[Advaita-l] (no subject)

[Praveen R. Bhat]

Namaste Visheshji,


On Sun, Jan 3, 2021 at 4:44 PM Vishesh Bhat via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> ...If Advaita Vedanta propounds that "Brahman alone is real", and that
> opposites such as "good" and "evil", "joy and suffering" are solely an
> illusion of the "JivAtma" under the "Avarana shakti of mAya, then what is
> the requirement for "avatars" of Saguna Brahman? How is the need for such
> Avatars explained in the context of Advaita Vedanta?
>

...

> But I do not understand the need for Avatars intended for the destruction
> of evil beings or "Asuras" (who are themselves part of Brahman)?.
>
The deluded Jivas have desires, avidyA --> kAma --> karma is the cyclical
triad. These desires can be good or bad. When the sum total of the good
desires is ripe for countering the bad in the world, there is avatAra of
Ishvara. The need is not for Advaita Vedanta itself, but as an answer to
the prayers of the bhaktas, who are themselves helpless. Moreover, it is
also for Advaita Vedanta as it is also part of Vedas, which need to be
preserved by defeating the Asuras.

Kind rgds,
--Praveen R. Bhat
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