the Bhagavats

  The Bhagavat sect is a very old Vaishnava cult worshiping Narayana under different names such as Vishnu, Achyuta, Vasudeva. They were the followers of Shree Krishna Bhagavan since the early days of Dvapara yuga. It is also interesting to note that there were Saraswats worshiping Devi Sharda at the same time. Records show the Bhagavats practising Vaishnava practices worshiping images of Vishnu as early as 6th Cent. B.C. These people were totally a devoted section, not well versed in the knowledge of Veda, or any scriptures, and thereby, frowned and looked down, too, with contempt by the puritan Vedic pundits. The contempt was so deep that it was considered a sin to talk to these people, let alone sit and eat with them! This extreme situation was only due to the strong belief that the Vedic pundits considered knowledge as superior to devotion. Moreover, there was no practice of idol worship among the Vedic people since they use only yajnya, yaga, havana, homa and other methods to propitiate the  Vedic Gods like Indra, Rudra, Varuna, Maruta, Vishve devas, etc.All these Vedic Gods were 'Elemental Gods' who gave rain, food, wealth, good health and happiness. This was in contrast to rituals of idol worship- starting from the construction of temples, installing idols, initiating people to shastra and mantra to worship and detailed accounts of these came up as shilpa shastra, puja vidhi, and other kainkaryam. 

    Kurma purana has more details about these. The non-Vedic  Shaiva, Shakta, and the Pancharatrins were considered great sinners. (Ch. XV). These Vedic pundits denounced the Pancharatrins as fools who do not understand the Veda. A number of Samhitas like the Vashishtha-samhita, Suta-samhita and the Shamba purana denounced the pancharatrins' ways of worship. However, Yamunacharya and Ramanuja showed pity and was sympathetic of the Bhagavats and appreciated Bhakti cult since it was full of devotion and sincerity. Pure devotion (Bhakti) was sure to deliver the ignorant souls from the miseries and bondage. Thus, we have great supporters of Pancharatrins in the Shree-Vaishnava pundits and acharyas.

    The Pancharatra works, such as, the Satvata, Poushkara, Parama, Jayakhya are the most beautiful samhitas eulogising Narayana who manifests as Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha. The vast .  multifarious worlds of manus, manes and  amnu start here. Creation is explained in great detail in the Ahirbudhnya samhita and will be discussed here in the next few blogs.. However, it must be noted that there is no need for any Vedic knowledge to worship devi devata in temples and all archakas, poojaris, need not necessarily be brahmins. Worship of devi and devata in temples like Lakshmi, Kali, Durga, Hanuman or Ganapati are given on lease to some families and they collect all the temple income! Only Agama shastra experts perform rituals strictly in accordance with the guidelines given in the Shastra, specially as in South Indian Temples (as in Tirupati, Kamakshi, Meenakshi, Ranganatha, Padmanabha Swamy, etc). But, one should worship the deity of his/her likes only in meditation (dhyan), dharana, japa only. All outward worship are of lower level as per the Agama Shastra, too.