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

[H S Chandramouli]

H S CHANDRAMOULI

Dear Sri Bhaskarji,

I am sorry to totally disagree with your views.

frstly a sadhka who has gone through the sadhana almost to completuion but
does not get jnana due to pratibandhakas he is not considered a patita. He
continues from this level in his future births and when the pratibandhaka
is overcome he automatically gets jnana. This is what is stated by Lord
Krishna in the Geetha as well as mentioned by Bhagavatpada in Sutra
Bhashya.



As for jnana being adheena to sanyasaashrama, i really feel you are not
serious in making such a statement. By saying only good persons can attain
jnana, are we making jnana adheena to goodness.

Eligibility of various ashramis is extensively discussed by Bhagavatpada
under Sutra Bhashyas 3-4-17 to 3-4-20. As also in Chandogya 2-23-1. I am
not aware of earlier discussions in this forum dating several years back.
It would be a pity if you were to come to conclusions without going through
these extensive and engrossing bhashyas. I do urge you at least as a matter
of further interest to do so and then reply.

Dear Sujalji,

I cant disagree with you more when you say sanyasa is a mental occupation
and not a way of life. Surprisingly the Poorvapakshin in Sutra 3-4-19 takes
the stand that sanyasa ashrama is not supported by shrutis at all and is
only mentioned in smritis. This is what is rebutted by Bhagavatpada. In
Advaita Vedanta at least, Bhagavatpada has categorically mentioned it as a
way of life and not just a mental state in any ashrams.  As for catching
the contents and not the container, it is a basic tenet of Advaita vedanta
that the container automatically drops once you catch the contents (
brahman ) , but you are not to eschew the container before catching the
contents.

Regards


On Wed, Nov 27, 2013 at 3:58 PM, Bhaskar YR <bhaskar.yr at in.abb.com> wrote:

> praNAms Sri ChandramouLi prabhuji
> Hare Krishna
>
> I have a small correction to make in your reply.
>
> >  IMHO, no correction is required in Sri Vidya prabhuji's statement.  We
> have discussed this topic in detail some years back in this very forum.
>
>
> Bhagavatpada is very clear that at this stage of one's sadhana it is
> absolutely essential to take to sanyasa ashrama for reaching the Goal of
> Brahma jnana( ref Brahma Sutra Bhashya 3-4-20. This also has cross
> references to various shruti / smriti vakyas .
>
> >  Yes, shankara emphasizes the importance of taking formal saNyAsa for
> brahma jignAsa.  But point to be noted here is brahma jnAna / realization
> can happen to any sincere mumukshu irrespective of his Ashrama.  Hope you
> would agree with me that brahma jnAna / realization is not saNyAsa Ashrama
> adheena.
>
> It is only in exceptional
> cases that this jnana arises even in persons ( like king Janaka or
> Vamadeva
> for example ) who are in other ashramas
>
> >  shankara gives other examples also in sUtra bhAshya and clearly says
> all the 4 varNAshrami-s (including stree-s) are eligible to get the
> ultimate knowledge.
>
> but it is concluded that in such cases they would have undergone the due
> process of sanyasa ashrama in one
> of their earlier janmas.
>
> >  interestingly, if these souls have undergone saNyAsa in earlier janma
> and currently assuming gruhastAshrama,  then these souls can be considered
> as patitA-s from the antyAshrama. And shankara says there is no
> prAyaschitta for these patita-s :-))
>
> >  Anyway, this is not anyway an attempt to belittle the importance of
> saNyAsa as an Ashrama in brahma jignAsa.
>
> Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!
> bhaskar
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