Advaita parampara

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

[Note: this is a response to an exchange that took place off the list.]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Srikrishna Ghadiyaram <srikrishna_ghadiyaram at yahoo.com>
To: Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 15:33:33 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: Neti Yoga

Hari Om !!

--- "Jaldhar H. Vyas" <jaldhar at braincells.com> wrote:
> Yes and very much so. Even the Advaita Vedanta Parampara traces back to Lord
> Narayana, then Sanandana, Maharishi Vashishtha and others. The teaching is
> Sanatan, like our Dharma, but the formality and the clear distinction that
> exists in Advaita Vedanta of today is only because of Jagadguru Adi
> Shankaracharya.
>

And it is that formality and clarity which counts.  Other kinds of
Vedantins also claim their descent from Shri Narayana, Upanishadic Rshis
such as Yajnavalkya etc. as their own.  we can claim and counter-claim but
we really can't prove it either way.  It's only with Gaudapadacharya and
Shankaracharya that we can really establish Advaita parampara on a
historical footing.  I've also given the names of a few earlier advaitins
on advaita-l but their particular parampara no longer exists except
through Shankaracharya.  If others were able to grasp Advaitic teachings
however poorly it has been due to Shankaracharya.  Else we would be able
to trace their ideas through history.  We can't.

-----------------------------------

A side question:

We recite: sadAsiva samarambham ....
also, I know based on Bhagavata tradition, we believe
Lord Narayana taught Sanaka, Sanandana rishis.

What is the reconciliation between these two
statements ?

If I understand your question correctly, you are asking if our parampara
stems from Shiva Bhagavan or Vishnu Bhagavan?

The answer is both.  They are one and the same!  I believe once Swami
Chandrashekhara Bharati was asked about the usage of Om Namo Narayana by
Dashanami sannyasis.  He replied that it was only parabrahman being
referred to who manifests as Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesha.


--
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>
It's a girl! See the pictures - http://www.braincells.com/shailaja/