[Advaita-l] Opinions about Rama and Krishna avataras flying around in this list -- (Part II)

[Sriram Sharma]

Pranams Shriman Anand,

My humble prostrations to your scholarliness. Also thanks for taking a note
responding to my comments.

> I saw the reference to
> Ramatirtha's comment on the upadeshasAhasrI verse. I will address this in
a
> separate message.

I would be excited to read that. Kindly also consider these other pramANa-s
from other Acharyas in the sampradAya who have concurred with Ramatirtha's
view. I have given a full list of links that support this point of view
below:

Upadesa Sahasri:
http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/data_copy/upload/0070/642/PTIFF/00000294.tif,
http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/data_copy/upload/0070/642/PTIFF/00000295.tif

Samksepa Sarirakam, Ramatirtha commentary:
http://www.dli.ernet.in/data/upload/0046/817/PTIFF/00000546.tif

Ditto, Madhusudana Sarasvati's commentary:
http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/data_copy/upload/0070/592/PTIFF/00000137.tif

Ditto, Nrsimhashrama's commentary:
http://www.new1.dli.ernet.in/data4/upload/0096/202/PTIFF/00000185.tif

Siddhanta Lesa Sangraha:
http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/data_copy/upload/0055/673/PTIFF/00000412.tif

> Please note that VidyAraNya is not implying that mAyA
> will always delude Ishvara and keep Him under its spell like an ordinary
> jIva. Since Ishvara is also sarvajna, by the very definition of Ishvara,
He
> cannot be indefinitely kept under the spell of mAyA, like a jIva. Soon, He
> will break free from the spell...

Pardon me... Our paramAcArya bhagavAn bhASyakAra says in the Gita that
Isvara is "nitya-suddha-buddha-mukta" in other words, "eternally pure, wise,
and liberated". Hence, Isvara cannot even have an iota of avidya or
delusion, and cannot be deluded for even a moment (as he is "Nitya" and
"Mukta"). "na mAm karmANi limpanti" (Gita 4.14 and its bhASyas) also confirm
this.

I am aware of the Ramayana passages that you had quoted. Again to
Sarvajnatman, Ramatirtha, and others it was just His last play-acting
dialogue. On a lighter note, that is a beautiful hymn which also has a
phala-sruti. If His Lordship Rama had accepted prior to that that He was
indeed Lord Narayana, we won't have that hymn today :-)

Hari Smaranam

SS