Vaikhanasa Agama SWAMI HARSHANANDA Introduction Vaikhanasa Literature Agamas are secondary scriptures of The original, basic, work was the Hinduism, more closely connected with rituals Vaikhanasa Kalpasiltras which is not available and temple culture. Of the three main branches now. A list of all the works composed by the of the agamas-Saivagamas, Saktagamas and four disciples may now be given: Vaisnavagamas-the last has split into two 1. By Atri (in 88,000 verses) sampradayas or traditions. They are: the Atreyatantra; Purvatantra; Uttaratantra; Pancaratra Agamas and the Vaikhanasa Visnutantra. Agama. 2. By Bhrgu (in 64,000 verses) The latter derives its name from the sage Arcadhikara; Citradhikara; Khiladhikara; Vikhanas who was the founder. Khilatantra; Kriyadhikara; Manadhikara; N iruktadhikar a; Pr akirnadhikar a; Pr a ti­ Vikhanas, the Founder grhyadhikara; Puratantra; Varunadhikara; Vikhanas was a sage of great antiquity Vasadhikara; Yajnadhikara. regarded as an incarnation of Visnu (or an 3. By Kasyapa (64,000 verses) emanation from him, of Vedic wisdom) who Jnanakanda; Satyakanda; Tarkakanda. popularized the cult of Visnu in the country. 4. By Martci (1,84,000 verses) He is sometimes identified with the creator, the Anandasamhita; Jayasamhita; Jnana- four faced Brahma, also. He is said to have samhita; Samjnanasamhita; Vijayasamhita; written two treatises-the Vaikhanasa Vijitasamhita; Vimalasamhita; Virasamhita. Kalpasiltras and the Daivikasiltras. Only a few of these works have now He had four chief disciples-Marici, Atri, survived. They are: Bhrgu and Kasyapa-to whom he taught the Anandasamhittl and Jayasamhittl of Marlel; worship of Visnu in great detail. Khiltldhiktlra, Kriytldhiktlra, PraklYiJtldhiktlra Iconographical works prescribe that he is and Yajiitldhikara of Bhrgu; white in complexion, is clothed in golden Jiitlnaktlruja of Kasyapa; Uttaratantra (or coloured garments and has four arms. He holds Samilrttlrcantldhiktlra) of Atri. a danda (staff) and has the ruru (antelope) as Some of the other, more important, works his mount. He is generally shown with his four are: disciples. His image has to be installed at the Dasavidhahetunirilpana (of Srinivasa right side of the entrance to the mukhamandapa Makhin, A.D.1050); commentaries on the (front porch) in a temple of Visnu. Vaikhanasa Kalpasiltras and Sakaltlgama- Swami Harshananda is a senior monk of the Ramakrishna Order and is the President of Ramakrishna Math, !iX Basavanagudi, Bangalore. He is a prolific writer having several publications in English, Kannada, and ~ Sanskrit to his credit. D V e dan t a K e s a r i - 252 - J U L Y 2 0 0 6 13 sarasaJigraha by Nrsirhha-Vajapeya-Yajl; Lak;;mi­ and, baddha (bound, souls bound by their Visi;;tadvaita-bha;;ya on the Vedantasiltras of prarabdhakarma). Badarayana, Uttamabrahmavidya and Vaikhanasa The baddha or the bound souls have been mahimamafijarz by Srinivasa Makhin; Arcanana­ fettered, by being deluded by the maya of Isvara vanna by Kesavacarya; Prayogavrtti (on the (Visnu) and can get liberation only by seeking vaikhanasasutra) by Sundararaja; Vimanarcana­ refuge in Him, through devoted worship. kalpa by Raghunatha-cakravarti and The means of liberation are: jnana Setumadhavacarya. (knowledge); upasana (worship); prapatti All the treatises of the Vaikhanasa Agama (surrender); karma (ritualistic action). series are distinguished by their meticulous However, samaradhana (worshipping attention to image-worship and temple rituals. Narayana with intense devotion) is projected They also give the essential aspects of temple as the most effective sadhana. This can take architecture. anyone of the following four forms: japa (repetition of divine name); huta or homa (fire­ The Vaikhanasa Philosophy sacrifices); arcana (iconic worship); dhyana Based on the commentary of Srinivasa (meditation). Makhin on the Vedantasutras of Badarayana Whereas huta is the worship of God in as mentioned above, one Raghupati the amurta (an-iconic) form, arcana in the iconic Bhattacarya (also known as Vasudeva) form has been declared to be the most effective composed a work called Mok;;opayapradzpika. of all. Here he has systematized the philosophy of the Mukti (emancipation) is of four types: Vaikhanasa Agamas which is practically the salokya (to live in the world of God); samipya same as the Visistadvaita of Ramanuja (AD. (to live near God); sarupya (to have a form 1017-1137). It is in prose and has twelve similar to that of God) and sayujya (being sections. united with or merged in God). The last is Brahman or Paramatman is the highest considered the real mukti. and independent reality. He has two aspects: The Vaikhanasa treatises speak of four the niskala (devoid of form and attributes) and realms of Visnu with one aspect of his presiding the sakala (with form and attributes). over each. They are: In the sakala aspect he (known as Visnu Amoda Visnu or Narayana) is inseperably associated with Pramoda Mahavisnu