Guest guest Posted August 23, 2003 Report Share Posted August 23, 2003 Namaste to all advaitins, Is "Yogatharavali" really a work of Adi Sankaracharya? Hari Om - Ralph Nataraj Something else that I am curious about is whether everything that has to do with kundalini (including the science of chakras) is rejected by serious Advaitins or is it Oincluded¹ and embraced / expounded upon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 23, 2003 Report Share Posted August 23, 2003 Namaste Shri Ralph Nataraj. The following may not be an expert's comments on your queries. But, if the commonsense in them helps, I would be more than happy. My remarks are in brackets in the body of your text. advaitin, Ralph Nataraj <108@p...> wrote: > I would be interested to discuss with other people on the list the > differences in Advaita-Vedanta and non-dual Kashmir Saivism. > > Another topic that interests me is to know more about the life of the great > Adi Shankar as the unsurpassable Advaita-philosopher and at the same time > being a tantric. The authorship of the Saundaryalahari is often contributed > to him and this is a tantric text of great depth. [Yes. Saundaryalahari was authored by Sankara. The currently ongoing discussion on that beautiful work led by Prof. Krishnamurthyji should clarify your doubts. Although not a tantrik in the complete sense, I am a devotee of Mother and I can vouch from personal experience that my devotion to Her has enriched my advaitic leanings.] > > Also I wonder what scholars on this list think of the many Advaita- teachers > who declare that no sadhana or practise is necessary while it is known that > Adi Shankar lived in a tremenous bhakti, engaged in profound study and > difficult sadhana living as a strict and celibate monk. [if bhakti is understood in its true sense as advaitic love to all creation, i.e. I love myself without any want for rewards and, since everything is me, I am spontaneously in love with everything without want for rewards, all modern teachers are true bhaktAs. That they engage themselves in constant contemplation and reflection on Truth itself is sAdhana. The difference is that, in a tantrik or a Devi devotee, the Devi Herself is identified as the Truth (Consciousness) that he/she really is.] > > Many of these modern and western teachers give satsangs with a photo of > Ramana Maharishi whom they never met. It is known that Ramana received his > name (Ramana Maharishi) from his foremost disciple Ganapati Muni who was > indisputably a great tantric possessing e.g. all the knowledge (and boons) > of the Mahavidya¹s. [Doesn't the fact that a great tAntrik found light in the presence of an advaitin, then speak volumes about the connection between Devi devotion and advaita? Isn't BhagwAn Ramana's cherubic smile a symbol of Enlightenment? What could then be more Graceful for an advaitic satsangh than His smiling picture?] > > In addition I would be interested to hear from the esteemed members about > the practise of worshipping the divine Mother at the different seats in > India of the Shankaracharya¹s, of whom I visited two. Where does this fit in > to what became known as Advaita-philosophy in the West? [Well. The Devi is everywhere at all times as the ever-present Consciousness - chid-shakti chEtanArUpA. She is very much in the Netherlands too! Will that save some airfare? Of course, I understand that there are recognized shakti-kUtas in India and we are very nostalgic about them. If you have ichchAshakti (which verily She is because She is called ichchAshakti-jnAnashakti-kriyAshakti swarUpini), you can have them in the Netherlands too. May the Mother shower Her Grace on you.] > > Another question that I have is whether you conceive or experience mysticism > to be part of Advaita-Vedanta and the guru-sisya parampara. It is estimated > that Adi Shankar authored the Vivekacudamani at the age of nine or eleven. > That is from a human standpoint almost impossible and it looks to me (e.g. I > sense) that the guru speaks through the disciple in which case it can also > be considered to be a revelation of Lord Shiva. What are the official > viewpoints from Advaita scholars and experts on this matter if I may ask? [Well. I have come across many scholars who question the story that Sankara accomplished all that he did within a span of about 32 years. Is the story that important when he has provided an ocean for us to delve in and reach at the pearls!? From commonsense point of view, all advaitic knowledge and insights that we gain through our efforts at study, listening, contemplation and reflection are in fact revelations, because they don't come about without Her Grace. ('Her' here represents Lord Shiva also. Please read Prof. Krishnamurthyji's posts on Soundarya Lahari where it has been brilliantly concluded that Shiva and Shakti are one and the same.)] > > Something else that I am curious about is whether everything that has to do > with kundalini (including the science of chakras) is rejected by serious > Advaitins or is it Œincluded¹ and embraced / expounded upon? [Kundalini is none other than Shakti - Mother (taTillatAsamaruchi shadchakropari samstitAh - like lighting pervading the six chakrAs - in LalitA sahasranAmAvali). To my understanding, the chakrAs are a symbolic visualization that aids the aspirant to advaitic heights and the enhanced tactile experiences that culminate in bliss are boons (the expression of Her Grace) en-route Self-realization. Personal experience suggests that, even without a shad-cakra visualization, a Devi devotee can experience enhanced tactility as in Kundalini practice. I may be questioned here for sure but can't help expressing this view based purely on my current understanding of this complex area of spirituality.] > > It is always difficult to find the most appropriate words to express a > sincere question and english is my second language. I look forward to hear > from some of you. [Don't worry. You have expressed yourself well. Don't have the feeling you have expressed anything. It is She (vAgdEvatA) who does that and if you write with that faith, you will be very intelligible to everyone. This is an advaitic tip coming from a Devi devotee. Devi and advaita are inseparable! Both can be found in one unity in every moment of our everyday life.] PraNAms. Madathil Nair AUM NAMAH SHIVAYA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 24, 2003 Report Share Posted August 24, 2003 advaitin, Ralph Nataraj <108@p...> wrote:> > Something else that I am curious about is whether everything that has to do > with kundalini (including the science of chakras) is rejected by serious > Advaitins or is it Œincluded¹ and embraced / expounded upon? > > > > Ralph Nataraj > Namaste. Welcome to Ralph Nataraj-ji. For many of the questions you have raised about advaita's attitude to Tantric worship , I suggest you may study the Paramacharya's Discourses on Soundaryalahari, a summary of which I am presenting (as a series) as close to the original as I can. I think you will be more than interested to read it from the beginning (that is, from DPDS - 01 -- Message No.18425 (#18144 in the archives)). Particularly on your above question on Kundalini, wait till you see the ensuing posts.The Paramacharya is answering your questions in his own inimitable style. PraNAms to all advaitins profvk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.