RAMANUJA'S REVIVAL OF PARA TATTVA AS VISHNU TATTVA.

 Ramanuja Millennial Commemorative Lecture--4

RAMANUJA'S REVIVAL OF PARA TATTVA AS VISHNU TATTVA

(N.R. Srinivasan, Nashville, TN, USA)

Who is the God in the orb of the Sun?  He is Samvatsara or Kalapurusha, custodian of times of all the 360 days in a year (samvatsarah purushah bhootaanaam adhipatih-MNU). He is Brahman.  “Ambasyapaare bhuvanasya madhye nakasya prishthe mahato maheeyaan (MNU)”— one who is greater than the greatest, resides in the vast ocean (Narayana), in the atmospheric region and on the surface of the celestial abode. He is Narayana. He is Vishnu one who pervades the entire universe. The word Narayana means deliverer of mankind. When   Nara” and “ayana” are joined, it becomes “NaaraayaNa” with emphasis on N and thus becomes a proper name in Sanskrit. Ramanuja   venerated Saguna Brahman as Narayana in his Archa (worshipful) form and propagated it by the dvaya mantra—“Om Namo narayanaya” and “Sriman Narayana charanam saranam prapadye”.  

In fact VSN is Narayana Sahasranama.  Please refer to the Veda Mantra Vishnumukhaa vai devascchandobhir-imaallokaan-anapajayya –abhyajan || The devatas (gods) having Vishnu for their chief won these worlds for themselves free from enemies by the help of the Vedas. Vishnu is also referred as Chaturvyuha in VSN that is an attribute to (Para) Parabrahman.

The oldest religious Vedic text the Rigveda, describes Lord Vishnu as the Supreme Deity in Vishnu Sooktham “Om tad vishnoh paramam padam sadaa pasyanti soorayah diviva chaksur aatatam tadvipraaso vipanyavo jaagruvaam sasamidhate Vishnor yat paramampadam ” --Just as the sun’s rays in the sky are extended to the mundane vision, so in the same way the wise and learned devotees always see the supreme abode of Lord Vishnu.  Because those highly praiseworthy and spiritually awake devotees are able to see the spiritual world, they are also able to reveal that supreme abode of Lord Vishnu.
Trinity Acharyas including Sankara described Lord Vishnu as the final Refuge and Supreme being and the foundation of all existence. This is explained in Katha Upanishad 2.2.13: “nityo nityanam cetanas chetanaanaam/ eko bahunaam yo vidadhati Kaaman--the Supreme Being, the Personality of Godhead, is the chief living being amongst all living beings and grants the desires of all other eternal sentient beings “

The words Narayana and Sathyam both appear in Vedas referring to Brahman.  Sathyam is a term used to Parabrahman and well defined in Chandogya Upanishad as a principle that regulates both Mortals and Immortals (Sat+thi+yam). VSN is therefore the endless attributes of Narayana or Paramatman who is Anantam.    Vishnu Sahasrnama lists around 1000 names of Sri Narayana. Rig Veda I.155.6, says “With four times ninety names (chaturbhih sakam navatim cha namabhih), he (Vishnu) sets in motion moving forces like a turning wheel (chakra).” This suggests that even in Vedic times Vishnu had 360 names or forms, one for each degree of the zodiacs like a turning wheel (chakra).”   And that Vishnu is Brahman and that is Narayana with 360 names. Vedavyasa started composing Mahabharata paying obeisance to Narayana and also ended it so including Vishnusahasranama in Shantiparva. To him Vishnu was Narayana.

In the olden days, when everyone accepted the authority of the Vedas, when people had regard for the veracity of the truths expounded in them, none questioned the numerous references declaring Narayana as the Para-Tattva and this fact was well established.  Narayana as Saguna Brahman was also known as Hari or Vishnu. All Vedas start with Obeisance to Narayana by the mantra—“Harih Om”. This Para Tattva is popularly known as Vishnu Tattva in Vedanta. Ramayana is Adikavya and is the earliest Purana. Ramayana reveals the tradition of worship of Kuladaiva or Ishtadevata as revealed by the sloka in Ramayana “Aaraadhaya Jagannaatham Ikshvaaku Kuladaivatam”.  Here Jagannatha is another name of Vishnu. Rama worshiped besides Jagnatha, Aditya or Surya who is a Vyahriti of Brahman glorified in Vedas or Narayana. Later Puranas also praised Brahman as Suryanaryana as well as Sathyanarayana.

