[Y-Indology] Sanketis

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INDOLOGY, "Ravindra Viswanath" <pvravi@h...>

wrote:

> If so, as I said, the earliest mention is supposedly in the 9th

Century AD.

> (I'm not sure if I mentioned the era. I meant AD of course). My

guess is

> also that (based on folklore/legends), they were already advaitins

when they

> migrated.

 

 

I am somewhat unclear on one point. Perhaps you or Nanda could help

me.

 

If you look at inscriptions, brahmanas are usually not identified as

advaitins or non-advaitins, at least not in the South. A brahmana in

the inscriptions is usually identified only wrt his gotra, pravara,

veda, shakha etc. You could make out his sectarian affiliation

sometimes either from some clue words in the inscription or from his

name etc.. Many times in Sanskrit (or Tamil) works when authors write

about themselves, they mention their gotra etc lineage but not really

if they were advaitins or not. You could always make out a

Srivaishnava or Madhva writer from such self descriptions since

enough clue words would be there. But it's hard to make out for a

Smarta, his specific doctrinal or religious preferences.

 

Also, are there any significant differences in rituals or in rites of

passage for an advaitin Smarta as opposed to a non advaitin Smarta? I

think the priesthood that serves both these groups is the same. The

advaitin can intermarry, interdine etc with a non advaitin Smarta, as

long as other requirements are met like sub sect etc. Thus from a

ritualistic and brahman-traditional standpoint, there seems to be no

difference between an advaitin Smarta and a non advaitin Smarta.

 

I am not clear therefore if for a 10th century Smarta person, being

an Advaitin or not, was necessarily so significant. Is it even

possible therefore to determine when Sanketis became advaitins,

assuming in the first place they did as a group?

 

Regards,

 

Lakshmi Srinivas