Pressure and A-dvaita (fwd)

[Giri]

Namaste.

>Happiness is a relative term,

        Happiness, as detailed in my post, is NOT a relative term.
Pleasure and pain may be relative, but not ananda. I was mentioning
Happiness when there is no perception of objects. When there is no
perception of objects, Purusa, the cognizer of Buddhi, abides in Itself
(YS 1.3).  Happiness is our true nature. Ananda is our true nature.

>  Sri shankara has told one can't worship
>  2 deity at the same time.

        Where and in which context ? Please provide the quote in
sanskrit and a brief english translation. This is pretty surprising since
Shankara advocated the worship of five Gods.

> So we can't claim that I am driving Toyota
> corola and earning US $ still I claim dettached. Which is impossible.

        Maybe not every one can. It does not mean no one can. I have
posted before how both Shankara and Ramana agree that a householder can be
a jnani. There is no one who is more detached than a jnani. I have also
posted before how Janaka, a king, explains how he is both a king and a
jnani. How he is detached when he is doing work of a king. Since these posts
were all within the past month, I am sure you have read them.

        Further, there is also a little incident in which Krishna advises
Arjuna to be detached while fighting a war. Driving cars in a freeway in
LA may be compared to a war :-) One may argue that jnana yoga is tough for
the householder. Fine, but detachment is basic Karma yoga. Karma yoga and
Bhakti yoga can be and should be practiced by everyone. Karma yoga may not
lead to jnana, but would definitely lead to chitta-suddhi.  Bhakti yoga
does lead to krama-mukti.

>   >a new job earning 60k he takes weeks to decide which car to buy. So what
>   >is that ????, He gets happiness in choosing the best car. So either one
>   >should be totally dettached or accept this mundane world of "RAT RACE"
>   >as a part of the culture.

        Stop by Hollywood and look at the stars who earn millions per year
and yet are very unhappy. Ever wonder why ? If money was the sole
criteria for happiness, these people should be infinitely happier than
saints like Ramakrishna/Ramana.

        If one feels that happiness "arises" out of choosing the best car,
and that happiness is related to satisfying one's senses and lies outside
the mind, what is stopping that person in catering to the senses and
accepting this rat race. Go ahead and be happy that way, that's what I
say. Vedanta is not for him/her.

        On the other hand, as Neeta-ji pointed out, total detachment can not
happen overnite. In fact, total detachment can be done only by a jnani. A
partial surrender always leads to total surrender (Ramana Maharshi). A
complete surrender leads to extinguishment of ego and thus to jnana.

>   >Attachment to US $ and Honda Toyota drives One to go to US, common
>   >don't tell it is for the "Quest  for  Knoweledge".

        There is no quest for knowledge, since Knowledge is within. Jnana
is not attained, avidya, which never arose, is lost.

        There is saying that common sense is the most uncommon sense.
Maybe money attracted a few. Maybe others were attracted by research,
education, higher studies etc. A few were "forced" to come to USA by their
parents. What is your point ? Should all of them just forget vedanta and
indulge in the rat race ? What about westerners who were already in USA ?

        Let us even agree that everyone were salivating at dollars when
they stepped into US. Can't they change ? Can't a sinner become a saint ?
Or are you saying that every one who wants to become a saint, including
westerners, should pack up and go to India ? And do what ? Can they leave
their mind, ego, karma in US by doing so ? Don't they carry the burden of
mind everywhere they go ?

AUM