[Advaita-l] Namaste

[Vidyasankar Sundaresan]

>Yoginah prati cha smaryate smarte chaite [IV. 2. 21 (517].
>
>Does this sutra indicate that the time mentioned in Gita 8/23 – 24 slokas
>apply to the yogis of ashtanga yoga and sankya yoga only?

The important qualifier to be added here is that these restrictions of
time apply to those who follow the sAMkhya or yoga systems of
smRti independent of Sruti support. Once smRti is considered to be
subordinate to Sruti, it becomes clear that the reference is not to the
actual time of death but to the deities on the paths. As SankarAcArya
says in the gItA commentary, "devatA eva mArga-bhUtA iti sthitaH".

That is the substance of the above sUtra. It is to be read in conjunction
with the immediately preceding sUtra - ataS ca Ayane 'pi dakshiNe.

>My confusion is that while both astanga yoga and sankya yoga pay the way 
>for
>immediate salvation, why was it said in the above bhasyam that the time
>denoted in 8/23 –24 slokas of Gita are only meant for these yogas?

ashTAnga yoga and sAMkhya yoga are accepted as ways to salvation
not in their own independent right, but as subordinate to what is taught
in Sruti. This is explained very clearly in the commentary on the sUtra
"etena yogaH pratyuktaH" - II.1.3. If there are statements in these sMrti
traditions that contradict what is said in Sruti, then those are discarded.
Only the portion of smRti that is not in conflict with Sruti is accepted.

Vidyasankar

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