[Advaita-l] Teachings on the Vijaya Yatra - On the Philosophy of Advaita

[H S Chandramouli via Advaita-l]

Sri Jayanarayanan wrote

<< The Jagadguru
explained that we accept the Vyaavahaarika Satyam (empirical reality) of
everything – of you, of the Vedas,
of the Karmas enjoined therein and so on. We only state that the
Paaramaarthika Satyam (Supreme Absolute Reality)
is only one.>> .

I thought many of the posts in the Forum do not appear to take this into
account. I am not sure if other members agree with this impression.

Regards


On Sat, Sep 6, 2014 at 10:56 AM, S Jayanarayanan via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> (Around the beginning of the month, a nugget of Wisdom from the Jagadguru
> may be posted on the advaita-l list,
> as on the Chaturamnaya list:
> http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/chaturamnaya )
>
>
> http://vijayayatra.sringeri.net/theni-may-31-2012/
>
> Theni: MAY 31 – JUNE 1, 2012
>
>
> On the Philosophy of Advaita at Vedapuri Ashram
>
>
> After staying in the city of Madurai for ten days, Jagadguru
> Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji
> arrived at Theni on the evening of May 31. The Jagadguru was offered a
> reverential Poornakumbha welcome at the
> entrance of Sri Vedapuri Ashram by Swami Omkarananda. Swami Parmarthananda
> (Vedanta teacher and Vidyaguru of
> Swami Omkarananda) from Chennai, Swami Satswarupananda and Swami
> Nithyananda Giri from Tirukovilur also joined
> in the welcome. The Jagadguru was taken around the Ashram in a procession
> on a special vehicle decorated as a
> swan.
>
>
> In his Swagata Bhashanam, Swami Omkarananda said that He had the Darshan
> of both Sri Sri Mahasannidhanam and
> Sri Sri Sannidhanam in His Poorvashrama. He remembered that the Jagadguru
> had graced the fledgling Ashram on
> 22nd March 1995 and had said that all welfare will come to him and the
> Ashram, as he was spreading the message
> of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada. Swamiji also pointed the truth in the
> Jagadguru’s blessings when he
> remembered that the Jagadguru had planted a Vata Vriksha (banyan tree)
> inside the Ashram chanting the Rik,
> “स्योना पृथिवि भवानृक्षरा निवेशनी । यच्छा नः शर्म सप्रथाः” and had blessed
> that as the Vata Vriksha grows, the message of Vedanta would
> spread and the Ashram would grow. Recalling the Vedic prayer, “सकृत्ते
> अग्ने नमः । द्विस्ते नमः । त्रिस्ते नमः ।
> चतुस्ते नमः । पञ्चकृत्वस्ते नमः । दशकृत्वस्ते नमः । शतकृत्वस्ते नमः ।
> आसहस्रकृत्वस्ते नमः । अपरिमितकृत्वस्ते नमः ।” ,
> the Swamiji offered his innumerable prostrations to the Jagadguru.
>
>
> In His Anugraha Bhashanam, the Jagadguru said that Lord Paramashiva
> incarnated in Kalady as
> Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada, expounded the Advaita Siddhanta to the
> masses and brought about the welfare
> of the masses. The Jagadguru clarified that Advaita Siddhanta did not
> originate from Sri Adi Shankaracharya.
> It has been stated in the Vedas. Sri Adi Shankaracharya expounded it but
> did not postulate it.
> Sri Gaudapada Himself has said – मायामात्रमिदं द्वैतम् अद्वैतं परमार्थतः.
>
>
> The Vedas declare in many places the Mithyatva of Dvaita. However, Dvaita
> is accepted from the Vyaavahaarika
> (empirical) standpoint. We only reject Dvaita from the Paaramaarthika
> (absolute) standpoint. This is where
> Dvaitins raise objections against Advaita and ask questions such as, “How
> do you associate Mithyatva to
> everything? Are you Mithya? Is what you say Mithya? Are the Vedas Mithya?
> Am I Mithya?” The Jagadguru
> explained that we accept the Vyaavahaarika Satyam (empirical reality) of
> everything – of you, of the Vedas,
> of the Karmas enjoined therein and so on. We only state that the
> Paaramaarthika Satyam (Supreme Absolute Reality)
