[Advaita-l] Who Is the Ultimate GOD in Vedic dharma ?

[Venkateswaran N E]

Namaste,

The Indra-sahasranama of Kavya-kantha Ganapathi Muni, contains nAmAs of
Indra culled from Vedas.

Reading through the nAmAs clearly show that Lord Indra was as much Ishvara
as Lord Shiva or Lord Vishnu.

As shrii Subbuji says, this is the Vedic scheme of Godhead.


This sahasranAma is in Sanskritdocuments.org for those interested.

Regards
Venkateshwaran

On 17-Jan-2018 5:55 PM, "D.V.N.Sarma డి.వి.ఎన్.శర్మ via Advaita-l" <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Atleast in the beginning Indra was the most iportant of Vedic gods.
>
> regards,
> Sarma.
>
> On Wed, Jan 17, 2018 at 5:33 PM, V Subrahmanian via Advaita-l <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>
> > Dear Shrinivas,
> >
> > Your post represents the correct Vedantic view of Ultimate God. It is
> > endorsed by Sri Sureshwaracharya in his Brihadaranyaka Vartika where he
> > says: The One Ishwara alone is variously spoken of as Brahma, Vishnu,
> > Shiva, Guru.  Sri Anandagiri in his commentary says that this is the
> Vedic
> > way of looking at it and if the puranas give the impression that the
> > Trimurtis are different from each other, such is not the Vedic view.
> >
> > Taking Surya as the ultimate God is also correct. Some might not accept
> > this since in their view Surya is a god who is born, etc. cannot be the
> > Supreme. But Vedanta has a different take on this.  Surya is a Jnani as
> > clearly stated Bhagavan in the BG: इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम् |
> > विवस्वान् मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्षाकवेऽब्रवीत् || at the 4th Chapter start.
> Even
> > Indra is a Jnani and he is an Acharya for Brahmavidya in the Brahmasutra
> > Pratardana adhikarana, from an upanishad. The Mundakopanishat  3.2.1
> > teaches that a Jnani, when worshiped by a mumukshu for liberation, will
> be
> > blessed with that Great Purushartha.
> >
> > स वेदैतत्परमं ब्रह्म धाम यत्र विश्वं निहितं भाति शुभ्रम् ।
> > उपासते पुरुषं ये ह्यकामास्ते शुक्रमेतदतिवर्तन्ति धीराः ॥ १ ॥
> >  भाष्यम्
> > <http://advaitasharada.sringeri.net/display/bhashya/
> > Mundaka?page=3&id=MD_C03_S02_V01&hlBhashya=%E0%A4%B8%20%E0%
> > A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D#
> > bhashya-MD_C03_S02_V01>
> > यस्मात् स वेद जानाति एतत् यथोक्तलक्षणं ब्रह्म परमं प्रकृष्टं धाम
> > सर्वकामानामाश्रयमास्पदम् , यत्र यस्मिन्ब्रह्मणि धाम्नि विश्वं समस्तं जगत्
> > निहितम् अर्पितम् , यच्च स्वेन ज्योतिषा भाति शुभ्रं शुद्धम् ,
> > तमप्येवंविधमात्मज्ञं पुरुषं ये हि अकामाः विभूतितृष्णावर्जिता मुमुक्षवः
> > सन्तः उपासते परमिव देवम् , ते शुक्रं नृबीजं यदेतत्प्रसिद्धं
> > शरीरोपादानकारणम् अतिवर्तन्ति अतिगच्छन्ति धीराः बुद्धिमन्तः, न पुनर्योनिं
> > प्रसर्पन्ति । ‘न पुनः क्व रतिं करोति’ ( ? ) इति श्रुतेः । अतस्तं
> > पूजयेदित्यभिप्रायः ॥
> >
> > Shankara says above, giving the Brahma lakshanam as 'the abode of all
> > desires, where all creation rests...and when a mumukshu worships a knower
> > of Brahman as 'the Supreme God', *param iva devam*...will not return to
> > samsara.
> >
> > In fact the very earlier mantra there says: He who longs for worldly
> > wealth/position, etc. bhUti, by worshiping a Jnani, will accomplish all
> > that. Thus a Jnani is Para Brahman, the Supreme God, that can bestow all
> > purusharthas.  In this manner Subrahmanya, Surya, Ganapathi, Devi (Uma
> > Haimavati who taught Brahmavidya to Indra in Kenopanishat), Shiva,
> Vishnu,
> > are all fit for the status of Supreme/Ultimate God. The above list covers
> > both the Panchayatana Puja and the Shanmatha-s that are believed by many
> as
> > initiated by Shankara.  Nobody can object to this since the basis for
> > treating all these deities as Brahman is well established on the
> authority
> > of the Veda.
> >
