[Advaita-l] Bhagavatam correspondence with 'syaat parameshwarasyaapi' of Shankara Bhashyam

[V Subrahmanian]

Shankara has said in the Sutra bhashyam:

: स्यात्परमेश्वरस्यापि इच्छावशात् मायामयं रूपं साधकानुग्रहार्थम् ।
(1.1.vii.20) (Ishwara, Nirguna Brahman, out of compassion, takes on, by His
Maya, a form to grace the spiritual aspirant."

We find a close correspondence to the above statement in the Bhagavatam:

In a prayer addressed to Krishna, the following is said:
श्रीमद्भागवतपुराणम्/स्कन्धः १०/पूर्वार्धः/अध्यायः २
https://sa.wikisource.org/s/ak6


बिभर्षि रूपाण्यवबोध आत्मा क्षेमाय लोकस्य चराचरस्य।
सत्त्वोपपन्नानि सुखावहानि सतामभद्राणि मुहुः खलानाम् २९। 10.2.29

O Lord, You are Pure Consciousness, and to bring all good fortune to all
living entities, You appear in various incarnations, all of which are
transcendental to the material creation. When You appear in such
incarnations, pious and religious devotees are pleased, but non-devotees
consider You to be annihilation personified.

त्वय्यम्बुजाक्षाखिलसत्त्वधाम्नि समाधिनावेशितचेतसैके।
त्वत्पादपोतेन महत्कृतेन कुर्वन्ति गोवत्सपदं भवाब्धिम् ३०।

O lotus-eyed Lord, one who concentrates on meditating on Your lotus feet,
which are the source of all existence, and accepts Them as the boat to
cross the ocean of nescience, follows in the footsteps of the mahājanas
[great saints, sages, and devotees]. By this simple process, crossing the
ocean of nescience becomes as easy as stepping on the hoof of a calf.

What are the forms that Brahman assumes to bless the devotee?

The Uttara Khanda of Padma Purana has a beautiful reference to Panchayatana
puja. Bhagavan Krishna says the following to Satyabhama in the 88th Chapter
:

शैवाः सौराश्च गाणेशा वैष्णवाः शक्तिपूजकाः ।

मामेव प्राप्नुवंतीह वर्षांभः सागरं यथा ॥ ४३ ॥

एकोऽहं पंचधा जातः क्रीडयन्नामभिः किल ।

देवदत्तो यथा कश्चित्पुत्राद्याह्वाननामभिः ॥ ४४ ॥ ( 6.88.43-44)

Bhagavan says to Satyabhama , "As rain-water reaches the ocean, so also,
the worshippers of Shiva,Surya,Ganesha,Vishnu and Shakti attain me. I am
one, yet manifest in five ways. As one Devadatta is addressed in many ways,
so also, I am called variously owing to my play. "

Sridhara swamin's commentary to the Bhagavatam verses:

*“If one asks: ‘How can you describe me, the son of Devakī, in such a
manner?’—to that, it is said:*
‘*You assume (bibharsi)* — *You, who are the very Self, whose nature is
pure Consciousness alone*, assume forms and bodies. That is, it is *You*
who bear or adopt these forms. *You are not actually anyone’s son in the
real sense*.’

*‘For the sake of the world’s welfare (kṣemāya pālanāya)’* —
For protecting the virtuous, who live by Dharma, You bring happiness; and
for destroying the wicked, You bring ruin.

*Not only for this much (na kevalam etāvat),*
but also *for the liberation of Your devotees*, it is said:

*‘In You (tvayi iti)’* —
Those whose minds are absorbed in You through Samādhi, those who have taken
refuge in You —
*through You as the boat of Your feet* (tvad-pāda-pota),

*‘Some — the foremost among the wise (eke mukhyā vivekinaḥ)’*,
who, through great and noble acts of service and devotion (mahadbhiḥ kṛtena
sevyatayā saṃpāditena),

—or alternately—
having completely abandoned the disregard that “this (world) is merely
Māyā,”
take *this very manifestation* (of Yours) to be the highest, the most
exalted of all.

*Such people consider You with great esteem (manasi kṛtena bahu-matena)*.
*They easily cross the ocean of worldly existence (bhavābdhiṃ
tucchīkurvanti).*
In their case, liberation follows effortlessly as a result of their
devotion.”

*श्रीधरस्वामिविरचिता भावार्थदीपिका*

" देवकीपुत्रं मां कथमेवं वर्णयथेति चेत्तत्राहुः । बिभर्षति । *अवबोधैकस्वरूप
आत्मा त्वमेव रूपाणि मूर्तीर्विभषि धत्से । *न तु त्वं कस्यापि पुत्र इत्यर्थः
। क्षेमाय पालनाय । सतां धर्मवर्तिनां सुखकराणि । खलानामभद्राणि नाशकानि ॥ २९
॥ न केवलमेतावत् | भक्तानां मोक्षार्थमपीत्याहुः त्वयीति । त्वयि समाधिना
आवेशितचेतसा निमित्तेन त्वत्पादपोतेनाश्रितेन । एके मुख्या विवेकिनः । महद्भिः
कृतेन सेव्यतया संपादितेन । यद्वा इदमपि मायामयमित्यनादरं परित्यज्येदमेव
महत्सर्वोत्कृष्टमिति मनसि कृतेन बहुमतेनेत्यर्थः । भवाब्धिं तुच्छीकुर्वन्ति
। अनायासेनैव भजनानुसारिणी तेषां मुक्तिरित्यर्थः ॥ ३० ॥

Om Tat Sat