Sriman Narayana and other Devatas

[Guest guest]

Dear Prapatti Group Members:

 

The topic of exclusive worship of Sriman Narayana seems to be a never

ending topic. We have discussed it so many times before but it still seems

to hold our interest. Thanks to Vidya Sankar, Sadagopan, Dileepan and

Sampath for their interesting contributions. Shri Verma writes that

Madhavacharya again and again revisits this topic (because of the seemingly

conflicting nature of the texts). From what my little mind could gather

from all this, my own conclusions on this topic are as follows:

 

(1) People (Geniuses) like Vyasa, Adi Sankara, Ramanujacharya, Vedanta

Desika, Varavara muni, and Madhvacharya who had devoted their entire life

to the study of these topics, who have analyzed the shastras inside and out

have concluded that the term Narayana denotes the supreme being. Manu

shastra says that only the supreme being has to be meditated upon. "Alodya

Sarva ShastrAni VichArya cha Puna: Puna:.. of Vyasa, Harer Eva DhyAya:

Bhavadbhi: Moksha Kankshibhi:. of scriptures, Adi Sankara and all sanyasis

signing as Narayana Smruti:, Adi Sankara choosing to write

commentaries(apart from his Bhashyam) only on Vishnu Sahasranamam,

Bhaghavad Gita, and Sanat Sujhateeyam all of Mahabharata (a Vaishnava

Grantham) and the position of later Acharyas clearly shows that Narayana is

the supreme. I think this is very clear indeed. Philosophies that do not

support the theory of two Brahmans (one for VyAvaharika and the other for

PAramArthika) maintain the above at all times. Philosophies that

ultimately conclude that you are yourself a Brahman - names and forms do

not matter to them anyway.

 

(2) The difference between other devatas and Naryana is that all other

beings have Narayana as the Antharyamin but Narayana has none. In the

Bhaghavata,Suka Muni says: Ye they cha Amsa Kala Pumsa: Krishnasthu

Bhaghavan Swayam. While all these manifestations are like the rays of the

sun, Bhaghavan Krishna is the Sun itself. In Narayana Suktam, Siva, Indra

and Brahma are all described as glories of Narayana and He stands apart

from them.

 

(3) While all the known and the unknown worlds are manifestations of

Narayana (Sarira of Narayana), and while He permeates everything as their

inner being, nevertheless, He Himself has chosen to take the forms of

Archa, Vibhava.. etc. for the sake of His devotees who can not worship Him

in the 'formless' aspect.

 

(4) For devotees like Meera and Krishna Chaitanya the question of whether I

can worship Siva etc., didnot arise. That is the quality of Ananya Bhakti

or PAtivrathya Bhakti. For them Krishna was everything and nothing else

mattered to them.

 

(5) With regard to worship of any other form other than Narayana's

(including Nitya Suris and our Acharyas) the test is are they Prapannas in

the first place. If yes, then we must do whole hearted service to them.

 

I hope this helps in clarifying some of the interesting questions raised by

Raja Krishnaswamy.

 

Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan