[Advaita-l] Shaiva, Vaishnava, Shaakta, Saura and Gaanapatya - mentioned in Narada Puranam

[V Subrahmanian]

The Narada Purana has several chapters for the 'Kaashi Mahatmyam'. At the
end of the mahatmya narration, the chapter ends with a note as to whom this
has to be given:

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अविमुक्तस्य माहात्म्यं मया ते परिकीर्तितम् ।। ५१-४६ ।।
विष्णुभक्ताय दातव्यं शिवभक्तिरताय च ।।
जगज्जननिभक्ताय सूर्यहेरंबसेविने ।। ५१-४७ ।।

To the devotee of Vishnu, the bhakta of Shiva, the Shakti follower, the
Aditya worshiper and the Ganapati upasaka.

From this statement it is clear that Veda Vyasa has admitted the separate
groups of such devotees, without taaratamya, hierarchy. It is to be noted
that all these five deities have specific Gayatri-s in the Taittiriya
Aranyaka. One can read more about this here:


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Sri Madhusudana Saraswati in his Bh.Gita Gudhartha Dipika has said:

शैवाः सौराश्च गाणेशा वैष्णवाः शक्तिपूजकाः।
भवन्ति यन्मयाः सर्वे सोहमस्मि परः शिवः।।3।

I am that Supreme Consciousness that Shaivas, Sauras, Gaaneshas, Vaishnavas
and Shaakta hold to be their upasya devataa. It is well known that the
Ishta Devataa of Madhusudana Saraswati is Balakrishna.

The Narada Purana, in that very section also says that those who worship
Shiva in Kashi in the Krittika month will attain to the loka of Vishakha,
Subrahmanya. Thus Kaumaram is also endorsed by Veda Vyasa. We had already
seen that Kaumaram is approved in the Valmiki Ramayana.

Regards
subbu




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