7.1. The meaning of the Akṣara-Puruṣottama Upāsanā

The Akṣara-Puruṣottama Upāsanā is not the upāsanā of two separate entities, Akṣara and Puruṣottama. However, it means to become akṣararūpa and worship Puruṣottama; that is, to become brahmarūpa and offer upāsanā to Parabrahman.

The principle meaning of upāsanā is to understand Parabrahman as the all-doer, supreme, with a form and manifest, as clearly explained by Svāminārāyaṇa in Vacanāmṛtas, Panchālā 7, Gadhadā 1/40, Gadhadā 3/35 and others. The powers of Akṣarabrahman and the other entities with Akṣarabrahman are entirely dependent on Parabrahman, and so, clearly, there is no question of offering upāsanā to them. After the manifest form of Parabrahman returns to his divine abode, the mumukṣu (seeker or aspirant) who associates with the manifest Guru still offers upāsanā to Parabrahman only. Since Paramātman himself is fully present through the form of the manifest Brahmasvarūpa Guru.

Even Akṣara offers upāsanā towards Parabrahman. Bhadreśadāsa explains it in the Brahmasūtras commentary:

“upāsyaparamepāsakabhāvalakṣaṇaḥ saṃbandho vācyaḥ | śāstrāṇi hi niṣṭham, atraitatsamarpitaṃ, matparaḥ ityadibhiḥ akṣarabrahmaṇo nityaṃ paramātmaparamopāsanaparāyaṇatāṃ darśayanti |”

“The relation between Parabrahman and Akṣarabrahman is like upāsya (to whom upāsanā is offered) and upāsaka (one who offers upāsanā). The scriptural statements like niṣṭham (Mundaka-upaniṣad 1/2/12), atraitatsamarpitam (Mundaka-upaniṣad 2/1/1), matparaḥ (Bhagavad-Gītā 2/61) etc., elaborate this fact.”

In the Svāminārāyaṇa Vedanta, when a seeker develops such upāsanā (devotion coupled with the knowledge of Parabrahman) in the heart, holds that Parabrahman with the definite form, present now (in the incarnate form) together with His devotees exist in eternity also after the total dissolution (ātyantika-pralaya) of everything. In short, Parabrahman, devotees, and His all entourage are always with a definite personal form (sadāsākāra) and are uneclipsed by the sweeping floods of ultimate dissolution (ātyantika pralaya).

In upāsanā, love-devotion, faith-knowledge, conviction-commitment, and dedication are all amalgamated together. Upāsanā or dhyāna consists of constant reflection over the glory of Parabrahman together with intense devotion, love, and concentration. There is ever-growing mutuality between love and devotion on one hand and knowledge and understanding on the other hand. They nourish and multiply one another. Bhakti is living love for Parabrahman and self-absorbing devotion unto Him. When bhakti matures to the acme of magnitude and secures the depth of oceanic unfathomability, it becomes illuminating like accurate knowledge. In simple words, upāsanā entails in having the resolute knowledge of the supremely venerable (upāsya) Parabrahman’s essential nature as sadā-sākāra (always endowed with a form), sarva-avatārāṇām-avatārī (transcendental supreme Lord of lords) and with such a firmly rooted conviction in the heart, engaging oneself in the meditation, contemplation, name-recitation and singing glory of His leela (actions, incidents, and exploits).^[1]

Conversely, this ‘upāsanā’ rejects to accept Parabrahman as a formless-qualityless-attributeless abstract personality. To express Parabrahman as formless (nirguṇa-nirākāra) is to rebuke His power, sovereignty, and absoluteness. It is an act of ignoring Parabrahman’s splendor, and veracity, and existence. It is ‘svarūpadroha’ (spitting his form) of Parabrahman, an act of committing the unpardonable sin of blasphemy.^[2] The right knowledge of the nature of Parabrahman consists in realizing Him as an eternally perfect personality having a divine form and an infinite number of infinitely auspicious qualities. The entire Svāminārāyaṇa Vedanta is roaming around the upāsanā principle, in which one has to realize that to become identical (analogous/similar) to Akṣarabrahman (the supreme devotee) and worship the supreme Parabrahman with the relationship of dedicated-devoted servant to His Master (Parabrahman), is the core aspect of upāsanā.^[3]

In this manner, when death, which is like an ocean, is to be overcome, it needs the help of unwavering devotion and dedication (i.e., upāsanā) to Parabrahman even for a devotee who may have developed ātmaniṣṭhā (self-knowledge/self-realization). One, thus, should profoundly learn and tread the path of upāsanā. This reflects that upāsanā ought to be resolutely deep-rooted in the mind because it is not ātmaniṣṭhā, but the submission at the feet of the all protector-redeemer Parabrahman alone that comes to the rescue of a upāsaka (devotee) at the time of death. Therefore, upāsanā is like a life-saving ship in the binding condition of jivātman in saṃsāra. This is the reason why, even for a totally surrendered-one, the upāsanā of the transcendental Parabrahman, singing His splendor, actions, and incidents of His life and chanting His name are vital for the supreme liberation.^[4]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vacanāmṛta Gadhadā II/9

[2]:

Vacanāmṛta Vartāl 2

[3]:

Vacanāmṛta Gadhadā II/3, Kar. 10

[4]:

Vacanāmṛta Gadhadā I/61