Vedic Religion

[Vidyasankar Sundaresan]

Shrisha Rao <shrao at NYX.NET> wrote:

>I don't know of any verse in the MB that lauds pAshupata, etc., as
>well, but I do know there are several verses, including one
>significant passage, that extol the Pancharatra.

Check the mokshadharma section. There is a verse that talks of veda,
sAMkhya, yoga, pAncarAtra and pASupata as five schools of anvIkshaNa.

As for why Sankara and vAcaspati disagree with a pAncarAtra doctrine that
denies difference in the state of release, the reasons are the same as why
ASmarathya and auDulomi are rejected elsewhere. Briefly, the reason is that
difference is held to be real in the state of bondage, and is said to
disappear in the state of liberation. If so, this means that liberation is
something that is produced, something that is a result of something else.
This cannot be accepted on Advaita principles.

Regards,
Vidyasankar