Vishnu

 

Essence Of
Vishnu Purana

 

2    Vishnu Mahima, Kalpa Srishti, Tatwas and Brahma- Vishnu- Shiva Swarupa

Suta Maha Muni addresed  the gathering of Sages at Naimisharanyaa  and quoted Maha Muni Maitreya requesting Maharshi Parashara to describe about the Creation of Universe at the beginning of the Dwiteeya Kalpa and the latter recalled his grandfaher Vasishtha giving the account when Brahma Manasa Putra Pulastya was present too.Maharshi Parashara then intiated the delineation of  Vishnu, Adi Srishti and Tatwaas:

Parah Paraanaam Parmah Paramaatmasamsthitah, Rupavarnaadi nirdesha viseshana vivarjitah/ Apakshya vinaashyaabhyam Parinaamarthijanmabhih, Varjitah shakyatey vaktum yah sadaasteeti kevalam/ Sarvatraasou Samastam cha vasayatreti vai yatah, Tatah sa Vaasudeveti Vidvadbhih Paripathyatey/ Tadbrahma Paramam Nityam Ajamakshaya- amavyayam, Eka Swarupam tu Sadaa heyaabhaavaachha Nirmalam/ Tadaiva Sarwamevai tadha Vyaktaavyakta Swarupavat, Tathaa Purusharupena Kaalarupena cha sthitam/ Parasya Brahmano rupam Purushaha Prathamam Dwija, Vyaktaavyaktey tathaivanye Rupey Kaalstathaa Param/ (That whosoever is beyond the ‘Paraaa’ or Prakriti, Parama Sreshtha, Paramatma within Antaraatma on Innermost Super Consciousness who is devoid of Rupa or Form, Varna or Colour, Naama or Name, Viseshana or Adjectival features; that Paraapara who does not possess the six stages of Origin, Development, Evolution, Dacadence and Destruction; that Absolute Superlative  ‘IS’ in the Present Indefinite Tense who is ‘Sarvatra and Samasta’ or ‘ All Over’ and ‘Everything’!) That is why Vidwans call him as Vaasudeva who is Karya or deed-Kaarana or cause-Nitya or eternal-Ajanma or Unborn-Akshaya or Evergrowing- Gunaabhaava or featureless- Maha Kaarana or the Great Cause- Prathama Purusha or the Prime Being-Paramaatma or the Supreme Soul- Ajara or Ever Youthful- Nischala or Contant- Shabda Sparshaadi Sunya or bereft of Sound, Touch and so on. It was at ‘Pralaya’ or the Time of Universal Destruction, there was no existence at all; neither it was day time nor night; no Akaasha or Prithivi; no darkness or light: there was only the absence of Indriyas and Buddhi but only a Supreme Parabrahma as Primary Purusha who manifested into two Rupaas viz.’Kaal’ or ‘Praakriti’ and the Self!

Maha Tatwa (The Supreme Manifestation): That Parabrahma-Paramatma-Vishwa Rupa-Sarvavyaapi-Sarvabhuteshwara-Sarvatma-Parameshwara on its own volition who has no ‘Vikaaraas’or traits manifested the Self into the Alternative Self with ‘Vikaaraas’:

