Advaita - Vishishtadvaita - Dvaita

[Guest guest]

I really enjoyed the discussions on the above subject that was contributed by

Kalale, Vidya Sankar (it is so nice to have him in our group), Sampath and

Bharadwaj.

 

Time and again, eventhough I have been part of these discussions, they have

never proved to be dull even for a moment. One thing is very clear to me. The

more one thinks, the more is he inclined to beleive that all the three

philosophies have much in common at the Vyavaharika level. Adisankara adored

Govinda and he was one of his greatest bhaktas (eventhough adoration has no

place in advaita at the paramarthika level). Ramanujacharya's philosophy is

indeed a philosophy of a religion. A religion of rishis who gave us the

upanishads and of alwars whose outpourings gave us the divya-prabhandham. He

philosophized the vyavaharika level (if I may say so). All the three acharyas

respected the vaidika dharma and taught us to conduct our lives according to

shastras giving due consideration to time and place. All the three acharyas

emphasized bhakti towards Govinda, while the later two Acharyas said Govinda

alone. Even if someone prefers to worship other Gods, it ultimately reaches

Govinda (Keshavam prati gachhathy). Instead of handing over the letter

directly, why send it through a post man. The sages tell us Narayana resides

in each and every one of us and He is closer to us than we are to ourselves

(and therefore there is no need for a post man).

 

Like Vidya Sankar says all the three philosophies have an equal place in the

system of Vedanta and it is just natural that each one considers his own system

superior to the other (and as far as the Lord is concerned he considers

Vishishtadvaita as His own!!!).

 

 

Vijayaraghavan Srinivasan