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namaskaarams to everyone in the list,

I have been following this list for a while and started writing my

impressions on the topics of discussion recently. Neither my introductory

passage nor my subsequent observations have appeared on the list. I

understand that our postings are screened by the moderator.

I would like to know if the material posted was in any way inappropriate in

quality or content.

However I am thoroughly enjoying reading the postings everyday.

pranams,

Vijayakumar

[Guest guest]

Jyothi Vijayakumar <nandini

>

>Just a rejoinder regarding the concept of surrender. It seems there are

>different degrees of surrender and this issue was a sticking point even

>

>among the VishisshTAdvaitin scholars.

>

>Surrender with a degree of human effort is likened to the trust a baby

>monkey places in his mother's ability to carry him from tree to tree.

>

>He clings to her belly by his own strength. Whereas a kitten turns limp

>when her mother carries her to a place of safety holding her by the

>throat.

>

>pranaams,

>vijayakumar

 

Greetings Vijayakumar,

 

You are right. In vishisshTAdvaita, the surrender which is called as

prapatti or sharaNaagati is given a hierarchical approach and classified

into five or sometime even seven. Markataka Nyaaya (Monkey's analogy) and

marjaala Nyaaya (cat's analogy) became a basis for the subdivision of the

vishishhTaadvaita into tengalai and vadahalai during the time of Vedanta

Deshika (may be prior to him) who was popularly known as the Lion of

Vedanta. Shree Vedanta Deshika has discussed these steps elaborately in

his famous work - Rahasyatrayasaara.

 

Shree Vedanta Deshika was also the author of the ShatadhuushaNa on adviata

- hundred abuses on advaita philosophy. It was only couple of centuries

later that Shree Madhusuudhana Saraswari the author of adviata Siddhi could

logically dismiss the objections raised by Shree Vedanta Deshika and by

Shree Vyaasa thiirtha of dwaita philosophy.

>From advaita point, true surrenderence occurs only once - that is the

surrenderence of the ego when it dissolves. That happens when self

knowledge or self realization happens.

 

I was reading recently the interpretation of Bhagawaan Raamaanuja on the

scriptural statement that relates - naanyaH panthaa vidyatee yanaaya -

there is no other path other than knowledge. He emphasizes that Knowledge

occurs via surrenderence to the Lord by sharaNaagati via bhakti; and he

says it is not the self-knowledge that is pointed out but the knowledge of

the nature of the Lord. Scriptural knowledge is the basis for bhakti and

sharaaNaagati, and Lord when He is pleased gives jiiva the liberation,

moksha, and frees him from the cycle of births. That happens when the

jiiva gains the knowledge that he is part of the Lord (not the Lord) and

subservient and dependent on Him. - Hence vishishhTa advaita. monoism but

not identity. Jiiva is only a part but not the whole. That knowledge is

culmination of the surrenderence. But that also happens only once. In fact

the bondage even in vishishhTaadvaita is also due to ignorance but it is

the ignorance of the Lord who is anantakaylaaNa guna ashraya - the locus of

infinite auspicious qualities - and that is LOrd NaaraayaNa emphasized in

the Purusha suukta as - hriischate lakshmiischa patnyou - He is the husband

of Lakshmi (what an introduction - he being avyakta, unmanifested, cannot

be recognized without his ID card - Lakshmi, the godess of the phenominal

world - Hence He carries his ID all the time on his chest!)

 

Essentially advaita and vishishhTaadvaita merges here in terms of final

surrenderence. Each describes that differently. What is the real truth or

what is that final state, one has to discover by oneself since it is

beyond intellectual analysis.

 

But Bhagavaan Ramana in upadesha saara emphasizes that meditation with the

understanding of the non-dual nature of Brahman is superior to meditation

with the notion that Lord is different from me.

bhedhabaavana sohamityasow|

bhaavanaabhidaa paavaniimata||

 

Hari Om!

Sadananda

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

K. Sadananda

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Naval Research Laboratory

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