INTRODUCTION TO THE

CM
00

PANCARATRA
AND THE

AHIRBUDHNYA SAMHITA
BY
F.

OTTO SCHRADER

Bi
l

35
9 16

INTRODUCTION

TO THE PANCARATRA

AND THE
AHIRBUDHNYA SAMHITA

INTRODUCTION
TO THE

PANCARATRA
AND THE

AHIRBUDHNYA SAMHITA

BY

F.

OTTO SCHRADER, PH.D.

DIRECTOR, ADYAR LIBRARY

ADYAR LIBRARY, ADYAR, MADRAS,

1916

S.

BL
1/35

1028253

PREFATORY NOTE
r

HE

book, small in size but rich in contents, which is

herewith placed before the public, has been written by a
j

prisoner of war during his captivity at Ahmednagar,

though some of the materials on which it is based had,
fortunately, been collected
out.
Only three of the

by him before the War broke

Samhita MSS. of the Adyar

namely those of nos. 8, 70 and 195 of the

synopsis on pp. 6 fll., which were acquired recently, have
remained entirely unknown to Dr. Schrader.
Library,

burden of seeing the work

on the undersigned
has fallen

The
press

having done

to

fully

the inadequacy
cope with these with
of

under

absolutely

such

faultless

and

who,

of

its

knowledge

still,

Corrections

though

difficulties

of

complete success.
to
circumstances

work

the

acquit himself hon

power
aware

is

of his

impossible

an

to

his

in

of his task,

ourably

and

all

through

glance

Sanskrit
It

was

produce
at

show

the
that

list

of Additions

the

purely typographical errors found by the Author in

Two
trifling nature.
printed sheets are of a

the

will

omissions in the MS., however, have caused a few words

of importance to fall out which must be restored at once.

These omissions are given in the Errata for p. 16, 1. 12

from bottom, p. 32 1. 6 from bottom, and p. 42 1. 10. The
reader

should

also

correct

immediately the erratum

for p. 24.

The Author has undoubtedly doubled

the value of his

copious Indexes and a detail

ed synopsis of the contents.
Together they render the

monograph by adding

to

it

VI

whole

subject-matter of

of the

the

book

in

all

its

categories instantaneously available for reference. Thus

the work may preliminarily serve as a concise but encyclo

reference

paedic

book

be superseded

shall

on the

by

Paficaratra,

subsequent more

until

it

exhaustive

The Numeral Index contains some items

publications.

not found elsewhere in the book.

A
of this

word in conclusion. The publication

work coincides with the severance of the

personal
little

connection With the

reasons

different

though for wholly

of both Dr. Schrader and myself.

Adyar Library

may be permitted to express here my great satisfaction

at having had
the privilege of watching over the
I

on

booklet

way through the

the Adyar Library

its

a last service

press,

in close and pleasant

Dr.
with
which
Schrader,
co-operation
puts a term to
a period of over seven years daily collaboration with the

rendered to

same aims, in the same

for the same object.

May
the

Library

and may
his

Dr. Schrader

it

eleven

and

in

s last official

complete harmony,

work performed

for

enhance the renown of that Institution,

be judged to constitute a
years tenure of office as

Adyar Library.
The publication
two

spirit

volumes

of

of

the

this

text

book

fit

Director of the

also,

edition

conclusion to

of

as that of the

Ahirbudhnya

has been greatly facilitated by the courtesy of

the military censors at Ahmednagar, to whom our sincere
Sanihita,

thanks are due.

ADYAK,
August 1916.

JOHAN VAN MANEN,

Assistant Director,

Adyar Library.

LIST OF CONTENTS
PAGE

I.

1
INTRODUCTORY REMARK
THE LITERATURE OF THE PANCARATRAS .226

Inspired and non-inspired literature

The name Samhita and

Knowledge

its

synonyms

of the Pancaratra in the

Lists of Samhitas

...

lists

Libraries

2
3

.6

Samhitas present
Editions of Samhitas

West, etc
.

Synopsis of five lists

Samhitas not mentioned in the
in

....
....

11

13

Extent of Samhita literature.

14

14

Chronology.
Provenience and diffusion
.

16

Terminus ad quern of original Samhitas

Three classes of Samhitas

19

Chronological table of chief Samhitas

Later additions in the lists

.21

Kandas

Division into Padas, Ratras, and

II.

20

22

The name Pancaratra.

24

Ten principal

26

subjects.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE PANCARATRAS 2793

1.

NIGHTS AND DAYS OF NARAYANA

HIGHEE OE PUKE CREATION

2.

27

......
....

"

"

29

Laksmi and Visnu

S akti and Bhuti S akti

X Kriya
"VThe

Two

six Attributes (Gunas) of

sets, totality,

God

......

three pairs of Attributes

Process of emanation

The term vyuha names of the Vyuhas.

The S aktis of the Yyuhas

Two

activities of

Their creative

each

activities.

59

30

30
31

34
34
35

.36

.....

Vyuha

29

36

37

Vlll

.....
......

Their ethical activities

In what sense they represent the soul, the mind,

and the Ahamkara

Twelve Sub-Vyuhas descending from them.

Another set of twelve

...
...
...
.

Thirty-nine Vibhavas (Avatar as)

Primary and secondary Avatfiras

Origin of the Avataras from the Yyuhas

Plants and inanimate objects as Avataras

Area Avatara, Antaryami Avatara

Highest Heaven (Vaikimtha)

....

Withdrawn,

or not, in the great Dissolution

Heavenly

Pure

("

The para form

of

matter

God

....
...

3.

INTERMEDIATE CREATION

Manus

4.

evolution

49
49

50

52
53

"

68

.....61

62

descent

"

the

of

63

64

Niyati

48

48

60

........

Sheath of Maya
Kala (Time)

47

59

Beginning

42

57

The Group-soul or Kutastha Purusa

The eight Manus
The Maya S akti
of

42

53

or Suris)

41

......56
.....
...

S aktis (wives) of Visnu

The angels (Nityas

The liberated

39

.51
.51

ornaments and weapons

The Para and the Vyuha Vasudeva
Its

38

...
...

Gross, Subtle, and Highest Time

The Guna Body, and the Avyakta
LOWER PRIMARY CREATION
Matter, Time, and Soul
Origin of Mahat its synonyms
Mahat threefold and eightfold
Sojourn of the Manus in Mahat
What is Mahat?
The threefold Ahamkara
The individual Ahamkara, and the Manas

65

66

....
.....
....
....
.71

68

79

68
69

70

...
.

67

72

75
.

76

IX

The ten elements, and the ten senses

Manavas, Manavamanavas, Fall of Man
.

5.

SECONDARY OR

"

Origin of the

GROSS

CREATION

"

Egg (Brahmanda)

.76

Intramundane Vyuhas
Plurality of Brahmandas
The Pure Group and the Mixed Group
Eight hundred Visnus
.

79
.

NATURE AND DESTINY OF THE SOUL

The souls during the Great Night
Liberation and Great Dissolution

The

"obscuration"

of the soul,

86

...
...

of

liberated soul
"

"

Identity

.......
the

how understood

with the Lord,

THE AHIRBUDHNYA SAM HIT A

2.

NAME

3.

PROVENIENCE AND AGE

4.

CONTENTS OF THE SAMHITA

OF THE SAMHITA

General description

87

The great problem

(the Sudars ana)

Explanation of the name Sudars ana
The Sudars ana as the Kriya S akti

Involution and evolution

95

95

96

96

99

99

146

100
101

102

"

"

Fallacious systems

103
104

105

107

.108

original S astra

Siddhantas

99

Variety of views about creation

The Sudars ana as the support (adhara)
The Sudars ana as the "measure" (pramana)
Rationale of the Avatar as

91

94

....
.

90

94146

....
.....
....
......

THE MANUSCRIPT MATERIAL

108
.

The objects of life

Bondage and Liberation

What

93
86

bound, ubiquitas of the

1.

five

85

88

Atomicity"

The
The

82

and the divine

grace

III.

86
79

.81
.81

.....

6.

78

system to follow

109

.112
113

.114
.116

Castes and periods-of-life

Interdependence of the two higher castes

Origin of the sounds

The three occult alphabets
.

117
.

.118
.118
120

The Sakti Mantra and great Sudars ana Mantra.

Initiation

122

Kaksas and Yantras

Worship

123

Yoga

125

Origin of the Astras

Astra Mantras
Story of

121

.121

description of the Astras

Madhu and Kaitabha

.126
.127

127
Description and worship of the Sudars ana Yantra
.128
Worship of the sixteen-armed Sudars ana
.

128

Nyasa=Bhakti
Origin and

cure of diseases.

The Great Baptism

Anga Mantras
How to resist divine weapons and black magic
How to make the Sudars ana Purusa appear
The four (five) forms of the Sudars ana Purusa
Origin, etc., of the

The

ideal Purohita

the

Mahas anti Karman

Story of Manis ekhara (effect of prayer,

etc.)

Kas iraja (hostile magic neutralized)

S rutaklrti
,,

Kus adhvaja (prarabdha

Muktaplda (the magical

annihilated)
seat)

Vis ala (the magical finger-ring)

Sunanda

(the magical mirror)

Citras ekhara (the magical banner)

Kirtimalin (the magical awning)

Mantras explained from three standpoints.
The Tara[ka] Mantra.
Explanation of the word namas

Gross

"

and

"

subtle

"

.130
.130
.

131
131
131

132

132

133

134

135

135

.136
.136
.

J38

138

141

.141
.142

"

129

sense, other designations

of

The Narasimhanustubha Mantra

The Purusa Sukta

.142
.143
.

143

XI
Origin of the theory of the Vyuhas

The Ahirbudhnya Samhita

144

briefly characterized

145, 146

146

The Paris ista

147154

APPENDICES
1.

The Divine

24-t old

2.

Four kinds

of worship

3.

of the

Description
meditation

four

of Existence

...

Machinery

Vyuhas
.

2.

.152

157

4.

Numerical Index

6.

Index of images

(similes)

164

...
.

.167
.

ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS

2.

150

Subject Index
Index of authors and works

5.

1.

155172

Index of proper names

Index of Sanskrit terms

0.

149

for the purpose of

INDEXES
1.

168

.170
.172
173178
.175

Additions and Corrections to the Introduction

list of errata found in the edition of
.

Supplementary
Ahirbudhnya Samhita

.178

INTRODUCTION
TO THE PANCARATRA AND THE

AHIRBUDHNYA SAMHITA
INTRODUCTORY REMARK

HE

publication of the

by the
Adyar Library \ has been undertaken with a view to
starting investigations in a branch of Sanskrit literature
which was once cultivated in countries as far distant
jl_

Ahirbudhnya

Sainhita,

from each other as Kas mir, Orissa and Mysore, but is

now practically extinct except in a very few places of
Southern India where considerable remnants of
being preserved and partly even studied.

still

scanty

information about

it

has,

indeed,

it

are

Some

reached the

West, and a few of the Samhitas of the Pa n ca

rat r as have been published still, when asked about the
;

latter,

most

orientalists

will

confess that they have so

Pancaratra

"

",

while, as to the

a Tantric

far

work

philosophy

the theory of the

Avataras

in

now

even

be

seen only the

of little

if

to

likely
"

Naracla

any value

"

2
,

of the Pancaratra,
its

common

Vaisnavite

form and a very elementary conception of the doctrine of

the Vyfihas (derived from the commentaries on Brahma
Sutra

II,

An

2,

42)

will

be

be found to be

made

all

that

is

known.

the following pages to

attempt
provide the future student of this unexplored field with
a provisional foundation.
will

Two

in

volumes, Adyar Library, Adyar, Madras, S., 1916.

Au-dessous du mediocre, is the final judgment of the Rev. A.
Houssel s Etude du Pancaratra^ Melanges de Harlez, p. 265.
2

THE LITERATURE OF THE PMCARATRAS

I.

The

literature

sectarian

literatures,

the

of

Paficaratras,
into

falls

like

two broad

other

divisions

comprising respectively works of inspired or divine origin

and such as are of human authorship. The latter class,

dependent on the former, consists chiefly of what

are called vidhi and prayoga
digests, commentaries,
extracts and studies on special subjects, and the like.
The former class, with which alone we are here concerned,
entirely

consists of the Samhitas or

that

metrical works

"

"

compositions

dealing, in

(compendia),

so

many chapters
with
a
number
of
(adhydya, patala),
topics, if not the
whole, of the Pancaratra system. The name Samhita, as
is well known, is also
Manu
applied to the Law-books
is,

("

Samhita

",

etc.)

and need

not, therefore, indicate

any

intention to imitate or replace the Vedic Sarnhitas, which

are compilations of a very different character.
Instead
of

Samhita the name Tantra

is often used,
evidently in
the
same
and
both
these
sense,
words, as also
exactly
the word Kanda, are also applied to each of the main

topics of a philosophical or religious system. For instance,

in the twelfth chapter of
Samhita we read

Ahirbudhnya

Bhagavat Samhita, Karma Samhita, Vidya

Samhita, and seven other Samhitas, and equally of the

of

the

Pati Tantra, Pas u Tantra, Pas a Tantra,

etc., constituting
respectively the Sattvata and the Pas upata systems.
It is a strange misfortune that of all the works
bearing

the

name

of the Pancaratra
(Pancaratra) exactly the

one

Both the system and its followers are

usually called Pancara
but for the system the name Paucardtra and for its followers
P Lineardtrin (Pancaratrika) are also used.
1

tra,

3
Sarnhita called Jnanamrtasara or Naradiya was destined
to survive in Northern India in order to be published by
the Asiatic Society of Bengal under the name of
"

Narada Pancaratra

".

For

it

was taken

for granted

production, the late origin and

which has now been exposed by
Sir R. G. Bhandarkar \ and which in the South of India

afterwards

that

this

apocryphal character of

has ever since been rejected as spurious, was a faithful re

flection of the real Pancaratra; and thus it happened

wrong impression of the latter obtain

recently both in Europe and, with the

that an altogether

ed until quite
exception of the small Vaisnavite circle mentioned above,

even

in India.

was

It

Samhitas
in

article

his

until recently,

unknown,

also

are extant, and even

on

"

The

Pancaratra

or

in

1.913

that

other

Sir R. G. Bhandarkar,

still

speaks

Bhagavata
of

only
being available (besides the
the
spurious Narada P.), thus ignoring the paper on
astra
A.
or
Pancaratras
by
Bhagavat-S
Govindacarya
published
Sarnhita
Sattvata

system"

the

"

",

1911 in the Journal of the Royal

Svamin, published
3
Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
in

obtain a general view, however imperfect, of the

material to be taken into account, is evidently the first

To

thing

required

literature.

Now,

of

anyone approaching an unknown

in the case of the Pancaratra, tradition

mentions one hundred and eight Samhitas, and in a few

Such
texts about this number are actually enumerated.
lists,

coquetting with the sacred

open to suspicion.

The

fact,

number

108, are, of course,

however, that none of the

Encyclopedia of Indo- Aryan Research III, 6, p. 40-41.

Loc cit., pp. 3841.
3
Which also mentions, on p. 956, our edition of Ahirbudhnya
Samhita (then in the press).
1

which pretend
108 names, actually conforms to this number but
of them enumerate either more names or less, is one

available lists of Samhitas, including those

to give
all

thing telling in their favour and when, as is the case,

can further be shown that a respectable number of
the texts enumerated are still available, while not a few
;

it

others are found to be quoted or summarised in

the later literature, and that a number of Samhitas which
of the

are not included in any of the lists, are either extant or

- - then the value of the
latter can no longer
quoted

be

We

denied.

four in

lists,

the

in

Agni

all,

have,

and

consequently, collated those

with them a fifth list found

Purana, and as a result offer the

which all the names occurring in the

following table in

have been arranged in alphabetical order. The

figures added to the right of the names indicate the
lists

place each
will

Samhita occupies in the said lists this, as

is of some
importance for determining the
:

be seen,

mutual relation of the

lists, etc.

The following abbrevia

tions are used (in addition to K., P., V., H., A.

referring
to the lists themselves)
:

p.
1.

v.

published [and preserved in MS.].

not published but preserved in MS.

in

public library [and privately].

neither published nor in any public
library,
but known to be preserved privately, in

some

village, etc.

t (Dagger before

name)

quoted in some work of

the post-Samhita literature.

A.L.

M.G.L.
P.R.

= Adyar Library.
= Madras Government Oriental MSS. Library.
= Vedantadesika s Pdnearatraraksd, edition,
Vyaharataraiigim Press, Madras, 1883.

Grantba

type.

Editor

and publisher

S aiikhapuram Raghavacarya.

P.U.

Pancaratrotsavasamgraha,

MS.

of

Adyar

Library.

Neither the number of daggers nor that of v. s may be

The Kapinjala list (first column)
said to be exhaustive.
comprises 106 names, the list of Padma Tantra (second
x

that of Visnu Tantra (third column) 141 ,

that of Hayasirsa Samhita (fourth column) 34, and that

column) 112

found

in

the 39th adhyaya of

Agni (Agneya) Purana

only 25.

shorter list, namely that of the apocryphal

mentioned
above, has not been taken into
Naradiya
account; it comprises the following seven names:
still

Brahma, S aiva
and Naradiya.

3
,

Govindacarya,

Kaumara, Vasistha, Kapila, Gautamiya,

loc.

c^Y.,

p. 954,

omits the four Samhitas

named

in the first lialf of s loka 105 of the edition, perhaps because this line
was not in his MS., which, however, may be a case of haplography

caused by the identical ending (in Vdmandhvayam) of this and the

preceding line. For, as proved by our table, there were at least
two Vamana Samhitas, and the second pada of the omitted line,
namely Jaiminam Vdmandhvayam, is found in nearly the same form
(Vamanam Jaiminlytikam) in an otherwise different s loka of the
Kapinjala list. Still, as it can be proved that the Padma list is
corrupt in at least one place (Kdrsnyam for Kanvam, see remark
in our table), it would not be
surprising to find that the first or
second Vamandhvayam is a misreading for Vdsavdhvayam (=Vasu
Samhita).
2

We

do not regard padmataniram mahdtantram in s loka 26 as

of two Samhitas but supply an iti between the two
words cf. the word mahdtantram in the next three lines.
*
This may be the S iva, S arva, or Ahirbudhnya of our synopsis.

the

names
;

Synopsis of the Samhita

lists

found in Kapinjala,

Pddma, Visnu and liayas lrsa Samhitds

y

and>

in the Agni Purana.

10

11

12

There are further a number of Samhitas quoted or

mentioned by name which seem to be different from
those

of

complete

the
list

We

lists.

mention the following, but a

should some day reveal

many more names

Citras ikhandi, Maiikana

Vais ampayana, S ukapras na,
Sudars ana, Saumantava, Hamsa, Hamsaparames vara.

S rikalapara,

the few Samhitas found in libraries outside

Among

Madras Presidency

the

none which

(in

India or Europe) there

is

not also represented in one of its three great

public libraries, namely the Tanjore Palace Library, the
Madras Government Oriental Manuscripts Library,
is

and the Adyar Library

The

first

these

of

of the

(possessing

Theosophical Society.
but a few of the

P. Samhitas) has made no new acquisitions since Burnell s time; the Pancaratra MSS. of the
second are

described

in

XI

vol.

Adyar Library

of its Descriptive Catalogue

collection,
2

growing constantly

not

described

so

far

the

and

comprises at present the following

1, 7, 8, 11,48, 70, 81, 83, 84, 106,

of our Synopsis:

nos.

and 2

of the

113,

134, 149, nos.

158,

163, 168, 176, 187, 195, and

Visnu Samhitas, 154,

206; further no. 213.

The editions of Samhitas, most of which are

3
not easily. obtained, are the following eleven

now

For S ukapras na cf. the colophon of M.G.L. 5366 (third

Samhita) iti S ukaptifi carat-re Visnusamhitdyom, etc., and for
the last two names Samhita no. 213 above. S rikalapara, presum
ably identical with S rikalottara quoted in S rutaprakas ika, and

Visnu

Hamsaparames vara

are both quoted in Spandapradlpikd (ed. p. 33)

mentioned in Vedantades ika s Rahasyaraksd the other
names are from Pdncardtraraksa.

Maiikana
2

is

It being one of our special aims to make this collection as

complete as possible.
3
The second entry refers to the script used, the last gives the
name of the editor (who is also the publisher, if the press is not the
publisher). A portion of Ahirbudhnya Samhita, in the Telugu charac
ter, is not worth description.

13
Is

vara S ambit a,

Telugu, Sadvidya Press,

Mysore, 1890, Yogi Parthasarathi Aiyyangar.
1.

2.

Kapiiijala

3.

Paras ara

Samhita,

Telugu, Kalyanano
kumaravilasa Press, Tirukkovalur,
year, Yogi, etc.
(see 1).

Samhita,

Telugu,

Mudrakshara S ala Press, Bangalore,

Vagis var!

1898.

lyyunni

Raghavacarya.
4.

Padma Tantra,

5,6.

Telugu, 1891, rest as in

1.

Brhad Brahma Samhita:

(5)
Telugu.
S riveiikates varanilaya Press, Tiruppati, 1909, no name;

(6)

Devanagari, Anandas rama Press, Poona, H. N. Apte.

7. Bharadvfija Samhita, Telugu, no year,

rest as in 1.
8.
9.

Laksmi Tantra, Telugu, 888, rest as in

V is n util aka, Telugu, Bangalore, 1896.
1

Raghavacharya.
10. S

rip ras na Samhita, Grantha,Mangalavilasa

Ramasvami Bhattacharya.
11. Sattvata Sam bit a, Devanagari, Sudars ana Press,
Conjeeveram, 1902, P. B. Anantha Chariar.
With the exception of Brhad Brahma Samhita
Press,

all of

11

Kumbakonam,

1904, J.

these need re-editing, a critical edition of 4,

8,

and

being particularly desirable.

That occasionally the same name has been given to

two or even more different works, is nothing unusual in
For instance, among the S akta
Tantras there are, according to Butt s list three Prapanca

the

Agamic

literature.

Tantras, two Harigauri Tantras, three Kubjika Tantras,

two Yogini Tantras, and two Mrdani (?) Tantras. It is
quite possible, for this reason, that the above Synopsis is
wrong here and there in referring the same name in
1

Translation of Mahanirvana Tantra, Introduction, pp.

VII

IX.

14

same work. Vice versa, the identity

Ananta and S esa, Vihagendra and Tarksya, etc.,
suggests the possibility that in a few cases two or three
different names may have been erroneously reckoned in
different lists to the
of

our table as referring to so many different works.

At any rate, this much may be said with cer

and trying

Samhitas,
extant

are concerned with

is

For, even supposing there were

one.

huge

we

that the literature

tainty,

their

works,

to

by

only 200
means of the

we

find

calculate,

total

extent,

that

the

Samhita literature of the Pancaratras must have once

amounted to not less but probably more than one and a

half million

lokas.

Truly, the Samhitas have

some right to speak of "the ocean of the Pancaratra"
The chronology of the Samhitas will, of necessity,
s

remain a problem for some time to come. Not until the

extant Samhitas as well as the later literature have
been thoroughly examined, will it be possible to
fix

of

approximately the century of each of the former and

some even of the lost Samhitas. However, a

few

general remarks on the subject

may

already

be

hazarded now.

Our

earliest

Pancaratra

is

section

the

of

view

This

fact

that

are

full

of

in the
1

believed

S anti

seems

the

source

to

to

receive

Mahabharata

all

so-called
is,

on

information

be the so-called

Parvan

apparently
the

of

of

the

the

Narad ly a

Mahabharata.

support from
of the extant Samhitas
further

Tantric

element

which

on the contrary, conspicuous by

interesting to note in this connection that according to

41), Visnutilaka (I, 140 and 145), and other texts,
the original Pancaratra had an extent of one and a half crores.
It

is

S ripras na
2

cit.,

It

pp. 4

(II,

has often been analysed, most recently by Bhandarkar,

8.

loc.

15
be questioned whether
Tantrism is really altogether absent in the Mahabharata,
and even granting it is, this would not prove that it did
absence.

its

However,

it

may

when the Naradiya was composed. It

most probable, indeed, that, though the Mahabharata
itself was not, still some, if not most of the heterodox

not already exist

is

systems referred to in
said

element.

end

of

The
66th

the

it,

were already tinged with the

allusion

adhyaya

to
of

Sattvata-vidhi, at

Bhisma Parvan

1
,

the

could

hardly refer to anything else than a Samhita of the very

character of those extant.
Moreover, the

Naradiya
account does not give the impression of being based on
first-hand knowledge it may have been
composed by an
:

outsider

who was impressed by

the story of S vetadvipa

but not interested in the ritualistic details of the
system.

At any

rate, the possibility of the existence of

ratra Samhitas at

and before the time

Panca-

of the Naradiya can

But the assertion, by Pandit P. B.

the Bhumika to his edition of Sattvata

not well be denied.

Anantacarya, in
Samhita, that the expression sdttvata-vidhi in the
above-mentioned passage of the Bhisma Parvan 2 distinct
ly refers to that particular Samhita because of the words

sung by Samkarsana is unfortunately not admissible.

The same claim could be made, with even better reasons,

"

"

the present

for

of

Ahirbudhnya,
himself

when

coincidence,
1

Samhita, in that it is an account, by

what he had learnt from Samkarsana

the Dvapara age

however,

is

quite

came

to a close.

irrelevant,

Bhandarkar, loc. cit., p. 40.

vidhim dsthdya gltali Samkarsanena yah
Dvuparasya yugasydnta ddan Kaliyugasya ca
Sattvatam

not

The
only

II

Drdpara-veldyam (I, 71), Dvapara-satndhy-ams e (I, 73),prdptam

Samkarsandt sdksdt (II, 4). In Sattvata Samhita" Samkarsana is the
questioner, not the teacher.

16
because a Samkarsana Samhita
but most of

Samkarsana

all

because

function

mentioned and quoted \

according to the system,

2
to proclaim the S astra
which

it

is,

Ahirb.

to

is

Samhita

means, according
knowledge comes ultimately from him

(11, 19), that all

who, in the begin

ning, started the great universal system from which all

single systems, including the Pancaratra, have emanated.

The Pancaratra must have

and

India

of

Had

the

Sarnhitas

the case.

originated in the North

spread to the South.

subsequently
taken place, most of the extant

opposite

would somehow betray

The

this fact,

which

is

not

story of S vetadvipa seems even to point to

among them
The thesis may there

the extreme North, and so do some Sarnhitas,

Ahirbudhnya, as we shall see.

fore be advanced that all Sarnhitas betraying a SouthIndian (Dravidian)

origin

belong to the later stock of

the literature.

Of those South Indian Sarnhitas the

now available seems

to be the Is vara Samhita.

oldest

one

It enjoins,

among other things, the study of the so-called Tamil Veda

(drdmidi s ruti) and contains a Mahatrnya of Melkote
3

in

It

Mysore.

is

quoted thrice by Yamunacarya

the teacher of Ramanuja, who died in the first half of

the eleventh century (ca. 1040). Yamuna claiming for the
.Agamas the authority of a fifth Veda, the said Samhita

must have been

centuries.

in existence at his time for at least

two

This would bring us to about the time of

we may provisionally regard as

the landmark between the northern and the southern
S ankara

whom,

then,

See our Synopsis, above the quotation is in Vedantades ika

Pdncardtraraksd, ed. p. 67, line 5.
2
The Philosophy of the Pancaratras section 2
See below
also our summary, in part III, of adhyaya 11.
1

"

",

In his Agamaprdmdnya, ed.

p. 72.

17

Pancaratra Samhitas, bearing in mind, however, that

the composition of Samhitas did not necessarily cease in

North

the

when

just

began in the South, and re

the southernmost province of

it

membering also that in

Aryan India (the Marat ha country) something
Paficaratra

worship seems

like

have existed as early as

to
1

the

century before Christ.

To the South Indian class of Samhitas, which

first

much

very

smaller

than the

belongs

Upendra Samhita enjoining

the above-mentioned

also

northern one,

is

the leading of a virtuous life in S rirangam,

and further the voluminous Brhad Brahma Samhita (no.

particularly

with prophecies about Ramanuja, the only

above)
South Indian Samhita, as it seems, which has made its
way to the north-west and consequently met with a fate

215,

similar

that

it

of the spurious

that

to

now

is

"

popularly

known

in the

Bengal, in

Gujerat country

Narada Pancaratra
Yamuna s work being the

as the

in

Naradiya

".

South Indian

oldest one extant

by
Samhita

from the

author

quoting
noteworthy that in addition to Is vara
Samhita he quotes the Parama, S andilya, Sanatkuinara, Indraratra (=third Ratra of Mahasanatkumara
is

literature,

it

Samhita),

and

successor,

further

Padmodbhava

are

Bhandarkar, loc.
worship of only

still

cit.,

the

p.

4.

Which
not

of the

Pancaratra

two Vyuhas
ibid.

of the

p.

was not perhaps a

too recent to be mentioned in the Padma list and

be identical with Brahma Narada, as
likely to
is inclined to believe (loc. cit.,
p. 955).

is

Agamapramdnya
3

3)

Samhitas.

Govindacarya
3
Govindacarya, J.R.A.S., October 1911,
*

Yam ana s

remains to be seen whether

(for which there

It

first

more ancient testimonies,

precursor
therefore

Ramanuja, quotes also Parama Samhita,

Pauskara
and Sattvata Samhita.
Samhita

the

Samhitas.

p. 956,

ed. pp. 7, 69, 70, 71, 72.

note

18

In

the

fourteenth century the famous Vedantadesika wrote a special work on the Pancaratra in which
he mentions particularly Jayakhya (9 times), Parames l

vara (6 times), Pauskara (5 times), Padma

(4 times),
Naradiya, S rikara, Sattvata (each thrice), Ahirbudhnya,

Bhargava, Varaha, Vihagendra, and Hayagriva (each

twice) moreover the Samhitas figuring in our Synopsis
;

as nos.

17,

28,

31,

127, 134, 149, 166

53, 7

41, 49,
(?),

J,

72, 75, 77, 97, 106,

171, 172, 177, 191, 195, 201 (or

note 1)
and, finally,

etc. (see p. 12,

202); Citrasdkhandi,
a few doubtful names such as
Tantrasamjnika
;

trasagara?), Agamakhya, etc.

In the North of India the oldest

(=Tan-

work quoting the

Pancaratra, which we can lay hands on, seems to be the

Spandapradipikd of Utpalavais nava, who lived in Kas mir
2

in the tenth

century A.n. about one generation before

Yamuna. The Samhitas mentioned by name in this work
J
are
Jayakhya (S rljaya, Jaya), Hamsaparames va ra,
Vaihayasa, and S rikalapara while two more names,
,

namely Narada Samgraha and S ri Sattvatah *, may, but

need not, be connected with some particular Samhita.
Of eight other quotations
all of which are
5

vaguely

stated to be

one

the Pancaratra

",

or

"

P. S ruti

"

or

"

P.

is

Pancaratraraksa, of which
characters (see above) p. 4.
3
3

4
5

p.

"

found, in a slightly different form,

6
Ahirbudhnya Samhita.
Utpalavaisuava quotes also

Upanisad
in

"in

there

is

an edition in Grantha

C. Chatterji, Kashmir Shaivism,

pp. 13, 16.
See pages 9-11-34, 33, 33, 33 of the
Vizianagaram edition.
Pp. 54 and 20, ibid.

J.

Ibid. pp. 2, 8, 22, 22, 29, 35, 39, 39.

XV,

71 b

Prajna-prascidam,

etc.,

reproduced bv Utpala (ed

41):

Prajna-prasddam aruhya as ocyah s ocato janan

Bhumisthdn iva sfailasthah sarvdn prajiio nnpasryati
\

\\

19
the Paramdrthasdra in

its

form (not

original Vaisnavite
1

S aivite

the

recast

by

All

Abhinavagupta).

this,

name and

that of his father (Trivikrama),

proves that Utpala, though a S aivite author, must have
been originally a Vaisnavite. And it further seems to

as

also

his

enable us, as since the rise of the S aivite system (Trika)

Vaisnavism

philosophical

is

extinct

practically

in

Kas mir, and as there is no likelihood of any Pancaratra

Samhita (except the few spurious works) having been
composed in Aryan India after that time, to fix the
eighth centuryA.D. as the terminus ad quern
of the original Pancaratra
From the above it follows
literature

(3)

the

the

(2)

comprising
still

which

to

that

three classes:

falls into

Samhitas,

works

Samhitas.

much

belong

most

(1)

of

South

smaller

the

Samhita

the original
the extant

Indian class

the legitimate descendants of class 1 ; and

smaller class, North and South Indian, of

apocryphal or spurious Samhitas. To the third class must

be assigned all Samhitas which are specially connected
with some cult or teaching of modern growth such as the
exclusive worship of

Rama, Radha,

etc.,

and

(or)

which

have given up some essential dogma of the Pancaratra,

3
such as that of the Vyuhas.
1

loc. cit., pp. 10-14

Prof. Barnett insists that
work, being professedly an "extract" (sara^),
cannot be based on a work of less extent than itself such as the Vais
navite Paramarthasara.
But surely A. does not mean to say that he
has merely extracted, but rather that he has elaborated the
essence of the work upon which he based his own.

Cf.

Chatterji,

Abhinavagupta

Allowing, as indicated above, a minimum of two centuries to

S ruti (as which the Pancaratra
pass before a Samhita can become
is regarded
by Utpala).
3
Both is the case, for instance, with the spurious Naradiya. Also
the Agastya Samhita mentioned by Bhandarkar, loc. cit., p. 67 note 2,
if a Pancaratra
Samhita, would belong to this class, as does the first
of our three Agastya Samhitas.
"

"

20

The number

mentioned increases

of oldest Samhitas

through internal references Ahirbudhnya (5, 59) men

tions Sattvata, and the latter (9, iss) Pauskara, Varaha,
and Prajapatya (Brahma). Direct reference of one
:

Samhita

found of great value for

to another will also be

determining the mutual chronological relations of the

For instance, the fact that Ahirbudhnya
Samhitas.

mentions
shows,

Sattvata

of

Jayakhya

(19, 04)

course, that these two must be older.

x

the hint, in Is vara

also

and

(5, 59)

chief Samhitas are

their

S.

64)

that

the

three

Pauskara, and Jaya, and

Sattvata,

Parames vara, and

expansions Is vara,

respective
Pad ma, is well worth noticing

So

and

also the statement, in

Padma Tantra (IV, 23. 197) that we should consider as

the Six Gems Padma, Sanatkumara, Parama, Padmod5

bhava, Mahendra, and Kanva.

These few data enable us

already provisionally the chronology of the most

important of the ancient Samhitas, in the following way
to

fix

Pauskara, Varaha,

Brahma

(order uncertain).
Sattvata

2.
3.

Earlier than 5, order uncertain

Jaya (before 3),
:

Sanatkumara,

Padmodbhava,

Ahirbudhnya *
Parames vara

4.

Govindacarya,
2

Parama,
Mahendra,

Kanva
5.

Padma

6.

Is vara

loc. cit.,

(before 800 A.D.)

p. 956.

And

certainly connected with the fact that the only Samhita

commentaries extant, besides one on Bharadvaja Samhita, appear
to be the following three, preserved in S rirarigam: one Sattvatasamhita Bhasya by Alas ingarabhatta, son of Yoganandabhatta one
Is vara-sarphita Vyakhya by the same and one Parames vara-samhita
Vyakhya by Nrsimhasuri, son of Sampatkumarasvamin.
;

Govindacarya,
4

loc. cit.,

p.

955

fll.

Mentioned in the Padma list, therefore earlier, but later than

Ahirbudhnya, to judge from the text preserved in A. L.
5
To be distinguished from the one mentioned in the Padma
list

see below.

21

appears to be a fact that out of these works

the triad P a u s k a r a, Sattvata, andJaya has on
It

the whole been considered the

most authoritative part

of the Pancaratra scripture.

The

five lists

in our Synopsis are naturally

compared

value for chronological purposes on account of

comparatively late origin, and because all of them,

of little

their

except the one of Agni Purana, have almost certainly

been interfered with by later hands.
The Agneya list,
beginning, as it does, with Hayas irsa and agreeing
almost completely with the first twenty-five of the
names enumerated in that Samhita, must have been

from

copied

it,

from which fact

it

be

may

further
1

deduced that the remaining names (nos. 26 to 34) were

not in the original Samhita.
Likewise in the Visiiu list
thirty-two names following the 108th are in all
This would account for
probability a later amplification.
the

the fact of a Samhita being mentioned in that

Kapinjala (no. 123), which

itself

list,

to wit

mentions the Visnu

Tantra.

at
Kapinjala,
any rate, does not claim
to be one of the 108 Samhitas, but only an abstract
The
containing all that is essential (sara) in them.

Padma

seems to have originally consisted of

108 names only, the four added ones being possibly
list

also

nos. 33 to 36 contained in the second half of

Is vara

For,

Samhita

Tantra, and that, as

(no.

36),

we have

as

seen,

it

in

s loka

mentions

100.

Padma

quite a credible

way, cannot well be mentioned in the latter which,

for
other
reasons too, must
be older than
it.
Or were there two Is vara Samhitas ? This hypo
thesis
1

would

perhaps

Among which

doubtful.

best

"Purana"

account
and

"

the

for

Sam any a

"

are

mention
decidedly

22
of

an

Samhita also

Is vara

in the

Hayasirsa and Agneya

lists.

What

are the

treated

principal subjects

in

the Samhitas?

The
Agamas,

Pancaratra

ideal
is

said

Samhita,
of four

to consist

the

like

S aiva

"

"

quarters

(pada)

( ) Jndna, Knowledge
(2) Yoga,
Concentration; (3) Kriyd, Making; and (4) Carya, Doing.
By Making is meant everything connected with the
construction and consecration of temples and
images,
and by Doing, the religious and social observances
2
(daily rites, festivals, varnas rama-dharma).
Very few

teaching respectively

Samhitas seem to have actually consisted of these four

most of them dealt apparently with one or

sections

two

only

of

altogether

or

shown

for

illustrated

these

subjects,

neglecting the

The proportion

so.

of

others
interest

nearly
each of the four branches seems to be well
by Padma Tantra in the edition of which the

Jnana-pada occupies 45 pages, the Yoga-pada 1 1 pages,

the Kriya-pada 215 pages, and the
Carya-pada 376

The practical part,

pages.
favourite subject, the rest

Kriya and Carya,

is

the

being treated as a rule by way

of introduction or
digression. The division into Padas is, so
far
as I know, observed in
only two of the extant

Samhitas, namely Padma Tantra and Visnutattva Samhita.

division into five Ratras (Nights) of mixed contents

the

(cf.

name Pancaratra)

apocryphal Naradiya
1

is

found not only

but also in

a genuine

Ahirbudlmya being a somewhat .unwieldy word,

in

the

and older
Is

vara

may

metri causa, been substituted for it in those

of
lists, but,
course, not in the Padma list, which does contain the name
have,

Ahirbudhnya.
2
For a fuller description
carya

s article in

of these four branches see GovindaJ.R.A.S., 1911, p. 951 fll.

23
1

work, the Mahasanatkumara Samhita. The Hayasirsa Sam

hita has a position of its
it

own

Kandas

consists of four

in this

and other respects

after their contents,

called,

Pratistha, Samkarsa (so), Linga, and Saura Kaiida.

The second Kanda professes to deal with worship (puja)

but contains also a good deal on praiisthd the third is

altogether S aivite. Finally the Parames vara Samhita
;

deserves mention here in that

known

adheres to the well-

Jnana Kanda and Kriya Kancla answer

Padas 1-2 and 3-4) and perhaps Bharadva-

division in

ing resp. to
ja

it

Samhita as the rare

Samhita

dealing

with

(if

not

unique)

Conduct

only

instance

and

of a

especially

pmpatti*
The names of the Ratras of the latter are Brahma, S iva,
Indra and Rsi Ratra; the fifth is not in the MS. For the former see
The following passage of Vihagendra Samhita (I, 31 -34)
below.
is also
When the
noteworthy, though it looks like a late compromise
Krta Yugahas just appeared, by the grace of Kes ava the
following five,
namely Ananta (the Serpent), Garuda, Visvaksena, the Skull-bearer
(S iva), and Brahman, hear it (the S astra) in parts [as follows] in
the first night Ananta [has his questions
answered], in the second
night Garuda, in the third night Senes a, in the fourth [is answered]
what has been chosen by Vedhas (Brahman), and in the fifth Rudra
Thus each of these hears for himself the
[is the questioner].
Religion of Faith (s raddhd-sf astro) in the form of a work on Know
ledge, Yoga, Construction, and Conduct, consisting of one hundred
thousand [s lokas]. [Hence, since the whole of it] has an extent of
five lakhs [of s lokas], it is called the Pancaratra."
1

"

Containing resp. 42, 39, 20,

so far been found in Orissa
only.
*

See the

and

? patalas.

of contents in the first

summary

This Samhita has

adhyaya. That the

covers 14J s lokas and that of the
Kriya Kanda only 3| is, I beiieve, due to the author s wish to have
done with the former. For the Samhita,
though evidently complete
(see the total of s lokas given for the two Kandas together) has no
other Jnana Kanda. Therefore, the last line of the
adhyaya will
I shall now
probably have to be interpreted thus
[by treating
the Kriya Kanda] put forward the s astra twofold in the manner
listen
to me
explained
This is perhaps the most widely spread of all the Samhitas.
It has a paris tsta
(supplement) contained in the edition, and be
longs, as mentioned, to the few Samhitas of which a commentary is
extant.

description of the Jnana

Kanda

"

"

24
It

points

may be supposed that the name Paficaratra

to five principal subjects treated in that system.

indeed, understood in the apocryphal Naradiya,

which says that the five kinds of rdtra=" knowledge

So

it is,

"

are tattva, muldi-prada, bhaJcti-prada yaugika a udvais esiIca i

that is to say that they are concerned respectively with (1)
9

ontology (cosmology), (2) liberation, (3) devotion, (4)

yoga, and (5) the objects of sense. Though the five books

Samhita accord but very imperfectly with

division, and the five Ratras of Mahasanatkumara

of the said
this

Samhita

still

and though the Naradiya as a whole

less,

can certainly not be used as a Pancaratra authority, the

above statement may none the less rest on good

In this

tradition.

case

"

ratra,

mean

would have come

to

both

doctrine

cardinal

night

originally

how, we do not know

of

system

as

",

well

as

work dealing with that doctrine, that is it

became synonymous with tantra and samhitd*, so that

the chapter or

Pancaratra

would

be

Vaisnavite

system

in

designation of the ancient

exactly the same manner as,

according to the twelfth chapter of

Ahirbudhnya Samhita,
Tantra was one of the Samkhya Yoga.
This
explanation, though perhaps at variance with the chapter
Sasti

just mentioned stating (in s l. 45

48) that the Pancaratra
3
consists of ten cardinal teachings (samhitas) , is at
least

not so fanciful as

five other systems

or
the night=ignorance
",

that

the

name with the

five

daily

"

the night=obscuration, of the

the system, cooking=destroying,
"

",

or

the attempts

to connect

sacraments (branding, etc.) or

observances (abhigamana, etc.) of the
five

For the transition the meaning of

Thousand
Nights "=as many stories, may perhaps be compared.
1

"

See above

See our

and one

p. 2.

summary

of the chapter, below, last

part of this book.

25
Pancaratras.

However,

seems

it

name

us

to

the

that

only connected with the

first of the ten topics referred to (Bhagavat), namely the
and
Pancaratras,
God-conception of the
peculiar

original

that

it

use of the

can
of

be discovered
S atapatha

in

is

the

in

spoken
is, moreover, the earliest passage
mentioned

in

6.

1,

which

which the word

In that passage
Purusa Narayana
having conceived the idea of a
"

pancaratra occurs.
is

Sattra

Paiicaratra

Brahmana XIII

as

Pancaratra Sattra (continued sacrificefor

five days)

means

as a

obtaining superiority over

and the preceding
beings

of

5>1

beings and becoming all

chapter (XII 3. 4) narrates

all

in

how He, by

detail

sacrificing Himself, actually became the

whole world. Narayana is thus connected with,
2

and even made the author

of,

the Purusa Sukta

which,

together with the Sahasrasirsa section of Mahanarayana

Upanisad, plays such a prominent part in the cosmologaccounts and

ical

It

appears,

central

Mantra exegesis

then,

of the Paiicaratrins.

that the sect took

dogma which was

the

its

name from

Pancaratra
4

Sattra

its

of

as the fivefold

interpreted philosophically
self-manifestation of God by means of His Para,

Narayana

Vyuha,
would
Area
forms.
This
and
Vibhava, Antaryamin,
well agree with the statement of Ahirb. Samh., at the end
the eleventh adhyaya, that the Lord Himself
of
framed out
called

Pancaratra

Bhandarkar,

describing

loc. cit., p.

31

Ibidem.

Note also the importance attached

to the meditation on

God

"

spacing-out ours.

the system (tantra)

His [fivefold] nature

of the original S astra

in

Ahirb. Samh. (chapter 37)

as a sacrifice (yajiiarupa-dhara

deva,

With, or without, the help of Bhagavad-Gita II, 69.

4

l.

39).

26

[known] as Para, Vyuha, Vibhava, etc.", and "that

highest Will of Visnu called Sudars ana through which

He

split into five,

To return
treated in

the

probably find

it

appearing

five-mouthed."

to the question of the

principal subjects

Pancaratra,

the scientific

student will

best to distinguish the

following ten

(1)

Philosophy;

(2)

Linguistic occultism (mantra- s astro)

(3)
(4)

Theory of magical figures (yantra-s astra)

Practical magic (maya-yoga) ;

(5)

Yoga;

2
:

(6)

Temple-building (mar, dira-nirmana)

(7)
(8)

Image- making (pratisthd-vidhi)

Domestic observances (samskdra,
ahnika)

(9)

Social rules (varnas

rama-dharma)

(10) Public festivals (utsava).

Each

of these

it

is

hoped, will

in the course of
time be made the subject of a
monograph based on the
available Samhita material as well as on such
monographs
,

(Utsavasamgrahas, etc.) as the Pancaratrins themselves

In the following, the second
have written.
part of our
an
outline
will
be
Introduction,
attempted of the first
subject only, as the one on which
less

all

the others more or

depend.

The five forms are also referred to in the very first s loka of our
Samhita. With the idea of Narayana s self-sacrifice is
apparently also
connected the story of the Sacrificial Lotus
(yajna-pankaja) sprino-ing from the navel of Padmanabha (Laksmi T. VJ 22, and elsewhere).
3
Which are, of course, not the same as those enumerated in
adhyaya 12 of Ahirb. Samh. see our summary of the latter in
the final section below.
1

"

"

And, in addition, perhaps the subject of

worship
general treatment combining the materials for it distributed
several of the above subjects, notably 8 and 10.
"

"

in

among

THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE PANCARATRAS

II.

THE

philosophy of the Pancaratras is in

separably bound up with the story of creation, and can
therefore hardly be treated more conveniently than in
theoretical

In
taking the latter throughout as our starting point.
so
we
shall
follow
the
Samhita
doing
mainly
Ahirbudhnya
(particularly chapters 4 to

but also have recourse,

wherever this seems desirable, to other sources.
7),

NIGHTS AND DAYS OF NARAYANA

1.

There was, and

is

still,

belief in India that the

being climbs on the ladder of existences, the

quicker time passes for him, until, when he reaches
Liberation, time is no longer a magnitude for him

higher a

at

all.

This

day

single

idea

of each

is

contained

Brahman

in the doctrine that a

or ruler of a Cosmic

Egg

The writer regrets keenly having had practically no access,

while writing this Introduction, to the rich collections of Paficaratra
MSS. stored up in the Adyar and Madras Libraries. Still he feels
confident that the following account will not show
any serious gap.
Abbreviations will be easily recognised, except perhaps
P. Prakas a
which is no. 213 mentioned on p. 11 above. The edition quoted
of Pillai Lokacarya s
Tattvatraya is the only existing one of the
Sanskrit translation, published as no. 4 of the Caukhamba Sanskrit
Series
while the eclition_ used of S rinivasadasa s Yatindramata
Dipikd is No. 50 of the Anandas rama Series. Tattvatraya (four
teenth century) may almost be called a collection of Pancaratra
Sutras, and its commentary, by Yaravaramuni, is specially valuable
for its copious extracts from Visvaksena Samhita,.
All references by
figures only are to Ahirbudhnya Samhita.
"

S."

It may, after all, be found to be the same

(not the opposite)
view when P. Prakas a Samhita (III, 3 fll.) teaches that a timeatom
(hula parumanukd) is in Jivaloka (c/. Glta VII, 5; XV, 7)
only l/100th part of one on earth, in the world of the gods only
l/10,000th part, for the god Brahman only l/l,000,000th part, and
for Laksmi only l/10,000,000th
part, while Visuu s own time-atom
"

"

is

infinitely small.

28
l

(brahmanda) comprises no less than 432,000,000 years

of men.
When the day is over, all forms are dissolved
by fire, etc., but not so the Tattvas (elements and organs)
of

which these

This

nor the Cosmic

consist,

dissolution

called

is

Minor

Egg
or

as such.

Occasional

Dissolution

Tt
(avdniara-pralaya, naimittika-pralaya).
followed
of equal
by the
Night of Brahman
2

is

"

",

length as

his

in

day,

This process

were.

which the

life

of

is

which the Egg hibernates as

repeated

360x100

it

times, after

Brahman (bnihmayus) comes

to

by the Great or Total Dissolution (maha-pralaya,

prdkrta-pralaya) in which all the Cosmic Eggs, including
the forces working in them, are completely dissolved or
"unified".
The Night following it is of .-the same
close

duration
followed

and

so

that

by

another

of

the

life

Day

These longest

on.
in

called,

as

the

similar

though

time",

He

Brahman, and
to

the

is

former,

and

Nights are
Days
Days and Nights of the

Pancaratra,
Purusa, the Highest Self, the Lord,
life, says one text, there exists
infinite as to

of

etc.

For the Purusa

no

"accepts"

measure

But

(angl-karoti) the

Para (that is, the life-period of a Brahman)

and though exempt from being measured
day

period called
as His
1

"

"

Solar system" is a somewhat misleading translation, because

Brahmauda, though believed to possess but one sun, comprises the
whole starry host visible to us.
"

2
Pralaya, as the name says, is the stage in which things
are dissolving, and not the much longer one in which they
remain dissolved. The occasional employment of the name

for the two stages together must be

regarded as a misuse, at least
from the Pancaratra point of view, because., if Primary Creation
takes place daring the last part of the Night (see below, next
paragraph) and the Day and Night are of equal length, Pralaya
belongs to the Day, not to the Night.
Tanya nayur-manarn vidhiyate, P. Prakas a Samhita I, 3, 43,
1

repeated 58.
*

Kiilato nanta, ibid.

I,

3/55.

29

by

He

etc.,

nights,

does the work

"

by causing Brahman and

(ratritvena carati)

the

of

night

the rest to

fall

asleep
of the

the

",

Our Samhita illustrates the Days and Nights

Lord by an image of dazzling beauty
during
:

the universe

Day

cirrus clouds

koti-arbudas

the
of

a sky sprinkled

is like

Brahmic Eggs,

over with

all

which there are

of

koti-oghas of kotis (an unimaginably

while during the Night it resembles a

high number)
3
sky without a single cloud.
;

HIGHER OR

2.

"

PURE

"

First

(Evolution,

CREATION

Stage.)

eighth and last part of the Cosmic Night

*
the great S akti of Visnu, awakened as
(paurusj ratri)
5
it were
This
by His command
opens her eyes

In

the

"

".

unmesa

says Ahirb. Samh., is

And it
a
appearance
lightning in the sky.
that the S akti, which was so far indistinguishable
"

means
the

"

windless atmosphere

Absolute,
or

"darkness"

existing

an

infinitely

"

or

"

only as

"emptiness",

dependent resolve
with

",

of

from the
of

opening of the eyes

the

like

motionless ocean

it

were

suddenly,

form

in a

"by

some

Who,

after his

Ibid. I, 3.
3

and

in

(kasmdccit svdtantryat), flashes up,

small

part

of

herself,

death

",

in

her dual
that

is

belongs to the liberated.

55-57.

Ahirbudhnya Samhita IX, 16, 14, 38.

The eighth part of the Pralaya
"

P. Prakas a S.
5

"

of

"

aspect of kriya (acting) and bhuti (becoming),

Force and Matter.

"

I, 1.

51

of. I, 3.

is

called

laydntima

",

42, 57.

Ibid., I, 1. 53.

XIV,

7-8

Tasyah kotyarbuddms ena S akti dve, etc. HO VIII, 36,

Laksml Tantra IV, 4. The Bhuti S akti, as will be
;

III, 27-28. Cf.

seen, includes

what we

call soul.

30

Here

be necessary to remark that, in

spite of frequent assurances as to the real identity of
Laksmi and Visnu, the two are actually regarded as
distinct

will

it

even

first

Pralaya they do not completely coalesce

but become only
as it were
a single principle (4. 7a),
the Laksmi eventually
emerging from the Great Night
The mutual
being the old Laksmi, not a new one.
:

in

"

relation of the

connection
its

two

"

is

declared to be one of inseparable

like that of an attribute and
l

or inherence

bearer (dharma, dharmin), existence and that which

exists

(bhdva, Wiavat), 1-ness and I (aliamtd, aham),

moonshine and moon, sunshine and sun. 2
Still, the

dualism

is, strictly speaking, a makeshift for

preserving
the transcendent character of Visnu Laksmi alone
acts,
:

but everything she does

is

the mere expression of the Lord

wishes.

The Kriya S akti is "the Sudarsrana

portion of
Laksmi 33 for it is identical with Visnu s "Will-to;

be"

symbolised

the Sudars ana

by

independent of space and time

(niskala),
is

in

Being

"

called

it is

undivided"

contradistinction to the Bhuti S akti which

divided in

(koti-amsra)

or discus.

many ways
of

the

"

Sakti

and
G
,

is

that

but a
is

"

myriadth part

an

infinitely

less

Avinabhdva, samanvaya Laksnii Tantra II, 17.

See chapter 4 of Ahirb. Sarah, and Laksmi Tantra
;

Laksmycih saudarsfam

LIX, 57

kalcl,

des akcdadi kd

III, 45

cf.

V,

II,

11

fll.

12.

[Sudars anasya], which,

is
perhaps not meant to exclude plurality; see below,
section 6 of this part of our Introduction.
vyuptis tasya

however,

*Nandbhedavati, XIV, 9
the thread to the
pearls,
;

as

resume
6

of

adhyaya

p.

29.

V, 9-11. Kriya

is

related to Bhuti
see below our

the pin to the leaves

8.

Which elsewhere

note on

cf.

is

said

of

the two

S aktis

toe-ether

see

31
1

powerful manifestation than the Kriya S akti. As the

Sudars ana is the instrument of Vis mi, we may
say that
S
akti
and
Bhuti
S
akti are respectively
Visnu, Kriya
the causa efficiens, causa instrumentalis, and causa
materialis

of the

world.

However, the transcendent

aspect of Visnu (Param Brahma) remains so completely

the
background in the Pancaratra that we are

in

practically only concerned with the one force (Laksmi)

which, as Bhuti, appears as the universe, and, as Kriya,
2

and governs it. Accordingly, the Kriya S akti

is called
Visnu s resolve consisting of
(prdna-riipo
Visnoli
that
which
existence
samkalpah)
keeps
vitalises

"

life"

"

"

"

a-going

(bhnti-parivartaJca) ,

makes becoming possible

"

(Ihutim sambhavayati)

joins

"

at the time of creation,

",

Primordial

"

Matter to the faculty of evolving, Time

"work
of counting", and the soul to the

the

to

said

a
so

enjoyment
the world

as

long

"

for

effort

faculties

fire

or

is

the

at

"

"

lasts

all

preserves
;

and

"

these as

withdraws

time of Dissolution.

the

of

"

the

"Just

as

cloud is kept moving by the wind, even

3
Vibhuti part [of S akti] impelled
by the

Sudars ana."

The
ed

first

phase of the manifestation of Laksmi

s uddhasrsti,

"

pure

creation",

is call

or gunonmesadas a, that

the

stage (following the Waveless Stage) in which the

attributes (guna) of Grod make their
appearance. These

is

For the mutual relation of the two S aktis the

following
passages should be compared III, 44-45 V, 7-8 LIX, 55-57.
This accounts for the remarkable fact that the Kashmirian
philosopher Ksemaraja has defined the Pancaratra as the system
teaching the identity of God and Nature, that is to say pantheism (para.
Vdsudevah, tad-visphuliAga-prayci eva jlvCth iti
prakrtir bhagavdn
PdncardtrdJi parasyah prakrteli parinamdbhyupagamad
Avyakke evdbhimvistaJi Pratyabhijnahrdaya, S rmagared. p. 17).
1

Or:

"made

to

dance"

(pranartyate),

XIV,

8,

and elsewhere.

32
not belonging to Nature
Gunas are apra/crta
for
and have consequently
Nature does not exist as yet
nothing to do with the three well-known Gunas (Sattva,
"

"

dogma that God

free from [the three] Gunas
is necessarily
(nirguna)
does not exclude His possessing the six ideal Gunas
Tamas)

Rajas,

that

is

to say

the old

"

"

which, on the contrary, m u s t be ascribed to Him, because

without them there could be no Pure Creation, and, all
further evolution depending thereon, no creation at all.
However, the evolution of the Gunas does not in any way

being or essence of God, it being merely concern

that is His
ed with His "becoming or manifestation
S akti
Through the three pairs of what are called the Six
affect the

"

"

",

"

Gunas (sadgum/a), to wit: Knowledge, Lordship, Power,

first stage] of [His] be
etc., does the Pure Creation [or
coming take

place."

Now, the six Gunas are described as follows

The first Guua is jnana, "knowledge",
as

defined

"

non-inert, self-conscious, eternal, all-penetrating

is
both the essence and
"It
that is: omniscience.

",

an attribute of
five

maining

"

of

jnana
3
Laksmi.

2
.

Brahman",

Gunas are
Jnana

is,

for

which reason the

re

attributes
occasionally called
of course, also the essence of
"

V, 15 and VI, 6 Bhuti and vibhuti are in these

above p. 30), used in
elsewhere
bhdva
(see
passages,
contradistinction to bhavat, and not in the sense of the Bhuti S akti.
For the latter, like the Kriya S akti, is connected with three Gunas
concerned the appearance of
only (see below), while in the passages
all the six Gunas is referred to.
1

V, 16

cf.

like

channels of jnnna
(jnanasya srtayaJi), Laksmi Tantra
II, 35.
Yamunacarya, the teacher of Ramanuja, has tried to justify,
A thing, he says,
of jnana.
philosophically, this Pancaratra concept
f
may be both substance and attribute a 3 ray ad anyato vrtter, as rayena
samanvayat, which he illustrates by means of the flame (substance)
and the light it sheds (attribute).
2

Or

"

"

Laksmi Tantra

II, 25, etc.

33
l

The second
activity
2

"

is ais vart/a

based on independence

"

is

Guna

lordship

unimpeded

",

Laksmi Tantra

According to
vity
identical with what is
".

called

",

"

that
acti

28) this is
in other
will

(II,

"

icchd

"

Tattvas astras.

The
to

aMi

is s

become the material cause

It

bhava).
"

Guna

third

elsewhere

is

"ability, potency",

of the

namely

world (jagat-prakrti-

defined

as

accomplishing the non-accomplished

",

aghatitaghatana
that is to say,

being able to produce something the cause of which

cannot be accounted for by empirical methods.

The fourth Guna

bala

is

in

defined as

"strength"

"

"

absence of fatigue
fatiguelessness
(tframa-hdni), or
or
connection with the production of the world
"

",

power

(dhdrana-samarthya)

The

fifth

"

"

sustain

to

"

all

things

sustaining-power

",

Guna

"

is

virya

virility",

that

"

is

un-

affectedness (changelessness,?n/itfra-i tra/ia) in spite of being

a condition, says Laksmi

not found within the world, where "milk

the material cause

Tantra

(2. si),

quickly loses

The
might

",

its

This

".

is

when curds come into existence

and last Guua is tejas
splendour,
said to mean
is
self-sufficiency

nature

sixth

which

".

"

and

(sahakari-cwapeksa)

"

(pardbhibhavana-samarthya).

Laksmi Tantra

(2.

connect (yojayanti)

The
it

six

"

"

4),

The

to

defeat

others

"

latter definition is in

which adds that some philosophers

tcjas

Gunas

power

with ais vary<t.

are the material, or instruments, as

were, of Pure Creation, (1) in their totality, and (2)

1

The order found on

"

Independence,

p.

18 of our edition

Laksmi Tantra, IV, 9.

3
Varavaramuni s comm. on Tattvatraya,
5

is

not the usual one.

in creating the universe, of

any other cause

ed. p. 94.

",

34
by pairs, in the following way the Gunas, as connect
ed partly with the Bhuti and
partly with the Kriya S akti
:

(5. 7),
1

to

are regarded as falling into two sets,

namely

and Gnnas 4

3,

"

stages of rest

bhumayah

Gunas

to 6, called respectively vis rama"

and

"

rama-bhnmayah stages
of effort"
and the corresponding Gunas of each set
(1 and 4, 2 and 5, 3 and 6) join to form a pair connected
with some special divine manifestation, as will be ex
1

plained presently.
In their totality the Gnnas

make up

V a s u d e v a,

the body of
as well as that of

the highest personal god

Laksmi, in the way that these two are constantly
seen by the free souls inhabiting the Highest
It is
Space."
in
this
to
wit
a
as
the
six
form,
mainly
person qualified by
,

his consort

Gunas and distinct from his S akti, that God is called

Vasudeva (5. 29).
The apparition of the pairs denotes the beginning
of

that

process

emanation which has been well

of

denned

as

product

into existence, leaves the source of the

product

"

process

which,

while

bringing the

This very ancient conception 5 is com

monly (though perhaps not correctly) illustrated by the
image of the light emanating from a source such as the

unchanged

".

sun, which accounts for the Sanskrit term for

dbhdsa

"

shining out

1
These names are not
Tantra IV, 24 II, 46-47

the

different

condition

Pure Creation.

of

in Ahirb.
III,

the

4.

Samh.

Of.

three

also

see,

what

namely,

however, Laksmi
is said below on

Vyulias during and

Sadgunya-vigraliam devam (VI, 25). The six

also before creation, but without
being active (V, 3).
3

it,

".

Gunas

after

exist

See below.

Chatter ji, Kashmir Sho.ivaism, p. 59.

Gf. the S anti Purnam ndah, etc., at the beginning of Is avasya
and other Upanisads.
G

Not found

in the Samhitas, in so far as

known

to us.

35

The
of

Pancaratra

emanations

teaches

each

chain,

emanation,

as

were,

the

except

originating from an anterior emanation

it

first,

and thus the

favourite image of the process has, with the Paficaratrins,

become that of one flame
proceeding from

another flame.

Any

mation of the Egg,

is

up

production,

imagined

to

the for

as taking place in this

way.

The

three (or, including Vasudeva, four) beings

thus coming into existence are called
This
y u h a s.
word is a combination of the root till to shove
and
first

"

"

the

the

preposition
"

vl

"

"

shoving asunder

This,

pairs.

and apparently refers to

the six Gunas into three

asunder
of

"

however, does not mean that each

Vyuha

two respective Gunas, but, as is repeatedly

each
emphasized,
Vyuha is Visnu Himself with His six
of
Gunas,
which, however, two only, in each case, become

has only

its

Abiding by the image, we may say that each

new flame has for its fuel another pair of Gunas.
manifest.

The Vyuhas

are

named

after the elder brother, the

son, and the grandson, respectively, of Krsna, namely

Samkarsana (or Balarama, Baladeva), Pradyumna, and
Aniruddha and the pairs of Gunas connected with
;

these
virya.

are
;

respectively

s aldi

and

jndna and bala ;

ais varya

and

tejas.

Each Vyuha,
active

(avydprta)
or 1,600

after
for a

having appeared, remains in

period of 100 years of his own

human

that

the
say
evolution of Pure Creation, up to its end or up to the point
when Aniruddha together with the two earlier [S aktis,
(Icamyci),

years

is

to

"

namely those

of

Samkarsana and Pradyumna] engages

See for instance

Padma Tantra

I, 2.

21.

Cdturatmya-sthitir Visnor qunavyatikarndbhava (V, 21).

36
in

creation

takes

(5.4o),

human

3x1,^00^:4,800

years.

The

S aktis of the Vyuhas, hinted at in our Samhita,

are mentioned

by name in a number of later Samhitas.

3

Mahasanatkimiara Samhita, for instance, teaches that

Vasudeva creates from his mind the white goddess S anti,
and together with her Samkarsaiia==S iva then from the
;

left side of
is

the latter

is

born the red goddess S ri, whose son

the latter, again, creates the

and together with her Aniruddha

Pradyumna=Brahman

yellow

Sarasvati

Purusottama, whose S akti becomes the black Rati

is the threefold Maya Kos a to be mentioned below.

who

Each VyCiha has two activities, a creative and a

moral one, that is, one connected with the origin of beings
and another one connected with their ethical progress
;

and each

of

these

activities

of

Vyuha

is

said to be

mediated by one of his two Gunas.

For this reason,
that is to say because the creative activities necessarily
precede the moral ones,

Which

it is

assumed that during the

course, also the length of the Pralaya of Pure

Samhita pp. 35-36.
2
Indraratra, sixth adhyaya cf. Laksmi Tantra, sixth adhyaya.
It is important to bear in mind that these four couples are
all of them bahir-anda-ja "born outside the [Mundane] Egg" and
therefore not identical with the prakrtic Gods, S iva, etc., who
1

Creation

is,

of

see our

;5

It
Gross Creation
section 5).
belo\v,
(described
belong to
accounts such
is
certain
impossible otherwise to understand
as the following one of Laksmi Tantra, fifth adhyaya Brahman
and Sarasvati create an egg (15), Visnu and Laksmi lie down in
it (20), from Visnu s navel there springs the Sacrificial Lotus (21),
and from the Lotus are born Brahman and Sarasvati (27-28).
:

*Visvaksena Samhita, in Tattvatraya ed. pp. 125-127 LaksmJ

Tantra IV, 8-20. The dogma of Gunas 1 to 3 being connected with
creation only, and Guuas 4 to 6 with moral progress only, is not
quite adhered to in several Samhitas, it being somewhat hard to
believe that Samkarsana should create by means of Knowledge but
;

teach philosophy by means of Strength

that Pradyumna should
teach ethics by means of Virility rather than Ability, etc.
;

Laksmi Tantra IV,

8,

fll.

IV, 24, and

II, 47.

37
period of Pure Creation those Grunas only are actually

mere
bhumayah), which become

manifest, though as

of

"stages

active

rest"

(vis

rama-

the beginning

at

of

Non-pure Creation, while the stages of effort" (s ramabhumayah) can come forth only after all the Tattvas are
created.

The creative activities

into

the one

play

following way
the
non-pure
"

Vyuhas come

of the

the other, marking out in the

tbree successive stages in the creation of

"

after

universe.

With Samkarsana Non-pure Creation becomes dimly

manifest in an embryonic condition, as a chaotic
mass without internal distinctions. This is expressed
in

Samhitas

the

the

by

but

grotesque

often

statement
that Samkarsana
carries the
repeated
whole universe like a tilakdlaka (dark spot under the
"

skin)

which apparently

",

that the world he

signifies

under the surface, existing

as a minute part, as it
only in a germinal condition
The Guna with which Samkarsana
were, of his body.

carries

is

still

so to speak

performs his cosmic function, is sometimes stated to be

His name Baladeva (the
jnana, but as a rule bala.
strong Grod) is also connected with this aspect of his, and
so he is often described by means of such compounds as
as vsa-bliuvana-adhara

"

support of the whole world

Through Pradyumna
Prakrti makes

the

duality
2

its

first

appearance

of

he

".

Purusa and

is

said to per

form, by means of his Q-una ais varya, both the mdnava

sarga and the vaidya sarga \ that is, the creation of the
1

As masrno vikCirah, Laksmi Tantra VI, 7.

Laksmi Tantra VI, 10 l)lioktr-l>hoyy<t-sani(tstis
:

tisthati.
3

LV,

17

LIX, 31 (Ahirh.

S.).

tu nilind tatra

38

Time.

and

Soul

Group

Matter plus Subtle

Primordial

of

Aniruddha, finally,
gives opportunity for growth
to body and soul" (52. 51-52) by taking over the crea
"

of

tion

Pradyumna and by evolving out

of

Manifest

it

Matter (vyalda) with Gross Time, and, on the other hand,

Mixed Creation (mis ra-srsti)

the so-called
to say

is

he becomes, through his

Guna

of souls

however,
the

be

it

seems, in the oldest

creation,

Samhitas

that

ruler of

s akti,

the Cosmic Eggs and their contents.

The cosmic activities of the Vyuhas are also
as

not,

stated to

and destruction of the

preservation,

These statements are of

universe or of the Cosmic Egg.
Laksmi Tantra, for
a somewhat contradictory nature.
instance, teaches (4,
of

Aniruddha

is

n,

that the

10, 20)

creating, that of

cosmic function

Pradyumna

preserving,

Samkarsana destroying while, according to

Visvaksena Samhita (loc. cit., p. 125 fll.), Samkarsana
by means of his (lima bala takes away all this
Pradyumna by means of his Guna ais varya creates
and that

of

"

",

"

that

of]

[totality

and Aniruddha
and protects

"

this

moveable and irnmoveable [beings]

by means

[Guna]

whole world, the

infinite

Egg

ethical activities

The

are declared to be
1

VI, 9

fll.,

and

12.

".*

of the three

the teaching (1)

",

akti supports

of his

Vyuhas

by Samkarsana,

For particulars see the next section

of this

Introduction.
2

Visvaksena Samhita,

Cf.

above
4

the

loc. cit.,

identification of

p. 129.

Samkarsana and S iva,

etc.,

mentioned

p. 36.

also, Aniruddha is occasionally called

and the like (see, for instance, LIU,
but elsewhere (LV, 21 etc.) it ascribes to him all the

In Ahirbudhnya Samhita
"

"

protector

",

overseer

",

53 LV, 42),
three activities.
5
See especially V, 21-24
Visvaksena Samhita,
125-127 Laksmi Tantra IV, 15-20.
;

loc.

cit.,

pp.

39
of

the

dstra

or

"

theory

",

namely, of monotheism

by Pradyumna, of its translation

and (3) by Aniruddha, of the
into practice (tat-kriyd)
from
such
gain resulting
practice (kriya-phala), to wit
(ekantika-mdrgd)

(2)

Liberation

spectively the

According

instruments

the

to

Gunas jnana

applied

re

being

or bala*, virya, and

tejas.

Visvaksena Samhita (Tattvatraya ed.

p.

125) the teaching of Samkarsana is not confined to the

Pancaratra, but includes the Veda (that is, of course, its
The same source says (loc. cit., pp.
esoteric portions).
126, 127) that

Pradyumna

"introduces all

religious rites

while Aniruddha
[to be performed by a Pancaratrin]
makes known the whole truth about the [ultimate goal
of ] the soul
",

"

".

The Vyiihas, however, have,

another aspect about which something must be

In the Narayamya section of the S anti

ally,

still

said

here.

Parvan

or at least had origin

Mahabharata, in S ankara s commentary on

Vediinta Sutra II, 2. 42 fll., and elsewhere, it is stated
of the

that Samkarsana represents the individual soul (fivdtman),

Pradyumna the Manas, and Aniruddha the Ahamkara.

This doctrine seems to be gradually disappearing from

the Samhita literature, owing, we believe, to the difficulty
of connecting the Ahamkara with such an absolutely pure
being as a Vyuha. We have come across only a single

passage which openly endeavours to explain the teaching

in its entirety, namely, Laksmi Tantra 6. 9-14.
The
idea

here

expressed

is

that Samkarsana, etc., are, as

it

were, the soul (jiva), the mind (budclhi, manas), and the
organ of self-assertion of the playing (that is, creating)
"

"

Bhui ana-abhaya-da Vaikuntha^ LV, 43, and 53.

to V, 21-22
(Ahirb. Samhita) and
Visv. S., loc. cit., p. 125 the latter according to Laksmi Tantra
IV, 15.
1

The former according

;

40
original meaning of the doctrine must
that the Vyiihas are something like

But the

Vasudeva.

have been rather

tutelar deities

This

of the said principles.

is,

in

deed, the teaching of Visvaksena Samhita, which declares

pp. 125

cit. 9

(loc.

about Samkarsana

fll.)

the superintendent of
Pradyumna "He is the

as

(manas)

he

is

(manomaya)"

the souls

all

He

"

"

*,

is

acting

and about

superintendent of the mind

declared to be of the nature of the mind

About Aniruddha no

similar statement

is

made

his being declared to be the creator of the

;
mi&ra-varga, that is, of the souls dominated by Rajas and
still

shows

Tamas,

author

the

actually looked at, by

of that Samhita, as the adliisthatr of the
In the same Samhita the superintendence

Ahamkara.
of Samkarsana
the

karsana,
world,

is

described

Divine

as follows:

Lord,

wishing

"Then

to

Sam

create

the

made

himself superintendent of the Principle of

3
severed it from Nature.
And, after having

and

Life

was

he

that

done so
the God obtained the state of Pradyumna."
In Ahirbudhnya Samhita, as we have seen, the duality of
Soul and Nature appears first with Pradyumna. It is he,
Lord of the
not Samkarsana, who is called there the
,

"

Aniruddha is indeed called super

intendent, not however of the Ahamkara but of each of
souls"

the

three

world
is

(53. 4s), while

(see

Guiias

above

(6. BS fll.)

p. 38,

or of the whole manifested

note

nothing in our Samhita,

4).

Scfyam samasta-jivdndm
2

But though there

in so far as the account of

aclhistlidtrtayd

stliitaJi.

For which reason it is also missing in Tattvatraya in the

aphorism on the activities of Aniruddha (ed. p. 127).
3
Jwa-tattvam adliistlidya prakrtes tu vivicya tat, which the
He made himself superintendent of the
commentary explains thus
Principle of Life, which was absorbed in Nature, and on the strength
of that superintendence severed it from Nature so as to render the
appearance of names and forms possible."
"

Viveka=vivecanam.

41
creation

is

appear

as

tutelar

are

indeed

there

individual

deities

a
few
referring
passages
For
which could be so interpreted.

life

we read

example,

would make the Vyuhas

in the sense mentioned

that

concerned,

to

(58. 40

fll.)

of

that he

Pradyumna

is

source of joy by his purifying influence on vitfya(=bK>ddhi)

and again that he is the internal ruler (aritar-niyamaka)

organ of knowledge (jndnendriya) of Samkarsana (59. 23, 25 fll.) that he causes the soul to flee from

of the

the world and reach Liberation by making

obtain cor

it

He bestows
knowledge and of Aniruddha (59. 34)
-which fruits
upon men the fruits [of their actions]
(=results) here undoubtedly include, or even exclusively
denote, those earned by selfish actions (good and bad).
From each Vyuha descend three 8 u b- V y ii has
"

rect

",

(vyuhdntara, murtyanta/rcr), namely, (1) from Vasudeva

Kes ava, Narayana, and Madhava; (2) from Sarnkarsaiia

Govinda, Visnu, and Madhusudana (3) from Pradyumna

and (4) from
Trivikrama, Vamana, and S ridhara
Aniruddha
Hrsikes a, Padmanabha, and Damodara,
2
These twelve are the
Lords of the months
that is
:

"

"

the tutelar

deities

(adhidaivata*) of the twelve months

and as such play an important

and the twelve suns

part in

diagrams

etc.

(yantras),

represented, for the purpose

They are usually

Kes ava as

of meditation

shining like gold and bearing four discuses, Narayana

dark (like a blue lotus) and bearing four conches,

as

Madhava
four
1

as shining like a
5

clubs,

etc.

gem
are

they

(saphire) and bearing

said to protect the

Avatirnah) says Yat. Dip. ed. p. 85.

Maitidhipfih,
3

and

That

Mahasanatkumara

S. Ill, 6.

33.

the sun in the twelvemonths of the year; cf. the rfncakra, VIII, 47b fll. of Ahirb. Sarnh., further Yat. Dip. ed. p. 85.
4
V, 49 VIII, 49 XXVI, 33 fll.
5
Yat. Dip., loc. cit.j to be compared with the fuller (and
is,

slightly different) description in adhy.

6

XXVI

of

our Samhita.

42
devotee

if

body

represented

on the same (forehead,

by certain painted vertical lines (urdhvapnncfi a).

Another set of twelve Vidyes varas
descend
ing from the Vyuhas is mentioned in a number
of texts
and derived in Padma Tantra I, 2. 20
fll. in
the following way from the Vyuha Vasudeva
springs another Vasudeva, from the latter Purusotand from him
Janardana
tama,
similarly from
Samkarsana another
Samkarsana,
Adhoksaja, and
and
from
Aniruddha
another
Aniruddha,
Upendra
Acyuta, and Krsna. These twelve are enumerated after
the twelve Sub-Vyuhas and called, together with
the latter,
the twenty-four forms
(catur vims atietc.)

"

"

murtayali).

To

Pure

Vibhavas
cents), that
Vyuhas or

is

Creation

belong the so-called

Avataras

(manifestations) or
incarnations of God or His

angels

(see below)
5

of

further

terrestrial

beings.

The

among

1.

Padmanabha.

2.

Dhruva.
Ananta.
S aktyatman.
Madhusudana.
Yidyadhideva.

3.

4.
5.

6.

14. Ekariiavas ayin.

15. Kamathes vara.
16.

17.
18.
19.

Vyuhas

this or that class

principal

according to Ahirbudhnya Samhita

fll.), the following thirty-nine:

Varaha.
Narasimha.

(des

or Sub-

Vibhavas

(5. 50

fll.

cf.

are,

56.

27.

Nyagrodhas ayin.
Ekas riigatanu.
29 Vamanadeha.
28.

30. Trivikrama.

Piyusaharana.

31.

S ripati.
Kantatman.

32.

Nara.
Narayana.

33. Hari.

7.

Kapila.

20.

8.

Vis varupa.

9.

Vihangama.
Krodatman.

21. Rahujit.
22. Kalanemigbna.

35.

Krsua.
Paras urama.

23. Parijatahara.

36.

Rama

10.

34.

Dhaimr-

dhara.
11.

Badabavaktra.

24.

Dharma.

25.

Lokanatha.
S antatman.

37.

12.
13.

Vagis vara,

26.

Dattatreya.

39. Patalas ayana.

Vedavid.

38. Kalkin.

This term in Mahasanatkumara S. Ill, 6. 34.

See for example Yihagendra S. II, 18, and the passage
tioned in the preceding note.
3
Vibhavo
ndma
Yat.
avirbhavaJi,
2

tat-tat-sajntiya-rupen

ed. p. 86.

men
Dip-

43
has been reproduced almost exactly from the
ninth pariccheda of Sattvata Samhita (ed. pp. 79-80); and

This

work we

to that
57

list

fll.)

those

of

etc.,

s lokas

Vibhavas.

the twelfth

of

apart from some

not,

(5.

the origin,

description of

However, the description,

actually found there, covering over 160

is

it

though

by our Samhita

are, indeed, referred

for a comprehensive

pariccheda (ed. pp. 97-109), does

hints, deal with the origin of the

Vibhavas, but only with their form and activity as objects

of meditation.
Still less can be gathered from the
twenty-third pariccheda of the same Samhita and the
fifty-sixth adhyaya of the Ahirbudhnya, where the thirtynine Vibhavas are once more reviewed in connection with

We

Mantras.

certain

names without any

be seen,

is

We

not very

must,

try

to identify the

direct help, which, however, as will

difficult.

naturally begin by picking out the ten

enumerated in the Narayaniya section of the

shall

Avataras

Par van, which,

S anti

then,

pected to

included

be

obvious reasons, must be ex

for

our

in

list.

They are

nos. 9

(= Hamsa), 15 (=Kurma), 28 (=Matsya), 16, 17,29, 85,

36, 37,

and

Four

38.

the

of

others

show Visnu under

different

aspects at the beginning of creation and after Pralaya

respectively,

namely

the primeval waters

lotus

is

to spring

(27) as the boy

whose mouth
2
and
discovered the dissolved universe
in
clad
fire
a
Lord of the cataclysmic

on the

IVIarkandeya
(39) as the

from which Brahman

floating

21

(14) as sleeping, with Laksmi, on

as growing from His navel the
( )

Nyagrodha branch,

in

"

",

S. XII, 66
msapnam bhogis ayydyam
Pad-may d salia vidijayd apsu susfaymuim cakre.
2

Sattvata

Laksmi

Referring to the story related in Varia Parvan, 188

fll.

T.

V,

44
flaming robe, waited upon by Laksmi,

Cintfi,

Nidra, and

Pusti.

Again, there are four other Avataras

seem

who

rather

belong together and therefore, says Sattvata

is 9),
(12.
may be meditated upon either

to

Sarnhita

collectively or singly,

namely

34 (including one

nos. ol to

already mentioned) who are Visnu appearing as the four

2
sons of Dharma and Ahiinsa.
They are described, in

deer
Sattvata S. (12. io
i-ia), as four ascetics clad in
skin, etc., the one reciting Mantras, the second absorbed
in meditation, the third teaching meritorious works,

and

the fourth performing austerities.

Then there are four (including two already men
tioned), to wit nos. 1, 5, 29, and 30, who are identical in

name, and possibly

some other

in

respect, with four of

the twelve Sub-Vyuhas.

Two of these, namely Vamana
and Trivikrama, are, according to our sources, merely
the two opposite aspects of the well-known Vamana

Avatura, that is Visnu as the very small one (krt-stha) and

the all-pervading one (sarva-vyftpin, traUokya-*puraIca)
3

while no. 5 refers, of course, to Visnu

victory over the

demon Maclhu.
Of the rest some
Purfuia

known

literature,
in

No.

it

3,

are mentioned as Avataras in the

while

others

as such, or altogether

Ananta,

is

are

apparently not

unknown.

not the serpent S esabut Balarama,

5
In Padma Tantra (I, 2. 32) he

the brother of Krsna.

1

Sattvata S. XII, 165

fll.

etc.

Narayaniya,
(E. I. A. R.

Krsna

opening chapter

see

Bhandarkar, Vaisnavism,

It is clear that this

not exactly identical with the well-known one.
Cf. Taitt. Up. anor aiiiydn mahato mcihiyuu, etc.
Or rather the demons Madhu and Kaitabha see chapter 41 of
vol.

Ill, part 6), pp. 32-33.

is

Ahirbudhnya

Who

than

of

Sarphita.

is sometimes
regarded as an incarnation
Visnu Himself.

of

S esa rather

45
is

inserted after Paras urama as

Avataras instead of the

the eighth of the ten

(Hamsa) who is omitted.

first

according to our Samhita (56. si), the

Samkhya philosopher, and he is evidently the same as
Kapila the teacher of the Naga kings referred to

No.

Kapila,

7,

elsewhere.
to

judge

as

the

cular

is,

No.

Krodatman,

0,

from

Sattvata

aspect

tion,

Manu

creator of
cribed

with

in

all

S.

(12.

made

85

love

eyes unsteady by
Pradyumna, or Kama reborn

(56. s)

The descrip

the

[secondary]
No. 20, Kantatman, is des

living beings.

Sattvata

the

a parti

24,

and

fish

"

Siva) as

else,

Visnu

than

Lokanatha, points to
who was saved from the deluge

as

fll.,

Yajna-sukara,

no.

of

Vaivasvata

by Brahman

none

be

Boar incarnation.

the

of

56. S5-86,

in

12. 45

S.

or

Yajna-varaha

can

son of Krsna.

as a beautiful youth
that is to say as
etc.,

fll.)
",

(after

But

his destruction

by

Ahirbudhnya

S.

in

epithet amrta-dhdraka "carrying

which seems rather to point to Dhanvantari,

he has

nectar"

the

the physician of the gods, or to Dadhibhakta

Dattatreya, is the well-known sage, son of

No

26,

Atri and

No. 37, Vedavid, is, according to Sattvata S.

All of these are
154 fll.), the famous Veda-Vyasa.

Anasuya.
(12.

among

the twenty-two

Avataras enumerated in the

supposing that Krodatman may

be identified with Yajiia, Kantatman with Dhanvantari,

Bhagavata Purana

(I, 3),

and Lokanatha with Purusa (the Male or Progenitor). The

the Rsi and
following are also Puranic Dhruva (No. 2),
:

S. 9. 105, as the
polar star, celebrated, in Sattvata

:i

Padma Tantra

I, 1.

23

fll.

Note especially vairnja and

See below, note

3,

Visnutilaka
satya-vrata.

on no. 18, next page.

11,

170

ill.

etc.

bearer

46
of

the Adhara S akti

Vagls vara

(no.

who

13),

is

Hayasirsa or Hayagriva and S antatman (no. 25), if he

is, as may be supposed, either Sanatkumara (Sanaka) or
;

Narada

as the

expounder of the Sattvata system.

S aktyatman (no. 4) is Visnu as icclid-rtlpa-dhd

is, assuming the particular form

required for pleasing some devotee.
Vidyadhideva, the
Lord of Viraj
is the four-faced Brahman.
No. 8 is

(Sattvata S. 12. 9), that

"

",

which He appears to Arjuna in the

famous Vis varupa Adhyaya (11) of the Bhagavad-Gita.
No. 11 is Aurva. No. 12 is Visiiu asdharma personified.
Visiiu in the

No.

form

also

18,

in

called

Amrtaharana,

is

Visnu as the

No. 19 is Visnu
Laksmi (who threw herself into His
arms when she emerged from the ocean). Nos. 21 and
22 are Visnu conquering respectively Rahu and
restorer of immortality to the gods.

as the

husband

No.

Kalanemi.

Indra the

of

23,

finally,

is

Krsna wresting from

celestial tree.

The enumeration

of

exactly thirty-nine Avataras,

upon this number also in the
mantroddhdra in both the Samhitas concerned, seems to

and

the

insistence

prove that the number is meant to be exhaustive. This

impression is not removed by Varavaramuni s statement,
his

in

Of.

commentary

on

Tattvatraya

Ahirbudhnya Samhita, adhy. VIII, 34

the term has a

much wider

fll.,

(ed.

p.

135),

where, however,

sense.

The only description of S antatman is in Sattvata S. XII, 110

Having a mind full of compassion, carrying the conch and lotus in

"

showing the threefold path

and virtuous deeds."

his hands,

of

knowledge, renunciation,

The epithet
Of. the story of the churning of the ocean.
would also fit Dadhibhakta to whom Indra is said to owe the
and who is mentioned among the chief Avataras in
Amrta,
Visvaksena S., loc. cit., p. 135 (Dadhibhaktas ca devetfo darvl-hasto
Amrtaharaiia is, thirdly, an epithet of Garuda as the
pradali).
stealer of Amrta.
3

>f

mrt<i-

47

number

that the real

is

only thirty-six, because Kapila,

Dattatreya, and Paras urama are only secondary Ava

For there are more
taras.
secondary Avataras
1

"

"

among the thirty-nine as well as outside their number.

The second point to be emphasized in connection with
it occurs in one of the
very oldest Samhiand therefore may be older than the smaller
found in later Samhitas and older even than the

this list is that

tas (Sattvata)
lists

Mahabharata

Even

mentioned above.

list

the smaller

only six names) appears from this

view-point not to be the oldest list but merely a select
ion for it is inconceivable that, for instance, the ancient
list

Narayamya

(of

and famous story of the Fish should have been overlook

ed by those who made the Boar an incarnation of Visnu.
The distinction referred to in our Samhita 4 between
primary (wwkhya) and secondary (gauna, aves a) Avataras
explained at length in Visvaksena Samhita (loc.
There the primary Avataras
pp. 130-132).
is

cit.,

only
flame springing from a
flame, that is to say Visnu Himself with a transcendent
(aprdJerta) body, while a secondary Avatara is a soul
in
bondage with a natural body which, however,
are

declared

to

be

like

possessed (dvista) or pervaded, for some particular

mission or function, by the power (s aldi) of Visnu. The
is

primary Avataras only should be worshipped by those

seeking Liberation, while for mundane purposes (wealth,
power, etc.) the secondary Avataras may be resorted
1

See below.

Nor

does

further division of the secondary or civeffa

s aktydves a (loc. cit.,
p. 130)
help to solve the riddle for Vyasa belongs necessarily to the same
class as Kapila, etc.
3
Namely nos. 16, 17, 29, 36, 34, and 35 of our list see Bhandarkar, loc. cit., p. 41.
*
VIII, 51 vibhavdntara-samjnam tad yac chaUyaves a-samlhavam.
the

Avataras according to svariipaves a and

;

48

The

to.

said

Samhita enumerates as instances of secon

1

dary Avataras Brahman, S iva, Buddha Vyiisa, Arjuna,

Paras urama, the Vasu called Pavaka, and Kubera, the
:

god of

riches.

for the origin of the Avataras, Visvaksena Sam

hita declares that all of them spring from Aniruddha,

As

either directly or indirectly,

examples

of the latter class

who descends from Aniruddha

through Brahman, and Hayas iras who comes from the
Fish, who himself springs from the direct Avatara Krsna.
being Mahes vara (Siva)

According to Laksmi Tantra also (2, ss) all the Vibhavas

descend from Aniruddha. Padma Tantra, on the other
says (I, 2. si fll.) that of the ten Avataras the
2
Fish, the Tortoise, and the Boar have sprung from Vasu-

hand,

deva

the Man-lion, Dwarf, S rirama and

Paras urama

Balararaa from Pradyumna

and
Samkarsana
Krsna and Kalki from Aniruddha and it indicates that

from

the other Avataras

The Avataras

are to be distributed in a similar way.

are not confined

fco

human and animal

the vegetable kingdom is sometimes chosen, as in

case of the crooked mango-tree in the Dandaka

forms
the

mentioned by Visvaksena S. (loc.

of this class of incarnations.
instance
an
as
Forest

Even among inanimate

the Man-lion,

Q-aruda,

Visnu (endowed with

p.

130)

objects an image of Krsna,

etc.,

becomes an

a certain miraculous

soon as

by the worshipper)
according to the Paiicaratra
as

cit. 9

it

rites, it

Avatara

power

of
felt

duly consecrated
being supposed that
is

Possessed of the quality of making heretics, therefore called

mohana the bewilderer
2
That is, the three manifestations of Prajapati mentioned in the
S atapatha Brahmana (Dowson, Hindu Classical Dictionary, sub voce
"

"

Avatara).
3
Purusa, Satya, Acyuta, Buddha, Das arha, S auri, Annes a, Hayagriva, Nrsimha S ankhodara, Visvaksena (?), Vrsakapi, Adivaraha.

49
Visnu, owing to His omnipotence, is capable of
into such images with a portion of His
ing"
is,

with a

This

subtle

divine

",

non -natural

Area Avatara

the

is

("

"

"

descend
that

s akti,

body.
incarnation for

or

")

It is exhaustively
the purposes of ordinary worship.
treated in Visvaksena Samhita (loc. cit., pp. 122 and 143).

There

which

is

is,

finally,

the

Antaryami Avatara,

Aniruddha as the

"

Inner Ruler

"

of all souls

a very old conception based on

(niycLYita sarva-deliinani)*
a famous Upanisad passage. The Antaryamin is the mys
terious

power which appears

which as the
of the heart

"

"

smokeless

as instinct and the like,

flame

"

seated in the

"

and

lotus

plays an important part in Yoga practice.

The Avataras, including those which belong

to the

past in so far as their visibility on earth is concerned, are

held to be eternal aspects of Visnu which are always
It is, indeed, for
helpful if properly meditated upon.
meditation more than for anything else that Visnu is be

lieved to have manifested Himself under different forms.

To Pure
"

vyoman,
all

Creation,

thirdly,

H ighe st Heaven

"*,

belongs the paramaor Vaikuntha*, with

the beings and objects contained in

This Highest

it.

The presence of God as a Vibhava in generated bodies such as

Kama and Krsua is also explained in this way see Yat. Dip.
How can there
p. 53 where this is the answer to the question

those of
ed.

"

be a junction between the natural and the non-natural

aprdkrta-samsargah katliam f).

"

(prakrta-

Visvaksena S. loc. cit., p. 122.

This conception of God residing in the soul but not identical
with it will be found to be responsible for the apparent Advaitism
of a good many passages in the Pancaratra literature.
1
See VI, 21 fll. of Ahirb. Samhita. This is the second-highest in
the list of Tattvas, Laksmi Tantra VI, 43, enumerating the Lord,
Highest Heaven, the Purusa, S akti, Niyati, etc. For vyoman, lit.
:

"space,: sphere",

VII, 9.
This name

the synonyms aka&a, nabhas,

etc.,

are also used

cf.

loc, cit.,

so,

is ambiguous in that it also denotes, and more often

the (lower) heaven of Visnu in Satya-loka,
which is a reflection,

50

Heaven has nothing

do with

any of the temporal

heavens forming the upper spheres of the Cosmic Egg.
to

indicated by its being called Tripad-vibhnti, mani

festation of the three-fourths [of God]
in contradistinct

This

"

is

",

to the one-fourth with

ion

which Aniruddha creates the

The Highest Heaven,

Cosmic Egg.

reached, at Liberation, until after the

Cosmic Egg has been

of the

above, limited below.

"infinite

that

in
"

"

shell

"

pierced

is

",

is

it

or

"

not

wall

"

denned as

"

The Highest Heaven with

its

inhabitants

comes

together with the Vyiihas and when, at

the time of the Great Dissolution, the Cosmic Eggs dis
into existence

and Laksmi becomes indistinguishable from the

appear
5

Lord it is, of course, also withdrawn.*

But there is also another, evidently
,

later,

view,

which the Highest Heaven (including, of

according
course, the divine couple) is not affected by the Great
Dissolution.
With this second view is probably connect
ed the distinction between the Highest Heaven and the
world as nitya-vibhuti and Itid-vibhuti, eternal mani
to

"

"

festation

and

"

"

play-manifestation
of the play of God, that is, the world). 6

(^manifestation

en miniature, of the Highest Heaven

and occasionally even that
whole sphere. Visuu-loka is an equally ambiguous term. Some
Samhitas connect each Vyuha with a particular heaven see, for
;

instance,
1

Yat.

Vihagendra Samhita,

Sd

vibhutir

Dip.

boundary
detail in

of

II, 20.

urdhva-prades e nantd,

adhah-prades e paricchinnd
to the

The journey of the liberated soul

the Cosmic Egg and further on, is described with
ed.

p.

53.

chapters 5 to

infinite

7 of

Tripadvibhutimahanarayana Upanisad.
2
Among whom also the liberated souls are represented from
the beginning, namely by those innumerable ones liberated in former
Kalpas P. Prakas a S. VI, 7.
3
See above, beginning of section 2, p. 29 fll.
4
P. Prakas a S. I, 14: Vaikunthadiv ihdram hitvd.
;

Or

bhoya-vibh iiti, Tattvatraya ed. p. 76.

Of. p. 53, our explanation of the terms nityndita and sfdntodita.

51

Highest Heaven there is, just as on earth, a

For the souls
distinction between matter and souls.
In the

would have no objects

without matter

The heavenly

matter,

(sftiddha-sattva),

as

is

it

called, is

three Gunas, nor the Sattva

of the other Gunas.

though

"

pure matter
not a mixture of the
or

however,

of enjoyment.

"

Guna without an admixture

sometimes understood

it is

The Highest Heaven coming

existence together with the Vyuhas (6, 21 til.), it is
the

sense.

latter

in

into
clear

which originates much later,

namely only from Kala (Time) can have nothing to do
with it. Pure Matter, then, is a sort of spiritual matter
which exists nowhere except in Pure Creation. It is a
Sattva Guna,

the

that

necessary hypothesis for explaining: (1) the non-natural

(a-prakrta) bodies of God, the angels, and liberated souls;

and

(2)

the presence, in the

"

"

City of Vaikuntha

instruments of

inanimate objects, to wit,

such as sandal, flowers, jewels,

2
etc."

and

",

of

enjoyment"

"places

of enjoy
3

Pure
such as parks, lotus-tanks, pavilions, etc.
matter is spiritual, that is of the nature of Knowledge
and Bliss
(6. 22, 24), in so far as it is nowhere an

ment

"

"

"

mind, but consists, on the contrary, of

nothing but wishes materialised. It is, as it were, the
solidified splendour
(sty and prablia) of Pure Creation
obstacle to the

"

"

(6. 21-22).

figure in Highest Heaven is

which is the
or
Himself in His para
"highest" form,
of his five prakaras or modes of existence, the other

The most prominent

God
first

four being the

1

of Avataras

See below section 3 of this part of our Introduction.

edition of Yat. Dip. includes women (vadhu)

One

Cf., for

mayd

Vyuhas and the three kinds

(1) the jnananandamaya dehah, and for (2) the anandaWiogah and dnandalaksand lokah mentioned in VI, 24 and 23

resp. of

Ahirbudhnya Samhita.

52
treated of above.

He

assumes

innumerable Avataras

"

this

form as a

"

root of his

and especially for the enjoy

3

ment of the angels and the liberated.

The Divine Figure is adorned with nine

chief orna

ments and weapons, which symbolically represent the prin

ciples of the universe *, namely, the Kaustubha (a jewel

worn on the
hair on the

the souls, the S rivatsa (a curl of

breast )=Prakrti, a club^Mahat, a concha
breast)

the Sattvic Ahamkara, a

bow^the Tamasic Ahamkara,

sword^knowledge, its sheath^ignorance, the discus^

the mind, the arrows^the senses, a garland=the
These weapons and ornaments are not
elements.
5

merely regarded as symbols but also as actually con

nected (as presiding deities or the like) with the TatTn this sense we read, for instance,
tvas they represent.
2 9
Visnutilaka
during the universal
(2.
-si) that

in

night the soul

Mama

cit. t

122.

p.

"

in the

form of the Kaustubha

"

rests in

prakdrdh panceti prahur veddnta-pciraydh, Visv. S., loc.

Cf. above pp. 24 fll. our explanation of the name

Pancaratra.
2

Anantdvatdra-kanda, Tattvatraya ed. pp. 118-119. In VihaS. II, 15 the Saksat S akti is called murtmam Irijam avyayam.
3
The para form of God is four-armed and of dark-blue com
S., loc. tit., p. 136; Padma Tantra I, 2, 13 and 15).
plexion (Visv.
It has sprung, according to Padma Tantra (I, second adhyaya
cf.
Visnutilaka II, 5 fll.), from a still higher, the very first, form of God
(rupam adyani sandtanam Visnutilaka II, 10
Vdsudevahvayam
mahah cf. Ahirb. Samh., XLI1I, 7 maliah paramabhdsvaram) which
is two-handed
colour of a pure
(cf. Vihagendra S. II, 16), of the
crystal, and clad in a yellow robe
just as the Sudars ana Purusa

gendra

(mantra-tanur Bhagavan) residing in Vaikuntha who appears to

Ahirbudhnya, XLIV 22 fll. (cf. XLIII 9 fll.). This is the best of
Purusas and the Highest Light
seen by Brahman in meditation
(Padma Tantra I, 3. 16 fll.) and ever to be remembered by Yogins
as seated in the lotus of the heart
that is, evidently, the Antaryamin placed here above the Para. This form, again, has originated
from
that which has all forms and no form
Brahrnan without
beginning, middle or end
"

"

"

"

"

",

"

"

",

".

4
5

See next section of this Introduction.

The great authority on this subject is for

Astrabhusana Adhyaya

of

Visnu Purana

(I,

22).

all later

writers the

53
the splendour of Brahman from which it is again sent out
into the world (prapancita) at the beginning of the new

cosmic day in order to return once more and for ever

when it is liberated.
God as Para is sometimes

identified

with,

and

sometimes distinguished from, the Vyuha Vasudeva.

When the two are distinguished, whether as mtyoditn,
"

ever-manifest

or otherwise

2
,

and s aniodita

"

the

Vyuha

"

"

periodically manifest
Vasudeva is said to have sprung

from the Para Vasudeva who, again, may be

with, or

identified

[more correctly] distinguished ifrom, the

Ab

Padma
(Purusa, Brahman, Narayana, etc.)
Tantra describes the Para Vasudeva as dividing himself
and becoming with one half the
for some reason

solute

"

"

Vasudeva,

Vyuha

"

Narayana,

and with the other

"

crystal-like

black

a cloud

as

",

",

the

creator

of

the

primeval waters (=Maya).*

God as Para is said to be always in the company
of his consort S ri (Laksmi), or of his wives S ri and

Bhumi, or
1

of S ri,

Bhumi, and

Nityoditdt sambabhuva

loc. cit., p.

133,

cf.

tatlid

p. 136. ffdnta-ttdita,

Nila, or even of eight or

dntodito
"

set

Harih, Visvaksena S.,

is a
Tatpurusa

and risen

",

the Vis esanobhayapada class, cf. sndtdnulipta, etc. The

comm., loc. cit., p. 133, gives no etymological explanation, but merely
paraphrases the two terms by means of mtya-mukta-anubhdvya and
Samkarsanavyuha-kdranabJi iita .respectively. Cf. above p. 50 the ex

compound

of

pressions

nitya-vibhuti

Padma Tantra

and

tild-vibhuti.

16

Here the
cf. Visnutilaka II, 11.
but a periodical manifestation like the
Vyuha Yasudeva. This is, of necessity, also the standpoint of the
Ahirb. Sarah, which, however, in calling the Absolute nityodita
nditdnuditdk ird nimes6nmesarupi7ii (III, 6) but
(II, 25) and Laksmi
the
nityodiia
(IX, 31), is not consistent in the use
Vyuhas
again
of these terms.
Para

is

not nitya,

"

I, 2.

eternal

fll.

",

3
The two are clearly distinguished in Padma Tantra (see
note 3 on p. 52), also in P. Prakas a S.I, 2.3 Purusad Vdsudevo bhut,
:

catvdro hy abhavams tatah.

4

however (II, 11-16),

Para with Narayana.

Visnutilaka,

identifies the

modifying this account,

54
of twelve S aktis.

favoured

The first
works

such

in

which make S akti a

second

view

is

of these views
as

is

naturally

Ahirbudhnya Samhita,

real philosophical principle.

based

The

(in a rather strained manner) on

the

weighty authority of the Uttaranarayana (end)

which is the continuation, in the* White Yajurveda, of the
4
Purusa Siikta. The third view is the one adopted in
the

later Visistadvaita

where, however,

it

plays such

an insignificant part that, for instance, in Tattvatrya this

is the only item connected with
the Para Vasudeva

mentioned but not explained. 6 It is apparently

7
not found at all in the older Samhita literature.
It is,

which

is

however, expounded at some length in one of the Minor

Upanisads, namely Sita Upanisad, where (as in Vihagendra
S. 2. s) S ri, Bhumi, and Nila are identified respectively

with the Iccha, Kriya, and Saksat S akti of the Devi

S ri representing good luck (bhadra), Bhumi might
;

See Ahirb. Samh. VI, 25 IX, 31 XXXVI, 55 LaksmI Tantra

VII, 9-10.
2
This, of course, does not exclude the admission of the existence,
in Highest Heaven, of minor S aktis r/. XXVIII, 85 of Ahirb. Samhita,
enjoining that the worship of God should be followed by that of
the gods and [their] S aktis (s akti-yositdm) forming His retinue.
;

Padma Tantra

I,

2.

46

Parames vara

S. I, 7,

where Bhumi

is

called Pusti (Laksmipustyoh svarupe ca nitye Bhagavatd salia).

4
Vihagendra S., 2nd adhyaya P. Prakas a S. I, 1. 58-59
Paras ara S., adhy. 8 to 10.
;

Tattvatraya, ed. pp. 85, 122

The comm. makes

Yat. Dip., ed. p. 84.

a futile attempt at excusing-

the author,

ed. p. 122.
7 The
comm. both of Tattvatraya and Yat. Dip. have no other
Smrti authority for it than a stanza of the S aiva Puraua, to which
they add, as S ruti quotation, the passage of the Uttaranarayana
mentioned above, S rinivasadasa explaining that NJla must be under
stood implicitly
In P. Prakas a S. (hardly earlier than the twelfth
century) the three S aktis, regarded as aspects of the one S akti,
are connected with the souls, the white S ri taking care of
the souls in which the Sattva Guna dominates, the red Bhu of the
Rajasic ones, and the black (nlla) Durga of the Tamasic ones
!

(I, l.

58-59).

55
S ri,
and Nila the moon, sun, and fire.
threefold as Yoga, Bhoga, and Vira S akti

(prabhdva),
further,

is

(connected

and

worship)

temple
while

time,

and

Nila

heat and cold

thirst,

Yoga
as

practice,

domestic

Soma

also

is

the

vegetation, and as sun the goddess of

as fire she is connected with
hunger

of

goddess

with

resp.

and Bhudevi,

of the nature of

is the sustaining power of the earth with

The mention, in the Upanisad, of
fourteen
its
planes.
the Rsi Vaikhanasa (though the passages in question are
probably interpolated) seems to indicate that we should

the Pranava,

seek for these doctrines rather in the Vaikhanasa than

in
"

Pancaratra Samhitas.

the

Laksmi,

rated.

etc.",

S aktis,

Eight

They are evidently the following eight,

Vihagendra

namely

are often mentioned but seldom

with the

S. (3. e)

"

hero form

enume

associated in

"

(vrra-murti)

Sudars ana, to wit: Kirti (Fame), S ri (Fortune),

Vijaya (Victress), S raddha (Faith), Smrti (Memory),
Medha (Intelligence), Dhrti (Endurance), and Ksama

of the

tilaka

S rivatsa of Visnu

Kanti

S.

(9.

we

8s)

(Compassion), Nidra

(Prosperity), Day a

and Visnu-

originate

The following

Sattvata

in

(I, 2. as)

are stated to

they

(2. 21)

enumerated

Padma Tantra

In

(Forbearance).

from the

v e S aktis are

Laksmi,
(Sleep),

Pusti

Ksama,

Sarasvati

(Beauty),
(Benevolence), Rati

(Learning), Dhrti, Maitri

(Venus), Tusti (Satisfaction), and

Mati

These play a part in the Avatara

(=Medha).
and
For instance, the fourteenth
elsewhere.
theory
Avatara is said to be waited upon by Laksmi, Nidra,
1

For another

"

eight

women

"

see

XXVI,

37

fll.

of

Ahirb.

Samhita.
2

Who, as we have seen

higher aspect of God.

(p. 52,

note 3),

is

subordinate here to a

56

and Vidya (= Saras vati) and the thirty ninth by Laksmi, Cinta (^Mati), Nidra and Pusti.
Of the two classes of Jivas or individual souls
Priti (=Maitri),

existing in the Highest Heaven, the more exalted ones

i t
are the so-called
y a s (eternal ones) or S u r i s (sages,

which two words can be

masters),

rendered by

"

an gel

fairly

They

s".

differ

accurately

from the other

not in point of know

both
ledge,
being declared to fully participate in the
Lord s omniscience, but (1) in having been always free
3
from defilement
and (2) in holding perpetually
class to be dealt with hereafter

certain

offices

as

coadjutors of the Lord.

The

duties

they have to discharge are, however, so mysterious that

hardly any attempt has been made at defining the same.

These angels

are, besides the

of the

watchmen"

"Holy

"door-keepers"

and

City of Vaikuntha

"town-

",

called

Canda, Pracanda, Bhadra, Subhadra, etc.,

5
and Kumuda, Kumudaksa, Puiidarika, Vamana, etc., the
so-called Parsadas or Parisadas, that is "companions"

respectively

of

(retinue)
1

and

God,

Mentioned together

in

in

addition

to

[or

among]

several passages of Ahirb. Samh., for

instance, IX, 30.

2
The existence of these angels is based on such scriptural
passages as the famous Tad Visnoli paramam padam sadd pasfyanti
surayah and S vetas vatara Upanisad VI, 13 Nityo nilydnain cetanas
cetandnam eko baJiundm yo vidadhdti kdmdn.
:

traya,

Kaddpi samsdram apraptah, asprsta-samsdra-gandhah (Tattvaed. pp. 26, 28),

the others being only nivrtta-samsdrdJi

have done with the world

1

"

who

"

(ibid., p, 28).

Tesdin adJiikdra-vis esd

is

varasya nityecchayaivdndditvena vyava-

sthdpitdh, Yat. Dip., ed. pp. 78-79.

5
Yat. Dip., ed. p. 83.
6

The Parisadas are distinguished from Kumuda, etc., as well as

Ananta, etc., in Padma Tantra I, 2. 36-40, but often the term is
used in a wider sense. In Yat. Dip., ed. p. 84,
Ananta, Garuda,
are called Nityas, but not the
and
Visvaksena,
door-keepers
watchmen
still, there being among the Muktas neither office
bearers nor social distinctions at all (see belowj, the rest can be nothing
but Nityas.
"

"

etc."

"

"

"

57
the

the

latter

more prominent
and Visvaksena. Of

three

Ananta, Garucla,
or

S esa, the serpent,

the

"

king of

Visvaksena, the
chief minister

the couch of Visnu, and Garuda,

is

lord of hosts

God

to

in

"

x
,

is

all

described as a sort of

This part of Visvaksena,

seem to clash with the

and

Vyuhas;
them in

he

that

to

appears
described

heavenly and
taken in earnest,

affairs

mundane.
would

Ananta

these,

his so-called vehicle (vahcma), while

birds",
"

beings called

if

activities

the

of

have actually ousted

the

in

sect

thirtieth

chapter of Anandagiri s S ankaravijaya, which recom

mends the worship of him only who
rules the
"

whole universe
residing in

second Avatara of the Lord

like

Vaikuntha."

Nityas can incarnate

Visnu Himself.

Lastly,
will in

at

it

must be stated that

the

world,

just

as

The lower
Heaven are the

inhabitants of the

of

class

Muktas

or

Highest

Liberated.

They

are

intensely radiating spiritual atoms

4
of the size of a trasarenu (mote in a sunbeam).
This

described

(6. 27) as

description
346. is

fll.

evidently connected with Mahabh. XII,

where it is said that the liberated become
is

atomic after having been burned up by the Sun

1

and

in so

the eater of leavings

Called also S esas ana
namely, of God,
that is, presumably the executor of His plans cf. the commentaries,
Tattvatraya, ed. p. 28 the explanation, ibid., of the Serpent s name
"

",

Visnu, namely, His bed, seat, etc.) is

in the story narrated in adhy.
XLI of Ahirb. Samh., stanzas 18 arid 30 fll.
2
Ibid, is mentioned a gorgeous Temple of Visvaksena in a
place [in Northern India] called Marundha (spelt Marundha in the

S esa (the

little

Visvaksena occurs

convincing.

poetical paraphrase,
3

of

"appurtenance"

Anandas rama

Series no. 22, p. 559).

Cf. p. 44, note 5.

Svarupam anumatram
trasarenu-pramanas

Visvaksena
VI, 27.
8

S.,

loc.

cit.,

te

p.

syaj jndnanandaikalaksanam

ras mi-koti-vibhusitnh

13

11,

the second half also in Ahirb. Samh.,

58
as

far

undoubtedly means that the

this

through

passing

Sun get

the

liberated

by

rid of their subtle body,

right in teaching the "atomi

of any, even the bound, soul, if described in itself,
city
The liberated, then, are bodiless. But this only means that

Tattvatraya

(ed. p. 12)

is

"

they have no

"

whenever they

karma- made
a

like,

"

"

they can assume,

non-natural
body, or even

body

"

and freely roam

simultaneously several such bodies
3
about in the whole world.
They are, however, excluded
,

from actual interference

in

worldly affairs *, differing

from
the
angels, as already noticed.
respect
the Muktas there exists no gradation or social

this

Among

in

any kind

difference of

they being as equal, essentially,

as for instance grains of rice

the

differs

difference

by
preserved from their

form

[of

of

still

their

devotional

mode

of life

inclinations
"

last earthly existence.

Whatever

God] the devotee has been attached

to in his

mundane existence, that kind does he behold as an inhab

of

itant

the

We

f)

Highest

Heaven."

are

not

told

whether the liberated have any intercourse with each

other,

but

if

the bodies of Pitrs (ancestors,

by
and if, as is often
them by God
they are intent upon nothing but service (kaih-

death) are created for

said,

etc., lost

God, then, indeed, they are practically alone

with their God.
Jcarya)

to

The soul is also vibhu, in spite of its atomicity

section 6 of this part of our Introduction.
2

see below

As Yogins can do already while still alive, the classical

example being that of Saubhari (Tattvatraya ed., p. 31, Yat. Dip. ed.,
P. 70).
3

Yat. Dip. ed., p. 78.

Yat. Dip., p. 78 cf.
;

Brahma Sutra IV,

Tattvatraya, ed. p. 33.

Ahirb. Samh. VI, 29-30.

Yat, Dip., ed. p. 53.

4, 17.

59

The Visistadvaita teaches

that there exists a second

MuktaSj namely the so-called Kevalas or exclu

sive ones", who are actually altogether "isolated" because
class of

"

they have reached Liberation, not by devotion to God,

but by constant meditation upon the real nature of their

own soul. They are said

who has lost her husband

be living,
like the wife
in some corner
outside
"

to
"

",

"

both the Highest Heaven and the Cosmic Egg. We have

so far not found this doctrine in any of the Pancaratra
1

Samhitas but should not be surprised if it were even

tually discovered in one or several of them.
INTERMEDIATE CREATION

3.

(Evolution, Second Stage)

"

Based

"

on Pure Creation

but performed with

only one myriadth part of the infinitely small portion of

3
divine energy employed in it , is that other manifestation
S akti which

the Bhuti

of

"

one

that

"

impure
1

from the pure

mixed and partly

different
"

"

partly
namely the Kiitastha Purusa and the

(#uddhetara) 9
"

"

is

Yat. Dip.,

eel.

is,

76, Tattvatraya, ed. pp.

p.

Maya

28, 121.

Tanmulciiva, VI,

7.

"

III, 27

The

LaksmI Tantra IV,

35.

our Samhita, of the terms tfuddhetara and

In VII, 68-70 the
Sfuddlmtfuddlia is of a bewildering ambiguity.
term tfuddhetam has a different meaning in each of the three stanzas,
comprising the pure and what is different from it
namely, in 68
and in 70
other than pure
in 69
belonging to both the pure
in

use,

"

"

"

"

and

"

what

is

from

different

"

it

",

what

is

different

from

"

it

being in 68 inclusive of, in 70 exclusive

(itara=tad-itara)
mixed
of the
creation, the latter being evidently not included
either in 69.
Similarly the sense of sfuddliasfuddha in V, 9 and LIX,
55 concurs with the first of the above meanings (as uddha implying
the "mixed"), and that of ^uddhy-as uddhi-maya in VI, 34 with
Instead of
mixed (Visvaksena S., loc. cit., p. 128 fll.)
the third.
the present Samhita says "pure-impure".
"

"

"

"

60
S akti with their respective developments. This Non-pure
Creation falls into a primary and a secondary one, and
1

the former, again, consists of two well-defined stages of

which the first, to be described in this section, may well

be called the Intermediate Creation.

Kutastha Purusa,

The
Kutastha
in

34)

or Purusa,

the words

* e
:

called

also

simply

explained in our Samhita

is

An

aggregate of

(6. ss-

souls, similar to

a bee-hive*, the pure-impure condition of Bhuti,

such
is the Purusa
piled up by souls blunted by beginningless
"

Germ-impressions

(vasand)

which should be

with

compared the definition in Laksmi Tantra (7. 11-12):

By Purusa is meant the all-knowing, all-faced Bhoktr
"

Kutastha

as his parts

go forth from him

and likewise

all

the eternal

time of] Dissolution the

work[-bound] souls, go back to him, the highest soul
The Kutastha Purusa, then, is the soul of souls,
(nara)."

souls

(jt-va),

that

is

of all

at [the

the totality, regarded as the source,

disembodied but karma-bound (non-liberated) souls
to

say,

Treated respectively in adhyayas

VI and VII

of

our Samhita.

are several speculations about the meaning of this word

I There
which is, of course, the old Samkhya term mentioned already in
the Buddhist Nikayas. The explanation ras ivat sthita
existing
seems to be favoured,
in the form of a heap (collection, aggregate)
in our Samhita, by the image of the bee-hive (see below).
Other
XXIV, 24 etc.), suggest the
passages, however (XVI, 38, cf. 46
idea of the Purusa
standing at the top of the soul s pedigree.
The latter explanation is the one which Vedantades ika prefers
to the former see his commentary on S rlbhasya for Bhagavadgita
"

",

"

"

XII, 3 (anekesam santanyamandnam purusdnam sadhdrano hi purvah

pnrnsah KutastJiaJi).
3
In IX, 25 this image is used for the Maya S akti, while in IX,
27 the Kutastha is compared with [the hole of] an Udumbara tree
swarming with countless bees.

4
The Kutastha (and likewise the four Manus to be mentioned)
a mere collective being
not
is
cf. the
description of Brahman as
consisting of the totality of bound souls
;

"

".

61

the

before

non-pure

He

of the

and after the dissolution

creation
"

"

universe.

of a

mixed nature

uddhy-as uddhi-maya, 6. 34)

in that he is pure in himself but impure on account of
his carrying the above-mentioned Germ-impressions left
is

(s

over from the latest life-period of the souls.

The Kutastha Purusa, and, as will be seen, also the

Maya

S akti, take

origin

of the

The
made to

from Pradyumna.

their rise

Kutastha from

is

Pradyumna

agree with the Purusa Stikta by describing the Kutastha

as consisting of four couples, namely, the male and
female ancestors of the four castes, springing respec

from the mouth, arms, legs, and feet of Pradyumna.

Accordingly, the Kutastha is called the Purusa of four
tively

"

"

pairs

",

the Purusa

aggregate of Manus

Manus

"

2
,

or simply

as retaining this

"

",

"

Manus

the eight

the

Manus

form while

of Tattvas in the

twice four

consisting of

manner

"

to

"

C
",

and he
"

is

"

",

the

the four

imagined

the long line

descending
be described, until he

is

materialized and thus prepared for further multi

3
that the Manus are
plication. It is stated (7. s* fll.)
fully

the origin merely of the Pitrs, Devarsis, and men *, and

that there are other
wombs (and, consequently, lines
"

"

Note that the liberated souls do not .return to the Kutastha.

Visvaksena S., loc. cit., p. 126. These seem to be the four

that have puzzled all commentators and translators of
Bhagavadgita X, 6, in which case the above conception of the
Kutastha (though not necessarily the Pancaratra) would be older
than the Gita. Note that the Seven Rsis mentioned together with
the four Manus in the s loka referred to of the Gita have the
same names as the Citras ikhaudins who, according to the Narayauiya,
are the first promulgators of the Pancaratra.
3
In contradiction to IV, 13 cetana-varga, unless this be meant
"

Manus

"

in a restricted sense.
*

Not

authorities

of all
;

men

but only of the Sattvic ones, according to some

see below, fifth section.

62
such as those of the

of evolution)
*

dharvas,

etc.

The

Devas, Daityas, Gan-

but the latter are nowhere described.

Maya

Sak

called

also

simply

S akti,

further Bhagavat S akti, Mulaprakrti, S as vadvidya, or

3
is the same to the material universe as
simply Vidya
,

is

the Kutastha to the world of souls

that

is

to say,

it

the non-spiritual energy which comes into existence,

by the side of the Purusa, as the primitive form of the
nature
or
matter
(prakrti) into which the Manus

is

"

"

"

"

are destined to gradually

however

it

(4. 4),

"

differs

descend

As

".

"

root-matter

from the Mulaprakrti

such in

",

of the

that

the
i)
(mentioned
latter is only one of its two manifestations, namely its
so-called "Guna body" (gcimm or gunamaya vapux), the
as

Samkhyas

in

7.

other one

being the

Time body
Time
and its

consisting of Kala
Restriction
namely Niyati
"

"

"

(Icalamaya vapus)

"

"

subtle

"

cause,

"

".

These three last-mentioned, that is Niyati, Kala, and

4
Guna, are declared to originate from the forehead
,

eyebrows, and ears respectively

1

of

Pradyuinna

(6. 12),

Altogether eight such forms (murfy-astaka ) are enumerated,

along with the Vibhavas, etc., in Padma Tantra (I, 2. 29-30), namely,
brdhmi, prajdpatya, vaisnavi, divyci, arsl, mamiw, asuri, and pai&dci
"

"

cf.

Samkhya Karika

58.

2 And
cannot, indeed, be consistently described after the
dissection of the Purusa for the purpose of man.
Philosophy clashes

here with mythology.

3
Of all these names,

Tantra

to which may be added from Laksmi

Mahalaksmi, Mahes vari, and Bhadrakali, the first alone

(IV, 52 cf. VI, 35-36)is fairly unequivocal. The usual one, in our
Samhita, is S akti.
Vidya, as an Agamic term, means magical
that is much the same as Maya, Avidya, and, after all, S akti,
power",
and all of these are synonyms of more than one kind of Prakrti
and therefore, like dhenn, etc., in constant danger of misinterpreta
tion.
The adjective vaidya, rather frequent in our Samhita, is as a
rule a mere substitute for pmkrtika.
;

"

lalatp

For the connection of Niyati with the forehead

Ukhitam written on the forehead "=fate.
"

cf.

the phrase

63
just as the four pairs of
his

etc.

mouth,

the

Having produced
threefold

them,

Manus have been derived from

Maya

"the

S akti,

Kutastha Purusa and the

transfers both

Pradyumna

S akti with the Purusa in

it"

(6. 14),

of

"for

further development
(vardhayeti, 6. is) to Aniruddha.
Developed for a thousand years (55. 4s) by the Yoga
"

of

Aniruddha

(6.

there

14)

emerge now once more,

but this time successively, the already-mentioned mate

from Aniruddha,
S akti; then, from S akti, Niyati; from Niyati, Kala;
from Kala, the Sattva Guna from the latter the Rajo
and
Guna
and, from the latter, the Tamo Guna
rial principles (6. 43

fll.)

first,

directly

simultaneously
travel

each
in

and

in

the

same order

"

into
through these Tattvas by
descending
of them, after its appearance, and "staying"
"

some time,
as a foetus
which means (to judge from

it,

Manus

the

for

"

that

"

(kalati-bhuta,

their

6. 45),

further devel

appropriate successively the in

dividual faculty which each of these Tattvas is capable
of bestowing.
By the way it may be mentioned here

opment)

that

the

Kutastha
thus to

chapter on Dissolution (4. s4-eo) inserts the

between Aniruddha and S akti, assigning
the

Brahman
entering

We
educts of

they

Kutastha a

position

similar

in the Upanisads, creating the

to

that

of

world and then

it.

have now to say some words on each of those

Maya

Maya
philosophy

S akti.

S akti,
of

Niyati, and Kala occupy

in the

the Pancaratra the very place which

is

such passages as Brhadaranyaka Upanisad I, 1. 2 relating

carried
(that is, time) is born after having been
by
Prajapati for one year.
Of.

how the Year

"

"

64
held in the S aiva systems by the six so-called Kancukas or
that is limiting forces owing to which the soul
jackets
"

",

loses its natural

matter of

fact,

As a
perfections (omniscience, etc.)
the doctrine of the six Kaficukas called
.

Maya, Kala, Vidya, Raga, Niyati, and Kala seems to be

a mere elaboration of the older doctrine, found with the
limitation
only three powers of
(samkoca), namely the three mentioned. These three appear
in Laksmi Tantra as
the three mothers and creators of the
of

Pancaratras,

"

"

Mahalaksmi

and Mahakali*
and representing respectively the Rajasic, Sattvic, and
Tamasic aspect of the Goddess
and they are said to be
world

"

called

Mahavidja

Aniruddha

wife Rati in the form of the "Sheath

of

(maya-kos a).
Niyati, the S akti consisting of great

Maya"

"

is

"

the subtle regulator of every thing

"

knowledge"

such as

"

the

form which [a being] may have, its work, and its nature
It is clear from this definition
that Niyati
(6.48).
"

not only what the Vais esikas call Dis to wit the regu
lator of positions in space
but that it also regulates, as
Karmic necessity, the intellectual capacity, inclinations,

is

<J

For an able account of these see C hatter ji, Kashmir Shaivaism,

also Schomerus, Der Qaiva-Siddhdnta, p. 137.
fll. Of
Or Mahas ri, Parames vari, Bhadrakali, etc.

pp. 75
2

Or Mahavani, Sarasvati, Mahadhenu, etc.

Or Mahamaya, Kalaratri, Nidra, etc.
5
LaksmI Tantra VII, 13 IV, 67 VI, 18-19
IV, 36, 39 fll., 62, arid V, VI, VII (passim).
*

also

Maliavidyamayi
7

s aktih,

IV,

see for the

names

51. Of. note 3.

Suksmah sarva-niydmakah, VI,

Which

46.

foreshadowed in Brhadaranyaka Upanisad III, 8. 9

By the order of this Imperishable One are kept asunder
are the gods dependent on
(vidhrtau tisthatah) sun and moon
the performer of sacrifices, the manes on the funeral gift." Cf. also
ibid. IV, 4, 22 setur vidharanah.
8

is

"

Chatterjij

Hindu Realism,

pp. 58

fll.

65

and practical
that

it

every being; that is to say,

includes the functions of the above-mentioned
ability of

S aiva principles called Vidya, Raga, and Kala.

Kala, Time, is defined (4 4 a) as the mysterious
"

power existing

in time,

another passage

in

sues

(6.

which urges on everything

si), as the principle which

everything to be matured, as the stream

the bank of the

It is further said

river."

is

[is

(6. 49)
3

the cooking (maturing) form of time

"

".

",

and,

"

pur
after]

that this

Kala, then, as

originating from Niyati and giving origin to the Grimas, is

not time as it appears to us (subjective time) but a subtle
force conditioning it.
This distinction between the

ordinary or empiric and a higher or transcendental time

can
be traced back* to the Kala hymns of the

Atharvaveda and
such

phrases as

the great epic in

recognizable in

is
"

Time

leads

me

in

time

"

5
.

One

"

(salmla
Upanisad speaks of the time that has parts
the former
non-time having no parts
Icdla) and
the latter
than the sun and stars,
being
"

"

",

"later"

"earlier";

all

is

beings,

cooked

similar

".

ones

time that

further

on,

but

excelled

is

From
it

these

was

"

by
two

eventually

"cooks"

(matures)
time

in

whom

famous

texts

him

and

concluded that the

The S aiva principle Niyati, as distinct from Vidya, etc., was

originally in all probability nothing more than the Dis of the
Vais esikas
but the use of the word in common language in the
sense of Fate has (at least in the Dravidian school) obscured its
relation to the other Kaficukas.
;

Or

"counts, measures"

(kalayati).

Kdlasya pdcanam rupam.

4
See my comprehensive sketch of the earlier history of Kala
in Ueber den Stand der Indischen Philosopliie zur Zeit Mahdviras und
Buddhas, pp. 17 to 30.
5

Ktilah kale nayati mtim, XII, 227. 29,

Maitrayaua VI,
9

15.

66

time as an effect

"

only

which must be a

and

kcila)

we

which

changing time

observe

sections

and

unchanging

daily life is
the cause of

(Icdrya-lcdla)

time without

"

in

"

(2)

"

(akhanda-

that

must

there

be a sphere or condition which is totally unaffect

2
ed by time
though time exists in it as an instru
that is to say that there are,
ment to be used at will
strictly speaking, three kinds of time, to wit
(!) effected
,

which plays no part

"

or
gross
creation of
"

time,

the Tattvas

(2) causal or

"

which, though relatively

until after the

"subtle"

time

"

eternal

(and often called so)

by Aniruddha (or Pradyumna)

time existing in Pure Creation. It

also created, namely,

is

and
is,

(3)

"highest"

evidently, in

(53. 10- n)

this

sense

"Gross

is

that

called the time possessing the

lava (one-sixth of a second), etc.

mining the

Tattvas

while

our Samhita declares

subtle

that

the one deter

which pervades the

of the Vyuhas is styled

Highest Time
That there may be a still higher time connected with
Vasudeva alone is denied in the words (53. 11-12):

activity

".

by time belongs always to the triad of

*
Vyuhas [only] the Lord Vasndeva is not a Vyuha nor
"

Effecting

possessor of

called

"subtle"

2
3

kind of time.

is

Tattva

the second or

Yat. Dip., ed. p. 50, and elsewhere.

Tattvatraya, ed. p. 122.
Though, as will be seen,

the latter
4

It follows, then, that the

time."

Kala emanating from Niyati

is

it

comes into existence already before

completed.

Though

said to

form a tetrad together with the Vyuhas, V,

o- 2fo.
5

There is more material about this subject (for instance, adhyP. Prakas a S.)
and it will probably be found that the con
ception of time is not exactly the same in some Samhitas as in

III

of

others.

67

The

"

G u H a B o d y,

manifested gradually from Kala" (6. eiof the three Gunas, as already remarked.

above which

is

consists

52)

or that form of S akti mentioned

has to be added that ea.ch Guna, while evolving in the

manner described, comes under the special protectorship

It

of

say

Ariiruddha in

of Sattva, as

that

that

is

to

These three gods, together with their

Tarnas.

of

of the Trimurti

V s n u becomes the superintendent

B r a h m a n that of Rajas, and as R u d r a

Aniruddha as

form

the

Gauri) \ regarded as the

forces underlying the formation of the Avyakta, are
of
called in Laksmi Tantra (6.20-21) the "Sheath
S aktis

Sarasvati,

(Laksmi,

Generation"

(prasuti-Jcos a}

In

same

the

with

text

the first
regard
from
origin of the Gunas that they have been formed
and third of
[an infinitesimal part of] the first, second,
3
The qualities which
Lord.
the six Gunas of the
82

(4.

is

it

fll.)

stated

to

become manifest through the Gunas are according

Ahirb. Sarah.:
pleasure

(1)

lightness,

healthiness,

brightness,

motion, passion, restlessness, pain

(2)

to

and

(3)

heaviness, obstruction, inertia, stupefaction.

Gunas have evolved

After the
"

come,

as

called

or

for

the
a

separately, they be

purpose of creation

rule

Avyakta

Mulaprakrti (Root-nature),

",

a uniform mass

Non-manifest)

(the

but also, according to

Who, however, according to Laksmi Tantra V, 6 fll,, have

Brahman and Laksmi from Mahalaksrni -f Pradyumna
sprung
1

Rudra and Sarasvati from Mahakali-j-Samkarsaua and Yisim and

;

Gauri from Mahavidya-1-Aniruddha.

2 This is the third kos a or material
husk
of the Devi, the
second being the above-mentioned Maya Kos a, and the first the
S akti Kos a comprising the Vyuhas and their S aktis. Three more
Kos as are connected with the lower primary and the secondary
"

"

two sections of this Introduction.

The other three being employed for the creation of Kala ibid.

creation to be described in the next

3

V, 24-25.

68
our Samhita

1
by such names as Tamas (Darkness)

(6. es),

(Equality of

Gunas)
Avidya (Ignorance),
Guna-samya
Svabhava (Nature), Aksara (the Imperishable), Yoni
(Womb), Ayoni (the Unborn), Guna-yoni (=gunamaya
yoni Guna-made Womb).
,

LOWER PRIMARY CREATION

4.

(Evolution, Third Stage.)

The

"

descent

follows

known
shall

of the

Tamo Guna

reached the

having

"

Manus

(6.59),

into Matter having

and the three Gunas

form the Miilaprakrti

now that evolution which

joined to
to the

see,

the

Classical

(6.
is

ei

the

fll.),

there

only one

Samkhya with which,

as

we

Pancaratra does on the whole, but not

throughout, agree.
At the very outset there is this difference that,
whereas the Classical Samkhya has only two principles
to start with, namely, Purusa and Prakrti, our Samhita
begins this chapter with stating emphatically (though not
in a polemic way) that the development which now sets
in, results

from the combined

activity of

three

prin

and Kala (Matter,

The mutual relation of the first two
exactly the same way as in the Classical

cipal agents, namely, Prakrti, Purusa,

3

Soul,
is

Time).

explained in
1

That is, undift erentiatediiess. Of. the expression sfantdtman used

promiscuously with avyakta in Kathaka Upariisad III, 10-13.
2
Meaning that in this condition, as distinguished from the later
inequality of Gunas
(gttna-vais amya), the three forces are equally
"

"

distributed in every particle of matter.

3
In the Classical Samkhya time

(Samkhya Sutra

II, 12),

is

mere quality

an impossible view in an

of

matter

early system

den (Stand der Indlsclien Philusopltie zur Zeit

Mahdvlrus und Buddhax.
cf.

Schrader,

Ueber

69
Prakrti changes, like milk and clay [changing,
respectively, to curds, etc., and pots, etc.], owing to the

Samkhya

proximity (=magnetic influence) of the unchangeable

Purusa. But both these Tattvas are being
cooked

"

"

by Time.
not

Again, there

is

this difference, that there are

Purusas, as in classical Samkhya, but at this

stage only the one Kutastha or Samasti (Collective)
Purusa.

many

As

the

first

product of this combined activity of the

emerges from the Avyakta the Mahat

called also Mahat
Great One
neutr.) or

three there

"

(masc.,

",

Our Sarnhita enume

Tattva
the Great Principle
rates (7. 8-9) the following more or less pregnant syno
"

".

term: Vidya Go (Cow)

Avani (Earth),
3
Vrddhi
(the Cosmic One), Vadhu (Woman)
4
(Growth), Mati (Intellect), Madhu (Honey)
Akhyati,

nyms for
Brahmi

this

(Non-discrimination), Is vara (Lord), and Prajna (Wise)

to
to

which some others, mostly synonyms

be added, notably Buddhi.

of Mati,

have

About Mahat two seemingly contradictory state

ments are put side by side, of which the first clearly
shows that the Paficaratra has drawn from an older
form of the Samkhya philosophy than the one which
has

survived
1

How,

in

the

in

spite

(aparindmin, VII, 6),

of
is

Karika and the Sutras.

this,

the Purusa remains

The
"

"

unchanged

not explained.

The Mahat and remaining principles are symbolized by the

lotus growing from the navel of Padmaiiabha (Aniruddha)
see
Iridraratra I, 18 (Mahad-ddyaw jjankajam), etc.
;

Of. note 3

Cf.
5

on page 62.

Brhadaranyaka Upanisad

The

last

II, 5.

two names are from Mandukya Upanisad where they

For

with reference to the susupti plane of consciousness.

Akhyati see below p. 73.

are used

70

Mahat, we

are

told

first

(7.

conformity with the three

9-n)

1
,

its

Gunas,

is

threefold,

in

Taraas element

appearing as Kala (time), its Sattva element as

B u dd hi (reason, intellect), and its Rajas element as
P r a n a (vitality). The next statement, which would

we

refer

preceding one, unless

not to the cosmic Mahat but to Buddhi

conflict

hopelessly
it

with

as an individual organ

(cf.

with the teaching of the

Karika, namely that

the

below),

is

essentially identical

twenty -third arya of

Mahat manifests

itself in

Samkhya-

four Sattvic

and four Tamasic forms, being respectively good actions

(dharma), knowledge, dispassion, and might, and their
2

opposites.

Now,

as

regards Kala, which

is

here defined as

it is evident that in
consisting of trutis, lavas, etc."
this passage a different and lower form of Time must be
"

meant than
as

its

we have

"

subtle

seen,

"

"

or

"

cooking

from

Niyati.

form originating,

For,

Subtle Time

Un manifest

Nature, while Mahat is the

4
It follows that Kala as
beginning of Manifest Nature.

belongs

to

Laksmi Tantra XVI, 2-4

Sa Mohan ndma, tasydpi vidhda
:

Cf.

Buddhir

tisrah prakvrtitah

Prdna eva hi
tdmasah Kala ity nktas tesdm vydkhydm imam sfrnu
Buddhir adhyavaxdyasya, Prdnah prayatanasya ca,
Kdlah Italanarupasya parindmasya kdranam
The role of the Taijasa (Rajasic) Mahat is, according
sdttviko

ity ukto, rdjasah

II

II

I.

twenty-fifth arya,

to

co-operate with

to the
both the Sattvika and the

Tamasa.

And similarly in the corresponding passage of Laksmi Tantra

quoted above, note 1 on this page for which reason we cannot but be
lieve that really time is meant here and not. the Time Lotus producing
Brahman and Sarasvati, as stated in Laksmi Tantra V, 27 fll., which
rather appears to be another instance of mythology clashing with
3

philosophy.
4
In the comm. on Tattvatraya, ed. p. 79, the relation of the two
kinds of time distinguished there are actually likened to that of the
Avyakta and the Vyakta.

71

Mahat can be nothing

a form of
referred

to

form

the

only

of

first

above,

all

the

And

66.

p.

else

but Gross Time

that

this

is

not

we perceive, but
one with which we perceive
must
time

of

which

be concluded from the fact that the two other forms

of

Mahat, namely Buddhi and Prana, are regarded as

individual powers acquired by

"descent"

to

Buddhi

through the

Manus during their

Great Principle. With regard
the

expressly stated (7. is -14) that to the

the womb of Vidya
eight Manus, while dwelling in
there originates that
natural organ (vaidyam indriyam),
it

is

"

",

"

Bodhana, by means of which they can ascertain

[the nature of] things, discriminating between the real
and the unreal." The five Pranas are in Classical

called

Sanikhya a common function of Buddhi, Ahamkara,

and Manas, which three together form the so-called Inner
whereas, according to the men
tioned statement of our Samhita, corroborated by 7.

Organ

(antah-lcarana)

42-48, they

come from Mahat

only.

We

Time as a form-of -perception

admit
Anschauungsform.
that it is almost impossible to believe these mythologizing
philosophers
to have been capable of discovering a Kantian conception, and we are
far from asserting that they were clearly conscious of
distinguishing
objective and subjective time, but we do not see how the above con
clusion can be avoided without straining the passage.
Drawing
parallels is undoubtedly a dangerous thing in comparative philosophy,
but it is equally dangerous to adhere at any cost to one s prejudices.
shall see (in section 6, below) that the idea of spatial transcen
dence, to which according to Deussen Indian philosophy has not been
able to rise, was perfectly familiar to the Pancaratrins, and not
only
to them, in spite of the misleading terms used for it.
"

",

We

2
3

Karika 29
There is

Sutra

II, 31.

Laksmi

Tantra (V, 27b-33, ed. 37b-43) an

enigmatical explanation of the Mahat which does not agree with the
stanzas quoted (p. 70 note 1) from the same work and representing
the view of our Samhita. The Mahat, according to that text, is
called so ("The Great One") "on account of its
comprehending the
Lotus, the Male, and the Woman
(padma-pum-stm-samdlambhdt
mahattvam tasya fabdyate^, the Lotus being subsequently identified
in

"

72
"We

now turn

to the question

What

is

M a hat

which question, on account of its importance for the

history of Indian philosophy, must be answered at some
length.

The one important thing to be noticed in connection

with Mahat is that Buddhi is not a mere synonym for it,
the
as in Classical Samkhya, but one of its three forms
Sattvic one; and that the individual organ Buddhi is a
product of the Sattvic Mahat in exactly the same sense
This
as Manas is a product of the Sattvic Ahamkara \
is a sign of antiquity
for in Kathaka Upanisad also
10and
Mahat
are not yet identical, the
Buddhi
is)
(3.
former, called jndna dtman
Knowledge Self
being a
:

"

",

lower principle
is

turn,

which,

than

inferior

again,

is

the

to the

excelled

"

Great

which, in its
dnta dtman)
(s

Self"

"

Quiet Self"
by the Purusa.

On

the other

hand, this distinction between Buddhi and Mahat, to

gether with the synonyms of the latter, furnishes the
solution

to

the

riddle,

never

before

satisfactorily

The
answered, as to the origin
synonyms may be divided into two classes, to wit (1)
those that are mere names of Prakrti, such as Q-o, Avani,
of the

Brahmi, Vadhu, Vrddhi, Madhu and

those referring to
Of the latter class, again, those which are
;

consciousness.

term Mahat.

(2)

the Woman with

with Praua (whose quality is spanda
vibration
Buddhi, and the Male with the Purusa as the performer of good
and evil deeds. Then there follows, just as in our Samhita after the
description of the threefold Mahat, a passage on the 2X4 Sattvic and
Tamasic manifestations of Buddhi, and after that the Ahamkara and
the remaining Tattvas are explained.
Yat. Dip., ed. p. 50, in reject
ing the view that time is Tamaso Mahan, evidently means to say
that the definition is too narrow.
According to a view mentioned in
the comm. on Tattvatraya, ed. p. 79, the several kinds of time differ
in the rapidity of vibrations, with which should be
compared the
statement above, p. 27 note 2.
"

"),

On

the latter, generally called Yaikrta

Ahamkara,

see below,

73

common

Mahat and the organ

to

Buddtri, namely, Buddhi,

Mati, Trayi, and Vidya, are for this reason as little signi
ficant in themselves as are the names of Prakrti. But the

remaining three names referring to the subconscious life,

namely Akhyati \ Prajna, and Is vara, clearly indicate
that nothing else can be meant by Mahat than the Prana
or

Mukhya Prana

of the ancient Upanisads,

which

is

both

vitality (prdna> dyus) and sub- or super-conscious intelli

gence (prajna), and on whom the five Pranas as well as

the

are

senses

master.

World
in tel

Mahat

the

",

1 i

e n

"

said

is

to

energy

serving of organisms.

Upanisads

like servants

cosmic Prana,

Unconscious
3

depend

",

that

work

at

Prana

is

the

the

"

on their

Breath of the

physical, yet

at the building

up and pre

in this sense is called in the

Brahman, protector

(ruler, lord) of the world,

breath (dtman) of the gods, generator of beings, eater, the

one sage and in Chandogya Upanisad 3. 7 an [apparent
;

current] stanza on the Prana is quoted in which the

great they call his might (lit.
phrase occurs
great

ly

"

(inahdntam asya mahimdnam dhuh) which is

perhaps the source of the name Mahat. A proof for
the correctness of our
equation Mahat=Prana is
"

ness)

contained in
of

this

the

Samhita,

Samkhya

of

the

in

we do not

system, where in the tenth place

The non-discrimination
names see note 5 on p. 69.
1

the twelfth chapter

principles taught in the

enumeration,

"

"

in dreamless sleep

find

for the next

two

are

The principal passages to be compared, also for the following,

Kausitaki, III, IV 20, II 1 Chandogya IV 3 Maitrayaua II 6
;

Pras na

II.

mahad brahma of Bhagavadgita XIV, 3-4, and note that

among the synonyms of Mahat, and Brahman among
those of Prana (see below) as well as, in some Samkhya treatises
(for instance the Comm. on Tattyasamasa), those of Prakrti.
:J

Of. the

Brahmi

is

10

74
1

Mahat, as should be expected, but Prana. This equation

throws also an unexpected light on the connection

Buddhism and Samkhya, namely, in that it permits of

the proportion Mahat Buddhi^Vijnana-dhatu: Vijnanaof

For, while there can be

skandha.

correspondence
skandha,

very same thing as that

the

doubt

as to the

organ Buddhi with the Vijnana-

of the

practically certain that

is

it

little

"

Mahat^Prana

is

re-connection conscious

which, according to the

into
the womb of the mother,
descends
Buddha doctrine,
at the time of conception, bridging over death and
"

ness

(pratisandhi-vijndna)
s

and

birth,

whereas

which

to

Liberation

alone

personal consciousness

the

is destroyed in every single death.*

that

thinking

help

an end,

puts

(vijndna-skandha)

Again, one cannot

Atman taught

even the

in

the

famous Yajnavalkiya Kancla is very nearly identical

He is the subconscious energy,
with our Mahat.
the
in

of union

"

place

dreamless

functions

sleep
5
in
return
,

"

(ekdyana), the

and

all

death,

order

to

Prana

to which,

our

conscious

go forth from

it

once

in awakening and birth respectively; he is the

and
super-] "conscious self"
(prdjfia dtman)
[sub61
in
which
dreamless
embraced
by
sleep man "has no

more

"

[longer any]
1

notion of outside and

inside"

(IV,

3.

21);

We

were not yet aware of the equation, when writing our

on the Sastitantra in Z. D. M. G., 1914, and consequently
thought of the five Pranas only.
article

Except for those who have made up their minds to distribute

the teachings of the Nikayas between two radically opposed sects.
2

Not, of course, identity.

of the Nikayas, therefore, must be
regarded
as a sort of consciousness in potenti^ from which the sad-nyatana, and,
through it, the caitasikah skandhdh evolve.
4

The vijndna-dhdtu

Brhadarauyaka Upanisad IV,

dr avati prdndyaiva,

3,

36

evam evdyam purusah

75
"

lie

is

this

(mahad

great being

infinite,

bhutam),

which [in
all-consciousness (vijndna-gliancL)
of limited conscious functions] arises "from
"

shoreless,

the

form

the

elements"

and vanishes into them again

name

(II,

12)

(ndman) surviving the decay of the body

4. 4)
(III, 2. 12) and building up the new embryo (IV,
just as the Buddhist vijndna element which moreover,
as contrasted with the body (rivpa), is also called ndman

he

is

the

"

"

he

is,

great, unborn

that

"

in

short,

the Pranas,

among

is

the one

Self

which,
consisting of

And,

consciousness."
of

"

the

"

seems

Self

with that also in

finally,

this

description

agree, in all essential points,

the Tattvamasi section of Chandogya
to

though there already two higher prin

appear than the Prana (namely Tejas and Para

Upanisad,
ciples

Devata), while in Brhadaranyaka Upanisad only a very

feeble attempt is made at distinguishing the Atman

The

from the Prana.

unsettled

still

in

we hold, from
Atman that the
Pancaratra

Mahat
vitality,

as

is

the

position of the Prana, then, is

and it is,
older Upanisads;

the

this

the Prana or

Samkhya, on which the

pre-classical

based, has derived

its

conception of the

Unconscious consisting of intelligence,

and time.

From Mahat,

originates the cosmic Tattva

again,
or

Ahamkara

called

idea of

half-settled

"I-rnaker".

As

its

syno

nyms the usual ones are given (Abhimana, Abhimantr,

Ahamkrti), besides Prajapati (Lord of creatures) and
Boddhr (Attention -maker).
and a

Tamasic

form

Taijasa, and Bhutadi.

1

$a vd

(IV, 4.22.)

esa

mahdn

It has a Sattvic, a Rajasic,

called

respectively

Vaikarika,

It manifests itself individually as

aja

dtrud

yo

yam vijndnamayah prdnesu

76

samrambha
will)

(egotistic interest)

accordance with

in

and samlcalpa (imagination,

two organs called the

the

[individual] Ahamkara and Manas with which

it endows the Manus
womb (7. 20,
passing through its
Manas is declared a direct product of the
42-43).
Vaikarika, and Ahamkara evidently comes from the
"

"

Bhutadi, while the Taijasa seems to participate equally

1
in the production of both those
organs.

From Ahamkara
I n d r iy

course

as

of

(senses),

the

Manus

the

further receive the ten

but only indirectly, that

evolution

of

in the

is,

Elements.

the

To

understand this somewhat complicated last phase in the

evolution of Tattvas it will be useful to remember the
following table

Ahamkara
Bhutadi

Tanmatras
s

Bhutas

abda

From

pai/i

apas

caksus
rasana

pada
upastha

^ prthivi

ghraua

tejas

>

the

Bhutadi,

the

by the Taijasa
the latter
(s abda-tanmdtra)
,

Taijasa,

(dkds a),

is
is

while at the

co-operation (sahakdritva) and that of

its

the

vac

"assisted"

produced Sound-in-itself
the immediate cause of Ether

same time, with

Karmendriyas

vayu

>

gandha

rotra
tvac

>

rasa

Vaikarika

>

Buddhindriyas

akas a

>

spars a

rupa

Taijasa

<

Vaikarika produces Hearing

(s rotra),

and then, with the co-operation of the latter, Speech

(vac). Hereafter, from Sound-in-itself is produced Touch
in-itself (spars a) which in its turn is the immediate
1

See

p. 70,

note

2.

Samkhya Karika 25

Taijasml nbhayam. Laksmi Tantra,

speaking on Non-pure Creation generally, says (IV, 34) that mostly
Rajas is engaged in it which is, however, flanked
by Sattva and
Tamas (alhitah sattvatamasl gunau dvau tasya tisthatah).
Cf.

"

"

"

"

77
cause of Air (vdyu), while as a mediate cause it helps in
producing the Skin sense (tvae) with the help of which,
And
finally, the faculty of Handling (pdni) originates.
so forth.
It

must be admitted that our Sanihita mentions

and that from the seventh
co-operation
would rather seem as though each Tanmatra

nothing about
it

adhyaya

"

",

originates directly from the Bhutadi, and, simultaneously,

each pair of Indriyas directly and only from the

Vaikarika.
tion

But according

to the chapter on Involu

each pair of Indriyas dissolves together with the

particular

Bhuta

in the

corresponding Tanmatra, so that

for the author of our Sanihita the whole

evidently
process takes place as in the account accepted as authentic

by

Tattvatraya."

The Manus,

then, by entering successively the five

Elements, are furnished, at each of these steps, with one

sensory and one motory faculty, so that they are at last in

and of
possession both of the five
Knowledge-senses
"

the five

"

Action-senses

".

The equipment

"

of the

Manus

herewith complete
provided with all the organs they
were in need of they are standing, in perfect loneliness,
on the earth resembling the back of a tortoise (4. 14).

is

"

"

As is apparently the doctrine of the Samkhya Karika (cf.

Deussen, Allgemeine Geschichte der Philosophic I, 3, p. 446 bottom).
It should, however, not be forgotten that the Karika gives
only the
barest outline of the system.
2
Adhyaya IV, see especially s l. 35 fll.
3
Ed. p. 56 til. Another Sutra (ibid., p. 57) mentions the
opinion
that from Cika&a springs the fabda-tanmatra, from the latter
vayu, etc.
and still another view (an intermediate one) is found in Visuutilaka
II, 66 fll. where the sfabda-tanmdtra is said to produce akd&a, the
latter (not the former) the spar&a-tanmatra, this one vayu, etc.
4
The following, up to the end of this section, presupposes the
of the
creation
Egg and therefore belongs, properly speaking,
to the next section of
our Introduction.
However, the exact
place to be assigned in our account of Secondary Creation
;

78

The four couples now

to

Aniruddha

of

protection

each

multiply:

place themselves under the

and, by his command, begin

the four pairs generates a

of

a n ahundred descendants, male and female, called

and these, continuing the work of generation,
vas
,

become the ancestors

n a vas

numberless

of

Manavama-

Man

There follows what corresponds to the Fall of

in
Jewish and Christian theology, to wit the

jndna-bhrams a or

(<

from knowledge

fall

"

of

the

all

Manavamanavas

This mystic event is narrated

(7, ei).
*
some portion of herself,
thus Vidya becomes, with
continues our text, that she
a cow; which means,
"

"

obtains the condition of a cloud

5
;

then the milk called

varsa (rain year) proceeding from the latter becomes food

and the souls eat of that milk of nature (material milk
;

"

"

vaidyam payah) and their naturally unlimited knowledge

becomes limited (obscured, contracted). Thus religion

becomes necessary, and the

"

Manus

of old

"

start the

the events related here being rather doubtful, it was not found
advisable to interrupt the account of our Samhita.
anam Aniruddham dadhati (VII, 48).
Atmany adhyaksam

to

2
3

Aparimitah (VII, 43.)

In the account we are

reproducing, though perhaps not

Visnutilaka teaches (11,63) that at the crea
there originates, together with the
tion of the Mahat Tattva
Grunas, the delusion of men
while, on the other hand, delusion
seems to set in gradually towards the end of the first Yuga see
below, next section.

in the order of events.

"

"

Prakrti, in the highest sense, namely the Bhuti S akti which,

according to adhyaya IV, 3-5, is alternately a cow in the form of a
and a "non-cow" "called the Unmanifest
cloud"
(Correct
accordingly the second bracketed gloss on page 70 of the textedition the Mahat cannot be meant because it belongs to Manifest
"

".

Nature.)
5

That

is,

Brahmanda

our Introduction,
6

ones

cf.

above, end of section

1 of this

part of

p. 29.

Not, of course, the four collective beings, but the historical

cf.

XLIII,

3.

79

by following which the

S astra

soul

may

regain

its

natural purity.

SECONDARY OB

5.

The appearance

GROSS

"

CREATION

the last Tattva (Earth) marks

of the Cosmic Night and the beginning of the

end

the

"

of

Not immediately, however, after the Tattvas

Day.
have originated, can the Manus commence their activity
on earth, it being first necessary that the Cosmic Egg
(Brahmanda) and
existence

must

in it the

god Brahman should come into

while for the creation of the

first

join

to

Egg

form a compound

the Tattvas

just as a wall

cannot be erected with clay, sand, and water, as long as

3
these are still unmixed.

Of

referred to
6

places

Secondary or Gross Creation,

but occasionally in our Samhita in one or two

this so-called

Padma Tantra

gives the following short account

(L

5.

i9-2i)
"

with

The
their

principles [thus] created, existing separately

faculties,

respective

could

not

without

Origin and internal evolution of the Brahmanda, that is the Cos

mic Egg in the avyakta and in the vyakta stages
corresponding respec
tively to the Brahmanda Kos a and the Jivadeha Kos a (fifth and sixth
Kos as) taught in Laksmi Tantra VI, 23-25, unless, as seems to be
done in some texts (including perhaps the one in
question) the
origin of the Egg is reckoned from that of the Lotus (Mahat, etc.),
in which case the fourth or Prakrti Kos a would be
merely the
Avyakta from which the Lotus originates.
2
P. Prakas a S. 1, 2 end. Primary
(preparatory) creation takes
place during the eighth part of the Night.
3

Tattvatraya,
1

"

ed., p.

As we may

mediate

call

it,

"

srsti,

64.

though the use of these terms (sadvdrika

seems to be, as a rule, restricted to the

sthuld frsfi)

internal evolution of the

Egg

see,

for instance,

and Indraratra, I, 17fll.

XXX, 8 fll, XLI, 5-6.
Of. Laksmi Tantra V, 74 fll. Yisvaksena

Tattvatraya, ed.

p. 65, etc.,
5

S., loc. cit. t p. 64.

80
coalescing into a mass (saiphatim vino) create beings.
They, then, from Mahat down to the Gross Elements,

became massed together, under the influence of the

foremost Purusa.
Then [oat of them] an egg was
produced from the navel of Padmanabha, who is a
Lotus-born
portion of Myself, and [in the egg] thou,
It is thus that
one, becamest the womb of the world.
at

beginning of creation this whole world came to

the

from

arise

Prakrti."

fuller

account

Padmanabha there springs

Tattvas

in

that

says

a golden

condition

subtle

from the

egg containing the

and, while the

growing, a shining white lotus appears in

in

(on)

the

lotus

four-faced creator

three

(Brahman).

the

Then Brahman makes

the

third

of

successful, by generating (1) the

etc.,) who refuse to have offspring

the androgyne Rudra (S iva)

creates the eleven principal and
(2)

"

the world,

attempts at creating

which only is fully

four Youths (Sariaka,

it

egg is
(sic), and

Aniruddha creates

finally,

navel of

who by self-partition
many minor Rudras
;

I, adhy. 3 ; cf. Visnutilaka II, 40 fll.

In the pericarp, says Pras na S. II, 41.
3
P. Prakas a S. (Ill, 37-38) says that Brahman has sprung
from the lotus-bud, the prakrtic one, being of the nature of the
world (lokamaya), which [bud] itself has sprung from the navel of
Visnu sleeping in its (the egg s) interior, namely in the midst of the
water."
According to Laksmi Tantra V. 15 fll. the egg containing the
Avyakta was created by Brahman and Sarasvati (that is, Pradyumna
and his S akti), after which Hrsikes a (=Aniruddha) having
in
it
moistened
together
good sleep
Avyakta had a
with Padma, the result being the Sacrificial or Time Lotus
springing from Hrsikes a s navel and Brahman and Sarasvati
(Hirauyagarbha and his S akti) springing from the Lotus.

Ibid.

"

"

"

here

Pras na

"

"

S. II,

21

fll.

Brahman, desirous

mentions some more events intervening

to

know

his

origin,

makes a

futile

attempt at getting, through the navel, at the cause of the lotus,

then meditates for a thousand years, and finally receives from
the Purusa appearing to him tho instrument of creation, namely the
Yedas.

81

and
all

the

(3)

six

"

the remaining beings,

"

movable

from

etc.)

(Marici,

Prajapatis

and

whom

"

stationary

",

descend.

The sources are at variance as to the number

and names of the Prajapatis, and between these and
MahaMaim".
Brahman some authorities insert a
"

sanatkumara Samhita (Indraratra 6. 26 fll.) describes

intramundane tetrad
as follows the origin of an
"

to the four
(antarandasthitd caturmmti) corresponding
had a mindVyuhas the first of the Prajapatis, Daksa,
:

born son, Acyuta (Vasudeva), whose mind-born son was

Samkarsana, called Rudra (S iva), whose mind-born son
1

was Pradyumna, whose mind-born son was Aniruddha.

There are, as will be understood from the above,

more attempts than one

at

combining the very ancient

birth to god Brahman

story about the Golden Egg giving
with the later one of the lotus springing from the navel
of

Tattvas

as

there

dispensing advantageously with either the

or the lotus or both in explaining the origin of

one

than
navel

the Cosmic Egg.

The
S. (loc.

the

of

plurality

p. 66),

cit.,

even
1

"

Samhitas.

several

or

these again with the theory of the

are also, of course, more authorities

Padmanabha and

Brahmandas
Of such Eggs

"there

of

myriads

is
",

emphasized in
says Visvaksena

are thousands of thousands,

them

",

According to this text there are

Vyuha Samkarsana

and

more.

three S

va

are

They

namely (1)
father of the
further three B r a h
a n s,
(2) the first of Gross Creation

(2) the son of

s,

Brahman and

m
Rudras (3) the grandson of Daksa
namely (1) the Vyuha Pradyumna
and "Lord of the Egg" and (3) the great-grandson of Daksa.
2
Our Samhita admits (VIII, 2 fll.) that some derive creation
from the Egg, others from the Lotus.
3
Referred to already in a Vedic text, namely Baskalamantra
;

"

Upanisad (9)
11

Mama praiisthd

bhuva andakos aJi.

"

82
described as consisting of fourteen spheres
and
(loka) surrounded by seven enclosures (dvarana)
they are said to arise simultaneously like bubbles of
2
water.
invariably

Owing, no doubt, to conflicting statements in the

Samhitas themselves, the beginning of individ

ual life within

the

has become a problem

3
The mediate
to the expounders of the Pancaratra.
creation
that
is
the
mediated
creation
(sadvdrilcd srsti),

Egg

"

"

God Brahman *, and

by

the

(advdrikd srsti) preceding

by the scholiasts, as what

Indian philosophy, by

and

"

"

to

is

immediate

creation

"

are held to be the same,

commonly understood,

individual creation

collective creation

But according

it,

"

in

"

(vyasti-srsfi)

"

(samatfi-srsti)

Visvaksena Samhita

(loc.

respectively.
cit. 9

pp. 126-

129) the offspring of the Manus, namely the so-called Pure

Group (s uddha-varga), is the creation of Pradyumna,

while the Mixed group (mis ra-varga) of souls [dominated

by Rajas or Tamas] is created by Aniruddha through

god Brahman from which

the Pure Group, in spite
;

seems to follow that

it

of

its

being vyasti, is
The contradiction appears also in the present
advdrikd.
Samhita which says, in adhyaya 7, that the Manus, who
like

the Devatas, etc.

from the Kutastha Purusa

have emerged as individuals

(si. 58), have
many lineages

by which has been spread

"

this

whole [mankind]

"

(si.

51) including those who, owing to the deteriorating

progress of the Yugas, have become addicted to selfish
1

See for instance

Padma Tantra

I,

adhyayas 10 to

12.

Tattvatraya, ed. p. 66.

See Yaravaramuni

Who,

comm. on Tattvatraya, ed. p. 118.

the
contents of the Egg, is regarded as
evolving
consisting of the totality of bound souls
(baddliatma-samastirupa) Tattvatraya, ed. p. 65 comm., and elsewhere.
"

in

"

83
wishes

but then, in adhyaya 15, confronts

descendants of the Manus
(manu-santati-jdh,
l.

(s

53);

"

the
s l.

"

with

7)

mouth,

of

etc.,

20)."

who have sprung from

Brahman (brahma-miikhddy-iidyatdh,

the

those

"

the

to

clue

the

of

solution

s l.

riddle

is

furnished by the version contained in Padma Tantra

Visnutilaka (1. 146 fll.), though in
1. SB fll.) and
(I,

some particulars

not likely that it represents the

The original
runs as follows
:

(ddya dharma, to wit the Pancaratra) was

religion

Krta

the

in

It

theory.

original

is

it

god

proclaimed by

age,

first,

Brahman

to

to
who taught
sharpened vows"
result
the
with
their
that,
everybody
disciples
were
liberated
the
Pancaratra, people
[or went
following
it

sages of

"the

to heaven, Visnutilaka],

and a great
(srsti-ksayo

decrease

mahdn

went

uneasy,

ds tf).

so that

of

how

hell

became naught

creation took place

Brahman, consequently,

the Lord,

to

"

and,

on the latter

felt

kind

was progressing under

Lord of gods
What shall I say,
his rule, replied
faith
and
full
of
masters
of their
All men,
being
senses, sacrifice as prescribed in the Great Secret; and so
inquiry

as to

the world

"

Place of Visriu from which there

they go to the

There

return.

is
a

birth nor

death."

Lord, and so

the

is

no

[now] no heaven and no hell, neither

This, however, was against the plan of

He

started, with the help of

Brahman,

Kapila, and S iva, five more systems (Yoga, Samkhya,

Bauddha, Jaina, and S aiva) conflicting with each other
and the Pancaratra "for the bewilderment of men
".

Now,

the

s loka

containing the phrase

of creation took

"

place

is

also in

The

That

is,

no death followed by re-birth.

a great decrease

Visvaksena Samhita

Citras ikhandins appear to be meant.

"

84
(loc

cit.,

129),

p.

which shows

that

that

Samhita,

Group from Pradyumna

although deriving
and the Mixed Group from Aniruddha and Brahman,
must have held a view similar to the above as regards
the Pure

Our present Sarnhita

about the Manus passing

the mutual relation of the two.

speaks twice

(6. is

7.

4?-4s)

from Pradyumna s care to that of Aniruddha, and once

about their withdrawal into Aniruddha, in the period of
Pralaya (4. 59 fll.). This suggests the idea that, while
both classes of souls are introduced into the Egg by

Aniruddha (Padmanabha), the pure ones only are

so

introduced directly, the impure ones, however, indirectly

and later, namely, by being first transferred to Brahman.

must be remembered that the great majority of

unliberated souls left over from the preceding Kalpa and
For,

it

now

to

be

reborn enter of necessity this

their samsdra with a remainder of

new

period of

good and bad Karmaii,

"

only the latter, that is as

impure beings. These,
must
re-introduced
be
into earthly life by the
evidently,
highest representative of Rajas, that is the god Brahman;
or

"

and they cannot appear on earth as long as the first

Yuga, in which Sattva prevails, is not over. The small
minority, on the

other hand, in

whom

Sattva predomi
nates, must for this very reason, in order to terminate their
career, appear in the first Yuga without passing through

Brahman
cit.,

(loc.

the Lord, therefore, says Visvaksena Samhita

"with
the bit of good
creates
p. 129),

ena) they have left, and for which they

must still receive an earthly reward, the s liddha-sarga.
These pure beings of the Krta age, then, correspond to the

Karman" (sultrta-les

Anagamins [and Sakrdagamins]

of

Buddhism, that

is

Pure Creation or Pure Group

the word aarya being also
a synonym of varga used elsewhere in this connection.
1

"

"

"

85
those almost perfect beings

who

return for one

life

[or

two

lives] only, because they have very nearly reached

And so, if it is said
Liberation in the preceding one.

at the

that

the

end of the Krta Yuga the

Manus began

their

bodily

to

"

deteriorate, this

descendants

descendants

"

of

can only refer to

among whom

the pure souls

more disappearing (having reached

Liberation), while the gaps were being filled by Brah
man with the better specimens of the mixed ones, the

were

more

and

"

"

process going on, in this way, in a descending line, until

in the Kali age even the mosb depraved find their chance
for reincarnation.

The four hundred Manavas of the Ahirbudhnya

Samhita have become eight hundred "Visnus"
in Mahasanatkumara Samhita (Indraratra, sixth adhyaya)
which even enumerates the names of them all, ]ocating
them in eight ideal realms situated in the eight regions
Among those eight hundred Visnus, each of whom is the
chief (ndyaka) of a thousand subjects (cf. the Manava1

manavas

Samhita) there are the original three

hundred twice born Manavas, while the group of original
of our

S udras has been replaced by five mixed groups in such

way as to eliminate altogether the male S udras. The

Brahinanas only live in the eastern realm called

(1)
children (descendants) of Brahmana fathers and
Savaroha
(2)
Ksatriya mothers in the Rama world of the south-east (3) Ksatriyas
in the Narasiipha world of the south
(4) children of Ksatriya fathers
and Vais ya mothers in the south-western region (name missing)
(5) Vais yas in S ridhara Loka of the west (6) children of Brahmana
fathers and Vais ya mothers in Vamana Loka of the north-east (7)
children of Brahmana fathers and S udra mothers in Hayas irsa Loka of
the north and (8) children of Ksatriya fathers arid S udra mothers
The names of the Visnus are
in Vasudeva Loka of the north-east.
For
Jirnavrai.iin, S oka, Visada,
strange.
example,
very
partly
Lobha, Pancatman, and Bahyatman are names of north-western
and Bhuta, Bhavya, Bhavisyat, Deha, Dehavat, and
Visnus
S ariras asaria some names from Hayas irsa Loka.
;

86
chapter closes by mentioning that there are innumerable
Visnus in Kapila Loka.
1

NATURE AND DESTINY OF THE SOUL

6.

When

the

Lord has expired and the

the

of

Day

nothing remains but the

Waters of Infinity and, floating on them, on the leaf of a
banian-tree (vata-pattra), a babe whose name is
the
Great Dissolution

is

finished

"

The babe

"

Void

(s unyci).

is
3

sleeping the sleep of Yoga

are sleeping all the souls

"

the

in

upper part the

(mukta); in the middle part those who

fit for
Sattva prevailing in them] are

ones

liberated

[owing

Visnu, the sleepless one,

In His
womb (Jcuksi)
"

"

to

Liberation

"

(muJcti-yogya)

near the navel

then,

*,

the

(nitya-baddha), and, in the region of the

who [on account of the predominance, in

"ever-bound"

loins,

those

them, of Tamas] are

The

"

fit

for

Darkness

"

(tamo-yogya).*

souls in this condition are called Naras.

The above account, though taken from a fairly

recent work 7 contains undoubtedly the original orthodox
,

For

the teacher of the Nagas in Patala, see

Kapila Visnu
The inhabitants
I, 1. 23, and Visimtilaka II, 170 fll.
of the netherworlds (Atala, etc.) are said to be so
happy as to have
no longing for heaven (Visimtilaka II, 170).
"

",

Padma Tantra

The

abbreviated from P. Prakas a S. I, first

be recognized as an elaboration of the story of
Markandeya referred to above in connection with the twentyseventh Avatara (described Ahirb. Samh. LYI, 28-29).
following,

adhyaya, will

Yoqa-nidram

upaqato

vinidrd svapad I&varah,

P.

Prakas a

S. I, 1. 40.
*

From which

Rajas, god Brahman

5
P. Prakas a S.
e

s l.

Ibid.,

Maim Smrti

I,

14

will
;

cf.

I, 1.

spring the Lotus and the representative of

above, section 5.
11

Of. the

(corrupt) 5. 10-11 etc.

explanation of the name Narayaua in

fll.

10.

P. Prakas a S. mentions S riranga and Venkates a, further the

three classes of Purauas, and, as belonging to the Sattvic class, the

Bhagavata

(I, 12.

7; 4, 32).

87

view of the Pancaratra as to the fate of the souls during

the Great Night; and it is an important document chiefly
because

it

shows that the Liberation taught in the

not, as might be understood from certain

clearly

Pancaratra

is

passages, something like the Gradual Liberation (Icramamuldi) of the Advaitins in which the soul finally, together

with the god Brahman, loses

The Panca

its individuality.

ratra says indeed, using the Advaitic term, that the soul
"

becomes one

ration

"

the

of this

meaning
joins the Lord
that

in

is

this very

budhnya Samhita

in the

is,

is

Great Dissolution

former

in

but

case, that the soul

and, in the latter case,

Vaikuntha,

with everything else

It

in the

latent

becomes

it

with the Lord in Libe

(elci-bliavati)

and then once more

Him when Vaikuntha

temporarily withdrawn.

view to which we are led by the Ahira part of Laksmi \ it

become one with the Lord in any

for, if

cannot, of course,

"

the soul

is

"

of
higher sense than that of the
perfect embrace
4
the divine couple from which the two emerge again as
"

"

separate

as

beings

soon

as

the time for creation has

come.
More exactly His heavenly form, the Para Vasudeva.
The case of Brahman is peculiar.
He ought to join the
liberated in Vaikuntha (the withdrawal of which, at Pralaya, is later
than that of the Egg). But we can find no reference to this. The
1

Samhitas speak of the end of his life but evidently avoid mentioning
liberation
death or
Possibly this has something to do
with the difficulty, or impossibility, of deciding to what extent he is
The withdrawal of
a bound soul and to what an Avatara of Visnu.
Vaikuntha is mentioned in P. Prakas a S. I, 1. 14 VaikunthddiNote also the following saying, ibid., s l. 18
vihdram ca liitvci.
That which is called Dissolution by the wise, is not really Dissolu

his

"

"

"

".

"

tion."

it

in

contraction
of Laksirri,
Or a
Laksmi Tantra VI, 36 pramata
"

"

as the Goddess herelf calls

cetanah prokfo, mat-samkocah

sa iwyate.
*

See below our resume of adhyaya IV.

88

The
ous

however, is that there are numer

the Samhitas where this view is

difficulty,

in

passages

and
For, although animate
apparently set aside.
1
inanimate nature, soul and body, subject and object ,
are declared to be two aspects or parts of the one
Bhuti

S akti,

the idea, obtaining since the earliest

philosophy, of a closer relationship of

still

times in Indian

than of matter with

soul

the

God

is

by no means

absent in our Samhitas and quite conspicuous, naturally,

in those Samhitas which operate either not at all or

but a

And

little

it is

with Laksmi as a philosophical

this idea, in all probability,

which

principle.

is

ultimately
intrusion into the Panearatra of cer

responsible for the

tain foreign elements such as those

we

will

now

point

out.

means re-appearing, then there seems

If creation

be

no room for the question

of

to

a first beginning or

Still the question is asked and answered

original sin.
in more than one text, for instance in the following way
in chapter 14 of Ahirbudhnya Samhita.

three well-known powers of

and
destruction, the Lord has two
creation, preservation,
more S aktis called Nigraha (or Tirodhana) and Anugraha,
by means of which he prepares and pre-determines the

In

for

soul

The
bondage or liberation respectively.
of the soul into the wheel of births, commonly

entering
accounted for by

by the Lord
reducing

its

omnipotence,

omnipresence, omniscience, and

original

as

so

little-knowing

",

versa, those three

Getana

own

previous acts, is here explained

its divine nature
obscuring
through
its

"

"

"

the

to

addition

cetya,

to

and

make

it

(1)

"atomic",

"

(2)

Vice

(3)
little-achieving
restrictions called Taints or Fetters

dehin

".

delia,

bhoktr

bhogya (V, 9

fll.).

89

may

be

again

cancelled

through

the

divine

grace

(anugrahd).

Now, whether
s or Laksmi s

Lord

S aktis

five

mentioned are the

the fact is undeniable, I believe,

not here regarded as a mere portion of
but as a third principle distinct from both

that the soul

3

the
2

is

Laksmi
Vasudeva and Hatter

(or

Laksmi

respectively),

just

passages (45.8-4 38. is ; etc.) which speak

of Avidya or Maya as
the true nature of the
veiling
jwa and the para (soul and God). That is to say
as in

those

"

"

we have here

nearly the standpoint described in Visnuwords (2.84-ss)

There is a triad here
Jiva
and
Brahman
Brahman,
(soul),
Jagat (world)
is a mass
(rdsi) of Light, Jagat a mass of elements
(bh?tta), and Jiva a mass of knowledge."
tilaka in

the

"

Secondly, the conclusion seems to be inevitable that

the liberated soul is not only omniscient, as it is, indeed,
often described to be, but also omnipotent and even

As for its omnipotence, this word may

omnipresent.
here have the restricted meaning in which it is elsewhere
used

with regard to the liberated (who cannot interfere

with or participate in the governance of the world) but
;

question remains

the

which

omnipresent (vibhu),
chapter

(s l.

27)

how can

it

has

the

soul be

liberated

the less intelligible as in

been described as of the
is

"

For further particulars see our resume of the adhyaya, below,

next chapter.
2
They are, indeed, also described as the pauca krtyCini of the
Devi, for instance in I, 2 and XXI, 12 of Ahirbudhnya Saiphita.
1

have

From

the

general

standpoint of

our

to
Visnu causes Laksmi
say that
of herself (namely
Nigraha, etc.) upon

Samhita we should

act with one

another part (the
soul), thus bringing the latter into connection with a third part
of herself
(namely matter)
(which would reduce the cosmic
process to something like a physiological disturbance in the Goddess.)

part

12

to

90
of a

size

mote

The

"

(trasarenu-pramdna)

scholastic

view

namely that the liberated, soul, though essentially

atomic (like the bound one), is omnipresent in that
,

consciousness

its

the

latter

being

room

light spread in a

radiates

"

is

"

ever omnipresent
(sadd-vibliii)
related to the former as the

to the

lamp

(or flame)

from which

a plausible explanation of the soul-mote

and its millions of rays (2. 27), but must be rejected in
the present case where omnipresence is expressly distin

it

is

guished from omniscience. As a matter of fact, nothing

remains but to admit that we have here a S a i v a tenet

Vaisnava garb.

in

are naturally

For, the S aivas do teach that the souls

"

"

that

not hampered
space, though limited, while in bondage, by niyati or

by

omnipresent
3

spatial

one of the five

the

The

restriction.

soul

latter, as

is

we know

already*, is

six) limitations of

including Maya,
Kaficukas, and the connection of our
(or,

called

chapter (14) with these is the more evident as the two

other Taints, to wit those of "Little-knowing" and
"

absolutely identical with the

5
The surprising
Kaficukas called Vidyfi and Kala.
solution of the problem, then, is that in our passage the

"

Little-achieving

are

word anu does not mean

in the sense of

atomic"

spatially restricted

Tattvatraya, ed. p. 35

Yat

but

"small, little"

and as the opposite

Dip., ed. pp. 69

and

75.

Sarvadars ana Samgraha, Poona

vydpaka
69 (11. 23, 13) Pratyabhijna Hrdaya, S rinagar ed. p. 22 etc.
3
Pratyabhijna Hrdaya, loc. cit., and elsewhere.
2

p.

"

"

"

Vibhu, an- anu

ed.

*
See above pp. 63, 64. The Pancaratra doctrine of the Maya
Kos a was developed by the S aivas into the theory of the Kaficukas,

which the latter influenced the Pancaratra.

The five Kaficukas called kala, vidyu, ruga, kdla, and niyati are
contraction
of sarvakartrtva, sarvajnatva,
said to result from the
and
nityatva,
vyapakatva
respectively
Pratyabhijna
purnatva,
after

"

"

Hrdaya,

loc. cit.

91

which

of that

is,

not so

much omnipresent,

as

beyond

space.

The
ual

and the para (individ

several Samhitas 3 described in

relation between the jiva

and highest

soul)

is,

in

a language so thoroughly Advaitic that an influence from

that quarter is, indeed, beyond question, even admitting
that several such passages may be mere echoes of those
(seemingly or really) Advaitic passages of the Bhagavad

Gita such as 13.27

fll.

of the latter

However, with

work.

one or two exceptions, the said borrowing will always be

found to be a merely formal one, which is only to be
expected, considering that the general
Pancaratra is clearly non-Advaitic.

The most perplexing

perhaps to be found in

them

4.

(I,

"

question

14-15)

What

is

trend

of

the

passages of this sort are

Pad ma Tantra. In one of

Brahman

the

puts

the difference,

between Thee and the liberated soul

Lord answers no less directly

become I there is no difference

"

straight

Highest Spirit,
to which the

"

They

(the liberated)

whatever."

This seems

As I
but the answer goes on
live (vihardmi), just so live the liberated souls", which
immediately brings back the idea of plurality, and so

to

be

"

plain

Advaita,

Professor Relimke of Greifswald, teaching (in his book Die Seele

des Menschen) this
ubiquitas of the soul
namely that "the soul is no
where in the strictest meaning of the word admits that it is logically
"

",

",

from this standpoint (though not probable) that one soul

should be simultaneously connected with several bodies,
which
comes curiously near to the Paficaratra ideas about liberated souls
and Yogins (see above, section 2). Should not also in the
and Nyaya-Vais esika the doctrine
of
Mimamsa,
Samkhya,
the vibhutva of the soul originally mean this ubiquitas and not
as it is always interpreted?? For an exhaustive
"omnipresence"
definition of the concept in the S aiva sense see Chatterji, Kashmir
possible

Shaivaism,

p.

77

"

Unrestricted access

to",

etc.

Particularly in the treatment of Yoga cf. below, in part III,

resume of chapter 31 of Ahirbudhnya Samhita.
;

our

92
renders
say

at

it

is

meant

to

Me, except, of course, with

like

the

governance of the world." For, all

Samhitas recognize the existence of the

to

regard

Lord

possible that the

least

They become

"

Paficaratra

and
beings (Visvaksena, etc.)
cannot, therefore, admit that a previously bound soul
should become more inseparably united with the Lord
Nityas or

than

"

"

ever-free

these

In

are.

"

which

Visnutilaka,

is

closely

Padma Tantra and which also uses the phrases

will become Brahman
is
absorbed in the

related to

he

"

",

this
union is declared
Highest Brahman",
*
be one with the Kaustubha of the Lord
and is
etc.",

to

further

referred

the midst of

follows

as

to

Just

"

as

gold,

in

shines separately, as though it were

not in contact [with the fire], even so he who is clinging
to Brahman (Brahmani lac/na) is seen to exist in the
fire,

form of a gem (mam)

tached to the Jewel of gems
"

"He

is

who has become

at

(mani-rattia, the

Kaustubha)
have attained identity [with the Lord] 6
In another passage of Padma Tantra (I, 6. IB fll.)

said to

the

".

problem

great

is

stated

with unusual

precision

Scripture emphasizes the oneness of the highest Self and

the one called Ksetrajfia (Knower-of-the-field, the soul)
[but] the plurality of this Ksetrajfia is proved by the
"

diversity of
1

See above pp. 56

for instance in
2

Three well-known Advaitic images

bodies."

I,

2.35

fll.

In

Padma Tantra

they are mentioned,

fll.

And even

one of its sources, to judge from the fact that

mentioned as No. 6 in the Samhita list of Padma Tantra.
The mutual relation of the two is, however, not quite clear.
it

is

I,
1

33;
30

II,
r>

form,
e

I,
;

114;

cf,

Visnutilaka
is

often

etc.

above, pp. 58, 59.

II,

100.

The

soul in itself, that

is in its

compared with a gem.

Maniratne vilayuasya sdyujyagatir ncyate

II, 54, ibid.

natural

93
are used to illustrate the relation of the

One and the many

and the one figure

the pot in the water, the pot in the air,

reflected in many mirrors. Yet, none of these (as shown
by the rest of the chapter) is used in the Advaitic sense
1

God

as
of

is,

Inner Ruler pervades the soul, while He

it
and the reflected
also outside
course,
the

images proceed from their original like the rays from

Just as, by means of gates of various kinds,
the sun
people go forth from a town, even so the souls go forth
this is called Creation; and as, through
from Brahman
"

those gates,

the inhabitants of that

go [back] to that

so [the souls]

just

called

again
in
existence
separate

it

again,

Brahman

this is

be objected that the rays

3
withdrawn by the sun have no
It

Withdrawal."

out and

sent

town enter

may

the sun

itself,

but this

is

not the

common

Indian, or, at any rate, not the Pancaratra

view; and even the Aupanisadic image of the rivers
4

entering the ocean means for the Pancaratrin only that in

5
Liberation the souls become practically but not really one.

The conclusion

to

be

drawn from

all this is

that,

although the language of the Advaita is occasionally met

with in the Pancaratra Samhitas, the chief charact
eristic

vdda)
1

of that philosophy,
is

The

namely

its

illusionism (mdyd-

altogether absent from them.

first

and second images occur

in

Maitreya Upanisad

II,

18

(see my edition of the Minor Upanisads, vol. I, p. 118) for an elabora

tion of the second see Gaudapada s Mandukya Karika III, 3 fll. the
third is a transformation of the image found, in Brahmabindu Upanisad
;

12 and other texts, of the one moon and its many reflections in the tank.
2
Visnutilaka II, 95 fll., being an elaboration (if not the original)
of

Padma Tantra I, 6, 43-44.

3
Padma Tantra I, 6. 24.
4

Ibid.

I, 6. 51-52, referring to Yoga (=temporal Liberation).

That the famous Gita passage Mamaivdmsfo, etc. (XV, 7) is
also to be understood in this sense, can be gathered for instance from
Yat. Dip., ed. p. 74, where the teaching of Yadavaprakas a,
is rejected as erroneous.
namely Brahma t-ns o jwah
3

"

",

THE AHIRBUDHNYA SAMHITA

III.

THE

for

selection,

was

Samhita

determined

the

by

the

of

publication,

Ahirbudhnya

consideration

that

the Samhita to be published as an introduction to

the Paiicaratra should be (I) one of the older Samhitas
;

(2) one of the Samhitas to an appreciable extent, or

exclusively, concerned with the theoretical part of the

system

and

(3) a

of manuscripts

was

Samhita of which a

sufficient

available to ensure the production of

a practically complete and reliable text.

was not only found
nya Samhita

conditions but moreover to be a

and striking

number

work

The Ahirbudhto

fulfil

these

of unusual interest

originality.

1.

With what

THE MANUSCRIPT MATERIAL

success certain Sanskrit works are

being kept secret in India,

is

shown by the

still

fact that for

editing the present Samhita, which is not represented in

a single European library, no less than six (nine) MSS.

could be obtained within three years. Unfortunately, as

can be seen from a few common omissions and errors, all
of

these

original.

MSS.
Still,

go back to one already corrupted

on the whole the Samhita is well

The two oldest and

E and D. The former is

preserved.
called

Kalale

in

Mysore,

the latter a

best
a

MSS.

are those

Grantha MS. from

MS.

written in

the

Malayalam character and belonging to H. H. the Maharaja

of Travancore. E is more accurate than D.
From E de
scend the four Melkote MSS.

to

H, all of them written

in

95

Grantha characters and so completely identical that the

common symbol F

could be used for them.

From

(or

a similar MS.) descend 0, A, and B (in this order) C

being the Adyar Library paper MS. in Grantha characters
the Adyar Library palm-leaf
(with large omissions),
;

MS.

in

Grantha characters, and B the Telugu MS. belong

Mysore Government. The badly damaged

ing to the

Tanjore MS. described in Burnell s catalogue could not

be borrowed and was, on inspection, found to be not

worth taking into account.

NAME

2.

As

OF THE SAMHITA.

a rule one of the eleven

Rudras

is

understood by

Ahirbudhnya. In our Sarnhita, however, this is a name

of S iva himself in his Sattvic form, as the teacher of
liberating knowledge, as which he appears for instance in
Jabala Upanisad.

How

he came to be called by this name, must, I

remain a problem
The
serpent (ahi) of the
2

"

fear,

bottom

(bndhna)",

in

the

Veda an atmospheric god

with Aja Ekapad, another being of

to belong to a number of minor
seems
kind),
deities who amalgamated with Rudra-S iva in such a way
(mostly

associated

this

and name became some particular

If
in later Vedic texts Ahi
aspect of that god.
budhnya is allegorically connected with Agni Garha3
this certainly shows that he was a beneficial
patya
being, not a malevolent one like Ahi Vrtra, and this is
their character

that

"

"

In the Purauas cf. such passages as Padma Purana LXXXI, 5

is addressed
Bhagavad-dharma-tattva-jna.
2
Notwithstanding the explanation attempted on pp. 3 fll. of
the Sanskrit preface to our edition.

where S iva

Macdonell, Vedic Mythology, p. 73.

96
particularly clear in a passage of the Aitareya Brahmana
which may be directly connected with the Pancaratra

view of Ahirbudhnya, namely the passage

3. SG

running as

Prajapati, after having sprinkled the creatures

with water, thought that they (the creatures) were his own.
"

follows

He

provided them with an invisible lustre through Ahir

2

budhnya

3.

has already been stated

It

budhnya Samhita
in his

PROVENIENCE AND AGE

is

that one stanza of Ahir

evidently quoted by Utpala Vaisnava

This would, of course, prove that

Spandapradipika.

the Samhita (like Jayakhya S. mentioned in the latter and

s work) must have once existed in Kas mir.
also in

Utpala

was actually composed in that country, must be

concluded from two other passages, namely 26. TB and 45.
or mentioning respectively, the wear
ss, recommending,
as an amulet, of a certain diagram (yantra) drawn on
That

it

ing,

birch-bark (bhtirja-pattra).
Birch-bark, as
was the writing-material of ancient
is well known,
He shines
Kas mir. In chapter 39 we read (srl. 23)
a

sheet

of

"

like the

the confinement (or obstruction)

evidently refers to the sun rising

sun freed from

which
by hima
from behind the* snow-mountains (hima), that
",

in

rise

In

the Kas mir-valley.

Haug

third

is

to a sun

indication of the

translation.

a
remark that by the two names Ahi and Budhnya
is meant, need not be
kind of fire
Garhapatya)
(the
particular
in
Perhaps, however, it is noteworthy that a hymn
accepted.
which also mentions Ahirbudhnya (==
Samhita
33)
(V,
Vajasaneyi
the name of Visnu five times in
Garhapatya agni, comm.), contains
the first* Mantra and no less than twenty-four times afterwards,
that is, more often than that of any other deity.
3
Above p. 18.
2

"

Sayana

"

97

Kas mirian
of

origin of our Samhita

told

Muktapida
of

prince

this

the

in

name

probably the story

adhyaya.

forty-eighth

known from any

not

is

is

other

work (according to B. and R. s dictionary) than the

famous Kas mirian chronicle, the Raja Taraiigim (4. 42).
About the age of the Samhita hardly anything
more can be said with certainty than that it belongs to
that

Samhitas

of

class

eighth century

for

which we have fixed the

The only
later date,

as the terminus ad quern.

A. D.

which might seem

where king Kus adhvaja says to
From thee have I obtained the Higher
his teacher
Science and also the Lower one and by the fire of the
to indicate a

passage

is

stanza 45. is

the

"

Higher Science
difficult

all

my Karman

to read this

has been burnt up." It

without thinking of S ankaracarya

But Kus adhyaja, being

methods
course, to the two

"

of

a Pancaratrin, refers,

system.

"

is

(rUi) described in the

adhyaya, distinguishing between the Veda and

the inferior systems on the one hand, and the Pancaratra
fifteenth

on the other.

The

distinction

is

based on that in the

Bhagavad-Gita between the orthodox who swear on the

2
Vedas and the enlightened ones who worship the Lord.

Nor does the

1

which

definition of avidyd (ignorance), in 45. s-4,

Above p. 19.
The Pancaratrins have ever

since

emphasized this distinction,

one of the chief causes of their having been decried as

The contrast between the two
heretics until the present day.
classes has been so much deepened by them that the Yaidikas are
actually made despisers of the Lord, e.g., in the following s loka of
Yisvaksena S. (loc. cit. p. 126 cf. Bhag.-Gita II, 42 fll )
Trayimdrgesu nisndtdh phalavdde ramanti te
devddln eva manvdnd na ca mam menire param II.
is

But trayi (as, indeed, veda in the Grita) is never meant to

include the Upanisads, as can be seen from Visvaksena S. calling
the two classes veda-nisndtdli and veddnta-nisndtdh. The idea of the
fire of true knowledge destroying karman is, of course, also quite
familiar to the Gita (see, for instance IV, 37).
13

as
of

power obscuring the real nature (param ruparri)

the jlvdtman and the paramdtman necessarily point to
the

S aiikara

because

Advaita,

Nigraha or Tirodhana S akti

the

Paticaratra

the cause of the

is

"

the

obscura

the souls but not of their plurality. 1

In both
cases, however, there remains, of course, the

"

tion

in

of

these

terms and phrases (earlier perhaps

than S ankara) having been adopted by the Pancaratra.
If, on the other hand, there is in our Samhita an indica
possibility of Advaitic

tion

of

an

earlier

would seem to be the

older

Samkhya

topics,

than the one mentioned,

date

fact that the

of the
sixty topics
2
are enumerated in it.
For, these sixty

as I have

shown elsewhere

the

A. D.
The
Krsna having by

older

the

of

Samkhya,

latter

as

does

our

as

one,

a quo of the
as,

brilliant

century

Is vara

could no longer be
themselves as early as the

enumerated by the Samkhyas

fifth

it

"

"

Samkhya Karika

of

that time completely eclipsed

no

though

author could speak

were the only existing
As for the terminus

later
it

Samhita.

venture to say that a work in which,

apparently, in the eighth chapter of the Ahirbudhnya
1

latter, I

See above, p. 88 fll.

See, below, our resume of the twelfth adhyaya.
In the article Das Sastitantra in the Journal of the German

Oriental Society for 1914, p. l6i.

4
Not only in the adhyaya concerned. Elsewhere too, when the
Samkhya is briefly characterized, it is stated to teach the three [or
four] principles
time, soul, and [unmanifest and manifest] matter
see, for instance 55. 46
:

Samkhya-kdla-jiva-trayi-trayam

(for

trayi=

above pp. 62, 69). S ankaracarya mentions both the

Samkhya- Yoga (samkhyayoga-vyapasfrayah) and
the
atheistic
Samkhyas (comm. on Brahmasutras II, 2. 37 fll. and
II, 2. 1 fll.), but regards as the three chief principles of the former
God, soul, and matter; which shows that, while the Sastitantra did
no longer exist at his time, the SamkhyaYoga of the Mahabharata
had yet survived in another (more orthodox)
form, the so-called
Yaidika Samkhya of later authors,

vidyd=prakrti

"successors
"

cf.

of the
"

"

99

Samhita
2.

II,

and as in S ankara

is,),

Buddhism

Brahmasutra Bhasya

(ad

understood to be divided into

is

great schools of the Skandhavadins (Sarvastitvavadins, S .), Vijfianavadins, and S unyavadins, cannot
well have been written until some time after the Ma-

the three

hayana had established

itself,

say

after 300 A. D.

CONTENTS OF THE SAMHITA

4.

Examining the Ahirbudhnya Samhita with regard

which, as stated at the
end of part I of this Introduction, the subject-matter
2
we find that there
of the Pancaratra can be divided
the ten chief subjects

to

into

is

nothing

in

it

and only a
the sixth and seventh

about the tenth

few occasional contributions

to

subject,

that there are one chapter on sociological matters,

one on initiation and two on worship (eighth subject),
and that the science of diagrams,
also two on Yoga
etc., is represented by some eight chapters, while sub
:

jects

2,

1,

and 4 occupy

each of them about one-fourth

Samhita, subject 1 not being confined to

to in
chapters 1 to 14 but naturally also often referred
the rest of the work.
Roughly speaking we may say
of

the

that half of the Samhita deals with occultism, theoretical

and

practical,

one fourth with

philosophy,

and one

fourth with the remaining subjects.

Chapter

1.

The Samhita opens,

after a salu*

Lord and His consort, with a dialogue

between the two Rsis Bharadvaja and Durvasas, the
tation

to

the

See, below, our resume.

Buddhism

in

stated to be worshipped as
2

See

one more direct reference to

17, where the Lord is
by the Bauddhas.

There

our Samhita, namely in

p. 26.

Buddha

is

XXXIII,

100

whom

asked by the former for an explanation

of that mysterious discus of Visnu called the Sudars ana.
latter of

is

On many

occasions

in

with the divine

connection

and magic formulas

the dependence on the Sudars ana having
(mantra)
been mentioned, Bharadvaja wants to know

weapons

powers

(astro),

(s akti),

Due

"

or created

whom

to
?

What

is

[or

what]

is its

majesty

that Sudars ana

What

? Is it
is

innate

mean

the

ing ascribed to the word ? What work does it perform ?

How does it pervade the universe ? Who are the Vyuhas,

how many and of what kind, that have sprung from

it,
sage ? And for what purpose do they exist, and of
what nature is He to whom they belong (the vynhin) ? And
of

what kind

(the Sudars ana s) connection with

is its

Visnu

supposed to be ? Is it (the Sudars ana) necessarily and

always found in connection with Him [alone] or else

where too

This

is

the

doubt which has arisen in

me

from the perusal of various S astras. Solve it,

holy one
Teach me, master
I have duly approached thee.

"

Durvasas answers that

among

the wise, and that

its

this

solution

by Narada from the only one

to solve

in this

common doubt

was once obtained

world

namely the great god S iva [who

it,

Ahirbudhnya
1

is

is]

who

in the

is

able

form

of

the highest representative of knowledge.

a favourite symbol already in the Vedas and

wheel
probably long before. The word is used in conjunction with cakrin
to wit Visnu, in the first stanza of this chapter.
discus-bearer
2
Still dependent for the latter on Samkarsai.a, his teacher, see

Cakra

"

",

"

",

be surprising that in Narada

s hymn in this chapter

si-oi) Ahirbudhnya, a bound soul, is praised as
the absolute one (sratantra), ever-satisfied one (nitya-trpta), creator
and destroyer of the universe, etc.; but it should be remembered
first, that he is a secondary Avatara, and secondly, that this sort of
hymns is simply propagating that bona fide exaggeration of the
ancient Suktas which moved Max Miiller to invent the name
henotheism for the religion of the Vedic bards.

II, 3.

It

may

(as also in

XXXV,

101

Narada had been induced to approach S iva because he

had observed the amazing strength of the Sudars ana in
Visnu s fight with the demon Kalanemi.
Durvasas
1

agrees to impart to Bharadvaja this dialogue between

Narada and Ahirbudhnya, that is, the Ahirbudhnya

But he only agreed

Samhita.

to give

it

in

an abridged

the extent of the original Samhita was twoform

hundred and forty chapters; then, time having
advanced and human capacity deteriorated, it was
:

"

men

the benefit of

for

reduced,

and now a further abridgment

2
had become necessary.

Chapter
(s lokas

to 9)

7
3

samltalpci)

2.
:

it

",

to half the original,

to only sixty chapters

Explanation of the word Sudars ana

denotes Visnu s Will-to-be (sydm iti

dars ana (seeing,

(prospective thought)

and

meaning preksana

sight)
su,

(well, perfectly) expres

time
and space. Everything
sing
being unimpeded by
in the world being dependent on the Sudars ana, the
*,

its

latter s

and

of course, natural (sdmsiddhika, s l.

created.
Two of Narada s questions

power

not

is,

herewith answered.

Narada

(to

be

After some

answered

more questions

the

in

course

of

12)

are
of

the

After which Visnu vanished so that Narada had no means of

applying to Him directly, whereas S iva, as a mundane being with
his residence on the Kailasa, was, on the
contrary, accessible to him.
In the same way Padma Samhita claims to have been re
duced from 15 millions to 500,000, then to 100,000, and
finally to 10,000
^

stanzas.
3

Syam=bahu sydm; cf. the beginning of adhyaya XXX.

The divine will is iriseperable from wisdom and action see
III,
30.
The root Iks (combined with pro, in preksana) is used in this
sense in Chandogya Upanisad VI, 2. 3
Tad aiksata bahu sydm
That [Brahman] wished
I will be
pmjdyeytti
many, I will be
which passage is clearly the basis of the above definition.
born
1

"

",

also Maitrayana Upanisad II, 6

narrating
of his loneliness

how

Cf.

Prajapati being tired

contemplated himself

became the creator

prajd asrjat).

of all beings

(so.

dtmdnam

and by

this act

abhidhydyat, sa balivlh

102
22

Samhita) there follows

(s l.

of the concept of

"Highest

nature of which

the

fll.)

a long

explanation
Brahman", the real

experienced in Liberation only, and

is

which nobody can hope to attain by

even if he would fly upwards in space

own

efforts,

like the

king of

his

birds (Garuda) for a thousand years with the velocity

The last section is concerned with the
of thought.
of the

definition

Chapter

six
3.

Gunas of God (see above, p. 31 fll.)

The object of this chapter is to

explain the Sudars ana by identifying it with the Kriya

S akti or active side (force aspect) of the Lord as

distinguished
called

the

from

His

S akti

of

(suJcsmdvasthd) or thin g-in

the

is

it

-it self

subtle

condition

any existence
Each mani
only.

(idamta) of

effects

its

by

recognizable

(bhdva),

(matter aspect)

The chapter opens by explaining

Bhuti S akti.

meaning

formal side

festation of life (bhdva) has a S akti inseparably connected

with

it,

S akti

is

moon,

is

the

of

is

world

connected with
or

also

Laksmi

God.

of

form

the
she

but there

Him

one omnipresent S akti, the

Lord

the

"

vibration

in

"

(pmsphumtd jaganmayl)
as the moonlight

the sunshine with the sun

is

with the

different

from

Him

only as an attribute (dharma) differs from its bearer

him who exists
(dka/rmm), or existence (bhdva) from
(bhavat).

of the

Many

and explained

in

s l.

names
to

24.

of

Laksmi are enumerated

Then, after mentioning

twofold and Bhuti S akti threefold (details

of which follow later), the rest of the chapter (s l. 29that S akti

is

56) is occupied with the mutual relation of the two

S aktis and the identity of the Kriya S akti with the
Sudars ana. The Sudars ana is, according to stanza 30,
will

(icchd)

in action

embodied

(Jcriyd).

in

wisdom

(prekpd) and resulting

103
4 turns to

Chapter

"

"

that cause

"

which,

pervad
ed by the Sudars ana
takes to creation
namely
the Bhuti S akti or material cause of the world, in order to
"

",

",

explain how that principle, after having been

the form of clouds
(megha-rupim dhenuh)
"

once more

tion

or

"

cow

in

becomes

the non-cow, sapless and withered, called the

"

Non-manifest (aw/akta)
"

"

The pratisamcara

".

in-volution

"

re-absorp
described here

"

5.

(=.pralaya
i)
great length is the exact reversal of the process of
creation (described in part II of this
At
Introduction).
the end of the involution the S akti of Visnu returns to
9

at

the

Brahman (brahma-bhdvam vrajati) in

same way as a conflagration, when there is no

condition

exactly the

of

more combustible matter, returns

tion of fire (vahni-bhdvam).

to the

"

"

Owing

two all-pervading

(ati-sams lesdt) the

His S akti, have become, as

[latent] condi
to over-embrace

it

ones,

Narayana and

were, a single principle

(elcam tattvam iva).

Chapters
which has been

to

7 contain

an account of creation

fully utilized in part II of this Introduc

tion.

Chapters

to

12

endeavour

to

show the

various forms of the activity of the Sudars ana

(1) as
the ddhdra
base
or support
of the world during the
:

"

"

"

"

periods of creation and dissolution (chapters 8 and 9)

and (2) as the pramdna measure
that is, regulating
the
of
the
continuance of life
principle during
period
;

"

",

(sihiti) in

which

(artha) (chapter

it
1

appears as the regulator (a) of things

), and (b) of sounds (s abda) (chapters

11 and 12).

before taking up the above subject,

answers a question of Narada as to the diversity of

Chapter

For

"

cloud

8,

"=Cosmic

Egg

see above pp. 29

and

78.

104

Narada complains
philosophic views (s lokas 1 to 23).
that there are so many different opinions about creation,
some holding that

by three elements

effected

1
,

again others five six seven

assuming four
some tracing it
nine
ten, or eleven elements

others

eight

is

it

back to an egg others to a lotus others again to fire

10
to
another body
to knowledge (vidyd)** 9 or to the Void
(srunya). Ahirbudhnya answers that the variety of opin
,

"

"

the natural impossibility for

human speech to express adequately truths concerning
the Absolute
then, that people ignorant of synonyms

ions has several causes:

first,

(fipnrydyavido jandli) often mistake different names for

different things; that the intellectual attainments of men
differ considerably; and, finally, that

number
ally,

of different aspects one of

grasped and taught by

Fire, water, earth

God has an

which only

a philosopher.

is,

infinite

gener

Ahirbudhnya

Chandogya Upanisad VI, 4

fll.

view of a materialistic teacher of the

Buddha s time, also apparently of a Buddhist sect (the Janakas).
The four and ether view of many Upanisads and of certain
Earth, water,

fire,

air

materialists.

The five and the soul a view mentioned in the Jain scriptures
and called (by the comm.) citmasastha-vdda.
5
The four, the soul, and pleasure and pain (regarded as sub
1

the saptakdya-vada of a rival of the Buddha (Pakudha

Kaccayana) and evidently also of some later philosophers.
6
The five, Buddhi, Ahamkara, and Manas (Bhagavad Gita VII,
4), or, possibly, the eight Aksaras (fire, earth, wind, atmosphere,
sun, heaven, moon, stars) enumerated in Mahasanatkumara Samhita

stances)

(Indraratra

I,

30

fll).

The eight and the

soul Bhagavad Gita VII, 4-5.

See above pp. 80-81.
9
Cf. the theories, in the Upanisads, about Tapas, Tejas, Agni
Vais vanara, and Kalagni.
10
That is, another aggregate [of Skandhas] or "other Skandhas"
or "trunk, stem"); referring to the
(kdya" aggregate"
Sautrantika school of Buddhism and its doctrine of the santati.
That (c/. next note)
another substance is meant is less likely.
;

"

"

"

12

1J

"

Evidently the two Buddhist schools

and S unyavadins are meant.
,

of the Vijfianavadins

105
"

concludes by mentioning that of the

Brahmic days
some are pleasant, while others show an excess of rain,
"

war, etc., and then, at the request of Narada, turns to

the question of the ddhdra (s l. 34 fll.).
The Sudars ana is the perpetual support (ddhdra) of

Bhuti

whole

this

universe

or

[of names-and-forms]
borne (dhriyate) by it just as gems (pearls) are
borne by the thread running through them, or as the
leaf (betel leaves) by the pin [pierced on which they are

which

is

offered for sale].

verse,

and

is

The Sudars ana,

the Calana Cakra or

in

"Wheel

of

upholding the uni

Motion"

(9.

41-42)

such has a peculiar form in each of the three

as

appearing

periods,
Creation",

the

respectively

"Wheel

the

as

"

Wheel

and the

of Withdrawal",

of

"Wheel

while each of the three again operates

well as through a number of minor

of Continuance",

as

whole as

"wheels"

there

is,

corresponding to the several Tattvas. Then

Calana Cakra, the

as the counterpart of the

Cakra or

Maharatridhara
"

Night

which

said to

is

Wheel carrying the Great

"

have a single spoke and to be

When creation begins,

Wheel of Dawn having two

meditated upon by the sages.

there appears

spokes

Sunrise"
"

Wheel

first

the

"

"

then, as the disk of Samkarsana, the

having three spokes

"

of

2
;

then, with

Wheel

of

Pradyumna, the

having four spokes

Lordship

"

then, with

"

Aniruddha, the
after this the

"

"Wheel

Wheel

of

of

Potency having five spokes

55
the Seasons
having six spokes
;

and representing the twelve Sub-Vyuhas

Great Sudars ana Wheel
twelve-spoked
with the Avataras, chief and secondary ones
1

"

"

Chandogya Upanisad II, 23. 3.

Read (ex conj.) vijnatam trikadharakam.
Does this mean that there are twenty -four

then the

connected

3
;

and

finally

Cf.

14

chief Avataras ?

106
thousand-spoked wheel holding the Highest Heaven.
(9. 1-9) there follow the wheels engaged in Non-

ly a

Then

pure Creation, namely the Paurusa Cakra with three

1
2
and the S akti Cakra having thirty spokes
spokes
and comprehending the Naiyata Cakra (with thirty
:

spokes),

the Kala

"Wheel

of

Air

Cakra (with

Space"

two spokes)

"

(with

of the Senses

six

spokes),

(with one spoke), the

3
,

etc.,

and

etc.,

the

"Wheel

finally the

"

of

Wheel

"

(with eleven spokes).

Chapter 9, after the enumeration mentioned be

fore of the

"wheels"

of

Non-pure Creation, gives a most

Wheel of Motion 4

circumstantial description of the

(creation,

"

"

continuance, withdrawal

si 33) called here

of the Great Splendour

Mahavibhuti Cakra,
the Wheel
of
the
Powerful
(or:
Manifestation)
"

"

and then describes,

Wheel of
by means of only five stanzas (36 fll.), the
Withdrawal
which
does
(Samhrti Cakra)
apparently
not differ from the (practically indescribable)
Wheel of
"

"

"

the Great

Wheel of
except in having, like the
an infinite number of spokes. The
"

Night"

Great Splendour
Wheel of Great Splendour
",

"

"

described as wearing a

is

garment variegated by milliards of milliards of Cosmic

Eggs infinite numbers of Spaces [each pervading a
;

"universe",

view]

like

but] appearing [from this higher point of

crores of crores of
insignificant specks
;

Mahats which are a-mahat (not great) etc. etc. Among

the images there is the one mentioned above (part II,
section 1, end) of the clouds, and the following bold
;

above

Evidently connected with the three classes of souls mentioned

p. 54, n. 7.

Probably ISTiyati, threefold Kala, the three Grunas, and the

lower twenty-three principles.
3
Air being perceived by two senses (ear and skin).
:

OaZawa=tremu.lous motion, that

is,

spanda,

107
unchaining a torrent of verbosity, at the
As the cloth of a big banner
beginning of this section
unfolded in space is upheld by the ever-purifying wind,

comparison

"

even so Bhuti of the nature of Visnu

Samkarsana down

to

Earth,

is

from

S akti,

upheld in the Support-

Place by [His] Will-to-be (samkalpa)"

Chapters 10 to 12 are devoted to the description
of the Sthiti Cakra, that is the Sudars ana as the regulative

less

(pramdmi) of the various forces active

during the period between Creation and Dissolution.
Chapter 10, on the one hand, and chapters 11 and 12, on
principle

the other, refer to what the S aivas call the Artha Adhvan
Pramdmi is defined (in s l. 15)
and the S abda Adhvan.
as

everything obtains its fixed measure

The course of
Another definition (32-33) runs

that by which

"

"

(iyattd)".

Will possessed of the Regulative

be recognized in] the
caJcrn) is [to

Hari

eternally fixed for every principle

shows how the
Chapter
1

is,

Wheel (prumdnalimit

(mar y add)

(tattva)."
"things"

(artha), that

manifested nature without the universe of sounds

dealt

the

(to

be

the following chapters), are governed by

Sudars ana; that is to say: (1) how the "divine

with in

"

to

how
Highest Heaven are regulated by it
the Kutastha is kept in his place (between

in

pleasures
it

owing
Pure and Impure Creation) how Time appears always in
the form of kalas, kasthas, etc., and Buddhi as righteous
;

ness,

dispapsion,

etc.

how

each

of the five elements

how, owing to it,

the cherishing of the Sattva Guna is rewarded with food,
famine
rain, etc., and indulging in Tamas followed by

keeps

latter,
2

its

characteristics

etc. etc.

The reading pade appears

however,

(2)

after all preferable to pate (with the

bhitti in III, 7
cf.

third definition

ramd

and V, 8).
is found in XIII,

5-6.

108

and

how

renders possible the con

1
tinuance of the world by means of the divine S astras
such as the Discus, Plough, Club, Conch, etc., used by the

and the

Lord

like

(3)

it

His Avataras in order to fight the unrighteous,

and how, on the other hand, it keeps effective the one
in

hundred and twenty magical Astras, the imprecations

Rsis, et hoc genus omne.

by

Chapters 11 and 12

are

intended to show

how

the regulative power (prmnana) of the Sudars ana

manifests itself through the word (fabda), that is, by

means

and philosophy.

of the systems of religion

For,

To resist successfully
says stanza 12 of chapter 11
the enemies of virtue, two means are required the
array (vytiha) of S astras and Astras, and the S astra."
"

11

Chapter

explaining why the

necessary in the course of

begins

Avataras of God become

The reason

time.

world

the

soon

cessant

is
it

of

Rajas

Sattvic divine limit

introduction

this

tion of
of

the

"

the

original

the golden age,

"

thunderclap

to

",

deterioration

inevitable
of

predominance

begins

growth

the

course

the

in

there

deed,

but

is

by

the
of

Yugas
the

to

diminish,

and

Guna,

which,

at

the

this

descrip

beginning

came down from heaven

dispelling all inner darkness

"

After

(s l. 8).

the

in

the in

owing
Tamas, and so

begins to fluctuate
chapter takes up
S astra

first,

Sattva

of

".

"

like

It

was

proclaimed by Samkars aiia. It was an harmonious whole

comprehending within it everything worth knowing for

man

the Vedas and Vedaiigas, Itihasas and Puranas,

Sarnkhya Yoga, Pas upata, etc. (s l. 20-46), and consisted
:

1
which, however, in contradistinction to the
Weapons
Astras, can never be used by mortals, but only by their divine
bearer with whom they are inseparably connected.
"

"

109
x

The first men

the divine Manus,
the Manavas and Manavamanavas
regulated their whole
life by means of it to the satisfaction of the Lord.
the division in
But then,
by the change of time
of a million chapters.

"

",

Yugas,

and with

growth

of

it

the shrinking of Sattva and the

at the beginning

became manifest

Rajas,

the high-souled Brahmanas

wishing wishes (longing for pleasures), that beautiful
system (sudars anam s dsniuiin) took a slow course

Treta

the

of

"

age

and,

".

Then

divine

the

from

the

of

taking counsel,

Rsis,

S astra separate systems suited for

original

the diversity

decided that

intellects

should

be

extracted,

and,

severe

austerities for very

the
r 3sult that Apantarawith
many
work,
tapas (Vacyayana) fashioned (bituksa) the three Vedas,

after

having

practised

years, they set to

Kapila the Samkhya, Hiranyagarbha the Yoga, and S iva

(Ahirbudhnya) the Pas upata, while the Lord Himself
extracted,

S astra

the

",

Him

ing

purest essence

the

as
"

as

the

of

"

sole divine

system (tantra) called Pancaratra describ

Para,

Vyuha, Vibhava,

recognizable by having Liberation as

etc. :

its sole

and being
result

".

12. The five recognized philosophical

in this chapter, namely the Trayi (or
described
systems
Vedic science), the Samkhya r tbe Yoga, the Pas upata,

Chapter

and the Sattvata

(or Pancaratra),

are the same as the

(jndndni) mentioned by Vais ampayana in

In the latter,
the S anti Parvan of the Mahabharata.
"

"

five

sciences

from Brahman
a
;1

for
original creation
s creation see XV, 20.

Ye proktd ddisarge

Of.

XV,

See

my

10

Das Sastitantra

Preface in our text edition,

etc.

as distinguished

fll.

article

German Oriental Society

Yogah,

"

"

p.

40,

in

the

for 1914,

Journal

of

the

also the first Sanskrit

quoting the

loka

Sdmkhyam

110
however, merely their names are mentioned, for with
reason the present chapter has a claim to our special
attention, the

more

not only called

the Sixty Topics

is

by the
- -

",

the

oldest

Samkhya

Karika

but

as the

so

which

is

treatise

actually

Samkhya

name

described in

it

"

System

Sastitantra,

name

the

we

of the source of

possess, the
of

consists

of

Samkhya

sixty topics

which

are enumerated though unfortunately not explained on

We

chapter and tried

to identify the sixty topics in a paper read in Athens
in 1912 before the Indian Section of the International
occasion.

this

have analyzed

this

and subsequently published

a
few remarks must suffice.
Here
(see previous note).
By Trayi or [Vedic] Triad is meant the whole
authoritative literature of Brahmanism, that is, not only
the three Vedas, but also the Atharvana and all the
Orientalists

Congress of

twenty-one so-called auxiliary sciences down to

(nlti),

and the science

The
the

Sastitantra consists of

"circle

of educts

of

nature"

politics

of professions (varttd).

two

so-called

"

circles

(prdkrta-mandalci) and the

",

"circle

"

comprising respectively
and
twenty -eight ethical topics.
thirty-two metaphysical
2
All the former have been adopted by the Pancaratra
(vaikpfa-mandala),

which, however, has expanded the

first of

them (Brah

man) by advancing the theory of the Vyuhas and the

The second, purusa, is evidently
conception of Laksmi.
the Kutastha Purusa (Samasti Purusa) of the Pancaratra;
the third to eighth are identical with the Maya S akti,

Myati, Kala, and the three Gunas taken separately

1

Which

cism and

"

is

kept separate

because

it

chiefly deals

the

with exor

incantations."

We did not come to this conclusion until recently and conse

quently failed more or less, in the article mentioned, to arrive at the
explanation of nos. 3, 9, and 10.
2

Ill

must be the guna-samya called Avyakta

the tenth, prdna, is Mahat
the eleventh, kartr, the
ninth, aksara,

Ahamkara

the twelfth, sfimi (very likely a corruption

of sv ami
cf.
Bhag. Gita 10. 22) is Manas (the central
or
and the rest are, of course, the
organ)
ruling
;

"

"

ten

other

"

"

To what extent the

and ten elements.

senses

circle

with the

agrees

Pancaratra, cannot be

made

out by means of the mere names, though

these can be discovered in the Samkhya and the

shown

literature, as

There

Yoga,
-- which
(nirodha-i/oga)
(samhitd)

the
"

levelling of the

"

of Action

Yoga
"

divided

mind

Yoga

The former has twelve

divided into

Yoga
"

into

and the

(citta-vrtti-nirodha)

(karma -yoga).
"

systems

of Suppression

"

is

two

"

"

of course, the one dealing with

is,

"

topics, the latter

and the
works

again

paper quoted.
our chapter,

to wit the

of

Yoga

in the

declares

are,

all of

the

work

of one

external

"

"

and

Yoga

",

"

of manifold

each of which
internal

is

"

Yoga.

The Pas upata system characterized by the enumera

of eight topics

tion

is,

to

judge from the latter and the

three s lokas referring to it in the preceding chapter (11. 4s

4
not identical with that wild and outlandish" system
fll.),
"

usually referred to as Pas upata by philosophical authors,

but rather with that Agamic S aivism on which are based

the later S aivite systems both of the north and of the south
of India, although, when speaking of the Pas upatas as the
1

See above pp. 72

fll.

Guua (no. 20) we should now also call attention to the

guna-parvani of Yoga Sutra II, 19.
3
The Nakulls a Pas upatas, who also distinguish these two
kinds, understand by Yoga of Action the muttering of Mantras,
The twofold Yoga
meditation, etc., ( Sarvadars ana Samgraha).
taught in Laksml Tantra (XVI) is (1) samyama, and (2)samddhi,
For

"

"

the latter being the fruit of the former.

4

Bhandarkar, Vaisnavism,

etc., p.

124.

112
of strong

"people

vows"

ly to include in the

(13. 14),

name

onr author seems vague

also the less philosophical sects

(Kapalikas, etc.)
The Sattvata system, finally, is said to embrace the
1
Bhayavat, 2. Jcarman, 3. vidyd,
following ten topics
.

4.

Jc&la,

8.

cintd,

and

last

5.

6.

kartavya,

vais esiJcl

mdrga, and 10. moJcsa.

require no explanation no.

fold (15.

9.

7),

must

Of

samyama,

these,

the

first

be thirteen-

2, said to

Kriya Pada

refer to the

7.

Jcriyd,

2
;

no. 3

is,

ac
3

the knowledge of the seven padarthdh

Jcdla appears to refer to the panca-kdla-vidhi or rule of the
observances of the day (abhigamana, etc.)
five
timely

cording to

5. 12,

"

"

described, for instance, in the thirteenth adhyaya of the

Carya Pada of Padma Tantra by Jcartnvya in all probabi

lity are meant the five ceremonies (Jcarman) or sacraments
;

(sarnskdra) constituting the initiation (diksa), while no. 6,

as

shown

by

15.

so

fll.,

are

the

"special

duties"

connected with the several castes and stages of life no.

4
and no. 9
refers
to Yoga, no. 8 to meditation
;

to

Bhakti

presumably
About the remaining systems (Buddhism, Jainism,
etc.,) s loka 51
simply remarks that they are fallacious
systems

(sfdstrdbhdscb)

founded by Gods or Brahmarsis

1
In the Padma Tantra (1, 1. 50), which, however, is later than
our Samhita, S iva is made the author of the three systems called
Kapala, S uddha S aiva, and Pas upata.

2
3

See above, pp. 22.

Things, topics, categories", cf. YIT, 45 the sevenfold

Tidya-viparindma called the seven Mahabhutas. But prakrti-jndna
seems to be distinguished from saptapaddrtha-jiidna in XV, 12-13. Of
the seven categories of the Vais esikas the three called sdmdnya,
samavdya, and vis esa are not regarded as categories in Yat. Dip.,
"

first

chapter (ed., p. 17).

Cf. the expression dvadas dksara-cintakdh in Is vara Samhita
XXI, 41 (quoted by Grovindacarya, loc. cit., p. 947).
*

Mdrga=panthd namanandmavdn,

LII, 33,

113
with the
wicked.

of

object

spreading

confusion

among

the

the

Among

of

synonyms

term Sudars ana

the

enumerated towards the end, two, namely Prana and

Maya, are worth noticing.
review of the objects of life.
which is always and everywhere the

13

Chapter

is

The only thing

summum bonam (JiUam
"

"

atijantam) of

men

"

of course,

is,

the absolute discontinuance of the succession of sorrows,

which

"

and the eternal happiness implied in

tantamount to the attainment of one s
nature of

the

God (bhagavanmayatd,

The two ways (sddhami) leading

ledge
is the

(jndfici)

and

to

it

(s

l.

9),

real nature, that

bhagavtittd)
it

(si.

are sacred

religion (dhnrma), of

which the

is
is,

11).

know
latter

There are two

stepping-stone to the former.
kinds of sacred knowledge, to wit the direct (saksdtof God.
kdrctmnya) and the indirect (paroksa) knowledge
former.
the
of
cause
Of these, again, the latter is the

Religion

is

also

twofold in that

it is

either (1) mediate

that is worship of some repre

(vyavadh-dnavaf) worship,
sentative of God such as the god Brahman, or (2) the
immediate worship (sdksdd-arddhana) of Him whose

manifestation

worship

is

(vibhuti)

of

worship of the

the

all

second

first.

those gods are.

kind,

Study

Pancaratra

Vedic and Pas upata

of the

Samkhya

results in

Padma Tantra I, 1. 44 fll. the systems founded in addition

derived
from) the Pancaratra are the Yoga of Brahman,
(not
the Samkhya of Kapila, the Buddhist S uiiyavada and the Arhata
both of the latter, like the Pancaratra, pro
S astra ( Jainism)
claimed by the Lord Himself (namely in the Buddha and Rsabha Avaand the three S aivite
taras mentioned in the Bhagavata Purana)
the
S
iva
founded
indeed, mentioned as
being,
Trayi
by
systems
conditio sine qua non of the Pancaratra (I, 1.68) but not reckoned
as a philosophical system.
Possibly these six systems are the same
as the six samayz-dharmdh which, according to XXXIII, 64 of our
Bamhita, the ideal Purohita must be acquainted with,
1

In

to

15

114

Vedanta

indirect, of the

while

of

knowledge

also leads finally to direct

ledge.

Yoga practice
The two mundane

God,

know

objects are wealth (artha)

These and religion are characterized

and love (kdma).

by mutual interdependence

become the means

two.

direct

in

in

that each of them

may

for attaining one or both of the other

However, neither wealth nor love but only

religion

an unfailing instrument, while Liberation (moksa) is

never a means for accomplishing anything (sddhana) but
is

For the
only a thing to be accomplished (sddhya).
attainment of any of the four objects both internal and
external
for

means must be employed.

instance,

one

In the case of love,

these are: (1) the sincere resolve [to fulfil

and (2) the ceremony of

duties as a householder],

marriage.

Chapter 14
The

Bondage and

treats of

Liberation.

soul belongs to the Bhuti S akti, being that

portion
which, owing to Time, passes from birth to re

hers

of

birth until, having entered the

path of the S astra", it is
at last
reborn in its own (natural) form (svendbhijdyate,
sc.: rwpcna\ that is, liberated.
The reason and object of
"

"

"

this

samsdra

shrouded

in

"

mystery it is the play of

as
the perfect one can have no desire
God, though God
for playing.
But how the play begins and how it ends,
that, indeed,
s ana,

is

though

The Will

be said.

may

"

of

God

called Sudar-

innumerable forms, manifests in

of

five

principal ways, to wit, the S aktis called Creation, Pre

servation,

and Destruction

[of the universe],

and Obstruc

tion

(nigraha) or

Obscuration (tirodhdna) and Further

ance

(anugraha,

the soul].
At the
favouring)
[of
obstructs
the souls by
obscuring

beginning God
or

"

"

"

contracting

and knowledge

"

"

their

form (dkdra), power

(vijndna),

"

(ais varya),

the result being the three

115
Taints (mala) or Fetters (ba-ndha) of the soul, to wit (1)
x

atomicity (amitvci)
Jcarata),

and

(3)

(2)

impotence (akincUkaratd,

ignorance (ajnatva,

These

kincijjnatvaJ).

are, of course, the counterpart of three perfections

the soul in her natural condition has in

kincit-

which

common with

the

Lord, namely omnipresence

omnipotence, and omnisci
2
It is owing to the three Taints, according to our
ence
,

chapter, as also to the passions arising from the contact

with Matter, that the soul finally treads the path of action

Vasanas (Germ-impressions) leading to

new births and it is the Karman so produced which (like
the seed producing a tree, and the tree producing seeds,

and

so produces
;

ultimately necessitates a new Creation, and so

establishes the Creative, Preservative, and Destructive
etc.)

This

S aktis of the Lord.

is

called the

"

transmission of

(tirodhdwi-parampard, s l. 25) of the Nigraha

It comes about with the assistance of the two

obscuration"

S akti.

parts of Bhuti called

has no

Time and [Maya-]

beginning, but

it

may have an

S akti

(s l.

26).

It

end, so far as the

concerned, by the breaking in of the Power

of Furtherance or the divine grace (anugrahas akti-pdtci)*,
individual

is

In the sense fixed above p. 90.

This doctrine, closely connected, as we have seen, with the
S aiva doctrine of the Kancukas, has, on the other hand, nothing in
common with the S aiva doctrine of the three Taints. For, in the latter
the Auava Mala consists in the loss or absence of both knowledge and
the evil of being connected with
power, while the Mayiya Mala is
matter (Maya and its products), and the Karma Mala that of the per
forming of good and bad deeds. Of. Pauskara Agama I, 4. 2-5 quoted
by P. T. S rinivasa lyengar in his Outlines o/ Indian Philosophy
159, and the three s lokas of Vamadeva, in the Tippaiii on
1

p.

Pratyabliijiiahrdaya,
3
S akti-pdta is

another stanza (30)

all except one read
"those

who

S rinagar

edition, p. 15.

MSS. in s loka 35
in
them have s akti-pdka, and in a third (33)
The term is stated to be used by
s akti-bhdra.

the reading of all the

all of

follow the

"

Agamas

(dgama-stha, 30), which, to judge

from the unfamiliarity with it betrayed by the varietas lectionis>

seems to point to the S a i v a Agamas as its source. The term malatraya is apparently also taken from the latter and is mentioned several
times in our Samhita in connection with the Pas upata system.