> is only one.
>
> As long as Brahma Jnana has not dawned, Karma has to be performed. There
> can be no second thoughts about this
> as Sri Bhagavatpada Himself states – वेदो नित्यमधीयताम् तदुदितं कर्म
> स्वनुष्ठीयताम् । तेनेशस्य विधीयतामपचितिः काम्ये मतिस्त्यज्यताम् ॥
> – that the Vedas are to be studied daily and the Vedic Karmas are to be
> observed with Shraddha. The Lord too
> states in the Gita that Karmas performed without Shraddha do not yield any
> result –
>  अश्रद्धया हुतं दत्तं तपस्तप्तं कृतं च यत् ।
>  असदित्युच्यते पार्थ न च तत्प्रेत्य नो इह ॥
>
>
> The Jagadguru remembered how Aryamba expressed to her husband, Shivaguru,
> that their worshipping the Lord for
> the sake of an offspring had to be further intensified with greater
> Shraddha. Ultimately, the Lord Himself
> incarnated as their son in the form of Sri Adi Shankaracharya.
>
>
> The Jagadguru emphasized that only for one who has attained Brahma Jnana,
> the Vedic injunctions do not hold –
> निस्त्रेगुण्ये पथि विचरतां को विधिः को निषेधः. We are far away from that
> state. Even the scholarship of scholars and
> Mahamahopadhyayas and their ability to quote the scriptures and explain
> the nuances of the Shastras, are for
> merely their livelihood and not for Mukti –
>  वाग्वैखरी शब्दझरी शास्त्रव्याख्यानकौशलम् ।
>  वैदुष्यं विदुषां तद्वत् भुक्तये न तु मुक्तये ॥
>
>
> They have not been able to directly experience the Supreme Blissful state.
> However they are not to be blamed,
> for that state can be attained only on the cessation of tendencies
> (Vasanas) accumulated over a number of
> lifetimes. The Lord has stated in the Gita – अनेकजन्मसंसिद्धस्ततो याति
> परां गतिम् । Hence until we directly experience the
> Supreme State, the Karmas enjoined in the Shastras have to be performed.
>
>
> The Jagadguru then explained why Vedanta disagrees that the performance of
> such Karmas alone results in Mukti.
> Mukti refers to the state wherein you can have no more births, for one
> takes birth only to experience the
> fruits of his Karma. The Karma referred to here has to be either Kaamya
> Kamya or Nishiddha Karma, for
> Kaamya Karma leads one to Svarga while Nishiddha Karma leads one to hell.
> The Mimamsaka argues that a person
> desirous of liberation avoid all Kamya and Nishiddha Karma, and instead
> only perform Nitya and Naimittika
> Karmas, as the avoidance of these two types of Karma leads to sin. Hence
> the Mimamsaka’s standpoint is that
> when a person can get Mukti by performing only the Nitya and Naimittika
> Karmas and avoiding Kaamya and
> Nishiddha Karmas, why is Jnana necessary for Mukti –
>  मोक्षार्थी न प्रवर्तेत तत्र काम्यनिषिद्धयोः ।
>  नित्यनैमित्तिके कुर्यात् प्रत्यवायजिहासया ॥
>
>
> Bhagavatpada has pointed out the fallacy in this line of thinking –
> न हि जन्मप्रायणोरन्तराले काम्यप्रतिषिद्धयोः सर्वात्मना वर्जनं
> केनचित्प्रतिज्ञातुं शक्यं, सुनिपुणानामपि सूक्ष्मापराधदर्शनात् ।
> It is not possible for anyone to proclaim that he has refrained from all
> Kaamya Karma and Nishiddha Karma
> from the time of his birth to the time of his death. This is because it is
> seen that even the best of men
> commit subtle mistakes. The Manu Smriti says the observance of Pancha
> Mahayajnas is necessary for a Grihastha
> (householder) as he commits 5 types of sins without his knowledge.
>  पञ्चसूना गृहस्थस्य चुल्ली पेषण्युपस्करः ।
>  कण्डनी चोदकुम्भश्च बध्यते यास्तु वाहयन् ॥
>
>
> A sin remains a sin whether you commit it knowingly or unknowingly. If you
> touch fire, it is going to burn
> your hand. It does not matter whether the one who touches fire is a child
> or an adult, or does it knowingly
> or unknowingly – अनिच्छयापि संस्पृष्टो दहत्येव हि पावकः. Hence it is
> impossible to state that one has never sinned.
>
> Moreover, this human body has been acquired because of a portion of all
