[Advaita-l] Tattvamasi - Advaita and Dvaita approach

[V Subrahmanian]

On Fri, Feb 15, 2019 at 3:52 AM Srinath Vedagarbha via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Here is an vyakyArtha debate held recently on this famous subject;
>
> https://youtu.be/ei1ha9nZ9P8


Thanks for the link. In the last 15 minutes of the video, the pontiff of
the Vyasaraja mutt has summed up the discussion for the laypersons. He
mentions a point made by the Sheshachandrika author's observation:

We have to take into consideration the context/the situation when the Tat
tvam asi teaching is given: Shvetaketu has returned from Gurukula
completely puffed with arrogance. It would be totally improper to give him
the teaching 'You are That' which will only increase the pride. Uddalaka is
giving the teaching in order to put the boy on the right track. So, the
advaitic meaning of Tat tvam asi is not that would fit the situation.
Instead only if he is told that 'You are not that' or 'You are only a
reflection of or dependent on That' the purpose of the teaching would be
fulfilled.

To this objection/observation, we point out that:

Actually, even though Shvetaketu did return from Gurukula with an air of
arrogance, when questioned by his father about his knowledge  of the tattva
'What is that knowing which everything is known', the boy is floored. The
inner transition takes place and he submits himself to his father and seeks
that Tattva Jnana:

श्वेतकेतो यन्नु सोम्येदं महामना अनूचानमानी स्तब्धोऽस्युत तमादेशमप्राक्ष्यः
येनाश्रुतं श्रुतं भवत्यमतं मतमविज्ञातं विज्ञातमिति *कथं नु भगवः स आदेशो
भवतीति*
॥ ३ ॥  It is this portion of the above sentence that gives us the
unmistakable impression that Shvetaketu has undergone a drastic change of
mind:  कथं नु भगवः स आदेशो भवतीति.  Shankara's bhashya for that portion is:
सर्वानपि वेदानधीत्य सर्वं च अन्यद्वेद्यमधिगम्यापि अकृतार्थ एव भवति
यावदात्मतत्त्वं न जानातीत्याख्यायिकातोऽवगम्यते । तदेतदद्भुतं श्रुत्वा आह,
कथं नु एतदप्रसिद्धम् अन्यविज्ञानेनान्यद्विज्ञातं भवतीति ; एवं मन्वानः
पृच्छति — कथं नु केन प्रकारेण हे भगवः स आदेशो भवतीति ॥

Also, there is the rule that Atma Vidya should not be given unsought and
that too only to the duly qualified. Both these requirements are met here:
1. Shvetaketu asks for it and 2. His way of addressing 'BhagavaH' shows he
is qualified to receive it, especially that he is devoid of pride, etc.
that was in him when he returned from the Gurukula.

Thus, the objection of the Dvaita Acharya that the prakaraNa,
context/situation does not warrant the teaching of the advaitic meaning of
Tat tvam asi is not sound. Moreover, the Advaitic meaning will in no way
increase his pride (even if it is granted that he continued to be
proud/arrogant) because the teaching is not 'You are the Sarvajna
Sarvashakta Ishwara'.  If that were the intended meaning of Tat tvam asi,
the objection could have sustained. But the Advaitic meaning is: You, the
chinmatra svarupa, are verily That, chinmatra svarupa.

In fact the Dvaitic meaning 'You are not That' or 'You are only dependent
on That' is out of context because Shvetaketu never thought that he is
Ishwara. His admission of his alpajnatva is patent from his submitting to
his father to learn this vidya. Nor did he think, at the time of getting
this teaching 'Tat tvam asi' that he is independent. So, in no way the
Dvaitic meaning of Tat tvam asi suits the situation.

While Sri Nagasampige Acharya made a splendid summary of the Advaitic side,
there is only one mix up in the detail.  The 'Acharyavaan purusho veda' is
in the context of the man from Gandhara wanting to get back to his native
town, having lost his way.  The Acharya here mixed it up with another
instance of a Rajaputra (of Brihadaranyaka bhashyam) being reminded of his
true nature by an Apta.

The others who spoke in the goshThi were also very well learned and had
come adequately prepared for the occasion. It is very nice to see so many
scholars who have shaastra jnana, having devoted time and effort to study
the shaastra.

Om Tat Sat






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