[Advaita-l] Advaitin Sriharsha's prayer to Uma and Maheshwara

[V Subrahmanian]

https://www.facebook.com/100003873830844/posts/4056350431170711/?flite=scwspnss


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‘Bhagavan Shiva is the Nirvikalpa Brahman’ - says the Advaitian Acharya
Shri Harsha
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Shri Harsha was a great Advaitian Acharya of 12th century. He is celebrated
for his work Khandana-khanda-khadya, a work which refutes arguments of
Naiyayikas and defends the principles of Advaita Vedanta. It is interesting
to note that Shri Harsha commences this work by offering his salutations to
Uma-Maheshvara.

Ishvara, the lord of Uma, is described here as the nondual, nirvikalpa
Parabrahman. The author also prays Bhagavati Bhavani to cleanse him of all
the accumulated sins.

अविकल्पविषय एकः स्थाणुः पुरुषः श्रुतोस्ति यः श्रुतिः ।
ईश्वरमुमया न परं वन्देऽनुमयापि तमधिगतम् ॥ १ ॥
[To that universal soul, which is one, changeless, raised above all
distinctive knowledge, declared in the Scriptures, to the Ishwara, not only
embraced by Uma, but comprehended by me also, I offer my salutations.]

मानापनोदन विनोदनते गिरीशे
भासेव सङ्कुचितयोरुचितं तद्विन्दोः ।
भेत्तुं भवानिशचितं दुरित भवानि
नम्रीभवानि घनमङ्घ्रिसरोजयोस्ते ॥ २ ॥

[ O Bhavani, for the purpose of destroying the constantly accumulating
evils of mundane existence, I reverently bow to the lotuses of your
feet-those lotuses that rightly close when touched by the beams of the moon
which Shiva wears as a diadem, as he inclines his head towards you in the
pleasing act of appeasing your anger.]

(Courtesy : translations are from M.M Ganganath Jha)

This disposition of Shri Harsha reminds us of Bhagavatpada’s love for
Uma-Maheshvara in the context of Kenopanishad Bhashya.

उमैव हिमवतो दुहिता हैमवती नित्यमेव सर्वज्ञेनेश्वरेण सह वर्तत इति (Kena up.
Pada bhashya 3.12)
[Uma is verily the daughter of Himavan, who is ever in association with the
Sarvajna Ishwara]

From the bhashya on the same akhyayika, it is clear that this
Sarvajna-Ishvara (Uma’s consort Bhagavan Shiva) is verily the Brahman which
had manifested as the Yaksha.

तदा आत्मसंस्थस्य प्रत्यगात्मन ईश्वरस्य सर्वज्ञस्य सर्वक्रियाफलसंयोजयितुः
प्राणिनां सर्वशक्तेः जगतः स्थितिं चिकीर्षोः अयं जयो महिमा चेत्यजानन्तः ते
देवाः ऐक्षन्त ईक्षितवन्तः अग्न्यादिस्वरूपपरिच्छिन्नात्मकृतः अस्माकमेवायं
विजयः अस्माकमेवायं महिमा अग्निवाय्विन्द्रत्वादिलक्षणो
जयफलभूतोऽस्माभिरनुभूयते नास्मत्प्रत्यगात्मभूतेश्वरकृत इति ॥ (Kena up. Pada
bhashya 3.1)

In the above passage, it is stated that the glory and victory of the deva-s
was indeed that of Brahman. But the deva-s erroneously ascribed the victory
and glory to themselves. The interesting point here is to note the
description of Brahman. Brahman is described as 'Sarvajna-Ishvara’,
pratyagatman, bestower of fruits of all actions and sarva-shakta.

Thus, we see that Advaitians have always beheld Uma-pati Bhagavan Shiva as
the Parabrahman and this conviction is certainly not a post-Vidyaranya/
post-Deekshitar development.

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