REFERENCES TO VAIKHANASA IN THE MAHABHARATA

 

REFERENCES TO VAIKHANASA IN THE MAHABHARATA

(Sangendhi Dr.S.Muthu Batter, Associate Professor,

Dept. of Sanskrit, RKM Vivekananda College, Chennai-4)

Epics occupy an important place in Sanskrit Literature. In the Mahabharata, we find variety of Dharma are illustrated. In Sanskrit Literature, we only refer to Mahabharata after the Vedas and Dharmasastra for it contains lots of examples for righteousness, Whatever Dharma is dealt with in Mahabharata can be found in all sastras but whatever has not been dealt with in it, is not found in any other sastras. धर्मे च अर्थे च कामे च मोक्षे च भरतर्षभ। यदिहस्ति तदन्यत्र यन्नेहास्ति न तत्कचित्।।

Coming to reference to Vaikhanasa in the epic, these can be found mentioned through out.

This Universe was created by Lord Vishnu because of his sportive nature and he directed Brahma 10 ask further creations and the world. After the creation of the world, Lord Vishnu wanted to incarnate himself. He asked the sages to render service in the earth at the time of Lord's incarnation. Nobody came forward and hence the Lord after deep thoughts, created (dug out) a sage from his mind. As the sage was created by Lord due to deep thinking, the sage was called Vikhanas. This idea is found in Santiparva. विशेषेणाखनत् यस्मात् भावनामुनिसृष्टये। तस्माद्विखनसो नाम स आसीदण्डजः प्रियः ।।

स्रष्टुं स तु समुद्युक्तो ब्रह्मयोनियमः प्रभुः । खनित्वा चात्मनाSSत्मानं धर्मादिगुण संयुतम्।। ध्यानमाविश्य योगेन हि आसीद्विखनसो मुनिः।।

Vikhanas came to Naimisaranya and taught the Agama sastras to Atri , Pulastya and other sages. Hence he is known as Acarya. विखना इति वै विष्णुस्तज्जा वैखानसाः स्मृताः। विष्णोरेव समुत्पन्ना भृग्वाद्या मुनयस्तथा।। (महाभा. शान्ति.)

85^th  Chapter of Anusasanikaparva in Mahabharata explains in detail the appearance of the Sages like Bhrgu, Vikhanasa etc.

भृगित्येव भृगुः पूर्वमङ्गारेभ्योऽङ्गिराभवत्। अङ्गारसंश्रयाश्चैव कविरित्यपरोऽभवत्।। सहज्वालाभिरुत्पन्नो भृगुस्तस्माद्भृगुस्स्मृतः । मरीचिभ्यो मरीचिस्तु मारीच: काश्यपो ह्यभूत्।।

तथाऽनेस्तस्य भस्मभ्यो ब्रह्मर्षिगणसम्मताः। वैखानसास्समुत्पन्नाः तपः श्रुतगुणेप्सवः ।।

The Vaikhanasas have the privilege of separately doing the निषेक karma rites. They have to follow the principles of Vaikhanasa Sastra and become eligible to perform the poojas in Vaishnavite (Hindu) temples. In Santiparva - भृग्वङ्गिरो मरीच्यत्रिपुलस्त्यपुलहाः क्रतुः। तथा वसिष्ठो दक्षश्च नव स्वायम्भुवा द्विजाः ।। एते वैखानसानान्तु ऋषीणां भावितात्मनाम्। वंशकर्तार उच्यन्ते सात्विकाहारभोजिनाम्।।। Sabhaparva compares Vaikhanasas to Valakhilya sages who are capable of doing great Tapas. पितामहस्य भवनं जग्मुश्च कृपयाऽन्विताः। ततो ददृशुरात्मानं सह देवैः पितामहम्।। सिद्धैः महर्षिभिश्चैव समन्तात्परिवारितम्। तत्र विष्णुर्महादेवः तत्राग्निर्वायुना सह।। चन्द्रादित्यौ च धर्मश्च परमेष्ठी तथा बुधाः । वैखानसा वालखिल्याः सोमपाश्च मरीचिपाः।। अजाश्चैवाजमीढाश्च तेजोगर्भस्तपस्विनः। ऋषयस्सर्व एवेते पितामहमुपासते।।

We find the reference to Vanaprasthasrama in Vaikhariasa literature which is depicted in Mahabharata.

श्रुणु राजन् वसिष्ठस्य मुख्यं कर्म यशस्विनः। वैखानसविधानेन गङ्गातीरं समाश्रिताः।।

आदित्यास्सत्रमीहन्ति सरो वैखानसं प्रति।। (महाभा.आनु.)

It is stated here that the sages have to perform Satra yaga. Satra yaga here refers to the Vanaprastha Asrama according to Vaikhanasa.

