[Advaita-l] The Viraat form of Brahman as per Panchadashi - ref to BG 11th ch.

[V Subrahmanian]

The Viraat form of Brahman as per Panchadashi - ref to BG 11th ch.

In the Panchadashi, 6th chapter, Swami Vidyaranya has given a detailed
picture of creation. The sequence is: from kaaraNam to sUkshma kaaryam to
sthUla kaaryam. KaaraNam is Ishwara (antaryaami, etc. as per Mandukya 6th
mantra). Kaaryam in its sukshma form is the Hiranyagarbha and in its
sthula, gross, form is virAT.  For this he says the Bh.Gita 11th chapter is
the example. The gross world is made of both animate and inanimate entities

इहैकस्थं जगत्कृत्स्नं पश्याद्य सचराचरम् ।
मम देहे गुडाकेश यच्चान्यद्द्रष्टुमिच्छसि ॥ ७ ॥ 11.7

In the Gita says that the world is of both chara and achara which is what
is animate and inanimate. In the 10th chapter itself the animate/inanimate
composition of Brahman as the viraat prapancha has been made. Shankara has
cited the Purusha sukta too in the 10th ch.commentary, which Vidyaranya
mentions in the second verse here:

आतपाभातलोको वा पटो वा वर्णपूरितः ।
शस्यं वा फलितं यदवत्तथा स्पष्टवपुर्विराट् ॥ २०४॥
विश्वरूपाध्याय एष उक्तः सूक्तेऽपि पौरुषे ।
धात्रादिस्तम्बपर्यन्तानेतस्यावयवान् विदुः ॥ २०५॥
ईशसूत्रविराट्वेधोविष्णुरुद्रएन्द्रवह्नयः ।
विघ्नभैरवमैरालमारिका यक्षराक्षसाः ॥ २०६॥
विप्रक्षत्रियविट्शूद्रा गवाश्वमृगपक्षिणः ।
अश्वत्थवटचूताद्या यववृहितृणादयः ॥ २०७॥
जलपाषाणमृत्काष्ठवास्याकुद्दालकादयः ।
ईश्वराः सर्व एवैते पूजिताः फलदायिनः ॥ २०८॥
यथा यथोपासते तं फलमीयुस्तथा तथा ।

फलोत्कर्षापकर्षौ तु पूज्यपूजानुसारतः ॥ २०९॥

204. In Virat the world appears distinct and shining, like objects in broad
day-light or like the figures of a fully painted picture or the fruit of a
fully matured tree. In Virat all the gross bodies are plainly seen.

205. In the Vishvarupa chapter and in the Purusha Sukta there is a
description of Virat. From the creator Brahma to a blade of grass, all
objects in the world form part of Virat.

206. The forms of Virat, such as Ishvara, Hiranyagarbha, Virat, Brahma,
Vishnu, Shiva, Indra, Agni, Ganesha, Bhairava, Mairala, Marika, Yakshas,
demons.

207. Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Sudras, cows, horses and other
beasts, birds, fig, banyan and mango trees, wheat, rice and other cereals
and grasses;

208. Water, stone, earth, chisels, axes and other implements are
manifestations of Ishvara. Worshipped as Ishvara they grant fulfilment of
desires.

209. In whatever form Ishvara is worshipped, the worshipper obtains the
appropriate reward through that form. If the method of worship and the
conception of the attributes of the deity worshipped are of a high order,
the reward also is of a high order; but if otherwise, it is not.

210. The Liberation, however, can be obtained through the knowledge of
reality and not otherwise. The dreaming does not end until the dreamer
awakes.

211. In the secondless principle, Brahman, the whole universe, in the form
of Ishvara and Jiva and all animate and inanimate objects, appears like a
dream.

What is noteworthy in the above rendering is: The Trimurtis, Brahma, Vishnu
and Shiva - are all part of the Vishvarupa. According to Vedantins, the
Vishvarupa is of Brahman and not a finite deity. Thus, the entire lot of
entities that are related to creation will find place in the vishvarupa by
default. In the BG 11th chapter, only Brahmaa is mentioned, as per
Shankara. The others have to be taken as per the upalakshana maxim.  In the
10th chapter, however, even Vishnu and Rudra have been mentioned as per
various commentators. The BG depiction also is to be known to be not
exhaustive but only representational. This becomes clear from the lines of
the Pachadashi shown above.

Om Tat Sat