Pancharatra (IAST:Pāñcarātra) was a religious movement inHinduism that originated in late 3rd-century BCE around the ideas ofNarayana and the various avatar and forms ofVishnu as their central deities.[1][2] The movement later merged with the ancientBhagavata tradition and contributed to the development ofVaishnavism.[2][3] The Pancharatra movement created numerous literary treatises in Sanskrit called thePancharatra Samhitas, and these have been influentialAgamic texts within the theistic Vaishnava movements.[3][4]
Literally meaningfive nights (pañca: five,rātra: nights),[5] the termPancharatra has been variously interpreted.[6][7] The term has been attributed to a sage Narayana who performed a sacrifice for five nights and became a transcendent being and one with all beings.[2][5][8] The Pancharatra Agamas constitute some of the most important texts of many Vaishnava philosophies including theMadhva Sampradaya orBrahma Sampradaya ofMadhvacharya and theSri Vaishnava Sampradaya ofRamanuja.[8] The Pancharatra Agamas are composed of more than 200 texts;[6] likely composed between 600 CE to 850 CE.[6]
TheShandilya Sutras (~100 CE)[9] is the earliest known text that systematized the devotionalBhakti pancharatra doctrine and 2nd-century CE inscriptions in South India suggest Pancharatra doctrines were known there by then.[2] The 8th-centuryAdi Shankara criticized elements of the Pancharatra doctrine along with other theistic approaches stating Pancaratra doctrine was against monistic spiritual pursuits and non-Vedic.[2][10] The 11th-centuryRamanuja, the influentialVaishnavism scholar, developed a qualified monism doctrine which bridged ideas of Pancharatra movement and those of monistic ideas in theVedas.[11] The Pancharatra theology is a source of the primary and secondaryavatar-related doctrines in traditions ofHinduism.[12]
Pancharatra has likely roots in 3rd-century BCE, as a religious movement around the ideas of a sage Narayana, who much later becomes identified as an avatar ofVishnu.[2][1]
The earliest use of the word Pancharatra is found in section 7.1.10 of theTaittiriya Samhita, a Vedic text.[13] The section describes a person going through a Pancharatra ritual to become a master of rhetorics.[13] The section 13.6 of theŚatapatha Brāhmaṇa mentions Nārāyaṇa as the primordial divinity who performs this offering.[1] The Narayaniya section of theMahabharata (XII, 335–351) refers to seven rishis who say the Pancharatra ritual was made consistent with the Vedas.[14] Though the five day ritual is mentioned along with many other sacrifices in the Vedic text, the origins of Pancaratra devotees and their tradition is unclear.[12] The movement merged with the ancient Bhagavata tradition also aroundKrishna-Vāsudeva, and contributed to the development ofVaishnavism.[2][3]
According toJ. A. B. van Buitenen, the word "Pancharatra" is explained inNaradiya Samhita as referring to a tradition of "five knowledges".[7] Similarly,Jan Gonda states that the term "nights" in "five nights" in the Pancharatra tradition may be a metaphor for inner darkness, and "came to mean – how, we do not know", though indeed there have been many interpretations such as "five systems", "five studies" and "five rituals".[15]
The 1st-century works byShandilya are the earliest known systematization of the Pancharatra doctrine.[1][2] This doctrine was known and influential around then, as is attested by the 2nd-century CE inscriptions in South India.[2] Evidence suggests that they co-existed with the Bhagavata tradition in ancient times.[12]
