[Advaita-l] How to control the mind (without meditation)?

[Bhadraiah Mallampalli]

Dear Satish, 

 

Regarding worship of devatas, for the sake of discussion we can talk about several points, 

but in principle it shouldn't be all that complex. Dvaita is only fourth best approximation to advaita. 

 

- Advaita is only yourself 

- Boudha has non existence, no devas, but there is sorrow etc, 

- Vishistadvaita has paramatma & yourself or yourself alone (averages to one and half?)  

- Dvaita (paramatma and yourself). 

 

In dvaita paramatma can be any deva- Vishnu, Shiva, Shakti, and this can be extended to any symbol 

like prana, chit, guru, varna, svara, vyanjana etc. 

 

Br.U.I4.10 outlines the issues with dvaita:

 

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10. Verily in the beginning this was Brahman, that Brahman knew (its) Self only, saying,

'I am Brahman.' From it all this sprang. Thus, whatever Deva was awakened (so as to know

Brahman), he indeed became that (Brahman); and the same with Rishis and men. The Rishi

Vâmadeva saw and understood it, singing, 'I was Manu (moon), I was the sun.' Therefore now 

also he who thus knows that he is Brahman, becomes all this, and even the Devas cannot prevent it, 

for he himself is their Self. 

 

Now if a man worships another deity, thinking the deity is one and he another, he does not know. 

He is like a beast for the Devas. For verily, as many beasts nourish a man, thus does every man 

nourish the Devas. If only one beast is taken away, it is not pleasant; how much more when many 

are taken! Therefore it is not pleasant to the Devas that men should know this.

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The last statement says that worshipping a deva limits your progress to that level. Only 

when you realize non-duality you would know self.

 

Sankara's commentary on this should be interesting. This is probably least discussed in his times,

because dvaita was not so popular that time.  

 

Regards

Bhadraiah

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