Vibhav roopams of Bhagwan

अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन्।
प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय संभवाम्यात्ममायया।।BG 4.6।।

Though I am unborn, blemisheless; I am born out of my own free will, by employing my own self-nature (swabhaava).

बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन।

The number of births of Bhagwan is infinite. He is born among devaas, Manushyas, tiryak, sthaavar etc and takes bodies similar to them.

अजायमानो बहुधा विजायते।

Bhagwaan out of his own free will, comes down in various forms. Those forms are called Vibhava avataras.

Q. How are we translating ‘maayaa’ as ‘free will’

माया वपुनं ज्ञानम् (कोश)

Here, Maya means gyaanam. Thus, maaya here (संभवाम्यात्ममायया) is the ‘free Will’ of Bhagwan. प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय means Bhagwan comes with his own prakriti or nature. He doesn’t change. He is the same Bhagwan who is present in Sri Vaikuntham.

In Bhagwad Gita Bhashya, Ramanuja swami writes:

ब्रह्मादिदेवमनुष्याणां ध्यानाराधनाद्यगोचरः अपि अपारकारुण्यसौशील्यवात्सल्यौदार्यमहोदधिः, स्वमेव रूपं तत्तत्सजातीयसंस्थानं स्वस्वभावम् अजहद् एव कुर्वन् तेषु तेषु लोकेषु अवतीर्य अवतीर्य तैः तैः आराधितः, तत्तदिष्टानुरूपं धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाख्यं फलं प्रयच्छन्, भूभारावतारणापदेशेन अस्मदादीनाम्अपि समाश्रयणीयत्वाय अवतीर्य सकलमनुजनयनविषयतां गतः।

Key point here is: स्वस्वभावम् अजहद् एव कुर्वन्। Without leaving his very nature, when he is born among devas, manushyas, tiryak etc.

Why are avataras called Vibhava?

स उ श्रेयान भवति जायमानः ।
By taking birth only he becomes glorified.

Thus, when he is born in the sansara and becomes the subject of the eyes of everyone, that is what makes him glorious. In Vibhava avatara only, the vaibhav of bhagwan is seen.

What is the purpose of Bhagwan taking vibhava avataras?

Bhagwan himself says:

परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम्।
धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय संभवामि युगे युगे।।4.8।।

Bhagwan lists three reasons for his avataras: saadhu paritraanam, dushkrit vinaasham, dharm sansthaapanam. Out of the three, Bhashyakaar swami explains that Saadhu paritraanam or protecting his devotees is the mail goal of his incarnation. As these Saadhus are foremost of the vaishnavas and they can’t live without him. Without him, their life is fish out of the water. For the sake of them, Bhagwan comes and shows his mangal vigraham in front of them and protects them.

In Gita Bhashya, Bhashyakaara swami says that for devotees like Akrura, Maalaakara etc, he has come as Krishna. Dusht-vinaashanam is just a vyaaja.

Q. Some people say that Bhagwan took birth due bhrugu-shraapa etc karmas?

Rishi shraapa as vyaaja for avatara

Answer: There is a difference between our birth and the birth of Bhagwan. Our birth is due to karma and to suffer the fruits of karma. Whereas, the birth of bhagwan is due to his own will/ichchha.

Bhrigu had given a curse that you will suffer with separation from wife:

पतिव्रता धर्मपरा हता येन मम प्रिया ।
स तु प्रियाविरहितश्चिरकालं भविष्यति ।।

However, Bhagwan himself says that rishi-shraapa was his own will and he took it as vyaaja to come as Rama.

तपसाऽऽराधितो देवो ह्यब्रवीद्भक्तवत्सलः ।
लोकानां सम्प्रियार्थन्तु शापं मद्भाह्यमुक्तवान् ।।

In Linga purana:

सर्वावर्तेषु वै विष्णोर्जननं स्वेच्छयैव तु ।
जरकास्त्रच्छलेनैव स्वेच्छया गमनं हरेः ।।
द्विजशापच्छलेनैवमवतीर्णोऽपि लीलया ।।

Classifications of Vibhava avataras

Among the Vibhava avataras, there are two broad categories:

1. Pramukha avataras or swayam avataras.
2. Gauna avataras or aavesha avataras.

Both mukhya and gauna avataras are infinite.

