Monkey-Mind (Re: ADVAITA-L Digest - 10 Sep 2002 to 11 Sep 2002

[Ravi]

--- yogafarm <yogafarm at WEBTV.NET> wrote:
>
> For example, Sathya Sai Baba once quoted Shankaracharya as saying
> that
> he, Shankaracharaya, would offer his monkey-mind to Shiva so that he,
> Shiva, could train it as he pleased to beg alms (I'm paraphrasing a
> bit,
> but the quote is to be found in "Sathya Sai Speaks," Vol. III, Chapt.
> 18, pp 90).

If this is verse 20 of shivAnandalaharI, the translation you have
quoted above is not correct. The term kapaalin bixo refers to lord shiva as
one who begs with vessel made of skull. In the verse, devotee requests
that his monkey-mind be tied with the rope of bhakti. Overall it is a
very beautiful verse. And the entire work is very beautiful and it
focusses on bhakti.

sadaa mohaaTavyaaM charati yuvatiinaaM kuchagirau
naTatyaashaashaakhaasvaTati jhaTiti svairamabhitaH |
kapaalin.h bhiksho me hR^idayakapimatyantachapalaM
dR^iDhaM bhaktyaa baddhvaa shiva bhavadadhiinaM kuru vibho || 20||

Please note that shankara is not like a university professor who
follows the same theme in all the works. He is a jagadguru and he as
composed works addressing the needs of different people. Only fools
will look for exposition of advaita-vedanta in a work like
shivaanandalaharii which is addressed to people like me, who are still
not ready to grasp the inner essence of advaita vedanta. And who need
bhakti to purify the mind.

Even if it is some other work, you should understand to whom the work
is addressed to and why.

As you yourself have already noted, we would grateful if you do not
take the list back to discussion of modern day saints.  Please note
that there are quite a few lists on YahooGroups, which cater the need
of people like you.

With respects,
Ravi



=====
ambaaL daasan

Ravi

sharaNAgata raxakI nivEyani sadA ninnu nammiti mInAxI

http://www.ambaa.org/  http://www.advaita-vedanta.org