Re: {भारतीयविद्वत्परिषत्} ahimsa prathamam pushpam -

[hn bhat]

अहिंसा  प्रथमं पुष्पं
ahiṁsā prathamaṁ puṣpaṁ
1. (non-violence)
पुष्पम् इन्द्रिय-निग्रहः
puṣpam indriya-nigrahaḥ
2. (sense-control)
सर्वभूत-दया पुष्पम्
sarvabhūta-dayā puṣpam
3. (compassion to all living beings)
क्षमा पुष्पं विशेषतः
kṣamā puṣpaṁ viśeṣataḥ
4. (patience)

ज्ञानं पुष्पं  jñānaM puṣpaṁ
5.  (Right knovledge)
 तपः पुष्पं tapaH puṣpaṁ

6.  (penance)
 शान्तिः पुष्पं तथैव च
 śānthiḥ puṣpaṁ thathaiva ca
 (tranquility of mind)
सत्यम् अष्टविधं पुष्पं
satyam aṣṭavidhaṁ puṣpaṁ
8. (truth)
 विष्णोः प्रीतिकरं भवेत्
 viṣṇoḥ prītikaraṁ  bhavet||

 These are the eight kinds of flowers that cause happiness to
 Vishnu.

I hope this will satisfy your querry.
--
Dr. Hari Narayana Bhat B.R.
EFEO,
PONDICHERRY

[Upendra Rao]

dear Dr. Hari Narayana Bhat ji,

thank you very much. thank you once again for taking interest. it will serve my purpose.

dr. rao,

J.N.U., new delhi

---

From: hn bhat <hnbh...@gmail.com>
To: bvpar...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Sat, July 24, 2010 11:47:52 AM
Subject: Re: {भारतीयविद्वत्परिषत्} ahimsa prathamam pushpam -

--
अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि।
ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि।।
तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः।
निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः।। (भ.गी.)

[Surendra Mohan Mishra]

Dear Dr Bhat n Dr Rao,

Thanks for the Q&A that we have known the 8 flowers offered to Lord Vishnu.

May I know the origin of this idea in Vaishnavism ?

One similar case I can trace in the eight kinds of seeds that Rajarshi Kuru sowed as prompted by Vishnu in Dharmakshetra-Kurukshetra according to the VAmana Puran etc..Those are tapas,satya,kshamA,dayA,shaucha. dAna,Yoga and brahmacharya.These are called AshTAnga MahAdharma.

Best regards,

S M Mishra


,

2010/7/24 Upendra Rao <chou...@yahoo.com>

--
*****
Surendramohan Mishra
Dept of Sanskrit,Pali & Prakrit
Faculty of Indic Studies,Kurukshetra University
KURUKSHETRA-136 119,Haryana,INDIA
Tel : (Off.)01744 238410(extn.)2504
(Mob.)098960 86579;(Res.)01744-238567
Blogs : http://surendrashastram.blogspot.com
            http://surendra-shaastram.blogspot.com

[hn bhat]

Thanks for the Q&A that we have known the 8 flowers offered to Lord Vishnu.

May I know the origin of this idea in Vaishnavism ?

One similar case I can trace in the eight kinds of seeds that Rajarshi Kuru sowed as prompted by Vishnu in Dharmakshetra-Kurukshetra according to the VAmana Puran etc..Those are tapas,satya,kshamA,dayA,shaucha. dAna,Yoga and brahmacharya.These are called AshTAnga MahAdharma.

 

 

Thanks for the information and querry. I am afraid am not in a position to provide the precise reference. It is quoted in Prasannaparijata of Varadaguru the source ascribed to Pancaratra texts according to some sources on the web.

I could not check the source. Somebody would be able to do so and locate the verse to confirm.