TheAdvaita Vedanta scholars, such asAdi Shankara, criticized elements of the Pancharatra doctrine along with other theistic approaches stating it was against monistic spiritual pursuits and non-Vedic.[2][10][16] According to Suthren Hirst, Shankara supported the use of icons and temple worship if it focussed as a means to comprehendBrahman as the sole metaphysical reality. However, he opposed devotional theism as an end in itself and the goal of spiritual pursuits.[10] The Pancharatra tradition has historically disagreed with claims of it being non-Vedic, states Gonda, and Pancharatra texts explicitly state that, "Pancharatra is Vedic, it originates in theSruti" and that the "Pancharatra precepts and practices should be observed by anyone who has allegiance to the Vedas".[17]
The 11th-centuryRamanuja, the influentialSri Vaishnavism scholar, was born in Pancharatra tradition, disagreed with Shankara, and developed a qualified monism doctrine which integrated ideas of Pancharatra movement and those of monistic ideas in the Vedas.[11][18] Ramanuja stated that the Vishnu of Pancharatra is identical to Vedanta'sBrahman, where Purusha reflects the eternal soul that is Vishnu, and Prakriti the impermanent ever changing body of Vishnu.[11]
Vishnu worshipers of today, represented in a wide spectrum of traditions, generally follow the system of Pancharatra worship. The concept of Naḍa and Naḍa-Brahman appear already in SāttvataSamhita or Sāttvata Tantra and in Jayākhya Samhita, two texts considered most canonical of Pancharatra texts.[citation needed]
Ānanda Tīrtha the founder of Madhva line has written in his commentary onMundaka Upanishad:[19]"InDvapara Yuga,Vishnu is exclusively worshiped according to the principles of the Pancharatra Scripture, but in this age ofKali Yuga, the Supreme Lord Hari is worshiped only by the chanting of his Holy Name."[citation needed]
Jiva Gosvami had stated in hisParamātma Sandārbha, forming part of six principal Sandārbhas, or philosophical treatises ofGaudiya Vaishnavism, that, "Seeing that the imperfect scriptures in the modes of passion and ignorance bring only a host of troubles, and also seeing that the originalVedas are very difficult to follow properly, and thus being very dissatisfied with both of these, the all-knowing scripture authors affirm the superiority of the Pancharatras, which describe the pure absolute truth,Narayana, and the worship of the Lord, which is very easy to perform."
The nature ofAtman (soul)
In the Pancharatra system, the soul is one with the Supreme,
but is also an individual.
Even in a state of salvation it retains the individuality,
to realize the bliss of union with the Supreme.
The Pancharatra theology developed over time. It presents a dualistic theory on how creation manifested from a godhead, as the Purusha-Prakriti and as the masculine-feminine manifestations of the divine.[1][12][21] It states that the creation emerged throughvyuhas (arrangements).[1] In the beginning, states Pancharatra doctrine, there was only Narayana as the highest changeless god and as explained by their concept ofCaturvyuha, this supreme god-head transformed into four earthly emanations, the first of which wasVāsudeva-Krishna (Vāsudeva literally means "indwelling deity")[22] Further arrangements or emanations followed, secondly intoSaṅkarṣaṇa (Balarama)[13] as the lord over all life, thirdly intoPradyumna creating mind, and lastly intoAniruddha as ego (ahamkara). Thereafter, Brahma emerged from Aniruddha who created the empirical universe. Thus, the divinity was and is everywhere in Pancaratra, but in different aspects, one form or phase emerging from the previous.[1][12]
During the 11th century CERamanuja, a founder ofSri Vaishnava traditions of Vaisnavism had established the Pancharatra system of Vaisnavism for his followers. His philosophy of worship ofNarayana was based on the pancaratric teachings.
