History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c95.288

v7.c95.288

It is most surprising that Deussen should press into service the story of Sanatkumāra and Nārada in order to fortify his proposition that kṣatriyas were the original possessors of the great doctrines of Vedānta. He relies on Chān. Up VII, where it is said that Nārada approached Sanatkumāra and prayed 'Teach me, Sir.' Sanatkumāra said to him 'tell me what you know; then I shall tell you what is beyond that'. Nārada stated (in Chān. Up. VII. 1-2) that he had studied the four Vedas,²⁵⁵⁹ Itihāsa-purāna and gave a long list of lores including Devavidyā, Brahmavidyā (whatever that may mean), kṣatravidyā, Nakṣatravidyā, admitted he knew manṭras only and did not know Ātman (the Self) and added 'I have heard from men like you that he who knows the Ātman overcomes sorrow. I am in sorrow; *bhagavan*! do help me to cross (to get over) my sorrow.' Sanatkumāra replied 'whatever you have studied is mere name, there is something better than a name'. Then Sanatkumāra teaches him to meditate on speech as better than name, then on manas as better than speech and several others as better than the preceding (in VII. 4-24) till he reaches *bhūman* (the Infinite, the Paramātman) and describes *bhūman* in VII. 25-26 ending with the words 'all this springs from the Self' and it is stated at the end (in VII. 26. 2) 'Bhagavān (venerable) Sanatkumāra showed to Nārada, all whose blemishes had been crushed (uprooted), what is beyond darkness (avidyā); they call him (Sanatkumāra) Skanda '²⁵⁶⁰