-

The Pancaratra Agamas: A Brief Study

SWAMI HARSHANANDA

gamas are a special class of Hindu or tantra-exceeds 200, according to lists

A religio-philosophicalliterature handed
down through a succession of teachers
from the most ancient days. Whether they rep-
given in various works, though only a few
have been printed. Quite a few are in the form
of manuscripts preserved in oriental libraries.
resented a system parallel to and separate Many others are not available in any form
from the Vedic traditions or a continuation of though their names are mentioned in other
the same and rooted in them, has been a sub- works. The following is a brief descriptive list
ject of discussion among scholars. However, of the works presently available.
Yamunacarya (918-1038 AD) in his scholarly 1. Ahirbudhnya Samhita: This is a fair ly vo-
work Agamapramcu!ya has conclusively estab- luminous work with 3880 verses in 60 chap-
lished their affinity with the Vedas. Of the ters. The speciality of this work is that it deals
three kinds of Agamas, the Saiva, the Sakta (or with the four vyuhas, or emanations of the
the Tantra) and the Vaif?l].ava, the Paficaratra Lord, descriptions of several mantras (sacred
Agamas belong to the last group. The other syllables) and yantras (magical diagrams) as
branch of the Vaif?l].ava Agamas is the Vaikha- also rituals for curing diseases.
nasa Agama, or the Vaikhanasa Sutras. 2. Aniruddha Samhita: Also called Anirud-
dhasamhita-mahopanifjad, it has 34 chapters
Derivation of the N arne dealing entirely with descriptions of various
The literal meaning of the word Pafica- rituals, methods of initiation, praya§eittas, or
ratra is 'that which is connected with five expiations for sins, rules for making and in-
nights'. Lord Kesava (Vif?l].U or Narayal].a) is stalling the images of gods, and other similar
said to have taught this esoteric science to topics.
Ananta, Garu~a, Visvaksena, Brahma and 3. Haya§ir~a Samhita: A fairly exhaustive
Rudra over five nights (paika = five; ratra = work in 144 chapters and distributed among 4
night). The word ratra also means jfiana, wis- kaf}qas, or sections-'Pratif?thakal].~a', 'San-
dom or knowledge. Since it teaches five kinds karf?al].akal].~a', 'Lingakal].~a' and 'Saurakal].-
of knowledge it is called paficaratra. These are ~a'-it deals primarily with rituals concern-
tattva (cosmology), muktiprada (that which ing the installation of images of various minor
gives mukti, or liberation), bhaktiprada (that deities as also the methods of their prepara-
which confers devotion), yaugika (yoga) and tion.
vaifjayika (objects of desire). Or, alternatively, 4. i§vara Samhita: It is a work of 24 chap-
since it teaches about the five aspects of God ters of which 16 deal with ritualistic worship.
(called Puruf?ottama)-para (highest), vyuha Other subjects treated in this work are descrip-
(emanation), vibhava (incarnation), antaryamin tions of images, methods of dik~a, or spiritual
(indweller) and area (form of worship)-it is initiation, practice of meditation, details re-
called paficaratra. garding mantras, methods of self-control and
the greatness of the Yadava Hill (now known
Paficaratra Literature as Melkote, a Vaif?l].ava pilgrim centre on a
Paficaratra literature is very vast. The to- hillock near Mysore, Karnataka).
tal number of works-generally called samhita 5. Jayakhya Samhita: This work is one of
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 The Paficaratra Agamas: A Brief Study 79