अवतारा ह्यसङ्ख्येया हरे: सत्त्वनिधेर्द्विजा: ।
यथाविदासिन: कुल्या: सरस: स्यु: सहस्रश: ॥ श्रीमद्भागवत १.३.२६ ॥

Mukhya avatara means Bhagwan himself taking forms of deva, manushya, tiryaka etc. In all these forms, he is ‘swayam bhagwan’. Mukhya avataras are superior. Examples are: Varaaha, Narasimha, Rama, Krishna, Vaamana, Kalki etc.

Gauna avataras are amukhya. In these avataras, bhagwan doesn’t take form himself but empowers a jeevatma with his swarupa or shakti. Thus, gauna avataras can also be classified into two categories:

A. Swarupa aavesha : Being present with his asaadhaarana vigraha inside a jeevatma. E.g. Parashuram, Buddha etc.

B. Shakti aavesha : Empowering a jeevatma for a certain period of time, for a particular function, with his shakti. Examples are Rudra, Brahma and also Kaartaveerya Arjuna etc.

Important note:

In swayam avataras, bhagwan takes shareera which are not prakrita but shuddha-sattva apraakrita tattvas. Shuddha Sattva is swayam-prakash dravyas. Thus, they are called shubhaashraya tirumeni. Upon meditating on these forms, we get filled with sattva gunas and rajas, tamas vanishes away.

Whereas, aavesha avataras are jeevatmas only, with prakrita vigrahas (made of panch-bhootas). Praakrita tattvas are ‘bhagwad-swarup-tirodhaan-kareem’. They don’t reveal the bhagwad-swarupa.

It’s not recommended for mumukshus to meditate on aavesha avtaras, they will enhance rajas and tamas in us. However, bhubhukshus meditate on them for material gains.

अनर्ध्यानपि वक्ष्यामि प्रादुर्भावान् यथाक्रमम् ।
चतुर्मुखस्तु भगवान् सृष्टिकार्ये नियोजितः ।।
शङ्कराख्यो महारुद्रः संहारे विनियोजितः ।
मोहनाख्यस्तथा बुद्धो व्यासश्चैव महानृषिः ।।
वेदानां व्यसने तत्र देवेन विनियोजितः ।
अर्जुनो धन्विनां श्रेष्ठो जामदग्न्यो महानृषिः ।।
वसूनां पावकश्चापि वित्तेशश्च तथैव च ।
एवमाद्यैश्च सेनेश प्रादुर्भावैरधिष्ठिताः ।।
जीवात्मानः सर्व एते नोपास्या वैष्णवैः सदा ।
आविष्टमात्रास्ते सर्वे कार्यार्थममितद्युते ।।
अनर्ध्याः सर्व एवैते विरुद्धत्वान्महामते ।
अहंकृतियुताश्चेमे जीवमिश्रा व्यधिष्ठिताः ।।
(Vishwaksen Samhita)

We can see in SriRamayanam that Swarupa aavesha avatar Paradhurama wins over Shaktyaavesha avataar Kaartaveerya Arjuna. While swayam avatara Sri Rama wins over Parashurama. Thus, Mukhya avatara is greater than aavesha avataras.

ऋषयो मनवो देवा मनुपुत्रा महौजस: ।
कला: सर्वे हरेरेव सप्रजापतय: स्मृता: ॥ २७ ॥

एते चांशकला: पुंस: कृष्णस्तु भगवान् स्वयम् ।
इन्द्रारिव्याकुलं लोकं मृडयन्ति युगे युगे ॥ २८ ॥

“Rishis, Manu, devas etc are aavesha avatars of Hari. Krishna etc are swayam bhagwan.”

Buddha is sometimes counted in swayam avataras as well as aavesha avataras. Parashurama is counted as both swarupa aavesh and Shakti aavesha. This has to be understood as kalpa bhedas.

