[Advaita-l] [advaitin] Sri Krishna incarnated as Ganesha - Brahmavaivarta Purana

[V Subrahmanian]

On Mon, Sep 8, 2025 at 11:48 AM Krishna Kashyap <kkashyap2011 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Namaste.
>
> Thanks, Subrahmanian Ji, for the reference to the Pancharatra-related
> information.
> Shankaracharya's bhashya contains citations from *Pancharatra Agama*
> texts.
>

While one can't see any verbatim citation from the Pancharatra Agama in
Shankara's Bhashya for that Adhikarana, I heard that a Vishishtadvaitin has
challenged: in no Pancharatra Agama text do we see the idea: the jiva is
created: jivotpatti.  This is the point Shankara disagrees with primarily
with Pancharatra. It would be interesting to locate such a passage in a
Pancharatra Agama text that means or at least implies that.  In fact
Bhaskara who disagreed with Shankara on the ultimate siddhanta, takes the
same stand as Shankara in this adhikarana. So does Vallabhacharya. And
Nilakantha in his Brahma sutra bhashya.

regards
subbu


> I plan to examine these references in detail later, as they show how
> Advaita incorporates diverse scriptural traditions in its interpretive
> framework.
>
> As my teacher KSV used to say:
>
> *"If one has Brahma-drishti (vision of Brahman) in any object, he or she
> will attain the ultimate goal."*
>
> This principle validates even the simplest forms of worship. In
> traditional Amman temples, devotees would worship a plain stone, in fact,
> without any specific vigraha form, with complete devotion. According to
> Vedanta, this is perfectly valid because of the fundamental truth: *"सर्वं
> खलु इदं ब्रह्म"* (*sarvam khalu idam brahma*) - "All this is indeed
> Brahman."
>
> The key is the *quality of vision and devotion* with which one approaches
> it.
> ------------------------------
>
> *This demonstrates how Advaita Vedanta harmonizes all devotional practices
> with non-dual wisdom*
>
> *Best Regards,*
>
> *Krishna Kashyap*
>
>
>
>
> On Mon, Sep 8, 2025 at 11:04 AM V Subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Sep 8, 2025 at 10:03 AM Krishna Kashyap via Advaita-l <
>> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>>
>>> *Incarnations of Hari (Vishnu): A Comprehensive Overview*
>>>
>>
>> Namaste
>>
>> It would be interesting to note what Shankara says in the Pancharatra
>> adhikarana regarding the 'vyuhas':
>>
>> न चैते भगवद्व्यूहाश्चतुःसंख्यायामेवावतिष्ठेरन् ,
>> ब्रह्मादिस्तम्बपर्यन्तस्य समस्तस्यैव जगतो भगवद्व्यूहत्वावगमात् ॥ ४४ ॥
>> BSB 2.2.44:   There is no need to limit the vyuhas of Bhagavan to just
>> four; the entire world of jivas from Brahmā up to the tiniest creature are
>> known (from the shruti) to be the vyuhas of Bhagavan.
>>
>> In another bhashya there itself, Shankara says: BSB 2.242:
>>
>>  योऽसौ नारायणः परोऽव्यक्तात्प्रसिद्धः परमात्मा सर्वात्मा, स
>> आत्मनात्मानमनेकधा व्यूह्यावस्थित इति — तन्न निराक्रियते, ‘स एकधा भवति
>> त्रिधा भवति’ (छा. उ. ७ । २६ । २)
>> <https://advaitasharada.sringeri.net/display/bhashya/Chandogya/devanagari?page=7&id=Ch_C07_S26_V02&hl=%E0%A4%B8%20%E0%A4%8F%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%20%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF> इत्यादिश्रुतिभ्यः
>> परमात्मनोऽनेकधाभावस्याधिगतत्वात् ।
>>
>> What the Pancharatras say: Bhagavan Narayana takes many forms as vyuhas,
>> is acceptable to us as the Upanishad says: 'He appears as one, as three...'
>> Chandogya 7.26.2.
>>
>> The Claude analysis posted here by Krishna Kashyap Ji aligns with the
>> above:  One Brahman appearing as everything in creation: all categories of
>> sentient entities - gods, humans, asuras, animals, etc.
>>
>> regards
>> subbu
>>
>>
>>
>>>
>>>