[Advaita-l] the qualification to be an advaita guru

[Rajaram Venkataramani]

On Tue, Aug 9, 2011 at 1:56 PM, Ramesh Krishnamurthy <rkmurthy at gmail.com>wrote:

>  On 9 August 2011 17:18, Rajaram Venkataramani <rajaramvenk at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > As far as I know, which is not really far, both Sankara and Madhusudana
> say
> > that a jnani is omniscient. I dont know if there is room for three types
> of
> > guru but if there is can someone show references from the works of
> Sankara
> > or His immediate disciples?
> >
>
>
> No offence meant whatsoever, but it seems you have a misunderstanding
> regarding the meaning of the term sarvaj~na. It is surprising that you talk
> about sAkShI being a prerequisite to visheSha aj~nAna without understanding
> this.
>
> Please note that sarvaj~natvam of a mukta does not mean specific knowledge
> of all things in vyavahAra. It means an identification with brahman and
> concomitant mithyAtva nishchaya regarding vyavahAra.
>
> I will address this in more detail in a separate thread.
>
>
RV: No offense taken. It is only a discussion not like the riot in London :)
Madhusudana clearly says that before liberation, on realzing the difference
between Purusha and Buddhi, one attains knowledge of every thing and
rulership over everything.  It is not his opinion because he quotes smrti.
As someone quoted even Upanishads say that Pippalada is omniscient in the
sense of knowing everything. We cannot reduce the standard of an advaita
guru. Please note that I am not saying that Brahman is sitting there
"thinking" of Mathematics, History etc. All I am saying is that all names
and forms in in Brahman as undifferentiated knowledge (jnapti). I have given
quotes for this from Sankara bhashyam and upanishad.