Laksmi, even as the moon and its light are. He Sammoda Sadavisnu is Isvara, the supreme Lord, with the insentient Vaikunta Narayana (or Vyapi­ prakrti (made up of the three gunas sattva, Narayana) rajas and tam as) and the sentient purusas (jivas or individual souls)-which are also eternal­ The four types of mukti mentioned are under his absolute control as dependent respectively related to these four realms. In the realities. last state, the liberated soul enters into the These jlvas who are atomic in size, are of supreme light and enjoys everlasting bliss. three classes: nitya (immutable or changeless Corresponding to the four vyuhas of the like Ananta [or Adisesa], Sanaka and others); Pancaratra system, Vaikhanasa too posits four mukta(emancipated, though once in bondage); aspects of Visnu who is called the Adimurti. V e dan t a K e 5 a r i - 253 - J U L Y 2 0 0 6 14 The four forms are: Purusa representing responsibility of the temple management to the quality dharma (righteousness); Satya, the provide for their maintenance. quality jnana (knowledge); Acyuta, the quality The vaikhanasas bestow a very high place aisvarya (glory); Aniruddha, the quality to the priest who worships in a temple. Whereas vairagya (detachment). the icon acquires divinity after avahana Some aspects of yoga like Pranayama, (invoking), divinity, according to them, abides nadis, kundalini, and cakras are also dealt with in him permanently. in the treatises of this Agama. Recitation of the Atmasukta (Vaikhanasa­ sarhhitii, Manthraprasna 5.49) enables the priest The Vaikhanasa Community to get identified with the cosmic form of Visnu. The Vaikhanasas are a community of temple priests. They are ordained by birth to be Temple Images of Worship priests and have to follow only that avocation. The vaikhanasa mode of worship is The sacramental rites that are prevalent essentially oriented towards Visnu. In temples in a Vaikhanasa household include a unique adopting their mode, there will generally be four ceremony called Visnubali (or garbha­ or five icons of worship. The dhruvabera is the cakrasamskara). It is performed after the permanently fixed stone image. Next comes the simanta, the ritual before childbirth conducted kautukabera, an exact replica of the original for the mother, in the bright half of the eighth (but smaller in size) which receives the daily month of pregnancy. It involves a homa and worship, hence being called arcanabera also. then offering to the pregnant mother, payasa Then comes the snapanabera, an image used (sweet rice-pudding) in which the emblem for naimittika or occasional rituals. Last is the cakra (discus-emblem of Visnu) and sailkha utsavabera or autsavabera, used in worship for (conch) have been previously dipped and a part the sake of people who are motivated by offered in homa. While the woman is drinking worldly desires (kamyarcana) it, a special mantra is recited. The belief is that The kautukabera rests on an arcanapitha, during this ritual, Lord Visnu himself will a seat of worship. The snapanabera is placed brand the arms of the child to be born, with the in another enclosure called snapanamandapa marks of sailkha (conch) and cakra (discus), which is outside the sanctum. The utsavabera which he carries in his own hands. too has its own special place. The practical import of this ceremony is Visnu is said to have taken three strides that the child born as a vaikhanasa has already (vide Vi;>J:!usukta 3). If the dhruvabera is Visnu been sanctified by Visnu himself and hence in the original posture, the three other images needs no more initiatory rites as the Pancaratra represent the same Visnu in his three steps: do. He acquires the right to be a priest of Visnu Kautukabera is the first step, snapanabera, the by birth. He can perform the worship both at second step and the utasavabera, the third step. home and in temples after formal training in It is the spirit of the same original icon that has the process of worship. entered into the other three. The vaikhanasas take to worship in Sometimes another icon is added to these temples as priests, not for eking out a living­ three imovable images, called the balibera. This such priests are called devalakas-but with a is used for the sake of distributing food daily to sense of duty and obligation. It is the the attendant deities located in the enclosures. V e dan t a K e 5 a r i - 254 - J U L Y 2 0 0 6 15 If the same movable icon is used for all Iconographical works describe their purposes, it is known as bhogabera. images in different ways. Sometimes the system of having five icons for one deity is compared to the establishing of Conclusion and maintaining the five Vedic fires Though the Vaikhanasa Agamas give (garhyapatya, ahavaniya, daksinagni, avasthya primary importance to arca or murtipuja, to the and sabhya). images of gods, their consorts and attendant Similar to the four vyuhas or emanations deities, the outlook is, in essence, idealistic.