Essay name: Diksha (initiation) in Pancharatra
Author:
Shanta Srinivasan
Affiliation: University of Madras / Department of Sanskrit
This English essay studies Diksha in Pancharatra with reference to important texts. Diksha refers to initiation ceremonies into a particular esoteric tradition which is given, for example, by the teacher (Guru) to the student (Shishya). Pancharatra refers to an ancient school of Vaishnavism based on ancient Tantra-like texts called Agamas which were commonly written in Sanskrit verse.
Chapter 1 - Introduction
28 (of 57)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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the soul is denied in the Pāñcarātra itself as is evident from the passage from the Parama Samhita'. vyāptirūpeṇa sambandhas tasyaś ca purusasya ca sa hy anādinanantaśca paramārthena niścitaḥ. Among the four Sūtras the first two contain the objection and the last two the Siddhānta. Puṣkarākṣa, an eminent recluse, wrote that this is the way in which the four sūtras are to be understood and interpreted accordingly.² Jayantabhatta, the author of Nyāyamañjarī defends the authenticity of the Pañcarātra on the ground that this āgama is like the upanisad which supports Vedic authority³. There are some more objections against the validity of Pañcarātra. It is stated that sage Sāṇḍilya studied the Vedas, epics, Purāṇas 1. PaS II.19 2. Iti tatprakriya. Yathā pauskarasamhitāyām. Nyāya Manjari-Grantha bhanga p 112. 3. Nyayamanjari part I p 242 28
