NP refers to two concepts which became essential in later Pa ̄ñcara ̄tra: the four-
emanation theogony and the five-ka ̄laworship. The four emanations bear the
names of divine aspects known in mythology and iconography long before the
NP: Kr.s.n.a-Va ̄sudeva, Sam.kars.an.a (Kr.s.n.a’s elder brother), Pradyumna (Kr.s.n.a’s
son by Rukmin.ı ̄), and Aniruddha (Pradyumna’s son). The specificity of the
Pa ̄ñcara ̄tra teaching is its reinterpretation of these divine aspects in a cosmo-
logical perspective. While, at a later time, Pa ̄ñcara ̄tra sam.hita ̄s name these
emanations as vyu ̄has, the NP employs the terms mu ̄rti(326, 66–70) and
mu ̄rticatus.t.aya(326, 43) to refer to them, though it uses the name vyu ̄hain verse
336, 53, where Hari is said to consist of one, two, three, or four vyu ̄has. Chapter
326 (31–41) describes the unborn, unperishable Va ̄sudeva, supreme soul,
purus.abeyond qualities (gun.a), entering the five elements which together are said
to be his body. Thus Va ̄sudeva is said to be born and is named jı ̄va(soul), the
“knower of the field” (ks.etrajña) and is called Sam.kars.an.a. From this soul pro-
ceeds Pradyumna who is the mind (manas) of all beings and into which all beings
disappear at the time of dissolution. From this arises Aniruddha who is the
ego (aham.ka ̄ra) as well as agent, effect and cause (kartr.,ka ̄rya,ka ̄ran.a) and from
whom sentient and insentient beings come into existence. Sam.kars.an.a,
Pradyumna, and Aniruddha as well as the entire universe arise from and dis-
solve into Va ̄sudeva. Verses 68–9 mention the four emanations and the creation
which ensues from them, Brahma ̄ the creator of the world being born of
Aniruddha. Chapter 332 describes the four mu ̄rtisin the path of release: having
become minute, the “best of the vipras” enter the divine being (deva) from which
they reach and stay in Aniruddha’s body. Having become mind, they enter
Pradyumna. Leaving Pradyumna they enter Sam.kars.an.a who is the jı ̄va. Then,
freed from the three gun.asand pure, they enter ks.etrajñawho transcends
thegun.as. Practicing penance and having attained eka ̄nta, they finally enter
Va ̄sudeva who is the abode of all beings (14–19).
The NP refers to the practice ofpañcaka ̄la. This characteristic Pa ̄ñcara ̄tra
notion, current in the Pa ̄ñcara ̄tra Sam.hita ̄s, refers to five observances of the day:
abhigamana(“approaching [of the god],” that is, morning prayer, ablutions, etc.),
upa ̄da ̄na(collection of material of worship), ijya ̄(“sacrifice,” that is, worship),
sva ̄dhya ̄ya(textual study), and yoga(meditation) (Gonda 1977: 72). The NP
qualifies the eka ̄ntin worshippers of Hari as “knowers of the five ka ̄las”
(pañcaka ̄lajña) (323, 42). King Uparicara Vasu is described as offering the five
ka ̄lasto Hari after he fell into a ravine because of non-observance ofahim.sa ̄(324,
28). Pañcaka ̄lakartr.gati, that is, “the one who is the resort of the performer of
thepañcaka ̄la,” is one of the 171 epithets of Na ̄ra ̄yan.a, who is also designated as
pañcara ̄trika(325, 4).
Early Vaikha ̄nasa tradition
Although an often discussed passage of the Cha ̄ndogya-upanis.ad (3.17.6)
(which mentions a Kr.s.n.a) and comparatively late Vedic texts are associated to
history of vais.n.ava traditions 235