the three cardinal texts of Paficaratra litera- 14. Vihagendra Samhita: It is in 24 chap-
ture. It has 33 patalas, or chapters, and deals ters. Apart from meditation on mantras, it
with the following topics: a detailed account deals with sacrificial oblations. In the twelfth
of creation; yogabhyasa (practice of yoga) and chapter, the topic of praf}ayama as a part of the
mantropasana (spiritual practice through the process of worship is also described exten-
repetition of mantras, or sacred formulas); var- sively.
ious Vaif?l].ava mantras; puja (ritualistic wor- 15. Vifjf}u Samhita: A work in 30 chapters,
ship) and homa (fire ritual); dik~a (initiation); it also deals mainly with ritualistic worship.
temples and worship there; acaras (codes of Its philosophy is akin to that of Sankhya with
conduct) for Vaif?l].avas; and prayascittas, or ex- some variations like the puru~a (the individual
piations of sins. soul) being all-pervading and his activating
6. Kasyapa Samhita: This is a compara- prakrti to evolve into the world.
tively small work in 12 chapters. It deals 16. Vifjf}u-tattva Samhita: Comprising 39
mainly with poisons and methods of remedy chapters, it deals with image worship, ablu-
by suitable mantras, or incantations. tions and the wearing of Vaif?l].ava marks, and
7. Maha-sanatkumara Samhita: This is a vo- some purificatory rites.
luminous work of 10,000 verses spread over
40 sections in 4 chapters. It deals entirely with Philosophy of the Paficaratra Agamas
rituals of worship. The philosophy of this system has been
8. Padma Samhita: Dealing mainly with expounded in detail in the Jayakhya Samhita. A
rituals and chanting of mantras, this work is in brief summary follows.
31 chapters. Though yajfia (Vedic sacrifices), dana
9. Parama Samhita: A work in 31 chapters, (making gifts), svadhyaya (study of the Vedas)
it deals with the process of creation; rituals of and other similar religious disciplines are use-
initiation and worship; and yoga classified as ful in spiritual life, it is only jfiana (knowledge)
jfiana yoga and karma yoga. It declares that jfia- of the paratattva, or the highest Reality, that
na yoga, which includes praf}ayama and sama- can give mok~a.
dhi, is superior to karma yoga, which seems to This paratattva (God) is the same as the
mean ritualistic worship of Vif?l].u. Brahman of the Vedas and the Upanif?ads. He
10. Paramesvara Samhita: A short work of is of the nature of pure Consciousness (cit) and
15 chapters, it deals with meditation on man- Bliss (ananda). He is anadi and ananta (without
tras, sacrifices and methods of rituals as also beginning or end). He is the substratum and
prayascittas, or expiations. support of the whole universe. Though He is
11. Parasara Samhita: A concise work in 8 beyond all gUf}as, He is also the bhoktr (expe-
chapters, it deals with the methods of japa, or riencer, enjoyer) of all that is born out of the
the muttering of the name of God. gUf}as. He is sarvajfia (omniscient) and sarva-
12. Pauskara Samhita: Considered one of sakta (omnipotent). He is both transcendent
the earliest works of the Paficaratra system, and immanent with regard to this created uni-
this consists of 43 chapters. Apart from deal- verse. Hence He is too subtle to be perceived
ing with various kinds of image worship, it by the senses or the mind. However, He can be
also contains certain philosophical views. It is realized through the pure mind. This is called
interesting to note that some funeral sacrifices manasika-pratyak~a.
also find a place here. When they realize this Brahman or God,
13. Sudarsana Samhita: A treatise compris- the jivas appear to have become one with Him,
ing 41 chapters, it deals mainly with medita- but do maintain a subtle distinction also.
tion on mantras and expiations of sins. Hence this philosophy can be called Bheda-

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80 Prabuddha Bharata

beda or Dvaitadvaita. beginningless. However, by the grace of God,

As regards sr~ti, or creation, three kinds the antaryamin, or the Indwelling Power and
are recognized: brahmasarga, prakrtisarga and Spirit, the jiva awakens to true knowledge and
suddhasarga. gets liberated from all shackles.
Brahmasarga is the projection of the four- The path to this mok~a, or liberation, starts
faced Brahma from Visnu and the creation of with the inspiration of the jiva by God to seek a
the world by Brahma. great guru, or spiritual preceptor. This guru
Prakrtisarga is similar to the creation de- gives the disciple mantradik~a (initiation with a
scribed in the Sankhya philosophy. Prakrti or holy name or syllable). Regular and steady
pradhana comprises the three well-known practice of the mantrajapa (repetition of the di-
gU1}as-sattva, rajas and tamas. The first prod- vine name) results in samadhi, or total absorp-
uct of the evolution of pradhana, when sattva is tion in God.
predominant, is buddhi (cosmic intellect). The Upasana, or meditation on God, has two
second product, when rajas has gained the up- stages. The first is called kriyakhya. It is in the
per hand, is ahaiIkara (egoism). This is of three form of practice of various virtues like sauca
types: prakasatma or taijasatma, vikrtatma and (cleanliness), yajfia (sacrifices), tapas (auster-
bhutatma. The first gives rise to the five jfianen- ity),adhyayana (study of the scriptures),ahirhsa
driyas (organs of knowledge) and the mind. (not harming others), satya (truth), karu1}a
The second produces the five karmendriyas (or- (compassion), dana (giving gifts), and so on.
gans of action). From the last evolve the suk~­ The second is called sattakhya or jfianakhya. It is
mabhutas or tanmatras (the five subtle ele- practically the same as jfiana yoga. Purified by
ments). These then create the five gross ele- the practice of kriyakhya, the mind is now able
ments. The whole creation comes out of a com- to meditate on the Atman within, which re-
bination of these basic products. The puru~as sults in the experience of unitive conscious-
or jivas (souls) get associated with bodies in ac- ness that jfiatr (knower), jfieya (object of
cordance with their karma, due to the will of knowledge) and jfiana (knowledge) are all one
God. Their association with the inert bodies and the same.
make the latter appear as conscious even as an The Paficaratra Agamas, especially the
iron piece acts like a magnet in the vicinity of a Jayakhya Sarhhita, describe two types of yogas:
powerful magnet. mantradhyana and yogabhyasa. The former con-
Suddhasarga is the third creation. Here sists of meditation on God with form along
God, called Puruf?ottama Vasudeva, evolves with the repetition of appropriate mantras.
from out of Himself three subsidiary agents or The latter is almost the same as the Yoga of
forms: Acyuta, Satya and Puruf?a. These forms Patafijali (200 Be).
in reality are non-different from Him. The A special contribution of the Paficaratra
third form, Puruf?a, acts as the antaryamin, or Agamas to the religio-philosophicalliterature
the Inner Controller. It is He who inspires all of Hinduism is the concept of the vyuhas,
the gods to work. It is He who binds the jivas which are four. (Hence the name caturvyuhas,
with vasanas (resid ual impressions) and again, catur meaning 'four'.) Vyuha means a projec-
it is He who inspires them to undergo sadhanas tion or emanation.
(spiritual disciplines) to get out of the bondage In this system, Paramatman, Narayal].a,
of vasanas. Vif?l].u, Bhagavan and Vasudeva are the vari-
The maya (delusion) power of God makes ous names by which God the Supreme is
the jivas (through vasanas, or past impressions) known. Bhaga means ~aqgu1}as, or the group of
get identified with the body-mind complex. six blessed qualities. They are jfiana (knowl-
This association of vasanas is anadi, or edge), aiSvarya (lordship), sakti (ability, po-

