[Advaita-l] Can a mithyA-vastu produce an effect? असत्यवस्तुनः अर्थक्रियाकारित्वम्

[Venkata sriram P]

Dear Sunilji,
 
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Did Gaudapadacharya and Adi Sankaracharya looked upto Mother Lalita the 
same way as they were proponents of Sri-Vidya?
 
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The theory of illusion propounded by Sankara is vivartavada whereas
tantra in general and srividya in particular is based on theory of transformation
otherwise called parinamavada. 
 
So the approach of vivartavadis & parinamavadis are like two parallel lines that 
never meet each other.  
 
Whatever may be the controversies around Sankara & his authentic literature, 
we have Saundaryalahari before us that has been approved by the parampara of
Sringeri and HH Paramacharya of Kanchi.  
 
There is one word in Saundaryalahari that reverberates in our ears is "parabrahma mahiShi".  Pls do contemplate on it and revert back.
 
BTW, Sankara in His sUtra bhAshya says "pariNAmaprakriyAM chAshrayati saguNeShu upAsaneShu upayokShyate iti".  
 
In recent times, Shri Bhaskararaya Makhin tried to bridge the wide gap between the
vivartavada and parinamavada which can be seen from his setubandha, saubhagya bhaskara & varivarsya rahasya that are considered to be prasthAnatrayAs of sAktAs.
He has given a thought provoking twist to the name "mithyAjagat adhiShTANA".  
 
The 1st chapter of Varivasya Rahasya that details out the "prakAsa-vimarsa" tattva which
says:
 
sa jayati mahAn prakAsO
yasmin driShTE na drishyatE kimapi
kathamiva tasmin jnAtE
sarvaM vijnAta muchyatE vEdE //
 
naisargikI sphurattA
vimarsarUpAsya vartatE shaktiH
tat yOgAt Eva shivO
jagadutpAdayati pAti saMharati //
 
sA(a)vasyaM vijnEyA
yatpariNAMAdbhUdEShA
arthamayi sabdamayi chakramayi 
dEhamayyapi cha sriShTiH //
 
Moreover, among the 3 forms of devatas (sthUla, sUkshma, para), the para upAsana is
the antaryAga aradhana paddhati which is "chiddEvya-abhinnAtma mAtraviShayaka
vritti vishEshaH antaryAgaH" (viz., the vritti which involves in the constant contemplation
of chitkaLa in hridayAkAsa (daharAkAsa) and tat-abhEda-bhAvana is antaryAga).
 
The acharya parampara in amnaya pithas stand as the testimony to the above 
antaryAga paddhati.
 
regs,
sriram