Glories of Vibhava avatara

Kooresha swami says:

(वरदराजस्तव)

एवं स्थितेत्वदुपसंश्रयणाभ्युपायो
मानेन केनचिदलप्स्यत नोपलब्धुम् ।
नो चेदमर्त्यमनुजादिषु योनिषु
त्वमिच्छाविहारविधिना समवातरिष्यः ।।

If you don’t descend with manushya shareera, and remain in Para loka, none could know about upaay and none could reach.

Thus, coming down as vibhava avataras by taking sajaatiya bodies is the greatest kripa of bhagwan.

Mukhya Vibhava avataras are those in which bhagwan himself takes a body, as per his avataram. The bodies of bhagwaan in these swayam avataras are apraakrita, Shuddha Sattva, Swayam Prakasha and shubhaashraya.

Only these swayam avataras are upaasya for mumukshu jeevatmas.

As told in ‘ajo api san avyavyaatma bhutaanaam Ishwaro api san‘; such bhagwan who is blemish-less and controller of all, takes a form without leaving his swabhaaba of sarva-Ishwaratvam.

Just like a deepam (diya) is lighted from another deepam, similarly bhagwan takes one form from another form. Just like when a deepam is lighted from another deepam, it doesn’t differ it’s swarupa, similary when one mangal vigraha (body) emerges from another mangal vigraha, it doesn’t lose it swabhaavam and remains apraakrita mangal vigraha.

It should be noted that in all the swayam avatara forms, bhagwan remains the same. There is only change in the forms of the body. Aatma of all those bodies is the same Ishwara.

All the avtaras evolves from Aniruddha Vyuha as rakshana kaarya belongs to Aniruddha. As discussed earlier, In Aniruddha, Shakti and Tejas guna are meditated. Shakti is aghatit-ghatana-saamarthyam of taking a fallen jeevatma to Nitya loka and Tejas is overpowering the evils and not needing any sahakaari.

भुजायुधानां नियम: तत्रतत्रेच्छया मया (Vishwaksen Samhita)

The number of hands and the types of aayudhas in a particular Vibhava avatara depends upon the free-will of Bhagwan. There is no fixed rule. The only rule is his wish.
As these are atyant gopaneeya (highly secret), it is not generally revealed in open and revealed only to yogya upasakas.

Also in Vishnu Puran:
इच्छागृहीताभिमतोरुदेह:।

निज इच्छा निर्मित तनु माया गुण गोपार (मानस)

Bhagwan takes bodies as per his will.

Ananda-swarupa

Earlier, it was told that Jeevatma is gyaana-swarupa and gyaana-gunaka and shesha to Bhagwan.

If we say only gyaana swarupa, then there is ati-vyaapti since Dharma-Bhoota gyaana is also gyaana-swarupa. If we say only gyaana-swarupa and gyaana-gunaka then there will be ati-vyaapti with Ishwara. Thus, sheshatva is important to add in the lakshana (identification) of jeevatma.

Now it is told that jeevatma is aananda-swarupa and aanand-gunaka.

There is no contradiction in saying so. aananda is nothing but anukoola gyaaa. The subject of any gyaana is anukoola to a jeevatma. We consider it pratikoola as we identify ourselves as shareera as a result of agyaana, arising out of karma.

Once agyaana is gone and we identify ourselves as aatma, different from shareera, there will always be aananda, no dukham.

Dharmabhoota gyaana nirupanam

DB gyaana is nitya (eternal) by swarupa. It is Swayam prakaasha , however, in baddha chetanas it’s self-revealing nature is obstructed due to karma and it expands through particular Indriyas.

In Muktas, Nityas and Ishwar, however, there is no contraction of DB gyaana and is thus truly self-revealing. It is able to observe all the vishayas without the need of Indriyas etc. (Thus, there is no need of eyes to see, ears to hear etc. Though they may be using it or may not be using it out of their free will.)

Sukh, Dukh, Ichchha, dwesh, prayatna are avastha bhedams of Gyaana. In Nyaaya siddhanta, they are understood as different dravyas. However, in Ramanuja vedanta, they are different forms of gyaana.

