Difference between various Agamas-Tamil

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பாஞ்சராத்ர-வைகாநஸ ஆகமங்களும் வேறுபாடுகளும்

ஆகமங்களில் கோயில் தொடர்பான செய்திகள் காணப்படுகின்றன. ஆகம நு}ல்கள் பல உள்ளன. சைவ ஆகமங்கள், சாக்த ஆகமங்கள், வைணவ ஆகமங்கள் எனப் பல வகைப்படும். வைணவ ஆகமங்களாவன வைகானஸமும், பாஞ்சராத்ரமும் ஆகும்.
அ. வைகானஸ ஆகமம் :-
வைகானஸ ஆகமம் என்பது பகவச் சாஸ்திரமாகும். விகநஸ முநிவரால் சொல்லப்பட்டதால் வைகானஸ சூத்திரம் என்று அழைக்கப்படுகின்றது. விகனஸரின் ஸம்பந்தமுற்றோர் வைகானஸர் என்று அழைக்கப்படுவர். இவர் மஹா விஷ்ணுவின் மாநஸ புத்திரர். இவருக்கு மஹாவிஷ்ணு ஸ்ரீவைகானஸ சாஸ்திரத்தை உபதேசித்தார்.

ஆ. வைகானசரும் மற்றைய ஸ்ரீவைஷ்ணவர்களும் :
வைகானசர்கள் பிற்புரிமையால் வரும் சமூகத்தைச் சேர்ந்துள்ளனர். யாவரும் அந்தணர்கள். இவர்கள் ஸ்ரீவைஷ்ணவ குரு பரம்பரையில் சம்பந்தப்படாதவர்கள். அவர்கள் இராமாநுஜரையோ, நம்மாழ்வாரையோ தம் குல குருவாக ஏற்றுக்கொள்ளவில்லை. அதனால் திவ்யப் பிரபந்தங்களை அவர்கள் அத்யயனம் செய்வதில்லை. ஸ்ரீவைஷ்ணவ ஆச்சார்யர்களின் தனியன்களை அநுஸந்திப்பதும் இல்லை. பஞ்ச ஸம்ஸ்காரம் எனும் வைஷ்ணவ தீiக்ஷயை இவர்கள் பெறுவதில்லை. அத்தகைய தீiக்ஷயை இவர்கள் கர்ப்ப வாசத்தின்போதே மந்திர ஸம்ஸ்காரத்தால் பெற்றுவிடுகிறார்கள்.

இ. வைகானஸ ஸம்ப்ரதாயம் :
இவர்கள் கொள்கை லக்ஷ;மி விசிஷ்டாத்வைதம் என்று குறிப்பிடப்படுகிறது. இராமாநுஜ ஸம்ப்ரதாயக் கோட்பாடுகளைக் கொண்டாடுகிறார்கள். ஆனால் பிராட்டியை ஈச்வர கோடியில் சேர்க்கிறார்கள். கைவல்யமும் மோக்ஷமே என்று கருதுகின்றனர்.

ஈ. பாஞ்சராத்ரம் :
பாஞ்ச ராத்ரம் என்றால் ஐந்து இரவுகள் என்று பொருள். ஸத்ர யாகம் ஒன்றில் ஐந்து இரவுகளில் எம்பெருமானை வழிபடும் விதம் உபதேசிக்கப்பட்டதால் இப்பெயர் ஏற்பட்டதாக சதபத ப்ராஹ்மணத்தில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது. இராத்திரியின் குணங்களான மஹாபூதம், தன்மாத்திரை, அஹங்காரம், புத்தி, அவ்யக்தம் என்ற ஐந்தின் காரணமாக இப்பெயர் ஏற்பட்டதாக பரம ஸம்ஹிதையில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது. சாங்கியம், பௌத்தம், ஆர்ஹதம், காபாலம், பாசுபதம் ஆகிய பஞ்ச சாஸ்திரங்களும் இருளடைந்து போகும்படி செய்ததால் பாஞ்சராத்ரம் என்று பெயர் வந்ததாக பாத்ம தந்திரம் என்னும் நு}ல் கூறுகிறது. ப்ரஹ்மம், முக்தி, போகம், யோகம், ப்ரபஞ்சம் என்ற ஐந்தை அடையும் வழிகளைக் கூறுவதால் இப்பெயர் ஏற்பட்டது என்றும் கூறுவர். ஆனால் பரம்பொருளின் ஐந்து நிலைகளான பர, வ்யூக, விபவ, அந்தர்யாமி, அர்ச்சை எனும் நிலைகளைப் பற்றிக் கூறுவதால் இப்பெயர் ஏற்பட்டது என்றும் கூறுவர். அதிலும் வ்யூஹத்தின் நிலையை விளக்குவன பாஞ்சராத்ர ஆகமங்கள் என அழகியமணவாளப்பெருமாள் நாயனார் அருளிச்செய்துள்ளார்.

உ. பாஞ்சராத்ர ஸம் ஹிதைகள் :-
பாஞ்சராத்ர ஸம்ஹிதை சில்ப சாஸ்த்ரம், வாஸ்த்து சாஸ்த்ரம், பல்வேறு தெய்வங்களின் உருவ வர்ணனை, அவர்களின் ஆயுதங்கள், பிம்பங்களின் அளவுகள், ஆராதனை முறை, அண்டங்களின் சிருஷ்டி க்ரமம், யோகம் அதாவது கடவுளை நெருங்குவதற்கான வழிகளை விவரித்தல் ஆகியவை அடங்கியது. இவையனைத்தும் ஜ்ஞானம் (ச்ருஷ்டி முதலியன), யோகம் (கடவுளை அடையும் வழி), கிரியா (ஆலய - பிம்ப நிர்மாணங்கள்), சரியா (பூஜை செய்யும் முறை) என்ற நான்கு தலைப்புகளில் அடங்கும்.

ஸ்ரீ பாஞ்சராத்ர ஸம் ஹிதைகள் 108 என்று பொதுவாகக் கருதப்பட்டாலும், அனைத்தும் முழுமையாகக் கிடைக்கவில்லை. ஸாத்வதம், பௌஷ்கரம், ஜயாக்யம் என்று மூன்று ஸம்ஹிதைகளும் பகவானால் சொல்லப் பட்டதால் ரத்னத்ரயம் என்றும், மூல ஸம்ஹிதைகள் என்றும் சொல்லப்படுகிறது. பௌஷ்கரத்தின் விரிவை பாரமேச்வர ஸம்ஹிதையும், ஸாத்வத்தின் விரிவை ஈச்வர ஸம்ஹிதையும், ஜயாக்யத்தின் விரிவை பாத்ம ஸம்ஹிதையும் தெரிவிக்கிறது. இவற்றுள் ஜயாக்யம் சிறந்ததாகப் போற்றப்படுகிறது. மேலும் 1. அஹிர் புத்ந்ய ஸம்ஹிதை 2.ஈச்வர ஸம்ஹிதை 3. ஜயாக்ய ஸம்ஹிதை 4. பாத்ம ஸம்ஹிதை 5. பாரமேச்வர ஸம்ஹிதை 6.லக்ஷ;மீ தந்த்ரம் 7. விஷ்வக்ஸேந ஸம்ஹிதை 8. ஸ்ரீப்ரச்ன ஸம்ஹிதை 9. ஸாத்வ ஸம்ஹிதை முதலிய ஸம்ஹிதைகளும் உள்ளன.

பாஞ்சராத்ர - வைகானஸ ஆகமங்களின் வேறுபாடுகள்
வைகானஸ ஆகமம் பாஞ்சராத்ர ஆகமம்
1. வைகானஸ ஆகம விதிகளின்படி வைகானஸ ப்ராம்மணர்களே கருவறையிலுள்ள இறைவனுடைய திருமேனியை தீண்ட உரிமை பெறுகிறார்கள்.

2. வைகானஸ அர்ச்சகர்கள் திருவிலச்சினை என்ற பஞ்ச ஸம்ஸ்கார தீiக்ஷ பெறுவதில்லை.

3. குரு பரம்பரையில் ஸம்பந்தப்படாதவர்கள். ஸ்ரீவைஷ்ணவ ஆசார்யர்களின் தனியன்களை அநுஸந்திப்பதில்லை.

4. வழிபாட்டு முறையில் மந்திரங்கள் பெரும் பங்கு வகிக்கின்றன.

5. பலி பீடத்தின் பின்னால் கொடிமரம் இருக்கும்

6. விஷ்ணு, புருஷன், சத்யன், அச்யுதன், அநிருத்தன் முதலியோர்களை வழிபடுகின்றனர்.
மற்றும் கோயில் அமைப்புக்களிலும் திருவாராதன முறையிலும், மூர்த்தியின் அமைப்பிலும் , து}ப தீபங்கள் சமர்ப்பிப்பதிலும் வைகானஸ, பாஞ்சராத்ர ஆகமங்கள் வேறுபடுகின்றன.

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Re: Difference between various Agamas-Tamil

Science and Sanskrit: Dr. Prabhakar Apte and one of his works. (The Hindu Article)

Sanskrit scholar Dr. Prabhakar Apte, whom this writer meets in Tirupati, is an authority on the Pancharatra agamas, and his first paper on the subject was presented before the Kanchi Paramacharya. Apte's translations of ‘Sattvata Samhita' and ‘Poushkara Samhita,' have been published by the Academy of Sanskrit Research, Melkote, and by the Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati, respectively.

Warming up to his subject, Apte says that available evidence suggests “a long history of a group of Vedic people who were devoted to Vishnu as the Supreme God.” The dharma propagated by Ramanujacharya is spoken of as a liberal tradition open to all, in the Bhishma Parva of ‘Mahabharata.' In the ‘Mahabharata,' we come across cognate terms such as Ekantin and Ekantidharma.

Ekantidharma of ‘Mahabharata' traces a tradition which focuseson Vishnu. Ekantin, Sattvata and Bhagavata were terms used for devotees of Vishnu. “Sattvata vidhi, which was significantly a path of idol worship, and the Ekantidharma, which was perhaps a path of meditation for yogins, later on influenced the Pancharatra,” says Apte. Gradually, as the agama dharma gained currency, the nigama dharma, that is the performance of yagnas, took a back seat.

Of Kashmiri origin

Apte says that even before the time of Yamunacharya, the Pancharatra agama must have come to South India. Yamunacharya refers to the Kashmiri origin of the tradition. A Kashmiri commentator called Utpala, refers to the Pancharatra tradition. Originally a Saivite, Utpala calls himself a Vaishnavite, highlighting an example of conversion to Vaishnavism. A Kashmiri version of a line from the ‘Bhagavad Gita' has the words ‘sattvata dharma gopta,' substituting the word ‘sattvata' for ‘sasvata,' which is what is found in the version prevalent elsewhere in India.

Philologist Otto Schrader, Director of the Adyar library, found a reference to snow in the ‘Jayakhya Samhita,' and so he too concluded that the Pancharatra agama was of Kashmiri origin.

The wide acceptability of sattvata dharma is seen through a Prakrit inscription (150 B.C.) in Brahmi characters on a pillar, which says the pillar (Garuda Dvaja) was erected by Heliodorus, a Greek, in honour of Lord Vasudeva. Heliodorus is described as a Bhagavata, indicating that he was a devotee of Vishnu. “This affords one of the earliest examples of conversion to Vaishnavism,” says Apte. “However, to Ramanuja goes the credit of spreading this sattvata dharma.”

Among the Pancharatra samhitas, the ‘Sattvata,' ‘Poushkara' and ‘Jayakhya' are described as Ratna Traya - the three gems. They date from the 2nd to the 5th century A.D.

In the ‘Paadma,' which is a commentary on the classical samhita ‘Jayakhya,' the ‘Kriya' section talks of art and architecture. Apte's interest in temple architecture was kindled by Yadugiri Yatiraja Sampathkumara Ramanuja Jeer of Melkote, who had a huge collection of works on the Agamas. A Marathi engineer studied these and wrote ‘Architecture in the Agamas,' a book that is now being published by the Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha. “The swami, whose knowledge was encyclopaedic, would take me to the temples and explain their architectural features. He showed me the pillars before the Thayar sannidhi in Melkote. Each pillar is of a different pattern. Perhaps, the stapathi had made these as specimens, so that later on sculptors could choose a design from among them.”



As Apte read more of the Agamas, his respect for the Viswakarma tradition increased. “Modern engineers must be banned from building temples,” he says. He also adds that till the 18th century, the Viswakarmas were involved in secular architecture too. To ignore their abundance of knowledge is to ignore a great tradition.

Interest in traditional architecture and ancient science led Apte to King Bhoja's (10th century A.D.) ‘Samarangana Sutradhara,' which he has translated into English. “In the ‘Yantra Adhyaya', Bhoja talks of hydraulics, mechanics and even aeronautics. Bhoja built the largest artificial lake in Asia - the Bhopal lake, and this is an example of sustainable technology. An old rhyme in Hindi says ‘Taal to taal Bhopal taal, aur sab hain talayyen-' only the Bhopal lake is a lake; all other lakes are mere ponds.”

Apte has the rare distinction of being made an Honorary Member of the Association of Architects and Engineers, and he has given lectures in the Motilal Nehru Regional College of Engineering, Allahabad, the Military College of Engineering, Pune, and ISRO, Bangalore.

