[Advaita-l] Fwd: Omnipresence

[Raghav Kumar Dwivedula]

>
> Namaste
>
> On Tue, 28 Jul, 2020, 10:23 PM Srinath Vedagarbha, <svedagarbha at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> 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.
>>
>
> The fact is that *great* importance is laid upon bhakti in Advaita. And
> the Pejawar Swamiji was highlighting that commonality which he felt was
> significant and that's why he highlighted it.
>
> Most of the spiritual journey which lies through antahkarana-shiddhi is in
> the realm of bhakti alone. So that can hardly be called a superficial
> commonality.
>
> The bhakti experienced (as an emotion/bhAva) and bhakti practised (as
> specific worship through japam and archana etc.), to either Maheshvara and
> Vishnu are very similar in spirit and every practitioner knows this
> empirically. This is such a no-brainer that offering a tulasi leaf or
> offering a bilva leaf can be imbued with the same feeling of love for that
> particular form of Ishvara.
>
> The differences are of course in the philosophy and interpretations but
> not in the empirical experience and practice of bhakti.
>
>
>
>
>> /sv
>>
>>
>