[Advaita-l] Binary nature of Jnana

[H S Chandramouli]

Namaste

In BSB 3-4-20, there is a discussion on the term ब्रह्मसंस्थ
(brahmasaMstha) as appering in ChandOgya Up mantra 2-23-1  ** …
ब्रह्मसंस्थोऽमृतत्वमेति ॥ १ ॥  (brahmasaMstho.amRRitatvameti || 1 ||).

Sidhanti  interprets this as referring to a parivrAjaka (sanyAsi).
Purvapakshi raises an objection

<< कथं पुनः ब्रह्मसंस्थशब्दो योगात्प्रवर्तमानः सर्वत्र सम्भवन् परिव्राजक
एवावतिष्ठेत ? >>

<< kathaM punaH brahmasaMsthashabdo yogAtpravartamAnaH sarvatra sambhavan
parivrAjaka evAvatiShTheta ? >>

Translation (Swami Gambhirananda)  << How can the term “steadfastness in
Brahman””, used in its derivative sense and possible of application to
people in all the stages of life, be confined to the monk alone? >>

Explanation ::  Sri Mani Dravid Shastri Ji, while explaining this, observes
that the Purvapakshi understands the derivation of ब्रह्मसंस्थ
(brahmasaMstha) ** ब्रह्मणि स॑स्था यस्य (brahmaNi sa\'sthA yasya) ** as  ** one
who has BrahmajnAna and is established in Brahman **.

The response of the Sidhanti is as follows

<<  ब्रह्मसंस्थ इति हि ब्रह्मणि परिसमाप्तिः अनन्यव्यापारतारूपं
तन्निष्ठत्वमभिधीयते >>

<<  brahmasaMstha iti hi brahmaNi parisamAptiH ananyavyApAratArUpaM
tanniShThatvamabhidhIyate >>

Translation  << The term “steadfastness in Brahman”” implies a consummation
in Brahman, a total absorption in Brahman, which is the same as the absence
of any other preoccupation except that >>.

Explanation :: Sri Mani Dravid Shastri Ji observes that the Sidhanti
presents the derivation in the current context differently. In the term
संस्थ (saMstha), when the dhAtu स्थ (stha) is preceded by the upasarga सं(saM),
 it conveys the meaning of  समाप्तिः (samAptiH) , (end/culmination).  Hence
** ब्रह्मणि स॑स्था यस्य (brahmaNi sa\'sthA yasya)**  is to be understood
as  ** One whose duties end/culminate in attaining BrahmajnAnam **

Note :: The talk by Sri Mani Dravid Shastri Ji is in tamil. Translation to
English is mine. The talk itself in tamil can be accessed at the following
link

<<
https://www.centreforbrahmavidya.org/acharyas/dr-mani-dravid-sastri/brahma-sutra-bhashya-0501-sutra-03-04-20.html?filter=dr-mani-dravid-sastri%27s-brahma-sutra--bhashya-classes--adhyaya-3-pada-4&back=/acharyas/sri-shankara-bhagavatpada.html
>>

Bhashya further states (which was cited in my earlier posts also in this
thread)

<<  ब्रह्मनिष्ठत्वमेव हि तस्य शमदमाद्युपबृंहितं स्वाश्रमविहितं कर्म ; यज्ञादीनि
च इतरेषाम् ; तद्व्यतिक्रमे च तस्य प्रत्यवायः । >>

<<  brahmaniShThatvameva hi tasya shamadamAdyupabRRiMhitaM svAshramavihitaM
karma ; yaj~nAdIni cha itareShAm ; tadvyatikrame cha tasya pratyavAyaH |  >>

Translation  << The duty of his order of life consists of steadfastness
itself in Brahman, supported by selfcontrol etc., whereas sacrifices etc.,
are the duties for  others; the monk incurs sin by transgressing his own
duties, (as much as others do by transgressing theirs) >>.

It is clear from the above that the term ब्रह्मनिष्ठ (brahmaniShTha) is
applicable to a sAdhaka  (who is not a jnAni) also. It goes without saying
that this does not preclude it from being used to address a jnAni also. In
the former case it refers to vividishA sanyAsa while in the latter case it
refers ti  vidvat sanyAsa.

Above is my understanding of the Bhashya.
Regards



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