[Advaita-l] On the date of Adi Shankara

[Bhaskar YR]

The Veda says Tadvishnu paramam padam. Kena tells us what that param pada 
is. We need not always take the negative view. Mundaka tells us how He 
spun the world. 

praNAms 
Hare Krishna

Since the brahman is devoid of all specific featuress it is very difficult 
to describe the nature of brahman positively.  The attainability of 
'vishNu paramaM padaM' also to be understood accordingly.  Since our Atman 
is ever attained coz. of its all-pervading nature and its being the very 
self of every one, attaining the paramaM padaM imputed in shruti like 
tadvishNo paramam padaM, brahma vidApnOti paraM etc. to be taken in a 
sense that it is only to negate that it is attainable by some means other 
than jnAna.  It is also implies that brahman should not be regarded as 
something to be reached after travelling towards it etc. like in the case 
of apara brahman (or hiraNyagarbha) whose 'attainability' is possible & 
shruti also advocates it by says 'ApnOti svArAjyaM' etc. Kena tells us 
that : brahman is certainly other than the known and is higher than the 
unknown.  Hence shankara following shruti clearly says : it is only proper 
to say that it can be expressed by no word whatsoever. 

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!
bhaskar