[Advaita-l] Did Madhusudana Saraswati Reconcile Bhakti and Advaita?

[Venkata sriram P]

Shri Kalyan & Rajaramji,
 
I thought of not participating in this but couldn't resist when remarks are being made on Sringeri Mutt Branches.  
 
Mahamahopadhyaya Bulusu Appanna Sastry has compiled 4 volumes and 
translated into Telugu under the name "Tattvabodhini" that has 3 commentaries viz., Sankara, Sankarananda & MS.  But, unfortunately, out of 4, only 2 volumes are
available online in Archive here.  
 
///
http://www.archive.org/details/sribhagavadgitas023394mbp
 
//
A short profile of Shri Appanna Sastry Garu by me:
 
*******
Vedanta & Tarka Sastra Pandita Sangasvadhyaya Bhaskara Mahamahopadhyaya Bulusu
Appanna Sastry Garu, is well known among the telugu astikas who is known for his
deep knowledge on Sankara Advaita Siddhanta and Srividya Upasana.

The andhra pradesh, there is colloqual saying which is a rythemic pun among the
group of scholars that "balasu leni shraddham bulusu leni yajnam vyartham". THe
literal translation is here:

In shraddha ceremony at Andhra, there is a chutney prepared for bhoktas with a
leafy vegetable called "balasu aku" (a telugu name for a green leafy vegetable).
This chutney is mandatory for the shraddha ceremony. So, "balasu leni shraddham
vyartham" ie., without this leafy vegetable, the shraddha ceremony is
incomplete. Similar "bulusu leni yajnam vyartham" ie., the kratu / yajna
without the supervision of "bulusu" (ie., Shri Bulusu Appanna Sastry Garu) is
incomplete. Telugu knowing people can enjoy the rythm of "bulusu" (Sastry Garu)
and "balusu" (leafy vegetable).

He is born is Kakinada, EG Dist., of Andhra Pradesh and taught veda / vedanta to
several stallwarts of Advaita in recent times and one among them is the eminent
critic & scholar of advaita Vimarsagresara Malladi Gopalakrishna Sarma Garu. 
Vimarsagresara is the title for his eminence and contribution in literary
criticism.

Shri Appanna Sastry wrote commentary on Bhagavat Gita Sankara Bhashya called
"Tattvabodhini" which is online. This is indeed a blessing for we telugu
knowing people.

**********
 
So, let us not sweeping remarks that there are no traditional scholars who studied
MS.  They are not after publicity, honours & rewards from people like.  
 
My own guruji had studied the MS works and was a kriSNa bhakta. Even though,
my guruji was a srividya upAsaka, the last phase of his life was spent in chanting
leela shuka's kriSNa karNAmrita.  His last pilgrimage was Mathura & Bridavana and
sensed his own death.  Having translated "kriSNa karNAmrita" in telugu, placed the
first copy of the same at the feet of bAkE bihAri in brindAvana and returned back to
Hyderabad.  Within few days, shed his mortal coil through brahmarandhra bhEdana
by uttering praNava & kriSNa nAma.
 
regs,
sriram