> > The vishishtadvaitin author of the Tamil book 'Sankararum Vainavamum', on
> > page 11 objects that Surya, who has been depicted as someone who is
> > 'afraid' of Brahman, keeps doing his duties of rising and setting without
> > break in the Taittiriya Upanishad, cannot be Brahman. Such an objection
> > stems from not knowing the purport of that mantra there. Shankara has
> > explained that the very statement of creation, cosmic management, etc. is
> > taught by the Shruti only with a view to teach the Nirguna Brahman that
> is
> > beyond words and thought. So it is wrong to imagine that the deities such
> > as vayu, surya, agni, yama, varuna, etc. are literally under fear of
> > Brahman. It only means that the cosmos functions in a certain order. The
> > Jnani Surya can always continue in a portfolio as Adhikarika Purusha,
> just
> > as Jnani Yama was in the Nachiketas Brahma vidya.
> >
> > regards
> > subbu
> >
> >
> >
> > On Wed, Jan 17, 2018 at 12:18 PM, Shrinivas Gadkari via Advaita-l <
> > advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> >
> > > Namaste,
> > >
> > > Over the last several months, we have seen many posts
> > > on this forum showcasing Shiva as the Ultimate GOD in
> > > Vedic dharma. I understand that most of these posts
> > > were largely motivated by a desire to counter posts
> > > in other forums where Vishnu is showcased at the
> > > Ultimate GOD in the Vedic dharma. I would like to
> > > present a view point wherein these differences can be
> > > easily resolved.
> > >
> > > To begin with, please do not comment by saying "brahma
> > > which is non dual is the only reality and hence the
> > > only GOD". We all are well aware of this "para tattva".
> > >
> > > These type of discussions certainly fall in the realm
> > > of dvaita - advaita. That is, that realm of vyavahAra
> > > where knowledge and working of para tattva is integrated
> > > with the knowledge and workings of other tattva-s.
> > >
> > > While there is enough evidence in our Puranas that
> > > glorify viSNu or shiva or gaNapati or any other deity,
> > > as the Ultimate GOD, there is also equally compelling
> > > evidence to start thinking that none of these are the
> > > Ultimate GOD.
> > >
> > > Who then in the Vedic dharma is the Ultimate GOD?
> > >
> > > Here is my understanding:
> > > - The "Adi-puruSa" who is glorified in the puruSa sUkta is the
> > >   most promising candidate for the Ultimate GOD of Vedic dharma.
> > > - Very likely, this is the uttama puruSa of gitA chapter 15.
> > > - Even bhAgavatam clarifies in Book 1, Chapter 3, Shloka 1,
> > >   (and indirectly at other places) that puruSa is the original
> > >   avatAra of bhagavAn (the GOD of bhAgavatam). And all other
> > >   avatAra-s of bhagavAn are parts of this puruSa avatAra.
> > > - brahmA, viSNu, shiva, gaNapati are major avatAra-s of this
> > >   puruSa avatAra.
> > >
> > > For sake of completeness, upAsanA texts of the any specific deity
> > > include a reference to puruSa avatAra as the supreme form of their
> > > chosen deity (which is not incorrect), and also the source of
> > > "other" deities (this is also not incorrect).
> > >
> > > For example, a vaiSNava text would use a term like "mahA viSNu"
> > > to refer to the puruSa avatAra, and go on to say that brahmA,
> > > and shiva are parts of "mahAviSNu". On the other hand a shaiva
> > > text would use a term like "sadAshiva" or "paramashiva" to refer
> > > to puruSa avatAra, and go on to say that brahmA, and viSNu are parts
> > > of "sadAshiva" or "paramashiva". Note that, in principle this is
> > > accurate, however for most of the people, these statements can be
> > > the primary source of misunderstanding or confusion.
> > >
> > > With regards,
> > > Shrinivas Gadkari
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