He is disheartened by the lack of awareness about these old texts. During World War I, Otto Schrader was imprisoned, because he was a German. While in the Ahmednagar jail, Schrader wrote his ‘Introduction to Pancharatra.' “Most people know that Nehru's ‘Discovery of India' was written in the Ahmednagar jail, but how many know that Schrader's work was also written in the same jail?” asks Apte. Prasanna Kumar Acharya, whose work in seven volumes on Hindu architecture was published by the Oxford University Press did not get any honours.

Doesn't too much intellectual engagement with ancient texts dent one's faith? “Yes. That is why our Professor K.C. Varadachari said to us once, ‘I am old. The time for intellectual discussion is past. I want to move to the higher spiritual plane of faith.' So at some point logic must stop, yielding place to faith.”

But since Apte is still in the process of translating and analysing the Pancharatra samhitas, can one assume that he is still in the stage of intellectual involvement, and not in the stage of unquestioning faith? Apte laughs and says, “Someone has to do all this work. We must pass on our traditions for posterity.”

When the priest of the Ahobilam temple told Apte that he consulted Apte's books, Apte felt vindicated. When his translation of the ‘Sattvata Samhita' had got as far as the 15th chapter, a Polish student doing her Ph.D on Narasimha worship, came to Apte for help on the 17th chapter. Apte raced against time to complete the translation, and also that of a 200-year-old commentary on the ‘Sattvata Samhita' by Azhagiya Singa Bhattar, an archaka of Melkote.

Eleven volumes of the ‘Vaikhanasa Agama' have been edited by Dr. Lakshmi Narayana Bhatta and Dr. Hayavadana Puranik, at the Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, and Apte has written the gist in English for each of the volumes. But sadly, the Agama kosa project suffers from a paucity of funds.

Apte has taken to heart the words of his mentor Dr. B.R. Sharma, an authority on the ‘Sama Veda.' Sharma used to say that a researcher should think of himself as ajara (without old age) and amara (without death). And indeed when Apte, who is in his late seventies, walks, there is a youthful spring in his step.

Apte says that there have been science-oriented Sanskrit scholars in the past, such as Alkondavalli Govindacharya, an engineer in Mysore, who built the Nanjangud bridge. But Govindacharya was also a Sanskrit scholar, and he wrote the first article in French on the ‘Pancharatra Agamas.' The article, ‘Etude du Pancharatra,' was published in 1870. “The need of the hour is for such Sanskrit-oriented scientists and technocrats, and science-oriented Sanskrit scholars, to study the intellectual treasures that this land has produced,” Apte emphasises.

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Re: Difference between various Agamas-Tamil

Vaishnavism in the Agamas have contributed towards a fuller and more comprehensive development of the philosophy of Vaishnavism.
In the post-Vedic period, a fuller development of the important tenets of Vaishnavism can be found in the Agamas. The Agamas are a body of religious treatises devoted primarily to the modes of worship of God. The term Agama generally means sacred texts and refers in particular to the revealed scripture (nigama). The Agama is also known as tantra or the system that elaborates the knowledge acquired from the Vedas. It is also designated as samhita or the composition.

The dates of the Agamas are disputed among the modern scholars varying from 3000 B.C. to A.D. 800. But according to tradition the main source of the Vaishnava doctrines contained in the Agamas is the Vedas. The Mahabharata in which we have the earliest and clear presentation of the essential teachings of the Pancharatra Agamas states that Lord Narayana is the promulgator of the Pancharatra system. The Vedanta-sutra also makes a reference to the Pancharatra system. Therefore, generally, the Agamas are placed in a period which is later than the Vedas and earlier than the Mahabharata.

There are many different types of Agamas. The ones that are usually considered important are the Vaishnava, Saiva and Sakta Agamas. The Vaishnava Agamas uphold the exclusive worship of Lord Vishnu as the Supreme Deity. Saiva Agamas emphasise the worship of Lord Shiva as the Supreme Deity. The Sakta Agamas regard Sakti or a female energy known by the names of Goddess Devi, Durga, Kali etc., as the Supreme Deity. The Vaishnava Agamas went on to constitute the main source for the later development of the Vaishnavism.

In the Vaishnava Agamas, the concept of Lord Vishnu as the Supreme Deity, as found in the Rig Veda, was developed into a cult. The Vaishnava Agamas emphasize the exclusive worship of Lord Vishnu as a means to salvation. Realizing the need of offering worship to one deity in a concrete form these Agamas have evolved the concept of worshipping it in an image form (area). As a follow up of this form of worship, the consecration of icons, the construction of temples for this purpose and the observance of certain prescribed daily rituals and other festivals in the temples have all been formulated in the Agamas. All these have influenced the development of Vaishnavism.

