[Advaita-l] sUrya represents brahmA in panchdeva pUjA / panchAyatna pUjA

[V Subrahmanian]

On Thu, Jan 18, 2018 at 12:01 AM, Sujal Upadhyay via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Namaste,
>
> In one of Puri SankarAchArya svAmI niSchalAnanda jI's talks, I heard that
> sUrya represents brahmA jI and symbolizes creation. svAmI jI was explaining
> panchdeva pUjA. svAmI jI says, there is one satchidananda which is divided
> into 5 deities based on karma it does -
>
> sUrya - hiraNyagarbha - brahmA - rajas - creation
> viShNU - sattva - preservation
> devI - tirodhAna or niyantraNa or control
> gaNapatI - anugraH or grace or kripa
> Siva - rudra - tamas - samhAra - destruction or dissolution of samsAra.
>
> Source: https://youtu.be/5dFMAOjnuS8?t=2m12s
>
> Title of Q and A -
> Puri Shankaracharya on Sai Controversy; Idols prescribed by scriptures only
> are acceptable.
>
> Relavent part starts from 2:12 minutes and ends at 3:00 minutes.
>
> He has also said this in another discourse, but can't remember which one.
> svAmI jI has reiterated that sUrya represents brahmA jI, the creator.
>

This seems possible on the authority of the Shaankara Bhashyam for
Ishavasya Upanishad 15:

सत्यस्य आदित्यमण्डलस्थस्य ब्रह्मणः       Here in the concluding mantras is
described the prayer by the life-long upasaka seeking at the end of his
life, a safe path to Brahma loka. This surya upasaka prays to Surya to
enable him to attain his destination. Chaturmukha brahma (Hiranyagarbha) is
admitted to be inhering in the Suryamandala. A study of the entire bhashya
for these three or four mantras will be revealing much.

In the bhashya for 17 there we have: ओमिति यथोपासनम्
ओम्प्रतीकात्मकत्वात्सत्यात्मकमग्न्याख्यं ब्रह्माभेदेनोच्यते ।     So, an
identity between Agni and Brahma also is suggested. Surya has a name
'Hiranyagarbha.'

Also in Kathopanishat 1.1.15 there is an agnividya  taught to Nachiketa in
exchange for the second boon. There, the Agni is stated to be:

लोकादिमग्निं तमुवाच तस्मै या इष्टका यावतीर्वा यथा वा ।
स चापि तत्प्रत्यवदद्यथोक्तमथास्य मृत्युः पुनरेवाह तुष्टः ॥ १५ ॥
 भाष्यम्
<http://advaitasharada.sringeri.net/display/bhashya/Kathaka#bhashya-Ka_C01_S01_V15>
इदं श्रुतेर्वचनम् — लोकादिं *लोकानामादिं प्रथमशरीरित्वात् अग्निं तं*
प्रकृतं नचिकेतसा प्रार्थितम् उवाच उक्तवान्मृत्युः तस्मै नचिकेतसे ।   This
prathama shariri is Hiranyagarbha, Brahma.

regards
subbu

>
> Please can someone give reference in shAstra-s.
>
> OM
>
> Sujal
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