[Advaita-l] Reply to Sri Vidyamanya Tirtha's observations

[Venkatesh Murthy]

Namaste
On Thu, Nov 14, 2013 at 2:37 AM, Vidyasankar Sundaresan <
svidyasankar at hotmail.com> wrote:

>
> > Kindly see the Sankara Bhashya for Br Up 4-4-22 - Tametam
> > Vedanuvacanena Brahmana Vividishanti Yajnena Danena Tapasa Anashakena.
> Adi
> > Sankara is saying Dravya Yajnaa Jnaana Yajnaasca Samskrutaarthaaha,
> > Samskrutasya Vishuddha Sattvasya Jnaanotpattir Apratibandhena
> Bhavishyati.
> > The Jnana will come automatically when the Mind is purified by Yajnas. He
> > does not have to do anything more.
>
>
> Please read the above again, carefully and see if the bhAshya supports your
> stance that yajnAdi karmA is neeeded for realization of brahman AFTER the
> rise of jnAna. Here the sequence is, yajnAdi -> saMskaraNam (i.e. citta
> Suddhi)
> -> jnAnotpatti. The word apratibandena means "without obstacles". It does
> not mean "automatically." The verb bhavishyati is future tense. yajna,
> dAna,
> etc are actions that precede the rise of jnAna and have the effect of
> purifying
> the mental make-up of the sAdhaka. The bhAshya does not say that these are
> necessary or enjoined after the rise of jnAna in order to result in
> moksha. It is
> like saying that by learning to add and subtract, a student gains the
> needed
> skills that can lead to algebra and then to calculus. For an ace
> mathematician,
> the ability to add and subtract need not be learned anew and practiced on
> a daily basis.
>
I can agree there are two paths Sankhya and Yoga in BG. The Sankhya is for
a Brahmachari taking Sanyasa directly without going into Gruhastha Ashrama.
When Brahmachari takes Sanyasa it is Vividisha Sanyasa. His mind cannot be
purified by Yajnas because he will not have the right to do Yajnas when he
is a Brahmachari. Yajnas require a wife. He will not have the right to do
Yajnas when he is Sanyasi also. What can he do? How can he purify his mind?
He can practice Yoga and meditation to make the Atma Jnana stronger and
stronger and finally become Jnana Nishtha. But he has used only Upanishad
part of the Veda to become a Jnani.

But a Gruhastha has every right to purify his mind with Nitya Karmas like
Sandhyavandana and many Yajnas. He can practice Karma Yoga. By Purification
of mind he will come to the door step of Atma Jnana. He can do Sravana,
Manana and Nididhyasana of Upanishad Vakyas and become Atma Jnani. He has
used all the portions of the Veda like Mantras, Brahmanas and Upanishads to
get Atma Jnana. Then he can take Vidvat Sanyasa.

In Br Up 4-4-22 Adi Sankara is explaining the path for Brahmana Gruhasthas.
They can get Atma Jnana easily by following Karma Yoga itself. By following
Karma they can come almost full distance to Moksha.

The tragedy is most of the Vyakhyana Karas have not understood the
concessions Adi Sankara has given to Brahmana Gruhasthas. They are all
misunderstanding the importance of Karma and saying silly things about
Karma like Karma is useless for Brahma Jnana. They are not realizing ALL
PARTS of Veda are important for Atma Jnana. Karma Kanda is not inferior
and  Upanishads are not superior. Both have a role.



>
> > After some more sentences he is saying again Evam Kaamyavarjitam Nityam
> > Karmajaatam Sarvam Atma Jnaanotpattidvaarena Moksha Saadhanatvam
> > Pratipadyate. All the Nitya Karma is a Moksha Saadhana by giving Atma
> > Jnaana. He is not saying you have to first do Nitya Karma then take
> > Sannyasa. Then you get Atma Jnaana. Then Moksha. No. The Karma will
> > directly give Atma Jnaana. How? Because it will remove the Obstacle for
> > Jnana. The Removing of Obstacles is done by Action only. Upanishad Vakyas
> > only will give Paroksha Jnana if the Obstacle is still there. But Karma
> > will give the Aparoksha Jnana by removing the obstacle.
> >
> > For thousands of years people have not understood this Adi Sankara's
> > importance to Karma and they are arguing he was against rituals.
>
>
>
> >
> > I think Adi Sankara has agreed with Mandana Mishra here. Both are saying
> > same thing.
>
>
> No, they are not saying the same thing. Yes, performance of yajnAdi karmA
> can remove many of the obstacles, but ultimately, the last obstacle to
> jnAna
> shining forth is the kartRtva notion that gets superimposed on the Atman.
> It is not possible to remove this final obstacle by yet more karmA, because
> the performance of karmA presumes this very same kartRtva. In Sankara's
> position, the realization of aupanishada jnAna is concomitant with full
> karma
> saMnyAsa.
>
Kindly see my above explanation.

>
>
> > It is common sense removing a coloured object from the colourless crystal
> > is Action only. It cannot be some other thing. The coloured object has to
> > be physically moved. Then only we can see the colourless crystal.
>
> Obviously, the use of this metaphor for AtmadarSana is lost on you. When
> the
> crystal is a separate object and what colors it is also another separate
> object,
> and both are being seen by a separate drashTA, yes, action may be
> effective.
> By what means, pray, is the person to see his own Self?
>
Paramaarthataha yes there is no other person to see the Self. But in
Vyavahara I can say Self is hidden by coloured object Ajnana or sin and
have to get rid of it to see the Self. Karma will remove sin.


>
>
>
> Vidyasankar
>
>
>

-- 
Regards

-Venkatesh