With regards

[Dr. S. Ramakrishna Sharma]

नमो विद्वद्भ्य:
शङ्कराचार्यविरचितशिवमानसपूजास्तोत्रस्य   प्रसिद्धोयं प्रथमश्लोक:
आराधयामि मनिसन्निभमात्मलिङ्गं
मायापुरीहृदयपन्कजसन्निविष्टं ।
श्रद्धा नदी विमलचित्त जलाभिषेकै:
नित्यं समाधिकुसुमै:अपुनर्भवाय ।।
श्री मन्महाभारते अस्ति किल भीमसेनभणितश्लोक:
(केरलीयमहाभारतपाठे पठित: उदुपि श्री रामनाथाचार्यै:)
आराधयामि मणिसन्निभमात्मबिम्बं  
मायापुरे  हृदयपन्कजसन्निविष्टं ।
श्रद्धानदीविमलचित्तजलाभिषेकं
भावाष्टपुष्पविधिना हरिं  अर्चयामि   ।।
Exact number of the verse and other details will be gathered at
the earliest occasion when I meet that scholar.
By association with jasmine, the thread also gathers the fragrance.
विद्वत्सभासंवादभावितस्य मे अहो भाग्यं !

2010/7/25 hn bhat <hnbh...@gmail.com>

--

अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि।
ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि।।
तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः।
निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः।। (भ.गी.)

--
Aangirasa/Dr.S.Ramakrishna Sharma. M.A.,Ph.D.(Eng.Lit.),Ph.D.(Sanskrit.).

[Narasimhachary M]

Dear friends: The Rahasyatraya Sara of Sri Vedanta Desika, the post-Ramanuja polymath, quotes the two following verses, describing the eight flowers which would delight Lord Vishnu:

Ahimsaa prathamam pushpam pushpam indriyanigrahah
Sarvabhootadayaa pushpam kshamaa pushpam viseshatah

Jnaanam pushpam tapah pushpam dhyaanam pushpam tathaiva ca
Satyam ashtavidham pushpam Vishnoh preetikaram bhavet

It is to be noted that these verses are quoted by Sri Vatsya Varadacharya (also known as Nadadoor Ammal), a senior contemporary of Vedanta Desika in his Prapanna Paarijaata.

Sincerely,

Narasimhachary

---

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[Nabanarayan Bandyopadhyay]

Dear scholars, Please find the following shlokas also relating to Maanasapoojaa with 15 bhaavapu.spa-s: अमायमनहंकारमरागममदं    तथा। अमोहकमदंभं च अद्वेषाक्षोभकौ तथा।। अमात्सर्यमलोभं च दशपुष्पं  विदुर्बुधाः।। अहिंसा परमं पुष्पं पुष्पमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः । दयापुष्पं  क्षमापुष्पं  ज्ञानपुष्पं च पञ्चमम् ।। इति पञ्चदशैः भावपुष्पैः संपूजयेत् शिवम् (शिवाम्) ।। Regards, Nabanarayan Bandyopadhyay   --- On Sat, 24/7/10, hn bhat <hnbh...@gmail.com> wrote:

From: hn bhat <hnbh...@gmail.com> Subject: Re: {भारतीयविद्वत्परिषत्} ahimsa prathamam pushpam -

--

[hn bhat]

Thanks for the shloka-s comprising of 15 pushpa-s including ahimsaa etc. eight:

I am reminded of this verse:

एको देवः केशवो वा शिवो वा
eko devaḥ keśavo vā śivo vā
ह्येकं मित्रं भूपतिर्वा यतिर्वा।
hyekaṁ mitraṁ bhūpatirvā yatirvā |
एको वासः पत्तने वा वने वा
eko vāsaḥ pattane vā vane vā
ह्येका भार्या सुन्दरी वा दरी वा॥ ६९॥
hyekā bhāryā sundarī vā darī vā || 69||

Whether it be Shiva or Vishnu your favorite deity, the importance and
value of your conduct and behavior to other fellow people, जनताजनार्दन
is the same either it be eiight, ten or fifteen pushpa-s oferred to
the Almighty God.
It is not mere Shaivite or Vaishnavaite concept by itself and has a
greater value to the society as a whole.
With regards

[Nivedita Rout]

Respected Scholars,

 

This concept of bhavapuspa-(flowers of sentiments) offering which is connected with manasa-puja goes back to the early 6th century and associates with the Saiva religion. The earliest literal references of this is found in some of the earliest Saiva tantras such as the Nisvasatattvasangraha ( abhāvaṃ dhyā …. abhāvaṃ labhate padam|

                       abhāvaṃ śivamālambya bhāvapuṣpasamanvitam||

                       bhāvapuṣpeṇa so.abhyarcya śivatāveśabhāvitaḥ|

                       śāntatvācchitvamudiṣṭo hyalak.sye abhāva ucyate||)

& Svacchandabhairava tantra(3.105). 
Another early Saiva canon the Kalottara also speaks of it and many other later Paddhati literature have referred about it with great importance.

