[Advaita-l] Discussion on the role of yoga in vedanta

[kuntimaddi sadananda]

--- On Fri, 5/2/08, srikanta at nie.ac.in <srikanta at nie.ac.in> wrote:


> with reference to the above topic of discussion, Sri
> vidyasankara
> sundareshan replies to my Email in the Adwaita list:

> 
> I have gone through almost all of the Shankara bhashyas on
> Brahmasutras,Upanishad bhashyas,and the bhashya on
> Bhagawadgita,no where
> he has stated that other darshanas are indispensive for
> Brahmajnana.Infact,he emphasizes again and again,that
> avidya nasha by
> right perception alone is enough for samyagjnana,that is
> the hallmark of
> Shankara vedanta.


Sir - If I may suggest that please go through Shree Vidyashankara's post more closly before posting another mail. 

The follwoing is the statement of Vidya: 
> "Shankara fully takes into account the contribution
> that yoga and other
> darshanas make towards qualifying us for that jnana"

There is no mention of indispensability of yoga here -What Vidya says of Shankara endoresement that yoga as well as other darshana can provide the chitta suddhi needed for jnaana - they are not substitute for jnaana.

Shankara says - na yogena na saakheya karmaana no na vidyayaa, brahmaastmaika bodhena mokshaH siddhyati naanyathaa| 


In the aparokhaanubhuuti, Shankara provides a clear discription of ashtanga yoga aspects that can lead to purification of the mind needed for jnaana. The preparation for jnaana is different from jnaana itself.
Vidya's mail does not endore yoga in place of advaitga jnaana.

Hari Om!
Sadananda