Pradhaana Purushou chaapi  pravishyaatmeychhayaa Harih, 

Kshobhayaamaasa Sampraaptey Sargakaaley vyayaavyaou/

Tathaa Sannidhi maatrena Gandhah Kshobhaaya jaayatey,

Manaso nopakratruttwaattayasou Parameshwarah/

Sa yeva Kshobhako Brahman kshobascha Purushottamah,

Sa shankho cha vikasaabhyaam Pradhaanatvepi cha sthitah/

Vikaasaanuswarupaischa Brahma Rupaadibhistathaa,

Vyakta Swarupascha tathaa Vishnuh Sarveswareswarah/

Guna saamyaatta tasmaat tasmaat Khetrajnaadhishthaanaan Muney,

Guna vyanjana sambhutih Sarga kaaley Dwijottamaa/

( That Pradhaana Purusha transformed from the State of ‘Nirvikaara’ to that of ‘Vikaara Pradhaana’ or full of characteristics just as fragrance influences the fragrance-free Vastu or material! Thus Purushottama the Nirvikaara basically assumes traits and  Paramatma  assumed the Samashthi-Vyashthi Rupas or endless manifestations  commencing from Brahma and so on and indeed this process of transformation is known as Maha Tatwa! ) This Maha Tatwa is of three major Attributes viz. Saatvika, Tejasa or Raajasa and Taamasa and accordingly of three kinds of Ahamkaaraas or Self-oriented egoistic feelings. The Tamasa Ahamkaara led to the emergence Pancha Bhutasas as follows: first by the Tamasa-based Ahamkara created Tanmatras (Subtle forms of Matter); first the Shabda Tanmatra or  Guna Rupa/ feature of Sound leading to the Creation of Shabda Guna and its allied Aaakaasha or the Sky; the Shabda Tanmaatra represented by Sky created the Sparsha Tanmatra leading to the manifestation to Vaayu; the Taamasa Guna’s Ahamkara which created Aakasha and Vayu from the Shabda and Sparsha Tanmaatraas respectively led to the emergence of Rupa Tanmatra which in turn led to the Tejo Bhuta;further on the Tamasika Guna having created the Sky- Air- Illumination and Heat or Fire furher went on to the  emergence of Rasa Tanmatra and its allied Aapo Bhuta  or Jala /Water; finally the Tamasika Guna having interacted with Shabda-Sparsha-Rupa-Rasa Tanmatras and created Sky-Air-Fire-Water, had further reacted with Gandha Tanmatra and materialised Prithvi or Earth. Thus the Maha Tatwa created : ‘Prithivyaaas Tejo Vaayuraakaashaas’ or Earth-Water-Radiance-Wind, and Sky. Maha Tatwa’s Raajasa-ahankara Guna was responsible for the creation of Panchendriyas viz. Pancha Jnanendriyas and Pancha Karmendriyas all driven by Manasa (Mind). The Karmendritas are Paayu (anus), Upastha ( marmendriya), hasta, paada, and Vaak; the Jnaanindriyas are Twak (Skin),Chakshu (Eyes), Naasika (Nose), Jihva (Tongue) and Shrotra (Ears). Together with the Pancha Bhutas as above, the Beings of Srishti are thus readied with their Indriyas or Physical Features to face their lives.

The Foremost tangible and practical Creation that the Maha Tatwa, as produced by the inter -action of Purusha and Prakriti viz. the Supreme Self and Alternative Shakti was that of the circular-shaped Brahmaanda or the Golden Egg and Paramatma Himself sat inside it as the Hiranyagarbha . It was in this Golden Egg, there were Sumeru and other Mountains, Sapta Samudraas, Nava Grahaas or Nine Planets, Trilokas, Deva-Asura-Manava Praanis and the extensive flora and fauna as also the ten multiplied Pancha Bhutas; indeed the Golden Egg is likened to a Huge Coconut with the kernel inside camouflaged with seven exterior layers of husk; Maha Vishnu Himself assumed the Swarupa of Brahma of Rajo Guna and was engaged in scripting the Creation of the Universe, took over the task of Satvika Guna in administering the Universe so created Yuga-after Yuga and by transforming himself with  Tamo Guna destroys the Universe as Rudra Deva at the termination ofeach Kalpa! After taking to Yoga Nidra on the comfortable Sesha- Shayya or the bed of Sesha Naga, Vishnu would once again assume the Brahma Swarupa to create the Universe once again thus cycling and recyclingSrishthi- Sthiti- Samhaara:

Srishthi Sthityanta karaneem Brahma Vishnu Shivaatmikaam,

Sa Sanjnaam yaati Bhagavaaneka eva Janaardana!

( Bhagavan Janardana thus performs all the tasks of Creation, Preservation and Destruction as Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara!

Sa yeva Srujyah  sa cha Sarga Kartaa sa yeva  Paatyatti cha Paalyatecha, Brahmaadywavasthaabhi rasesha Murtir Vishnur Varishto Varado Varenyah/

Bhagavan Vishnu alone scripts, secures and smashes the Samsara!)



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