[Advaita-l] Supremacy of Shiva over Vishnu

[Sujal Upadhyay]

In my opinion, just a scholarly interpretation / analysis is not enough.
One should meditate, reach a particular level where there are no worldly
thoughts and when one gains broad vision, remains detached from body, mind,
ego and even philosophy. Unfortunately I do not think this is true for most
analysts.

For example, if one is of the opinion that a Vishnu bhakta cannot
contemplate and write a hymn on Siva and vica versa, then this is proved
wrong by AchArya-s like MadhusUdan SarasvatI and Appaya Dikshita. When
under the mood of bhakti, in God-intoxicated state, one may speak in a
different tone and sing hymn with heart overflowing with bhakti. Such a
state is different from peaceful state of detachment. Ishvara can teach
karma, bhakti, GYAna and yoga to a selected few. This is evident from the
life of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Sringeri SankarAchArya Sri Abhinava
VidyAtirtha. Learning more than one discipline is possible.

The one who is detached and does not even bind to any sampradAya will
realise or sense detachment while reading commentaries by Adi Sankara. This
feeling reflects our own spiritual development. The more we progress and
stay detached, unconcerned and unconditionally surrendered, the more we
gain unbiased, broad vision and understanding.

Adi Sankara didnt do anything by himself, but was ordered to write
commentaries in upanishads and later on Brahma sutras and then was ordered
to travel across India and correct wrong understandings. In this spirit of
detachment, where Adi Sankara never wrote a word by his own will, how can
we understand him and his philosophy correctly? Adi Sankara already knew
his true nature as is mentioned in dasasloki. dasasloki is composed when
Adi Sankara meets his guru for the first time and guru GovindapAda asks new
student's intro. So Adi Sankara was always detached.

Even if we say this story is written by someone, this someone must also
have been in the exalted state to compose such a hymn. Scholarly works may
not stand the test of time, as it lacks the power of direct experience.
Much of literature was destroyed by Muslim rulers and they used to use
books for bonfire. Still AchArya-s teachings have stood the test of time
and are available.

Regarding western scholars, there are some who deliberately try to
denigrate the status of Gods and Goddesses. They option translate linga as
'phallus' and Siva as Phallic God. Do you agree? Has not Adi Sankara used
the words ling and virya freely and they mean manifestation, garbha,
prakriti, and many other things.

OM

Sujal

"To disconnect from the self and to become Aware of anything else is
nothing but unhappiness" - Bhagawan Ramana Maharshi

He who has faith has all
He who lacks faith, lacks all
It is the faith int he name of lord that works wonders
FAITH IS LIFE, DOUBT IS DEATH - Sri Ramakrishna

On Sat, Sep 3, 2016 at 10:00 AM, D Gayatri via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> I find it intriguing that people have no problems using western technology
> and inventions like computers, internet etc. and at the same time the very
> same people dismiss all western scholars as fools! Just as any other
> scholars, the arguments of western scholars have their own merits and
> demerits, but IMHO, to dismiss the entire class of western scholars as
> fools, smacks of intellectual arrogance.
>
>
> On Friday, 2 September 2016, V Subrahmanian via Advaita-l <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > Dear Shri Gerald,
> >
> > Sri Shankaracharya has in his Gitabhashya said:
> >
> > sarva shāstravit api asampradāyavit mūrkhavadeva upekṣaṇīyaḥ = Even if
> one
> > is an expert in all disciplines, if his knowledge is not in accordance
> with
> > the sampradāya, tradition, he is best ignored just as a fool is.
> >
> > The views of western scholars are to be so treated in accordance with
> > Shankara's advice. This applies to all those views you have listed above
> as
> > his and his ideas expressed below.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > This matter is important, I believe, to advaita philosophy,
> particularly
> > > as Clark adduces this evidence on the way to making a different point,
> > > namely calling into question the legitimacy of claims that Adi
> > > Shankaracarya had founded either the Sringeri or Kanchi maths, both
> > > of which Clark regards as predominantly shaiva institutions.
> > >
> >
> > Also, the views expressed by him are not in any way new; they are already
> > in existence. They have been amply replied too keeping in view the very
> > Shankara bhashyas.  I shall just give one sample to show how Clark's
> > understanding of the Bhashya, if at all he had made a deep study of it,
> is
> > wanting. I shall take up his following view:
> >
> >
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