[Advaita-l] Questions on Mayavada

[Rajaram Venkataramani]

Apologies for the delay in response.

Jaladhar: Is Krshna Bhagavan a part  of Brahman or wholly Brahman?  I belive
is where Advaitins and (some?) Vaishnavas part company. Now did Swami
Madhusudan Sarasvati believe in the first view or the second?

RV:  AFAIK, Madhusudana considers Krishna to be Brahman. Sankara does so
too. Ananda Giri and Vishnu Purana consider Krishna to be an amsa of
Narayana. Bhagavatham considers Krishna to be Brahman. I think Krishna is
parabrahman because Bhagavad Gita says so and an impartite Brahman cannot
have parts.

RV: On liberation, there is no maya or its effects such as Isvara's form
and activities
Jaladhar: Yes.

RV:  no devotion (on liberation for advaitins).

Jaladhar: Hold on!  Now you are leaping too far.  Why should the above mean
there is no devotion?  Maya does not simply disappear to be replaced by a
uniform grey void when jnana is attained.  All that it means is that one is
freed from limitations and sees things for what they really are. The error
is in seeing jnana as a negative subtractive process.  Rather jnana is as I
mentioned freedom from limitations.  The bhakta can certainly continue
feeling ananda in the form of Ishvara, the difference is his concept of
Ishvara is not restricted.  He will see Ishvara in everything. Bheda has to
be transcended.  It is certainly possible for there to be abheda bhakti too.
RV: Could you please explain?  I agree that a jivan mukta performs bhakti
due past impulses though in reality there is  no upadhi such as  Bhakta or
Ishvara. But on attaining videha mukti, how can there be bhakti for
advaitins? This bhakti with desire for liberation is only an upaya not real
love for Krishna as expressed by gopis who were not concerned about their
liberation or even well being.

Subrahmanyan: Sankarites do not give up all karma.
RV: What about paramahamsa sannyasis?

Vidyasankar: Those sampradayas that accept sannyasa ashrama have an inherent
contradiction if they dont accept total renunciation of actions.
RV: Not if acts of devotional activites are distinguished from karma khanda.
A paramahamsa sannyasi can perform actions by the will of the Lord but it
will be inaction. Is it not?