[Advaita-l] Madhusudhana Saraswathi and Advaita.

[rajaramvenk at gmail.com]

Madhusudana was known for his expertise in nyaya. It is evident in Advaita Siddhi, Gudartha Dipika and for that matter BhR. It is interesting that his logical approach should be called in to question by "scholars" in an advaita forum. I am not surprised, there is another gentleman who questioned even his understanding of advaitam in this forum and went unchallenged :) 

If anyone's view, even if he is an acharya of the stature of Madhusudana, differs from your limited knowledge, you can't  disparage him.  
 
Sri Vidyasankar pointed out that most of us are adhama adhikaris though we may intellectually understand or have the wherewithal to advaitam. I don't know if even intellectual understanding of advaitam can be claimed if we don't understand or accept the works of acharyas - especially when we can't even cite a reason for that. 
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-----Original Message-----
From: Srikanta Narayanaswami <srikanta.narayanaswami at yahoo.com>
Sender: advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:20:23 
To: <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
Reply-To: A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta
	<advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
Subject: [Advaita-l] Madhusudhana Saraswathi and Advaita.

It is to be noted that Shankara or Gaudapada do not deny that the upAsaka
will be ultimately liberated.  From this 'nindA', criticism, of the upAsaka
it is to be known that Shankara's emphasis is on the effort to obtain
nirguNa brahma jnAnam.  This is called 'नहिनिन्दान्यायः’ - न हि निन्दा
निन्द्यं निन्दितुं प्रवर्तते, अपि च विधेयं स्तोतुम्’ - the criticism is not
aimed at really disparaging the one who is criticized but to extoll the
main teaching that the Shruti is giving out. The Kenopanishat says: if one
does not realize the Supreme now, in this life itself, the loss is immense:
महती विनष्टिः. We can be assured of this by seeing Shankara's and
Gaudapada's views in verse 16 where Shankara says: the Veda has prescribed
upAsana and karma out of compassion.

In fact there is evidence that even Gaudapada was a bhakta:  in the very
first verse of the fourth chapter he pays obeisance to the Lord.  The word
is not directly telling us that it is the Lord but Shankara brings out the
meaning: nArAyaNAkhyam.  So, we can see the fact of Jnanis having been
bhaktas too from this tradition. The case of Jagadguru Sri Abhinava
VidyAteertha SwaminaH is very instructive:  He had attained realization of
the Supreme निर्गुणब्रह्मन्, even before He was 20.  He was an adept in
Nirvikalpa Samadhi.  At the same time His saguNa Ishwara Bhakti was also
something unimaginable.  His iShTa devatA was Lord Narasimha.  His Guru
used to make innocent fun of Him saying: You are a VaishNava.  The Acharya
would often be seen engaged in a conversation with SharadAmbA.  He could
have the vision of these Deities at will. Someone who has had the fortune
of seeing Him and hearing His discourses will not miss this extraordinary
saguNabhakti manifestation in Him.

Regards,
subrahmanian.v
______________________________________________________________________________
The main crux of my posting is that there is a marked departure by introducing the concept of Bhakthi prominently by Madhusudhana saraswathi through his books from Gaudapada and shankara.Gaudapada and shankara had been more rational in their concept of Advaita than Madhusudhana saraswathi.That is all.
N.Srikanta.
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