Pancharatra Agama Shastra (Contd.)

  'Parabrahman', paramatman, is nirguna (without any attributes of qualities. Though 'gunatita', beyond all qualities (guna), He is sarvajnya (Omniscient/all-knowing), the bhoktru (Enjoyer) of all that is borne out of Him, as qualities (guna)! Jayakhya Samhita says, the Vedic sacrifices (yajnya), dana (giving gifts), svadhyaya (study of scriptures), satsang, and such other disciplines are useful in spiritual life. It further emphatically lays down that "Only jnyana (Knowledge) of Brahmn, Atman, the Self, will bring moksha. Jayakhya Samhita says, God, the 'paratattva' is Brahmn as stated in the veda. Brahmn is of the nature of pure consciousness, sat-chit-ananda and 'niralamba' (needs no support), self-effulgent, without any beginning or end (anadi and ananta). In fact, He the invisible, too subtle to be perceived by humans, is all powerful supports all that exists! His creation is of three types: Brahmasarga, Prakrutisarga, and shuddhasarga. The Brahmasarga is Chatumukha Brahma, the Creator is the manifest aspect of Vishnu who creates the phenomenal objective material world. The predominant aspects of creation are better explained in the 'Lakshmi Tantra' of the Agama Shastra where Devi Maha Lakshmi says, "She is the Sovereign Authority (Samrajnyi) and appoints Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna, and Aniruddha to create the Great Sages, Devi Devata, Pitrus/manes and the prani/jivarashi of tamasa pravrutti! 

 After the 'Brahma Sarga' comes the 'prakruti sarga'. Here, the three Guna- sattva, rajas, and tamas act and react in permutation and combination in the functioning world. of tri-gunatmika or traigunya vishaya-vyakti-vastu prapancha.

 'Pradhana' is the first evolute of prakruti sarga. Sattva guna is predominant here and 'buddhi' or 'cosmic intelligence' operates. When 'rajoguna predominates, 'ahankara' manifests as the second aspect. Ahankara is of three types- prakashatma, taijasatma, and bhutatma. The 'prakashatma' produces the five jnyanendriya and the mind (manas). the taijasatma produces five karmendriya. And, the third one, bhutatma, produces the sukshmbhuta or subtle elements called tanmatra (the qualities such as shabda (sound), touch (sparsha), smell (gandha or vasana), taste (rasa or ruchi), and forms (rupa) grasped by the jnyanendriya.

Thus, the entire creation is the product of combination of these (as enunciated in teh Sankhya).

(to be contd...)