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Hare Rama Krishna

Om Gurave Namah

 

Dear List Members

Please accept my obeisances. I have been recently joined the

group to know more about Advaita as taught by Bhagavatpada Adi

Sankaracharya. I to Gaudiya Vaishnavism and am interested

to know more about the scriptural reasons for the difference between

Gaudiya Vaishnavism and Advaita. I would be glad if the learned

members on this egroup could shed more light on some of my doubts

given hereunder:

1) I remember reading somewhere in the Brahma Sutra Bhashya of

Bhagavatpada Adi Sankaracharya that eventually when the Jiva attains

liberation, the Jiva becomes same as Brahman except that the power of

creation is not given to Jiva. Is my understanding correct?

 

2)If (1) is correct, then is there any other difference between Jiva

and Brahman? If this difference in potency of Jiva and Brahman

exists, Advaita becomes more closer to Gaudiya Vaishnava stream of

thought which professes similarity of the Jiva to Brahman in quality

(potency) but not in quantity.

 

3)I have often heard that Advaitins consider Bhakti as a lower rung

of the ladder to Jnana in the path of self realization. Is this true?

If so, is it not contrary to the statement of Bhagavad Gita 6.46 and

6.47 . i have given below the translations of those 2 verses so that

we can know if we understand the verse in a common mode :

 

6.46 - A yogi is greater than the ascetic, greater than the

empiricist and greater than the fruitive worker. Therefore, O Arjuna

in a ll circumstances be a yogi.

 

6.47 - And of all yogis, the one with great faith who always abides

in Me, thinks of Me within himself and renders transcendental loving

service (shraddhavan Bhajate yo maam) - he is the most intimately

united with Me in yoga and is the highest of All. That is My opinion.

 

4)Is Adi Sankaracharya credited with composing Jagannatha Ashtakam?

 

I have greatest regard for Bhagavatpada Adi Sankaracharya and these

questions are not meant to downplay anyone. It is only meant for one

ignorant person to know the viewpoint of Sankaracharya ( i request

the respondents to strictly stick to Sankaracharya's statements and

enlighten me).

 

Thanking you,

 

K.N.Sriram