In Asvamedhaparva section, Yudhisthira asked the Lord, as to the agama according to which to Lord SrimanNarayana puja performed. How according to Pancaratra and Vaikhanasa vidhanas the pujas are to be done? Lord told that Pancaratra way is doing puja with Ashtaksaram, dvadasaksharam and other Vaidikamargas. Vaikhanasa way is doing puja with veda mantras and referring to vishnu by his different names like Vishnu, Purusa, Satya, Acyuta and Aniruddha.

युधिष्ठिरः - कथं त्वमर्चनीयोऽसि मूर्तयः कीदृशाश्च ते। वैखानसाः कथं ब्रूयुः कथं वा पाञ्चरात्रिकाः।।

श्रीभगवान् - अष्टाक्षर विधानेन अथवा द्वादशाक्षरैः। वैदिकैरथवा मन्त्रैः मम सूक्तेन वा पुनः।। स्थितं मां मन्त्रतस्तस्मिन्नर्चयेत् सुसमाहितः। विष्णुश्च पुरुषं सत्यमच्युतञ्च युधिष्ठिर।।

अनिरुद्धञ्च मां प्राहुः वैखानसविदो जनाः।

.

Sri Srinivasamakhi wrote the Dasa-vidha-hetunirupana, which is in the form of question and answers about distinctions of Vaikhanasa agamas. The first question deals with the issue authority of Vaikhanasa sutra. The book also refers to an interesting the point that 1000 births as haribhakta makes one born as Vaikhanasa. This is referred in Santiparva of Mahabharata -  मन्त्रिणाञ्च सहस्रेभ्यो ब्रह्मचारी विशिष्यते। ब्रह्मचारी सहस्रेभ्यो नित्ययाजी विशिष्यते। नित्ययाजी सहस्रेभ्यो सोमयाजी विशिष्यते। सोमयाजी सहस्रेभ्यो वेदवेदान्तपारगाः। वेदान्तगसहस्रेभ्यो विष्णुभक्तो विशिष्यते। विष्णुभक्तसहस्रेभ्यो विप्रो वैखानसो वरः।।

In Aranyaparva it is mentioned that Vaikhanasas followed the austerity of Asrama life. ख्यातञ्च सैन्धवारण्यं मुनिबृन्दनिषेवितम्। पितामहसर: पुण्यं पुष्करं नाम भारत। एतैः चन्द्रसरो नित्यमर्पयन्त्यृषयस्तथा। वैखानसप्रभृतयो वालखिल्यास्तथैव च।।

In Mahabharata we find the Vaikhanasa insistence of certain principles to be followed in daily. (tarpanakrama). कानि तीर्थानि भगवन् नृणां देहाश्रितानि वै। तानि मे शंस भगवन् याथातथ्येन पृच्छतः।।  सर्वतीर्थेषु तीर्थज्ञ किं तीर्थं परमं नृणाम्। यत्रोपस्पृश्य पूतात्मा नरो भवति नित्यशः।। (महाभा.आनु.)

In Mahabharata it is stated सावित्री be recited first and then the beginning of four Veda Mantras at the time of Brahmayajna. सावित्रीञ्चैव वेदांश्च तुलयाsतुलयन् पुरा। देवा ऋषिगणाश्चैव सर्वे ब्रह्मपुरस्सराः । चतुर्णामपि वेदानां सा हि राजन् गरीयसी। यथा विकसिते पुष्पे मधु गृह्णाति षट्पदः । समुत्सृज्य रसं सर्वं निरर्थकमसारवत्। एवं हि सर्ववेदानां सावित्री प्राण उच्यते। निर्जीवा हीतरे वेदा विना सावित्रिया नृप।। (महाभा. आश्व.)

Vaikhanasa insists that the Punyahavacanam be performed either facing east or north direction. The same fact is also described in Mahabharata.

यस्मादुत्तार्यते पापात् यस्मानिश्श्रेयसं चरेत्। तस्मादुत्तारणफलात् उत्तरेत्युच्यते बुधैः ।। (महाभा. शान्ति.)

An interesting point for the modern studies, Vikhanas tells that a boy should not be beaten with a stick while he is at studies. चोदितातिक्रमे दण्डे न हन्यात्। (वैखानस.गृह्य.) The same point is referred to in Mahabharata.

यदि पुत्रञ्च यच्छिष्यं गुरुस्सन्ताडयेद्बहु। अकारणात्कामकारः सोऽपि हिंस्रः प्रजायते।।

In general whatever has been said on Mahabharata is found in many Sastras. Hence we should follow the Dharmas referred in different Sastras and be benefited by it.

Mangalani Bhavantu