[Advaita-l] Amritanubhava

[Rajaram Venkataramani]

>From the quote below, it seems Jnaneshwar says that jnana consumes itself
but that the bliss of bhakti (bhakti-rasa) continues though the difference
between the devotee and the lord is non-existent on liberation.
Interestingly, it is the position taken by Madhusudana.

On Sun, Jun 19, 2011 at 6:44 AM, Anand Hudli <anandhudli at hotmail.com> wrote:

> Dear Sriramji,
>
> Indeed, Amrutanubhav is written more along the lines of shiva-shakti
> advaita. Later in his (short) life he was said to be in the company of the
> great Hari Bhaktas Sant Namdev, Gora Kumbhar, and others. He is also said
> to
> have written many "abhangs" or devotional songs in praise of ViTThala.
>
>  Information on translation of the Amrutanubhav, with excerpts from the
> chapters, may be found at:
>
> http://www.nonduality.com/jnan.htm
>
> "This, the opening chapter of Amritanubhav, is undoubtedly one of the
> most strikingly beautiful poetic expressions of duality-in-unity ever
> written. In it, Jnaneshvar, the poet, portrays, with symbol and
> metaphor, that mystery which remains forever inexpressible in the
> language of philosophy and logic."
>
> From Chapter Four:
>
> Fire, in the process of annihilating camphor,
> Annihilates itself as well;
> This is exactly what happens to knowledge
> In the process of destroying ignorance.
>
> The cresting of a wave is but its fall;
> The flash of a bolt of lightning
> Is but its fading.
>
> Likewise, knowledge,
> Drinking up the water of ignorance,
> Grows so large
> That it completely annihilates itself.
>
> This absolute Knowledge is like
> The intrinsic fullness of the moon,
> Which is unaffected
> By its apparent waxing and waning.
>
> Likewise, that which is Consciousness Itself
> Does not possess the quality of being conscious,
> And is, therefore, not conscious of Itself.
>
> From Chapter 5:
>
> The Vedas,
> Which are the very breath of the Lord,
> Declare It to be Ananda, or Bliss,
> Only in order to negate the possibility
> Of pain existing in It.
>
> Thus the word, Satchidananda,
> Used to refer to the Self,
> Does not really describe Its nature,
> But merely signifies
> That It is not the opposite of this.
>
> From Introduction to Chapter 9:
>
> "For Jnaneshvar, liberation is certainly not merely a dry, intellectual,
> unity-awareness; it is the enjoyment of the bliss, or love, of God. It
> is a Knowledge-Love; not a love based on the duality of lover and
> beloved, but rather an inner joyfulness that arises with the sense of
> union with the Beloved. ... The lover and Beloved are one, to be sure;
> yet the enjoyment of love continues. This is Amritanubhav: the nectar of
> the experience of our own divine Self."
>
>
> Anand
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