116
resembling a

"

upon him who has been

of

compassion
1

"beheld

by God" (Visnu-samiis impossible to determine when and how the

But no sooner
breaks in.
mercy of Visnu

It

Jcsita).

coming down

"

shower

"

"sublime

has

happened than both the Karmans (good and bad)

it

become

"

silent

with regard to a soul seized by

For,

".

the grace of God, they are as powerless, ad, consequent

ly, as indifferent, as robbers are towards a traveller

The breaking

guarded by a strong retinue.

causes the soul to discern
after

goal (Liberation) and

grace

to strive

by means of the recognized systems (Samkhya,

it

Yoga,

its

in of

The Nigraha

singly or conjointly.

etc.,)

S akti

has the following synonyms (s l. 17) Illusion, Ignorance,

Great Delusion, Great Gloom, Darkness, Bondage, and
Knot of the Heart.
:

Chapter 15

takes up the question as to

who

is

entitled to the several objects of life (purusdrtha).

The answer deals first with the five systems (sidOf these the Sattvata or Pancaratra alone
dlidntfi) only.
destined for the Maims and their pure descendants.
is
Those

"

"

illustrious

first

men

called Siddhas (perfect

hundred years each in absolute purity,

ones)
observing the rules of caste and periods-of-life (ds rama),
and then obtain Liberation.
Those, on the other
a

live

who have sprung

Brahman
are primarily

hand,

"

from the mouth,

etc.,

of

"

systems
1

vrnute

That

only,
is,

though

chosen

cf.

entitled

they

to

can

Kathaka Upanisad

"

the

four
J:

ascend
I,

23

2.

lower
to

yam

the
evaisa

tenet labhyaJi.

These ideal first men are described at length and contrasted

with the later men (offspring of Brahman) in Visvaksena Samhita,
loc. cit., pp. 126-129 (note
especially p. 126 bottom
Vyulidnuvrttim
satatam kurvate te Jagatpateli).
See on them further Padma Tantra
I, 1. 35 fll. where, however, as in Visuutilaka I, 146, it is the
god
Brahman from whom they receive the holy s astra.
2

11.7

"

Sattvata statute

"

If

they embrace the Pasupataj

they have to give up the Vedic

ble with the Yoga only.

Then
the

etc.,

which are compati

follows the discussion of the castes and the

26 b

(s L

periods-of-life

on

rites

whole,

the conception of which is,

orthodox one. For a 8 iidra it is

the

more meritorious

to

fll.)

Brahmana than

serve a

either of the other castes (33).

man

of

Non-hurting (a-himsd),

and

forgiveness,
conjugal
loyalty are
The Sanmyasa As raobligatory virtues for all castes.
ma is for the Brahmana but may exceptionally be
embraced by the Ksatriya also the Ksatriya and the
truthfulness,

Vais ya are entitled to the

second birth
the third

the

first

three As ramas.

The

the investment with the sacred thread,

initiation
into the Pancaratra.
When

is

is
completed, the student may stay
teacher as a Naisthika, or he may enter
the other As ramas.
The Grhastha as well

Brahmacarya
with

the
of

any

as the

Vanaprastha

man by

will

reach

the

heaven of Brah

observing their respective duties

while, by acquiring, at the same time, the highest
knowledge, they will be liberated. Unless he be one of
strictly

the latter class (a Jfianin or Knower), the

Vanaprastha
will end his life by means of the Great
Departure
(mcihd-prasthdna) [or some other lawful kind of religious
In the long description of the
suicide ] (59).
Sanmyasin there is nothing
extraordinary except perhaps that
2

his

end

is

compared, just as the Buddhist Nirvana, with

the going out of a

1

lamp."

"

Sdttvata-sfdsana
cf. p. 15
Like those enumerated in the
:

",

nsas.
3

"

sattvata-vidhi"

Law Books and Samnyasa Upa-

Pradipa iva ffuntdrcih, s L 75. Cf. the similar image employed

IV, 76) for Laksmi s absorption into Vismi at the end of a
cosmic day.
(in

118

Chapters 16
described,
itself

to

19.

Sudars ana

the

or

In addition to the forms

Kriya

their graphic symbols)

manifests

S akti

the form of Mantras, that

also in

is,

sounds (and

and the holy utterances composed

The

of these.

description of this so-called Mantramayi

Sound-body of Laksmi
Kriyas akti (1.6. 9 -io) or
(16.
"

"

44) is the object of the next adhyayas.

16

by asking who is en
to
titled
benefit by this form of the S akti.
The
is
that
it
is
the
of
answer
the Brahmana who
prerogative

Chapter

begins

agreement with his king. The latter is praised

exalted terms as the tout ensemble of the gods,

acts in
in

and a

forcible

l.
description is given
(s
20-27)
of
the two higher castes which
of the interdependence
are like Agni and Soma, and neither of which can pros

etc.,

The higher a sovereign, the

per without the other.
more is he entitled to the use of the Mantra S akti
:

most of
the

all

the cakravartin, then the mandales vara, further

visayes vara,

and

finally

also

the

chief

minister

(mahdmdtra), supposing he belongs to the twice-born.

(S l. 36 fll.) Speech begins with the Nada resembl
*

ing the sound of a deep bell and perceptible to perfect

Yogins only; the Nada develops into the Bindu (Anusva-

which

ra)
"

is

twofold,

as

the

abda-brahman

or

Brahman
and the Bhuti (related to eachas the name and the bearer of the name)
"

Sound

other

then from the Bindu proceed the two kinds of

sounds, to wit the vowels (svaro) and the consonants

and

The vowels appear in the following order

(vyawjcma).
first the ^called anuttani ("chief" sound), then the i,

Or the

of the

Mantra).

the nasal sound in the correct chanting

below adhyaya 51 (explanation of the Tara

last_ lingering of

syllable

OM

cf.

119
then

the

from

u,

which

spring the corresponding

on the other hand, by mutual union,

long vowels and,

diphthongs: a-\-i = e, a-\-e=:(n etc., and further, by

amalgamation with a consonantal element (r, Z), the r
the

accordance with the theory of the

four states of sound (Para, Pasyanti, Madhyama, and

and

In

sounds.

Vaikhari) it
rather the

is

then shown how these fourteen vowels (or

as

common

their

root,

s l.

45) gradually

emerge from their latent condition by proceeding, with the

Kundalim S akti, from the Muladhara (perineum) to the
navel, the heart,

sound

and

arising

is

for

aspirate,

"

interpreted literally as
counterpart, the Anusvara or

Visarga

where the first uttered

finally the throat

the

is

way

analogous

which reason the

creation

Bindu

declared to represent the

"

(srsfi), its

being in an
withdrawal

"

"

The Anusvara is also called sun

(samhdra} of speech.
moon
(surya), and the Visarga
(soma), and the sounds
"

"

"

rf,

i,

r,

# 9 o,

I,

and

and

"

z, ?/,

r,

I,

au are respectively
and as such connected

ni 9

moon-beams
with day and night and with the Nadis called Pingala
and Ida. The vowels a, i, u, and r are said to be each
"

sun-beams

"

"

"

eighteen-fold (how, is not stated), the I twelve-fold, etc.

From the first consonant, the h sound, which re

presents Vasudeva, originate successively (each from

the preceding
which, to
one) the s, s, s sounds
gether with the h, are the Fourfold Brahman (caturf

bralimari), and,

with h and

(panca-brahmany.
v the

the

then,

Z,

From

from the

from the y the

the
the

(samasti) of the souls, that

the

ks,

r,

Fivefold

springs

the

Brahman
v

from

and from the r the y

which represents the totality

is, the Kutastha Purusa. Then

The three Vyuhas, the four-armed Vasudeva, and the two-armed

Highest Vasudeva (?); c/. above p. 52, note 3.
1

120
there

appear

namely

(bhof/7/tf),

Manas

sound or world of experience

Prakrti; &, ph, pmMahat, Ahamkara, and

the bh

the five dentals and five cerebrals

representing
and the five
senses
five
the
knowledge
respectively
the five palatals and the five gutturals
action senses
and
Bhiltas
to the Tanmatras and
;

"

"

"

"

corresponding

from the ordinary

(finally?)

the cerebral (Vedic)

not counted as a separate letter.

however,
Chapter 17 shows how each letter

which,

is

alphabet has

(1)

three

and
subtle
gross
certain names of Visnu
after one of the

S iva)

and

the

"highest"

",

",

(3)

Eudras

(2)

(that

is,

"

namely a

Haudra"

by one of the names of

S akta" form being the name of one

of
organs, or ornaments of the S akti

one

limbs,

one

forms,

the

one, expressed by
form called

"

"

of

"Vaisnava"

of

"

For instance, the k sound is expressed in the

Vaisnava alphabet by the three names Kamala (Lotus),
Karala (Lofty), and Para Prakrti (Highest Nature), and

Visnu.

Raudra alphabet by the name Krodlns a (Angry

Lord, or Lord of the angry), while in the S akta alphabet
it is identified with the thumb of the right hand of the
in

the

For Mantras connected with Yisnu, S iva, or

Goddess.
S akti

the

respective

These

ployed.

should always be em
seem to serve a double

alphabets

alphabets
enabling the initiate to

quote the Mantras

purpose
2
and providing him
without endangering their secrecy
These
with a handle for their mystic interpretation.
:

In the employment of this alphabet the vowels (vaguely

with the face of the Goddess) are not expressed (as in
XVIII. 2) or expressed by those of the Vaisnava alphabet (as in
dicated ibid. 9 fll.).
1

identified

Cf.

Ramapurvatapamya Upanisad, end

(s l.

84), naively assert

diagram (containing the Mala Mantra in the

ing
a secret hard to understand even for the
is
mystic language)
Highest Lord (rahasyam Parame&varasynpi durgamam).
that

the

Rama

"

"

121
then, are an

lists,

tras.

indispensable

key

to the

Man

are, however, more such symbolic words

can be gathered, for instance from the second of

There

in use, as

the opening stanzas of our Samhita, where the word indu

x
from the mystic alphabet
(moon) means the letter /
;

in

employed

Ramapurvatapaniya Upanisad

(s

l.

74-80)

etc. etc.

18 takes

Chapter
(which
vS

akti

which

is,

in reality,

up the nddhara. or quotation

a sort of d e v e 1 o p i n g) of the

Mantra and Saudars ana Mahamantra (both of

contain as their chief constituent the word
"

sahasrdra

"

thousand-spoked

expressed respectively
S
the
akta
and
Vaisiiava
the
through
alphabet), of the
Bijas
germs ) hum and pluit and of the Aiiga
"

("

(auxiliary)

Mantra cakrdya svdhd

and

chapter 19

continues the subject by describing the well-known five

3

Ariga Mantras referring to heart, head, hair-lock, armour,

and weapon further an Upaiiga Mantra, the Cakra
;

Gayatri, and a
etc., and other

number of Mantras
"

"

weapons

referring to the Conch,

of Visnu.

Chapter 20 describing the

dlksd or

initiation,

opens with a beautiful definition of the ideal teacher who

should, among other things, be capable of sharing in
both the sorrow and happiness of others (Mitleid and
Mitfreude), of being lenient towards the poor of intellect,

and must be

etc.,

(Upanisads),

well versed in

Veda and Vedaiita

and other systems

Pancaratra,

Indu&ekhardm=ilcdrdntdm referring to the

)

(tanint).

letter I in the

name

S ri.
2

An

important contribution to this subject is vol. 1 of Arthur

Tantrik Texts
namely Tantral)hidhana, with Vijaand Mudraiiighantu
iiighantu
containing collections of such
words used, among the S aktas (and elsewhere), as symbols for letters.
8
Of. Nrsimhapurvatapini Upanisad II, 2 with commentaries.
Avciloii s

"

"

",

",

16

122

The

disciple,

unmarried or married, but belonging of

the
twice-born
must with perfect

necessity

to

sincerity

confess

"

"

",

done or not done

ed

on

if

he

teacher everything he has

after which he may be accept

the

to
",

probation and, after some years, definitively,

has succeeded
in
the
teacher
convincing

that he

free

is

from greed

and infatuation, capable

of guarding the secret tradition

(raha8y&mndya-gopin) t
In that case, with the usual Nyasas, etc., the

etc.

Sudars ana Mantra

three
sense

Rsis
"),

are:

imparted to him,

is

Paramatman

the

Samkarsana
the

("gross");

("

subtle

body being

of

the

(in

which the
"highest

and Ahirbudhnya
on this occasion,

"),

also,

regarded as threefold, namely, as consisting of the gross

body, the subtle body called purijastcilm \ and the dnava
or atomic body.
The duties of the disciple are described

some length (s l. 43-48), the importance of "confessing

himself and whatever belongs to him
being once more
The
Mantra
should
on
no
account be used
emphasized.
at

"

for

mundane purpose

or trifling object, but only for

the protection of the three worlds, government, or king
;

only for welfare, not for destruction.

Chapters 21
magical

to

called

diagrams

27
raJisa

are

or

descriptive
yantra,

of

their

respective merits, and the way of meditating upon the

Yantra Devatas.
The latter, among whom are the
Sudars ana Purusa (26. e fll.) and the twelve Sub-Vyuhas
(26. se

fll.),

are described at

Incidentally there

is

some length on

this occasion.

description of the Kali

Yuga

The octad of [constituents of] the town [called body]."

For three different explanations of the eight see, (1) the stanza from
Yogavasistha explained by Vijnanabhiksu in his comm. on Samkhya
Sutra III, 12
(2) Sarvadars ana Samgraha, Poona ed. pp. 71 fll.
and (3) Pratyabhijna Hrdaya, ed. p. 69.
1

"

123
In these chapters the mystical alphabets

5-9).

(2e\

play an important part.

Chapters 28 and 29
dlianci)

deal with worship (drdthe former with the obligatory, the latter with

the optional worship which a Ksatriya is recommended

In the latter case the
to perform for ensuring victory.

vary with the region

warrior wishes to attack.

rites

(east, south, etc.) in

Chapters 31 and 32

consist of an

which the
outline of

The Toga, as the

theory and practice.
external sacrifice
-i/dr/n}, is
(bdli
counterpart of the
heart"
(hrdnya-drddhanti) or the self"worship of the

the

Yoga

"

"

j/<i

sacrifice (dtma-havis) offered to

own

separated from matter, that

In this condition
(31. 4-5).

soul

purity

with

touch

(sarvablirt)

yet

everything (sarvagti)
without eyes, ears,

*
"

far
"

in all beings

Place

of

and yet near

"

is,

in its original

the

soul

is

in

and all-supporting
hands, and feet,

hands and

all-hearing, with

all-seeing,

where

"

God by giving Him one

feet

every

the imperishable part

(aksaram sarvabhutastham) \ the
Highest
"

"

Visnu"

union of the

31. 7-11).

life-self

Yoga,

(soul)

in

fact,

means

and the Highest Self

"

(jivdtmaparamatmanoh samyogah, 3l.ie). According to

this passage, then, Yoga would be the temporal attain
ment, during life, of a feeling of perfect oneness with
Of a feeling only of such oneness for that
the Lord.
;

actually becomes one with the Lord, is

excluded by the premises of the system, as we have

soul

ever

Brhadaraiiyaka Upanisad IV,

Is avasya

Upanisad

3.

23

fll.

5.

3
It may be useful to remember here that
Hamanuja and his
followers find no difficulty in relating all such expressions (for instance
in the Bhagavad Gita) to the individual souls as separated from
matter, that is, in their pure condition in which they are essentially,
though not numerically, the same.

124
seen in the last section of part II of this Introduction.
Such feeling of identity is also attributed to the
1

liberated.

From
are

31. ia

to

of 32 the eight

Yogangas
some length and not without some

described at

originality:

the end

the ten constituents of

(1)

Yama

(brahma-

car//a=zuot regarding one s wives as objects of enjoyment;

rtr?V/m=concordance of speech, thought, and action) (2)
;

the

ten

enjoined

confidence

(s rnddlia

Niyamas

dstikyn=- conviction that

there

in

the

work

exists, asti, a

something, vastu, accessible through the Vedas only)

(3) eleven chief postures (4) the Pranayama, with a long
;

physiological introduction on the tubular vessels called

Naclis (forming the
wheel
in which the soul moves
"

"

about like a spider in

its

web

32. 22)

and the ten winds

body, and directions as to the purification,

within three months, of the whole
system of Nadis
(5)
which
is
not
a
act
Pratyahara,
merely
negative
(with

of the

drawal of the senses) but also a positive one (nives annm

Jlhngavati

"entering

"keeping

meditation on the

who

Pums<i)

jewels,
etc.

into

God");

(8)

intensifying

Dharana, the

is

in the Highest Self";

(7) Dliyano,
wheel-formed
Visnu (Saudars ana
here described as eight-armed, clad in
"

"

with lightning-flashes as

and

(6)

mind

of the

the hairs of his head,

Samadhi, which

Dhyana

making one

until the

is reached
by gradually
Siddhis or magical powers

body infinitely small, etc.) become

manifest and spirits and gods begin to serve the
Yogin.
Chapters 30, 34, 35, and 40 are occupied
(of

with the
1

subject

of the

Astras

or

magical

weapons,

At least in the S aiva Siddhanta (Schomerus, loc. cit.,

p. 405),
undoubtedly also in the Pancaratra, though the wish of
kaiiikarya (above p. 58) is of course inconsistent with it.
but

125
that

is,

occult

forces

of

of

nature,

an obstructive or

destructive character, which can be set loose, directed, and

withdrawn

by those

who know

the spells connected

with them.
traces back the origin of the /Ystras
1
to the creation of the world.
Before creation the Lord,

Chapter

could find
having nothing to play with (lilopakarana)
no satisfaction (nn
He, consequently, made
lebhe).
3
Himself
manifold
(dtmdnam balm dkalpaycuf)
by
,

r<itim

Pradhana and Purusa (primordial matter

soul) and then from the former, with the

creating
and the

help of his S akti in

the Ahamkara, etc.,

Out

of these

He

He

the form of Time, the Mahat,

down

to

the

gross

elements.

then formed the Cosmic Egg, and in the

created

Prajapati (the four-faced Brahman)

who, looking at the Vedas, framed, as before, the mani
fold names and forms of the gods, etc.". So
the Highest

latter

"

"

Lord, though

all

of His wishes are ever fulfilled, could ex

perience, by means

of the beings created

by Himself, the
flavour of playing (IHd-rasa)
He discovered, however,
that there was in His creation a tendency towards the bad
".

which could be counterpoised only

if

He

with a portion of

Himself would become the protector of His creatures.

So He created, as an instrument against the wicked
(Daiteyas and Danavas),
1

With the beginning

XXXVIII,

10

of

His Suclars ana form, and, the

this

chapter

cf.

chapter

XL1

arid

fll.

2
For Him all of Whose wishes are fulfilled, creation, etc., can
have no purpose (P. Prakas a S. I, 1. 4) and is, therefore u play"
3
So far the chapter is a paraphrase of some well-known Upanisad passages which belong to what the Vis istadvaita calls ghafakas rutayah or texts
reconciling monism and pluralism in that they
"

"

show that the world, that is, the "body of God" (cf. LII, 23, being
a reproduction of Bhagavad Gita XI, 7), was latent in Him before

creation.

126
gods and kings being unable to use the latter, He
produced from it the Astras or magical weapons. These,
a

over a hundred \ are enumerated by name and

little

groups according as they have sprung from

other limbs
the mouth, breast, thighs, feet, or
of
the Saudars ana Purusa. The first four classes constitute
in

five

"

"

the Pravartaka (offensive, destructive), the fifth class the

Nivartaka or Upasamhara (defensive, obstructive) Astras.
A definition of these two kinds is found in 36. is-ie

where the second are described

joined
to look

as having the

(xdujalmi\ while the

in supplication

though they were to devour

as

(nttum ivds esa bhuvandni)

Chapter 34

first

as

may

the worlds

all

enabling one to
Pravartaka Astras, Chapter 35
gives

the

spells

sixty -two
for
those
the fourty -three Nivartaka Astras.

the

use

hands

are said

Here again,

be expected, the occult alphabets are extensively

used.

Chapter
(murti) or

35,

towards the end

(s l. 9 2),

raises the

whether the Astras have a material form

to

question as

The answer

not.

is

to the effect that they

have, indeed, visible bodies of a dreadful appearance,

more or less human-like, with a mouth studded with
terrible

teeth,

of hairs,

etc.,

rolling

eyes,

and that they

lightning-flashes

differ in colour,

instead

some being

grey like ashes, others radiant as the sun, others again

further that they carry their mighty
with
arms
resembling huge iron bars.
weapons
In continuation of this general description Chapter

white,

etc.

describes individually each of the one hundred and

Astras by which here, however, the visible weapons

two
1

Chapter

XL

enumerates 102, but

some more.

XXXV mention apparently

chapters

XXXIV

and

127
carried by the various Astra Purusas seem to be meant ;
for, the Sammohana Astra, for instance, is said to look like

a lotus with stalk

"

",

the

Madana Astra

like a chowrie,

the Saumanasa Astra like a cluster of roses, etc.

Chapter

41

contains

the

story

of

the

first

It is the
intervention of the Lord in order to fight evil.
Pauranic story of the two demons Madhu and Kaitabha

who wrested the Vedas from Brahman before he could

make use of them for creating the world. Brahman, in
the other shore of the Sea of
goes to
*
and addresses a hymn to the Lord in answer to
"

his distress,

Milk

"

which the Lord appears to him and hears his complaint.

By His mere thought of the two demons these are forced
appear before Him, yet still they refuse to return the
Vedas. The enraged Lord now orders Visvaksena to

to

kill
"

them, but V., in spite of leading against them

the Vaisnavite armies
(sarvah send Vaimavth),
"

all

is

unable

to

do

so.

Now

the Lord Himself

"

in

His

with sixty-two arms, wearing

His
divine
all
weapons, appears on the battle-field with
the splendour of a thousand suns, and the armies of
discus-form" (cakrariipin),

demons, unable to bear the sight, are instantly

destroyed, whereupon the Lord hurls His discus against
the

the two evil-doers, decapitating both of them.

C h a p te r 36 teaches how the Sudars ana Yantra,
the construction of which was explained in chapter

There are two aspects of

be worshipped.
Yantra, namely the form aspect and the Mantra

is

26,
this

to

aspect, called respectively the prior constituent (purvdngci)

and the posterior constituent (aparahga), the former

1

Giving
juduasvarupa,

Him

the following epithets

vis vdntarydtnin,

among

others
tfuddhaVisvaksena-

tfuddhaaattvaikainurti,

mukliaili suribhih sevyainaiia, divyana)idatnaya-vyoina-nilaya.

128
(namely the Sudars ana Purusa sur
rounded by the twelve Sub-Vyuhas, etc.), and the latter
The medita
of Mantras only in the place of the figures.
of figures

consisting

tion

on the second form

for the teacher of Mantras,

is

Brahmana, only the worship of the first is much

recommended to kings and others desirous of material

the

prosperity (s ri) who, to ensure complete success, may

build a special vimann (kind of temple) for the purpose.
The very preparation of the soil (Jcarsana) for such a
a highly meritorious act.
final part of the chapter

is

building

The

49

(s l.

answers

fll.)

as how Kes ava, etc., being the Lord

meditated
can
be
Himself,
upon as His retinue (pdrivdra).
Chapter 37 has two parts. The first part

some doubts such

enjoins that in times of great danger, when the enemy is

overrunning the country, the king shall construct and

worship an image of the sixteen-armed Sudars ana, of

whom

a detailed description

The

second

part

explanation of Nyasa

(s

is

given.

22

l.

which

is

devoted

is

fll.)

to

the

declared to be a third

sadkam.i (religious expedient) in addition to worship and

The word

Yoga.

renouncing)

ni/dsa (putting down, giving over,

here understood in the sense of bliaJdi, the

is

six constituents

thus

defined

of

which are enumerated, and which

"

Taking

praying thought
do thou
helpless
:

am

become

is

refuge (srarcmdgati)
a receptacle of sins,

my

remedy

is

the

naught,

(upai/a)

",

the Mantra to be employed being

Lord who art
invincible through the all-conquering thousand spokes
"

[of

The

Thy
act

grimages,

discus],
of

taking

taking refuge implies

sacrifices,

self-sacrifice,

am

than

and

refuge
all

charities,

which

nothing

Thee."

austerities, pil

because
is

in

it

higher.

means

The

129

God

devotee should meditate on

as a sacrifice (ypijnarupa-

Bis body being the altar, His mouth

the Aha van iy a fire, His heart the Southern fire ... the

dlmrnm demim)

enemies of His devotees the

arms the

sixteen
gift,

etc.

priests,

Warning

sacrificial animals.
.

compassion His

to the kings

not

to

His

sacrificial

neglect the

Sudars ana worship.

Chapter 38

deals

with the origin and cure of

In order to explain the former the author

diseases.

begins by describing (in five s lokas) the dissolution of

the world.
When Pralaya [and the Great Night]
was over
the account continues
the Lord, in order
to play, created the world once more
first (piirvavi)
1

the

"

names

and

of

forms

the

three

",

then

Prakrti

(pundit)*

Maya, with
whom He began to enjoy Himself.
She, however,
possessing a s al ti (female energy) for each of the
3
creatures and giving them pleasure, made them eager
consisting

Gunas,

called
"

to enjoy her,

and so became

becomes) the cause of

the obscuration of the [true nature of both the] individ
ual and the highest soul."
Owing to her influence man
(lit.

begins to identify himself (that is, his soul) with his body
mine
then, having sons, etc., he forms the idea of the
"

"

and hatred, and herewith the seeds

(vdsandh) have appeared, the fruits of which are inevit

this leads to love

ably a new life conditioned by the good or bad use made

The diseases, therefore, are
of the preceding one.

nothing but the sprouting forth of the sins

committed in former lives.
1

we have

Indicating thus that the Karmic chain (to which the diseases
belong) has no absolute beginning.
2
The creation of
names and forms
here referred to as
connected with primary creation is, of course, different from the one
attributed to the god Brahman.
"

That
17

is,

souls

bhTltdnipurusah.

"

130

There follow
fever,

five

consumption,

(2)

recipes for curing (1)

magical

urinary troubles, (4)

In the several cures the-

(o)

dysentery, and (5) epilepsy.

throwing of certain substances

into the sacrificial

fire,

use of vessels with Yantras etc. engraved on them,

and presents to Brahmins play an important part, while
the

practically no internal

medicine

is

prescribed for the

patient.

39.

Chapter
there

is

one remedy

not
all

destroying

Narada wishes

enemies,

might desire to

know whether

to

curing all diseases,

attaining whatever one

for

and

The answer

attain.

is

a description
*

of the

called

ceremony

Mahabhiseka

"

Great Baptism

which everybody can have performed, though it is

specially recommended to kings and government officials.
be executed in a temple or other sacred
on
even and purified ground, and commences
building,
with the drawing of the Mahendra circle and SaudarIt

should

ana diagram,

culminates

performed by eight
directions
chief

of

priest

space),

who

in

fire

sacrifice

(lioma)

Rtvijs (corresponding to the eight

and ends with the baptism by the

successively sprinkles the person con

cerned with sacred water from each of the nine pitchers

employed. He who has gone through this ceremony,
"

will

promptly attain whatever be

Chapter

42,

before

in his

mind

relating the

be summarized

two

".

stories to

later, contains the following

(1) Narada inquires about the origin, devoid (pre
siding deity), etc., of the Anga Mantras described in
chapter 19. Ahirbudhnya answers that he has extracted

them from

the Atharva Veda, and that their devatd

Lord Himself

in

is

the

His Sudarsfana form, their purpose the

protecting of the body of the devotee, etc.

131

How

(2)

and

black

a king

magic

weapons

are being used against him,

their
influence.
The
neutralize

(<d>liicfJi

how he may

and

that divine

may recognize
(t)

(enumerated in ten stanzas) are among

the sudden death of horses, elephants, and

symptoms
others

poor
attacking the king
the
at
and
white
ants
snakes
of
the
appearance
crops
meteors
of
the
door of the palace or temple;
;
falling
ministers

violent

disease

among

the

ministers

enigmatical
town
in
the
out
appearance
conflagrations breaking
to the king, in dreams, of his own figure showing a
shaved head, clad in black, and driving to the south

frequent

quai-rels

on a car drawn by donkeys. The

(the region of Death)
remedy is the construction of a picture or image -of the

Lord carrying the Nivartaka Astras, and the meditation

Not only the king but
on, or worship of, the same.
do

also his ministers should

Then

so.

the Lord will

and check by His Upasarnhara Astras

or the divine weapons threatening His

at last be pleased

the

magic

devotee.

Chapters 43 and

On

44.

the power of the

great Sudars ana Mantra, the root of all Mantras (44. 12),
enabling one to cause to appear before oneself the

Sudars ana Purusa in persona (with

clad in a yellow

43 narrates

two

arms,

how Ahirbudhnya,

pati, obtains this sight.

The

Chapter
44
how
Brhaschapter

latter asking

with surprise

how He, being known as eight-armed in

can now stand before him in a human
Sudars ana

Purusa

declares

that

showing respectively two,

sixty-two arms, and moreover a
(vt/tihd)

He

etc.),

robe, of dazzling splendour.

Lie

appears as the All (visrvamaya/rilpd).

form,

the

has four forms

eight,
fifth

the world,

sixteen,

form

in

and

which

At Brhaspatfs

132

He

request

appears to him in the All-form and

finally as

eight-armed.

Chapter 4 6.
parations for,

Definition of the ideal Purohita. Pre

and description

the Sndars ana

of,

be performed for the king.

the latter, seated on a consecrated throne,
sacrifice to

fire

Homa, a
At the end

is

anointed.

47. Description of the Mahas anti Kar

a great ceremony to be employed by kings, which
alone has the power to avert every evil and secure

Chapter

ma n,

complete prosperity both in this world and the next. Of

former kings who have performed it the following are
mentioned Ambarisa, S uka, Alarka, Miindhatr, Purilra:

vas, Rajoparicara,

Dhundhu,

S ibi, and S rutakirtana.

In

ceremony the Astras divided into eight groups are

worshipped with eight different materials and Mantras.

this

Chapters 33, 42,

"ancient

tain

intended

to

45, 48, 4

stories"

the

illustrate

a n d 5

con

(purdvrtta itikdsa, 45. 9)

effect of the divine

weapons

and of certain amulets or talismans.

The Sudars ana is the Wheel of

Time, the Highest Self the one who turns it and who
appears as Brahman, Visnu, and S iva at the times of

Chapter

33.

and dissolution of the world, as

Bauddhas, as Jina to the Jainas, as
the Yajna Purusa to the Mimamsakas, and
as the
Purusa to the Kapilas, but preferably in His discus
continuance,

creation,

Buddha

form

to

(oakrarupadha/ra)

wants

to

enemies,
(

the

kh

to

ar a

God

while

He

protect
illustrate
is

some

and

always so when He
devotee and to check his

which the

narrated.

There

story of Manireigned in the town

in His All-form is called in the Gita

thousand-armed
usually appears, according to that source (XI, 46), in His
four-armed shape. It is noteworthy that, instead of the latter, we
have above the eight-armed shape.
"

",

133
1

His son
Naicas akha a king called Pramaganda
and
a
Cakravartin
Durdharsa,
(royal sage and
Rajarsi
emperor), had by his principal wife Vatsala a son

of

Manis ekhara who married Praci, ascended the

throne when his father retired to the forest, and had
called

born to him through Praci seven sons. At that time

the demon Vikataksa and his numerous descendants

had become the plague of the country, and Vikataksa

having obtained from Brahman the boon of invincibility,
nothing was
to

the king but to apply for help

Himself.
So, in order to learn how to

left

Lord

the

approach the

to

Manis ekhara went, on the advice

latter,

the sage Durvasas, and, directed by

the latter, to Salagrama on the Saras vatii (the holiness
Purohita, to

of his

which place is brought into connection with the

Varaha Avatara and described at length in s l. 78 to
Here he worships the Lord for one month with
86).
of

arcami;

and

japti,

dhytlwi,

to him,

after

which

and emits out

He

appears

of His breast

eight-armed,
the Aindra Cakra (being the Astra described in 40.
28-24) first one, then ten, then a hundred, etc., filling all
etc.,

space and killing the asuras.

42, after having described the symptoms

the approach of hostile magic (see above

Chapter
betraying
p.

131),

may

tells

two

stories

illustrating

how

the latter

be counteracted.

Story of Kas Iraja

35

Kasiraja \ a
worshipper of Mahadeva, calls into existence, with the
(s l.

fil.).

help of his god, a krtyd or magical formation, which he

1

These two names are also mentioned by Sayaua in the preface

Rgveda Bhasya, ed. Max Mueller, vol. I, p. 4, where also the
country is mentioned in which the town was situated, namely, Kitaka
(probably a part of South Bihar).
to

his

There

is

Kas Iraja among the kings

of the

Lunar Dynasty.

134

The latter
sends out to destroy Dvaraka and Krsna.
(Bhagavaf), seeing the l-rttjd approaching, emits the
Sudars ana against it, whereupon the
frightened
"

"

krtyd hurries back to its master and perishes with him

and his town by the Sudars ana which, after having done

work, returns to the Lord.

its

of S rutakirti

Story
king

(s

40

l.

of the Saurastras, reigning in

fll.).

S rutakirti,

Bhadras ala,

"devoted

Sudars ana Mantra, highly virtuous

was
with ruling the seven continents but wished

to the great

not satisfied

",

to conquer also

"

another world

He, consequently,
the
Sudars ana, entered his gorgeous
having worshipped
aerial chariot, and,
set out
accompanied by his army
".

"

",

to

conquer Svastika, the capital of the Gandharvas, ruled

by king Vmavinodana. The latter, amused, sends out his

army of Siddhas and Gandharvas, but they are beaten. The
Gandharva king then appears himself in the battle, but
S rutakirti defeats him in a ferocious single combat, and

Gandharva army is completely beaten a second

time. Then the Gandharva king, in his despair, employs
the

the Gandharva Astra (being the thirty-fourth of the

Pravartaka Astras) which spreads confusion among the

enemy, though

it

cannot reach

protected by the Sudars ana.

come to a standstill, S rutakirti

S rutakirti himself

The

is

is

battle

who

having thus

instructed by his priest

the great Wheel having sixty-four

centre the God, sixty-two armed and

in the meditation on

spokes and in

its

and he learns from him

carrying the Samhara Astras
also the Mantras for all the Astras of the two classes.
l

He

then returns to the battle, and meditating, with

his eyes fixed on his army, in the manner indicated
1

Sic, though according to chapter 34 sixty-two

the Pravartaka Astras.

is

the

number

of

135

and muttering

at the

same time the appropriate Mantras,

he easily achieves, through the divine weapons now at

The chapter ends by
his disposal, a definite victory.
describing how the king, in order to secure his Libera
tion, constructs a magnificent temple (vimdna) contain
in the midst of a beautiful wheel the sixty-twoing
"

armed [God] with the Nivartaka Astras", and how

he appoints for the temple, and loads with presents, one
hundred and twenty Brahmins.
Chapter 45 relates the story of Kus adhvaja, intended to show that through the power of
Sudars ana even

the

prdrabdha-Jearmnn can be anni

hilated.

Kus adhvaja,

Janakas,

feels

the

high-souled

king

of

the

possessed by a devil (mahd-moha) caus

memory and other ills. His Guru tells him

ing failure of

due to

having once, in a former life,

murdered a righteous king, and recommends him to build
a sumptuous temple in order to obtain the grace of the
that

this

is

The king

Sudars ana.

in the

performs

his

follows the advice, and the

temple a propitiatory

ten days, after which the king

Chapters 48

is

ceremony

Guru

lasting

cured.

to 50 contain

intended to show that for those

five stories
who cannot perform

these great ceremonies, the following five talismans, each

of which bears the Sudars ana Mahayantra inscribed on

may

it,
(

the

(4) the
(1)

of

on particular occasions become useful, to wit

seat
(2) the
finger-ring
mirror",
(3) the

"

"

"

",

"banner

Story

Sus ravas.

",

",

and

of

He

(5) the

"

awning

Muktapicla
is

so

much

".

or

Harapida, son
addicted to sensual

them, he neglects his empire

harassed
is,
consequently,
by the Dasyus. The
Purohita, asked by the ministers for his advice, constructs

pleasures

which

that,

owing

to

136
a

seat

(ristdrci,

causes the

him

with a Yantra, and

down on it. Then he

furnished

asana)

amorous king

"

"

to sit

arrange for Veda recitation, music, and

dance, and to go himself, for the time of one month,
induces

to

through

certain meditations

food that

is

this

disease or

the enemies of the country die through

the sword, and the king has again a "thornare

empire.

Incidentally
methods for producing rain \
(2)

final effect of

all

"

less

The

seven times consecrated.

that

is

and ceremonies, eating only

Story of Vis

ala,

mentioned

various

a righteous king reign

Vis ala(Vais ali).

His wife receives the news,
a
voice
from
heaven, that her son will die with
through
in four days.
The king, having gone to the hermitage
ing

at

of the

sage Pulaha,

finger-ring

would ward

Yama

advised by the latter to wear a

bearing the Sudars ana, which

is

(angidlya)
off death,

arrive

and

lie

take

does so

the servants of

to flight,

frightened by the
divine Astras coming forth from the felly of the Wheel.
Great astonishment of the gods at the death-conquering

power

of the Sudars ana.

(3)

reigned,

at

Story

of

Sunanda(48.

S riigarapura,

had a son called Sumati.

a king called

Once the

64

fll).

There

Sunanda who

latter,

having gone

out hunting, meets in a forest a very beautiful

Naga girl
who enchants him and takes him with her to the

Naga

There she delivers him to Anangarnanjari, the

daughter of the Naga king Vasuki, who makes him her
world.

1
And other things which are still less likely to be the teaching
a Purohita to his king, such as the important disclosure that, in
order to obtain a garment of a certain colour, a flower (or flowers) of
that colour should be sacrificed (XL VIII, 33).
There is undoubtedly
a large interpolation here from some other text, and
probably between
s l. 16 and 17 one or several s lokas have
disappeared.

of

137
husband.

Happy

measure

beyond

owing

to

his

intercourse with the princess he forgets his whole past.

King Sunanda, after having had a vain search made for

him

everywhere, ceases, out of

Then his Purohita goes to the

reports
entered into a trance,

in

as

is

"

take

hermitage

sees

"

the

"

food.

of

story of the

After futile attempts

follows:

Naga world

the

to

his

Kanva on the bank of the Tamasa and

to him what has happened.
Kanva, having

teacher

which

grief,

boy"

at finding

a husband worthy of the beautiful

Anaiigamairjari, the Naga girls began to look out for

one on earth, and so discovered Sumati in the forest in

One

which he was hunting.

of the girls, called

Rama,

(mdy&~vi&dradd\ suc
ceeded in enticing him to the Naga world, where he was
now living unaware of his past, as the husband of the
proficient in

specially

witchcraft

There was one

charming daughter of king Vasuki.
means of bringing him back, namely the great Sudarwith golden letters on a mirror
s ana diagram inscribed
(darpanu).
his

king.

With
The

this

message the Purohita returns to

latter,

delighted,

mirror at once constructed and, with

has

the

its help,

magical

enters the

nether regions and arrives at Bhogavati, the capital of the

Nagas. He finds his son and abducts him together with
his wife and female servants; he is, however, overtaken

by Vasuki and his army of Nagas. In the ensuing battle

the Nagas are conquered by the Prasvapana and Agneya
Astras (the sixty-first and twenty-first of the Pravartaka
forth from the magical mirror, the
the
former causing
Nagas to sleep, and the latter setting
Now Vasuki asks for peace, offering
fire to their town.

Astras)

coming

and a thousand Naga girls, whereupon

Sunanda withdraws the Astras and returns to his capital.

precious jewels
18

138
(4)

Story of Citras ekhara

(49. ifll.).

There

was, on the bank of the Sarasvati, a beautiful town called

by a king called Citras ekhara. The

father of the latter had once, using an aerial chariot
Bhadravati, ruled

presented to him by Indra, attacked and killed a Danava

called S afikukarria, owing to which deed the son of

Amarsana, was incessantly harassing

When the two armies
Citras ekhara and his town.
had met for the seventeenth time before Bhadra
S ankukarna, called

and returned home again after a drawn battle,

Citras ekhara made up his mind to apply for divine
help and set out in his aerial chariot for the Kailasa.
vati

While he

driving over the mountains, his chariot

suddenly stops short on the peak of the Mandara. He
alights, and, after having walked for a while, meets, on
is

the bank of a tank, Kubera, the god of riches, who tells

him that this is the place where Mahalaksmi is living, to
worship whom he had come here and that, as it was due
;

her that his chariot had stopped, he should therefore

apply to her. Hereupon Kubera disappears, but sends a
to

Guhyaka who

king and proposes

that they should spend the night on the spot, which they do.

Then

offers his services to the

in the

morning, the Guhyaka takes the king to the

The king then sings a beautiful
palace of Mahalaksmi.
to
who
is pleased and
Mahalaksmi,
hymn
gives him a

banner showing the Sudars ana diagram

(i/antrita dhvaja).

The king then returns to his capital and conquers, by

means of the banner, the army of the Asuras.
(5)

Story of Ki rtimal

in

(50.

fll.).

Kir-

timalin, the son of king Bhadras rnga at Vis ala, was a

great hero. Once, during the night, when he was taking a

walk outside the town, he saw a Brahmana sitting under a

S ami tree, absorbed in

Yoga and shining

like fire,

He

139

who

him

asks

he

but receives no

is,

He

answer.

repeats his question several times and at last, his patience

giving way, tries to attack him, with the result, however,

unable to move (stabdha-cesfa).

obtains the pardon of the Yogin,

that he grows
solicits

now

stiff,

and

He
who

Salagrama, he had been

overtaken by night and had remained outside the town
because the gates were closed. The king takes him into
tells

him

that, travelling to

the town, and the next morning, when he

again, asks him for some useful teaching.

is

about to start

The Yogin then

the king the Saudars ana Mahamantra together

imparts to
with the Afiga Mantra, Dhyana, etc,, belonging to it.
He declines the liberal daksind offered to him, asking

Brahmins, and takes leave.

be given to the
Everything on earth

that

it

being

to

subject

the

king,

he resolves to conquer the gods, Gandharvas, Asuras,

and

He

begins by marching against the

conquers these by means of the Garuda

Nagas.

Nagas and
1

forcing them to promise a tribute of jewels, etc.

He then turns against the Daityas, the Yaksas, the
Gandharvas, the Siddhas, and finally the Vidyadharas,

Astra

and,

residence.

all

conquered

having

Missing

in

of

these,

retinue

his

returns
the

to

his

Devas,

he

Gandharva Manojava, a message

sends, through
Indra to send him immediately his
bo
elephant
Airavata, his thunderbolt, the Kalpa tree, and eight
the

Apsarases.

Indra

laughs

that he would

and

answers through the

the thunderbolt

now send

messenger
and the elephant only that the king should come with
these and see him that then he would give him the other
;

things too.
1

The elephant with the thunderbolt

Which appears

in chapters 34, 35,

and

to be missing
40.

enters,

among the Astras enumerated

140
without being seen, the town of the king, and silently
The king, unable to
begins to destroy his army.
recognize the cause of the growing disaster,
alarmed, but then, informed by Manojava,

is

at first

who

has
x

meanwhile returned, he

employs the Varana Astra

On learn
causing the elephant to become motionless.
the
news
from
some
of
his
Indra
becomes
retinue,
ing
his

angry beyond measure, and, by

the

"

gods

the

like

"

out

Pralaya

sets

gins to

rage and

divine

Astras

("

Vis ala.

for

at

army

the

terrible

of

time of
be

battle

favour of the gods.

Their
even when the king employs

ranks are not shaken

the.

ocean

gaping

to turn

order, the

in

Agneya,

etc.")

for

Indra has

"

"

counter-weapons

But

then, the

(pratyastra) neutralizing their effect.

situation

becoming desperate, the king

the
remembers
suddenly
Yogin s instruction concerning
a

chariot

with

magical awning (mtan<i),

latter made, and returns with it into the battle.

has

the

Now

an

the Visnu Cakra

sent
amazing change takes place
forth by the king from his chariot causes all the Devas
to fall on the ground, from which they are unable to rise
:

whereas all the divine

again, having become motionless
cast
missiles
by Indra, Astras as well as S astras,
;

like moths
disappear into the Visnu Cakra
into
the
fire
like
streams
[disappearing]
[dis
"

simply

"

",

At last the raging Indra

appearing] into the ocean.
hurls his thunderbolt at Kirtimalin
but even the
;

thunderbolt

absorbed

astonished

highly
chariot

is

Indra

by the Visnu Cakra.

now approaches

The

the

king s
and Kirtimalin, having respectfully risen before

No. 65 in chapter XL probably the same

Samhara Astras.
2
The fifth of the Pravartaka Astras (XXXIV,
1

as no. 38 of

14-16).

the

141
king of the gods and saluted him with friendly

the

words, explains to him his invincibility, whereupon the

two part

as friends.

to 59 explain Vaisnavite Mantras,

Chapters 51
some

which are described from three standpoints the

and the highest
the
subtle
Incidentally
gross
which
items
are
mentioned
throw
light on certain
many
of

"

"

"

".