> the accumulated Punya and Paapa karmas.
> There is however a lot more Karma to experience. One cannot dismiss that
> all the accumulated Karma has
> resulted in our acquisition of this human body.
>
> Contrastingly, the Karmas of a person who has attained Jnana, are burnt up
> for the Vedas, the Supreme
> authority on these matters, clearly state so. The result of the good deeds
> of a Jnani reach those who revere
> the Jnani, while the results of his sins go to those who insult him.
>
> Sri Bhagavatpada has stated in His Upadesha Panchakam that such Jnana that
> can burn one’s Karmas, can be had
> only by approaching a Guru -
>
> “सद्विद्वानुपसृप्यतां प्रतिदिनं तत्पादुके सेव्यतां,
> ब्रह्मैकाक्षरमर्थ्यताम्”
>
> The Upanishads are filled with illustrations of disciples seeking the Guru
> – such as the six students
> approaching Pippalada, Shaunaka seeking Angirasa – for acquiring Brahma
> Jnana. As a result of the attainment,
> the Bhashyakara (Sri Adi Shankaracharya) too has said Karmas are burnt up
> – प्राक्कर्मप्रविलाप्यतां चितिबलान्नाप्युत्तरैः श्लिष्यताम्
>
> Bhagavan Veda Vyasa too has stated in His Brahma Sutras – तदधिगम
> उत्तरपूर्वाघयोरश्लेषविनाशौ तद्व्यपदेशात् – that on attainment of Jnana,
> all Karmas are burnt up.
>
> The Lord too has said in the Bhagavad Gita –
>  यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन ।
>  ज्ञानाग्निः सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा ॥
> As the blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of
> knowledge burn to ashes
> (all reactions to) Karmas.
>
>
> Thus the Vedas, the Brahma Sutras and the Gita make it clear that Jnana
> alone burns Karma and results in
> liberation.
>
> The Jagadguru also pointed out many attend lectures on Vedanta but do so
> only for leisure and not with the
> desire for Jnana. One must perform Nishkama Karma (actions without desire
> for results) if one has to get
> intense “विविदिषा” (desire to know the Truth). Thus Sri Adi Shankaracharya
> has explained that Upasana and
> Karma have an important role to play in the system of Advaita Siddhanta.
> Hence must always have reverence
> and devotion towards Sri Adi Shankaracharya.
>
>
> The Jagadguru stated that such is the sophistication of the Advaita
> philosophy propounded by
> Sri Adi Shankaracharya, that even though many objections were raised
> against it (in the later centuries),
> personages such as Sri Madhusoodana Saraswati and Sri Brahmananda
> Saraswati uprooted all such objections
> by their works –
>  मधुसूदनसन्मौनीब्रह्मानन्दगुरू भजे ।
>  अद्वैतराजमार्गोऽयं याभ्यां निष्कण्टकीकृतः ॥
>  Salutations to Sri Madhusoodana Saraswati and Sri Brahmananda Saraswati
> who made the regal path of Advaita
>  thorn-free.
>
>
> The Jagadguru ended His Anugraha Bhashanam expressing joy over the work
> being carried out by Swami Omkarananda
> in the propagation of the tenets of the Advaita Siddhanta. Swami
> Omkarananda then received the special
> blessings of the Jagadguru. The Jagadguru later performed the Sharada
> Chandramoulishwara Puja in the Ashram
> premises.
>
>
> At 6:30 AM on 1st June, the Jagadguru performed Puja to Sri Prajna
> Dakshinamurti. At 10 AM, the Jagadguru
> visited the now huge Vata Vriksha that He had planted 17 years ago. After
> a small Puja was offered at the spot,
> the Jagadguru laid the foundation stone for the building, Sri Bharati
> Tirtha Vidyarthi VilasaH and visited
> Sri Rajagopala Mandiram, the Goshala of the Ashram. The Jagadguru then
> returned to the Prajna Dakshinamurti
> temple, gave Darshan to the devotees and blessed the members who had
> undergone a course on Bhagavad Gita.
> Devotees performed Bhiksha Vandanam and Pada Puja to the Jagadguru and
> received Mantrakshata.
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