Vasudevavijaya of Vasudeva (Study)
by Sajitha. A | 2018 | 50,171 words
This page relates ‘Darshanas (Indian philosophy)� of the study on the Vasudevavijaya of Vasudeva from the 11th century A.D. The Vasudevavijayam is an educational poem belonging to the Shastra-Kavya category of technical Sanskrit literature. The Vasudevavijayam depicts in 657 verses the story of Lord Krishna while also elucidates the grammatical rules of the Ashtadhyayi of Panini (teaching the science of grammar). The subject-content of the poem was taken from the tenth Skandha of the Bhagavatapurana.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Darśanas (Indian philosophy)
Indian philosophy refers to ancient philosophical tradition of Indian subcontinent. The two broad branches of Indian philosophy are Orthodox or Āپ첹 and heterodox پ첹. There are six major schools for the orthodox system. ṅkⲹ, Yoga, ⲹ, ղśṣi첹, ūīṃs, and ձԳٲ. Buddhism, Jainism, Materialism etc. are included in the heterodox system.
V.V has referred to some basic aspects of the Orthodox systems of Indian philosophy. Here an attempt is made to analyse the philosophical concepts found scattered in V.V.
In the fourth Canto, Nanda donate wealth of all kinds to the Brahmins for the sake of the son. Here ܻ𱹲 attributes the Lord as the one whom the ṅkⲹs addressed the first ʳܰṣa with 25 principles.[1]
When commenting this verse, he quotes the 25 principles of creation of ṅkⲹ philosophy:
mūlaprakṛtiravikṛtirmmahadādyā� prakṛtivikṛtayassapta |
ṣoḍaśakaśca vikāro na prakṛtirna ṛt� ܰṣa� ||[2] iti saptatau |
ṅkⲹsaptati is otherwise known as ṅkⲹkārikā and is composed by Īśṛṣṇa. ʳܰṣa, ʰṛt, Mahat(buddhi), ṅk, Manas(mind) five sense organs (ñԱԻⲹ), five organs of action (karmendriyas), the five subtle elements (tanmatras), the five gross elements (ūٲ) are the twenty five principles of ṅkⲹ. These twenty five principles are mentioned also in the sixth Canto, when he eulogises Lord վṣṇ. It is stated as վṣṇ created the race of principles beginning from Mahat to ʰٳī.[3]
There are some more references to ṅkⲹ philosophy. The ṣṭśⲹ viz.
ṇi caiva tathā |
īśٱ� ca śٱ� ca پ� prākāmyameva ca ||[4]
Are cited to praise Lord վṣṇ in order to get Salvation. The man who is dovetailed with ṇi etc. as well as praised other deities like Brahman will not attain salvation if he is not worshiped ṛṣṇa. ṣṭśⲹ are included in the basic tenets of philosophy and also in Hinduism.
Thus the philosophy of ṅkⲹ is incorporated in ܻ𱹲vijaya In the same way, the Yoga philosophy has referred to in ܻ𱹲vijaya The definition of Yoga given by ʲٲñᲹ in ۴Dzūٰ i.e DzśٳٲṛtپԾǻ�[5] is incorporated in the commentary of V.V. This definition is mentioned in the fifth canto, at the time Garga’s return in to his hermitage after the naming ceremony. Here Garga pleased Nanda with loveable words and went to his hermitage for meditation[6]. In the commentary of this verse ܻ𱹲 states that cittavṛttinirodhalakṣaṇāya yogāya[7] It is the cessation of the meditation of the mind. It is the important concept of Yoga philosophy.
In another context at the time of the description of , it says ٰDZṃśaپٲٳٱū[8] formed by the 23 priciples. This is according to Yoga philosophy.
To substantiate this ܻ𱹲 quotes a scholar named Bopadeva.[9] He says:-
tatra yogamate-ٳٲ� 峾 tattvāntara� na hi, atastrayoviṃśatiko ṇa� iti DZ貹𱹲� |
According to Bopadevacitta or mind is not a separate principle and thus 23 principles in Yoga philosophy. Thusܻ𱹲 uses the word ٰDZṃśaپٲٳٱū | Hence, there can be found references for Yoga philosophy.
In the same way there are hints for the ūīṃs too. In the first Canto it is stated that nigamārthavartanī� mīmāṃsamānam |[10] It is an attribute to and it means the one who worship the path of Vedas. It is generally ascribed to the ūīṃs philosophy which is also known as īṃs. This philosophy advises to attain Salvation through the performance of the rituals and sacrifices as instructed by the Vedas. Thus it can be considered as a basic of īṃs philosophy. The rituals and sacrifices can be found throughout in V.V. Thus the impact of ūīṃs philosophy in ܻ𱹲vijaya cannot be avoided.
The philosophy of ձԳٲ can be traced in the sixth Canto. To sum up, ܻ𱹲 has well aware in the discipline of Indian Philosophy. But he employs the principles of ṅkⲹ and Yoga philosophies more in his poem.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
[2]:
ṅkⲹkārikā, Īśṛṣṇa. verse 3, P.12.
[3]:
dadraṣṭha cāturvaidya� tva� sasmartha ca puna� śܳī� |
mahadādi pṛthivyanta� tattvajāta� sasarjitha ||P rof.Vijayapal Sastri.op.cit.v.6.72
[4]:
Īśṛṣṇa.op.cit.v.45, P.127.
[5]:
۴Dzūٰ. 1
[6]:
vākyairakṛtrimarasai� praṇayenanandamebhi� pratoṣya sa sahāyudhikāgavīnam |
īṣatpaṭuskhalananaikaṭikaiṇapeta� yogāya yogyahṛdṛṣi� svakuṭīramāṭīt || Prof.Vijayapal Sastri.op.cit.v.5.8
[7]:
ibid.p.98
[8]:
mahiyasīrūpatayoditā yā hṛllekhasaṃsārabhayāpahartrī |
yā ca ٰDZṃśaپٲٳٱū varṇāstriṣaṣṭiśca vapuryadīyam ||ibid, v.2.54
[9]:
There is a famous grammarian one who composed the grammatical treatise Mugdhabodha. He is also a philosopher who considered Bhakti as the supreme rasa. He composed commentary on 岵ٲ. ʲṃs. Dayanandasaraswati considered Bopadeva as the author of 岵ٲܰṇa, where as some scholars like Baladeva Upadhyaya suggest that 岵ٲ was already popular before the period of Bopadeva of 13th century. (www.kamakotimandali.com)