North Indian Inscriptions

RELIGIOUS HISTORY

       This receives a most welcome confirmation from the Sātvata-saṁhitā, the contents of which have been so admirably summed up by R. G. Bhandarkar.1 Rāmānuja² also sums it up succinctly as follows: “That this worship of that which is of a four-fold nature means worship of the highest Brāhmaṇa, called Vāsudēva, is declared in the Sātvata-saṁhitā: ‘This is the supreme Śāstra the great Brahmōpanishad, which imparts true discrimination to see Brāhmaṇas worshipping the real Brāhmaṇa, under the name of Vāsudēva.’ That highest Brāhmaṇa, called Vāsudēva, having for its body the complete aggregate of the six qualities, divides itself in so far as it is either the ‘Subtle’ (sūkshma), or division (vyūha), or ‘manifestation’ (vibhava), and is attained in its fullness by the devotees, who, according to their qualifications, do worship to it by means of works guided by knowledge. ‘From the worship of the vibhava-aspect one attains to the vyūha, and from the worship of the vyūha one attains to the ‘Subtle’ called Vāsudēva, i.e., the highest Brāhmaṇa’-such is their doctrine. By the vibhava we have to understand the aggregate of beings, such as Rāma, Kṛishṇa, etc., in whom the highest Being becomes manifest; by the vyūha the four-fold arrangement or division of the highest Reality, as Vāsudēva, Saṁkarshaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha; by the ‘Subtle’ the highest Brahman itself, in so far as it has for its body the mere aggregate of the six qualities-as which it is called ‘Vāsudēva’.” R. G. Bhandarkar’s summary on the Sātvata-saṁhitā supports the above statement in every way and supplements it in one respect. The most important point is that the Brahmōpanishad, the highest Śāstra, reveals itself to a qualified Brāhmaṇa only, when he worships Vāsudēva as Brahman. The second important point noticeable in his summary is that “This Śāstra along with Rahasya is fruitful to those who have gone through Yōga with its eight parts and whose soul is devoted to mental sacrifice.

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The Yōgins, who are Brāhmaṇas guided by the Vēdas and who have given up the mixed worship, are competent for the worship of the single one, dwelling in the heart.”³ Thus the second important point noteworthy about the Sātvata sect is that there is a special type of Yōga connected with it. Now, both these points are noticeable about the Sātvata sect described in the Tuśām record. The Āchāryas of this sect are all Brāhmaṇas and belonged to the Gōtama gōtra. Secondly, the first of these Āchāryas named Yaśastrāta is described not only as a devotee of Bhagavat (Vāsudēva), but also as “one to whom the Yōga practice of the Ārya Sātvatas had come down through many generations.” After this agreement in important points, can there be any doubt that there was a Vaishṇava sect called the Sātvatas which was in existence in the Gupta period ? Further, we have to note that this Sātvata sect was, in regard to the order of succession, more akin to the Vallabhāchārī where the succession was from father to son than to the Rāmānuja, Madhva or Nimbārka where the succession was from a Saṁnyāsī teacher to his Saṁnyāsī pupil. There are two more points relating to the Sātvata sect which deserve notice. The first is that one member of this family has been designated not only as Āchārya but also as Upādhyāya. What could be the distinction between the two ? Anybody who has read Manu-smṛiti (II. 145) need not be told that according to this law-giver ten Upādhyāyas are equal to one Āchārya. Evidently, an Āchārya is in grade much superior to an Upādhyāya. And we shall not be far from right if we take Upādhyāya in the sense of “a priest or pontiff” and Achārya in the sense of “ a teacher.” Here was therefore a line of teachers pertaining to the Sātvata sect where the Sātvata Yōga came by heritage but where there was one Upādhyāya or priest. What could his duty be? R. G. Bhandarkar, while winding up his summary of the Sātvata-saṁhitā, says: “Then follows the statement of the mystic arrangement of letters and formulae and the meditations. This work throughout contains the mystic modes of worship by means of mantras variously arranged. The allusion
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¹ Vaishṇavism, Śaivism , etc., pp. 39-40.
² Vēdānta-sūtras, II. 2.42 (SBE., Vol. XLVIII, p. 525).
³ Vaishṇavism, Śaivism, etc., p. 40.