||    SamhithAs and AagamAs    ||

One or two comments on the word Samhita. It is a Vedic word meaning a congregation of several independent units. Like all other Vedic words, it has several meanings as well.

In the Vedic context, Yajur Veda Samhita means redactions of the Rg Verses according to different schools or sakaas or branches such as Vajasaneyi -Madhyandhina Sukla Yajur Veda or the white Yajur Veda. There is another samhita known as Taittiriya Samhita or the Krishna Yajur Veda, which is more akin to a BrahmaNaa rather than Sruthi .There are many rescensions of both sukla and krishna yajur veda samhithAs .

When we use the larger definition, a congregation of several independent units , then AagamAs like PaancharAtra with its independent samhithAs dealing with temple ritual onwards ,Brahma SamhitA (hymns of Brahma in praise of Lord KrishNA containing manthrAs such as Kama bija manthram and kaama gayatri manthram and a host of other topics ranging from GanesA , DurgA to BhagavAn KrishNa) , Bhrigu SamhitA dealing with Jyothisha saasthram , DakshiNA murthy Samhitha (Taantric work dealing with Sri Vidya UpAsanA) , Susrutha samhitha dealing with Aayur Vedam , ALL of these fall in place.

SamhitA also is made up two words ( sam +hitha ). It means roughly one that brings hitham close to one . There are lot of aspects to the word SamhitA , which are worthy of interpretation . But it will be outside the scope of posting on definition and illustrative examples.

In the earlier posting , I included a definition of the word , SamhithA and gave some illustrative examples of SamhithAs .

Since SamhithAs (Veda and Aagama types) have been used as PramANAs to draw anumAnAs (inferences), it is appropriate to define them first.

1 .PramANam: It is defined as an accurate conception or notion or description as it is. It has also been derived as a means to arrive at correct knowledge or a mode of proof.

The naiyAyikAs , the Vedanthins , the MimAsakAs and the SaankhyAs recognize different kinds of PramANams:

naiyAyikAs: Four kinds (Prathyaksham , anumAnam , upamAnam and Sabdham)

VedAnthins and MimAmsakAs : Six Kinds ; two more added to the above four ( anupalabdhi and arthApatthi )

SaankhyAs: 3 kinds ( Prathayksham , anumAnam and sabdham ) anumAnam here refers to inference without flaw .

2 .AagamA means a text without flaw or sacred scriptures or the last of the pramANAs recognized by the naiyAkikAs (viz), sabdhA /Aaptha Vaakhyams like VedAs . PaancharAthra aagamam's sacredness as a result of its affiliation with Sriman NaarAyaNA is indicated by this quotation:

matham cha VaasudEvasya tasmAth aagamam uchyatE

AagamAs and VedAs have SamhithAs as content or dividing chapters. PaancharAthra AagamA has close to 100 samhithais. The most famous ones are Paadma , Ahirbudhnya samhithAs. Sriman N.Krishnamachari has posted sofar three outstanding articles on PaancharAthra Aagamam ( Saasthram ) in the SaraNAgathi Journal that you may wish to look up for details .

Excerpts from Samhithais pertinent to our discussion
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The 25th adhikAram of Rahasya Traya Saaram ( PrabhAvayavasthAdhikAram ) contains number of PramANams on who is a BrAhmaNan and who is not . In one subsection , Swami Desikan refers to all BhagavathAs as belonging to the same "Jaathi" and quotes from Sasthraas, IthihAsams , Divya prabhandhams and samhithAs .

Examples: 1 .Mahaa Bhaaratham

na sUdrA; Bhagavadh BhakthA: viprA BhagavathA: smruthA :
SARVA VARNESHU tE sudrA: yE hyAbhakthA JanaardanE

(Meaning): Those SudrAs , who have Bhakthi towards Bhagavaan are not SudrAs . They are Bhaagaavatha BrAhmaNAs. In all jAthis (VarNAs), those, who have no bhakthi for JanaardanA are SudrAs.

Swami Desikan introduces the terminology of Bhaagavatha -BrahmaNan and Bhaagavatha-Sudran and Kevala BrahmaNan and kevala Sudran to distinguish the two classes.

2. Divya prabhandhams & AzhwArs' anubhavams

2.1:Swami Quotes PeriyavAcchAn PiLLai's commentary on the famous paasuram of Thirumangai's " Kulam Tarum " , paasuram which asserts that the blessed naamam of NaarAyaNA will yield one Sri VaishNava Kulam , JN~Anam and all kinds of wealth.

2.2: PeriyAzhwAr wishes to cast aside the old kulam and join the Thondar kulam thru wishing the Lord PallANdu (pandaikkulatthai Tavirnthu pallANdu--). This paasuram has been termed as Yekaanthi kula paasuram. Swami concludes that the jaathi of birth will stay, while the acquired kulam will not change.

2.3: A brahma-Vidh sUdrA like VithurA has been recognized by BhagavAN KrishNA , when he partook of annam at his house joyously against DuryOdhanA's objection .VithurA has been decribed as Svayam-Parisuddhan. He did not however volunteer rahasyArthams to DhrudhirAshran and referred him to a qualified Brahmin for instructions on Brahma Vidhyai and RahsyArthams .