",

",

philosophical and ethical

of

Vyuhas,

doctrines such as those of the

These chapters being too

etc.

Bhakti,

admit of a summary like the preceding

ones, we have to confine ourselves to calling attention to

technical

some

to

characteristic passages.

The

the Tara or Taraka

is

the sacred syllable OM.

In its "gross
consists
the
of
o
letters
and
m, mean
simply

Mantra, that
sense"

Mantra explained

first

it

is,

ing respectively otn and mita, and thus representing

the sentence
Everything (sarvam) limited (mitam) is
9
threaded (otam) on Him (asmin).
In its
subtle
"

"

composed of the letters a, u, m denoting

respectively: (1) the waking state and gross universe
Aniruddha as their protector
with
(2) the dreamsense

"

it

is

and

consciousness

Pradyumna

universe

with

then

the

(4)

Vasudeva
of
of

nasal

the

Lord

echo of the
tur iyct)

the

"

as

superintended by
and corresponding

their

guardian-deity

(ardkamatrd) representing
further (5) the last lingering

sound, which
as

state

susupti

Samkarsana

(the

the

the

(3)

universe

subtle

is

the undifferentiated S akti

"

fifth

stage

and, finally, (6) the

silence observed after the pronunciation of the syllable,

1
which is Visnu as the Highest Brahman.
In its
"

highest

sense

"

it

means

and

Cf.
p. 53.

Dhyanabindu

Upariisad

the
4

belonging

also

above

p.

together
52,

note

3,

142
(expressed by the letter m) of (1) a, that is, Visnu possess
ed of the active S akti and (2) u, that is, Visim possessed
the inactive

of

OM

"

in

S akti, namely, during the cosmic night.

sense
is said to
further denote
:

and the Avyakta

S iva,

Brahman, Visnu,
nikas

"

subtle

its

Paura-

of the

the Sadakhya, Ais vara, Sadvidya, and S iva of

the Pas upatas
and Vyakta, Avyakta, Purusa, and
Kala of the Samkhyas.
;

Another instructive example

occultism
("

the explantion (52. a-ss) of the word namas

is

the

is

",

"

"

constituents

six

OM

bow etc.) occurring in

namo
other
Mantras. In the gross sense
many
declared to mean prapatti or self -surrender,

respectful obeisance,

Visnave and
the word

of this sort of linguistic

and obstacles

of

which are here

In the
subtle
explained at some length (si. 14-24).
sense
the word is regarded as consisting of the three
"

"

constituents na, ma, and

which together represent the

sentence
No (no) selfish regard (mamya) for one s self
and one s own (svasmin avn/e ca)
namely the famous
2
formula
na
ndsmi
me ndliam if properly under
Samkhya
s,

"

",

28). The "highest sense", finally, is explained

(s
by means of the Mantra key (17. 21, 24, n) in the follow
na signifies
ma chief
and the
ing way
path

stood

l.

"

"

",

Highest Lord

"

Visarga

",

the combination of the three

",

meaning that the

chief path for

attaining
one called reverential obeisance

God

is

the

(namana).

The

"

gross sense

"

Vimave Ndrdyandt/a,

of

etc., in

the Mantras containing these words is discovered in the

dative relation (self -surrender t o God), for which
reason,
here and often elsewhere, the
is called
gross sense
"

"On

LI, 41.

We

take

it

Samkhya Karika
the

Problem

Text Society

of

that samdkhya
64.

is

The formula

Nirvana

"

in

for 1905, p. 157.

the

"

a corruption of sadakhya.
is also Buddhistic
see my
Journal of the Pali
;

143
the meaning deducible from the case-relation or connec
tion with the verb (kriya-lcdraka-samsarga-labhya, etc.).
Similarly, the

the crude

"

subtle sense

",

in that

it is

or uninflected form of the noun,

derived from
is

called the

meaning derivable from the uninflected base (prdtipddikastha) and the like.

No

less

than three chapters (54 to 56) are exclusive

devoted

ly

the

to

of

explanation

Narasimhanustubha Mantra

The

renowned

the

sense

"subtle

"

is

here explained in five different ways, namely, from the

standpoint of each of the five recognized systems (cf.
chapter 12), while the "gross sense" (explained in

chapter 54) is supposed to be the same for all of these,

and the "highest sense" (explained in 55. 84 fll. and
peculiar to the Pancaratra.

is

56)

of the

"highest

sense"

of the thirty-nine

all

Padmanabha being

are enumerated,

Ekambhonidhis ayin with the

and

Avataras

identified with the

word jvnlnntam, Kantatman with the

letter j of the

with the letter

In the explanation

a, etc.;

v,

then Piyiisaharana

word following jvalantam),

of sarvato (the

so on.

The fifty -ninth chapter

39, an explanation of the first
This section
Purusa Sukta.

because of the use made in

first

ra-sfirsu,

S akti

as

is

etc.,

the

fourth
1

we

with

respectively

the

so

stanza,

connection

learn,

Laksmi,

s lokas

2 to

famous

is

particularly interesting
of the Vyiiha theory. The

Vasudeva whose
Purusas, and Prakrti

refers

the

to

expressed by the three epithets saha-swhile by "earth" (bhumi) the Bhurni

material

quarter

The same which

Upanisad.

it

gives, in

five stanzas of the

is

of

cause
the

of

the

stanza,

world
finally,

is

meant,

indicating

the subject of the Nrsimhapurvatapamya

144
the

compared with its

The second stanza refers to Samkarsana
of

infinity

products.

he

for

cause

the

as

Lord

the

is

whose help the

of

Immortality

soul through

"

food"

(anna), that

The

material universe, reaches Liberation.

after praising the

Pradyumna

greatness of

service

is

still

standpoint ?) because he
In the fourth
Prakrti.
of

God which

identified with

of
(

is

the one with

or

is,

the

third stanza,
states that

Samkarsana,

greater (from the worldly

the creator of Purusa and

stanza

the

"

one

alone has become this world

"

quarter

is

naturally
Inner
Ruler
the
Aniruddha,
(antaryamin)
who pervades both that which has food
"

all

beings

= experience

has no

food",

After
that

the

strange saying of the fifth stanza,

Purusa has sprung the Viraj, and from

the

this,

from the
Viraj

first

pleasure and pain) and that which

namely the animate and the inanimate nature.
of

the

Purusa

Purusa, is no longer enigmatical the

of course Aniruddha, and the second
:

is

Purusa the god Brahman, the Viraj

being the Para

Highest Prakrti, that is, the matter (in the

Vidya
1
form of an Egg) out of which the god Brahman is created.
or

The

above

being probably connected

with the

theoryof the Vyuhas,

not be amiss here.

the

of

interpretation

Purusa Sukta

origin of the

word on the

latter

The

original worship, proved

Buddhist
the
and
scripture, of only
by archaeology
Vasudeva and Baladeva= Samkarsana can signify noth

may

ing else, in our opinion, than that by the original

Pancaratrins Krsna was worshipped as the transcendent
G-od of Strength
Highest God. and his brother, the
as His immanent aspect appearing as the world, this
dogma of the double aspect of God being simply the
"

",

Gf.

above

p.

81

145
Pancaratra solution of the

old,

old Indian problem of

a God becoming the world without sharing

its

imperfec
Afterwards, when this original, non-Brahmanic
Paiicaratra
was to be brought into agreement with the

tions.

Veda and

the famous saying of the Purusa Sukta (fourth

stanza) about the four quarters of God, one of which

only had become the world, two more members of the

family of Krsiia, namely his son and grandson, were
deified, that is, made aspects of God, the grandson naturally

taking the place formerly occupied by the brother. And

with this identification the parallelism of the Vyuhas
with the other well-known tetrads (states of conscious
ness, constituents of the syllable OM, etc.) was of
course also established.

Chapter
a resume of

"

59, towards the end

one",

"the

by

l.

Samkhya and Yoga,

54

fll.),

etc.,

highest science corroborating

and warns against imparting

*,
a true devotee of Vasudeva.

sads

(s

gives

this Samhitfi of the Paiicaratra, the divine

one comprehending
secret

"

it

to

the very

all

Upani

anyone except

The non-Brahmanic

Prof.

Grarbe

in

origin of the system has been emphasized

the introduction to his Git a translation and

elsewhere.
2

Nothing about the origin of the Vyuha theory can be gained

from the Upanisads, it being referred to only in a few of the
latest, to wit Mudgala, Tripadvibhutimahanarayana, and GopalottaraMudgala speaks of Aniruddha as the Pada Narayana and
tapini.
mentions one Purusa Samhita containing a succinct explanation of
the Purusa Sukta.
Tripadvibhuti is the only Upanisad which looks
a Pancaratra treatise.
Gopalottaratapini (10 fll.) identifies
Samkarsana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, and Krsna (in this order) with
the Vis va, Taijasa, Prajna, arid Turiya, and with the a, u, m, and
In the Upanisads, generally speaking, the Pancaratra
ardliamdtrd.
is as unknown as should be expected of a system of non-Brahmanic
like

origin.
3

Lit.

commensurate with (samvnita).

the compound (sarva-veddnfa-brmhan i} is a Bahuvrihi

or the like,
containing the sweets of all the Upanisads
Or,

if

",

19

146

Chapter 60

consists of another resume of the

Samhita, another praise of it, and another warning not

to betray its contents to an unworthy person.
The
following phrases are remarkable "In which [Samhita]
the statute (vidhi) of the Samkhya-Yoga is thought out
:

"

in

its totality

called the

nya
(20)

(17),

and

"

Essence of

This teaching of Ahirbudh"

Philosophy

(tantra-sdra)

further the statement (24) that the

allowed to be imparted only to

members

Samhita

is

of the three

higher castes.

The

Paris ista (Supplement)

seems to prove that our Samhita was at one time a
much studied work.
This Paris ista, opening in the
form
itself

existence of the

a dialogue between Narada and Vyasa, calls

the
Hymn of the thousand names of the holy

of

"

Sudars ana

".

It

enumerates, however, after some in

structions about the

Mantra

of the

hymn,

etc.,

only five

and sixty such names arranged in groups

according to the consonant of the alphabet with which

hundred

they begin.

The names beginning with

a vowel, such as

Unmesa and Udyama mentioned in 12. BS of the Sam

The
available.
hita, are missing in both the MSS.
Pandit, who attaches great importance to this little
work,

is

probably right in stating

note) that its publication,

(in his

second foot

though forbidden, is not

to do more harm than that of the Samhita itself.

likely

APPENDICES

APPENDICES
(Three extracts from Sdttvata Samhita)
I.

THE DIVINE TWENTY-FOUR-FOLD MACHINERY

OF EXISTENCE

The

chapter of Sattvata Samhita, after

having enumerated the thirty-nine Vibhavas, twelve
S aktis, and principal
(divine orna
bodily ornaments
ninth

"

"

ments and weapons), continues

viiksye

bhdvopakaranam (jirvdiiayanam uttamam

tidndvibliavtmiwrtmdm yo witisthate s dsane

(90)
the
then
and
extraordinary
following
gives
II

(s l.
1.

2.

91-94):

Time
Space

(kdlah)
(viyaf)

9.

1.0.

The seven sages of

The planets and
stars

3.

list

Regulator (niyantd)
The S astra with

11.

12.

old

a
;

fixed

The Vidyadharas
The Nagas

*
;

Angas
The Vidyadhipatis
The Rudras
The Prajapatis;
Indra and his retinue
;

5.

13.

6.
7.

8.

15.
;

16.

The Apsarases
The plants
The animals;
The sacrifices with Aiigas
;

by which must be meant the Trayi

S astram ndndiiyalaksanam,
etc.
(see above p. 110), and
including Dharmas astra, Purana
Vedantas
(Upanisads), but not the [non-Vedantic]
possibly the
these being referred to by nos. 17 and 18.
philosophical systems,
2
Samudrdh sagandh sfivah. This passage appears to be corrupt,
S iva.
though samudra is, indeed, among the epithets of
3
Munayah sapta pitrve cf. Bhag. Gita X, 6 (arid above
"

"

p. 61. no. 2).

4

clouds
Jimutdh
kliecardh, and the names
"

",

Nagananda.

i.e.

of

cf. nabhas cardh,

atmospheric gods
(Jimuta-vahana,-ketu) in
;

their kings

150
17.

[Higher] Knowledge
(vidyd)

18. Inferior

21.

The moon

22.

The sun

Knowledge

(apara vidya)

23.

19. Fire;

20.

Wind

(air)

Water;

24. Earth.

Then follow the concluding words

ity

uldam amaleksana

caturvims atisamkliyam ca bha(a)v6paJcaranam mahat

The

non-inclusion, in this

Pis acas, etc.,

90

s l.

is

quoted

Buddhism.

list,

of

II

men and Asuras,

explained by the word glrvdnaganam in

For plants as devatas of.
above.

The

inclusion

of

animals,

however,

is

noteworthy that the Gandharvas are

evidently included in Indra s retinue, while the Apsastrange.

It is also

rases are not.

II.

FOUR KINDS OF WORSHIP

Sdttvata Samhitd 2,
"

Sainkarsana said

One, in

Tell

me

2.12

concisely,

what manner worship (updsa)

is

Eternal

enjoined on the

worshippers devoted [to the Lord].

The holy Lord

said

Listen

thee that which thou hast

I will duly explain to

asked me,

having known

be freed from re-birth.

which one may

That pure Brahman (sad brahma) abiding in the
heart which was the goal (ideal) of those [Siddhas] who
held their [respective] offices at the beginning of crea1

Here we have once more the two Sciences mentioned above p. 97.
A very different (premature) translation of most of this pass
age has been given by Bhandarkar in his Vaisnamsm, etc., pp. 39 ill.
2

151

\ worshipping the [great light] called Vasudeva

from It has sprung a supreme S astra expressive of Its
nature (tddrk), bestowing discrimination, a great theosophy
a

tion

divine path
(brahmopanisadam mahat) containing the
at Liberation as the one
(divya-mdrga) and aiming

be attained].
the world,

[desirable] fruit [to

for the salvation of

existing in

many

I will

impart

to thee,

that original [S astra]

bestowing perfection

varieties,

(or

magical powers) and Liberation, the pure one, mysterious

one, leading to great success.
familiar with the eightfold Yoga,
(1) The Yogins
satisfied

with the worship of the heart

authorized for [the worship of] the

3
heart

they [alone] are

One dwelling

in the

hand, the Brahmanas fond of

5
mixed worship and extolling the Vedas are authorized
for the worship, with Mantras, of the four Vyilhas.
(2)

On

the

other

[They should] not [worship the Lord]

in

any other way.

Again, [those of] the three [other castes, namely

the] Ksatriyas, etc., who have sincerely taken refuge
with the Lord, should also, but not with Mantras G
(3)

perform the several rites connected with the worship of

the four Vyuhas.
1

"

or
till creation
In the
since creation
Literally either
latter case the meaning would be until creation, properly speaking,
began (begins) by the appearing of the Rajo Gruua, that is the activ
Asrster adhikdrinali is an epithet of the ideal
ity of god Brahman.
"

"

".

first

men
2

also in Ahirb. S.

above

52

(XV,

11),

Vasudevaltvayam inahah, etc.

p.
Of.
3
This worship, connected with the diagram of sounds (varnaof God, etc., is decribed from s l. 13 to the
rafera), the six Attributes

end

n.

of the chapter.
*
5

For muktandm read yuktanam.

Of. above p. 97 no. 2.

Cf.

our resume of Ahirb.

S.

XXXVI,

above

p. 127,

152

But

Mantra diagram re
lating to the [thirty-nine] Vibhavas and for the cere
monies connected therewith none are authorized but the
(4)

for [the worship of] the

[truly] seeing ones,

who have completely

of the mine, are satisfied with

devoted, in

Lord

deed,

cast

off>the

idea

and wholly
the Highest

doing their duty

speech, and

mind, to

2
.

Thus much about the authorization

who have embraced

four castes

supposing they have been

Mantras prescribed."
III.

of [those of] the

the [Sattvata] religion,

with the

initiated

duly

THE FODR VYUHAS, FOR THE

DESCRIPTION OF

PURPOSE OF MEDITATION

Snmhitd

Sattvata

"

Now,

to

[as

the

first

complexion]

5, 9-21

form of the Lord

as [are]

and the moon [united].

and
lotus-like
face,

is

the snow,

as beautiful

the jasmin,

It

eyes.

has

four
It

arms,

gentle

has a garment

of

Explained in chapter IX of the Sarphita, some later chapters

being apparently also referred to. In Ahirb. S. the vaibhavam
devatd-cakram described in chapter LYI should be compared.
2 This
fourth class, then, consists of those Brahmanas,
among
the Pancaratrins, who have abandoned mixed, that is Vedic,
worship, and, on the other hand, prefer the path of devotion to that
of Yoga (compatible with Vedic worship, above
p. 117).
They are
of course, also qualified for Vyuha
worship.
This passage being badly preserved in the edition, I have had,
several times, to follow its (slightly
modified ?) reproduction
in Laksmi Tantra (X, 27 fll.).
Laksmi Tantra actually mentions
Sattvata Samhita in XI, 28.
4
That is in the Krta age. In the next age (when the
Rajo Guna
appears) it changes gradually into red, then, in the Dvapara age, into
yellow, and finally, in the Kali age, into black, an analogous change
taking place as to the other Vyuhas both as regards their complexion
and the colour of their garment,
1

;i

153

With

and

silk

yellow

is

glorified

chief (frontal)

its

right

by

hand

a golden ensign.
it

announces peace

hand it is
right hand

to the timid, while with the corresponding left

With the other

holding a wonderful conch.

is holding the Sudarsana, and with the other

it

left a

heavy club resting on the ground. Let him imagine a thusformed Vasudeva [dwelling] in the eastern direction.

Having the

red]

[beautiful

Sindura tree and the S ikhara

2
,

appearance

of

the

one-faced and four-armed,

with a garment resembling the [blue] flower of the Atasi

his
(flax-plant), distinguished by a palmyra tree [as
3

equal to the first Lord as regards his frontal pair

of hands, but holding a plough-share in the hand in which
the other has the discus, and a pestle where the other

ensign]

has a club

on a thus-like

Samkarsana

[dwelling] in
the southern direction let [the devotee] meditate.
[Let him further meditate on] the third Highest
:

splendour of a multitude of fire-flies

assembled in a night of the rainy season, one-faced and
of

Lord,

the

four-armed, wearing a garment of red silk, adorned with

his ensign (banner) showing the Makara (sea-elephant).*
1

of course, the eagle ensign (garnda-dlivaja).

It
is,
apparently be imagined as being carried by some one of the
the note on Pradyumna s
s
retinue (a Nitya)
cf. below
banner.

This

must
Lord

2
Or S ikhara, the compound (sinduras tkharcikdra) admitting of
both readings, which mean respectively a kind of ruby and a species
Sindumtfikhara maybe also translated: "the
of the hemp-plant.
crown of a Sindura tree
3
When S iva is called tdlanka, the word tola means a cymbal
his
damaru ). But Samkarsana s tdla is a dhvaja, as can be seen
(cf.
from the parallelism in the description of the Vyfihas, not to
speak of other reasons. If Hindu sculptors represent Balarama with a
cymbal (?), this would seem to be a case of sculpture influenced by
The palm banner is nothing extra
literature misunderstood.
".

Bhisma, for instance, is said to have had one.

Compare the same banner (ensign) carried by an Apsaras

ordinary
*

the description of
20

Pradyumna

earthly namesake (Cupid).

in

154
His frontal pair of hands should be imagined as before in
the remaining left hand there is a bow, while in the
right
;

there are

five

In this manner

arrows.

[as dwelling] in the western direction

as

Pradyumna
[Let him,

let

him imagine

him who

is

known

*
.

finally,

meditate on him

who resembles

the

[deep blackness of the] Anjana

mountain, wears a fine white garment, is four-armed,
2
as his ensign.
large-eyed, and glorified by the deer
His first pair of hands is described like that of the first
to complexion]

[as

[Lord]

with the two others he

hand a sword, and

is

carrying

in

the

one a shield (or club).

way let [the devotee] meditate on Aniruddha
[dwelling] in the northern direction.

right

in the left

In this

All

of

these

[four]

wear

the garland of woodthe S rivatsa (Visnu s

are distinguished with

and are embellished with the

flowers,

curl of hair on the breast),

king of jewels, the Kaustubha, on their breast, [further]

with lovely diadems and crowns, necklaces, armlets and
anklets, bright

the

forehead,

Makara

marks (made with sandal-wood,

glittering

(sea-elephant),

etc.)

on

ear-rings in the shape of a

excellent chaplets of manifold

flowers, and with camphor and other delicious perfumes.

As adorned with all of these thus should they always be
:

meditated

upon."

as will have been noticed, is essentially a

description of
as, indeed, Pradyumna is also the name of
re-born after his destruction by S iva cf. above p. 45.

This,

Kama, the Indian Amor,

Kama

The mrga (deer, antelope) is also the Iduchana of one of

the Jain Tirthamkaras (S anti), all of whom can be seen
represent
ed, with their respective emblems added above (or below) them,
just like labels attached to portraits, on the wall of one of the cave
temples of Bhuvanes vara (Orissa).
3

For the

first

three items

cf.

above

p. 52.

INDEXES

SUBJECT INDEX

I.

ACYUTA (a Vibhava)

42 fll., 55 fll., 57, 100,

105, 113, cf. Vibhavas.
origin of 48, 52.
why necessary : 108.
Aves a Avataras 47.
a v i d y a denned 97 fll. (
Tirodhana
S akti, so LaksmI Tantra XII, 20).
Avyakta: 67 fll., 80, 111; do. and

Avataras:

48.

(a Vidyes vara) 42.

M
(= Viisudeva): 81.
Adhara S akti (power sustaining the
Egg) 46, 55.
a dh a ra
Sudars ana as see support.
Adhoksaja (a Vidyes vara) 42.
:

Adivaraha 48 cf. Varaha.

Advaita 49 11. 3, 91 fll., 97 fll.
:

Vyakta 78

aerial chariots 134, 138.

Agamic literature (generally)
Agrieya Astra 137, 140.
Agni Vais vanara 104.

1,

79

n. 4,

n. 1,

70

n. 4.

BADABAVAKTRA

2, 13, 16.

75

fll.,

52. 95

fll.,

Baladeva (cf. Samkarsana): 35,37, 144.

Balarama (do.) (the second Vyfiha) 35.

Ill, 120.

Ahirbudhnya

15,

100

HI.,

(an Avatara): 44, 48.

,,

Baptism, the Great 130.

Bhadra (a Nitya) 56.
Bhadrakal! 62, 64.

122, 131.

Aindra Cakra 133.

a i s* v a r y a (second Attribute of God)

112, 25.
62.

see Attributes.
alphabets, occult: 120 fll., 123, 126, 142.
All-form of God 131 fll.
Amrtaharana see Piyusaharana.

Bhagavat (topic)
Bhagavat S akti

139, Appendix
Ananta (the serpent) 57

Bhoga S akti 55.

Bhfinn (wife of Visnu) 53 fll.
Bhuti and Kriya S akti, relation of

bhakti:

Apsarases

Vibhava)

cf.

S esa.

51, 52, 56

48, 50,
82, 84, 105,

64,

fll.,

80,

141, 144, 145 n. 2; Appendix

Bhuti as part of the Bindu 118.

S^akti
Bhuti
or matter
aspect of
Laksnu: 29-32, 34 fll., 59 fll., 87
114 fll.
fll., 102 fll.,
Bindu: 118 fll.
bodies, simultaneously assumed 58
:

the Vyuha, in tram uudane): 81.

AnneB a (a Vibhava) 48.
Antaryami Avatara 49, 52 n. 3.
Anugraha S akti 88, 1 14 fll.
(do.,

Area Avatara 48 fll.

Arjuna (an Avatara) 48.
arrows (emblem)
52, Appendix
Artha Adhvan (s aivite) 107.

magical

III.

As ramas

(periods-of-life)

Astras: 108, 124

God

36, n. 3, 43, 45 fll., 48

67, 80, 81, (three
Brahmans)^^., 87. 113,116,125,

104.

(twice),

117.

52,

60,

127, 133, 142.

fll.

Asuras (cf. Danavas, etc.): 138 fll.;

not included in list, Appendix I.
atomic (third) body 122.
atomicity of souls 57 fll. 88 ill.
Attributes (Guiias), six, of the Lord
31-39, 41 (addendum), 67 (obs, u. 3),
102, App. II.
Aurva (a Vibhava) 46.
:

to p. 58.

(^Pradyumna),

different, of

addendum

subtle 58, 122.

Bondage, cause of 114 fll.
Brahman, Highest: see Visnu (1).
Brahman (masc.) 11, 23, 27, 28 fll., 36
:

122.
58.

two kinds of
122, 57, 58 (addendurfi).
body, atomic
non-natural 47, 49, 51, 58.

many

man

three, of

III.

aspects,

30

fll.

Auiruddha (a Vidyes vara): 42.

35-41,
(the Vyuha)
63

(obs. n. 5), 31, 107.

angels

Ul, Appendix

112, 128,

24,

II.

I.

42, 44.
Anava Mala (s aivite) 115.
Anga Mantras: 121, 130.

(a

42, 46.

(fourth Attribute of God): see

Attributes.

Ahamkara 39, 40, 52,

Ahimsa (person) 44.

Vibhava)

(a

bala

Brahman, days and nights of 28, 105.

Brahmanda see Egg.
Brahmanda Kos a 79.
Brahmavidya river: 58 (addendum ).
:

branding 24.
Bfhaspati: 131.
Buddha (a Vibhava)
:

132.

48 (twice), 113,

158
Buddhists: 99. 104, 112,

Buddhism,
113, 132.

buddh

name

(1) the cosmic

of

Mahat,

Manas,

(3)

q.v.

134.

Gandharvas: 62 (origin), 134, 139,

Appendix I.
garland (emblem) 52, Appendix III.
Garuda: 57, 23, 46, 102, Sattvata
Samhita XII 178-200.
Garuda Astra 139.
Germ-impressions see Vasauas.
Golden Egg
80 fll. cf. Egg, the
:

Mahat 70-74

(2) the individual

GANDHARVA Astra:

q.v.

CAKBA GAYATRI

Camla

(a Nitya)

castes, four

causa
Chita

121.
56.

Cosmic.

117.

efficient, etc.

Govinda (a Sub-Vyiiha) 41.

Group Soul see Kutastha Purusa.

31.

44, 56.

Citras ikhandins, seven 61, 83,

dix I.

club

(emblem):

41,

Appen

Appendix

52,

Guhyakas
Guna Body

138.

62, 67.

six, of

Gunas,

III.

the Lord

three:

conch (emblem) ibid.

Cosmic Egg, Night,

see Attributes.

67,

63,

32,

40,

etc.

see

Egg,

51,

how

107 fll., 110;

ted to the six 67.
n. 7, 64,

54

rela

Night, etc.

Cow and Non-Cow

HAMSA

103.

11 (sub no. 213), 29 fll., 103

kinds
114, 125, 129, 143 fll.; cf.
creation"
in
Index V, also

creation

"

fll.,

of

Appendix

I.

creation, fifteen opinions about 104.

see
Creator,
Preserver, Destroyer
Trimiirti.
:

DAYS, Cosmic

see Nights
Devarsis, origin of 61.
:

and Days.

Devas: 62
I

139

(origin),

(a

(a

vara.

Hayas irsa Loka

85.

Heaven, Highest: 49 til., 58 fll., 1(J6 111.

heavens, higher one connected with
each Vyuha 50.
heavens, lower 50, 49 n. 5.
henotheism 100.
:

fll.,

Appendix

Indra, etc.
devil (incubus) 135.
;

Vibhava) 43, 45.

Vibhava) 42, 44.
,,
(a Vidyes vara) 42 (to be entered
from errata list).
Hayas Irsa, Hayaffiras, or Hayagrlva (a
Vibhava) 46, 48 (twice) cf. Vagis
Hari

cf.

heresy of the Pancaratrins 97.

Hero Form of the Sudars ana 55.
Hiranyagarbha Brahman 10 J.
Hrsikes a (a Sub-Vyuha): 41.
:

Dhanvantari (a Vibhava): 45 (twice).

Dharma (a Vibhava) 42, 46.
(father of four Vibhavas) 44.
,,
:

hum:

Dhrti 55.

121.

Dhruva

(a Vibhava) 42, 45.

diagrams: see Yantras.
disciple, admission of 122.

discus (emblem): 41, 52, 100, 121, 127

fll., 132, Appendix III;c/. Sudartfaiia.
diseases, origin and cure of 129 fll.
Dissolution see Pralaya.
Door-keepers of Vaikuntha 56.
Durga Nila 54.
Dvapara age 15 ; cf. Yugas.
:

EGG, the Cosmic (Brahmanda): 27 fll.,

38 (thrice), 50 (often), 59, 79 fll., 104,
106, 125 plurality 81 fll., 29, 106.
Ekambhonidhis ayin or Ekarnavas ayin
(a Vibhava) 42, 43, 143.
Ekas-rngatanu (a Vibhava) 42, 43 cf.
:

identity, feeling of
Iccha S akti 54.

ignorance, symbol of 52.

imprecations, efficacy of 108.
Indra: 46, 138 fll., Appendix I.
121 fll., 112, 117.
initiation
Inner Ruler, Aniruddha as
144,
cf. Antaryami Avatara.
:

Bhuti S akti.

JAINISM: 104, 112, 113, 132.

Janardana (a Vidyes vara) 42.
:

Jina: 132.

jiva and para:

89,

91

fll.,

98,123,

129.

KAITABHA

38

FIRE, CREATION DERIVED FROM I(j4.

Force and Matter see Kriya S akti and

46.

Ida: 119.

Jivadeha Kos a 79.

Jiva-loka 27.
n a 11 a (first Attribute
j
Attributes.

124.

Matsya.
Elements, the ten 76, 52, 104, 120.
emanation, theory of 34 fll.
exorcism: 110; cf. magic, black.

Visuu as

iccha-rupa-dhara,

Kaia, Kala

Kala

of

44.
(e aivite)

see Time.

64, 9U.

God)

se

159
(2) the queen, or one of the queens,
of Highest Heaven
34, 53-55
(3) the S akti of a Vyiiha, or of a SubVyuha, or a Vibhava 36 (also n. 3),
44, 46, (Narayana instead of her :) 53 ;
(4) the wife of the Preserver
cf.

Kalagni: 104.

Kalanemi

46, 101.
Kiilanemighna (a Vibhava)
Kalaratri: 64.
Kali Yuga 85, 122.

42, 46.

Kalkin (a Vibhava)

Kama

42

48.

fll.,

Visnu (5)

45.

Kamathes vara (a Vibhava) 42, 43

of* Kurma.
Kancukas 64, 90, 115.
Kantatman (a Vibhava) 42, 45 (twice),
:

143.

Kanti

one

(5) referred to indistinctly in

or some of the higher aspects

27

n. 2, 99.

Liberated, the see Muktas.

Liberation
27, 39, 41, 47, 50 (obs. n.
117, 135,
102,
109,
113-116,
1),
:

55

Kiipalikas

112.

Kapila (a Vibhava) 42, 45, 47 (twice)

109, 113,
teaching the Samkhya
:

Appendix II.
Lokanatha (a Vibhava) 42, 45 (twice).
Lord of immortality (Samkarsana) 144.
:

the cataclysmic

132.

Kapila Loka 86.

Kapilas: 132.
Kapila Vinu 86

Karma Mala

45.

cf.

Lord of the souls (Pradyumna)

Viraj (Brahman) 46.
Lords of the months 41.

40.

115.

Vibhava):

43.

tire (a

Karman, the two kinds

of

116.

Kiirmic chain 129.

Kaustubha: 52 (twice), 92, Appendix III.
Kes-ava (a Sub-Vyuha) 41, 128.
:

Lotus (Golden, Sacrificial, Time Lotus)

26, 36,43,79-81, 104.
Lotus of the heart 49, 52.

Kevalas 59.
king (position

of,

advices to)

118, 128-

Madhusudana (a Vibhava)

132 (passim).
KIrti

Knot

MADHAVA (a Sub-Vyuha) 41.

Madhu(and Kaitabha): 44, 127.
:

55.

(a

of the Heart

116.

Kriyfx S akti=Bhumi 54.

Krodatinan (a Vibhava) 42, 45 (twice).
Krsna, son of DevakI 35, 42, 45, 46, 48
(?), 134, 144, 145 n. 2.
son of Ahirnsa 42, 44.
(a Vidyes vara) 42.
:

Ksama

fll.

cf.

Mahadhenu

64.
64.
:

Mahakall
MahalaksmI
:

62, 64, 138.

Mahamaya 64.
Mahas anti Karman
:

MahasTl
MahavanI

132.

64.

64.

Mahay ana

99.

Mahendra circle
Mahes varl 62.
Mahat [Tattva]

130.

69

72

fll.,

fll.,

52,

(symbol), 111, 120, 125.

Maitrl 55 fll.
:

120.

Manas 39, 40, 52. 72, 76, 120.

Manavas and Manavamanavas
:

Ksatriya as Samnyasin
Kuber a 48, 138.

117-

56.

(a Nitya)
(do): 56.
:

78, 85,

Mango-tree as an Avatara 48.

120 fll., I28 134 fll., 141 fll.,
Mantras
Appendix II.
Mantra exegesis, three standpoints of
:

Kumudaksa

Kundalini S akti: 119.

Kiirma Avatara 43, 48

109, 116.

Kumuda

magic, black 131, 133.

magical seat, etc. 135 fll.

Mala Mantra

Yugas.

55.

"

knowledge ( v i d y a ) creation derived

from 104.
knowledge ( j n a n a ) symbol of 52.
Kos as of the Devi 67 n. 2, 79 n. 1.
Kriya and Bhuti, relation of: see Bhiiti
and Kriya.
Kriya S akti or force aspect of Laksmi
29-32, 34, 102, 118 cf. Sudars ana,

Krta Yuga 83

42,44,127

Sub-Vyuha): 41

cf.

Kamathes

vara.

141.

Kutastha Purusa (Group Soul)

38, 59

60 fll., 107, lio, 119.

Mantra key see alphabets, occult.

Mantra[mayl Kriya] S akti 118.
Mantras, development of 25, 46.
Manu, father of Brahman 81.
:

"

"

LAKSMI and Visnu,

relation of

30-32,

102, 142.

Laksmi (S rl) as

Manu

Vaivasvata

Manus, four pairs

45.
of:

60

(1) the metaphysical complement of

the Lord: 29-32, 87, 89, 102,110,

71, 76-79, 109, 116.

Manus, of the several ages

117, 141,143;

Mati

55

fll

n. 4, 61.

78.

63

160
Matsya Avatara

48 (twice)

47,

43,

88

90 (obs.

fll..

n. 5),

ornaments and weapons of God

108, I21;c/. Appendix III.

51.
89, 129.
(r=Bhuti S akti ?) 129.
64, 90.
(the Kancuka)
(Sudars ana) 113.

Maya (=Avidya)

etc.

Omnipotence,
115.

Ekasrngatanu.
Matter, two kinds of
cf.

52,

of the divine couple:

"over-embrace"

103, 87.

Maya Kos a 64, 36.

Maya S akti: 62 fll.,
:

115, 143

fll.

MayiyaMala:
Medha 55.

GO

59,

n.

3,110,

(Prakrti).
115.

of souls

see souls.

Months, Lords of the 41

Mothers of the world, three 64.
Muktas: 57 fll., 50 n. 2, 51, 52, 86
91 fll.
.

Aniruddha) 145.
144 fll
Padma ( LaksmI) 43 n. 2.
Padmanabha (a Vibhava springing from
Aniruddha) 26, 42-44, 143.
Padmanabha (a Sub-Vyuha) 41.
:

Pakudha Kaccayana
Parames varl 64.
:

Para, Pas yantI, etc.

119.

Paras urama (a Vibhava): 42, 43, 45,

47 (also n. 3), 48 (twice).
Para Vidya 144.
Parijatahara (a Vibhava) 42, 46.
Parisadas, Parsadas 56.
Pas iipata system: 2, 108 fll., Ill fll.,
:

fll.,

113, 115, 117, 142.

fll.

62, 67,

104.

God

Mfilaprakrti

(=

Padas, four, of

meditation: 49, 59, 105, 112,122,124,

128, 131, 133 fll., 136; Appendix III.
methods ( r I r i ), two religious: 97;
four Appendix II.
Mimiimsakas: 132,91.

Mixed Group

Pada Narayana

Muladhara: 119.

Patalas ayana (a Vibhava)

NADA:

Pauranikas 142.
Pavaka (a Vibhava)

42, 43.

118.

Nadls: 119, 124.

Nagas 45, 86, 136 fll., 139, Appendix I.
Naisthika 117.
Nakulis a Pas upatas 111.
Wtfara (a Vibhava) 42, 44.
Narada (do.): 46; 6 (remark), 101 fll.
:

146.

ph

Pingala: 119.
Pitrs (creative), origin of
(deceased), bodies of

61.

58.

42, 46, 143.

planes, fourteen, of the Egg 50, 55.

Plyusaharana (a Vibhava)

of consciousness
141, 145.
Play of God 114, 125, 129.
Pracanda (a Nitya) 56.
:

Pradyumna

(the Vyuha)
35-42,
61-63, 105, 141, 144, 145 n. 2.
Pradyumna (a Vibhava) 45.

Appendix I.
Nrsimha (a Vidyes vara) 42 (to be
entered from errata list).
Nrsimha S ankhodara (a Vibhava) 48.
Nyagrodhas ayin (do.) 42, 43, 86.
:

(to be
:

Prajapatis: 81, Appendix I.

Prakaras, five, (= fivefold self -manifes
tation) of God 25 fll., 51 fll.
Prakrti (or Vidya)
:

(1)= LaksmI

(1);
S akti

)= Maya
)=:
(4)

Avyakta
Vyakta (Mahat and remaining
;

Tattvas).

Prakrti

Kos a

79.

28 (two kinds), 36,

43, 50
(twice), 60, 103, 129, 140.
a n a, Sudars ana as
ra
see regula
tive principle.

Pralaya

110,

42

81.

list).

Pradyumna (an intramundane Vvuha)

Nityas see angels.

Nivartaka (Upasamhara, Samhara) As126, 131, 134-136, 140.
64 fll., 62 (obs. u. 4), 63, 106,

Vidyes vara)

entered from errata

48,

(a Vibhava) 42, 44.

Nidra:44, 55,56,64.
Nights and Days of Brahman 28, 105.
the Lord: 28 fll.,
30, 52, 86 fll., 105. fll.
Nigraha or Tirodhana S akti: 98, 114
fll., 116 (synonyms).
Nila: 53 fll.
Nirvana, Buddhist 117.

(a

Niyati

48.

Narasimha (a Vibhava) 42, 43, 47, 48.

Narasimha Loka 85.
Narasimhanustubha Mantra 143.
Narayana (the Absolute): see Visnu(l).
(complement of the Vyiiha
Vasudeva) 53.
(a Sub-Vyuha) 41.

tras

at: 121.

Prana(= Mahat): 73

(=

Sudars ana)

fll.
:

113.

Pranas, the five 71.

p r a p a 1 1 i 23, 142.
:

"OBSCURATION"
fll.,

OM

of the

141

fll.,

soul:

88,

114

prarabdha-karman,

129, 78.
145.

neutralize

135.

how

to

161
Kos a

Prasiiti

S akti Kos a 67

67.

Prasvapana Astra 137.

Pravartaka Astras: 126, 133

Vyuhas

137,

fll.,

130, 135.

n. 2.

Pundarika (a Nitya) 56.

Pure Group 61 n 4, 32 fll., 109, 116.
Pure Matter, etc. see Matter, etc.

Purohita, the ideal

132.

Samkhyas

(Kapilas)

110, 132, 142.

Ananta,

Vidyes vara) 42.

(an intramundane Vyfiha):
:

81.

the

see

(a

of

Balarama

Vibhava)

(a

,,

Puiusa
(l)=Visnu, especially as the Absolute
and the Antaryamin
(2)=the Kutastha
(3)=the individual soul ( j I v a )
Purusa (a Vibhava) 45, 48.

Samkhya

116, 142

45, 98, 108 fll., 113 (twice),

cf. Sastitantra.

Samkhya-Yoga 24, 98 n. 4, 145 fll.

Samnyasa As rama 1 17.
Samudra, a name of S iva: Appendix
:

Purusa Sukta 143 fll., 25.

Purusottama (=Aniruddha)
:

(a Viclyes vara)
44, 54-56.

55 fll.
35 fll., 67

Prlti: 56.

Pusti

(1,2, 8, 12): 53 fll.

S aktyatman (a Vibhava) 42, 46.
Salagrama 133, 139.
Samkarsana (the Vyfiha) 15 fll., 35-42,
48, 53, 100, 105 fll., 108,
122, 141, 144, 145 n. 2.

140.

presents to Brahmins

n. 2.

S aktis of the Vibhavas

Sanaka 46.
Sanatkumara:

36.

I.

42.

46.

8 ankaracarya, system of 97 fll.

S antatman (a Vibhava) 42, 46.
:

BADHA 19.
Baga (the Kancuka)
Rahu 46.
:

STxnti
:

64.

36.

S anti Parvan 14 fll., 109.

36 (obs. n. 3), 42, 46, 55
Saras vatl
:

Biihujit (a Vibhava) 42, 46.

rain, methods of producing 136.

fll.,

64.

Rama Dhanurdhara

Sarvastitvavadins 99.
Sastitantra 24, 98, 110 fll.
S astra, necessary for
(1) cotnbating the bad 108
78 fll.
(2) saving the soul
83.
s a r a
(3) starting the s a
S astra. the original 108 fll.
Appen
dix II.
and
ornaments
140
S astras 108,
cf.
:

S rirama

or

(a

Vibhava)

42

19,

fll.,

47

fll.

Rama diagram 120.

Rama Loka (second ideal
:

of

Rfimanuja, system
Vis istadvaita.
Rati 36, 55, 64.

85.

realm)
123 n. 3
:

cf.

103,

a name of Niyati, q
retinue of the Lord 54 n. 2, 56

.v

weapons

God.

of

S as vadvidya
Satya (a Vibhava) 48
Satya Loka 49.
Saubhari 58.
Saudars ana Mahamantra,
Sudars ana.
S auri (a Vibhava) 48.
Sea of Milk: 127
:

128.

fll.,

fll.

Regulator

regulative principle (Sudars ana)

107

62.

Rsabha
Rsis,

Vibhava) 113.
seven 61, Appenix I.
(a

Rudra
Rudras

see S iva.

I.

Appendix

80, 95,

S ABDA ADHVAN 107.

sab da-brahman
sacraments, five

God

sacrifice,

118.

Self -manifestation
karas.

24.
129.

as a

see self-sacrifice, worship.

Lotus see Lotus,

Sacrificial

self-sacrifice:
n a g a t i).

sadhanaandsadhya:

113

128.

fll.,

64, 107, 111 fll , 115 cf. next

two items, also Pas upata
S aivite elements in the Pancaratra 23,
90, 115.
S aivite view of the Paiicaratra 31, n. 2.

S aivism

Saksat S akti 52, 54.

S akta Tantras 13.
s a k t i, meaning of 102 cf. 129.
see
(third Attribute of God)
,,
~ Attributes.
S akti see LaksmT, "Kriya S akti, Bhuti
S akti, etc.
:

21

see

etc.

Senes a

God

of

123 (Yoga), 128

Visvaksena)

see Pra
(s

ara

23.

senses, the ten 76, 52, 120.

service to God 58, 124.
S esa: 44,57 (obs. n. 1).
S esas ana 57.
Sheath of Generation 67.
Sheath of Maya 64.
:

Siddhas 116 (original men), 139.

Siddhis: 124.
S iva
23, 36 (-= Samkarsana), 36 n.
3, 38, 48 (twice), 67 (Rudra), 80, 81
S ivas), 100, 109, 113, 133
(three
:

(Mahadeva), 142, Appendix

I.

162
S ivaroha: 85.
Skandhavadins 99, 104.
Smrti (a S akti) 55.

TALISMAN 135 fll..

Tanmatras 76 fll., 120.
Tfira[ka] Mantra: 141 fll.
:

Soma,

Nilii as

55.
57
soul, atomicity of

Tattvas, the principles

88

fll.,

(1)

collective: see Kiltastha Purusa.

individual
52, 54 n. 7

mixed,

86 fll. 114 fll., 129,

two groups, pure and

"created"

dyumna and Aniruddha 82 fll.,

38; "superintended" by Samkarsana
39 fll.
two classes in
four
Highest Heaven: 56 fll.

classes

86.
:

sthiti

(period): 103, 107.

(a Nitya) 56.

