[Advaita-l] The Evolution of Advaita from Sankara till Date

[Bhaskar YR]

The form of tantra practiced there is advaita but it is not Vedantic.

praNAms Sri Jaldhar Vyas prabhuji
Hare Krishna

I think this is very important & subtle point that would bifurcate the
tAntrik  tradition of Bengali cult which Swamy VivekAnanda & paramahamsa
belong to  & the vEdAntic tradtion....But if we see the biography of
paramahamsa, the supernatural experiences of  paramahamsa has been compared
with that of bhAgavata bhakta's daivIka bhAva (I am talking about bhairavi
brAhmaNi's detailed explanation of paramahamsa's divine experiences by
holding the bhAgavata's concept of parAbhakti ) Here, it is proved
(according to the biography) in the *vidvat sabha* that paramahamsa's
achievement is the result of parAbhakti and not the result of  any tAntric
vAmAchara practices nor it is the result of any mental dis-order..and if we
see the pramahamsa's teachings to his pupils nowhere he advises the Bengali
vAmAchari method of practice instead he always emphasizes on the practice
of bhakti, jnAna, vairAgya & observance of brahmacharya...(which are
fundamental requirements in vEdAntic sAdhana) So, I think prabhuji,
paramahamsa was highly influenced by Bengali bhakti panth (propagated by
chaitanya etc.) & achieved what he has through that means ...Kindly clarify
your stand on this observation.

And coming back to Swamy Vivekananda.  His experience of Nirvikalpa samAdhi
(which is considered as absolute non-dual state of advaita  by some
advaitins) at Kashipur Garden House, it is said that it is  the result of
rigorous practice of meditation.  He also taught during the short span of
his life only vEdAnta, vyAkaraNa, tarka etc. nowhere there is a mention
that he advocated Bengali vAmAchari Tantric methods for the spiritual
progress..

These are all may be my own wrong observations ...Anyway, I await your
reply & take it as final prabhuji.

Your humble servant
Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!
bhaskar