2.4: AzhwArs also did not incorporate praNavam in their paasurams for the same reason , since such a sacred manthram has to be received via a proper AchAryA .This is in line with Bhagavan's upadesam in the 18th chapter of Gita , where Sri Parthasarathy points out: " better is one's dharma (though) imperfect than the dharma of another well-performed. He who does the duty ordained by his own nature incurs no evil (kilmisham)". In the earlier verse, He revealed that one attains perfection by worshipping Him with his own duty.

2.5: Thirumazhisai in his famous paasuram ,

" KulangaLAya yeeraraNdil onrilum piranthilEn ,--
ninn ilangu paadamanRi maRROr paRRilEN yem IsanE "

declares: Oh , Sriman NaarAyaNA ! I have no other refuge except Your sacred feet , now that I have not been born in any one of the four kulams ( BrahmaNa , Kshatthriya, Vaisya and Sudra Kulams ) that are eligible to observe their own dharmams .

2.6:At another time , when the village Brahmins stopped their Veda PaarAyaNam at the sight of Thirumazhisai AzhwAr thinking that he was a non-Brahmin and as such should not hear the Veda vAkhyams , they could not remember the place where they had stopped . Thirumazhisai reminded them as to where they left off by a symbol without reciting the Veda Vaakhyam itself . He took in his hand a grain of black rice and scratched it to split it in to two parts ( KrushNAnAm vreehiNeem naka nirbhinnam -- Yajur Vedam 1.8.9) and the assembled BrahmANaas were astounded and recognized the AzhwAr's greatness . AzhwAr did not recite the VedA VakhYam , but guided them to the correct spot . It was not his duty to recite Vedam , but he was jn~Ana svarUpan and hence he knew the Vedam without the need to recite it . This fits in with the BhagavAn's aj~NA ( Gita 18.44) :

svE svE karmaNabhiratha: samsiddhim labathE nara :
(Meaning ): Devoted each to his own duty , man
attains the highest perfection .

2.7: Later in the same village, the ArchA mUrthy of the temple turned his face always to the direction of AzhwAr's travel. The uniqueness of the AzhwAr's greatness was also understood, when he showed to the protestors, who still contested him, by showing the form of the Lord resting on his heart cavity. All of them shut up and understood once and for all who is a " BrahmaNA " and who is not .

2.8:ThiruppANar is another of the Bhaagavatha BrahmaNaas praised by VihagEndra Samhithai . Swami Desikan quotes the following important verse as PramANam from that samhithai:

NaarayaNaika Nishtasya yaa yaa vritthis tadharchanam
yO yO jalpasya sa Japa: tadh dhyAnam yannirakshaNam I
tath paadhAmbhavathulam theertham tadhucchishtam supAvanam
tadh ukthi maathram manthrArghyam tath sprushtam akhilam suchi II

(Meaning): For the one , who thinks always about Sriman NaarAyaNa , his karmAs are Bhagavadh AarAdhanams . Whatever he speaks is holy japam. Whatever he sees is Bhagavadh dhyAnam .The waters that have association
with his feet are the most sacred .His speeches are all sanctifying manthrams. The leftovers from his eating are sanctifying to partake. His touch purifies all that comes into his contact.

2.9: NammAzhwAr was one of these most sacred ones , who followed their VarNAsrama Dharmam and acknowledged in his Sixty fourth Thiruviruttam paasuram ( IrukkAr MozhiyAr -) that he was limited . He says: Oh , My Lord ! The Brahmins will worship Your sacred feet by chanting Veda Rks . I do not have the adhikAram to do that. Hence, I will content myself with just the recitation of your NaamAs " .

2.10: Swami Desikan draws from all these pramANams and sums it up this way:

vaishNavathvENa maanyathvam samAnam munisammatham
jAthyAdhi dhvamsatassAmyam mukthi kaalE bhavishyathi

(Meaning): The Rishis approve that being VaishNavAs is worthy of salutations independent of the Jaathis. At the time of Moksham, jaathis are destroyed and all mukthAs become equal in jaathi.

Summary: Doing their assigned VarNAsrama duties and performing ashtAkshara ( Vaidhika or Taantrika ) Japams , the various azhwArs irrespective of Jaathis attained Moksham and have celebrated thru their paasura Vaakhyams the glory of AshtAksharam this way:

Nin Thiruvettezutthum kaRRU -- Thirumangai( Having learnt and recited Your AshtAksharam )

Yettezutthum vaaramAha OthuvArkal vallar vaanmALavE "
-Thirumazhisai ( Those , who perform AshtAkshara manthra Japam 8,000 times with pleasure would be capable of ruling the Upper world)

Naadum nakaramum nakaRiya NamO NaarAyaNAya "--PeriyAzhwAr
(Oh , people , come hither and recite "Namo NaarAyaNAya" so that the smart ones of the City and those who are not that gifted from the rural parts can both understand )

nalvahaiyAl Namo NaarAyaNA " -- PeriyAzhwAr
( Repeating without any expected returns the manthram , Namo NaarayaNA many times )

aaseenA vaa sayanA vaa tishtanthO yathra kuthra cha
Namo NaarAyaNAyEthi manthraika saraNA vayam
------Naaradheeya Kalpam (4.70 )

(Meaning): We are the ones , who have sought refuge in the MahA manthram , "namo NaarAyaNAya " , whether we are sitting, resting or standing anywhere . We have approached it as our UpAyam for Moksham.

That is the glory of this MahA manthram adapted for one and all as Vaidhika or Taantrika manthram to yield moksha siddhi.

Namo NaarAyaNA

Daasan , Oppilaippan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan



 

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