The Avatar of Krishna gave birth to the Bhagavata Tradition and Bhakti Marga.    Bogged down by fear of death our ancient rishis raised their voices to Brahman with the mantras “mrityor maa amritam gamaya” and “mrityor mooksheeya maamrutaat”. This later mantra was found in Satarudram that glorified Brahman as the one who uplifts all beings from disaster or miseries “rutaat traayatre iti rudrah”.   Rudras were also eleven minor deities mentioned in Vedas like 12 Adityas assisting Brahman in his rule of the Universe.  Satarudram is not addressed to them.  You know the story also how miserably they failed in creation. A group of people wanted to select one among them and make him calm and auspicious. They found a word in the mantra ideal in Narayanasukta:”sa Brahma sa Siva sa Harih”. The mantra addressed to Narayana conveyed that Narayana is the creator who is auspicious that is   one who is the redeemer of all sins-”harati paapni iti Harih”. Hari was already known to people as Vishnu who was worshiped as Yajnapurusha. So they attributed the word auspicious to their chosen Rudra as the one who dissolves or responsible for Laya—one who removes all our difficulties including our existence on earth. The word Siva has several meanings.  Shiva, prior to 200 BC, was not the name of a God, but an attribute (auspicious) and it was applied to their chosen Rudra with the hope that it might encourage him to be 'auspicious". Uma a Vedic rishi known for her intellect and knowledge hailed in Upanishads was made the consort of this Rudra, who also later tamed this wild Rudra as described in Puranas.

The adherents of various deities, that are not supported by Vedas as Brahman or his   subordinates, even went too far to twist the expressions in the Vedas and other scriptures with interpolations to bend the statements therein to dislodge already worshiped deities like Jagannatha and install their Ishtadevatas. They concocted and fabricated any number of spurious Puranas on the lines of the genuine ones to somehow claim one‑up‑man-ship, glorifying their Ishta-dEvatas and resorted to a well orchestral propaganda. Hindu religious texts are full of such distorted descriptions.

Puarans often contain a sloka or two stating that the Trimurtis (Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra) are the same though their functions are different. 'Trimurti' icon innovation as a unified representation of srishthi, sthiti and laya of Saguna Brahman against Narayana did not gain popularity in temple tradition and failed. In popular temple tradition we do not find any Mantra or Sloka used for worship of Trimurti as such. Dattatreya was a later introduction like Aiyappan, not related to Vedic deities.

Sankara was grieved and perturbed by the then prevailing vast diversity of   worships in Hinduism and instituted as a compromise formula in what is known as "Panchayatana Puja" conglomerate worship of five deities (instead of the earlier three). This included Siva, his spouse, Sakti, and his son, Ganapathi and adding Vishnu and Surya also so as to direct all worship to Parabrahman only as clarified in Bhagavad Gita. Brahma from Trinities who is also not a Vyahriti of Brahaman was not included.

Since the phallus had already been popular as an object of worship for Siva, Sakti having become a scary representation as Kali and Durga (unapproachable), and Ganapathi vowed to celibacy with an uncouth appearance with his elephant form like Vishvaksena but with broken tusk,   Subhramanya was viewed in a pleasant light to appeal to the layman by Tamils who was already popular as Murugan worshiped by hill tribes in the South. The field was, therefore further expanded from five to six to include the personality of Subhrahmanya (the second son of Siva) with his consorts Valli and Deivayani on the model of Vishnu accompanied by his consorts, Sridevi and Bhudevi hailed in Vedas.--”hreescha lakshmeescha patnyau”(purusha sookta). Skanda was addressed as Sanat Kumara in Vedas. This came handy as he was later projected as son of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva at different times.  Subhramanya  is least known in North India. Vaishnavites also started the worship of Krishna’s family Aniruddha, Pradyumna, Sankarshana of Vyuha concept to match Siva Parivara (family).   Also Avatar concept came in handy for Vaishnavites to out-beat Saivites in   multiplicity of devatas. Vaishnavites had 12 Azhvars and Saivites 63 Nayanmars all from South India and mostly Tamils. Their worship was deemed as worship of Parabrahman!

Saivism dominated in Hinduism for a long time with powerful sectarian wall   sometimes resorting to violence. You know this even from the life story of Ramanuja around 12^th century. People protested this dictatorship and domination and started  building walls against Saivism and fights ensued between these groups for a considerable time. Saivism got further support from Saktas and Veerasaiva movements.  Then Ramanuja arrived on the scene. He was also a Smarta like Sankara and became an Advaita Scholar. He began to think seriously why Sankara recommended Vishnu Tattva as Paratattva in Bhajagovindam and Atma Bodha during his later days while propagating “Aham Brahmaasmi” which was largely misunderstood and did not reflect in practical religion.  Sankara undertook to write elaborate commentary on Vishnu Sahasranama but not on Satarudram. This also indicates his main focus on Vishnu Tattva as Paratattva. Ramanuja  brought in the renaissance in Archa form of worship  and came out with his Visishtadvaita philosophy restoring  to the earlier  Vedic thinking, reviving Vishnu Taattva and linking it to temple worship (as in the days of Rama) which was further strengthened by Madhvacharya.