Sukham: Anukoola gyaana is Sukham. When any knowledge is favourable or suitable to us, that is Sukham.

Dukham: Pratikoola gyaanam is dukham. When any knowledge is unfavourable or unsuitable to us, it is dukham.

Similarly, ichchha (desire) and dwesh (jealousy) are also forms of dharmabhoota gyaanam only. There is no pramaana to consider them as different padaarthas.

Jeevatma nirupanam

Earlier we discussed that “that which possess Chaitanyam is Chit”. Chaitanyam means Swasmai-Swayam Bhaashamaanatvam.

Now, Chit is again two fold: Jeevatma and Eeshwar. Now, he defines what is Jeevatma.

“Different from Eeshwara, Chit is Jeevatma.” Or

“being Shesha by nature and chetana (gyaana swarupa) is Jeevatma “.

Jeevatma is Anu (extremely minute sized). Though it’s Anu, it is spread throughout the body through its gyaana. Just like a deepam is placed at a location but its light is spreading all through the room.
Yogis can maintain kaaya-vyuha i.e. being present in more than one body. This is again done through the spread of gyaana only. In all these places, gyaana means dharmabhoota gyaana. The aatma is present in any one body only. It has entered and is controlling other bodies through dharmabhoota gyaana and is experiencing Sukham and dukham through those bodies.

If it isn’t accepted like that, the shruti vaakyas which tells jeevatma to be Anu-parimaana will not be upheld.
Jainas accepts Jeevatma of the shape of body. In that case, if a jeevatma enters into another body through yoga, it has to expand or shrink itself. What to say of the shape of aatma when it occupies multiple bodies like Saubhari. This is again illogical.

Tarkika’s matam refuted

Taarikas/Naiyaayikas considers Jeevatma to be Vibhu or all pervading. Since a jeevatma performs a karma at one place and experiences the fruits of that karma at another places, by Karma-samaanaadhikaranyam the jeevatma is present in all the locations and thus vibhu.

In our matam, Punya is Bhagwan’s preeti and paapa is Bhagwan’s apreeti. Thus, Bhagwan provides the fruits of Karma to a jeevatma. Thus, there is no issue of karma being performed at different location and karma-fala being received at different location, since Bhagwan is all-pervading.

Even the other way, take the example of Jaatyesthi. The Sanskaara is done by parents when the jeevatma isn’t even present. But the fruit is experience by jeevatma.

Thus, Taarkikas philosophy of Jeevatma being Vibhu is faulty.

Gyaan-swarupa: and Gyaana gunaka:

Jeevatma is gyaana-swarupa and gyaana-gunaka. It means that jeevatma-swarupa itself is gyaana or jeevatma itself is gyaana-ghana. It is also having gyaana as it’s gunam or attribute.

Gyaana-swarupa : Jeevatma is called gyaana since it is swayam-prakasha dravyam. The aatma tattva is self-revealing, without needing help of any external source of gyaana to reveal it.

Gyaana-gunaka : Jeevatma is also aashraya of gyaana, which is it’s attribute or guna. This gyaana is known as “Dharma-Bhoota-gyaana”. Bhoota here means aatma and dharma means attribute. Thus, the gyaana which is attribute or dharma of aatma or bhoota.

Swarupa gyaana reveals only itself to the aatma. It is responsible for the feeling of ‘I’ness in all the Chetanas. To know ourselves as ‘I’; no any external source of gyaana is needed. Thus, it is swayam prakaasha.
Swayam prakasha to whom? Only to itself. Thu drs, it’s called “Swasmai Swayam Prakasha” dravyam.

It is also called Dharmi gyaana. Dharmi is that which possess Dharma. Since aatma possess dharma gyaana, it is called Dharmi gyaana.

Dharmabhoota gyaana : DB gyaana is also self-revealing. Thus it is also gyaana swarupa or swayam-prakasha.

Swayam prakaasha to whom?

Not to itself since it is achetana. It is self-revealing to jeevatma. Thus, it is “Parasmai-swayam-prakaasha” dravya.

