“Vighneshwara is the Jagat-karana Brahman” - says Shri Sarvajnatma Muni ji

[V Subrahmanian]

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Shri Sarvajnatma Muni ji is the author of ‘Sankshepa-shareerika’ - an exposition on the sutra bhashya of Bhagavatpada. From his works, it is evident that Sarvajnatma ji was  devoted to Bhagavan Vishnu. But like any true Vedanti, he does not hesitate to behold the same Parabrahman in other Bhagavat-swaroopas as well. This conviction of his is evident in the following Mangalacharana shloka of Sankshepa Shareerika :

आरम्भाः फलिनः प्रसन्नहृदयो यश्चेत्तिरश्चामपि
नो चेद्विश्वसृजोऽप्यलं विफलतामायानत्युपायोद्यमाः ।
विश्वैश्वर्यमतो निरड़्कुशमभूद्यसैव विश्वप्रभोः
सोऽयं विश्वहिते रतो विजयते विघ्नेश्वरो विश्वकृत् ॥

(If Bhagavan Vighneshvara is pleased, even the efforts of the animals attain fulfillment and if not, even Brahma’s efforts go in vain. Victory to such  Vighneshvara, who is the Vishva-karta, whose glory knows no bounds and who is always engaged in benefiting the world)

Thus, in the vision of Sarvajnatma Muni ji, Bhagavan Ganapati is the Vishva-karta i.e. the Jagat-karana Brahman.

Shri Madhusudhan Saraswati ji and Shri Nrusimhashrama ji make some insightful remarks while commenting on the above shloka.  The snaps from their tika-s are attached in the comments. Below are the highlights :

1)Swami Madhusudhan Saraswati ji says that  Bhagavan Vighneshvara rules over everyone , right from animals to Brahma himself. Hence, he is सर्वप्रशास्तृ, the lord of all.  Swamiji quotes the shruti vakya : भीषास्माद्वातः पवते and says that Bhagavan Vighneshwara is verily that tattva which is described in the said Shruti.

Let us look into the Bhashya of Bhagavatpada on the cited Shruti:

भीषास्माद्वातः पवते । भीषोदेति सूर्यः । भीषास्मादग्निश्चेन्द्रश्च । मृत्युर्धावति पञ्चम इति । (Taittiriya Upanishad, 2.8.1)

Bhashya :
 भीषा भयेन अस्मात् वातः पवते । भीषोदेति सूर्यः । भीषा अस्मात् अग्निश्चेन्द्रश्च । मृत्युर्धावति पञ्चम इति । वातादयो हि महार्हाः स्वयमीश्वराः सन्तः पवनादिकार्येष्वायासबहुलेषु नियताः प्रवर्तन्ते ; तद्युक्तं प्रशास्तरि सति ; यस्मात् नियमेन तेषां प्रवर्तनम् , तस्मादस्ति भयकारणं तेषां प्रशास्तृ ब्रह्म । यतस्ते भृत्या इव राज्ञः अस्मात् ब्रह्मणः भयेन प्रवर्तन्ते तच्च भयकारणमानन्दं ब्रह्म ।

(From fear of this, the wind blows. From fear, rises the sun. From fear of this, speed Agni and Indra, and Death, the fifth. "Wind etc.," of great worth, though lords in themselves regularly performed their functions, blowing etc., requiring great effort. This regularity with which they perform their functions can be appropriate only if there is a controller. Therefore, Brahman, their
cause of fear and controller, exists; because they set about their duties from fear of this Brahman, as servants from fear of kings. That cause of fear is Bliss, ie., Brahman)

Thus, Madhusudhan Saraswati ji clearly establishes that the Vighneshvara praised by Sarvajnatma Muni ji is the Parabrahman fearing whom all devata-s engage in their respective duties. Commenting further, Swamiji says that this Vishvakarta-Vighneshvara, the Jagat-karana Brahmam, himself incarnates in the form of Ganesha! Thus, in the vision of Advaita Acharyas, Ganapati, the son of Shiva-Parvati, is verily the Avatara of Parabrahman !

2)Shri Nrusimhashrama ji commenting on the last two lines of the shloka, makes an interesting remark. Swamiji says that this Vighneshvara is ‘shruti-loka-prasiddha’ i.e well known in both Veda and in the world. As he is Vishva-karta, Vishva-palaka ( विश्वहिते रतो) and also its samharaka, Vighneshvara is verily the embodiment of Brahma-Vishnu-Rudra!

Thus, from the above verse of Shri Sarvajnatma Muni ji, who was a devout Vishnu-bhakta, we understand that Advaitan Acharyas see the one and the same Parabrahman in all Bhagavat-swaroopas.

Courtesy : Many thanks to Shri Subrahmanian Vaidyanathan ji for helping in understanding the commentaries. 🙏🙏🙏