by Sri Parashara Bhattar) is replete with profuse quotations from VP. (more than lOO slokas). We shall furnish just
i. Vaasudeva namah -334 The Supreme Being is
known as Vaasudeva because he abides in all things and all things abide in Him.(VP 1.2.12)
27. sarvatraasau samastam ca vasatyatreti vai yatah;
tatah sa vaasudeveti vidhvadbhih paripaThyate.
ii. The 12 consecutive names beginning with Vaasudeva
(from 334 to 345) are about Adhyaatma Vaasudeva. The 339th naama, for example, is 'taaraNaaya namah ' which means that He,
the Lord, enables one to cross over the sea of samsara. This aspect is enshrined in the 2nd dhyana sloka ofVP. itself. (VP.l.2.2):
28. namo hiraNya garbhaaya haraye shankaraaya ca;
vaasudevasya taarasya sargasthityantakaariNe! "
(compare this verse with BG 12.7).
iii. Almost the entire eighth centum of sahasranama
is devoted to the stuti of Krishna Avatara. (ksheeraarNava niketanah) and obviously the fifth amsa of VP will be found
quoted vis-a-vis names on Krishna. While on the subjects, Swami Desika's Yaadavabhyudayam can also be enjoyed by supplementing
generously with verses from VP.
Art VIII. VP in Sri Sukta
VP (Amsha l-ch.8 & 9) accords prime importance to
the avatar of Goddess Lakshmi, the daughter of Milky Ocean- vide VP.l.9.100;
29. tatah sphurat- kaantimatee vikaasi
shreer devee payasah-tasmaad-
udhbhootaa dhrta pankajaa.
The Maharishi(s) who witnessed this great event, started
praising Her with vedic hymns from Sri Sukta. (101 ibid). For, Sri Sukta presents the Glory of Shree even as Purusha Sukta
depicts the Glory of Narayana. All our previous Acharyas have sung in honour of Lakshmi.
In view of its paramount importance, the mantle of writing
a commentary on Sri Sukta fell on the shoulders of Sri Ranganatha Muni, who is also known as Nanjiyar, the disciple of Sri
Parashara Bhattar. This Sri Sukta Bhashya is replete with quotations from VP.
The following verse of benediction addressed to Mahalakshmi
30. taavadaartih tathaa vaanchaa taavan
yaavan na yaati sharaNam tvaam-
asheshha -agha -naashanam.
The meaning of the above verse is as follows:-
The hankering for material wealth, the distress due
to loss of wealth, lack of interest towards self-realization and lack of well being -all these afflictions persist only so
long as Prapatti has not been performed. Once it is done, all sins get destroyed and a new life emerges.
Art IX. Stotra Ratna on Purana Ratna
According to Stotra Ratna (verse 4) of Alavandar, VP
is a treatise on Tattva-traya. Vedanta Desika in his gloss (in Sanskrit) has highlighted all those specific verses dealing
with the respective tattvas. Verses dealing with Jiva tattva, for example, are VP.2.l3.98, VP.2.l3.71 etc. It is also pointed
out that just as in Gita, VP makes a clear distinction between Kaivalya and the higher (paramam sthaanam) Moksha in two consecutive
verses. The one line verse dealing with the former is VP .1.6.38.
31. yoginaam -amrtam sthaanam sva -Atma -santoshha -kaariNaam.
Art X. Purana Ratna in Rahasya Ratna
Among the 17 minor rahasyas (monographs) of Vedanta
Desika, the pair viz. Rahasya Ratnavali/Hrdayam is the longest. As its very name suggests, this work is a gem -necklace
consisting of a compendium of' gems' selected from the sacred Sanskrit and Tamil texts. Rahasya Ratnavali contains
the quintessence ofTattva-traya expressed in very simple Tamil just in 30 simple sentences. ( 10 each for acit, cit, and Eshvara
tattvas) while Ratnavali Hrdayam elaborates on those 30 points. Among the quotations galore, good many are from VP.
Conclusion:- Sri Parashara Maharishi concludes his grand work by making a fervent appeal to the Lord of the Universe,
Bhagavan Hari to confer the consummation devoutly wished by all those who aspire freedom from birth and old age -vide (VP
32. iti vividamajasya yasya roopam
prakrti -paraatmamayam sanaatanasya;
pradishatu bhagavaan, asheshha pumsaam
harih -apajanma jaraadikaam (sa siddhim) samrddhim.