[Advaita-l] [advaitin] Devotion to Saguna Brahman is means to Realization of Nirguna Brahman - Bh.gita

[Sudhanshu Shekhar]

Hari Om Respected Subbu ji.

Very nice articulation regarding the fact that the devotion to SaguNa
Brahman is the means to realization of NirguNa Brahman.

In GItA BhAshya 5.12, Bhagvan BhAshyakAra has given a clear sequence to
Moksha.

कर्मफलं त्यक्त्वा परित्यज्य *शान्तिं मोक्षाख्याम्* आप्नोति नैष्ठिकीं
निष्ठायां भवां
*सत्त्वशुद्धिज्ञानप्राप्तिसर्वकर्मसंन्यासज्ञाननिष्ठाक्रमेणेति* वाक्यशेषः ।

Basically, the sequence is "karma-yoga => sattva-shuddhi => jnAna-prApti =>
sarva-karma-sanyAsa => jnAna-nishThA => Moksha".

Now, devotion to SaguNa Brahman is an inalienable and intrinsic part of
karma-yoga, which requires performance of karma with Ishwara-arpita-buddhi.

What exactly is this Ishwara-arpita-buddhi? It is explained in GItA BhAshya
3.30 -

मयि वासुदेवे परमेश्वरे सर्वज्ञे सर्वात्मनि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्य
निक्षिप्य अध्यात्मचेतसा विवेकबुद्ध्या ‘*अहं कर्ता ईश्वराय भृत्यवत् करोमि*’
इत्यनया बुद्ध्या ।

I am doing this work for Ishwara, who is my master and I am His servant.
One does all karma for Him. ==== This is what is the celebrated bhakti-yOga
of Dvaita-VedAnta. This is part and parcel of advaita-vedAnta.

This sAdhanA, named as karma-yoga, leads to sattva-shuddhi and is kAraNa of
Brahma-jnAna through paramparA.

Hence, it is rightly said that devotion to SaguNa Brahman is the means to
realisation of NirguNa Brahman.

With jnAna-prApti, however, the game changes as one realises --  तव
गाढमूढतमसा रचितं जगदीशजीववपुषा सकलम्। प्रतिभाति तावददृढं दृढवत् समुदेति
यावदवबोधरविः॥

Naturally then all karmAs are renounced in what is called
sarva-karma-sanyAsa. Only those residual karmAs, not doing which will
require effort, such as bhiksha etc will continue. And the person situates
in jnAna-nishThA, the penultimate state to Moksha.

He sits in samAdhi, naturally, effortlessly. Till he appreciates-

निःसङ्गो निष्क्रियोऽसि त्वं स्वप्रकाशो निरंजनः।
*अयमेव हि ते बन्धः समाधिमनुतिष्ठबन्धसि* ॥

And he is free.

Regards.
Sudhanshu Shekhar.