THE PANCARATRAS OR BHAGAVATA-SASTRA

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THE PANCARATRAS OR BHAGAVATA-SASTRA

 

 

 

By A. Govindacarya Svamin,

M.R.A.S.

Published by JRAS, 1909.

 

PART 1

 

1. The synonymyof what is well known as the

PAncarAtra is thus given in the PAdma-tantra (one of

the 108

tantras or SamhitAs) :-

 

SUris suhrid bhAgavatas sAtvatah pancakAlavit |

 

EkAntikas tanmayas' ca pancarAtrika ity api ||

(iv, 2, 88)

 

From this it is evident that pAncarAtra =

BhAgavata = SAtvata = EkAntika.

 

2. The Sastra or Science (of the worship of the

One Gog = Monotheism) is also called EkAyana, which

means the Only Way (Monotheism). For, as is stated in

Isvara

SamhitA, NArada tells the Sages -

 

MoksAyanAya vai panthA etad anyo na vidyate |

TasmAd EkAyanam nAma pravadanti manIsinah ||

(i, 18)

 

i.e. "whereas there is no other Path than this One

to Emancipation (moksa), the wise call this by the

name

EkAyana"

 

3. This science is also known as the MUla-Veda or

Root Science (or Root knowledge), inasmuch as VAsudeva

is at the Root of all Knowledge, as the following

verse

explicitly says -

 

Mahato Veda-vrksasya mUla-bhUto mahAn ayam |

Skandha-bhUtA Rg-AdyAs te sAkhA-bhUtAs' ca

yoginah ||

Jagan-mUlasya Vedasya VAsudevasya mukhyatah |

PratipAdakatA siddhA MUla-VEdAkhyatA dvijAh ||

Adyam BhAgavatam dharmam Adi-bhUte krte yuge |

MAnavA yogya-bhUtAs te anutisthanti nityas'ah

|| (Id. 1, 24-26)

 

i.e. "This (Science) is the root of the Veda-Tree;

the Rg and others are its trunk and branches. The

(science) is

called by the name MUla-Veda (=Root-Veda), because

it is an expositin of VAsudeva, the Root of the

Universe. This is the original BhAgavata-Dharma

which the krta age worthly men observed always"

 

4. That this Ancient Science is Ancient, and not

originated by VAsudeva, the Son of Vasudeva = Kr*shna,

is evident from the word VAsudeva, meaning "He who

permeates all", though, grammatically it is also a

patronymic, viz, "Son of Vasudeva." For firstly, the

word VAsudeva occurs in the Taittiriya Upanisad

passage known as

the Visnu-GAyatri, Secondly, we have in the

PAdma-Tantra -

 

Vasudeva-sutasyApi sthApanam VAsudeva-vat ||

(iii, 29, 28)

 

i.e. "The installation of the Son of Vasudeva

(krsna) is like that of VAsudeva (the Ancient One)".

 

Thirdly, that the EkAyana Science is one of the

Ancient Sciences learnt by NArada, is evident from

what NArada himself tells SanatkumAra in the ChAndogya

Upanisat -

 

" Rg-Vedam Bhagavo 'dhyemi Yajur-VEdam

SAma-Vedam Atharvanam caturtham IthihAsa-PurAnam

pancamam VedAnAm Vedam Pitryam RAs'im Daivam

Nidhim VAko-vAkyam EkAyanam."

(vii, 1, 2)

 

i.e. "O SanatkumAra, I have learnt Rg-Veda,

Yajur-Veda, SAma-Veda Atharvanam, ..., EkAyanam."

Also, See the word occurring in the same Upanisat

vii, 1, 4; 2, 1; 5, 2; 7, 1.

 

Fourthly, Sri Kr*shna Himself says in the Bhagavat

GItA (vii, 19)-

 

VAsudevah sarvam iti sa mahAtmA sudurlabhah.

 

i.e. "That great soul is hard to find who knows

'VAsudeva is all';" Showing that the Bhagavata or

VAsudeva

religion was not originated or invented in

Kr*shna's days, but was existent from time primeval.

