[Advaita-l] Moral Goodness of Brahman?

[saha niranjan]

Dear List,
Namaskar and navaratri greetings!
Could you please share your thoughts about the points below Professor Lance Nelson is wondering about?  
Sincerely yours,Niranjan Saha

Hello Friends—I’m looking, with mixed success, for textual evidence regarding the moral goodness, or otherwise, of para Brahman in Advaita.I’m aware that many scholars have argued for the essential amorality, or transmorality, of the para/nirguna Brahman in Advaita.  It seems that most such declarations are based on general impressions of the literature, and not on actual citations from Sankara, the Upanisads, or other sources.  Are there any citations that point explicitly to the para Brahman being “beyond good and evil”?  I’d very much appreciate some references on this.I’m also aware that Sankara gives a fairly extensive theodicy, based on idea of karma, lila, the anaditva of creation, etc., in his comments on Brahmasutra 2.1.34-36 and related sutras.  This of course seems to assume, and attempt to defend, the idea of the moral goodness of Brahman as Isvara, in relation to creation.  But this does not, it seems to me, say much about the para Brahman.I’d appreciate any suggestions my learned colleagues could kindly provide.
I was asking about evidence in the literature of Advaita (particularly Upanisads and Sankara, but perhaps elsewhere) for or against the idea that para/nirguna Brahman is, as it is commonly said, trans-moral, “beyond good and evil.”  I’m thinking about the moral goodness of Brahman.

Thanks!  Lance