DB gyaana flows out from jeevatma to manas and then to Indriyas and thus goes out, have Sanyoga with objects outside and collects information. It comes back to Indriyas, Manas and then to jeevatma. Thus, DB gyaana is the means for jeevatma to gain knowledge and being aware of surroundings.

NOTE:
The concept of Swasmai-swayam-prakaasha and Parasmai-swayam-prakaasha needs careful study.

Also to be noted, gyaana is a dravya in Vedanta. If translated as ‘knowledge’; it will be improper and may lead to incorrect understanding.

Shuddh-Sattva swarup pratipaadanam

Till now, we studied about Mishra Sattva. It’s called so since it is a mixture of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas (depending upon its origin). Everything in leela vibhuti is Mishra Sattva.

In Nitya Vibhuti, everything is Shuddh Sattva, since Rajas and Tamas don’t exist there. It is evident from the Ved pramanas.

क्षयन्तमस्य रजसः पराके (ऋक्स0 2।6।25।5)
यो अस्याध्यक्षः परमे व्योमन् (ऋक्सं0 8।9।17)

So, Sattva guna is devoid of Rajas and Tamas is Shuddh Sattva. (It is to be noted that Sattva, Rajas and Tamas are not dravyas. They are adravya or guna. Any object in that particular guna is being told Mishra Sattva dravya or Shuddha Sattva dravya.)

Shuddh Sattva is apraakrita (doesn’t belong to 24 tattvas arising from mool prakriti, know as praakrita vikaaraas) and exists in a particular Desha (place), beyond the leela vibhuti. It is known as ‘Parama Vyoma, Parama padam, Ayodhya, Aparaajita, Vaikunth’ etc names in Vedas.

All the achetan tattvas in Nitya Vibhuti possess the quality of Shuddh Sattva. (They are five with names: Parameshthi, Pumaan etc and known as Panch-upanishad tattvas).

Archiraadi gati or Smritis are pramanas for this:

The bodies of Bhagwan, Lakshmi devi, Nityas and Muktas are made of these Shuddha Sattva tattva Panchopanishad dravyaas.

Note:
Shuddha Sattva tattvas are Swayam prakasha dravyas. They are ajada. Thus, they are called Gyaana-swaroopa.

But they are achetanas as they don’t have Swasmai-swayam-prakaasha.

This part discusses a very important concept:

Anupravesha

After Panchikaranam, the creation of sthoola jagat have been done. Till now, the creation is adwaraka. Bhagwan creates the universe directly. Henceforth, the creation is Sadwaraka. Bhagwan creates being Antaryami of Brahma and other jeevatmaas.

An important concept here is ‘Anupravesha’ (following entering). Before creation, jeevatmas had no names and forms and their gyaana was almost zero. They were lying like achit objects. The purpose of creation is to create names and forms and thus provide limbs to jeevatmas to enable them to make efforts for achieving moksham.

For creating names and forms, the anupravesha of Bhagwan is ‘jeeva-dwara’ I.e. making jeevatmas as the medium. He enters a jeevatma and from being an antaryami there, he evolves various forms and give them a name. Whatever exists to have name and form, should be understood to have been developed through ‘jeeva-dwara-anupravesha’ of Bhagwan.

“अनेन जीवेनात्मना
अनुप्रविश्य नामरूपे व्याकरवाणि” । – छान्दोग्योपनिषत् ६-३-२

तत् सृष्ट्वा तदेवानुप्राविशत्‌। तदनुप्रविश्य। सच्च त्यच्चाभवत्। निरुक्तं चानिरुक्तं च। निलयनं चानिलयनं च।विज्ञानं चाविज्ञानं च। सत्यं चानृतं च सत्यमभवत्‌।यदिदं किं च। तत्सत्यमित्याचक्षते।तदप्येष श्लोको भवति॥
-Taittriya Upanishad

Thus, by creating these names and forms, he himself became known by those names and forms. As he is their antaryaami, these all are his shareera. The rivers, the mountains etc are seen as Bhagwan (since they are shareeratayaa (like body) inseparable from Bhagwan (aprithak siddha Visheshana). Even the names and forms a jeevatma gets can be understood as names and forms of Bhagwan, as bhagwan is the antaryami of that jeevatma.

