Vedanta is not Instant Gratification

[T Swaminarayan]

--- "S. V. Subrahmanian" <svskotra at HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:
> Dear members,
>
>  2.  Vedanta is not a self-study material:
> ==========================================
>
> A competent AchArya is essential, who explains it to
> us atleast
> once.  Atleast a discussion with fellow students is
> a must to
> learn Vedanta.  No medium of instruction can replace
> a Guru.  It would
> be worth the time trying to find an AchArya whom you
> can approach
> for learning.  Even, if he is not a brahmaniSta
> (difficut to find these
> days), he should atleast be a Srotriya.

By this do you not see that one will end up in
chaos?You can yourself be a srotriya by going through
the printed medium!The guru you are suggesting is then
no better than yourself who have gained knowledge from
reading the scriptures.In my opinion, reading the
various bhyashas of ACCLAIMED ACHARYAS is better thAn
settling for a Sotriya suggested by you.

No one seems to be able to vouch that among the
swamijis we come across in todays ashramas this one or
that one is a Brahmanishti! NO OFFENCE MEANT TO ANY
GREAT SOUL BY THIS STATEMENT.
>
> 3. vyakaraNa is essential:
> ===========================
> In this age, when there are not many Gurukulams and
> no conducive
> atmosphere to spend a lot of time in Gurukulam, one
> is restricted in
> having only few physical contacts with one's
> AchArya.  After getting the
> instructions, one has to do a lot of swAdhyaya
> (self-study).  During these
> moments, working purely of commentaries, might prove
> to be a handicap.
> Knowledge of vyakaraNa is essential to unravel the
> meaning, unfold the
> knowledge in the verses.  Many take refuge under
> Shankara's verse "nahi,
> nahi rakshati dukrin karane".  Please, please...the
> meaning is obvious.
> Grammar is a tool.  It is not moksha in itself, but
> will certainly help
> understand the "Sabda"s.

I tend to agree with you. I could go one step further
by just clarifying that by VyaakaraNa you have
included the Language of Sanskrit as a whole.
>
>
> 6.  Vedanta is the end of the search:
> ======================================
> One does not begin the search for God through
> Vedanta, instead one ends the
> search for God through Vedanta.  We have been
> searching for God in wine,
> women(men) and wealth for many births and not having
> found, we have finally
> come to take refuge under Vedanta with the Sraddha
> that it will deliver us.
> Thus Vedanta is the last step in our search, after
> having understood which
> there is nothing left to be understood.  After
> having gone through all the
> myriad ways and finally hit upon the "rAja mArga",
> it would be foolish to
> attempt it half heartedly, or give it up. This is
> the final assault on our
> ignorance, let us give it our best.

Most certainly, you are right atleast about our
present janma's activities! That itself is sufficient
for us to get deeper into the studies of Vedanta.(To
most of us, our poorva janma activities are that much
hearsay only) While doing so, we should not forget our
Vyavaharika duties to our fellow travellers,
especially,our immediate family members like our
poojaniya parents.If you decide to take Diksha, it is
a different matter.
>
> These are some of the conclusions that I have come
> to after my first
> 8 months of study of Vedanta.
>
> Regards.
> S. V. Subrahmanian.

Your further similar considered thoughts are
welcome,which are,most certainly,to be ruminated upon
by all of us.

Warm regards. Hari Om!

Swaminarayan
> _
/

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