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 The Paficaratra Agamas: A Brief Study 81

tency), bala (strength), virya (virility, unaffect- nial water) in ritualistic worship. Iconogra-
edness) and tejas (splendour). Since God, phically, all of them are identical except for the
more commonly known as Vasudeva in this arrangement of the four emblems of Vif?l].u-
system, has all these gw!as, or attributes, in the saiIkha (conch), cakra (discus), gada (mace) and
fullest measure, he is called Bhagavan. By the padma Ootus)-in the four hands.
will of Bhagavan Vasudeva (the first or the
original vyuha) the second vyuha, Sankarf?al].a Conclusion
(or Balarama), emerges. From Sankarf?al].a em- The Paficaratra Agamas are a continuation
anates Pradyumna and from him Aniruddha. of the Vedic tradition. They also expand and
Though the latter three vyuhas are also in expound concepts about God and devotion.
essence equal to Vasudeva, they manifest only Apart from sr~ti (creation), sthiti (sustenance)
two of the six gw!as prominently, the other and pralaya (dissolution) of the world, God
four being in a latent condition. If in Sankar- discharges two more functions: nigraha (con-
f?al].a jfiima and bala are predominant, in Prad- trolling and punishing evil-doers) and anu-
yumna aiSvarya and virya are more prominent. graha (showering His blessings on those who
Aniruddha, on the other hand, exhibits sakti lead a good life and are devoted to Him). If the
and tejas to a much greater degree. doctrines of bhakti, or devotion, and prapatti,
Each of the vyuhas is created with two ac- or self-surrender, find an important place in
tivities, a creative and a moral one. this system, no less is the attention paid to ritu-
Each of the vyuhas, again, gives rise to als, worship, images of deities, and temples as
three more sub-vyuhas, making a total of also several mantras, the repetition of which
twelve emanations. They are Kesava, Nara- will confer many a blessing on the votaries.
yal].a, Madhava, Govinda, Vif?l].u, Madhusu- Thus the Paficaratra Agamas have contributed
dana, Trivikrama, Vamana, Sridhara, Hrf?i- considerably towards practical Hinduism.
kesa, Padmanabha and Damodara. These Even today, most of the Vaif?l].ava temples, es-
twelve are considered the masadhipas or adhi- pecially in South India, follow their dictates,
devatas (tutelary deities) of the twelve lunar thus keeping its traditions alive. *
months. They are also offered arghya (ceremo-

Awakening
he story goes that a fire broke out in a house in which a man was fast asleep. They tried to carry him out
T through the window. No way. They tried to carry him out through the door. No way. He was just too
huge and heavy.

They were pretty desperate till someone suggested, 'Wake him up; then he'll get out by himself.'

Only children need to be taken care of

Wake up!

Or grow up!

-Anthony de Mello, The Prayer of the Frog, 2.78-9

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