[Advaita-l] A small experiment

[V Subrahmanian]

On Fri, Jan 20, 2012 at 9:44 AM, Venkatesh Murthy

> Count how many times 'God' appears in the text.
> Big surprise - Only 2 times total
> One in 3rd Sloka One in 476.
>
> This is exactly the point. God is playing a very weak role in Advaita.
> Why? Lot of focus on Mayavada. We have to give Saguna Brahma a lot of
> importance and reduce the role of Maya.
>

The Vivekachudamani is a text that aims to teach the Tattva that commences
when the aspirant has gained the capacity to understand the Tattva.  And
this capacity is got by the sincere practice of karma yoga which is
impossible without Ishwara bhakti.  Among the Jnana sAdhanas listed in the
Bhagavadgita one is: मयि च अनन्ययोगेन भक्तिरव्यभिचारिणी .  It is only with
this important element in place does one come to learning the Advaita
Tattva.  The commentary of the Sringeri Acharya to the Vivekachudamani
neatly takes care to specify the need and place for saguna bhakti as a
sadhana prior to embarking on the Vedanta vichara.  Just one sentence of
Shankaracharya in the Brahmasutra bhashya is enough to show how Advaita has
eminently taken care of the saguna bhakti aspect that cannot be equaled by
any other school:

// तदनुग्रहहेतुकेनैव हि ज्ञानेन मोक्षसिद्धिर्भवितुमर्हति .  // It is by the
Jnana that ensues owing to the grace of Ishwara alone that the
accomplishment of moksha comes about.

Thus the Vivekachudamani's place is AFTER one's engagement with the Saguna
Brahman.  Hence it is no lacuna if the VC does not talk about Iswara
elaborately.

subrahmanian.v