[Advaita-l] Shankara and DrishTi-SrishTi vAda - eka jeeva vaada

[H S Chandramouli]

Dear Sri Anand Ji,



Thank you very much for the explanation concerning mahAvAkya  presenting
the definition of tat pada as per Sri Madhusudhana Saraswati  confirming,
inter alia , the need and use for all the three words in the mahAvAkya.



I have a doubt. In the view of its authors, is the DSV considered an
independent postulate based purely on reasoning ( independent of the
shrutis ), much like sAmkhya, yOga darshana etc,  but expounding the
ultimate advaita sidhAnta and drawing support from the shruti for its
arguments. On the other hand SDV is an exposition of the shrutis themselves
through the Bhashya  and not an independent postulate. Thus it is improper
to compare SDV and DSV at all.



My doubt is based on the following. Sri  PrakAshAnanda in his
sidhAntamuktAvali begins with the following statement



<< Having first gained through Veda a true intuition of that Self, which
has no second self and which is bliss and light and is imperishable, we
next expound the method of reasoning in regard to that self….I >>.



He follows it up with the following commentary.



<< The grammatical construction is as follows : Having gained through Veda
an intuition of the Self with its four abovementioned charecteristics,
reasoning, ie. Ratiocination which is confirmatory of Veda, is now
expounded in regard to it, tatra , ie. the Self as characterized in the
aforesaid manner.  >>.



Thus the emphasis is purely on reasoning ( logic ) only. This is clear from
the presentation of the issue in the work itself. It is highly polemical in
character and almost solely concerned with refuting various objections (
assumed ) raised by the opponents on a logical basis. It does not flow
freely from the shrutis , but only quotes relevant vAkyAs from the shrutis
in support of its arguments.


I would be obliged for a response.



Regards


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