bAdhA- - A word and its many meanings - all in context !

[Guest guest]

Most Respected Shastriji and dear friend Nair-ji :

 

I must admit in all fairness to Dennisji , Sunderji and of course

our most learned scholar on this list Shrimaan Shastriji that all

the three of them are absolutely right in their interpreting the

meaning of 'bAdhA' IN ADVAITA . i have seen on more than on one web

site the meaning of 'bAdhA' as 'sublation' or 'contradiction'

Sunderji has also confirmed this beyond a dobut by quoting the

Panchadasi verses etc.... Nairji , you yourself have admitted on

more than one occassion that our Sunderji is the 'sanskrit' exopert

in this group ! Smile :-)

 

It is all in the context in which a word is used that a meaning can

be derived ! This is called connotation ! in Adi shanakara

bhagvadapada's Subramaniya bhujangam, the word 'badha' is used in a

different sense as that of 'interference' !

 

aham sarvadA dukkha bhArA vasanno, bhavAn deenabandhus tva dhanyam

na yAche

bhavadh bhaktirodham sadA kluptha *bAdham*, mamAdhim drutham nAsha

yo mAsuta tvam

 

Oh Son of Uma! I am always troubled by the mental worries.Thou art

the friend of helpless! I approach none but you for saving me.

Quickly destroy my mental worries as they *interfere*with my

devotion towards Thee!

 

pl see how many different meanings are there for the word'badha'

 

vitta-bâdha — by scarcity of money; SB 5.13.13

bâdha — objectionable; CC Adi 16.57

nahe yena bâdha — so that there will not be any difficulties; CC

Madhya 11.120-121

bâdhâ — hindrances; CC Madhya 13.159

bâdhâ — obstacle; CC Antya

 

http://vedabase.net/b/badha

 

Also in Srimad Bhagvatam, the word 'badha' is used to

mean 'extinction' !

 

pl read

 

TEXT 27

 

 

 

TEXT

 

 

 

sri-bhagavan uvaca

 

vetthedam drona-putrasya

 

brahmam astram pradarsitam

 

naivasau veda samharam

 

*prana-badha *upasthite

 

SYNONYMS

 

 

 

sri-bhagavan--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; uvaca--said;

vettha--just know from Me; idam--this; drona-putrasya--of the son of

Drona; brahmam astram--hymns of the brahma (nuclear) weapon;

pradarsitam--exhibited; na--not; eva--even; asau--he; veda--know it;

samharam--retraction; prana-badhe--extinction of life; upasthite--

being imminent.

 

TRANSLATION

 

 

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Know from Me that this

is the act of the son of Drona. He has thrown the hymns of nuclear

energy [brahmastra], and he does not know how to retract the glare.

He has helplessly done this, being afraid of imminent death.

 

http://www.bvml.org/books/SB/01/07.html

 

one of the 108 names of Satya sai baba is

 

Om Sri Sai Sarva Badha Haraya Namaha. We surrender to Sai Who

destroys all sufferings !

 

so why so much 'bheda' ( differences) in interpreting the

word 'badha'' - it is all in the context in which it is used ! In

advaita , sri dennisji has used the word correctly to

mean 'sublation'

 

i would encourage all advaitins to read this wonderful article by

our most respected S.N. SHASTRIJI on

 

The first is nullification or badha and the second is cessation or

nivrtti. ... Jivanmukti Viveka. Panchadasi. Prabodhasudhakara.

Vedanta

 

http://www.celextel.org/summaryofvedantabooks/summaryofvedantaparibha

sha.html

 

love and regards

 

 

 

 

advaitin , " S.N. Sastri " <sn.sastri wrote:

>

> Dear Shri Nair,

>

> Please let me know where you have seen the expressions 'mAyA-

bAdhita brahma'

> and 'upAdhi-bAdhita satya'? As far as I know the expressions used

are 'mAyA

> upahita brahman' and upahita caitanyam'. 'bAdhita' is not used.

So the

> doubts raised by you do not arise.

>

> S.N.Sastri

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Madam.

 

My doubt relates to " sublation " and not to " contradiction " and the

other several meanings you have listed. You might have seen the

meaning of " sublation " in some dictionaries used as a synonym

for " negation " and some authors might have used bAdhA in that sense.

