New member introduction: Olivia Cattedra

[Swaminarayan T]

--- ken knight <hilken_98 at YAHOO.COM> wrote:

> head-bound antics of philosophy here made advaita
> attractive inasmuch as the bhakti elements in the
> stotras of Shankara were unknown. I speak not just
> from the academic world but from general society
> where
> many groups arose in the 1960's that claimed to be
> teaching advaita. For some reason, about ten years
> ago, the idea appeared 'to find bhakti in advaita'
> and
> a path evolved and a particular experience stands
> out
> that lit this path.
>  Now the false separation of 'heart' and 'mind' that
> has dominated much here in the UK can be addressed
> from its correct standpoint of unity.
----------------------
Dear ken,and others who may be interested in this
thread,
The 'heart' is as much a body part as is the 'mind'.
How come, you are trying to falsify the fact WHICH IS
that they are indeed separate from one another? Again,
how can you state that the correct standpoint to be
addressed is their UNITY?

Both these parts are indeed united,respectively, as an
integral part of this 'BODY'.Is that not so? And from
the Advaitic point of view ,BOTH THESE ARE TO BE
NEGATED!

How can one find Bhakti IN Advaita? Yes. One can
however find bhakti FOR Advaita which is indeed the
force that drives us towards that elusive 'UNITY'!

Gaudapada who was the parama guru of Adi Shankara has
in his Karika stated,

"Ashramaastrividha heena madhyama utkrishta
dhrishtayaha,
Upasanopdishteayam tadartham anukampaya."

meaning:
The humans are of three kinds,of lower,middle and
superior intellects,
Out of compassion for them different paths of upasana
have been given.

Since Bhakti marga and Gyana marga are different
routes to the same destination,an attempt to fuse
these two with a view to find bhakti in advaita may
become an undesirable and a futile exercise.Do you not
agree?

Hari Om!

Swaminarayan.

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