Importance of the veda

[Ramakrishnan Balasubramanian]

Dear friends,

It is quite clear to anyone who spends even a little time reading
advaitic texts, especially by the great sha.nkara and sureshvara, the
fact that the veda alone can reveal Atman is quite important in
advaita vedAnta. This is beautifully explained by sha.nkara in many
places and by Sureshvara in his naishhkramyasiddhi. I shall quote a
passage from the latter 3.115:

avidyA nidrayA saH ayaM prasuptaH durvivekayA |
bhAvAbhAvau udAsInyA shrutyA eva pratibodhyate ||

He who is asleep due to ignorance, which cannot be removed through
discrimination, is awakened by *shruti alone*, which discards both the
existent and non-existent (trans. by R. Balasubramanian)

Note the use of the enclitic eva. Also note that ignorance *cannot* be
removed through discrimination. The *veda* alone can do it and this is
indeed a VERY important conclusion of advaita. Hundreds of passages
from sha.nkara can be quoted also.

It's a pleasure discussing things with people like Robert, although
they may not agree with what I say or quote. I have no desire to
convert anyone. What I write clarifies my own thoughts and if it helps
other people I am glad. It is infinitely trying on my patience to have
people taking swipes from the sidelines at me while contributing
nothing useful. I think I have posted enough mails to make myself
clear and this is my last mail on this topic: shruti is the endall for
realizing Atman as per advaita vedAnta taught by sha.nkara. If anyone
disagrees, kindly produce some statement controverting this from some
genuine work of sha.nkara or Sureshvara. I mean the sUtra bhAshhya,
upanishhad bhAshya-s and a few other works.

Rama