Subhadra

114

27,

time goddess 55.

Time Lotus see Lotus.
:

Time Wheel

132, 106.

Tirodhana S akti

Town-watchmen

131, 134

Purusa: 122, 124,

125
fll., 127 fll., 130 fll., 52.
worship: 127-129, 134.
Yantra: 127, 130, 135 fll.

Wuddha S aiva 112.

STidra, relation to higher castes 117.
suicide, religious: 117.
summum bonum: 113.
Sun as gate to Liberation 57
s u 11 y a (name and condition
of
:

52.

fll.,

109;

cf.

Yugas.

De

(Creator,
Preserver,
stroyer) 38, 114, 132, 142.
50.
Tripad-vibhfiti
:

UPANISADS
the

("

Vedantas

Pancarfitra:

referred to in

")

121,

97,

Ap

145,

pendix I n. 1 cf. Vedantah.

Upanisads referring to the Piiucaratra
;

145 n.

2.

Astras

Upasamhara

see

Upendra

(a Vidyes vara)
Utsavasamgrahas 5, 26.

Nivartaka

42.

VACYAYANA:

Visnu)

Vagis vara

109.

s-unya-vada: 99,104,113.
support of the universe, the Sudars ana
as the 103, 105 fll..

Vaikuntha
49 n. 5).

Vais-esikas
fll.,

sword (emblem) 52,

Appendix TTI.
synonyms, people misled by 104.
of
systems
philosophy: 83, 97, 109-114.

Vamana

Vibhava):

(a

Hayas irsa.
Vaidikas made

15

Tusti 55.
tutelar deities 40
Tray! see Veda.

Astras.

see Nigraha S akti.

of Vaikuntha 56.
:

139.

see angels.
SVetadvipa, story of

see,

Suris

Trivikrama (a Yibhava) 42, 44.

41.
(a Sub-Vyfiha)
Twelve suns: 41.

fll.,

God)

118, 132, 134, 135.

names of the 113, 146.
Homa 132.

Mantra: 121

of

Treta age
Trimurti

Sub-Vyilhas: 41 fll., 105, 122, 128.

Sudars ana: 26, 30 fll., 100-113

26, 55, 128, 130, 135.

30 fll., 38, 51, 62, fll., 65 fll.,
107, 110, 114 fll., 125, Appendix 1.
time-atom 27 n. 2.
Time Body 62.

Time

118.

teacher, the ideal: 12 1.

tejas (sixth Attribute
Attributes.

temple

Sound Brahman

sounds 118 fll.

Space and Time 30, Appendix I.
Space, Highest see Heaven, Highest,
speech, inadequateness of 104.
S raddha 55.
S ri see Laksmi.
SYidhara (a Sub-Vyiiha) 41.
SVIdhara Loka 85.
S rlhamsa 11.
S ripati* (a Vibhava) 42, 45.
S rlvatsa 52, 55, Appendix III.

krti=S akti-fKfila+Niyati), 61, 63

(3)
generally from Mahat down
wards 28, 66, 79 fll.

by Pra-

resp.

seldom - from the Lord down

wards 49 n. 4 x
(2) of Non-pure Creation 52 (Pra-

fll.

slight of

see

42,

46

cf.

97.

Heaven, heavens (obs.

64, 112.
56.
(a Nitya)
(a Sub-Vyfiha)
:

(or

41.

Vamanadeha)

42-44, 47

(a

Vibhavn)

fll.

The list enumerates the ten

elements, ten senses, three-fold Inner Organ,
Prakrti, Prasuti, Maya, Kala, Niyati, S
akti, the Purusa, Highest Heaven, and the
but the next
chapter explaining these admits that the
highest principle
not a principle or
namely the Lord, 1S
higher than a principle
(nistattvam
tattvam uttamam, Laksmi Tantra VII
8)
:

"

"

"

"

"

"

163
Vamana Loka
Vaiiaprastha

Varaha

117.

42

til.,

92

47 (twice),

(3)

115, 129.
name of Visnu, especially
and Vyiiha
34, 35, 53

Vasanas: 60
:

Visnu

Vedangas,

etc.

(Pradyumna), 49

n. 5, 81, 132,

110.

mentioned
(Trayyantiih)
among the philosophical systems 114.
Veda (Tray!): 39, 97, 109, 113, 121,
125, 127 Appendices I, II.
Vedavid (a Vibhava): 42 til., 45,
11. 2 (Vyasa).

47

23.

55.

rites: 113, 117.

(= Brahman)

Vis varupa (a Vibhava) 42, 46.

Void, the see ff u 11 y a .
Vrsakapi (a Vibhava) 48.
Vy asa 45, 47, 48, 146, 10 (remark) cf.
Vedavid.
Vyuhas: 35 fll., 17 (n. 1), l, 50 fll.,
53 (11. 2), 57, 100, 110, 141, 143 fll.;
Appendices II and III for the two,
Numeri
three, and four Vyuhas see
cal Index.
:

vegetation, goddess of

(also

note).

Vedhas

142.

Vedantah

Vedic

fll.,

Visnu Cakra (an Astra) 140.

Visnu Loka 50.
Vis va, Taijasa, etc., 145.
Visvaksena: 57, 23, 48, 127

85.

Vyuha Vasudeva:

the

67, 38

(2)

realms)

fll.,

and (3).
Vasudeva (a Vidyes vara) 42.
Vasudeva Loka (one of the eight ideal
cf.

119, 121

fll.,

fll.,

Vasudeva
as Para

114

48, 53, 141, 143

140.

109,

87

fll.,

35 fll.,
145 n. 2
41
(4) the fifth Sub-Vyiiha
the Sattva
(5) the Superintendent of
Guna and Preserver of the Egg

48, 133.

Varana Astra

fll.,

34, 51

32,

53

fll.,

Vibhava)

(a

Para Vasudeva:
66
fll., 57 fll.,

(2) the

85.

42 til., 143,
Vibhavas (= Avataras)
Appendix II.
of
Vidya, a term applied to all sorts
Prakrti, from Laksmi down to Mahat
64 (Mahii62
11.
62,
78,
3,
Sarasvati
Niyati), 69 104.
vidya
:

Vidya (the Kancuka) 64.

Vidyadharas 139, Appendix I.
Vidyadhideva (a Vibhava) 42,
(Brahman).
Vidyadhipatis Apppendix I.
:

Wheels, minor, within the Sudars ana

46, 48,

144.
VTra S akti

to 58.

(V/.

Maims

the

worship.

Yaksas

Yama

Attribute

of

God)

sec

54, p.

58 (addendum) 69,

Yaiitra Devatas

of

God

in all

His aspects

years,

(i) the Absolute (Brahman, Purusa,

Narayana, etc.) 25, 27 n. 2, 28,
92
29-31, 52 11. 3, 53, 86 ill., 89,
:

102, 117, 141

fll.

Yoga
fll.,

Yoga

122.

26, 41, 122, 12?, 130, 136

human and k a y a 35.

fll.

52, Appendix 111.

113
22, 49, 55, 108 fll., 1 1 1 fll
116 til., 123 fll., Appendix 11.
S akti 55.

yellow robe

3.

name

(a Vibhava): 45.

139.
136.

Yantras

Prakiiras), but especially as

til.,

101-

than

fll.

YAJNA[-VARAHA]

99, 104.

55.

(fifth

Attributes.
Vis istadvaita

123 11.
Visnu, a

ya

other

55.

Vijnanavadins
Viraj

addendum

"

17, 26,
worship of the Vyuhas, etc.
123; Appendix II; cf. Sudars ana

Wombs
61

Vijayii

Will-to-be of Visnu
"

Vidyes varas, twelve 42.

42, 43.
(a Vibhava)
Vijara river (Viraja)

105.

Vihangama

and

S astras

Astras.

see

WEAPONS, magical:

Yugas, theory of the 82 til

Appendix III cf. Krta, etc.
:

108

fll.

INDEX OF AUTHORS AND WORKS

II.

Not intending Samhitas mentioned

6.

pp.

(Abbreviation

fll.

ABHINAVAGUPTA 19.
Abhyamkara Vasudevas iistrm
Yatiiidramata Dip. Vyakhya.

S.=Samhita.)
Brahma
Brahma

see

Agamakhya S. 18.
Agamapramanya by Yanmnficarya

only in the Synopsis

S.

5, 8, 20.

Sutras

16,

Bhasya

S ankaracarya

58.

"

by

on,

39, 97-99.

1,

Brhadaranyaka Upanisad

64 ,69

63,

74, 75, 123.

Agastya Samhitas 6, 19.

Agni Parana 4, 5 fll., 21, 22.
Ahirbudhnya Samhitii

Brhad Brahma

S.

11, 13 (twice), 17,

(a) referred

5 (n.

in part

to*

12 (n.

3), 6,

3),

1,

20 (also n. 4), 22 (n.

24, 25 (n. 3), 26 (n. 1, 2).

(twice),

1),

direct quotations (except single

and phrases) 25-26, 31,
32 (two), 35, 41, 47 (n. 4), 57 (n. 4),
60, 66 (two), 67, 71, 96, 97, 100,
107 (two), 108, 109 (two), 128
(two), 129.

(b)

words

73

(twice), 75,

101, 104, 105.

C.

J.

Chatterji,

Hindu Realism

Kashmir Shaivaism

19

18

(n.

64
iV

34, 64, 91.

Aitareya Brahmana

96.

Bhiisya by
>

Siiyana

ClTRAS IKHANDI S. 12.

Chaudogya Upanisad
:

3 (n. 3),
16 (twice), 18
1

96.

20 (twice).

Anandagiri 57.
Anantacarya, Pandit P. B.

7,

addendum

to pp. 6.

Deussen, P.
Allgemeine Geschichte
der Philosophie, vol. I, part 3 77
Sechzig Upanisads des Veda(?): 71.
Dhyanabindu Upanisad: 141.
:

ary

Hindu

Classical Diction

48.

Dutt, Mahanirvana Tantra (translated):

S.

Dowson, John

Alag ingarabhatta

Ananta S. 6,
Atharva Veda

DATTATREYA

15.

14.
1

65,

Avalon, Arthur

10.

GARBE,

Tantrik Texts,

vol. I: 121.

n.

Die Bhagavadgita

addendum to pp. 14. ill.

Gargya S., 7, 18, addendum

145,

to pp. 6.

fll.

BARNETT, PROF. 19 (n. 1).

Baskalamantra Upanisad 81.
Bhagavad-GIta 25, 27, 46, 61, 73, 91,
93 (n. 5.), 97, 104 (twice), 123, 125,
132, App. I n 3.
:

Gaudapada
Gautamiya

93.

S.

5, 7.

Gopalottaratapinl Upanisad

145.

Govindacarya Svamiu, The Pancaratras

or Bhagavat-S astra (in J. K. A. S.
1911): 3, 5 (n. 1), 17 (n. 2, 3), 20

Vyakhya by
Vedantades ika 60.
Bhagavata Purana 45, 86.
Bhandarkar, Sir B. G V a i s n a v i s in,
S aivism, and Minor Religious
3 (twice), 17 (n. 1), 19
Systems
(n. 3), 25, 44, 47,
111, Appendix II.
Bharadvaja S. 8, 13, 18, 23.
do.
Comm. on 20.
Bhargava S. 9, 18.
Bhisma Parvan 15.

S.: 12 (twice), 18.

Harigaurl Tantras ]3.
Haug, Aitareya Brahmana (translated)

Burnell
Descriptive Catalogue of the
Palace Library, Tanjore 12. 95.

INDRARATRA (third
sanatkumara S.)

Bhagavadgltii-bhasya
:

(n. 1), 22, 112.

HAMSA S. 12.
Hamsaparames vara
:

Hayas Irsa

(Hayagriva)

S.:

fll.,

18, 21,

of

Maha-

22, 23.

Brahmabindu Upanisad
Brahmanarada S. 8, 17
:

93.
(n. 2).

96.

Ratra

17, 36, 41 (twice)

69, 79, 81, 85, 104.

Is avasya Upanisad 34, 123.
:

165
Isvara S. 6, 3, 16-18, 20, 21, 22, 112.
Is vara S.
Vyakhya by Alas ingarabhatta 20.

Nrsimhapurvatapaniya Upanisad

JAIN scripture 104.

Jayfikhya S. 7, 18 (twice), 20, 21, 96.
Jayottara S. 7, 18.
Jiianamrtasara see Narada Pancaratra.

PADMASAMHITA Tantra
Padma Parana 95.

KAXVA

5 (n.

S.:

20.

1), 6.

Kripila S.r 5, 7, 18.

S.:

Kapinjala

13, 21.

fll.,

Kaumara

S.

68, 72, 116.

Ksemaraja: 31.
Kubjika Tantras (three)
:

13,

9,

117.

2,

Samgraha

S.

8,

4,

10, 26.

5,

19.

17 (twice), 20.

Paramatattvanirnayaprakas a S. 11, 27,

28 (twice), 29 (four times), 50 (twice),
53, 54 (twice), 66 79, 80, 86 (often),
:

32 (twice),

Law Books

Paramarthasara by Adis esa

Parama
13.

18, 26, 29, 30

33 (four times),
34, 36 (four times), 37 (twice), 38
(twice), 43, 48, 49, 54, 59, 60, 62, 64
(also n. 5), 67 (twice), 70 (thrice), 71,
76, 79 (twice), 80; Appendix III.

Tautra

(thrice),

11.

5 til., 13, 18, 20, 22

(twice), 35, 42, 45, 48, 52, 53 (thrice),
54-56, 62, 79, 80, 82, 83, 86, 91, 92
(twice;, 93 (thrice), 101, 112, 113,
116.
Padmodbhava S. 8, 17, 18, 20.

Pfidma Tantra

Paiicaratrotsava

Kausltaki Upanisad: 73, 58 (addendum).

LAKSMI

5, 7.

20.

Pancapras-na S. 8, 18.
Pancaratraraksa by Vedantades ika
12 (n. 1), I6 (n. 1), 18.

S.: 7, 18.
Kas yapottara S.: 11.
:

Nrsimhasuri

Kas yapa

Kathaka Upanisad

121,

143,

87, 125.
Parfis ara S.

8, 13, 54.

Parames vara
Parames vara
suri

S.

S.

8, H, 20, 23, 54.

Vyakhya by Nrsimha

20.

Pauskara Agama 115.

Pauskara S. 8, 17, 18, 20, 21.
Pillai Lokacarya see Tattvatraya.
Prahlada S. 8, 18.
Prajapatya S. 20.
Prapanca Tantras (three) 13.
Pras na Upanisad 73.
S ripras na
and
see
S.
Pras na
Pancapras na.
90
31,
(thrice),
Pratyabhijna Hrdaya
:

MACDONELL, Vedic Mythology 95 The

Development of Early Hindu Icono
graphy addendum to pp. 14. fll.
:

Madhaviicarya

see S a r v a d a r s a n a

Samgraha.
14 til., 98
Mahabharata
cf. BhTsma
Vana, S anti Parvan, Narayamya.
Mahanarayana Upanisad 25.
Mahiisanatkumara S.
cf.
9, 23, 24
:

Indraratra.

Mahendra

S.

122.

Pratyabhijna- hrdaya Tippani 115.

Puranas (generally) 8, 21, 44, 86, 95,
:

9, 20.

Maitrayana Upanisad: 65, 73, lol.

Mai trey a Upanisad 93-

108.

Parana S. 8, 21.
Purusa S. 145.
Purusa Sukta: 25, 54, 143
:

69.

Mandukya Upanisad
Mandukya Karika by Gaudapada
Mankana S. 12.
:

93.

til.

Manu

S.

RAHASVARAKSA by Vedantades ika:

2.

Raja Tarangiiu

Ramanuja:

Mailer,

Max

12

(n- I)-

Maudgala S. 9, 18.
Mrdani Tantras (two) 13.
Mudgala Upanisad 145.

97.

16, 17, 32, 123.

Bamapfirvatapaniya

100.

Upanisad

120,

121.

NARADA Pancaratra (spurious Nara

diya S.)

1, 3, 5,

(remark), 17, 19,

Prof.

Die

Seele des

Men-

schen: 91.

Rgveda Bhasya by Sayana 133.

Etude da Pancaratra
A.
:

(n. 3), 22, 24.

Narada Samgraha

Hehmke.

18.

Naradiya S* (genuine one)

5, last

name

cf
18, addendum to p. 14 1. 11
Narada Pancaratra.
Narasimha S. 8, 18.
Narayaniya S. 8, 18.
Narayaniya (Naradiya) section of S anti
Parvan 14 til., 39, 43, 44, 47, 67, 61.
(?), 8,

$ikayas, Buddhist

60, 74 (twice).

Roussel,
l(n.)

S AIVA Agamas (generally): 22, 115.

S aiva Parana 54.
S aiva S. 5, 10.
:

Samariya S. 11,21.
Samkarsaiia S. 11, 16.
Samkhya Karika 62, 69,70, 71,
:

98, 110, 142.

76, 77,

166
Samkhya

Sutras

Bhasya

Vijuaiiabhiksu

Trika literature

68, 69, 71.

ti

by

on,

122.

Samnyfisa Upauisads

UPANISADS

20.

Saiiatkumara S. 11 (twice), 17, 20.

S amlilya S. 10, 17.
S ankaracarya
Brahma97-98
cf.
sutra Bhasya.
S ankaravijaya by Anandagiri 57.
S anti Parvan: 14 fll., 109; cf. Nara:

yamya.

Der

(^ aivasid-

dhanta: 64, 124.

Das Sastitantra.
Schrader, F. Octo
(Z. D. M. G. 1914) 74, 98, 1.09, 110;
On the Problem of Nirvana (J.P.T.S.
1905 :) 142
Ueber den Stand der
Indischen
zur
Zeit
Philosophie
:

Mahaviras und Buddhas

65, 68.

to

(also n. 7).

VAIHAYASA S. 10, 18 (twice).

Vaikhanasa Rsi and Agama 55.
Vaisrampayana S.: 12.
Vaiyyasa S.: 10, 18.
:

S.

Vajasaneyi

12 (n. 1), 18, 96.

S rikalapara S.
12 (twice), 18.
S rikara S. 11, 18.
S rlnivasadasa: seeYatindramata Dipika.
S rlnivasa lyengar, P. T.
Outlines of
Indian Philosophy 115.
S ripras naiCPras iia) S. 11, 13, 80 (twice).
S rutaprakas ika 12 (11. 1).

Vamadeva 115.
Vamana Samhitas
Vana Parvan
Varaha

S.

pp. 6

Uttarunara-

9,

5 (n.

1), 9.

43.

addendum

Sudars aiia S.: 12.

S ukapras na S.: 12 (twice).
S vetas vatara Upanisad: 56.

20,

see

Tattvatraya Bha

Vasistha S.

5, 9, 18.

Vasu(Vasava) S. 5 (note 1), 9.

Vedas (generally) 2, 95, 108, 110.
Vedantades ika see Bhagavadgita-bha:

sya Vyakhyil, Pancaratraraksa, Kuhasyaraksa.

S
Venkates-vara, S. V., J. R. A.
:

addendum
S.

Vijnanabhiksu 122.
Visnu Purana: 52.
Visnu S. (ill): 10, 12.
Visnu Tantra 5 fll., 21.
:

VisTiutattva S.

10, 22.
10, 13, 45, 52 (also n. 3), f}3
55, 77, 78, 80, 83, 86, 89, 92,

Visnutilaka
(twice),
93, 116.

Visvaksena

S.

(twice),

49,

38 (thrice), 3J
48 (twice), 49
53, 57, 59, 61, 79

10, 27, 36,

46,

47,

(twice), 52 (n. 1, 3),

81, 82-84, 97 (twice), 116.
Vis vavatara S. 10 (remark).
Vis ves vara S. 10 (remark).
:

YADAVAPRAKAS A 93.
Yajurveda, White see Vajasaneyi
:

44.

Yiijnavalkiya

18.

Kanda

S.

74.

Yamunacarya 16 fll., 32.

Yatmdramata Dipika by S rlnivasadasa
:

Tattvasagara S. 7, 18.
Tattvasamasa, Comm. on 73.
Tattvatraya by Pillai Lokacarya 27
(twice), 40, 50, 52*, 54 (twice), 56, 57,
58 (thrice), 59, 66, 70, 77, 79 (twice),
90, addendum to p. 41
:

Tattvatraya Bhasya by Varavaramuni

27, 33, 40 (n. 3), 46, 47 (n, 2), 53
:

(n. 6, 7),

to

18,

sya.

54

cf.

fll.

Tamil Veda 16.

Tantrasamjnika S.:
Tarksya S*. 7, 14.

TAITTIRIYA Upanisad

96

54,

yanatn.

11, 18.

Spandapradipika by Utpala Vaisiiava

(n. 1),

addendum

to p. 16, 1. 8.
10, 14, 18, 23, 42, 50, 52
(twice), 54 (twice), 55.

104

Utpala Vaisuava: see Spandapradipika.

Uttaranarayanam 54

Vihagendra

10 (remark).

S.

93,

73,

17.

1916

6, 14.

Siddhanta Pancariitra
SIta Upanisad
54.
5 (n. 3), 10.
S iva S.

Soma

p.

Varavaramuni

Sayana 96, 133.

Schomerus, H. W.

(generally),

(twice), 125.
Upendra S. (II): 11, 17,

Survadars ana Samgraha by Madhavacilrya: UO, 111/122.

S arva S. 5 (n. 3), 10.
S atapatha Brahmana 25, 48.
S iitiitapa S. 10, 18.
Sattvata S. 3, 11 13, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21,
43-47, 55
Appendices.
Sattvata S. Bhasya by Alas ingarabhatta 20.
Sauraantava S. 12.

S.

117.

Sampatkumarasvamin

S esa

19.

Tripadvibhutimahanarayana Upauisad
50, 58 (addendum), 145.

72, 82 (thrice).

41

49-51, 54, 56
(thrice), 54 (four times), 5J, 66, 72,
90, 93, 112, addenda to pp. 27 and 58.

27,

(thrice),

42,

Yatindramata-dlpika Vyakhyii by Abhyamkara Vasudevas iistrin 54 (n. 7).

Yogaiiandabhatta 20.
:

Yoga Sutras:

111.

Yogavasistha 122.
Yogini Taiitras (two)
:

13.

INDEX OF PROPER NAMES

III.

names embodying some religious or

principle (Index I) and (2) names of

Exclusive of

(1)

philosophical

authors, etc. (Index II).

AGASTYA 6 (remark on no.
Alarka 132.
:

1).

Amarsana -138.
Ambarlsa: 132
AnangamanjarT
Anasiiyii

Markandeya 43.
Marundna 57.
:

Melkote 16, 94.

MuktapTda 97, 135.
Mysore: l,94 fll.
:

136.

45.

Anjanadri Appendix III.

Apantaratapas 109.
Arcot pp. 6 fll. (addendum).
:

Naieas akha

133.

Arjmw
Atri

Orissa:

23, npp. TTT.

1,

46.

45.

Pulaha 136.
Pururavas: 132.
:

Bhadras ala: 134.

Bhadras ruga 138.

Prilci: 133.

Bhadravati

138.

Rajoparicara

Rama:

Citras ekhara

S anti; 154 n.

132.

Bharadvaja 99 fll.
Bhogavati 137.

137.

Saukukarna
138

fll.

Sarasvati

Dasyus

135.
132.

Dhundhu
Dvaraka

2.

133, 138.

S aunaka 10 (remark).
S ibi: 132.
SVirangam 9, 17, 20
:

Durvasas: 99

138.

fll.,

134.

134.

S rugarapiira

136.

S rutakirtana 132.
S rutakirti 134.
S uka: 132.
:

17.

Gujerat:

Haraplda
Jabali

135.

10 (remark).

Janakas

Sumati 136.
Sunanda: 136.
Sus ravas 135.

135.

Sutlksna
Svastika

Kailasa 138.
Kalale 94.

6.

134.

Tamasa

Kanva:

11, 137.

Kfis Traja: 133.

Kas mlr:

1, 18, 19, 31.

Kirtimiilin 138
Kltaka 133.
:

fll.

Upendra

Kus-adhvaja

137.

Tanjore: 12, 95.

Travancore 94.
Trivikrama 19.
:

11.

97, 135.

Mandara: 138.
Mandhatr: 132.
Manis ekhara 132
Manojava: 140 fll.
Maratha Country
:

Vaitfampayana
Vasistha

Vasuki
fll.

17.

109.

10 (remark),
136 fll.
:

Vatsala 133.
Vikataksa: 133.
Vis ala 136. 138
:

fll.

INDEX OF SANSKRIT TERMS

IV.

In so far as not contained in Index

akimcitkarata 115.
aksara guna-samya

dhenu 62, 78.

nama-rupa 125,
namas, namana

33.

nara
nara

41.

adhistatr 40.
adheiiu (=avyakta)
:

fll.

28.

parivara 128.
puryastaka: 122.
:

29.

28.

prakrta-mandala
prana (-= mahat)

fxnava-deha 122.
iltmasastha-vada 104.
:

110.
111.

pratipadika-stha

28.

49.

prakrta-pralaya

143.

pratistha-vidhi 23, 26.

pratisatncara 103.

33.

prapancita 53.
bahir-amla-ja 36.

iyatta: 107.

brahma-bhava
brahmayus 28

29.

103.

iirdhva-pundra
rtu-cakra 41.

41.

bhagavatta 113.
bhuti (two meanings)

ekantika-marga

39.

63

karsana 128.
kfda (=pauca-kala)

kalamaya vapus
kaya 104.

62.

mantroddhara

kimcijjnatva 115.
kiricitkarata 115.
kairikarya 58.

n. 3).

maha-prasthana 117.
mahabhiseka 130.
:

kriya-karaka-samsarga-labhya
guna-parvani 111.
gvmamaya vapus 62.
:

31.
125.

143.

mahas

52.

manava-sarga

marga

37.

112.

mis ra-varga 40,

mis ra-srsti 38.
murtyantara 41.
yaugika 24.

ghataka-s rutayah
cakra, cakrin 132.
:

82.

tantra 2, 24, 146.

tilakaiaka 37.
:

tirodhana-parampara 115.
trayi (Vedic science) 97, 110.
:

raksa: 122.

ratra:

(^vidya^prakrti)

98.

trasarenu 57.
dlksa 112.

24 fll.
layantima 29.
:

lila-vibhuti: 50.

varna-cakra

64.

dharma, dharmin:

46, 121.

mala-traya 115 (obs.

maha-pralaya 28.

1.

143.

112.

gunonmesa-das a

bhoga-vibhuti 50.
bhoktr-kutastha 60
mandales vara 118.
mantra-tanu 52; 58 (addendum).

32 n.

bhumi (=Bhuti S akti)

kalali-bhuta
kartr (
ahamkara): 111.
:

parama-vyoman

j)aurusi ratri

ahamta 30.
ahimsa H7.

dis

panca-kala 112.
para (cosmic period)
:

abhigamana 24, 51, 112.

abhicara: 131, 110 n. 1.
artha (complement of s abda) 103, 107,

28.

32, 47, 51.

abhasa 34.
iccha=ais varya
idamta 102.

nyasa (=bhakti) 128.

panca-karman 112.

144.

unmesa

86.

anna (objective universe)

avantara-pralaya

60.

103.

anuttara ( a-kara) 118.

antar-anda-sthita 81, 36.
:

nitya-vibhuti 50.
nityodita 53.
naimittika-pralaya

aprakrta

129.
142.

ajfiatva: 115.
anutva 115.

adhidaivata

I.

vidya
30, 102.

Appendix

(=Maya S akti,
i:

IT, n. 1.
62 n.

etc.)
41.

169
vidya (para, apara) 97 Appendix
(two meanings): 32 n. 1.
:

I.

vis rama-bhumayah
visayes vara: 118.

vira-murti

s uddha-srsti
s

55.

uddha-varga

82.
51.

(=s .-varga)

s uddha-sarga

34, 37.

s uddha-sattva

vibhfiti

uddhas uddha,

vaikrta-mandala 110.
vaidya ( prakrtika) 62.

s raddha-s-astra:

vais esika,-ki kriyfx

vyasti-srsti 82.

sadgunya 32.
spanda 106

24, 112.

s-akti-pata

108

mayi

115.

s aktyaves a
s abda

41.

(complement
fll.

34, 37.

prasphurata

(cf.

jagan-

104.

samasti-srsti 82.
samkoca 64.
samhita 2, 24.
:

to

artha)

103,

s aranagati: 128.

svarupaves a

S antcjdita

svamin

59.

102).

saptakaya-vada

47.

23.

vyuhiintara

uddhetara

s rama-bhumayah

84.

31.

53.

aHtrabhasa

12,

111.

(ex

47.
conj.

for

sami

manas)

NUMERICAL INDEX

V.

Exclusive of unities
Two-armed Vasudeva:

52, 119 n., 131.

conditions of Laksmi 29, 142.
conditions of Prakrti (Bhuti or

Three

Maya S akti)

78 n.

4,

79

117.

"births":

bodies (gross, etc

Brahmans

n. 1, 103,

122.

OM

constituents of
in the
gross"
sense 141.
classes of Astras 126.
divine weapons (s a s t r a, a s t r a)
108.
released souls (mukta,
,,
k e v a 1 a) 59.
souls in Highest Heaven
,,
"

unreleased souls 54 n.7.

constituents of Maya S akti (three
,,

(ever-free

and released)

OM

est"

G unas

56.

of

"groups"

mixed) 82
:

men

and

(pure

practical)

23.

pairs of

82.

dividual):
:

(pure, mixed)

141.

113.

worship (immediate,
mediate): 113, 123; cf.

Appendix If.
means of combating sin 108.
methods of religious progress

,,

97.

fll.

142.

Samkhya:
classes of
80.

Naras (sleeping souls)

OM

steps to Liberation: 113.

Upangas (MTmamsfi and Nyaya)

.,
:

17

n. 1, 144.

-fold
,,

Yoga systems 111.

THREE aspects of the cosmic Ahamkara
:

,,
:

75.

constituents
of
in
sense: 142, 141.
discuses, conches, clubs, etc.

the

Brahman

Kandas of the Paucaratra,

Manus

41.

119.

23.

61.

113 fll., 116.

objects of life
Padas of God 144 fll.
the Pancaratra 22.
:

Mahat 70
:

-.

71

"subtle"

Ahirb. S. XII, 12.

Vyuhas (Vasudeva, Baladeva)

n. 3.

52, 119 n., 132.

principles of pre-classical

chief

(diff.)

Vedas
110.
Vyuhas 35 fll.
FOUR-ARMED Vasudeva

S aktis or principal manifestations

of Laksmi 29 fll.
S aktis (consorts) of the Lord 53

>,

Taints or Fetters 88 fll., 115.

Taints (s aivite) 115.
:

,,

S ivas: 81.
standpoints of Mantra exegesis

knowledge

(direct, indirect)

64.

Attributes

55.

51.

religious

divine

111.

matter

66.

Aniruddha

Karma Yoga, each two

fold

etc.)

in

(collective,

>,

fll.

(primary, secon
dary) 79 ;(diff .):
109 n. 1.

,,

high
141

32
34 fll.
Prakrtis (Maya, Prasuti, Prakrti)
Laksmi Tantra VII, 16.
principal Samhitas: 20.
128.
religious mea ns (sadhana)
S aktis of the Devi 54.
Saktis or wives of the Lord
53 fll.
S aktis
threefold Iccha S akti

impure)

59.
,,

,>

"

67, 32, etc.

Mothers of the World

(Trimurti): 67.

kinds of bodies (generated, nonnatural) 68.

creation (pure,

sense

kinds of time (gross,

manifestations
of

fll.

Kandas (theoretical,

Maya Kos a)

fold

36, 63, 64.

in the

chief principles of
(or four)
pre-classical Samkhya 68 fll., 98.
chief principles of the Pancaratra: 89.
classes of Puranas 86.

70.

,,

81.

Vyuhas, supramundane
intramundane
,

35
81

fll.

171
FOUR Vyuhas,

of the Sudars aua Purusa

131.

EIGHT forms of supra-animal existence

manifestations of Buddhi

FIVE daily observances 24.

focuses (p a r v a n) of Obscuration,
namely,
tamas, a s m i ^ a,
raga
dvesa, and a n d h abhinives a: Laksmi Tantra
:

Manus

etc.)
(six)

Brahman

Kancukas

119.

(s aivite)

90.

Yogangas

manifestations of the Sudars ana

t

or works ( k a r of the Lord or

man, krtya)
88

fll.,

prakarah

Avataras

51

fll.,

fll.

Pranas 71, 73.

Eatras 22 fll., 24.
sacraments 24.
Siddbantas (recognised systems)
109 fll., 116 fll., 143.

ELEVEN

124.
chief postures in Yoga
S aktis (consorts of

TWELVE

Vidyes varas

subtle elements, gross elements,

knowledge-senses, action-senses
:

FOURTEEN
S

Egg

XII, 14-15.
Six Attributes (Gunas) of the Lord
32 fll.
Avataras 47.
constituents of Bhakti 128.
in the
sub
tle
sense 141.
Gems among the Samhitas 20.

Ahirb. S.

S.

TWENTY

"

TWENTY -TWO
TwENTY

Kancukas

Kos as

(s aivite)

Devi

of the

67

Vyuhas,

n.

2,

79

Twenty-four

90.
:

Avataras 45.
u R - fold Machinery
Appendix I.

F o

Existence

"

11.

17.

"

"

etc.)

XXXVI,

-ONE branches of the Vedic

Ahirb. S. XII, 16science (trayi)

OM

55, 84.

principal Nfidis: Ahirb.

S. XXXII, 18 fll.
x T E E x-armed Sudars ana 128, 131.

Devas (Visnu,
Ahirb.

24.

the

42.

planes of the

76.
:

Upavedas

Sat

Lord, etc.) 55.

Sub-Vyiihas: 41.

etc.)

THIRTY-NINE

n. 1.

"Forms"

of

(sub-

42.

Vibhavas (Avataras)

42.

FOURTY-THREE

samaya-dharmah:ll3.
syllables of the Great Sudars ana

Mantra:
XVIII).
systems
phical)

Ahirb.

S.

(religious
83.

SEVEN Citrasikhandins

L,

29

(</.

and philoso

Egg

system 112.
EIGHT Aksaras (Im perishables) 104.
-armed Vasudeva
131
124,
:

122.

Vasudeva (Sudar

Purusa)

127, 131,

Pravartaka Astras

ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT

hitas

EIGHT HUNDRED
TH

oU

126.

Sam-

fll.

Visuus 85.
A N D-armed Vasadeva 132.
names of the Sudars ana
:

146.

-spoked

body

Samkhya

topics of pre-classic

24, 98, 110.

i x T Y - T
o-armed

Mahabhutas 112.
p a d a r t h a h of the Sattvata

133.

135.

82.

-fold subtle

SIXTY

61, 83.

Nivartaka Astras

126.

s ana

enclosures surrounding the

fll.,

,,

124.
55.

Vayus

of existence)

:
"

43. 45, 48.

h i t a h) of the
topics (s a
112.
tvata system

114.

(modes

of the Lord: 25

Women

"

TEN

Purusa: 114.
powers (s a k

Laksmi

55.

systems of religion and

philosophy: 113 n. 1.

XII, 20.

,,

72.

"0,

61.

parts of the Great Night 29.

S aktis (consorts of the Lord,

-fold

62.

discus

Lord: 128.

of

the

INDEX OF IMAGES (SIMILES)

VI.

Illustrating religious or philosophical ideas.

Banner, wind, and space 107.
Bee-hive
60.
Clay and pots 69.
Cloud (cirrus) 29, 78, 103.
Cloud and rain 78.
Cloud and wind 31.

Mole
Mote

milk

103.

78.

Darkness 29.
Emptiness 29 cf. 86.
Fire and combustible
103 cf.
Fire and wind 31.
Flame proceeding from name
Gates and town 93.

Rice, grains of

117.

35.

Gem:
Gold

Robbers and traveller 116.

Servants and master 73.
Spider and web 124.
Sun and sun-shine 34.
Sun-beams and sun 93.
Thread and pearls 30, 105.
:

92,
in fire

58.

River and bank 65.

Rivers and ocean 93.

29.

Ocean and rivers 93.

Pin and leaves 30, 105.
Pot and air 93.
Pot and water 93.

Cow^cloud:

Ocean, motionless

Cow and

(spot under skin) 37,

in sunbeam
57, 90.

92.

Lamp

(or flame) and

Lamp, extinguishing

light 32, 90.

117.
:

Lightning: 29.
Milk arid curds 69.
Mirrors and reflections

Tortoise

77.

Udumbara tree swarming with bees

Wall and clay,

etc.: 79.

Widow, the lonely

93.

59.

Windless atmosphere

29.

60.

ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS

ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS

last line

p. 3,
p.

6.

fll.

for

"the

read

press"

"preparation

Three more Samhitas may

still

".

be extant in addition to

marked as such in our Synopsis, namely the following,

of which a MS. was seen, a few
years ago, by one of the then
pandits of the Adyar Library, in a village of the Arcot
District, to wit
Gargya S., Varaha S. and Patalam, and
those

Dattatreya

S.

The usual name

11/12 from bottom
Naradiya section
section containing the story of Narada s visit to
S vetadvipa is Narayauiya.
14
fll.
pp.
(chronology of the Samhitas) and 97 fll. (age of Ahirbudhnya Samhita). Having just now received the J. R. A. S. for
January 1916, containing A. A. Macdonell s important article
on The Development of Early Hindu Iconography, we may say
with regard to the latter that, although undoubtedly
iconography will have to play a part in the establishment
of the chronology of the Paficaratra Samhitas, it does not
seem that at present much can be gained from it for the
older part of that literature. For, though only ** from the
"

p.

14,

11.

".

of this

eighth century onwards Visau appears with eight arms"

(Zoc. cit. p. 126), the iconographical material so far available
from the earlier centuries is evidently far too scanty
to prove that Vistm was not represented as eight-armed,
addition to the four-armed form), long before
etc.
(in
The following statement (p. 127) on the
that time.
Vasudeva is noteworthy, because it agrees
four-armed
with the date fixed on other grounds by Prof. Gar be for the
later
parts of the Bhagavad-Gita (of which particularly
The second half of the
XI, 46 should be compared)
first century A. c. may therefore be regarded as the period
when the Hindu gods began to be represented with four
"

arms."

p.

16,

from bottom

to
about the time of S aiikara
the
are thinking
following foot-note -should now be added
of the date which has so far had the consensus of most scholars

11.

8/7

"

"

"

We

The attempt made quite recently, namely by

V. Venkateswara in the J. R. A. S. 1916, pp. 151 fll., to de
monstrate that S ankara s life-time was 805-897, has not con
(788-825).
S.

vinced us.
p.

16,
17,

18,

1.

12 from bottom

1.

10: after

1.

18

1,

9 from bottom

for

"

for

"

Upendra
Paficaratra
:

read

"

teacher

"

Samhita"

read

"

insert

teacher

"

read

"

(see above p. 4)

"

teacher

"

(no. 211)

Paficaratra

".

".

".

".

176
p. 24.,

vais esika read vaisayika, and add a foot

This is strange and suggests the idea that an
vais esika
has been misunderstood by the
original
author
sixth topic of the Sattvata system below,
cf. the
5: for

1.

note

"

"

112."

p.

27, note

1,

work

add before
of

unknown
32,
p.

32

last sentence Yatindramata Dipika, a later

uncertain date, contains much modern material
to the Paficaratra.

6 from bottom

1.

for

"teacher"

read

"

teacher

s teacher".

a mere coincidence that in Zoroastrianism also God has

six attributes ? It is true that the two sets have apparently
not much in common, still might not the monotheism of the
Pancaratrins, which evidently originated in the north-west of
India, have made some external borrowings from the great
religion of Iran P A similar question seems to arise with
sun-beams
and moon-beams
into which
regard to the
the vowels are divided (p. 119), and the
sun-letters
and
moon-letters
of Arabic grammar, but here we find it hard

fll.

Is

it

"

"

"

",

"

"

"

"

to believe in
,,

41, middle,

any borrowing except from some common source.

insert the following paragraph

at combining the several activities of the
:

An attempt

Vyuhas

has been made by the author of Tattvatraya (eel. pp. 125 fll.)
in the following aphorisms (which contain, indeed, all that
the book has to say on the Vyuhas)
Of them (the Vyuhas) S.a m k a r s a n a connected with
[the Attributes called] jndna and bala, having become the
superintendent of the principle [called] soul (Jvva), severs it
from Prakrti, and then, having assumed the state of
Pradyumna, effects the appearing [and progress] of the
S astra and [finally] the withdrawal of the world.
Pradyumna, connected with aisTvarya and vwya, having
become the superintendent of the principle [called] mind
:

"

(mawas), carries out the teaching of religion and the creation

Pure Group consisting of the four Manus, etc.
Aniruddha, connected with s akti and tejas, performs
the protection [of this world], the conferring of the know
ledge of truth, the creation of time and the mixed creation."
of the

10: After

insert:

"

42,

1.

56,

Pradyumna, Nrsirpha, and Hari

1. 17
for
Canda, Pracanda read

58,

11.

"Upendra"

"

"

from Pradyumna another

".

"

Caiida,

Pracauda

".

As a matter of fact,
6/7: "They can
"body".
the soul in Heaven seems never to be imagined without a
body, it being bodiless, and necessarily so, only in its Nara
condition (p. 86), that is during the Great Night, when
even non-natural matter is non-existent ( unified
may, therefore, ask in this connection whether the "atomic
body" mentioned in chapter 20 (see p. 122) is not either
non-natural body possessed already, unknowingly, by the
a
natural body, the only one remaining
soul, or else a third
assume"

to

")_

"

"

"

"

We

177
from the Sun to Heaven. For,
Kausltaki Upanisad which has
been adopted by the Vis istadvaitins and was apparently
also known
to the Pancaratrins, the liberated soul has
still many stations to pass on its further journey from the
Sun to the river Viraja (Vijara) which is the boundary
between this and the other world, and it cannot do so,
evidently, in a bodiless condition, for which reason Yat. Dip.
teaches (ed. p. 77) that not before crossing the Viraja does
the soul exchange its subtle (second physical) body for a non-

to the soul for its passage

according to the view of

natural one, whereas Tripadvibhutimahanarayaiia Upanisad

(chapters V and VI), on the assumption that the Viraja is
not the said boundary but still within the Egg, declares
that the soul through bathing in Viraja exchanges its
subtle body for a "magical body"
(kevalaniantramayadivyatejomaya-niratis aydnandamaya-mahdvisnusdrilpyavi graha
later simply called mantramaya s arlra), and long
afterwards, in a place far outside the Egg, namely the
Brahmavidya river, casts off the magical body in order to
assume its final garment, the immortal Divine body consisting
of the bliss of [Brahma] knowledge
or
of knowledge

tfarira,

"

"

"

"

"(

and

bliss

vidyanandamaya amrtadivya-s arira}.

from bottom for Rsis read Rsis
;

"

"

p.
,,

,,

1.

9.

68,

1.

80,

1.

11

60,

82,

"

".

,,

,,

for vQtitfamya read vaisamya.

for Hrslkes a
read
Hrslkes a
"

"

18 for

"

group read
Group
2 from
bottom: for
Citras
1.
khandins
1.

"

"

".

"

83,

".

"

ikhanclins"

read

"

Citras

i-

".

p.
,,

,,

92,

97,

110,

4 from bottom

1.

1.

,,

for

for

"58,
"

59

never

read

"

"

read

"

52,
"

53

".

not, as a rule,

1
.

17 and 18 should read "seventeen (or twenty-one ?) sci

ences, from the six Vedangas down to politics (nlti} and the
science of professions (vcirttd), regarded as subsidiary to the
11.

Vedas".

112,

note

same
,,

121,
145,

4,

as

add

It is clear that samyama and cinta

samyama and samddhi mentioned in note 3, p.
"

1.

9 from bottom

1.

23

,,

,,

for

for

"

"

Vedanta

"

Pancaratra

read
"

"

read

Vedanta

are the
111.

".

"

Paricaratra".

SUPPLEMENTARY LIST OF ERRATA

Found

the

in

Page

line

79

82

10

edition

ex conj

and

dele
lines 8

107

10

126
127

16
3

for

and 9

read

read ex conj.

read ex conj.

532

read ex oo nj.

between

581

12

594

lines 8

and 9 insert

626

643, lines

for fe?^ read T^fT.

read uff^ret^

read

615

enter between

(are

495

578

Samliitd.

of Ahirbudhnya

read

read
17 to 20 not belonging to the text of the

Samhita should be

in small type.

Pointed by

Annie Besanfc at the Vasanta Press, Adyar, Madras.

HB-JVU-Vfe

BL
1135
P35S37
1916

Schrader, Friedrich Otto

Introduction to the
Paficaratra and the
Ahirbudhnya samhita

PLEASE

CARDS OR

DO NOT REMOVE

SLIPS

UNIVERSITY

FROM

THIS

OF TORONTO

POCKET

LIBRARY