 

Further, Sri Kr*shna confirms this position, viz.,

the eternity of the BhAgvata Religion, by telling

Arjuna that what he taught him now was Ancient

religion, which from

time to time is forgotten by men, and He comes and

revives it. Read Bhagavad-GItA, iv, 1-3 -

 

Imam Vivasvate yogam proktavAn aham avyayam ||

VivasvAm Manave prAha manur IksvAkave 'bravit |

 

Evam paramaparA-prAptam imam rAjarasyo viduh ||

 

Sa kAlen-eha mahatA yogo nastah Parantapa |

Sa ev-Ayam mayA te 'dya yogah proktah purAtanah

||

 

i.e. "It was I (the Ancient, not merely as Kr*shna

now) who taught this Devine Science (Yoga) to VivasvAn

(The Sun). VivasvAn taught Manu; and Manu taught

IksvAku. That this is thus traditionally derived, the

Royal Sages know. But by long lapse of time the

Science was lost. And this Ancient Science has again

by Me

now told thee, O Foe-dread (Arjuna)".

Here "Royal Sages Know" does not mean that only

the Royal Sages or Kshatriyas know, and that BrAhmanas

therefore do not know; nor does it mean that

Kshatriyas originated it without reference to the

BrAhmanas.

Also, the term "Royal" is also interpretable as

"those Sages who have attained royalty or eminence in

the

Devine Science"; and therefore need not

neccessarily mean Kshatriyas. Desides, if the Ancient,

as He says,

taught VivasvAn, may it be adduced from this that

the Ancient was a Kshatriya, or that VivasvAn (the

Sun) is

a Kshatriya? It is simply NArAyana, the Primeval

God, teaching NArada to begin with - NArada, the

mind-born son of BrahmA and therefore a divine

BrAhmana (Brahmarishi) - as many be seen fron

Is'vara-SamhitA, i, 4, 11; -

 

NArAyanam tapasyantam Nara-NArayanas'ramo

Samsovantas sadA bhaktyA mokshopAya-vivitsavah

SamsthitA munayas sarve NArAyana-parAyanAh

KAlena kena cit svargAt NArayana-didrkshayA

TatrAvatIrya devar*shih NAradas sa kutUhalah

Dr*shtvA NArayanam devam namaskr*tya

kr*tAnjalih

PulakAncita-sarvAngah prshr*shta-vadano munih

StitvA nAnAvidhaih stotraih pranamya ca muhur

muhuh

PUjayAmAsa tam Devam NArAyanam anAmayam

Atha NArAyano devah tam Aha munipungavam

Munayo hy atra tishthanti prArthayAnA Hareh

padam

EteshAm SAtvatam s'Astram upadestum tvam arhasi

 

Ityuktv-antardadhe Sriman-NArAyana-munis tadA

 

i.e. "the Sages (munis) lovingly served NArAyana

absorbed in meditation at Nara-NArAyan-As'rama (Badari

in the Himalayas). Wishing to see NArAyana, NArada

descended from Svarga; and seeing Him, prostrated and

stood up with hands clasped, with joy beaming in

his face and thrilling in his frame. He burst forth in

praise,

again and again casting homself at His feet. he

worshiped (thus) the Holy NArAyana. Then spake

NArAyana

to the sage-chief thus: 'The Sages sit here

praying for Hari's feet and Thou art fit to teach them

the

SAtvata-Sastra (= PAnca-rAtra).' So saying Sriman

NArAyana made Himself invisisble".

 

Also read BhAradvAja-SamhitA cited under par. 6

infra, as also iii, 41 (id.) and its Paris'ista, 1,

88.

 

As to the primordial or prmeval character of this

BhAgavata (=VAsudevic or PAncarAtra) religion, further

reference is invited to MahA-nArAyana, Brahma-bindu,

Mukti,

RAmatApani and VAsudeva Upanisads.

 

5. That PAncarAtra is Vedic and possesses

Authority (so that its precepts and practices are to

be followed by all those who own allegiance to Veda)

is expressed in the

PAdma-tantra verse -

 

S'ruti-mUlam idam Tantram pramAnam

kalpa-sUtravat. (i, 1, 88.)

 

i.e."This tantra is S'ruti-origined or

S'ruti-rooted, and is an Authority like, for example,

the Kalpa-S'utra".

 

6. The meaning of the term pAncarAtra is thus

explained -

 

(a) PAdma-tantra: The question is put -

 

Mahopanisad-Akhyasya s'Astrasya-Asya mahAmate !

