[Advaita-l] Chronology and Traceability

[Raghav Kumar Dwivedula]

Namaste Anand ji
One additional aspect to consider is this. These post-Vedic forms of
Ishvara such as Ayyappa etc., are not merely cultural or imagined entities.
Rather they can be regarded as discoveries by shiShTas of some aspects of
Ishvara.  They are empirically (vyAvahArika) real.

Just as modern science brings to our attention new understanding and
technological experiences such as space travel, telecommunication etc., our
sages/shiShTas too by their devotion, discovered (i.e., they were blessed
by Ishvara) with these revelations of the chronologically later forms and
the corresponding worship of Ayyappa, benign aspects of Vinayaka etc. The
idea is that they are not merely culturally imagined memes like Sherlock
Homes, Superman, Star Wars characters etc.

Om
Raghav

On Tue, 20 Apr, 2021, 2:30 am Anand N via Advaita-l, <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Thank you Subbuji! This was a very convincing explanation with which I can
> put my doubts to rest.
> The examples of Ayyapa and Matrikas are indeed very apt and interesting!!
>
> Namaste,
> Anand
>
> On Mon, 19 Apr 2021 at 06:55, V Subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > On Sun, Apr 18, 2021 at 10:15 PM Anand N via Advaita-l <
> > advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> >
> >> Namaste,
> >>
> >>
> >> So can we do a bidirectional traceability between our current image of
> >> Gods
> >> and the Vedic Gods? Is there a clear chronological development and
> >> transformation of our Gods and our practices?
> >>
> >
> > This can be admitted in the Vedic religion.  Shankaracharya, on the basis
> > of the Taittiriya Upanishad itself, has held 'ShiShTachaara' as an
> > important pramana.  That is, the conduct, actions, of 'noble minded'
> > persons, is authority for one to follow, emulate.  So, over time, Vedic
> > gods have got more defined forms, attributes, etc. which the 'shishTa-s'
> > have accepted, devised, etc. and put into practice.  One example is, for
> > instance, the Ayyappa worship.  One may not find Ayyappa in the Veda but
> it
> > is here for all to see, its impact, its acceptance, etc.  The Sringeri
> > Acharyas have visited Sabari Mala and worshiped the Lord there.  Another
> > instance is the 'Sapta Maatrika' worship.  While Shankaracharya in the
> Gita
> > Bhashyam has specified this Sapta Matrika group as 'bhUta, spirit', over
> > the centuries these Matrikas have evolved and graduated to mainstream
> > worship.  There are temples dedicated for Sapta Matrikas.  The earlier
> > Sringeri Acharya consecrated such a temple and gave a benedictory
> discourse
> > there imploring upon people to come and conduct religious activity there.
> > See here:  https://sreenivasaraos.com/tag/saptamatrika/         and
> > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matrikas
> >
> > So, a clear cut chart may not be possible for us to prepare but an
> > evolution, over centuries, takes place, is not to be denied.
> >
> > In all this, is the far reaching statement of Shankaracharya is to be
> seen
> > as the guiding factor:
> >
> > Shankara says in the BSB, Brahman/Ishwara can and does take on a form to
> > bless/help an aspirant in his sadhana.:
> >
> > स्यात्परमेश्वरस्यापि इच्छावशात् मायामयं रूपं साधकानुग्रहार्थम् ।
> > (1.1.vii.20) (Ishwara, out of compassion, takes on, by His Maya, a form
> to
> > grace the spiritual aspirant.)
> >
> > There is simply no limit to such forms.
> >
> > regards
> > subbu
> >
> >
> >> Om Namo Narayanaya,
> >> Anand
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