They state that everything has come into existence through some application of Sudarshana Power, the Power of Mind attributed to Vishnu. Indeed, it not only propounds the esoteric nature and power of mantras, but states that the world has come into existence because of them. The use of tantric mantras and practices permeates Pancha Ratra. The ultimate reality is described as an attributeless consciousness substance, always transcending and thus eluding intellectual comprehension and verbal expression. Roots of Philosophy This school has the underlying precept that reality is non-dual, One Supreme Reality that possesses two fundamental aspects: The primary concern of the Pancha Ratra School seems to have been sadhana or practical methods of realizing the Supreme. That we do not have these verses is tragic in the extreme. It is estimated that originally there were 1.5 million shlokas or verses dedicated to this school. the various scriptures referred to as a group by the name Pancha Ratra Samhitas. Many of the sources in which references to the Pancha Ratra school appears are contained in fragments of documents the majority of which have been lost: e.g. But even references to it there are later interpretations and not original, according to most scholars. Its existence has been traced to prior to some of the great Indian epics, such as the Mahabharata, where it first makes its prominent appearance. By inference, it is quite ancient because it predates writing. So these above are variously referred to in diverse texts.īecause of the long history of the oral tradition, the exact roots are not known.
Interestingly, there is no one commonly accepted definition.
It has been called the path that destroys ignorance: that which destroys the reality conveyed by the senses. It has also been described so comprehensive that it eclipses the Shastras of Shaivism, Samkhya, Yoga, Arhata and Bauddha. Vaishayika The study of spiritual scienceĭefinition: In various scriptures in praise of the Pancha Ratra school, it is described as the school which has the four Vedas contained within it. Mukti Prada Studying and practicing paths to liberationīhakti Prada Practicing the path of Devotion Originally, the word itself meant Five (Pancha) Disciplines (Ratra). Pancha Ratra School of Spiritual Development