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

[D.V.N.Sarma డి.వి.ఎన్.శర్మ]

Agni is the coहrier of offerings to the gods and important in that capacity.

अगनिमीळे पुरोहितम्
यज्ञस्य देवमृत्विजम्
होतारं रत्नधातमम्।

regards,
Sarma.

On Wed, Jan 17, 2018 at 8:18 PM, Ryan Armstrong via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Namaste
>
> I have not read the Rig Veda completely, but commentaries state that Agni
> has a pre-eminent role.
> So is Agni also to be considered as the ultimate god?
>
> Yours in Truth
> Ryan
>
> On 17 January 2018 at 15:19, Venkateswaran N E via Advaita-l <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>
> > 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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>
> --
> Regards
>
> Ryan Armstrong
> +27 82 852 7787
> ryanarm at gmail.com
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