Thread by @DefiledGod

Something I learned while going through the shAstra.

When the nArAyaNa sUkta says "sa brahma sa shivaH sendraH", it implies that these three gods are his bodies, and as such they can be called as "nArAyaNa" by sAmAnAdhikaraNya on the basis of inseparability (aprthak-siddhi). +

This logic is very much applied in the brAhmaNAs and AranyakAs. In various instances, one can see a devata called "viShNu" doing peculiar things. However, in these instances, "viShNu" refers to bhagavAn nArAyaNa in the form of other gods, ie, having them as his sharIraM+

For example, if one says, "viShNu created the worlds", it can mean, "viShNu in the form of brahmA, who is his body, created the worlds". Thus, it basically is describing brahmA's action only, but uses bhagavannAma by sharIrAtma bhAva+

Thus, one can see examples for all three devas. For Indra, this reference in Taittiriya Samhita (2.1.7) -

"sa etaM viShNur vAmanam apashyata" - "viShNu (Indra) saw (meditated on) the (essential nature of) the subtle individual self (vAmana)". +

Here, it is Indra who performed this action, but he is called "viShNu" as he is the body of bhagavAn, who had realized bhagavAn to be his innerself. This is clarified by upabrahmaNAs in MB. Next, Rudra is also mentioned thus.+

Shatapatha brAhmaNa 14.1.1.5 - "tadvíShNuH prathamaH prApasa devAnAM sreShthobhavat" - "That viShNu (Rudra) attained the end of bhakti yoga first & became most excellent of gods". This is Rudra as body of viShNu, who realized bhagavAn to be his innerself. Again, MB confirms this+

Then, brahmA is referred to in the puruShamedha section of Shatapatha brAhmaNa thus, "puruSho ha nArAyaNo.akAmayata atitiShTheyaM sarvANi" - "That puruSha (brahmA) who is verily nArAyaNa (ie, has nArAyaNa as his innerself) desired, "I want to rule over all beings" etc +

brahmA too was cognizant of nArAyaNa as his innerself while desiring such a thing. So the shruti calls him nArAyaNa to highlight that. This sharIrAtma bhAva. This is confirmed by rAmAyaNa which uses similar technique to describe actions of brahmA.+

The point is, one should not go reading the karma kaNDa without a knowledge of the jnAna kaNDa, as it would simply lead to confusion due to such instances as the above. They are never straightforward//