[Advaita-l] Brahma Sutra-supreme brahman

[M. S. Ravisankar]

The tamil translation  (by Kadalangudi Natesha shaastrigal) I have
translates it as "all pervading" paramam padam.
--

Since that state pervades all space and time, and beyond  -- that
qualification rules out specific places in the cosmos (such as vaikuNTha or
kailasha etc.) . In that sense, it is very near, and yet very far. [this is
my 2c]

Ravi




> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jaldhar H. Vyas [mailto:jaldhar at braincells.com]
> Sent: Saturday, April 03, 2004 5:48 PM
> To: A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta
> Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] Brahma Sutra-supreme brahman
>
>
> On Fri, 2 Apr 2004, S Jayanarayanan wrote:
>
> > Jaldhar, there is no doubt that the "highest place of VishhNu" can be
> > taken as the place of Ishvara, etc. But the question was:
> >
> > ---
> > "The Sutra declares that at the dissolution of Brahmaloka the souls,
> > which by that time have attained knowledge, along with the Saguna
> > Brahman attain what is *** higher than the Saguna Brahman, i.e., para
> > Brahman or the pure highest place of Visnu ***"
> > ...But how come, Sri AdiShankaracharya mentioned supreme brahman in the
> > form of Vishnu in IV.3.10 commentry, which is a Saguna form of Brahman?
> > ---
> >
> > I find it extremely strange that Shankara would choose the term
> > "VishhNu" to refer to the nirguNa Brahman when specifically
> > DIFFERENTIATING it from saguNa Brahman! I think the question asked is
> > very valid and still unanswered.
> >
>
> Ok sorry I wasn't clear, let me try again.  Note that the specific phrase
> is not viShnoH padaM but viShnoH _paramaM_ padaM.  The dwelling of Vishnu
> can be Naraka (with Bali in chaturmasa), or Vaikuntha but the "highest"
> dwelling is Moksha.  The Bhamatikara also emphasizes that this phrase
> refers to Moksha not some intermediate place.  The rgvedic sukta I
> mentioned treats the course of the Sun (sunrise, noon, and sunset) as the
> three steps and three dwelling places of Vishnu.  It is from the highest
> place that He brings down the madhu/soma.
>