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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
ORIGIN OF THE PANCARĀTRA. şad, 1 where Narada tells Sanatkumāra that he learnt the Ekāyana science, along with the Vedas,etc., and it can be inferred that there existed some ancient literature which the Pāñcarātras held in high esteem as the Vedas, and, which formed, as it were, the source of their inspiration. And, it is quite probable that the Pañcarătra Śruti and Pāñcarātra Upanişad mentioned by Utpala in his Spandapradīpikā 2 refer to the literature of the Ekāyana Sākha. Further passages 3 quoted by the same author under the general name Pāñcarātra may very likely refer to such ancient works as of the Ekāvana Sakhả because of their Vedic style and the nature of their contents. Utpala also quotes from a number of Samhitas of the Pañcarätra school, but in these instances he simply mentions them by name without showing any signs of veneration, as in the other case.
If Utpala's quotations are analysed they are found to be divided in three distinct groups, namely the Pāñcarătra Sruti, Pañcarātra Upanişad and the Pāñcarātra Samhitā. It is thus quite conceivable that even as late as the 10th century when Utpala flourished, the Sruti literature of the Pāñcarătras existed, and probably, it is this branch of literature that the Pañcarătra Saṁhitās refer to as the Ekāyana Veda or the Ekāyana Sakhā.
1. ऋग्वेदं भगवोऽध्येमि यजुर्वेदं सामवेदमथर्वणं चतुर्थमितिहासपुराणं पंचमं वेदानां वेदं farzi mət a FAPT alatti Ri etc. 374 VII, 1-2; also in VII, 1-4;2-1; 5-2; 7-1.
2. 'पाञ्चरात्रश्रुतावपि-यद्वत्सोपानेन प्रासादमारुहेत् प्लवेन वा नदी तरेत् तद्वच्छास्त्रेण हि a RIFATSTTT-fout:' Vijayanagaram Sanskrit Series, p. 2.
afatale a-sala att a 977 a Hitat a HI E' p. 40. 3. 'यदाऽऽत्मनि सर्वभूतानि पश्यति आत्मानं च तेषु पृथक् च तेभ्यः तदा मृत्योर्मुच्यते Fa' p. 29.
*aaarit Ha'p. 35.
ftrauit gia: 57717HFILHÊT facit 5€:' p. 8. ' यावत्तेनैव देहेन वशीभवति भगवद्भूतस्तदा सर्वज्ञो भवति सर्वदर्शी सर्वेश्वरः सर्वशक्तिः'
' तद्यथाऽमि म कस्मिंश्चिद्दाह्ये नान्यत्किञ्चिदुपादत्ते तेन धक्ष्यामीति स्वयं दहति, एवमयAICHISTYTETU TASTYCPArt Faraaa 267:' p. 22.
p. 8.
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