[Advaita-l] Re: Advaita-oriented commentary on Narayaneeyam

[Ravisankar Mayavaram]

The review does not stop there and there is a second part, I am
quoting that below.

http://www.hindu.com/br/2005/06/14/stories/2005061400141600.htm

BEGIN QUOTE
 Commentary

However, the commentary throws up a few issues. For example, the
opening verse is taken to mean that not only a person who has not
realised the Self cannot explain the principle of the Lord of
Guruvayoor, but even the realised one. If this is so, then the role of
a Jivanmukta remains unresolved. Again, by the statement that "God is
born", it is perhaps meant that God manifests Himself. Otherwise, He
being described as Aja (unborn) will be rendered controversial.

It is further mentioned that a Jivanmukta attains liberation after he
has exhausted his Prarabdha Karma. The term Jivanmukta itself means,
"liberated while being embodied." The extinguishing of Prarabdha Karma
and Self-realisation occurs simultaneously in the case of Videhamukta.

The glossary to the third volume refers to Vaisya as a caste, but the
tenor of the commentary (with support from the Bhagavad Gita) is that
God created four "classes" (and not castes) based on the "Gunas" and
activities of the people. Similarly, the exposition on the
inexplicability of Maya needs reconsideration.

The explanation for the Upanishadic text "Purna madah purna midam" may
be supplemented with some illustrative example for easy comprehension.
That Brahman is described as the material cause and also the efficient
cause could be explained as in the Mundaka Upanishad giving the spider
example. These issues could receive attention in future editions.

The effort of the scholar-devotees in giving this English version of
the excellent Malayalam commentary is highly commendable. They have
taken pains to make available the rare material in the commentary to a
larger audience and the devotees are beholden to them for this
service.

END QUOTE


On 9/20/05, V. Krishnamurthy <profvk at yahoo.com> wrote:

>
> The book Review in "The Hindu" by Shri. C.L. Ramakrishnan,
> a very erudite scholar said, "English version of
> "Bhaktaranjini", Malayalam commentary by K.G. Vancheswara
> Sastry and R. Viswanatha Sastry in three volumes: T. P.
> Sivasubramani, G. Sankaran, K.V . Gopalakrishna and Parvati
> Sankaran - Tr. in English; S. N. Sastri - Editor, pub. by
> Bhaktaranjini Trust, 22 A, II Cross, Judicial Officers' Lay
> Out, RMV II Stage, Sanjay Nagar,
> Bangalore-560094.