[Advaita-l] Attack on Adi Sankara-by Dvaitins-what has been done to resolve this?

[RAMESH RAMANAN]

Dear Advaita list members,
   
  I find it absolutely ridiculous for anyone to have the audacity to make slighting remarks on our Sri Adi Shankara.
   
  I have read that Sri Vedanta Desikan Swamigal had written a book titled 'Shatha Dhooshani' condemning advaita of having 100 mistakes/blemishes/errors and flaws. The Kanchi Mahaperiavaal Sri Chandrashekarendra Saraswathi Swamigal directed an Shastraic scholar compose a book 'Shatha Bhooshani (praising Advaita Vedanta, refuting all the arguments in the Shatha Dhooshani, but without condemning the book itself) in response to this book. The Mahaperiyavaal also directed the Shastri who was respected and loved by both the Sringeri and the Kanchi Maths, to get the foreword to this book from none other than Sri Abhinava Vidya Theertha Mahaswamigal of Sringeri, who was also a great expert in Nyaya and Tarka. 
   
  I have not had the fortune of availing myself of a copy of this book or reading it. I think this book might be a fitting rejoinder to those who have the audacity to malign our beloved Sri Adi Shankara, who was not and cannot be limited to any particular sect or belief. Ramesh Ramanan.
   
   --- Vidyasankar Sundaresan svidyasankar at hotmail.com> wrote: 
   
  I heard from one of my friends that Adi Sankara has been attacked viciously by the dvaitins. I also read.  That is true.
    
  What has been done about this by the advaita (smartha) community? This is character assassination, isn't it? A debate has to take place with mutual respect, they can attack the philosophy, if they want, but cannot make nasty  remarks about saints, just because they belong to a  different sect.
   
  A whole lot of dispute and recrimination has taken place over the last six-seven centuries about these issues.
    
  Something has to be done about this, because this is an attack on a certain religion, which Indian Constitution doesn't permit. Either dvaitins must remove these objectionable verses from their texts, or face action. Imagine what would happen if similar comments have been made against Muslims, there will be an outrage. But why does no one care, when advaitins are attacked?
   
   The problem is, the dvaitins who live today are not the ones who wrote texts like the Manimanjari. As such, there is not much they can do. Don't you think what you are suggesting, about removing objectionable verses from their texts amounts to censorship? Moreover, should we really be comparing such issues in the dvaita-advaita disputes to Hindu-Muslim disputes?
    
  In general, in any dispute, when one party resorts to name calling, it is a sure sign that they are losing the argument. It should be a matter of pride, therefore, that the advaitins have not had to write texts that stoop to such a level. Many have cared in  the past and have taken issue with the dvaitins  about these issues.
    
   Many advaitin friends have contacted the dvaita list moderator, someone named Rao, but he didn't have the decency to respond properly. In fact, he hurled abuses at people who expressed concern. 
   
   See above :-). On a more serious note, I think Shrisha Rao, the moderator of the dvaita list is still a member of this list, so he may be reading this. As the dvaita list and its functioning are not the concern of this list, I hope you can take it up with him separately and get your concerns addressed.
    
   Goes on to show people will never respect us, as long as we crawl and beg. So the question still remains, what can we do about this? Swallow these insults and move on, or take action?
   
   I don't see holding one's head high and refusing to resort to similar tactics of insulting and mud-throwing as crawling and begging. Look at the larger picture - advaita vedAnta is spread all over India while dvaita is identified with a much smaller community of people in south India. 
   
  Although dvaita has influenced a few other Vaishnava groups, such as the Gaudiyas, it is not present as dvaita in these other sects. Over the last century or so, advaita and Sankaracharya are also known,  respected and admired all over the world, not because smArtas have emigrated to other parts of the world, but because independent students of Indian philosophy are able to the truth and worth of advaita and the greatness of Sankaracharya. I don't think this is a sign of people not respecting us, is it?
   
  Best regards,
  Vidyasankar




       
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