2.4. How Īśvaras Work

We discussed that īśvaras have their particular role and function in the universe assigned by Parabrahman.^[1] Bhadreśadāsa also comments to Aitareya-upaniṣad 1/1/2.

The Bhāṣyakāra explains:

“lokapālān sṛjāni” (Aitareya-upaniṣad 1/1/2, p.491)

“Parabrahman gives bodies to īśvaras as a role of the creation.”

At the commencement of this creation, He (Parabrahman) saw (contemplated),

“These worlds (have been created by me). Now, let me create the guardians (īśvaras) of the worlds.”

Here, we can present īśvaras collectively as all those sentient beings involved in the creative and governing processes of a brahmānda (e.g. Prādhan Puruṣa, Virāṭa Puruṣa, Anirūddha, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, etc.) encompassing the Hindu triad (Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva), those divinities who energize various forces of nature (Sūrya, Candra, Varuṇa, etc.) and all avatāras, albeit with the special re-entering of Parabrahman (Matsya, Varāha, Nṛsiṃha, Rāma, Kṛṣṇa, etc.)

The Bhāṣyakāra also narrates it in detail in the Brahmasūtra:

“idānīṃ prasaṅgāt prapañcakrama upasthapyate...tasmācca vairājapuruṣād brahmā viṣṇurmaheśaśceti mithobhinnacetanāstrayo devāḥ samutpadyante... tataḥ samagrasthavarajaṅgamikā sṛṣṭiḥ samudpadyate” (Brahmasūtra 2/3/16, p.229)

“By the will of Parabrahman, the entire universe is created. To briefly elaborate, points to a set īśvaras in as the lords of countless millions of brahmāndas which are full of sentient and non-sentient entities. There he explicitly mentions ‘Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśa.”

Svāminārāyaṇa is denoting that from the converging of māyā (known in the creative process as Mūla-Prakṛti) and a liberated soul (given the designation ‘Mūla-Puruṣa’), and who together go on to create each individual brahmānda. This set of beings includes Virāṭa Puruṣa, who is the inner self of the universe. (Vacanāmṛta Gadhadā II/10, and Gadh. 2/31). Its subtle body, like the subtle body of a jīva, consists of all internal cognitive senses.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vacanāmṛta Gadhadā I/41