[Advaita-l] [advaitin] Atman and Witness - transcending

[H S Chandramouli]

Namaste Sudhanshu Ji,

Reg  // The statement was by Anandagiri Swami in Brihadaaranyak BhAshya
VArtika 1.4.372, which reads as under:

अज्ञानमात्रोपाधित्वादविद्यामुषितात्मभिः ।। कौटस्थ्यान्निर्द्वयोऽप्यात्मा
साक्षीत्यध्यस्यते जडैः ।। ३७२ ।।

The vArtika clearly says that ajnAna-upahita-chaitanya is superimposed as
sAkshI by jaDa //,

My understanding is as follows.

Please read together with the preceding verse in he vArtika

//  अस्य द्वैतेन्द्रजालस्य यदुपादानकारणम् ।।
अज्ञानं तदुपाश्रित्य ब्रह्म कारणमुत्यते ।। ३७१ ।। //.

// asya dvaitendrajAlasya yadupAdAnakAraNam ||

aj~nAnaM tadupAshritya brahma kAraNamutyate || 371 || //.

The way Brahman is stated to be the kAraNa for jagat, the same way it is
also stated to be sAkshi. Hence ajnAna-vishishta-chaitanya  (and not
upahita chaitanya) is to be understood as sAkshi.

The verse 372 says that the PratyagAtman (Chaitanya ) though  is kUtastha
and nirvikAra, but being in  association with ajnAna
(ajnAna-vishishta-chaitanya ) is conceived by the jaDa, which is unable to
cognize its own AtmasvarUpa due to avidyA , as sAkshi due to adhyAsa.

You may like to consider.

Regards

On Fri, Mar 21, 2025 at 2:30 PM Sudhanshu Shekhar <sudhanshu.iitk at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Hare Krishna Bhaskar prabhu ji.
>
> //All the above three statements as usual go against bhAshyavachana and
> holding ‘some’ vyAkhyAna as authority for this.//
>
> The statement was by Anandagiri Swami in Brihadaaranyak BhAshya VArtika
> 1.4.372, which reads as under:
>
> अज्ञानमात्रोपाधित्वादविद्यामुषितात्मभिः ।। कौटस्थ्यान्निर्द्वयोऽप्यात्मा
> साक्षीत्यध्यस्यते जडैः ।। ३७२ ।।
>
> The vArtika clearly says that ajnAna-upahita-chaitanya is superimposed as
> sAkshI by jaDa.
>
> I don't know whether vArtika is also held by you as
> bhAshya-viruddha-vyAkhyAna. If not, then please explain the meaning of this
> vArtika.
>
>
>  //As per bhAshyakAra and shruti, ‘sAkshi’ is upanishanmAtra vedya, he is
> Chaitanya and ekaH as per shruti (sAkshi chetaH, kevalO nirguNascha),
> sAkshi is NOT avidyA upahita Chaitanya//
>
> Sir, you are contradicting BUBV 1.4.372 and innumerable other vArtika
> which hold sAkshI as avidyA-upahita-chaitanya.
>
> The swarUpa of sAkshI is obviously shuddha chaitanya. There is no
> discussion on that. However, sAkshi-tva is avidyA-krita. That is the
> Advaita siddhAnta.
>
>
> //he is kevala Chaitanya and sAkshi is its svarUpa, ahaM pratyayavishaya
> kartru vyaterekeNa tatsAkshee, sarva bhUtasthaH, samaH, ekaH, kOtastha
> nityaH, this asaMsAri Atma is aupanishad purusha.  He is not different in
> different pramAtru-s to declare sAkshi is avidyAkruta or aneka. //
>
> No one is claiming several sAkshI. avidyA is one chaitanya is one, so
> avidyA-upahita-chaitanya.
>
>
> //And more importantly sAkshi svarUpa cannot be deduced by mere shushka
> tarka or through some pramANa  or giving some mundane examples because of
> the simple fact he is the witness to even these mental jugglery.  He is
> sAkshi, svayaM siddha whether there is anything to be witnessed or not.
> And this sAkshi is manasOpi manaH clarifies bhAshyakAra elsewhere.//
>
> Please define shushka tarka.
>
> Regards.
> Sudhanshu Shekhar.
>
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