[Advaita-l] Shankara authenticates Shiva

[D Gayatri]

> Shankara has always said in the Upanishad bhashyas that the background story
> is only a stuti and the tattva conveyed there alone is relevant. So,
> Shankara has left out that background as arthavāda. Hence, he has not
> authenticated that irrelevant portion. Only what is relevant needs to be
> authenticated and not the chaff.

Alright, I think we are going again in circles. If you have read my
original message, you would not have raised this issue again. Anyway,
let me explain again. There are many interpolations in the
Mahabharata. But when an ancient Acharya quotes some portion of it,
that portion can be treated as genuine, especially when it is also
present in the critical edition. Here, Shankara bhagavatpAda quotes a
particular portion of the Shanti parva and in this portion, Shiva is
treated as the son of brahmA. Shankara's quote shows that this
incident is not an interpolation in the Mbh. This means, Shankara has
authenticaled the portion of the Mbh which treats Shiva as the son of
Brahma.


> In that case, Vishnu is also one among the devatās to be propitiated.
> Shankara for that reason alone has included Vishnu also in the mantra 1.4.11
> as one among the created deities since there is the 'well known' instance
> for Shankara in the krishna yajur veda of Vishnu, listed among so many other
> devatas as the pati of parvatas.


Again, we are going in circles, repeating the same points. In mantra
1.4.11, Vishnu is completely absent in the host of devatas. Moreover,
in his BSB, bhagavatpAda says at multiple places that Narayana is
supreme. So the above argument of yours cannot be considered as valid.