Shraardham

[B.J. Ganesh prasad]

----- Original Message -----
From: KrishnaPrasad Govindan <prasadgrp at HOTMAIL.COM>
To: <ADVAITA-L at LISTS.ADVAITA-VEDANTA.ORG>
Sent: Wednesday, June 21, 2000 11:32 PM
Subject: Re: Shraardham


> >From: "B.J. Ganesh prasad" <bjganeshprasad at YAHOO.COM>
> >
> >Hari om,
> >
> >In reply, to your question, which is a highly debated one, I can think of
> >the following.
> >
> >Hinduism, bases itself on the Shrutis amd Smrithis. Particularly, Manu
> >Smrithi.
> >
> >Manu, makes it an obligatory duty to perform shraddha on the children of
> >the
> >deceased. Manu says that by doing so one increases his merit etc.....
> >
> >Alternatively, we have the Grihya sutras and the shrouta sutras of the
> >vedas, which mention about shraddhas. These injunctions, even further
> >advocate the performance of a parvani shraddha, for agnihotris. Well, to
> >put
> >it in simple words, an Ishti. The vedas proclaim, that the shraddhas have
> >to
> >be performed and have made it into a naimittika karma.
> >
> >Now for the question, whether one should give all these karmas and
> >concentrate on vedanta, which gives liberation from all karmas and
mundane
> >things.
> >
> >Bhagavatpada Sri shankaracharya says in his Bhashyas,
> >
> >Chittasya shuddaye karma, performance of karma, purifies the mind.
> >
> >since, the vedas proclaim,
> >
> >jnanadeva tu kaivalyam prapyate yena muchyate, i.e; moksha is through
jnana
> >alone.... and how do u get jnana ? This is answered by the vedas again,
> >
> >tametam vedanuvachanena Brahmana vividishanthi
> >yagnena daanena tapasa anaashakena....
> >
> >here, tametam, according to Sayana bhashya means, moksha. Moksha, is
> >obtained as a result of jnana, derived from chitta shudhhi, which is
> >obtained by performing karma like yajna, daana, tapas etc....
> >
> >However, it may be wrong to deduce the mimamsa way, that doing karma
leads
> >to moksha, here karma, is an injunction for chitta shuddi, a primary
> >requisite for moksha. Acharyal, in his bhashya further says, so long as
one
> >does not have an intense desire for liberation, one should perform karma.
> >This is echoed in the upanishads andthe bhagavad geetha.
> >
> >Further, at this point we get a doubt, we all have a desire to get
moksha,
> >so can we leave karma ?
> >
> >This is answered by acharyal as that point when men are no longer
> >interested
> >to dwell amongst their loved ones, earn money or desire wealth, but crave
> >only for liberation. A state of sanyasa indeed. This state alone, and not
> >Table philosophy regarding the atma, entitles one to leave karma.
> >otherwise,
> >one is obligated to do them religiously.
> >
> >iti kshama,
> >gp
> >
> >
> >


My reply, to this, as i know, i might be wrong too.
pls see 17th and 18th chapters, and the essence of geetha bhashya, of
acharyal, karma is to be done till that stage when one gets jnana. however
that is subjective. acharyal says that, by jnana, that state where one does
not differentiate b/w people, mud and gold etc...i.e., sarvam khalvidam
brahma.

Until then Karma is mandatory.




> In B.G 27.1., Arjuna asks:
>
> yE sAstRavidhi-muthsRujya yajanthE sraddhyAnvithA
> thEshAm nishtA thu kA Krishna satvamAhO rajasthama
>
> Those who setting aside the ordinances of the scriptures perform
sacrifices
> with faith - what is their status, O Krishna? Is it Sattva, or Rajas, or
> Tamas?
>
> In rest of the chapter, Sri Krishna explains to Arjuna the nature of the
> different faiths.
>
> In general, what is good, harmless, done w/o expecting fruit of action etc
> are Sattvik.
> but specifically, karma setting aside ordinances of scriptures (even
though
> with faith ?)
> is not Sattvik and won't lead to chitta shuddhi. (This is what I
understood
> from the rest
> of the chapter, so please correct me if I am wrong)
>
> There are aspirants who are from non-hindu lineage who want to follow
> Advaita.
> Are they obligated to do the pre-set list of karmas as prescribed in Manu
> smrithi as
> a pre-requisite for chitta shuddi or else the doors to liberation is shut
> for them?

Manu says that when a king conquers an other nation one is eligible to
follow the samanya dharma of the kings origin. If we take present day
freedom, of citizenship, ideology etc... one can follow the manu smrithi
irrespectively.

Sanatana dharma, requires all to abstain from the patakas, like maha and upa
pataka, i.e;

abstainence from alcohol, himsa etc.. and following the ashrama dharma.

pls, read patanjali sutras on how to control the mind etc and all related
stuff to chitta shuddhi. IF one is unable to hold on to his will and gives
in to vices, and is clearly ruled by his senses, then ITS ABSOLUTELY
IMPOSSIBLE TO GET JNANA OR MOKSHA, exception of course he is god incarnate
as a maya manava swaroopa and playing around.

Ayam atma vishayam tarkam tyajyathaam athra. brahmasutra bhashya

na anya pantha vidyate, purusha sukta, see sayana

thanks
gp





>
> What happens if an aspirant chooses not do a karma as prescribed in Manu
> smrithi ?
>
> Is it possible to do actions (good, harmless, done w/o expecting fruit of
> action)that
> wd lead to chitta shuddhi even though they are not ordained by the
> scriptures?
>
>
> Om shAnthi.
> Krishna Prasad
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