[Advaita-l] REFERENCES FROM VARIOUS PURANAS, UPANISHADS, SASTRAS WHERE VISHNU, RAMA, KRISHNA DON BHASMA TRIPUNDRA AND VISHNU IS A PARAMA SHIVA BHAKTA

[Raghav Kumar Dwivedula]

All words have etymological
derivations. In the Narayana sukta, Sayana has cited the famous verse of
the manu smriti and other puranas that give the etymological meaning of the
name 'narayana'  - Apo nArA iti proktआः..'

'आपो नारा इति प्रोक्ता आपो वै नरसूनवः ।

अयनं तस्य ताः पूर्वं तेन नारायणः स्मृतः ॥ ‘ [मनुः १.१०]
   and said that 'nArAyaNa is not any mrUrivishesha.'  Any deity can be
assigned to that definition. As per the definition, Narayana is the
adhiShThAnam of the jagat adhyasa. Hence, N is NB.  Likewise Vishnu means
that which is vyApaka. Nirguna Brahman is sarvavyApi and hence Vishnu
denotes Brahman. So with Vasudeva, etc. names.

Thank you for stating the above , Subbuji


The oft quoted verse of Shankara starting
nArAyaNah paro'vyaktAt (nArayaNa is beyond the unmanifest)
also indicates that the word nArAyaNah has no *invariable* connexion with a
particular form or even way of worship with tulasi leaves alone etc. The
Veda endorses and enjoins worship of nArAyaNatattvamwith bhasma-dhAraNa and
bilva leaves too.

Also Srinath ji, thank you for posting the views/opinions of Madhvacharya
who says that listening to Advaita is 'sinful' or singing bhajans is also a
sin. (presumably songs using the word Shiva to refer to jagatkAraNam )

Srinathji , your posts also clarify why many advaitic members feel the need
to post numerous references from the shAstras which give equal endorsement
and importance to the word 'Shiva' to refer to jagatkAraNam (the cause of
the Creation).

And so advaitic members on this list seem to labour this point and assert
that this jagatkAraNam which is a cetana-tattvaM can be invoked in an altar
in the form of a lingam as much as a shAlagrAmam.  Veda and Agama endorse
worship of jagatkAraNam with bilva leaves too. (Is it just me or do most
people feel  that...it is despairing to see Indian dualists even in the
21st century (with so much information about other world nations and
traditions known to all), continue to argue with Non-dualists that worship
of the Creator in a particular way with Ocimum sanctum leaves is right
while worship of jagatkAraNam with Aegle marmelos leaves is a sin.)

It only shows the enormous grace that is required to arrive at Advaita and
free the mind of dualistic sectarianism - whether Indian dualism  (Ramanuja
and Madhva  etc.) or middle-eastern origin dualism (Christianity and
Islam). The only difference seems to be that Indian dualists are physically
nonviolent and merely intellectually violent. Whereas middle-eastern origin
dualism is both physically and intellectually violent .

Om
Raghav