[Advaita-l] Dayanand Saraswathi interview - Very interesting stand taken by Swami

[Kripa Shankar]

‎Namaste, 
‎
Thanks to Subramanian, I had a chat with Sri Ananta Sharma ‎over the phone.

 My first question was - is jnana independent of Vedanta? He said no. 
‎
Next Q - can jnana occur without prior cause in this janma as in the case of RM? - his answer was affirmative. He cited Vamadeva. He further ‎said that, if not at birth, balya it can happen gradually at later stage. 

Q- I said we cannot conclude whether such adhyayana has taken place in previous janma. - He said, by looking at the lakshana of person (stitha prajna lakshana of Gita) , we can infer. But we cannot come to a conclusion. 

Q- so is the case of RM permissible within the construct of the shastras? Is he acceptable as jnAni. - He said, it is possible. But he also added that, it is again a matter of opinion. We mutually agreed that jnanis were identified by Rishis like Vyasa and narada. [This seems to be the only point where my thoughts converged. ‎It is important to note who is declaring someone as jnAni. ]

Q- If someone has adhikara to take up sannyasa and does not do so, is it acceptable? - He said no. However if a person is jnAni, no rules are applicable whatsoever. I again mentioned Krishna, who in spite of being jnAni followed the dharmas. He agreed but also said there is no such rule for a jnAni to follow it. It's up to the Jnani. ‎

Q- I said there are too many self acclaimed jnanis ‎and they present a new narrative using those examples. They say jnana is possible even without shastra and that shastras are traditional superstitions and are used to discriminate people and retain the power with brahmins. - He said, whoever claims to be a jnAni is not a jnani. 
‎
I ended the chat thinking him for his time after exchanging few pleasantries.

I have seen him in Vākyartha debates and I have very high opinion about him. I respect his view and I accept that the case of RM is acceptable within the framework of the shastras. However I know that RM is against Vedanta and my opinion of RM is still the same. But that is of no consequence to anyone. 

I am still to meet with another scholar, he is a sannyAsI of the order of Avani Shankar mutt. I'll try to pose this question to him as a last resort and then put the matter to rest. 

Regards 
Kripa  ‎
‎
yo vedAdau svaraH prokto vedAnte cha pratiShThitaH |
tasya prakRRiti-lInasya yaH parassa maheshvaraH || 
  Original Message  
From: S Jayanarayanan via Advaita-l
Sent: Friday 27 January 2017 12:39 AM
To: A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta
Reply To: S Jayanarayanan
Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] Dayanand Saraswathi interview - Very interesting stand taken by Swami

Kripa Shankar kripa.shankar.0294 at gmail.com wrote:
 
> Namaste, 
> 
> Link to the interview : http://thoughtlessbliss.blogspot.in/2011/10/swami-dayananda-saraswatis-view-on.html?m=1
‎> 
 
I don't believe the initial paragraph is right when it says, "...he does not even accept that Ramana Maharshi was a great liberated soul".
 
Rather, my take on it is: "In Swami Dayananda Saraswati's (SD's) opinion, Ramana Maharshi was a Realized *Mystic*, not a *Vedantin*!"
 
The Swami distinguishes between the two: 
Mystic ("non-traditional"): Is Self-realized, but does not necessarily communicate the experience in words.
Vedantin ("traditional"): May or may not be Self-realized, but has studied the scriptures, and communicates using words.
 
"SD: The only difference here is that a mystic has no means of communication to make you a mystic, an equally great mystic as himself...But we can only say someone is a Vedantin as long as they teach Vedanta!"
 
In some sense, I don't agree with SD on the above point. My opinion is that a "Mystic" in the words of SD can make another also Self-realized merely due to one's presence, not necessarily with words!
Many times, Ramana Maharshi has said that the very presence of a Sage can dissolve one's ignorance!
 
> Regards 
> Kripa ‎
‎> 
> AchArya ghAtinAm lokA na santi kulapAmsana ~
> There is NO region, O wretch of your race, for those who seek to slay an AchArya
> 
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