[Advaita-l] Ramana's method

[Bhaskar YR]

praNAms 
Hare Krishna

Must something extraordinary happen in an advaitin's life to confirm 
that his advaitic realization is genuine, perhaps the advaitin equivalent 
of a jhana? 

>  in advaita, avidyA nivrutti is itself called mOksha and this 
mOkshAvasthA is not restricted to any particular state or avasthA.  So, 
extra-ordinary experience like samAdhi in a particular state from AM to PM 
etc. is not indispensable.  Advaitic realization whether it is genuine or 
otherwise can only be ascertained by the jnAni (hrudaya vedya) only.  But 
unfortunately, the current trend in advaita is like  shAstra jnAna is 
instruction manual or a text book, it needs to be tested and experienced 
in a state where we could get the  Atma sAkshAtkAra. 

If an advaitin has no such experience all his life (only theoretical 
understanding), does that mean his knowledge will not liberate him at 
death, and that he will have to take birth again?

>  jnAni's sashareeratvaM itself is avidyAkruta (1-1-4, shankara bhAshya), 
after the dawn of adviteeya jnAna jnAni would realize that he was/is/will 
always be ashareeri only.  Hence no question of punarjanma.  And with 
regard to mere theoretical understanding and real experience in a 
particular state, advaita jnAna is not vrutti rUpa jnAna cause it sublates 
the triputi (pramAtru, pramANa and prameya)having said this shankara 
clarifies that it is not vyAvahArAteeta avasthA, it is vyavahAra bAdhita 
avasthA.  Here, I'd like to repeat Sri Sadananda prabhuji's words, it is 
not an understanding of the fact as a thought, it is an understanding 
(realization) of the fact as the fact. 

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!
bhaskar