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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NAME PANCARĀTRA
ed as the Vasudevamata. For between Bhagavan and Vasudeva there can be perceived very little difference. Bhagavān represents the one Monistic God possessing the six Guņas or qualities: Jiana, Sakti, Bala, Aisvarya, Virya and Tejas, and similarly Vasudeva is endowed with all these six divine qualities in the Puranas. 1
Various definitions for the term Pāñcarătra are to be met with in the writings of the followers of the school, and the following among them may be considered to be fairly representative :
पञ्चायुधांशास्ते पञ्च शाण्डिल्यश्चौपगायनः । मौड्यायनः कौशिकश्च भारद्वाजश्च योगिनः ॥ पश्चापि पृथगेकैकं दिवारानं जगत्प्रभुः । अध्यापयामास यतस्ततस्तन्मुनिपुङ्गवाः । शास्त्रं सर्वजनोंके पञ्चरात्रमितीर्यते ॥ ईश्वरसंहिता अ. 21,579-532. पञ्चेतराणि शास्त्राणि रात्रीयन्ते महान्त्यपि । तत्सन्निधौ समाख्याऽसौ तेन लोके प्रवर्तते ॥ पाद्मसंहिता. ज्ञानपाद. I. रात्रयो गोचराः पञ्च शब्दादिविषयात्मिकाः । महाभूतात्मका वाऽत्र पञ्चरात्रमिदं ततः॥ अवाप्य तु परं तेजो यत्रैताः पञ्च रात्रयः । नश्यन्ति पञ्चरात्रं तत्सर्वाज्ञानविनाशनम् ॥ विष्णुसंहिता। तत्परव्यूहविभवस्वभावादिनिरूपणम् ।
पाश्चरात्राह्वयं तन्त्रं मोक्षैकफललक्षणम् ॥ अहिर्बुध्यसंहिता, XI, 64-66 Among the above, the last one seems to be most appropriate, not only because it appears in one of the early Sambitās, namely, the Ahirbudhnya Samhitā but also because it is in full accord with the Pāñcarătra Sattra as described in the Satapatha Brahmana. 2 Dr. Schrader believes 3 that the doctrine of the five-fold manifestation of god Vasudeva has for its basis the Pancarătra Sattra as described in the Satapatha Brāhmaṇa. 1. 'एवमेष महाशब्दो भगवानिति सत्तम ।। परमब्रह्मभूतस्य वासुदेवस्य नान्यतः ॥' विष्णुपुराण VI, 5, 76
___(Jivanand Cal. 1882) also षाड्गुण्यविग्रहं देवं etc. अहिर्बुध्य. VI, 25 2. XIII. 6. 1. 3. Introdaotion to the Panoarātra p. 25.
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