[Advaita-l] viShNu and caturbhuja viShNu

[Sujal Upadhyay via Advaita-l]

Namaste,

Please find verses talking about two forms of viSNu from yoga vAsiSTha

Many commentaries are written on yoga vAsiSTha, but the famous one is by
Sri Ananda bodhendra sarasvatI (ABS), which closely follows advaita. ABS
Comment is given after verse inside sq. brackets.

In chapter 2,  sarga 53, titled 'The homily (religious discourse) to
Arjuna' verses 35-40 discuss about two forms of bhagavAn kruShNa (Krishna)

Arjuna said:

35. O Lord of Gods, you have two forms; (the transcendental) beyond and the
immanent lower (in this world). What (is) the form, of what nature, and
when should I resort to and abide in it for fulfilment (siddhi)?

*[Comment: Following the instruction concerning the two natures (of God) in
verses 34, Arjuna now asks how to know the qualification (adhikAra) and the
appropriate time for (worshipping either of the two natures).]*

The Lord said:

36. O sinless One, know My two forms; the common one and the
transcendental. The common form is endowed with hands and so forth, holding
conch, discus and mace.

*[Comment: 'Common' means easily understandable for ordinary people]*

37. That which is my transcendental form has no beginning and end; it is
one, without corruption, and it is expressed by words such as Brahman,
'Self', 'Supreme Self'

*[Comment: The Supreme Form, difficult to attain by those of impure mind.]*

38. Until you are fully awakened and remain without the knowledge of Self,
be intent upon the worship of the god with the fhour-armed form.

39. When in due order you become enlightened, you will know that nature
beyond; the form of Me that has no beginning and no end, and by (knowing
which) one is not born again.

*[Comment: 'In due order' means with the gradual purification of mind']*

40. If, however, your being has known (the aspect of mine) that is worthy
of knowledge, O destroyer of enemies, then resort immediately to my Self,
the Self of (your) self.

*[Comment: I have told you of devotion to the qualitative (saguna) nature,
considering the possibility of a lack of purity of (your) mind. If,
however, your being (bhAva), that is, mind, is so pure (as to be one with)
Brahman, whose nature is totality of cognition (vijnAna-eka-svabhAva), and
who is worthy of being known, you should resort to the indivisible and
completely perfect Self. (This you may do) by coalescing My Self, (who am)
God and your Self Self; (My Self) in it's transcendental nature determining
its objects, and your self in its objective nature determining its essence.
This coalescence is between investigating the meaning of the word tat
(that), which is Myself, and investigating the meaning of the word tvam
(thou), which is yourself. Then resort to the indivisible completely Full
Self. Awakening to this, then, be firmly established in it. 'Resort to',
that is, becoming enlightened: be resolute upon it.]*

OM

Sujal


On Sun, Sep 14, 2014 at 4:43 PM, Sujal Upadhyay <sujal.u at gmail.com> wrote:

> Namaste,
>
> I remember that in arjunopAkhyAna (Bhagavad Gita as predicted by VasisTha)
> in Yoga VasisTha, it is clearly mentioned about meditating on caturbhuja
> viShNu or viShNu (which means supreme Self, NirguNa brahman).
>
> I will try to dig our that verse along with the commentary tAtparya
> prakASa by Ananda Bodhendra SarasvatI
>
> btw, tArA sAra up. explains 'OM Namo NArAyaNAya' and 'OM' which is not
> caturbhuja nArAyaNa.
>
> Atmabodh Up. also distinguishes both viShNu-s
>
> OM
>
> Sujal
>
>