[Advaita-l] Teaching of Nirguna is possible only through the medium of saguna

[V Subrahmanian]

Teaching of Nirguna is possible only through the medium of saguna

The Advaitic Nirguna Brahma tattva jnanam is the core content of the
Vedanta. A question arises as to how can this Nirguna Tattva be taught to
the one who does not have this knowledge? Since the duality of
teacher-taught-teaching is admitted by default in this endeavor, we say
that the teaching of the Nirguna Tattva happens only through the medium of
duality, saguna. The knower is a person, a saguna entity. The one who
receives the teaching is also a person. The process happens in the
environment of bheda.  The Lord in the Bh.Gita has said that 'There is
nothing in all the three worlds that is free of the three guna-s.'

न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुनः ।
सत्त्वं प्रकृतिजैर्मुक्तं यदेभिः स्यात्त्रिभिर्गुणैः ॥ 18.40 ॥

The Tattva, that transcends the three gunas, has to be taught only in the
domain of the three gunas, bheda. Advaita does not claim that the Advaita
tattva Jnana will demolish the world of three gunas. Nor does Advaita claim
that the one who possesses the Advaita Tattva jnana will cease to be alive
or will cease to perceive others.  The Shaankara Bhashya has enough
unambiguous statements to this effect. The Jnana only removes one's
ignorance pertaining to one's true nature and the world and frees him from
the notion of being a samsari.  By this much one cannot fault the Advaita
Jnani of becoming incapable of imparting the knowledge to another or the
very teaching impossible. Whether the Veda, Ishwara or the Guru, is a
saguna entity and thus capable of giving/imparting the Nirguna jnanam.
There is no contradiction in this. Lack of understanding the system of
Advaita results in objections such as seen in non-advaitic commentaries on
the Bh.Gita
2.12.
https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/srimad?language=dv&field_chapter_value=2&field_nsutra_value=12&etradi=1&choose=1

Om Tat Sat