[Advaita-l] Importance of Ashram

[Karthik Subramanian]

Hi,
   
  @Anuj
   
  >> From Budha, to Ramakrishna to Christ, they all grew out of their own
knowledge to become enlightened. <<
   
  Few questions:-
   
  1. If all these grew out of their own knowledge to become enlightened and if you intend to quote that as example, why ever do you need to go and study under Swami Parthasarathi? 
   
    2. Does this mean that the role of a Guru is overdefined? 


  3. Could you please elaborate on the enlightenment of the Buddha and the Christ? 
   
  By the way, Sri Ramakrishna indeed became enlightened out of his own knowledge, but he received guidance from three great masters - Bhairavi Brahmani, Totapuri, and last but not least, Bhavatharani.
   
   
  @Jagan
   
  >> For all that you know the sringeri swamiji may not even admit someone that is not a brahmana or not done veda adhyayana <<
   
  What makes you so sure about this?
   
  >> HH Chandrasekhara Bharathi swamigal himself has said that advaita cannot be taught but only experienced. In one of the quotes he mentions to an aspirant that he may at best clarify some grammar of the vedic texts but cannot teach advaita. <<
   
  Isn't there any extent to interpret the words of a world-renowned Jivanmukta in a literal way?
   
  HH Chandrashekhara Bharathi need not had to utter a word. Just a brief glance of his conferred the highest knowledge on several people. The erstwhile Peetadhipathi of Sri Yoganandeshwara Saraswathi Mutt, Yedatore, Sri Ganapathi Bharati was one such person that had this good fortune. A very ordinary patashala vidyarthi that he was, a glance from HH changed his whole life. He attained vast knowledge of the Veda, Vedantha and Shastra. He is known his knowledge of Purvamimamsa and for the performance of several mahayagnas like the Garudachayana and Darshapurnamasa. After becoming a Turiyashrami, he shone as one of the greatest realized masters.
   
  @Ravi
   
  >> When I look at the videos in Sringeri's website or any others in which Sringeri Swamiji appears, he is often flocked by  priests or brahmins only, and seems to maintain quite a bit of physical distance between himself and devotees. I cannot help wondering if Adi Shankara himself laid down such laws to be followed by all the leaders of the Shankara matha in subsequent years. If a book listing such laws does exist, can someone please point the same
to me? <<
   
  The following is quoted (edited by me for brevity) from a discussion at www.kanchiforum.org/forum/
   
  ----------- "AbrahmakIta jananI" -- a nAmAvaLi in Lalitha SahasranAmam. The nAmA next to this is varNASramaviDHAyinI. Combining these two names, PeriyavaaL (Kanchi Paramacharya) answered a question. 
   
  PeriyavaaL was giving darshan. A bhaktA asked: "Since Lalitha SahasranAnam mentions that AmbaaL is the mother of all this world we all become sahoDharAs. If this is so, why to move with some people without physically coming in touch with them or touching them? How is this untouchability appropriate?" 
  PeriyavaaL: For this question the answer is in the very next nAmAvaLi. "AmbaaL who is the Mother of everyone has also established the regulation of varNASrama. She is also the varNASramaviDHAyinI !  ----------- 
   
   
   
    || labhed vanchitartham padam brahmasamjnam   guroruktavakye mano yasya lagnam ||
   



Regards,
Karthik
       
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