Gayatri Mantra and Agarwals

[Vivek Anand Ganesan]

I fully concur with what other list members have written
regarding the scope of this list and its best use etc.
But, I feel that this issue also has to be discussed
albeit within the parameters of this list. It would be best
if people discussed what bhagavatpAda's views were on
adhikAram etc. ( trust me, this topic has been discussed
before, just search the archives; it keeps popping up
because it is a basic issue and I think skirting around it
won't help one bit ).

  Based on past discussions ( I have been following this
list since 1998 ), the following was agreed :
1) shrI shankara has upheld the view that women and non-
   dvijas are ineligible to study the vedas.  But, AFAIK,
   such a view has been upheld by every single vedAntin.
   So, it is not that shankara or advaita alone is
   "casteist" and "misogynist".
2) Again, it was pointed out that there is absolutely no
   restriction when it came to j~nAna and to talk about
   adhikAram etc. with respect to j~nAna is ridiculous.
3) I have a set of books by H.H. Holenarasipur Swamiji who
   also states 1) but adds that it is OK to discuss shruti
   in any language other than Sanskrit ( he sort of implies
   this in one place ).  Since this list is English-based,
   I don't think it is a problem as long as we discuss
   advaita-related texts.  So, there is no limitation on
   this list ( I believe the moderators concur, judging by
   the diversity of the membership ) based on birth or
   gender.

-Vivek.

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