[Advaita-l] Shankara and Madhusudhana

[Venkata sriram P]

Namaste,
 
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Many of the missionaries also said flattering things about Shankaracharya 
(or Ramakrishna and Vivekananda for that matter!)  But look at the actions 
not the words.

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So, what are the actions you found with vivekananda that were "objectionable".
 
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Shudras are not eligible to learn Vedanta _through_the_vedas_.  But 
Shankaracharya specifically says that they may do so via itihasa and 
puranas (which include the Gita.)  In fact the logic of what jnana is 
according to Advaita Vedanta demands that it cannot be connected to a 
specific body and its attributes such as varna gender etc.  He 
specifically gives the examples of Vidura and Dharmavyadha as Shudras who 
were jnAnis.  In the Brhadaranyakopanishadbhashya, the woman Gargi 
Vachaknavi is also explictly referred to as a jnani
 
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Yes Sankara Bhagavatpada do mention about this.   Vedanta & Sankara Advaita is 
studied in closed circles and that too the eligible candidates were brAhmaNAs
who were well-versed in pUrva mimAmsa.  Moreover, the teachings were in dEva bhASha.
 
So, how many shUdrAs could know that Sankara opened the gates of liberation even
to the downtrodden.  
 
The problem is how to reach the masses.  That is why, Buddha adopted non-sanskrit
lanugage.  To reach to the common people, Samartha Ramadas & Sant Jnaneshwar
wrote their works in Marati Language.  
 
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I am an astika today because I think tradition is more likely to survive the test of
time than attempts to latch on to the fads of the day.
 
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In the name of tradition, the core human values should not be forgotten.  
 
Vivekananda was not given the entry in a south indian temple just because he was a
non-brahmin.  When he was dying with pangs of hunger, not even a single traditionalist
offered him food & water.  
 
Obviously this is not a tradition !! This is hypocrisy under the garb of sadAchAra. 
 
I have read else where your article about vivekananda consuming beef !! Where is the proof and in which book you studied this blasphemous article.  
 
sriram