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Re: Sriman- Narayana

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Vijay Srinivasan • December 26, 1995 


I read with great interest Mr. Mani's writings on the determination of  
Paratatva based on Vedas. I would add Ambhasya Pare, Bhuvanasya Madhye - (in 
the shoreless water etc.) text of the MahaNarayanopanishad as a further 
supporting statement.  Also the shathapatha brahmana of the vedas (Refer: 
shathapatha brahma nandita - vide Sudharshanashtakam of Swami Desikan) provides 
immense details on Vishnu as the supreme purusha.   There is no doubt that 
Sriman  Narayana is the Supreme Being referred to in the Vedas and Upanishads. 
This fact is accepted by all the three acharyas.  In the same token, if you 
take Narayana as everything (including Brahma, Siva and Vishnu), then how are 
we to convince the Purva-Pakshi that the worship of Vishnu alone can lead to 
the supreme goal. I would appreciate if someone can comment on this.  I am at 
least aware of one explanation.  Mahabharatha which is considered on par with 
Vedas (Panchamo Veda) clearly gives the Paramatma status to Vasudeva and Sarira 
status to all other gods (including Siva and Brahma).  This is dealt in detail 
in Rahasyatraya saram in the adhikara entitled "Paratatva Nirnayadhikaram"


Vijay