[Advaita-l] “Vighneshwara is the Jagat-karana Brahman” - says Shri Sarvajnatma Muni ji

[V Subrahmanian]

Sri Natraj Maneshinde's post:

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“Vighneshwara is the Jagat-karana Brahman” - says Shri Sarvajnatma Muni ji
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Shri Sarvajnatma Muni ji is the author of ‘Sankshepa-shareerika’ - an
exposition on the sutra bhashya of Bhagavatpada. From his works, it is
evident that Sarvajnatma ji was  devoted to Bhagavan Vishnu. But like any
true Vedanti, he does not hesitate to behold the same Parabrahman in other
Bhagavat-swaroopas as well. This conviction of his is evident in the
following Mangalacharana shloka of Sankshepa Shareerika :

आरम्भाः फलिनः प्रसन्नहृदयो यश्चेत्तिरश्चामपि
नो चेद्विश्वसृजोऽप्यलं विफलतामायानत्युपायोद्यमाः ।
विश्वैश्वर्यमतो निरड़्कुशमभूद्यसैव विश्वप्रभोः
सोऽयं विश्वहिते रतो विजयते विघ्नेश्वरो विश्वकृत् ॥

(If Bhagavan Vighneshvara is pleased, even the efforts of the animals
attain fulfillment and if not, even Brahma’s efforts go in vain. Victory to
such  Vighneshvara, who is the Vishva-karta, whose glory knows no bounds
and who is always engaged in benefiting the world)

Thus, in the vision of Sarvajnatma Muni ji, Bhagavan Ganapati is the
Vishva-karta i.e. the Jagat-karana Brahman.

Shri Madhusudhan Saraswati ji and Shri Nrusimhashrama ji make some
insightful remarks while commenting on the above shloka.  The snaps from
their tika-s are attached in the comments. Below are the highlights :

1)Swami Madhusudhan Saraswati ji says that  Bhagavan Vighneshvara rules
over everyone , right from animals to Brahma himself. Hence, he is
सर्वप्रशास्तृ, the lord of all.  Swamiji quotes the shruti vakya :
भीषास्माद्वातः पवते and says that Bhagavan Vighneshwara is verily that
tattva which is described in the said Shruti.

Let us look into the Bhashya of Bhagavatpada on the cited Shruti:

भीषास्माद्वातः पवते । भीषोदेति सूर्यः । भीषास्मादग्निश्चेन्द्रश्च ।
मृत्युर्धावति पञ्चम इति । (Taittiriya Upanishad, 2.8.1)

Bhashya :
 भीषा भयेन अस्मात् वातः पवते । भीषोदेति सूर्यः । भीषा अस्मात्
अग्निश्चेन्द्रश्च । मृत्युर्धावति पञ्चम इति । वातादयो हि महार्हाः
स्वयमीश्वराः सन्तः पवनादिकार्येष्वायासबहुलेषु नियताः प्रवर्तन्ते ;
तद्युक्तं प्रशास्तरि सति ; यस्मात् नियमेन तेषां प्रवर्तनम् , तस्मादस्ति
भयकारणं तेषां प्रशास्तृ ब्रह्म । यतस्ते भृत्या इव राज्ञः अस्मात् ब्रह्मणः
भयेन प्रवर्तन्ते तच्च भयकारणमानन्दं ब्रह्म ।

(From fear of this, the wind blows. From fear, rises the sun. From fear of
this, speed Agni and Indra, and Death, the fifth. "Wind etc.," of great
worth, though lords in themselves regularly performed their functions,
blowing etc., requiring great effort. This regularity with which they
perform their functions can be appropriate only if there is a controller.
Therefore, Brahman, their
cause of fear and controller, exists; because they set about their duties
from fear of this Brahman, as servants from fear of kings. That cause of
fear is Bliss, ie., Brahman)

Thus, Madhusudhan Saraswati ji clearly establishes that the Vighneshvara
praised by Sarvajnatma Muni ji is the Parabrahman fearing whom all devata-s
engage in their respective duties. Commenting further, Swamiji says that
this Vishvakarta-Vighneshvara, the Jagat-karana Brahmam, himself incarnates
in the form of Ganesha! Thus, in the vision of Advaita Acharyas, Ganapati,
the son of Shiva-Parvati, is verily the Avatara of Parabrahman !

2)Shri Nrusimhashrama ji commenting on the last two lines of the shloka,
makes an interesting remark. Swamiji says that this Vighneshvara is
‘shruti-loka-prasiddha’ i.e well known in both Veda and in the world. As he
is Vishva-karta, Vishva-palaka ( विश्वहिते रतो) and also its samharaka,
Vighneshvara is verily the embodiment of Brahma-Vishnu-Rudra!

Thus, from the above verse of Shri Sarvajnatma Muni ji, who was a devout
Vishnu-bhakta, we understand that Advaitan Acharyas see the one and the
same Parabrahman in all Bhagavat-swaroopas.

Courtesy : Many thanks to Shri Subrahmanian Vaidyanathan ji for helping in
understanding the commentaries. 🙏🙏🙏

Additionally Bhagavatpada and Anandagiri Acharya also behold Bhagavan
Ganapati as ‘Vishva-karta’.

बन्धूकबन्धुरुचये रचये नमस्यां
हेरम्बनाम वहते महते गजाय ॥
प्रत्यूहभङ्गविधये निधये गुणानां
शोभामतीव भजते सृजते जगन्ति ॥ ४ ॥

~ श्री आनन्दगिरि आचार्य, शास्त्रदीपिका (टीका on बृहदारण्यक भाष्य वार्तिक)

[I compose the praise of Bhagavan Heramba,  who is having the shape of a
great tusker, who shines with the red lustre like flowers of badhuka, who
eliminates impediments, who is a treasure of Gunas, who is glorious and who
is creating the worlds]

The conviction of Advaitin Acharyas, that Bhagavan Ganapati is the Jagat
Karana Brahman, is rooted in the following verse of Bhagavatpada

बीजापूरगदेक्षुकार्मुकरुजाचक्राब्जपाशोत्पल
व्रीह्यग्रस्वविषाणरत्नकलशप्रोद्यत्कराम्भोरुहः।
ध्येयो वल्लभया सपद्मकरयाश्लिष्टो ज्वलद्भूषया
विश्वोत्पत्तिविपत्तिसंस्थितिकरो विघ्नो विशिष्टार्थदः।।17.9।।

~ श्री शंकर भगवत्पूज्यपाद, प्रपंचसार

[Bhagavan Vighneshvara holds a pomegranate, gada, a bow made of sugarcane,
a trishula, chakra, lotus, pasha, utpala, dhanya-vallari, tusk in his ten
hands. He bears a ratna-kalasha in his trunk. He is embraced by his consort
who holds a lotus. Bhagavan Vighneshvara of such a form, who brings about
the srushti-sthiti-sahmara of the Jagat, grants all the wishes of his
devotees.]