The Sanskrit term Śuddhasargabrahmatattvākhyāna can be transliterated into English as Suddhasargabrahmatattvakhyana or Shuddhasargabrahmatattvakhyana, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)

Source: archive.org: Catalogue of Pancaratra Agama Texts

Śuddhasargabrahmatattvākhyāna (शुद्धसर्गब्रह्मतत्त्वाख्यान) (lit. “chapter on pure creation and on the real nature of Brahman”) is the name of the fourth chapter of the Jayākhyasaṃhitā: a Pāñcarātra Āgama text composed of 4500 verses in 33 chapters dealing with topics such as mantra (formulas), japa (repetitions), dhyāna (meditations), mudrā (gesticulations), nyāsa (concentrations) etc.

Description of the chapter [śuddhasargabrahmatattvākhyāna]:—Nārada asks to know about pure creation. Śrībhagavān answers as follows: In the beginning Vāsudeva was. (His attributes are all-pervasiveness [sarvavyāpaka], intelligence pure and simple [citsamāṅga], and undivided bliss [paramānanda]). He existed alone. Just as a flash of lightning forms by itself, so Vāsudeva, shaking within Himself [kṣobhayitvā] created [asṛjat] Acyuta. From Acyuta came Ananta in similar manner (the metaphor referred to here is that Ananta is as the bubbles or foam that come from the motion of the waves). Thus Acyuta is the waves which form from the motion of the sea; the sea, existing alone, is Vāsudeva. Yet another metaphor is referred to here in that the clouds on a summer day are formed as the sun pulls them out of the ocean. The ocean is again Vāsudeva; the Sun is Acyuta; the cloud-formation is Ananta [—not quite as successful a metaphor as the previous one]. This Vāsudeva is also to be understood as pervading all Devas. He is, further, termed Puruṣa. All the avatāras are His parts. Puruṣa, Satya, Acyuta—all these are manifestations of Vāsudeva, who is Intelligence [saṃvit] pure and simple. Just as pure crystal glass cannot be distinguished from the space it occupies, nor can the reflections in a mirror be separated from their original objects, so these manifestations are intimately related to Vāsudeva (1-19).

Nārada asks now for the Lord to explain His “sthūla” and “sūkṣma” forms, as also the original “para” form—both manifested and unmanifested. Śrībhagavān replies as follows: “In my ‘sthūla’ form, I am the Creator, Protector and Destroyer. In my ‘sūkṣma’ form, I reside in the hearts of all beings and I shower My blessings and grace on all bhaktas (devotees). The ‘para’ form, which is all-pervading is full of bliss and permeates all things just like sap runs through a tree” (20-26a). Nārada claims to understand all this and asks further how Vāsudeva performs His threefold activities. Śrībhagavān replies that by His own powers of concentration He allows His bhaktas to achieve emancipation through mantras. These mantras He has given, mantras pointing both to His formless state [niṣkala] and to His manifested forms [sakala]. The latter [kind of mantras [sakala] give enjoyment; the former kind of mantras [niṣkala] give mokṣa (release) (26b-33).

Nārada asks to know more about mantras and their practice by virtue [vīrya] of which one is led to emancipation. Bhagavān says that pre-requisite to this (practice of mantra which leads to final emancipation?) is a discursive and elementary knowledge of Brahman, without which none else may be known. And, he continues, to get this kind of jñāna of Brahman one must distinguish between sattākhya-knowledge, which is pure and alone leads to true knowledge of Brahman, and kriyātmaka-knowledge, which concerns itself with yama and niyama and which by the employment of yogic practices moves one gradually to the purer knowledge through disciplines of various kinds (33-50).

Having this elementary knowledge of Brahman, the jīva becomes deathless and identical with Brahman. Those who do not have this jñāna-knowledge are bound by avidyā and, due to this, suffer under certain reborn forms (such as gods, humans, etc.). As for the object of the highest knowledge towards which the jīva may aim, it [parabrahma] is described in both negative and positive terms (60-118a). For those who would undertake specifically to meditate, thus to gain jñāna, they are recommended to turn their attention to the Lord as He manifests Himself in his viśvarūpa-form ( n8b-i32 ).

context information

Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Akhyana.

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