[Advaita-l] Discussion on Drg drsya viveka and vakya sudha and Saraswati-Rahasya Upanishad

[srikanta at nie.ac.in]

This is with reference to the Email(March 31,2008) of Sri.Anand Hudli
regarding the verse "Asti bhati priyam---" which is found in
Saraswati-(Rahasya)Upanishad.Even though this verse is found in the
Saraswati-Rahasyopanishad,Swami.Nikhilananda of Sri.Ramakrishna
Ashrama,who has tralated the book"Drg drsya viveka" writes in his
introduction:"This small book(Drg drsya viveka) of forty-six slokas,is an
excellent vade mecum for the study of higher vedanta.Sixteen of the slokas
from Drg drsya viveka,from 13 to 31 with the exception of 14,21,and 28,are
found in a minor Upanishad,called the Saraswati-Rahasyopanishad.It does
not seem probable that the author of Drg drsya viveka wrote a treatise of
forty-six stanzas borrowing sixteen from another book.Neither of the two
commentators(Brahmananda Bharati and Ananda Jnana) has mentioned these
sixteen slokas as quotation from the Upanishad in question.Therefore it
seems to us that the author of the Upanishad has borrowed these slokas
from Drg drsya viveka,which,if true,would indicate the importance of the
book."

                                                      N.Srikanta.