[Advaita-l] Prapatti

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Sun, 19 Feb 2012, Rajaram Venkataramani wrote:

> Thanks. I don't think I can logically disagree with any thing you said. 
> But though Sankara did not most probably write the slokas attributed to him,
> they were definitely written by renown Sankarites. In Pandurangashtakam, the
> phala sruti says vaikuntha prapti. Sringeri periyava quotes a verse where a
> devotee says "I have not offered namaskarams to you in previous lives and
> cannot in future lives because I have done so now." There are countless such
> statements. Why they should be taken as eulogy and not as literally true?

You can have prArthanA without prapatti.  According to your explanation, 
it means the feeling that "I am incapable of action so God, you take 
over."  I don't see why that is necessary in order to offer namaskaras. 
The Advaita prayer would be "I am trying to find you and know you God, may 
you help me be successful."

> Let vishishtadvaitam be philosophically inaccurate but if prappatti is a
> valid vedic karma that can grant vaikuntha at the end of this life itself,
> why not? It seems logical to first go to Vishnu and then realise His nirguna
> svabhava if He insists. Apart from simplicity, this approach also satisfies
> one's curiosity to know His infinite attributes in a state of bliss.
>

To go to Vishnu means to "know His infinite attributes" as you said and to 
know that these are the attributes of your own self.  It is not sitting 
around waiting for Him to do it for you.


-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>