Hinduism in the meantime got continuously threatened by the foreign invaders who established Muslim rule for a long time then followed by Christian rulers for more than 300 years. The renaissance movement started by Trinity Acharyas was in a dormant state for a long time. In the face of threat from foreign rulers a sort of unity was brought in indirectly among fighting factions,    following a policy of non-interference and even encouraging a sort of Inter-faith cohesion by rising holy men to the status of God like Saibaba who was Muslim by birth. Threat from Muslims bothered Hindus more than Christianity. Followers of Vishnu Tattva slowly and steadily worked their way to restore the same as in Vedic days as seen by the missionary work of Jayadeva, Ramanuja,   Madhva, Chaitanya, Vallbha and Prabhupada.    In this Ramanuja had a  major role in establishing his  Philosophy of Vishunu Tattva as Paratattva focused on Supreme in the worshipful form of Narayana and Vishnu. In order to distinguish Sectarian Vaishanvism from his Vishnutattava following of universality Ramanuja called his following as Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya.  It had no caste barrier. He called all devotees of Vishnu as Bhaagavatas and addressed them as Swamin. All followers of Srisampradaya considered themselves as “dasa” humble servant of God. To him Bhagavataseva (service to preceptors) was more sacred than Bhagavatseva (service to God). But his followers could not hold on to his philosophy of Vishnu Tattva and joined the main crowd creating several factions within themselves.

Ramanuja   presented a religion of love and redemption through Bhakti and prayer rather than of knowledge to the common masses at large. By preaching this universal love of Vishnu, he brought to them such a God as they were yearning for. By his own compliance Ramanuja set an example of the conduct of an ideal disciple. With approximately 550 million adherents, Vaishnavism is the most prominent faction within Hinduism today none like in the days of Sankara.  In fact, recent statistics suggest that Vaishnavas make up approximately 70 percent of all Hindus with the vast majority of these followers situated in India. There is no Hindu who does not celebrate and enjoy   festivals like Makara Sankranti, Rama Navami, Krishna Jayanti and Deepavali all based on veneration of Vishnu (sustenance aspect of Parabrahman) concept. In the past 50 years, the Gaudiya Vaishnava branch has increased the worldwide distribution of the tradition, largely through the activities of the ISKCON.

Seeking greener pastures and fed up with discrimination based on caste by the ruling parties and religious control of temples by political factions in India, a significant number of Hindus are migrating to counties whose majority are drawn from Abrahamic religions.  In order not only to preserve Hinduism to their future generation but also assume the responsibility of guiding  spiritually starved masses   from Abrahamic religions that  are  getting fed up with their archaic religious ideas and practices, migrant Hindus need to think afresh further. Here are three important messages from Modern spiritual thinkers active in USA.

 “The Mandirs have to play a significant role in the growth of the Hindu community in terms of its capacity to uphold Hindu Dharma.” -- SWAMI DAYANANDA SARASWATI (www.arshavidya.org)

 “We need to make temples not just a center of rituals and congregation but lighthouses of philosophy and knowledge, which are the basis of Hindu Dharma.” -- SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR (www.artofliving.org)

“Creating an environment where the youth understand, appreciate and love their Hindu culture is a crucial need today, as is uniting all Hindu temples under one umbrella.” -- SWAMI CHIDANANDA SARASWATI (www.parmarth.com)

CONCLUSION

History reveals Saivism dominated  Hinduism earliest diverting  from Para Tattva of Vedas  and dominated for a long time but somehow lost its pre-eminence resorting to Vamachara and aligning with misunderstood Sakti-ism. It had the continuous and strongest support from Tamils and their enlightened Gurus. Yet it could not capture the focus of entire masses as it moved away from Vedic Spiritual Self.  Bhagavata Devotional School slowly worked its way highlighting teachings of Bhagavad  Gita.

Vedas contain 360 names for Saguna Brahman (Vedic astrology), while Nirguna Brahaman has no name, after which Puranas brought out Vishnu Sahasranama. NarayaNa was the first name identified with all round water that gave way to earth.  He still pervaded water, earth, air, fire and space and because of his pervasive nature Narayana was also called Vishnu the second name among 360 names. Later people with sectarian views and as an alternate to Saivism that emerged out of Rudra which ruled Hinduism for long brought in the tradition of Vaishnavism and both started fighting with each other   claiming superiority status.   In the beginning there was no –ism concept and it was all one universal Paratattva which was called Vishnutattva   because of its all-pervasive nature.  Ramanuja   deeply studying Vishnu Tattva of Vedic days and with his proper interpretation of Brahmasutra tried to restore Vishnu Tattva universally and revive Vedic spiritual Self.  His teachings and practical religion of Love and Devotion as practiced and propagated by him will be most suited to Hindu Americans not only to uplift themselves but also guide others spiritually providing the love of God with an enduring philosophy, and philosophy with an abiding love of God.

REFERENCES:

1.   Anbil Ramaswamy, Pilgrim Progress, Sri Vedanta Desika Satsangam Georgia USA.

2.   Gopladesikan V.N.,   A Dialogue on uinsduism HHhHHh Hinduism, Vishitadvaita Research Center, Chennai India.(through courtesy, Anbil Ramaswamy)

3.   ORGAN, Distinction between Saivism and Vaishnavism (through courtesy, Anbil Ramaswamy).

4.   Swami Ramakrishnananda., Life of Ramanuja, Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, India.

5.   Swami Vimalanada, Mahanarayana Upanishad, Ramakrishna Math, Chennai, India.

6.   Swami Devarupananda, Mantrapushpam, Ramakrishna Math, Mumbai India.