Who is Keshava? A Vaishnava-unfriendly sublime insight

[V Subrahmanian]

Here is an excerpt:

https://rsachi.blogspot.com/2016/06/shiva-hari-god-all-one-and-same.html?fbclid=IwAR2oHWTAkmwPFAqqP1Z2tLzxDtiPckVu-ZK8gtZckZhlT5B_C4cDTEhP1qw

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Shiva, Hari, God - all one and the same

My late father (1911-1993), Prof. S. S. Raghavachar of Mysore University, was a delegate and speaker at the World Conference of Religions conducted in 1963 by Prof. T.M.P. Mahadevan of Madras University. With hundreds of delegates from around the world, the conference was commemorating the birth centenary of Swami Vivekananda, who took the message to the World Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893 that all religions basically lead to the one truth or God.

The delegates were taken for an audience with Kanchi Paramacharya at the end of the conference. While giving his benediction, Paramcharya asked the audience, "is the there any textual mention or inscription in Hinduism predating Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna  which stated that the worship of different conceptions of God all lead to the same Reality?" My father Prof. Raghavachar rose and quoted an inscription from the Belur temple in Karnataka built by Vishnuvardhana, a disciple of Sri Ramanujacharya in the 11/12th C CE, which states:

 yam shaivah samupasate shiva iti brahmeti vedantinah

bauddhah buddha iti pramanapatavah karteti naiyayikah

arhan ityatha jaina-shasana-ratah karmeti mimansakah

so yam vo vidhadhatu vanchita phalam trailokyanatho harih

It seems that Paramacharya was immensely pleased with this answer and felicitated my father.

Recently, to find out more, I dug a little into the available textual references to this shloka. I give you three excellent references:
1. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, 1926
2. H. Nakamura, 1983

3. C.P. Bhatta, 1994 

See the images pertaining to the above three authorities here: 

https://rsachi.blogspot.com/2016/06/shiva-hari-god-all-one-and-same.html?fbclid=IwAR2oHWTAkmwPFAqqP1Z2tLzxDtiPckVu-ZK8gtZckZhlT5B_C4cDTEhP1qw    

[V Subrahmanian]

In similar vein, Sri Annamacharya, a great medieval composer from the Telugu Country, who had explicitly owed allegiance to Srivaishnavism, says about the Lord of Tirupati, in a composition:

Annamācārya reflects in this song:  http://karnatiklyrics.blogspot.in/2011/06/entha-matramuna.html

//The Vaishnavas worship you with reverence as Vishnu.
The Vedic philosophers tell that you are the Supreme Consciousness.
The Shaivas believe that you are Śiva & the Kapalikas praise you as Adibhairava.
The Shakteyas consider you as the manifestation of the supreme power Shakti. People chant your praise in a number of ways. Ignorant people assume that you are insignificant.The wise recognize your infinite greatness.//


[It is noteworthy that Sri Annamācārya distinguishes Vedāntins from ‘vaiṣṇavas’,

koluthuru mimu vaishnavulu, koorimitho vishnudani

palukuduru mimu vaedaantulu, parabrahma anuchu

 By ‘Vedāntins’ he obviously refers to Advaitins for they alone hold the Supreme Reality to be ‘Brahman’ beyond all names and forms.  Those who hold the highest tattvam to be ‘Viṣṇu’ (the deity identified as Lakṣmipati, etc.) are not vedantins as per this composer.

There is the famous Shiva Mahimna Stotram on the same lines:

त्रयी सांख्यं योगः पशुपतिमतं वैष्णवमिति 

प्रभिन्ने प्रस्थाने परमिदमदः पथ्यमिति च। 

रुचीनां वैचित्र्यादृजुकुटिलनानापथजुषां 

नृणामेको गम्यस्त्वमसि पयसामर्णव इव॥ शिवमहिम्नःस्तोत्रम् ७.

[ The three Vedas, Sankhya, Yoga, the doctrine of Pashupati, the doctrine of Vaishnavas (such are the different paths enjoined). Based on the variety of likings of the follower men of the straight or crooked paths, (they consider) this one as supreme or that one as proper. (However) the goal of all these is You - just like the goal of rivers is the ocean.]

Madhusudana's 'Prasthaana bheda' is a work that is actually, originally, part of his commentary to the above verse. The 'title' is also given by him inspired by the words  प्रभिन्ने प्रस्थाने  of the above verse. 

There is another very popular such verse by an unknown author:

यं शैवाः समुपासते शिव इति ब्रह्मेति वेदान्तिनो. बौद्धा बुद्ध इति प्रमाणपटवः कर्तेति नैयायिकाः । 

अर्हन्नित्यथ जैनशासनरताः कर्मेति मीमांसकाः. सोऽयं नो विदधातु वाञ्छितफलं त्रैलोक्यनाथो हरिः ॥ (हनुमन्नाटक १ । ३)

[In this verse the poet identifies the highest Truth to be ‘Hari’ who alone is seen variously by different people including the Vedāntins who hold this Truth (called ‘Hari’) as Brahman.  [Here is a site that equates the above two verses: http://satcharcha.blogspot.in/2015/06/blog-post_20.html]

MS has commented upon the famous work ‘Mahimna stotram’ of Puṣpadanta as applying to both Śiva and Viṣṇu. At the end of the work MS composes a few verses depicting the Hari-Hara abheda:

भूतिभूषितदेहाय द्विजराजेन राजते |

एकात्मने नमो नित्यं हरये च हराय च || 

Obeisance ever to Him, who is resplendent with His body adorned with vibhūti, ashes, and is of the complexion of camphor (or having the moon on His head), the One Atman that is both Hara and Hari.

