[Advaita-l] RE: On the parakAyapraveSa legend about Sankara

[bhaskar.yr at in.abb.com]

praNAms Sri Karthik prabhuji
Hare Krishna

I dont know, somehow your below mail missed my attention...on 29th March'07
you had written :

> Karthik prabhuji :
>
> Therefore, instead of criticising the SD by saying, "This shows
> Sankara's actions in poor light", one should view it as, "This
> shows
> Sankara's Mastery of Yoga in good light."
>
> bhaskar :
>
> *Mastery of yOga by shankara* could have been highlighted in a far
> far
> better way by the author of MSD..Dont you know how beautifully
> yogic powers
> have been glorified in books like Autobiography of a Yogi, Living
> with the
> Himalayan Masters etc..

Karthik prabhuji :

Your objection could also be held against the Vishnu Purana or the
Bhagavatam:

"Why should Krishna play sexually with the Gopis at all? Why not
simply give them mukti by love/worship portrayed in a non-sexual
manner? Why the elaborate drama about Krishna stealing the Gopis'
clothes in a sexually charged environment? *Mastery of yOga* by Vishnu
could have been highlighted in a far far better way by the author of the
Vishnu Purana or the Bhagavatam (i.e.Veda Vyasa!)..Dont you know how
beautifully yogic powers have been
glorified in books like Autobiography of a Yogi, Living with the Himalayan
Masters etc.."

bhaskar :

I am afraid, this is totally irrelevant & irrational comparison...you are
comparing apple with orange :-)) Yes, both are fruits only but they have
different tastes altogether...Yes both Krishna & bhagavadpAda mahAjnAni-s &
upholders of vaidika dharma but they appeared on this earth in a different
mode/manner...One is gOpilOla always used to engage in one or the other
controversy (mildly you can say lIlA) another one is a great
renunciate...one had 16000 & odd wives/families another one is a hard core
saNyAsi & strict adherent of dharma..one is gruhasthAshrami another is
atyAshrami. So, I am sorry to say your illogical comparison/argument does
not help you to *align* MSD in favour of glorification of a yati like
shankara.

> The Author of SD could have done his job
> something
> like that instead of holding shankara against his yati dharma....

Karthik prabhuji :

In case you missed my previous posting:

"The above objection is raised by Sarasvati in the Madhaviya Sankara
Digvijayam (SD) when Sankara is about to ascend the Sarvajna-Pitha.
Sankara replies that the present body of his will not be tainted by
the actions of another body. Is this explanation valid? Yes!

bhaskar :

The answer is Yes...if you ask any chArvAka theory follower but this is not
an appropriate answer from a saNyAsi/brahmajnAni like shankara
bhagavadpAda.

Karthik prabhuji:

The actions pertaining to two bodies need to be considered when
evaluating dharma:

bhaskar :

But please note that the mind which has performed different *actions*
through different bodies is one and the same..bodies cannot act on its
own..it is jada/inert you cannot hold it responsible for karma phala..

Karthik prabhuji:

1) Sankara-in-sannyasin's-body: Never flouted dharma.

bhaskar :

but he did flout the dharma of a saNyAsi by entering another body with the
*same* mind of a renunciate!!!

Karthik prabhuji:

2) Sankara-in-king's-body: Never flouted dharma (because the king is
permitted to behave sexually).

bhaskar :

As you know, it was a *dead body* of a king which shankara used to gain
knowledge about sex..the operating force behind king's body is shankara's
mind and NOT king's mind..dharma & its injuctions donot apply ONLY to this
inert body (jada sharIra) to give mundane justification like this...it
should be applicable to kAya, vAcha & manasa...

Karthik prabhuji :

Therefore, even considering the rules of dharma, Sankara's actions
have been flawless."

bhaskar :

(just on the lighter note ) Okay, prabhuji, you have given me the good
excuse to deal with my pApa karma phala...After my death I shall tell
Yamadharma rAja to punish ONLY by body..coz. it is my body which has done
all mischevous things :-))...since after my stUla dEha's death I'll be in
sUkshma sharIra yama is not supposed to do anything to that :-))

Regards,
Kartik

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!
bhaskar

PS :  In taitirIya mahanArAyaNa there are virAja hOma mantra-s ...before
taking saNyAsa  one should perform this hOma...one of those maNtra-s says
*annamaya, prANamaya, manOmaya, vijnAnamaya, anandamaya AtmAmE shuddhyAntAM
jyOtirahaM, virajA, vipApmA....Above chArvAka style of explanation of
shankara in MSD does not bring any justice to this upanishad maNtra.