Essay name: Srikara Bhashya (commentary)
Author: C. Hayavadana Rao
The Srikara Bhashya, authored by Sripati Panditacharya in the 15th century, presents a comprehensive commentary on the Vedanta-Sutras of Badarayana (also known as the Brahmasutra). These pages represent the introduction portion of the publication by C. Hayavadana Rao.
Page 318 of: Srikara Bhashya (commentary)
318 (of 953)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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INTRODUCTION 257 signifies the Lord of the Universe as is known to the
wise, and whose wearing is supported by the V膿das
should be worn by those who wish to attain their desires,
on their bodies, either in the neck, or on the hand or on
the head. As this is so stated in the S膩ma V膿da, therefore,
the wearing of the Sivalinga, which is a cure for all
worldly miseries, must of necessity be adopted by all who
desire salvation (mumukshubhi岣�).
In his Siddhanta Sikh膩ma峁噄, R膿峁噓k膩charya interprets
the Rigveda mantra Pavitramte, etc., in the light of linga-
dh膩rana (Lingadh膩ra峁嘺 paratv膿na nird膿s膩t). He thus
interprets the Rigveda mantra referred to:-The linga is
named Brahman. The lord of Brahma is I艣vara. There-
fore the linga is said to be the purifying agent (tat-
pavitram). By being in contact with it, the body becomes
purified. The Rik, therefore, says Pavitramt膿 vitatam
Brahmanaspate, i.e., the body coming in contact with the
linga, will purify the wearer. Therefore such a linga is
necessarily to be worn for obtaining consecration by a
Saiva who would be faultless. A body
A body
devoid of such
consecration (d墨ksh膩rahita) will never attain salvation
(uttamapadam). Just as failing to perform Sandhy膩-
vandana is counted as a religious omission and a
sin, so is a person who has not been consecrated in due
form accounted a sinner. Again, it is said, 鈥渁 bhakta who
does not wear the linga on his body until the moment of
his death, the food that he takes daily is (no other than) the
flesh of his own body." He who does not keep on his body
the linga, his body is as useless as that of a corpse. There-
fore the wearing of the linga is as important as maintaining
a sacrificial fire throughout one's life. Just as a piece of
burnt wood found in a cremation ground is prohibited from
being used for other purposes, so is one who does not wear
the linga on his body disallowed from observing every rite
prescribed (sarva karma bahishkrita岣�). Thus it is stated
in the V膩t奴la, Skanda, Laingya and other texts which
treat of the failure to wear the linga. Next as to bh奴y膩sam
iti, it should be taken to mean m膿dh膩v墨-bh奴y膩sam, i.e.,
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