 

Another important point about it is that: This Bhavapuspa (is commonly known as  astapuspa) and its association with the Astamurti form os Siva.( I quote bellow a part of my artcle on this subject)

 

The Aṣṭamūrti form of Śiva is a very early concept and the first and clear reference has been found in the Śatarudriya a portion of the Yajurveda. Śiva is described as the whole universe which means He is manifested as the Sun, Water, Fire, Air, Soul, Earth, Moon and Ether. This form is repeatedly discussed in both ways of explicitly and implicitly in many early Tantrik canons like Niśvāsa, Svacchanda, Raurava, Kalottara and in some of the early Puraṇas like Vāyu Purāna. Even this concept of Aṣṭamūrti form is very beautifully presented by the great classical Sanskrit poet Kālidāsa, and if we assign his period to the 1^st century A.D. then the antiquity of this concept and the Śaiva religion go back to the 1^st century. Interestingly there are some accounts on the relation of this aṣṭamūrti form of Śiva with the aṣṭapuṣpa have been enumerated in the Bāṇa’s works like Kādambarī and Harṣacaritam who belongs to the 5^th century. In his famous work Harṣacarita, Bāṇa has beautifully described the eight forms of Śiva in the reflection of the Upaniṣads and the later Tantrik texts.

---

[1] see the Introduction of the critcal edition of Abhijñānaśākuntalam, Calcutta

---

From: Surendra Mohan Mishra <dr.surendramo...@gmail.com>
To: bvpar...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Sat, 24 July, 2010 10:29:33 PM

[hn bhat]

> This concept of bhavapuspa-(flowers of sentiments) offering which is
>
> connected with manasa-puja goes back to the early 6th century and associates
>
> with the Saiva religion. 

Thanks for the information with authentic quotation. 

Still the date of the appearance of Pancaratra texts could not be underestimated. Probably give and take of concepts could be accepted at the same period of time. Available Pancaratra- texts of Samhita-s and Agama-s go back to early 10th century and not earlier according to a writer on the History of Vaishnavite Reliogion and he concludes that some clue to earlier texts could be found by the study of South Indian Vaishnavaite literature and probably the apearance of Saivaite works concurs with the appearance of Vaishnava Samhita-s in all probability.
p.182 Outline of the Religious Literature of India By J.N. Farquhar

I am not contradicting with the authentic assertion, but only the other side of the argument is just presented highlighting the possibility of exchange of concepts between the two faiths.

[vadiraj panch]

letter on Ashta Bhava pushpas Thanks and regards Yours Sincerely   V.R.Panchamukhi     Dr. V.R. Panchamukhi Former Chairman, Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi Currently, Managing Editor Indian Economic Journal (Indian Economic Association) D-4/2 Welcomgroup CGHS, Plot No.6, Sector-3, Dwarka, New Delhi – 110 075 Phone No: 91 11 28082470; 91 11 4271 4025 Mobile No: 987 154 1108 Email ID: iejp...@yahoo.co.in; vadir...@yahoo.com website of the Indian Economic Journal: www.indianeconomicjournal.org

--- On Mon, 7/26/10, hn bhat <hnbh...@gmail.com> wrote:

From: hn bhat <hnbh...@gmail.com> Subject: Re: {भारतीयविद्वत्परिषत्} ahimsa prathamam pushpam -

[vadiraj panch]

Dear All, The debate on Bhava Pushpas is interesting and educative. Obviously, the reference to Bhava pushpas is meant for giving the message that well-accomplished Sadhakas, worship Paramatman at all times and not just once during Puja time and not with the flowers brought from the garden/market. In SumadhvaVijaya,  the great literary composition of Narayan panditacharya, the son of Sri Trivikrama panditacharya, the contemporary of Sri Madhwacharya, in the 12th-13th century AD, there is a beautiful reference to this mode of worshipping the Lord, throughout one's life and all the 24 hours of the day, by Sri Madhvacharya. The relevant Sloka runs as follows: TamaruNa maNivarNam Divya dEhAkhya gehe snapitamati PrithuSraddhA NadIchittavArbhih| nanu sa yajati nityam, Hritsarojasanastham na tu sakriditi Pushpairashatabhir BhAvapushpaih. तमरुणमणिवर्णं दिव्यदॆहाख्यगॆहॆ स्नपितमतिपृथुश्रद्धानदीचित्तवार्भि:। ननु स यजति नित्यम् हृत्सरॊजासनस्थम् न तु सकृदिति पुष्पैरष्टभिर्भावपुष्पै:॥ Sumadhva Vijaya, 14th Sarga, sloka 37   While commenting on this Sloka, the wellknown commentator, Viswapatitirtha, gives reference to two different slokas, on what constitute the eight flowers of emotions- mental dispositions: अहिंसा सत्यमस्तेयम् ब्रह्मचर्यापरिग्रहौ। शौचं तुष्टि: सर्वसमर्पणम्॥ and अहिंसा प्रथमं पुष्पं पुष्पमिन्द्रियनिग्रह:। सर्वभूतदयापुष्पं क्षमापुष्पं विशिष्यते॥ ज्ञानपुष्पं तप:पुष्पं ध्यानपुष्पं तु सप्तमम्। सत्यञ्चैवाष्टमं पुष्पम् एभिस्तुष्यति केशव:॥   Thus, there seems to be no one opinion as to what constitute the 8 Bhavapushpas. In the same commentary, there is a reference to the sloka from Mahabharata as follows:   आराधयामि मणिसन्निभमात्मबिम्बं मायापुरे हृदयपङ्कजसन्निविष्टम्। श्रद्धानदीविमलचित्तजलाभिषेकं भावाष्टपुष्पविधिना हरिमर्चयामि॥ (महाभारत,....I will give the exact reference later, I have with me)) This is the description of the way in which Bhimasena used to worship Paramaatman.   There is a traditional proverb that different saadhakas worship the Lord in different ways, as per their capabilities. Madhwacharya, in his Brahmasutra bhashya  gives the following verse:   अग्नौ क्रियावतां विष्णु :। य़ोगिनां हृदये हरि:॥ प्रतिमासु अप्रबुद्धानाम्। सर्वत्र विदितात्मनाम्॥ (माध्व सूत्रभाष्य अध्याय १ पाद १) The meanings of the all the above slokas are clear. Bhavapushpas refer to the last category of worshippers who SEE the Lord everywhere, as the commander of the Universe and who have understood the true personality of the Lord. I have given the references from the literature on Maadhwa philosophy. I am sure many others would supplement this by quoating from different sources. This discussion also reminds us of the different types of Yajnas discussed in Bhagavadgita. In short, the description of eight Bhavapushpas is to send a message that it is most important to mould our attitudes and emotions in every day life, if we want to please the Lord through our worship. I had once used the reference to Bhavapushpas to describe the personality of Paramaacharya of Kanchi, in my lecture, delivered on the occasion of HH's centenary celebration function held in National Museum in Delhi, some years ago. (which was organised by Honourable Sri Venkaraman, former President of India). Thus, the approach of Bhavapushpas is not confined to vaishnavism or saivism or any ism. It is a simply a philosophy of life refering to all the mankind.  　 I am sorry that the letter has become long.

[hn bhat]

Dear Sir,

Thanks for the quotations from Madhwacharya and Mahabharata. I had produced a quotation from Varada Acharya's Prasannaparijata, a vishisthadvaitin acharya, contemporary of Sri Ramanuja, as mentioned by Narasimhacharya. The quotation is to be traced back Pancaratra texts, but source is still untraced precisely to any particular Samhita or Agama of Pancaratra.

It is a common ideal of way of living in the real world with dedication of these sentiments as I had earlier pointed in my earlier message without any bounds of Vaishnavism or Shaivism. I fully agree with you it is a high ideal philosophically feasible to all the faiths.

Thanks once again for your contribution to the ongoing discussion. 

The question was limited to the earliest references to the concept of bhaava-pushpa in the available texts.

With regards

[S P Narang]

Dr. Bhatt, You may search in the unpublished catalogue of the citations of the Agamas at IFP Pondy. regards, spnarang

---

From: hn bhat <hnbh...@gmail.com>
To: bvpar...@googlegroups.com

Sent: Mon, July 26, 2010 5:37:41 PM

Subject: Re: {भारतीयविद्वत्परिषत्} ahimsa prathamam pushpam -