NOTE:

After studying ‘anupravesha’; some may develop the understanding that Bhagwan enters the jeevatma as antaryami after creation. That’s not a correct understanding. The inseparable or aprithak siddh relation means that Bhagwan is always the antaryaami of jeevatmas, without any gap. If for any moment, Bhagwan isn’t the antaryami of jeevatma, the existence of jeevatma itself will get destroyed.

Panchikaranam

In the previous posts, we discussed the srishti krama upto panch-bhootas and also understood how Bhagwaan is both cause and effect of the creation (upaadaana and upaadeya).

Now, let’s understand the important concept of Panchikaranam. Bhagwan mixes the Panch-Bhootas in a definite proportion for the creation of gross srishti.

First he divides the bhootams into half. The other half is again divided into 4 parts. Then the bhootas are mixed together. The half portion of a bhoota is mixed with 1/8th of the other four bhootas.

Thus, 1/2 + 1/8 * 4 = 1.

Thus, all the bhootas have the properties of other bhootas as well, due to panchikaranam. This panchikaranam holds very much importance in the Jagat-Srishti. It will be dealt with later in the book.

Nimitta and Upaadaana kaarana

Now the acharya discusses about Bhagwaan being abhinna-nimittopaadaana kaaranam.
Kaarana: Cause
Kaarya: Product

Both kaarana and Kaarya in jagat-sristhi are Bhagwaan himself.

Kaaranam is two fold: Upaadaana kaaranam (material cause) and Nimitta kaaranam.

The nimitta and upaadaana kaaranam for the creation is Bhagwaan himself.

Upaadaana kaaranam is that which transforms into the product. For the product pot, clay is the upaadaana kaaranam or material cause, and potter is the nimitta kaaranam. In Ramanuja-siddhantam, Bhagwan is Upaadaana kaaranam as well as Nimitta Kaaranam the srishti of the universe. Let’s see how:

‘Upaadaana kaarana‘: Prakriti-Mahadaadi-shareerak Bhagwaan. Bhagwaan who has for its body, Mool Prakriti and Mahat etc.

‘Nimitta kaarana‘: aashraya of sankalpa and Shareeraka of Kaala is nimitta kaarana. (Bhagwan who possesses sankalpa-shakti and has kaala as his shareera).

‘Kaarya‘: Mahadaadi-shareeraka Bhagwaan is the kaarya or product. (Bhagwan who has Mahat, Ahankaara etc as his body. Important to note here that Mool-Prakriti is never a kaarya and is only a kaarana).

So, we can see Bhagwaan having as his shareera mool-prakriti etc., is the material cause, and the Bhagwan having as his shareera Mahat etc., is the kaarya or product. Bhagwan with his sankalp shakti is the Nimitta kaarana.

There is no difference between the kaarana and kaarya or, in other words: upaadana (material cause) and upaadeya (product) are one and the same i.e., Bhagwan. Like, Mud and the pot are one and the same. Gold and Golden ornaments are one and the same. On looking at the pot and ornament, we say that it is mud or gold, respectively. There is no hindrance in this identification. Bhagwaan is both Upasana and update i.e. Bhagwan who is a mool-prakriti shareer, transforms into a Mahat etc shareer.

There is only avastha bhedam or difference of stage. Like taala leaves were used to make ear-ornaments. It goes through different stages but at all the stages it is taala leaf only.

Similarly, Before creation and after creation; there is transformation of the shareera of bhagwan from sukhma (subtle) to sthoola (gross).

NOTE

Question can be asked regarding the shareera and shareeri but the doubts will get clear when we discuss how Ramanuja defines shareera.

Another question can be that, “Bhagwan’s shareera is the upaadana kaaranam. Why do you say that Bhagwan is the upaadaana kaaranam?”

These doubts will be cleared when we study ‘aprithak-siddhi-visheshan’. Entire chit and achit are aprithak or inseparable from Bhagwan in both Sukshma avastha and sthoola avastha, as bhagwaan pervades them as shareeri. No any substance can be seen separately from Bhagwan.

Next, we shall discuss Panchikaranam.