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pAncharAtra and vaikhAnasa

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Malolan Cadambi • October 30, 2002 


Dear Members,

I had the pleasure of going through Dr V Varadachary's book on the Pancharatra Agamam today. To start with, there is no rivalry between both the Vaikhanasa and the pAncharatra agamam. For that matter, the vaikhansa agamam itself reccomends rules from the pAncharatram.

>From this, it is logical to deduce that the Vaikhansa Agamam was posterior in origin to the pAncharAtram.

Dr Varadachary quotes from the Brughu KriyAdhikAra of the Vaikhanasa Agama as follows:

gurUpadEsha-samsiddAihi kalpamantrE-rathApi vA |
AasanAdhyupachAraiistu pUjyedEti kEchana ||

Here Swami Vedanta Desikan, the author of pAncharatra raksha, observes that the word 'kalpa mantra' refers only to those of the pAncharatra. He adds further that the Vaikhanasa system enjoins the use of SadAksara mantra for the installation and worship of Sudharshana. 

This is not treated in the Vaikhanasa tess and the rules laid in the Vasista, Vihagendra and Ahirbhudyana Samhita-s are to be followed. (This is quoted from Pancharatra Raksha, pp 21 - 23).

It does not follow that pAncharatra is superior to the Vaikhanasa or vice versa. They both maintain the supremacy of Vishnu and enjoin his worship.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Malolan Cadambi


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