[Advaita-l] [advaitin] Re: {भारतीयविद्वत्परिषत्} Jnani should give up karma why? from Shankara-bhashya

[Vikram Jagannathan]

Namaskaram Krishna ji,

Adding to Sudhanshu ji's guidance:

Karma (action) resulting in chitta shuddhi (purification of antahkarana)
assists with the genesis of sadhana chatustaya (4-fold
qualifications viveka vairagya etc.). Of the 4-fold
qualifications mumukshatvam is the absolute necessary for the dawn of
jnana; and mumuksatvam has a prerequisite of other 3 qualifications. Hence
Swami Sankaracharya says, in BrahmaSutra 1.1.1, that these 4-fold
qualifications are the prerequisites for brahma-jijnasa. There is an
invariable concomitance relationship between brahma-jijnasa and these
4-fold qualifications. In the presence of these 4-fold
qualifications brahma-jijnasa is natural and unavoidable. In absence of
these 4-fold qualifications true brahma-jijnasa is not possible.

Now, looking at karma, there is no invariable concomitance between karma
and the 4-fold qualifications or even brahma-jijnasa. Hence karma cannot be
sahakari. Agnihotra, tapas etc. (although dama is included part of 4-fold
qualifications) can lead to chitta suddhi and chitta ekagratha. This can in
turn give rise to viveka. However, viveka can originate through other means
as well. Cognition and understanding of the transitoriness of day-to-day
experiences can also result in viveka. There are plenty of examples in the
lives of great masters such as Gautama Buddha, Ramana Maharshi etc., where
even in the absence of pointed karma there is the genesis of viveka and
consequently the other 4-fold qualifications. Therefore, karma can at best
be an upaya (means) to gaining brahma-jijnana and not a hard requisite.

Further, to your question "here once a person gets satva shuddhi through
agnihotra, tapas, dama and so on, if automatically one gets tatva jnana" -
chitta suddhi does *not* automatically result in tattva-jnana. Only
mumukhatvam results in the genesis of tattva-jnana / aparokshanubhuti on
sravanam (with/without mananam & nidhidhyasanam) of the mahavakyas. Without
the 4-fold qualifications, mere sravanam of this mahavakya will not result
in tattva-jnana. That differentiates true-seekers / jnanis against the rest
of us mere readers / listeners of the scriptures.

To summarize, while karma is definitely helpful for developing the 4-fold
qualifications, karma is not a hard requisite for this. Karma is optional
based on the current qualification of the seeker.

prostrations,
Vikram

On Thu, Dec 12, 2024 at 9:53 AM Sudhanshu Shekhar <sudhanshu.iitk at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Namaste Krishna ji.
>
> here once a person gets satva shuddhi through agnihotra, tapas, dama and so
>> on, if automatically one gets tatva jnana, then why does shankaracharya
>> denies that status of anga, sahakari karana and so on for the karma
>> portion, which includes these agnihotra and so on?
>>
>> this is the question. I dont know of a clear answer here.
>>
>
> Bhagvan BhAshyakAra gives the sequence to moksha in GItA bhAshya 5.12.
>
> It is as follows:
>
> Karma-yOga => sattva-shuddhi => jnAna-prApti => sarva-karma-sanyAsa =>
> jnAna-nishThA => mOksha. (कर्मफलं त्यक्त्वा परित्यज्य शान्तिं मोक्षाख्याम्
> आप्नोति नैष्ठिकीं निष्ठायां भवां
> सत्त्वशुद्धिज्ञानप्राप्तिसर्वकर्मसंन्यासज्ञाननिष्ठाक्रमेणेति वाक्यशेषः ।)
>
> In 5.27 - कर्मयोगश्च ईश्वरार्पितसर्वभावेन ईश्वरे ब्रह्मणि आधाय क्रियमाणः
> सत्त्वशुद्धिज्ञानप्राप्तिसर्वकर्मसंन्यासक्रमेण मोक्षाय इति भगवान् पदे पदे
> अब्रवीत्.
>
> Now, mOksha is only by jnAna (ज्ञानात् एव कैवल्यम्). However, that jnAna
> needs to be devoid of asambhAvanA and viparIta-bhAvanA. Otherwise, it will
> not be effective. (Pl check पुरुषापराधमलिनाधिषणा निरवद्यचक्षुरुदयापि यथा। न
> फलाय भर्च्छुविषया भवति श्रुतिसम्भवापि तु तथात्मनि धीः।।).
>
> In order to remove viparIta-bhAvanA and asambhAvanA, sarva-karma-sanyAsa
> and jnAna-nishThA are essential.
>
> Hope, part of the question is addressed.
>
> Further, the basic logic as to why Bhagvan BhAshyakAra insists on absence
> of co-existence of jnAna and karma is because of the following. Karma
> requires avidyA. Karma-yOga requires karma which is in turn requires
> avidyA. So, karma-yOga is prescribed only for avdiyAvAn-sAdhaka who is
> incapable to situate in jnAna-nishThA.
>
> Since karma requires avidyA and is prior to sattva-shuddhi, it cannot
> exist after jnAna-prApti. Hence, mumukshu subsequent to jnAna-prApti has to
> give up karma. That is why AchArya emphasizes on sarva-karma-sanyAsa.
>
> Regards.
> Sudhanshu Shekhar.
>
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