 

PancarAtra-samAkhy-Asau katham loke pravartate

(i, 1, 681/2-69)

 

i.e. "How, O wise sire! is this Mahopanishad

currently known in the world as PancarAtra?

To which Samvarta is made to answer thus:-

 

Pan-etarAni s'AstrAni rAtriyante mahAnty api

Tat-sannidhau samAkhyAsau tena loke pravartate.

 

i.e. "Because the five other great S'astras are

like darkness in the presence of this (PAncarAtra),

thence is it

currently known by the term PAncarAtra".

 

The other Five S'astras are -

(1) Yoga (author Virinca or Hiranya-garbha)

(2) SAnkhya (author kapila)

(3) Buddha (author Buddhi-mUrti)

(4) Arhata (author Arhata or Jina)

(5) KApAla, Suddha-S'aiva, PAsupata (a

group-author S'iva).

 

or it may be also thus interpreted:-

 

Pancatvam athavA yadvat dipyamAne divAkare

Rcchanti rAtrayas tadvat itarAni tad-antike.

 

i.e. "As when the Sun rises, the nights die, so

others die in the vicinity of this (PAncarAtra)".

 

(b) NArada-PAncarAtra

 

RAtram ca jnAna-vacanam jnAnam panca-vidham

smr*tam

TEn-edam Panca-rAtram ca pravadanti manishinah.

(i, 1, 44)

 

i.e. "RAtram is a term signifying knowledge and

because of this there are five (panca) kinds,

therefore the

wise call it Panca-rAtram".

 

The five kinds of knowledge (read op. cit., verses

45-56) are said to be:

(1) Tattva (this is sAttvika)

(2) Mukti-prada (also sAttvika)

(3) Bhakti-prada (this is nairgunya)

(4) Yaugika (this is rAjasa)

(5) Vaishayika (this is tAmasa).

 

© Sri-Pras'na-SamhitA, ii, 40, states -

RAtrir ajnAnam ity uktam

Panc-ety ajnAna-nAs'akam.

i.e. "RAtri, night, means nescience, and pane,

derived from the root pac, to cook, means that which

'cooks', i.e. destroys that nescience". Hence

PancarAtra is the science

which dispels ignorance.

 

Also (d) Ahirbudhnya-Samhita xi-64, 65, 66 (?) and

Kapinjala-Samhita, chap. 1, may be referred to.

 

7. The AcAryas or Teachers in succession who

promulgated these doctrines (omitting NArAyana and

NArada, vide par. 4 supra) are thus stated:

 

PuraA TotAdri-s'ikhare S'Andilyo 'pi mahA-munih

 

SamAhita-manA bhUtvA tapas taptvA mahattaram

AnekAni sahasrAni var*shAnam tapaso 'ntatah

DvAparasya yugasy-Ante Adau kali-yugasya ca

SAkshAt SamkarshanAt labdhvA vedam

EkAyanabhidam

Sumantum Jaiminim caiva Bhrgum

caiva-AupagAyanam

MaunjyAyanam ca tam Vedam samyag adhyApayat

purA (Is'vara-SamhitA, i, 38-41)

 

i.e. "In days past, on TotAdri peak, S'Andilya the

great sage sat fixed in severe austerities (tapas) for

many

years. In the end he obtained from Samkarshana -

in the interim between DvApara age and kali age- the

Veda

going by the name of EkAyana, and taught them well

to Sumantu, Jaimini, Bhrgu, AupagAyana and

MaunjyAyana".

And then in viii, 175-7, of the same Samhita,

NArada tells -

 

EkAntino mahAbhAgAh S'athakopa-purassarAh

KshonyAm kr*r-AvatArA ye lokojjIvana-hetunA

S'AndilyAdyAs' ca ye c-Anye

PancarAtra-pravartakAh

PrahlAdas' c-aiva SugrIvo VAyusUnur VibhUshanah

 

Ye c-Anye SanakAdyAs' ca PancakAla-parAyanah

 

i.e "Sathakopa and others, great devout saints,

became incarnate on earth to save creature. Sanaka and

others,

Sandilya and others, prahalAda, SugrIva, the

Wind-Son (HanumAn), VibhIshana and others - the strict

observers of the Five Timed Injunctions

(PancakAla)- these are the Promulgators of the

PancarAtra.