हररशंकरयोरभेदबोधो भविु क्षुद्रधियामपीति यत्नात् |

उभयार्थतया  मयेदमुक्तं सुधियः साधुतयैव  शोधयन्तु ॥ १

 [With the benediction that the understanding of non-difference between Hari and Shankara may rise even in those with a lowly intellect have I, with effort, commented on the Shivamanhima stotra verses in dual-meaning mode (as applying to Hari and Hara). Let the noble ones accept this as admissible alone.]

shaivAH saurAshcha gANeshA vaiShNavAH shakti-pUjakAH |

bhavanti yanmayAH sarve so.ahamasmi paraH shivaH ||3||

This occurs at the end of the 15th Chapter, of the BG commentary Gudharthadipika by Madhusudana Saraswati. 

regards

subbu

[V Subrahmanian]

'ShaNmata' is mentioned by Thyagaraja

The famous Pancharatna kriti of Thyagaraja, 'Endaro mahanubhaavulu..', in one of its charaNams, mentions the term 'ShaNmata' with a prefix 'shiva aadi'.  The meaning can be read in this site: http://www.shivkumar.org/music/endaromahanubhavulu-new.htm

The six schools of devotional practice culminating in Para Brahman realization are: Saivam, Saaktam, Vaishnavam, Sauram, GaaNaapatyam and Kaumaaram.  

It is significant that this term 'ShaNmatam' is found in a text that is not related to Shankaracharya or Advaita. Thyagaraja, even though a great devotee of Sri Rama, was not a bigoted follower. That he was of a very broad vision is known from his many other compositions too. Here he says that those are exalted men who are endowed with the knowledge of the core scriptures including the Veda, Bhagavatam, Ramayana, Bh.Gita, etc. and the paths of bhakti which are devoted to Shiva, Shakti, Vishnu, Ganesha, Kumara and Surya. In his vision, if someone is opposed to this view is not a 'mahaanubhaava'.   

Charanam-9: These are the great men who have derived boundless happiness by gathering the ocean of knowledge contained in Bhagvatam, Ramayana, Geeta, Vedas, Shastras by pondering over the secrets of the six religions orders under the class Sauram and Koumaram, by understanding the mind of the countless devas, by living a full life through the joy derived from music based on bhava, raga and laya.]

 

Bhaagavatha: Bhaagavatham

Ramayana: Ramayana

Geetha adi: Bhagavadgeetha

Sruthi: Vedas

Sastra: Sastras

Puraana: Purana’s

Marmamula: secrets

Siva adi Shan mathamula: six schools of devotion

Ghudamulan: secrets

Muppadi mukkoti: 33 crores

Sura antharangamula: devatha’s minds

Bhaavambulan: meaning

Eringi: Knowing

Bhaava: Meaning

Raga:Raga

Laya adi: Laya

Sowkhyamu che: state of well being

Chirayuvul: long life

Kaligi:have

Niravadi: no gap

Sukhathmulai: happiness

Thyagaraja aapthulaina: Friends to Thyagaraja

Vaaru: They

चरणम्  9
भागवत रामायण गीतादि श्रुति शास्त्र पुराणपु
मर्ममुल शिवादि षण्मतमुल गूढमुलन मुप्पदि
मुक्कोटि सुरान्तरङ्गमुल भावम्बुल नॆरिंगि भाव राग लयादि सौख्य
-मुचे चिरायुवुल् गलिगि निरवधि सुखात्मुलै
त्यागराजाप्तुलैन वार-

[suresh srinivasamurthy]

Namaste Sri Subbu-ji,

This oneness of all deities is available in the Veda - NarayanaSuktam itself.

tasyāḥ śikhāyā madhye paramātmā vyavasthitaḥ,
sa brahma sa śivaḥ sa hariḥ sendraḥ so'kṣaraḥ paramaḥ svarāṭ.

In the middle of that Flame, the Supreme Self dwells. This Ultimate (Self) is Brahma (the Creator), Siva (the Destroyer), Hari (the Protector), Indra (the Ruler), the Imperishable, the Absolute, the Autonomous Being.

Here are few other mantras in Rudram / Chamakam also:

Om Namo Bhagavate RudrAya Vishnave mruthyur may pAhi

Agna Vishnu sajoshase ma vardhantu vam girah ( Agni here I would identify as Shiva as he is of the nature of jnyAnAgni)

I think these mantras are great integrators of all Shanmathas. When we meditate on Brahman as VishwAtma - (Soul of jagat) it will be Saguna Brahman friendly also as all kinds of gods wherever they are gets included. 

It is Shiva because it is of the nature of Veda and essentially auspicious and it is Vishnu as it is everywhere. IMHO, as long as one does not see the totally of reality it will always result in constricted / fanatic view. 

Namaste,

Suresh

---

From: adva...@googlegroups.com <adva...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of V Subrahmanian <v.subra...@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 26, 2022 10:52 AM
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Subject: [advaitin] Re: Who is Keshava? A Vaishnava-unfriendly sublime insight

 

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[V Subrahmanian]

Well said. It is only those who do not           accept the non difference that can't appreciate the shloka. 

Regards

subbu

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