[Advaita-l] Re: svanubhavah and brahmAtma samsthitih

Siva Senani Nori sivasenani at yahoo.com
Thu Mar 15 08:48:52 CDT 2007


From: NARAYANA MURTHY malahanikareswara at yahoo.co.in


In the ongoing topic  – JnyAna and gradations of JnyAna – I have my doubt from this verse #2 of VC wherein ACArya Sankara says
   
  “AtmAnAtmaviveCanam svanubhavo brahmAtmanA samsthiti:”
   
  with specific reference to the topic, I have following doubts on the above verse viz.,
   
    
   Why prefixes are added before the anubhUti and its sustainment
  Su – anubhavaha
  Samsthithihi


praNAm.

svanubhava is explained by the Jagadguru Sri Sri Sri Chandrasekhara Bharati thus: [Having shown vidvatvam to correspond to SravaNa, and AtmAnAtmavivecana to manana] tatah svanubhavah nidhidhyAsana-pUrvaka-brahmasAkshAtkArah kathito bhavati (thereafter by svanubhavah is said that brahma sAkshAtkarah which is preceded by / coupled with nidhidyasana). The next sentence clarifies the su-part.

ata eva svanubhavah ityuktam, viparIta-bhAvanA-nivartaka-nidhidhyAsana-abhAve SravaNamananAbhyAm jAyamAna-anubhavah saushThvam nASnuta iti. (Therefore is said svanubhava, as in the absence of the nidhidhyAsana which prevents thoughts opposed [to Brahman], the experience borne out of SravaNa and manana does not attain completeness / excellence.

Now, to samthitih. The AchArya continues his vyAkhya thus: "asamsaktih, padArtha-abhAvanA, turyagA ca, 'brahmAtmA samsthitih muktih' ityatra.samsthiti-Sabdena vAsanA-kshaya-manonASa-saha-krita-svanubhava-bodhakena vya~NjitAh. (In 'brahmAtma...' by the word samsthitih are manifest a) asamsaktih (detachment), b) padArtha-abhAvanA (non-materialness), and c) turyagA (the fourth state) which are understood by that svanubhava which is accompanied by vAsanAkshaya (demolition of earlier impressions) and manonASa (demolition of manas).

The AchArya further clarifies: "tena sAlokya-sAmIpya-sArUpya-sAyujyAnAm mukhya-muktitva-abhAvaSca sUcito bhavati. (By that is indicated the absence of the main quality of release in sAlokya, sAmIpya, sArUpya, and sAyujya [states]). saguNa-vishayakatayA teshAm caturNamapi mithyatvAt, pariccheda-traya-SUnyatva-rUpa-brahmatvasya saguNe'sambhavAt. ([why?] Due to the falsity of those four on account of the saguNa brahma being their object, and due to the non-presence of the form of Brahman devoid of the three divisions {I think, satva-rajo-tama guNas}in saguNa [brahman]. 

What the above shows is that 

a) there is anubhava, presumably of unity with Brahman, from SravaNa and manana, but it is subject to opposing thoughts (viparIta-bhAvas), or in other words, the sAdhaka is not firmly established in Brahman; his j~nAna is not steady. This implies not so much gradations of j~nAna, as gradations in establishment of j~nAna.

b) the upasarga 'sam' before sthitih is to eliminate the possibility of state of saguNa Brahman, and to indicate the state of nirguNa Brahman.

I hope the above is a true interpretation of the Jagadguru's vyAkhya and clarifies the point raised.

Regards
Senani


----- Original Message ----


  Since I do not not even have “parichayam” of  “vyAkaraNam”, I am not sure whether the padAnvayam  above is correct or not.  But considering the way I have observed the words above, it prima facie appears that Acharya shankara contemplates gradations in JnyAna by adding a prefix “Su” to the anubhavam and sustainment or for contemplated further derailment by adding a prefix “samyak”  to the “sthithi”?
   
  PS:  This is from my elementary knowledge; if it is defective I would be more than willing to correct the same.
   
  Regards
  N.Murthy
   
   

                
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