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

[Bhaskar YR]

praNAms Sri Vinod prabhuji
Hare Krishna

Any deviation from the prescriptions of the shaastras are only deviations. Continuing along such a path of deviation is certainly not what the ancient seers had in mind when prescribing the varnashrama dharma in the best interest of each individual and the welfare of the society as a whole. Therefore, definitively, those who have shraddha in the system must make effort toward following the system rather than to continue deviating from it.


Ø    Deviations, though not intentional,  seems in their view point flexibility in interpretation of shAstra vidhi is acceptable according to socio-biological environment.  And importantly for these deviations, again very conspicuous at the present time,  not getting any attention and criticism from the traditional mutt authorities though openly these institutions claiming affiliation with the traditional mutts.

To conclude through any reasoning of our limited intelligence that this deviation is somehow better given the current times is to think that we know better than the wise seers. Such a path is certainly bound to push one deeper into samsara by aggravating one’s ahamkara rather than to liberate one from samsara by destroying the ahamkara.


Ø     I completely agree with this.  If I am right, somewhere HH Sri Chandrashekharendra Saraswati categorically rejected the request to reform the injunctions in shAstra as per current situation.

As mentioned earlier, the relaxations are allowed by the sampradayavids (knowers of the tradition) out of compassion for the people in the current times who struggle to follow even a little of the rules of the shaastras, which are truly meant for the liberation of the jivas that have fallen into the ocean of samsara. By allowing these relaxations, those who struggle to follow even a litte get the confidence that they can indeed follow some of it. This must then be used in the right direction by putting more effort into following more of the shaastras. This is the way to obtain chit-shuddhi (purification of mind) and through that brahma-saakshaatkaara (direct experience of brahman), which is liberation (mukti) from the misery of the cycle of birth and death (samsara).


  *   The relaxation should be given to the sincere mumukshu / jignAsu-s if it is really inevitable, but has to be on case to case basis at individual level within his svadharma.  The general relaxation with regard to the dictum of shAstra I don’t think is acceptable.  Moreover, the relaxation should be in respect to following his sva-dharma as said above, if he is not following cent per cent of his svadharma due to really some unavoidable circumstances, out of compassion his / her guru can grant this relaxation after the due assessment.  But what is happening today is something frightful, practices prevalent today,  cannot be labelled as relaxation but it is clear violation of the shAstra vidhi.  For example, for stree and non-dvijas, as per shAstra vidhi no adhikAra to do veda / shAstra adhyayana since they can get mOksha through some other easy means like smruti, purANa, devatArchana with bhakti etc.  Relaxation with regard to this sAdhana within the boundaries as per the guidance from guru is acceptable but if the stree, non-dvija-s (no matter how shraddhAvAn they are!!) requesting for vedAdhyayana, Ashrama sannyasa etc.  and by seeing the eagerness / sincereness of these aspirants if they granted as per their wish then it is clear violation of shAstra vidhi.  When shAstra vidhi already there for the mOksha sAdhana for these type of aspirants why to deviate from that and opting for the new and prohibited means??  Can we take decision on this on our own??  Or for that matter can a shrOtreeya guru suggest anything that clearly goes against shAstra just to accommodate his very sincere shishya who is opting the means which is clearly a violation of shAstra vidhi??  Don’t we have the clear cut declaration by bhAshyakAra that for the dharma jignAsa ONLY the shAstra is the means??  ayaM dharmOyamadharmamiti shAstraM eva vijnAne kAraNaM……tEna na shAstrAdrute dharmAdharma vishayaM vijnAnaM kasyachidasti.  Clarifies bhagavatpAda in sUtra bhAshya.



  *   This is how I want to look at the current situation, kindly correct me if I said anything wrong.


Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!
bhaskar