Ramanuja taught that the deity absolute,Parabrahman, manifests in five possible aspects: Para,Vyuha, Vibhava,Antaryamin, and Archa. Living beings can interact with the divine through one or another of these five:[23][20][24]
The Vyuha-related Pancharatra theology is a source of the primary and secondaryavatar-related doctrines in traditions ofHinduism, particularlySri Vaishnavism.[12] According to Barbara Holdrege, a professor and comparative historian of religions, the Pancharatra doctrines influenced both Sri Vaishnavism andGaudiya Vaishnavism, albeit a bit different.[25] In Sri Vaishnavism, Vishnu-Narayana is supreme, whileVāsudeva, Samkarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are the four Vyuhas. In Gaudiya Vaishnavism, the Vyuha theory is more complex, Krishna (Vāsudeva) is "Svayam Bhagavan" (the ultimate or Para Brahman) who manifests as Vyuhas, and he along with Samkarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are the Vyuhas and the Purusha-avataras of the material realm.[25]
The Pancharatra tradition taught thePanchakala or five observances practiced every day:[13][29][30]
The significance of divine manifestation theology in Pancaratra tradition is it believes that an understanding of the process by which Vishnu-Narayana emerged into empirical reality and human beings, can lead one to reverse the process. Through practicing the reversal and moving from the empirical to ever more abstract, according to Pancaratra, human beings can access immanent Vāsudeva-Krishna and thereby achieve salvific liberation (moksha).[12][31]
The Vaishnava temples and arts since theGupta Empire, states Doris Srinivasan, attempted to present the Pancaratra ideas. In this system, states Srinivasan, "Vāsudeva, literally, "the indwelling deity," is the first emanation and the fountainhead of the successive emanations, which may be represented either anthropomorphically or theriomorphically in Hindu art". As one circumambulates the ancient and medieval Vaishnava cave temples, the devotee walks past from the icon representing Vāsudeva (most abstract) and then the successiveVyuhas (literally, "orderly arrangement").[22]
TheBhaktisūtras of Shandilya were one of the earliest systematic treatises on the Pancaratra doctrine.[1][2] The Pancaratra literature constitutes theĀgama texts of Vaishnavism.[1] Like the Shaivism counterpart, it not only presents the theology, but describes the details, symbolism and procedures of Vaishnava temples building and rituals. According to the Pancharatra tradition, there are 108samhitas, but its texts list over 200samhitas.[13] Many Pancaratra texts have been lost. Some surviving Pancaratra texts, with their general focus, are:[1][13]
The Pancharatra texts are samhitas and tantras which both classify as Agama due to subject matter. The Agamas are predominantly divided into Saiva, Sakta and Vaishnava Agamas. The Vaishnava Agamas are Pancharatra Agama and Vaikhanasa Agama and they conclude Brahman asNarayana orVishnu. TheMahabharata subscribes to the Pancharatra philosophy in its Narayaniya section. Author Vishnulok Bihari Srivastava says, "Pancharatra has been discussed in the Narayanopakhyana section ofMahabharata. It has been mentioned that Narada had imbibed the essence of this tantra from SageNarayana. It has been accepted as part of Veda named Ekayana. As many as 215 Pancharatra Samhitas have been mentioned in Kapinjala Samhita".[36] Given is a list of Saṃhitās based on the list of published and unpublished, complete and incomplete Saṃhitās from the catalogue prepared by Sadhu Parampurushdas and Sadhu Shrutiprakashdas:[37]
Many more Samhitas, of which only the name is known and are non-extant, are listed in the work as well.[37]
In theRanganathaswamy Temple of Srirangam, the Paramesvara Samhita, a variant of the Paushkara Samhita, is in adherence.
In theVaradaraja Perumal Temple of Kanchipuram, the Jayakhya Samhita is followed.
In theCheluvanarayana Swamy Temple of Melukote, the Ishvara Samhita is followed.
In the Pundarikaksha Swamy Temple of Tiruvellarai, the Padma Samhita is followed.
In Tirukkudantai of Kumbakonam, Aravamudhan Sarangapani, a form of Vishnu, is worshipped with the Sriprasna Samhita.
Gaudiya Vaishnavas follow theBrahma Samhita and the Naradiya Samhita.
TheSreevallabha Temple of Kerala follows the Durvasa Samhita and the Ahirbudhnya Samhita.
| Vyūhas | Image | Attributes | Symbol[67][68] | Direction | Face | Concept | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Narayana Vishnu | Vāsudeva |  | Chakra Wheel Gadā Mace Shankha Conch | Garuda Eagle |  | East | Saumya (Placid/ benevolent) | .jpg) | Jṅāna Knowledge |
| Samkarsana |  | LāṅgalaPlough MusalaPestle Wine glass | Tala Fan palm |  | South | Simha Lion | .jpg) | Bala Strength | |
| Pradyumna |  | Cāpa Bow Bāṇa Arrow | Makara Crocodile |  | West | Raudra Kapila | _(cropped).jpg) | Aiśvaryā Sovereignty | |
| Aniruddha |  | Carma Shield Khaḍga Sword | Ṛṣya (ऋष्य) White-footed antelope | North | Varaha Boar | .jpg) | Śakti Power | ||
