[Advaita-l] With reference to Sadanandaji"s mail with reference to Atmabodha

[Dr. Yadu Moharir]

Namste Sadnanda-Ji:
   
  Thanks for sharing the atmabodha quotation.
   
  aGYaanakalushhaM jiivaM GYaanaabhyaasaadvinirmalam.h .
kR^itvaa GYaanaM svayaM nashyeJNjalaM katakareNuvat.h .. 5..
   
  Acharya's analogy of "kataka" nut powder attracted my attention.  Often we see sages using analogies that can be understood by the common folks of their times to drive home the message.  Here is something on kataka nut, may be if we still used this simple trick lot of problem's associated with dirty, muddy water during Monsoon season could be solved in villages without having to depend on the technology or waiting for Government's intervention, which rarely arrives in time despite of regular predictable occurrence of water borne diseases during the seasons.
   
  Above shloka is giving us the knowledge not only on the spiritual level but also finds a practical utility on the vyavahaaric level as well when we recognize the medicinal properties associated with the "kataka" nuts.
   
  Kataka  - Botanical name - Strychnos potatorum (L); it is also known as Ambuprasada Jalada; Hindi - Nelmal, or Naimal;  Marathi - Nirmali.
  All of these names clearly suggest it's potential use.
   
  Kataka grows abundantly all over India (Burma, Bengal - to - Central & Southern India).
   
  Although this plant is from Strychnos family, it does not contain strychnine and seeds are non-poisonous.
   
  Traditionally seeds were sliced and rubbed around the sides of of water storage vessels and acts as a mechanical precipitant of the suspended matter.
   
  (Other uses: Seed paste (gaNdha) with butter-milk is extremely effective for the treatment of long standing chronic diarrhea. Seed powder taken internally with milk in irritation of urinary organs and in gonorrhea. It is also used in the treatment of Diabetes and helps control hyper-insulinemia. Seeds rubbed with honey and camphor is very effective for conjunctivitis.  Fruit pulp is useful in controlling dysentery and bronchitis.)
   
  We often find interesting clues from various ancient texts that our ancestors used very successfully.  Unfortunately we have not paid significant objective attention to them until some pharmaceutical company comes along; isolates, identifies and then even synthesizes the active principles and the patents them.  We only pat our own backs that Ayurveda was so great.
   
  Finally I would like to say -
   
  aj~nebhyo granthinaH shreShThaa\, granthibhyo dhaariNo varaaH |
dhaaribhyo j~naaninaH shreShThaa\, j~naanibhyo vyavasaayinaH || manusmR^iti 12-103||
Meaning - Someone who has studied a little is better than totally ignorant.  Someone who has memorized them are better than someone who knows a little.  One who knows the meaning is superior to those who memories.  However, one who practices it definitely  the most superior.
   
  My apologies if this post is out of the scope of this list but I could not resist sharing the above tid-bit.
   
  Hari OM tat sat
   
  Dr. Yadu

  kuntimaddi sadananda <kuntimaddisada at yahoo.com> wrote:
  

--- srikanta at nie.ac.in wrote:

> Dear Sadanandaji-pranams
> 
> I am sorry I cannot agree with your statement that even "Advaita is
> tentative only,as it negates Dvaita".In fact in the negation of
> Dvaita,"Advaita"is.Thast is the reason why Acharya Gaudapada has
> analysed
> the various Cause-effect theories,only to refute them at one stroke.

Srikantaji - PraNAms.
Yes. 'advaita' is tentative as process of negation for realization of
the truth as non-duality. 'kRitvaa jnAnam swayam nasyet jalam katakarenu
vat' says Shankara in Atmabodha. Having done its job, the knowledge
also drops down like kataka nut powder used to purify the water leaving
the water free from both dirt as well as kataka nut powder. In that
sense, it is tentative. The truth is avyapadesyam - 'indescribable' as
the Mantra 7 ascertains. In AvadhUta Gita, Bhagavan Dattaatreya says,
'aham dhyAta param dhyeyam akhanDam khanDate katham?' "I am a meditator
and this has to be meditated upon, how can you divide that which is
indivisible?" 

What is needed, of course, is inquiry - tat vijnAsasva - sa vijneyaH -
are the instructions to inquire upon - until one is firmly established
in the knowledge. That is the only way to drop the wrong notions in the
mind. Once dropped, the inquirer, inquired and inquiry all drop out
unceremoniously. It is in that sense I said 'advaita' is also tentative.
Hope I am clear.

I understand your cancers about the study groups. They are only
vehicles for the inquiry. Ultimately one has to discover oneself in
oneself by oneself - 'dhAnena Atmani pasyanti .. Atmaanam AtmanA' says
Krishna.

Hari OM!
Sadananda




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