[Advaita-l] Iswara swaruupam - 3

[Vidyasankar Sundaresan]

> 
> I don't want to get in to this swami said that or that. Let's focus on what sastras and Sankara say. If one says what Sankara says, then he is a Sankarite. Sankara clearly says that the omniscient lord is the source of the universe through the two prakrtis. He also says that the paraprakrti is essentially Himself. And apara prakrti is evil. There is no room for your magic formula for Ishwara. (As an aside, Sankara has also solved the philosophical problem of evil by saying that apara prakriti is unreal). 
> 
> If you say Ishwara's upadhi has to be overcome for you to become liberated, then forget liberation because you cannot remove His upadhi. You can use any euphemism for kill but you are essentially trying to get rid of Ishwara not just your ignorance about Him. 
> 

Rajaram, again and again, you reveal your confusion about what is meant by the usual
advaita stance about ISvara. In essence, what Sri Sadananda has been writing, what
Sri Subrahmanian has been writing, what I have been writing and what this Swamiji
or that Swamiji quoted on this list has been saying is completely in consonance with
Sankara. So, have no doubt that all of us are Sankarites, no matter what you may think
of some or all of us being nirISvara vedAntins. Rather, it seems as if you have decided
you alone understand what Sankara is saying, when it is clearly obvious that you do not.

I will just focus on one thing. According to you, Sankara says aparA prakRti is unreal
and that parAprakRti is essentially brahman. Once you understand that parAprakRti is
jIvabhUta, then this is merely a restatement of the sentence brahma satyam jagan
mithyA jIvo brahmaiva formulation. Meanwhile, ISvara is also said to be ISvara over
the jagat through and only through the operation of BOTH aparA and parA prakRti.
So, what exactly, according to you, are the implications of aparA prakRti being unreal?
This question pertains both to the status of jagat and to the status of ISvara being a
ruler over that jagat. Take your time to come up with a logically consistent answer to
this question. Do not jump to judge what other people are saying or implying without
being extremely clear about what it is that you are saying or implying yourself.
 
Vidyasankar