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Adris Banerji
What is more, the Besnagar Pillar inscription supplies objective evidence, that the cult had influenced the imagination of Greeks to such an extent, that Heliodrus, a member of the diplomatic corps, had embraced it at the expense of Hellenic paganism. This is but one instance, which has survived. Whether there were other instances like the evidence about Buddhism, furnished by the western Indian caves cannot be proved now. The present writer feels that the Ghosyndi and Besnagar inscriptions do not merely prove the existence of the Bhagavata cult in 3rd or 2nd centuries B. C., but their possible existence in the preceeding centuries too.
That the Bhagavata religion was very old, is proved by reference to it by Panini Pāņiņi does not treat the name Vasudeva as that of a divinity but as a proper name. But the attachment of the term bhakti to his name shows that by his times he was already about to attain divine ranks. The founder's name was Krishna-Vasudeva-it was monotheistic. Possibly he was a pupil of Ghora-Angirasa, mentioned in Chhandogya Upa nishad (III. 17. 6). Grierson was of opinion that long afterwards, his proper name Krishna received the same honous. Other names given to the Supreme in later times were “Purusha," or the Male (probably borrowed from Sa mkhva Yoga Narayana and so forth, but, the oldest and original name was, as has been said, “Bhagavat,” In Pārini's time they were also called Vasudevakas and Arjunakas. 26 The supreme deity was infinite, eternal, prasada (full of grace). At a later date, we find that Kautalya was acquainted with the cult of Samkarshaņa. In course of time, they absorbed the message of the 'Upanishads' loosely, 'never weaving it securely in their doctrine. This later form of Bhagavata cult is best illustrated by the Narayaniya section of the Santis Parvan of the Maha bharata. It alludes to the doctrine as Bhāgavata or Pancharatras. The creed being bhakti, as illustrated by the story of Ambarisha and Vishnu. Mahabharata (Š. Parva) states that Samkarshaņa is Jiva, while Vasudeva is paramat man. The creed defined the one God, Bhagavat, Narayana Purusha or Vasudeva, who was Ananta achvuta and avinasin according to Sainkhya, prakriti, pradhana and avaykta. He created Bramha, Siva etc. They believed in the immortality of the soul.
The principles of creation resemble that of Samkhya but the spiritual supreme is not brought in connexion with matter. The Santi Parvan of the Mahabharata is divided into several sections the later half of which is called Mokshadharma Parvan and portion of this is called Narayaniya, which gives, a graphic account of the development of Panchasatra and Vyuha doctrines while purporting to discuss Samkhya-Yoga. The joint mention of Vasudeva and Samkarshana in Ghosundi inscription. proves that in C. 3rd Century B. C., during the formative period of the Bhagavata cult and Vyuha doctrine S. E, Rajasthan or Mewar played an important part. The late Sir George Grierson defined Vyuha doctrine as follows; Vasudeva in the act of creation not only produced prakriti the indiscrete (avayakta) prlmal matter of Samkhya, but also a vyuha or phase of conditioned
26. Grierson-The Narayaniya and the Bhagauitas—Ind. Antiq. vol, XXVIII (0908) p. 253.
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