Why is it called Paravastu or Paramporul? Now we will come to that. A 'vastu' or 'porul' i.e., a substance has three limitations. Substance, any substance is limited in three ways. What are those three ways? By way of space, by way of time and by way of being a particular thing. A substance occupies a space. It is not everywhere. It is in a circumscribed space, limited by length, breadth and height and matter as content which occupies the space within this limit. When a substance is here it is not there. When it is there it is not here. This limitation is called space limitation or 'desa paricchedam'.
A substance may be there at one time and at another time. It may be now here and may not be present here in a later time. This limitation is called time limitation or 'kaala paricchedam'.
A substance is one particular thing at a given time. It cannot be another substance or thing at the same time or it cannot be any other substance than itself. So it is limited by being one particular thing and this is called thing limitation or 'vastu paricchedam'. Paricchedam means just limitation. So any vastu in the world will be limited by space. time and identity of its being a thing. Any substance will be having three limitations or paricchedams, i.e., desa paricchedam, kaala paricchedam and vastu paricchedam. Is there any substance which is free of these three limitations? If at all such a substance is there it cannot be in the world and it can be only transcendent, beyond this samsara. That absolute substance which is free of three limitations is called 'Transcendent Substance' or Paravastu.
If Paravastu is beyond samsara what is it to us? In what way is it going to help us out of this misery? But that Paravastu is also 'krupa' through and through. So the Paravastu of its own grace and karuna to help the beings here takes a birth in this world. That is called 'Avatara'. But it is in no way changed in its nature of being free of three limitations, even when it is born down here. How can it be? If it is beyond and free of all three limitations, how in reality can it be born as an avatar? If born, how can it be at all still free of all the limitations? It is beyond nature. Yea. That is why in Srimad Bhagavad Gita, the chapter which talks about this mystery of Avatar of the Paravastu, is called Rajavidya and also Rajaguhyam. It is the science most royal and again the mystery most royal. Why royal? Because it is so and no question can be asked or any answer expected, just like the free-will of kings in monarchy. Sri Ramakrishna in a teaching says that the Supreme Atman is coming down as avatar not out of karma but out of karuna. It is comparable to a King going to visit his son in prison, who is arrested due to some crime. His son is there out of his activity as a punishment. But the KIng goes to the prison not due to any punishment but out of love for his son. In the same way, Paramatman comes to this world as avatar out of his karuna to help this jiva, His child.
Now again, Sri Pillai Lokachariyar Swami, one of the Purvacharyas of Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya, talks about a parallel avatar that is happening whenever Paravastu is coming as avatar. When Paravastu is there in his transcendent state, the Veda is the pramanam which enlightens us about Paravastu. Pramanam is the epistemological method which causes knowledge about reality. What is made known by pramanam is called prameyam. So just like prameyam which is taking avatar, pramanam also takes avatar correspondingly. When Paravastu is in transcendent state pramanam is Veda. When He is born as Vyuhamurti, pramanam is also born as agamas, to inform about Him. When He is born as human beings like Sri Rama, Sri Krishna, pramanam is also taking avatar as Itihasam. When He is taking the avatar of Archa in the temples, the same pramanam is taking avatar as Divya Prabandam. What a wonderful concept, this parallel avatar of pramanam alaong with prameyam! Veda along with Vedavedya! Epistemology along with Ontology!
Srirangam Mohanarangan
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