[Advaita-l] The purport of the mahAbhArata

[bhaskar.yr at in.abb.com]

praNAms Sri Prem prabhuji
Hare Krishna

If you could permit me, I shall share my understanding.

P prabhuji :

Atma-Brahmaikya jnana vs. Atma-Iswaraikya jnana brings out the difference
in very clear terms.

bhaskar :

AFAIK, there is nothing called Atma-Ishwaraikya jnAna is shankara's
advaita..coz. Ishwara & his qualities like omnipotence, omniscience etc.
etc. hold good only in transactional reality. And in vyavahAra, a
*socalled* jIva, with his limited adjuncts  can never ever become an
Ishwara.

P prabhuji :

  Is Atma-Iswara-Aikya jnana achievable by a jiva? BSB seems to say that
the upasaka of saguna brahman reaches saguna brahman and is finally
released during cosmic dissolution.

bhaskar :

when jIva realizes the truth that his jIvatva & Ishwaratva both are kEvala
avidyAkruta or arise out of upAdhi saMbaNdha, where does the Ishvara-Atma
aikya jnAna arise??  It is only one jnAna that is worth for realization
i.e. yEkamEvAdvitIyatva of parabrahman.

P prabhuji :

But we also know that Iswara himself is in no need for any release.

bhaskar :

yes, it is said in shankara bhashya that though there is difference between
Ishwara/apara brahman & nirguNa/parabrahman in vyavahAra it is parabrahman
only the absolute reality..

P prabhuji :

This seems to imply that the Lordship of the World is not achievable. Does
it mean that identity with saguna brahman is not achievable?

bhaskar :

As you said below, since it is not the primary goal of the advaita's jnAna
mArga, one can hardly find any references/means for above achievement...
So, it is difficult to answer this question :-))But from advaita
perspective we can say there is absolutely no difference between
jIva-chaitanya & ishwara chaitanya & socalled difference lies only in
upAdhi-s which are ultimately come under the sphere of ignorance (avidyA)

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!
bhaskar