[Advaita-l] Bhagavan Himself censures difference and praises unity of Trimurtis - Bhagavata

[V Subrahmanian]

It is heartening to note that Advaitian Acharyas alone have faithfully
preserved this teaching of Bhagavan Vyasa[image: 🙏🏻]
यः पृथिव्यामितीशोऽसावन्तर्यामी जगद्गुरुः ।
हरिर्ब्रह्मा पिनाकीति बहुधैकोऽपि गीयते ॥ ३७७ ॥
[That Antaryami spoken of in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and the bhashya
thereon, though Only One, is spoken of with many names such as Hari,
Brahmaa and Pinaaki (Shiva).
~ Vartikakara Bhagavan Sureshvaracharya ( Brihadaranyaka bhashya vartika
1.4)

Om

On Sat, Mar 11, 2023 at 1:46 PM V Subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com>
wrote:

>
> In the Bhagavata, the censure of difference among Trimurtis, and the
> praise of non-difference by Bhagavan Himself.
> Lord Srihari's addresses everyone in the Dakshayajna episode thus:
> We (the Trimurtis) together are the cause of this world. None of us should
> be discriminated. He who discriminates is ignorant. Supreme good will not
> be attained by those who differentiate.
> श्रीमद्भागवतपुराणम्/स्कन्धः ४/अध्यायः ७
> https://sa.wikisource.org/s/ebv
> <https://sa.wikisource.org/s/ebv?fbclid=IwAR3-HGo7fAyg-RwjrGSOtXXWy-65rUUqaDu0UHkEHkhSBXG_I69Rqv5RNzc>
> श्रीभगवानुवाच -
> अहं ब्रह्मा च शर्वश्च जगतः कारणं परम् ।
> आत्मेश्वर उपद्रष्टा स्वयं दृगविशेषणः ॥ ५० ॥
> आत्ममायां समाविश्य सोऽहं गुणमयीं द्विज ।
> सृजन् रक्षन् हरन् विश्वं दध्रे संज्ञां क्रियोचिताम् ॥ ५१ ॥
> Depending on the sattva, etc. qualities of my maya, I perform the
> functions of creation, state and destruction.
> तस्मिन् ब्रह्मण्यद्वितीये केवले परमात्मनि ।
> ब्रह्मरुद्रौ च भूतानि भेदेनाज्ञोऽनुपश्यति ॥ ५२ ॥
> It is significant that Srihari speaks of Brahman here as 'advitiya': the
> idea that the Trimurtis, the whole world, is not different from Brahman,
> but Brahman verily is all. The verses for this are in the sequel.
> यथा पुमान्न स्वाङ्‌गेषु शिरःपाण्यादिषु क्वचित् ।
> पारक्यबुद्धिं कुरुते एवं भूतेषु मत्परः ॥ ५३ ॥
> Just as one does not discriminate between the parts of his body, one
> should not discriminate between the Trimurtis and other living beings.
> त्रयाणां एकभावानां यो न पश्यति वै भिदाम् ।
> सर्वभूतात्मनां ब्रह्मन् स शान्तिं अधिगच्छति ॥ ५४ ॥
> Among the Trimurtis which is one, and even among all living beings, those
> who do not discriminate will attain peace (liberation).
> Trimurtis are the three forms of Lord Vishnu:
> This verse from the Bhagavata states:
> The whole world is a plaything for the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord
> takes the form of Brahma Vishnu Rudra assuming Sattva rajas tams qualities:
> ŚB 11.29.7
> श्रीशुक उवाच
> इत्युद्धवेनात्यनुरक्तचेतसा
> पृष्टो जगत्क्रीडनक: स्वशक्तिभि: ।
> गृहीतमूर्तित्रय ईश्वरेश्वरो
> जगाद सप्रेममनोहरस्मित: ॥ ७ ॥
> This leads us to conclude that:
> 1. The Trimurtis and the entire living entities are the integral forms of
> the same Supreme Being.
> 2. There is no discrimination in this as stated by the Supreme Lord:
> Just as one does not discriminate between one's own bodily organs, one
> should not discriminate between the Trimurtis and other living beings.
> 3. Censuring of discrimination: Those who discriminate are ignorant (the
> remain in bondage).
> 4. Praise of Abheda Drishti: Salvation to those who have Abheda Buddhi
> among the Trimurtis and all living beings.
> Thus Srihari himself has denied all kinds of discrimination by employing
> yukti, logic, bhedaninda (censure of difference) and abheda prashamsa
> (praising of non-difference). This Vedantic premise declared by Vedavyasa
> is admissible only in Advaita. For other schools this view of Vedavyasa and
> the Lord are detrimental.
> The implication that stands out above is that absolute, universal
> non-difference is determined by indicatory marks, tatparya lingas.
> Even if the Supreme Lord himself has said about difference elsewhere, the
> above mentioned words supersede that. For Abheda, non-difference, is the
> pervader, vyapaka and Bheda, difference, is pervaded, Vyapya.
>
> It is heartening to note that Advaitian Acharyas have faithfully preserved
> this teaching of Bhagavan Vyasa[image: 🙏🏻]
> यः पृथिव्यामितीशोऽसावन्तर्यामी जगद्गुरुः ।
> हरिर्ब्रह्मा पिनाकीति बहुधैकोऽपि गीयते ॥ ३७७ ॥
> [That Antaryami spoken of in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and the bhashya
> thereon, though Only One, is spoken of with many names such as Hari,
> Brahmaa and Pinaaki (Shiva).]
> ~ Vartikakara Bhagavan Sureshvaracharya ( Brihadaranyaka bhashya vartika
> 1.4)
> Om
> See a Trimurti image here:
> https://groups.google.com/g/advaitin/c/OKceCp2KAYA
>
>