[Advaita-l] Traditional Scholarship vs Modern Pseudo-Intellectualism

kuntimaddi sadananda kuntimaddisada at yahoo.com
Sat Nov 12 23:17:13 CST 2011


PraNAms to all
 
There are two interesting slokas in VevekachUDAmani. Before I quote, I must say - no I did not memorize the text an even these slokas I remember on the need basis. 
 
The fist sloka is interesting.
 
avijnaate pare tatve shaastraadiistu niShpalaa|
vijnaatepi pate tatve shaastraadiistu niShpalaa||
I may be making errors in the transliteration. 
In essence it says in the first line- 
Study of shaastraas (including memorizing) is useless if one does not know the absolute truth that is pointed out by them. In the second line it says the Study of Shaastraas is useless if one knows the absolute truth pointed out by them. 
Another sloka of interest is 
Vaagvaikharii shabdajharii shaastra vaakyaana koushalam|
Vidushyaam viduShaam tadvat buktaye na tu muktaye||
Skill in fluent speech, the proficiency in explaining the shaastraas, the scholarship of the learned, all make only for personal enjoyment but not for liberation. 
 
Study of the shaastras is only meant for realizing the truth. One who knows the truth and can communicate that knowledge to others alone is a true scholar. The advises of the shaastras is to approach him for knowledge – tat vijnaanaartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet samit paaNiH shotriyam brahma niShTam.
 
Hari Om!
Sadananda
 


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