sribhashya-mahasiddhantha concluded-nivrtthyanupapatthi

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7.nivrtthyanupapatthi

 

The view of the advaitin that the avidhya can be removed only through

the knowledge of identity is refuted by Ramanuja who

says, 'brahmathmaikathvavijnAnEna avidhya nivrtthih yuktha ithi

thadhayuktham, banDHasya pAramArTHikathvena jnAnanivarthyathva

abhAvAth.' That is, the bondage being not illusory but real it cannot

be removed by mere knowledge. Ramanuja explains bondage

as 'puNyApuNyarupakarmanimitthadevAdhisarirapravEsa-thathprayuktha-

sukhaduhkanubhavarupah banDHah,' the experience of pleasure and pain

by entering into the bodies of deva etc. according to the result of

meritorious and sinful actions.This cannot be illusory and can be

removed only through the grace of the Lord by means of devotional

worship.This can be destroyed only by the knowledge of brahman as the

inner self and controller and not of identity with Brahman.

Moreover, says Ramanuja, the knowledge that is said to remove avidhya

is also unreal as everything except brahman is miTHyA for advaitin

and hence another knowledge that removes this one should be sought.

This second knowledge also being miTHyA it will lead to ad-

infinitum, anavasTHA. If the removing knowledge is said to perish

after removing avidhya cannot be accepted. This knowledge which

removes everything that is not Brahman is said to be mere cit,

consciousness. If so, Ramanuja asks, who is the knower? It cannot be

the ' I ' the object of avidhya which is removed with the avidhya. It

cannot be Brahman either, since Brahman is not a knower but pure

consciousness according to advaita. If the knower and the knowledge

is said to disappear along with the rest, being other than Brahman,

it is absurd, says Ramanuja,like one cutting down everything other

than the ground, which includes cutting down himself and the act of

cutting down itself, ' "bhoothalavyathiriktham krthsnam devadatthEna

cchinnam" ithyasyAmEva cchedhanakriyAyam cchetthuh asyAh

cchedhanakriyAyAscha chEdhyAnupravesanavachanavath upahAsyam.'

Ramanuja concludes the mahasiddhantha by saying 'thasmAth

anAdhikarmapravAharupAjnAnamoolathvAth banDhasya thannibarhaNam

ukthalakshaNajnAnAdhEva.' That is, as bondage is due to the result of

beginningless flow of karma, its removal can be only through the

knowledge that Brahman is the inner Self and ruler different from

souls and matter.this knowledge can arise only through the grace of

the Lord, by following the varnAsrama dharma and duties enjoined in

the veda, not desiring result but as an offering to the Lord which

culminates in intense devotion and meditation leading to moksha. as

this requires the knowledge of vedas the study of the purvamimAmsa is

the prerequisite to the study of vedantha.