[Advaita-l] Fwd: What is 'aprAkRta' ?

[V Subrahmanian]

On Wed, Aug 3, 2011 at 4:32 PM, Ramanan Subramanian <ramanan82 at gmail.com>wrote:

> My two cents on this issue:
>
> //
> > Jivan Muktas have a body made of
> > material elements created due to prarabda karma. Their form is not
> eternal
> > like the Lord's.
> >
>
> It would be incorrect to say that.  Just like the Ishwara's avatara has a
> beginning and end on the physical plane and yet the devotee several
> centuries later too can pray and be blessed by that avatara, a jivanmukta
> too can be prayed to and his blessings and guidance got by devotees  long
> after his physical death.
> //
>
> I would refer to Bhagavatam and Sridhara Swami's commentary on the same. It
> adds credence to RV's position:


I do not see that the quote given by you contradicts my position either.
All that I have said is that a jivanmukta's form is still available for a
devotee for dhaarana, dhyana, etc.  There are innumerable instances where
Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati SwamigaL or Sri Abhinava Vidyateertha SwamigaL
have appeared in dreams and in the waking also to bless a person, clarify
something, or even give a mantropadesha.  Even today several decades after
their physical departure from this world these instances take place.  I had
not disputed any position that the quote you have given contains. This
comment of Sridhara Swamin applies to the jivanmukta acharya who has shed
his body: दृश्यते च आद्यपि (i think this has to be adyaapi) तद्-उपासकानां
तथैव तद्रूपसाक्शात्कारः फलप्राप्तिश्चेति भावः.

Regards,
subrahmanian.v


> lokābhirāmāḿ sva-tanuḿ dhāraṇā-dhyāna-mańgalam
> yoga-dhāraṇayāgneyyādagdhvā dhāmāviśat svakam (11.31.6)
>
> Sridharaswami's commentary:
>
> योगिनामिव स्वच्छन्द-मृत्यु भ्रमं वारयति -- लोकाभिरामं इति । अयम् अर्थः -
> योगिनो हि स्वच्छन्द-मृत्यवः, स्वां तनुं आग्नेय्या योग-धारणया दग्ध्वा
> लोकान्तरम् प्रविशन्ति । भगवांस्तु न तथा, किन्त्वदग्ध्वैव स्व-तनु-सहित एव
> स्वकं धाम वैकुण्ठाख्यं अविशत् । तत्र हेतुः -- लोकाभिरामम् । लोकानां
> अभिरामोऽभितो रमणं स्थितिर्यस्यां ताम् । जगदाश्रयत्वेन जगतोऽपि
> दाह-प्रसङ्गाद्
> इत्यर्थः । किञ्च, धारणाया ध्यानस्य च मन्गलं शोभनम् । विषयं इतरथा
> तयोर्निर्विषयत्वं स्यात् । दृश्यते च आद्यपि तद्-उपासकानां तथैव
> तद्रूपसाक्शात्कारः फलप्राप्तिश्चेति भावः । इच्छाशरिइराभिप्रायेण वा
> यथाश्रुतं
> एवास्तु, तत्रापि तु लोकाभिरामां इत्यादिइनां विशेषाणामानर्थक्य-प्रसन्गात्,
> तदप्यदग्ध्वा तिरोधाय निर्गत इत्येव साम्प्रतम् ॥
> Here is a relevant quote from Vishnu Sahasranama Bhashya of Shankara
>
> "mRutaM maraNam , tadrahitaM vapurasyeti amRutavapuH" ('amRutavapuH' is He
> Whose body is free from death)
>
>
>