Book Title: World of Philosophy
Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan
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tion in ascribing the meaning 'Sun' to the above verse as the scriptures proclaim Sun as the soul (Atma) of the universe and thus the Supreme Being. (यदापि आदित्य एव मन्त्रेण उफच्यते तदापि आत्म स्वरूपत्वं आदित्यस्य इति अङ्गीकृतत्वात् G&CC Sa 3RTE" (028: R..P.) In several other contexts also it is clear that Shri Shankara has regarded the Sun as the Parabrahma.
Ganapati :
Shri Shankara has prayed to God Ganapati considering Him to be the Parabrahma. One can see this in several hymns on Ganapati. Look at these in the hymn "Mahaganesh Pancharatnam". Sureshwaram, Nidheeshwaram, Gajeshwaram, Ganeshwaram, Maheshwaram Tamashraye Paratparam, Nirantaram.
It is clear that here the word “Paratparam” refers to “Parabrahma”. The fundamental cause of the world is “Prakriti" or Nature. That is 'para'. The power, which is still greater than this 'para' or nature, is the ‘Parabrahma'. It comes repeatedly in the hymns on Ganapati. Hence Shri Shankara prays God Ganapati considering Him as the Parabrahma. Ambika :
We get many instances wherein Shri Shankara has considered "Ambike" as the "Parabrahma" while praying Her in his hymns. In the "Soundarya Lahari"
तनीयांसं पांसुं तवचरणपङ्केहभवं विरिञ्चिः संचिन्वन् विरचयति लोकालविकलम् ॥ वहत्येनं शौरिः कथमपि सहस्रेण शिरसां हर संक्षुद्यैनं भजति भसितोद्भूलन विधिम् ।।
"O ! Mother compassionate, Brahma creates this world by contemplating on the wet subtle dust particles that rest on your tender wet feet. These dust particles are carried on the head by adishesh who is carrying all the worlds on his hood. God Shiva has smeared these dust particles of your feet on His forehead considering it as holy ash.” The depth and breadth of this shloka of the hymn is great. Presently we can emphatically say that the Brahma is the one with which the creation, protection and destruction are carried out. Even Upanishath says this:
"यतोवा इमानि भूतानि जायन्ते, येन जाता जीवन्ति, यत् प्रयंत्यभिसंविशन्ति ..... तद्
Here also, meaning is the same. In the terminology of Vedanta it is termed as "Karana Brahma" or "Ishwara". Brahma is not simply the cause, He is beyond the cause. That is how Shri Shankara has explained Him. The
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