Digest of Paramacharya's Discourses on Soundaryalahari(DPDS-16)

[Guest guest]

Namaste

Recall that the entire contents of the Digest are from the

Paramacharya’s ideas and words, except for my English rendering.

Wherever he uses specific English words himself, I have drawn

the attention of the reader to that fact. FOR NEW READERS of

this series, it may be worthwhile to go back to the

Introduction about the objective of this Digest and the Note on

the Organization (both at advaitin Message No.18425;

message no.5273; advaita-L message No.14046; Sadhana_shakti

message no.334).

V. Krishnamurthy

 

A Digest of Paramacharya’s Discourses on Soundaryalahari - 16

(Digest of pp.794 - 802 of Deivathin Kural Vol.6, 4th imprn)

 

Now let us come to modern Science and see whether there is any

correlation with the set of ideas relating to Shivam and Shakti.

.. Matter is inert and its nature is inertia. But we know that

inert matter undergoes internal changes and in due course

evolves into more complicated matter and finally the universe

itself. What is the power which made inert matter non-inert?

(Readers, please note that these talks of the Paramacharya

probably date back to the thirties or the forties

of the 20th century ! VK)

In atomic science they talk about the interconvertibility of

matter and energy. This energy is our shakti. This is what makes

inert matter non-inert. So Shivam, the immutable brahman, has

to be compared to the ‘inert matter’ of science; but the

comparison is not right since, brahman is consciousness so not

jaDam (that which has no consciousness), whereas inert matter

of science is jaDam. Further, in the convertibility of matter

into energy there is a difference for, when matter becomes

energy, the matter that has become energy is now not there as

matter. But in our philosophies, when energy shoots forth from

Shivam, the Shivam still remains the same Shivam.

After the Relativity theory of Einstein, science has come nearer

to advaita vedanta and the shAkta schools. Time and Space are

relative concepts, as far as I have understood these scientific

theories. Brahman is the only absolute. Everything else is

relative, says vedanta. Anything that appears as real, does so

because it is resting on the brahman-canvas. This appearance as

reality, is the relativity of science and the mAyA of advaita

Vedanta. Science which talks of the relativeness, does not say

what is the absolute. The only absolute is brahman , according

to our religious scriptures as well as philosophical schools.

Though western knowledge makes a distinction between religion

and philosophy, sanAtana Dharma does not make any distinction

between the two. In it the two are inseparable like Shiva and

Shakti ! And that Absolute has been experienced as Atman by our

great sages. That is the soul of all souls.

But this fact has evaded science. Even if the scientists one day

accept it in theory, they will have to say “its ‘proof’ is not

within our jurisdiction; go to the shAstra of Spirituality to

know it”. Science can explain, through its laws, only certain

‘movements’ of the grand cosmic dance of parAShakti; whereas it

is incapable of showing a path for becoming the Absolute by

quelling the live Mind that vibrates in an integrated way

together with all the vibrations of the universe. Nor is it the

goal of Science. Only religious scriptures can show you the way.

But even then, the final gates will be opened only by ambaal.

Who else, except the One who originally separated us from the

Absolute, can reunite us with that Absolute?

It is unfair on our part to find fault with science for what is

beyond science. In the same way protagonists of science must

realise that there is a limit to their scientific quest. They

have no right to say that what transcends their science is wrong

or false. That the two are complementary must be felt by both

sides. It will be fascinating to discover that several

scientific truths have been enunciated, though in a different

way, by some of our scriptural findings.

Why not think of the proton with a positive charge in the centre

of the nucleus, as Shiva and the electron with the negative

charge that goes round, as ambaal?

There is a ‘still center’ for everything which is its peaceful

center. Even though it has no vibration it is not the emptiness

nor it is of zero potential. The equilibrium which we aim at

when we weigh a weight, is this still center. Every object has a

center of gravity. Even in a dreadful storm, there is a ‘storm

center’. Always the energy radiates from such a center and that

is why movement and action are produced. It is that center which

may be called Shivam and the energy that radiates from it and

revolves about it is ambaal.

When something is positive and the other is negative, it does

not appear to be equivalent. So to arrive at equivalence there

is another way of looking at it. Instead of saying that one is

in the center and the other revolves around it, think of each as

half and half. That is the ardha-nArIshvara form. The right side

is Shiva (positive), and the left side, ambaal (negative). This

may be justified by the fact that the heart is on the left side

and supplies the ‘life’ for the entire body. If it does not work

properly, the right side also cannot work: na khalu kushalaH

spanditum api, as the sloka 1 says.

(The ParamAcharya goes on like this irrepressibly !

It must be enjoyed in the original.

But I have to rush forward to take the readers

to the other slokas. So I am omitting a few pages. – VK)

Another observation about ‘left’ and ‘right’. What is ‘right’ in

the original is shown as ‘left’ in the reflection. And what is

‘left’, becomes the ‘right’. The non-dual

nirguNa-brahman-Consciousness when it gets reflected in the

mirror of mAyA, becomes the saguNa brahman that creates and

monitors the dualities of the universe. This is an accepted

principle of the advaita school. In other words IT IS SHIVA THAT

GETS REFLECTED IN MAYA AND BECOMES THE AMBAAL!

(Emphasis mine – VK)

 

(To be continued)

 

PraNAms to all advaitins and Devotees of Mother Goddess.

profvk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Prof. V. Krishnamurthy

My website on Science and Spirituality is http://www.geocities.com/profvk/

You can access my book on Gems from the Ocean of Hindu Thought Vision and

Practice, and my father R. Visvanatha Sastri's manuscripts from the site.