The " sublation " of advaita is not simple negation. It is unique in

the sense that it is the final resolution of the universe of

multiplicity in its very source of Unity. (For your kind

information: the word " sublation " is used in medicine too.).

 

I see only the meaning of 'contradicted' in the links kindly provided

by Shri Sunderji. I have no disagreement there as the manifest

universe is a stark, paradoxical contradiction of what Brahman is all

about. I couldn't of course access the Ramana link.

 

Madathil Nair

______________

 

advaitin , " bhagini_niveditaa "

<bhagini_niveditaa wrote:

>

>

> I must admit in all fairness to Dennisji , Sunderji and of course

> our most learned scholar on this list Shrimaan Shastriji that all

> the three of them are absolutely right in their interpreting the

> meaning of 'bAdhA' IN ADVAITA . i have seen on more than on one

web

> site the meaning of 'bAdhA' as 'sublation' or 'contradiction'

> Sunderji has also confirmed this beyond a dobut by quoting the

> Panchadasi verses etc.... Nairji , you yourself have admitted on

> more than one occassion that our Sunderji is the 'sanskrit' exopert

> in this group ! Smile :-)

>

> It is all in the context in which a word is used that a meaning can

> be derived ! This is called connotation ! ..............

[Guest guest]

Respected Rajendra nairji !

 

Let us Recapitulate how this whole Debate started !

 

your post number 37573 where you responded to Shri Dennisji's

definition on 'bAdha' thus

 

(bhAdhA suggests meanings like affliction, vexation, being affected,

troubled, harassed etc. When we say trikAla-AbhAdita in vedanta, it

only means " not afflicted by past, present and future " or " beyond

the sway of time " or rather " timelessness " .

 

If what is meant is " sublation " , as explained here, then we have to

necessarily give an example where the word " bhAdhA " is used in that

particular sense in vedanta.)

 

Then our beloved Dennisji who never pretended to be a sanskrit in the

first place (but a great advaitin in word, deed and action ) had no

recourse but to turn to Sunderji for help !

 

As you might know , i did my own google search engine , and found out

you are right and badha also means " affliction, harassed , etc. " But

on V. Jayaraman's web site on Hinduism , i did see the author using

ththe word 'badha' in the sense of sublation in vedanta . Shastriji's

web site on panchadasi also confirmed this .

 

Ramana used the term 'badha dristi' which means the 'standpoint of

elimination ' or negating the idea .....

 

in any case , i am neither a scholar like you nor a great vedanti like

all of you but i know for a fact that the word 'badha' has more than

one meaning and one interpretation and of course there is

always 'interpolation'

 

i am sure dennisji will be more than pleased if you could add your

own 'advaitic' interpretation of this term as a rejoinder ! That would

be an 'enhancement' and i am sure your thoughts will not be a 'badha'

( obstacle to his prsentation) smile :-)

 

Have you heard of the 'Nakeerer' story ?

 

Sir, may i please recall a story here just to let you know that

nobody is perfect , not even Lord Shiva , the great Grammarian!

There was a poet in the court of a Pandian king called 'Nakeerar' .

It is said he refused to accept a poem by ONE OF THE POETS AS HE

FOUND THE POEM TO BE FLAWED AND FULL OF ERRORS IN COMPOSITION. Even

when NAKEERER was told the poet was none other than lord Shiva , LF,

NAKEERER REFUSED to change his stand and maintained that the poet's

composition was full of errors. But even when Lord Shiva threatens

to burn Nakeerer with his third eye, Nakeerer boldy says "

Netri Kannai Tirundaalum , kutram kutrame' ( meaning, even if

you open your third eye and burn me to ashes, a mistake is a

mistake . ) Lord shiva does burn the 'arrogant' poet Nakeerer with

his third eye but brings Nakeerer back to life by saying that ' i

honor a man who is so truthful and committed to Language, poetry and

grammar. "

 

The point is 'Advaita ' is not about language or interpretation of

words . Advaita is about 'understanding '

 

Viveka chudamani verse 58 says

 

" Learning, clear articulation and exposition with a wealth of words

bring pleasure to the listener, but not liberation. "

 

With love and love only my shakta bhakta vedanti!