There are two main categories under which the Vaishnava Agamas fall. These are the Vaikhanasa and the Pancharatra. The former which is older in origin is based on the Vaikhanasakalpa Sutras compiled by the Vedic Sage Vikhanas. The Vaikhanasa claims to have taken its teachings directly from the Vedas. The Vaikhanasa system was expounded by four sages, Marichi, Bhrigu, Atri and Kasyapa who are claimed to be the disciples of Vikhanas. Based on the hymns of the Rig Veda that pertain to the worship of Lord Vishnu, it advocates that Brahmins should perform the archana of Vishnu daily. Vishnu in this system is identified with Narayana, the very Brahman on the authority of the Taittiriya Upanishad.

The Pancaratra Agamas also have a Vedic origin. They are based mainly on the Ekayana shakha of the Sukla Yajurveda, as a result of which they are said to be of Vedic origin. The term Pancaratra has been interpreted in different ways, and of these, one of the most plausible is the one provided by Vedanta Desika. It is said to teach the fivefold daily religious duty of a Vaishnava, which are abhigamana, upadana, ijya, svadhyaya and yoga. As Ahirbudhnya Samhita explains, the name is also derived from the concept of the fivefold manifestation of the Supreme Being as para, vyiiha, vibhava, area and antaryami. The names which are generally used for Vishnu in these Agamas are Bhagavan and Vasudeva. These names, including that of Narayana are identical. The Ahirbudhnya Samhita has offered a detailed etymological interpretation for these terms. When these terms are taken into consideration, it gets evident that all the names represent the Supreme Being, the very Brahman of the Upanishads.



Some ancient as well as modern scholars have taken the view that Pancaratra is non-Vedic in origin and hence not authoritative. The validity of Pancaratra system has been vindicated by Yamuna in his Agamapramanya, by Ramanuja in his commentary on the relevant Vedanta-sutras and in a more emphatic way by Vedanta Desika in the Pancharatraraksa. The Mahabharata extolls it as authoritative because it is taught by Lord Narayana. The Pancharatra Sarhhitas claim their origin from the Vedas. It is, therefore, definitely pro-Vedic. Sarhkara in his commentary on the disputed Vedanta-sutra regarding the validity of Pancharatra questions only some of its philosophic theories which apparently appear to contradict Vedic teachings such as the origin of the jiva, but he has not openly disputed the essential teachings of Pancharatra theology. In fact, Sarhkara holds in high esteem the Bhagavatas, the four Vyuhas, the concept of Vasudeva as Supreme Deity and the fivefold religious practice of Bhagavatas.

The treatises of the Pancharatra Sarhhitas are many in number. The Sarhhitas themselves enumerate them and the number varies from 108 to 154. They have been written at different periods. A few are most ancient, while many others are of later origin. The most ancient and authoritative Vaishnava Agamas are Sattvata, Pauskara and Jayakhya claiming their source to the divine teachings (divya). Based on these, we have Isvara, Paramesvara and Padma Sarhhitas which have been contributed by the sages (muni-bhasita). Two other Agamas from which material has been drawn extensively by the Vaishnava acaryas for expounding the doctrines of the avatara, Goddess Sri and prapatti are Ahirbhudhnya Samhita and Laksmi tantra. The other important topics which have been adopted by Vaishnavism from the Pancaratra texts are: the six principal attributes of God (sadguna), the mode of worship of God in the form of icon at temples as well as homes, the fivefold daily religious observances, the theory of nitya-vibhuti and paramapada (divine abode) and the concept of Bhagavata.

In general, the theological aspect of Vaishnavism has been greatly influenced by the Pancharatra system. On the philosophic side, the influence of the Agamas has not been so great. The philosophical theories relating to the doctrines of Isvara, jiva, prakrti, their organic relationship, the means (upaya) and goal (moksa) are all taken direct from the Upanishadic teachings.

[V S RANGACHAR]

Re: Difference between various Agamas-Tamil

This is an excellent article.

[Badri Srinivasan]

Re: Difference between various Agamas-Tamil

A wonderful analytical introductions to Agamas followed by Vaishnavite temples. How to get copy of this book? especially who are abroad. Please give the cost price plus shipping charges inUS$ for sending to USA and the mode of remittance with detailed partculars.

[cdmsankar]

Re: Difference between various Agamas-Tamil

very informative article.