Search:

From the Bhakti List Archives

sampath kumar • March 10, 2000 


Dear SrimAn Anbil,

Thank you for your clarifications re: the non-Vedic
origins of the AgamA-s. (Sri.Anbil, thank you too very
much for your  private-mail to me on the subject which
too was very enlightening).

Adiyen "confusion" arises not out of the word
"samhita" (as Mani said) but basically but because in
certain articles (some TTD magazine, I think)  I had
read in the past on the subject I remember reading
clearly the authors stating that the 'pAncharAtra'
system was extensively inspired by both "samkhyA" and
yogA systems. And since "samkhyA" according to the
MahabhAratA also traces its roots to Vedic philosophy,
adiyen (perhaps mistakenly, I don't know) thought that
it follows that the AagamA-s too have their basic
origins in the Vedas only.

The aagamA-s deal with cosmogony. The "jyotisha-anga"
of the Vedas too deal with cosmogony and astronomy. So
I had figured that the aagama must have its roots
somewhere in the Veda or VedAnga.

Further reading Sri.KrishnamAchari's post on the
bhakti-archive (which adiyen had read much earlier
even) I had believed his reference to Sri.Desikan's
note in the tattva-mukta-kalApa that the
"pAncha-rAtrA" system has its origins in the "ekAyana
sAkhA" of the Vedas... I had believed that finally
settled the matter for me.

Adiyen is still not sure what the exact position on
this matter is.

Sri.Anbil is probably right when he says, " what my
Acharyas have explained is that the Vedas are like
Departmental 
Stores (Pala Sarakku Kadai) catering to the needs of
all and any consumers. This aspect has been taken
advantage of by Non-Vedic literatures to derive some
semblance of authenticity for their own projections
because in those 
days people respected any view only if shown to derive
inspiration from Vedas. May be, this is possibly one
example of these."

Sir, if our temples are "aagami-c" and aagama is not
Vedic at all, then what are we Veda-Vedantic adherents
of various hues doing inside a "non-Vedic" temple? 

Yes, Sir, it is all really a little "confusing", yes
it is indeed!

dAsan,
Sampathkumaran    


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.
http://im.yahoo.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  - SrImate raamaanujaaya namaH -
To Post a message, send it to:   bhakti-list@eGroups.com
Visit http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/ for more information

------------------------------------------------------------------------
GET A NEXTCARD VISA, in 30 seconds!  Get rates 
as low as 0.0% Intro APR and no hidden fees.
Apply NOW!
http://click.egroups.com/1/969/2/_/716111/_/952714605/

-- 20 megs of disk space in your group's Document Vault
-- http://www.egroups.com/docvault/bhakti-list/?m=1