[Advaita-l] Hari-Hara abheda in the Varaha Puranam

[V Subrahmanian]

In a dialogue Varaha Murthy himself recounts an incident where Shiva
teaches the non-difference between himself and Vishnu. This dialogue can be
read here:

https://sa.wikisource.org/s/1982

The relevant verses are:

श्रीवराह उवाच ।।
आसीत्पुरा महाभागो देवदत्त इति द्विजः ।।
भृगुवंशे समुत्पन्नो वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः ।।५।।

[ Varaha Murthy, Vishnu, starts narrating an incident about a Vaidika
Brahmana, by name Devadatta, very learned in the Vedas and Vedanga-s ]

....

गण्डकीसंगमे स्नात्वा सन्तर्प्य पितृदेवताः ।।
विष्णुं शिवं च सम्पूज्य तपःस्थानं विचिंतयन् ।।146.५० ।।

Devadatta as part of his worship, did the puja of Vishnu and Shiva.

भृगुतुंगं समासाद्य शङ्कराराधने रतः ।।५२।।
अतप्यत तपो घोरं शिवदर्शनलालसः ।।

He performed severe penance to obtain the darshana of Shiva.

अथ दीर्घेण कालेन सन्तुष्टः स महेश्वरः ।। ५३ ।।
लिंगरूपधरः साक्षादुपर्यपि तथा ह्यधः ।।
तिर्यक् च जलधाराभिर्युक्तस्तत्तापशांतिकृत् ।। ५४ ।।
उवाच च प्रसन्नात्मा मुने पश्य च मां शिवम् ।।
मामेवावेहि विष्णुं त्वं मा पश्यस्वांतरं मम ।। ५५ ।।
पूर्वमन्तरभावेन दृष्टवानसि यन्मम ।।
तेन विघ्नोऽभवद्येन गलितं त्वत्तपो महत् ।। ५६ ।।
आवामेकेन भावेन पश्यंस्त्वं सिद्धिमाप्स्यसि ।।
तपःप्रभावाल्लिंगानि प्रादुर्भूतानि यत्र वै ।।५७।।

Satisfied by Devadatta's severe penance over a long period, Shiva appeared
before him in a peculiar form, the Linga surrounded by water all over. He
addressed Devadatta: O Sage, see me Shiva, know me alone as Vishnu. You
entertain a difference between me and Vishnu. It is due to your vision of
difference (between Hari and Hara) that your penance was severely disturbed
and destroyed. [There reference is to the incident where, due to Indra's
prompting, Devadatta succumbed to the snares of Cupid.] By looking upon
both of us as One, you will attain success in your efforts.

Having said this Shiva disappeared.

The highlights of this event is:


   1. The vision of difference between Hari-Hara is destructive of one's
   saadhana.
   2. The teaching of abheda is coming from Shiva.
   3. The entire event, including Shiva's abheda statement, is actually
   related by Varaha Murthy.
   4. The Purana teaches that the worship of Hari and Hara by vaidikas has
   been in vogue from time immemorial.

For a rare picture of Shiva and the Kannada version of the above post with
images of the verses and translation see here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/vedaonline/permalink/2448623248740605/

regards
subbu