[Advaita-l] Fwd: Omnipresence

[Srinath Vedagarbha]

Namaste,

On Sat, Jul 25, 2020 at 1:35 PM Raghav Kumar Dwivedula via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> This is not directly related to the refutation of dvaita etc.
>
> Sri Vishvesha Tirtha of Adhokshaja Math (a dvaita institution) says that
> "The only similarity between advaita and dvaita philosophies is that of
> bhakti or devotion, which is very essential."
>
>
'Essential' is the key word.

The nature of that essentiality differs drastically between two schools.

Advaitins while denying Ishvara-ness of Brahman as the final reality, still
hold bhakti is needed (in this vyavahAra) only for upAsana. nirguNamapi
sadbrahma naamaruupagataiH guNaiH saguNaM upasanaarthaM tatra tatra
upadishyate... (Shankara in BSB 1.2.14)

For Dvaitin, this essentiality is way different and at the core of seeking
mOksha. Acharya Madhva says “mokshashcha vishhNu-prasAdena-vinA na labhyate
“ (mOksha and other purushArthas are not obtained without Vishnu's
grace).This position is very much in tune with Rgvedic assertion 'tEna
vinaH truNamapi na chalti' etc. In this sense the bhakti is essential to
gain Brahman's ultimate prasAda. There are countless pramANa on this
position.


yasya prasAdAtparamArtirUpAdasmAtsaMsArAnmuchyate nApareNa  |
nArAyaNo.asau paramo vichi.ntyo mumuxubhiH karmapAshAdamushhmAt.h ||    --
nArAyaNashrutiH

(By whose grace alone, the greatly suffering are rid of the world, and not
otherwise; He is NârâyaNa, the Supreme, and the one fit to be contemplated
upon by those who seek to be liberated from the binds of karma.)

teshhAmahaM samuddhartA mR^ityusaMsArasAgarAt.h  |
bhavAMi na chirAtpArtha mayyAveshitachetasAm.h  ||    -- bhagavadgItA

(Those who, having surrendered all actions unto me, without fail, perform
(bhakti)-yoga, meditate upon and worship me; For them, who have imbued Me
into their consciousness completely, I am the Swift Deliverer from the
ocean of death and material existence. )

aj~nAnAM j~nAnado vishhNoH j~nAninAM moxadashcha saH  |
Ana.ndadashcha muktAnAM sa evaiko janArdanaH     --  skAnda-purANa

(To the un-knowing, Vishnu gives knowledge; to the knowing, He gives
moksha; To the liberated, He gives joy, and He alone is fit for all to
worship.)

I am not saying HH. Pejawara Swamiji does not know all these when He said
what he said. I am only clarifying this similarity (between two schools) is
quite superficial.

/sv