 

With reference to SandilyA, attention is invited

to No 10, SAndilya-VidyA and No. 32 S'riman

NyAsa-VidyA in the Table of the 32 VidyAs, pp 129-30

of our

Bhagavad-GItA with RAmAnuja's Commentary.

 

Next, after Sathakopa and others, comes RAmAnuja.

For NArAyana tells Bala-bharads (or Bala-rAma, the

brother of Kr*shna) thus (Is'vara SamhitA, xx,

278-80):

 

Asti te vimalA bhaktih Mayi YAdava-nandana |

Prathamam S'esha-rUpo Me kaimkaryam akarod

bhavAn ||

Tatas tu Lakshmano bhUtvA MAm ArAdhitvAn iha |

IdAnIm api MAm yastum Balabhadra ! tvam arhasi

||

kalAv api yuge bhUyah kas'eid bhUtavA

dvijottamah |

NAnA-vidhair bhoga-jAlair arcanam Me karishyasi

||

 

i.e. "O Son of Yadu-race (BalarAma) ! thou hast

clean (or pure) devotion (or love) for Me. Thou, first

as

S'esha didst the great service for Me. Then next

didst thou worship me as Lakshmana. Thou art now

serving

me as Balabharada. Thou shalt again in Kali age be

born as a great BrAhmana (=RAmAnuja), and shalt

worship me with many things of joy".

 

Br*had-Brahma-SamhitA makes this clear, thus:

 

Dvija-rUpena bhavitA yA tu SamkarshanAbhidhA ||

 

DvAparAnte kaler Adan pAsanda-pracure jane |

RAmanuj-eti bhavitA Vishnu-dharma-pravartakah

||

S'riranges'a-dayA-pAtram viddhi RAmAnuja munim

|

Yena sandarsitah panthA VaikunthAkhyasya

sadmanah ||

PAram-aikAntiko dharmo bhava-pAs'a-vimocakah |

Yatr-AnanyatayA proktam Avayoh pAda-sevanam ||

KAlen-AchhAdito dharmo madIyo 'yam varAnane ! |

 

TadA mayA pravr*tto 'yam tat-kAl-Ocita-mUrtinA

||

Vishvaksen-Adibhir bhaktair S'athAri-pramukhair

dvijaih |

RAmAnujena muninA kalau samsthAm upeshyati ||

 

i.e. " 'My Samkarshana part (O Sri),' says

NArAyan, 'is the form ofa BrAhmana, by the name

RAmAnuja,

which it is going to take, after the DvApara age

and in the kAli age, to expound the Vishnu-dharma

(=BhAgavata Religion), when the world will be full

of heretics or renegades (pAsanda). Know that

RAmAnuja will be the specially favoured of

S'riRanga (-natha) and he will show the way to the

Realm known

as Viakuntha. The One-pointed Religion exclusively

to be rendered to Thee and Me (=Sriman NArAyana) the

religion which delivers (creatures) from the bonds

of samsAra (material existance) becomes dimmed by age,

O fair faced one ! According to the requirements

of the age, I take many forms, and act by means of My

devotees such as Vishvaksena, Sathakopa, etc., and

RAmAnuja in the Kali age.".

 

BhAradvAja-SamhitA iv, 92, teaches -

Abhyarthito jagad-dhAtryA S'riyA NArAyanas svayam

UpAdis'ad imam yogam iti me NAradAt s'rutam,

i.e "Prayed to by Sri, the Universal Mother,

NArAyana Himself taught (Her) this yoga. So did I hear

from NArada".

 

From the above it will be seen how the hierarchy

(Guru-paramparA) if the S'ri-Vaishnavas or

Sri-Sampradhayam came to be constituted thus:

 

(1) NArAyana

(2) S'ri

(3) Vishvaksena = Senes'a = the Lord of the

Hosts (the Eternals)

(4) S'athakopa or S'athagopa (the

Mortal-Immortal)

(5) The others between (4) and (6)

(6) RAmAnuja

(7) Succession after (6), up to one's own Holy

Preceptor.

 

In the work called VArta-mAlA (or Garland of

Talks), p 98, 202nd Talk (Telugu edition, Madras,

1887,

SarasvatI-BhandAra Press), aquestion was asked how

the efficaciousness of the Apostolic Pedigree would be

affected

 

 

 

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