A report
Shri Shankar Shikshayatan organised the eighth seminar in the series of discussions on Pandit Madhusudan Ojha’s Sharirikavimarsha on November 30,2023. The seminar focused on the 15th chapter, Ishvar ka vistar. Ojhaji has explained the concept of ishvar and various dimensions in this chapter.
Dr Somveer Singhal of Delhi University, said Ojahjii in his book has presented the formless as well as definite form of ishvar. He said it was essential to have a form to worship. For realisation, formless ishvar is equally important. The chapter explains the concept of rasa and bala and how these elements are pure and formless in individual state but come together to initiate the process of Creation.These elements then no longer remain pure. Ojhaji has pointed out that in the Vedas, ishvar is referred to as ishan, purusha etc.
Dr Ranjan Lata of Deendayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, in her presentation pointed out Ojhaji’s explanation of paratpar or supreme entity in the chapter under discussion. He has referred to the supreme being as nirvishesh, niranjan, upasrishth and upasarg. The element which has no form or colour is nirvieshah; one which does not require any cover or remains free of any camouflage is niranjan; the element which is transparent is upasrishta and upasarg is an element without any title.
“यो निर्विशेषः स परात्परो भवन्
निरञ्जनः सन्नुपसृष्ट ईक्ष्यते ।
हित्वोपसर्गं स निरञ्जनो भवन्
परात्परः शिष्यत एव लक्ष्यते ॥” शारीरकविमर्श, पृ.२६१, का.१
yo nirvisheshaha sa paratparo bhavan
niranjanaha sannupasrishta ekshayate
hitvopasarga sa niranjano bhavan
paratparaha shishyata eva lakshyate. –sharirikavimarsha pp 261
Prof. Gopal Prasad Sharma of Shri Lal Bahadur Rashtriya Sanskrit University, Delhi, spoke about purusha and pura mentioned in Pandit Madhusudan Ojha’s book. He said purusha was referred to in the Vedas as prajapati. Pur means town; our body is similar to town. Thus ‘पुरि शेते इति’ (puri shete iti) establishes that one who lives in pur is purusha. Likewise, Ojhaji has explained the meaning of atmagram and bhutagram. Gram means community and bhuta means jeeva. But in the context of atma, the use of gram denotes its expanse and not multiplicity.
Chairing the session, Prof. Santosh Kumar Shukla, convener of Shri Shankar Shikshayatan, said the fifteenth chapter of Sharirikavimarsh was a serious and extensive work and no Hindi translation was available. There is discussion on Ishwar element in this chapter. Acharya Udayan in his Nyayakusumanjali has explained the concept of ishvar. Several philosophers have offered different views of ishvar. Pandit Ojhaji too has given a vivid description of ishvar in this chapter. There was greater emphasis on the bodily form of ishvar in this chapter even though Ojhaji had termed ishvar as nistanuha or without form. But Ojhai has also explained that it was only possible to know about atma through the body. This body alone makes us aware of ishvar.
“आत्मैवेश्वर उच्यते न तु तनुः किन्त्वेष नात्मा विना
देहेन क्व च भाति तेन भगवान् देहीश्वरो गम्यते।
जीवस्येव च तस्य भाति परमाराध्यस्य देहत्रयं
स्थूलं सूक्ष्ममथास्ति कारणवपुस्तत्रान्तरे निस्तनुः॥ ”, वही, पृ. २६१, का.३
atmaiveshvar ucchayate na tu tanuha kintesha natma vina
dehen kka cha bhati tena bhagvan dehishvaro gamyate
jeevsyeva cha tasya bhati paramaradhyasya dehatrayam
sthulam sukshamadhasti karanavapustatrantre nistanuha.–Sharirikavimarsh pp 261
The meeting was organised and conducted by Dr Lakshmi Kant Vimal and Dr Mani Shankar Dwivedi of Shri Shankar Shiksyatan.