[Advaita-l] adhikAra - veda - vedAnta, a query

[Vinodh]

Namaskaram,

The sruti (Taittiriya Upanishad Sikshavalli) says the following regarding
doubts about conduct:

अथ यदि ते कर्मविचिकित्सा वा वृत्तविचिकित्सा वा स्यात् ।  ये तत्र ब्राह्मणाः
संमर्शिनः । युक्ता आयुक्ताः । अलूक्षा धर्मकामाः स्युः । यथा ते तत्र
वर्तेरन् । तथा तत्र वर्तेथाः ॥ ९ ॥

atha yadi te karmavicikitsā vā vṛttavicikitsā vā syāt |  ye tatra brāhmaṇāḥ
saṃmarśinaḥ | yuktā āyuktāḥ | alūkṣā dharmakāmāḥ syuḥ | yathā te tatra
varteran | tathā tatra vartethāḥ || 9 ||

9.
<https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-taittiriya-upanishad/d/doc79789.html#page-165>Now
if to thee a doubt as to a deed, or a doubt as to conduct, should occur, as
the brāhmaṇas there—who are thoughtful, zealous, well-versed, not hard (at
heart), desirous of Dharma—would act in such matters, so there shalt thou
act.

Therefore, in this case, the advice of an Acharya is required and one must
consult one’s Acharya in whichever one matam they subscribe to and act
accordingly.

To my understanding, the advice of the Kanchi Matam Acharya Sri
Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi has always been to follow the smritis as much
as possible according to one’s abilities for these have been prescibed by
the great seers of the past in the best interests of this world. For the
particular question posed in this thread, this matches with what Sri
Kaushik has expressed below.

Of course, since everyone cannot do everything according to the shaastras,
the Kanchi Acharya and likewise the Sringeri Matam Acharyas out of
compassion for the people have encouraged them to follow them as much as
possible within one’s abilities by allowing relaxations. One’s aim must
always be to strive to do their best to follow the rules as in shaastras
and not to take the relaxations to be a new rule. One must do so with a
sincere faith in these rules that they are meant for chit-shuddhi
(purification of mind) of each individual according to each individual’s
past karma (which determines one’s varna and other characteristics in this
birth) while at the same time benefitting the universe at large. Only when
there is chit-shuddhi will the light of the Atman shine through and
liberate one from the misery of samsara (cycle of birth and death).


On Fri 1. Oct 2021 at 20:51, Raghav Kumar Dwivedula via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Yes. The question is how to appropriately interpret older rules to decide
> adhikAritvam for reciting Vedas in today's global village context .
>
> For example, the literal "Quranic" type of interpretation of who is allowed
> to recite the vedas will render vedic recitation as prohibited practically
> for all those who are living outside the Indian subcontinent. This means
> that all NRIs cannot recite the vedas since they have caught a flight over
> the seas.
>
> Luckily such a nonsensical interpretation is not endorsed by Sringeri Math
> which allows NRI dvijas the same treatment as other dvijas.
>
> Intelligent interpretation is mandatory to avoid wahabi type of literalism-
> that does not mean 'reform', which implies a needlessly condescending
> attitude towards the smritis.
>
> On Fri, 1 Oct, 2021, 7:31 pm Kaushik Chevendra via Advaita-l, <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>
> > Namaste sir.
> > No its not allowed. Vedic recitation and inquiry into vedanta shouldn't
> be
> > done without the adhikara. This is one aspect common in all schools of
> > vedanta.
> > But narayana is atyant dayalu isn't he? That's why the gita which is
> > essence of the upanishads,has been given to us. For this there isn't a
> > restriction of adhikara.
> > The recitation of lords name can be done by all. As its popularly stated,
> > the merit attained through recitation of veda can be achieved through the
> > rememberance of hari(sarva vedeshu yat punyam.....).
> > The puranas also have no restriction.
> > Vidyatirtha swamin has clearly stated that the shastras shouldn't be
> > changed for our comfort or liking. And hence recitation or even hearing
> of
> > vedas shouldn't be done without adhikara.
> >
> > On Fri, 1 Oct, 2021, 2:45 pm Bhaskar YR via Advaita-l, <
> > advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> >
> > > praNAms
> > > Hare Krishna
> > >
> > > whenever I chant veda maNtra-s publicly using mic , whenever I hear
> > > recordings of gAyatri maNtra and other veda sUkta / maNtra-s, public
> > > discourses like geeta jnAna yagna,  vedAnta in loud speakers etc. I do
> > have
> > > a doubt that can it be made public without taking proper care of
> > > adhikAra??  vedAnta is guhya vidyA should not be taught to anadhikAri-s
> > > reiterates saMpradAya, bhAshyakAra says before taking up brahmavidyA
> > > jignAsa sAdhana chatushtaya is must,  lord too says in geeta idam te
> > > nAtapaskAya, nA bhaktAya kadAchana, should not be taught to the one who
> > is
> > > not serving his guru etc. because this vidyA is paramaM guhyaM.  But
> what
> > > we are seeing today??  all veda-vedAnta geeta available to all openly
> > > irrespective of adhikAra.   we are making it proudly  public.  Is this
> > > relaxation allowed in the current situation (kAladharma) ??  Just
> curious
> > > to know the traditional clarification with regard to this.
> > >
> > > Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!
> > > bhaskar
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