Why the three Mataacharyas didn't consider Puranas as Pramanas(Standards) ?

[Guest guest]

--- On Sun, 4/27/08, sanjeeva murthy <chitra_durga wrote:

 

 

Anupama's question-

>> I would appreciate if anybody could clear my doubt. Why the three

Mata

> acharyas(Sankara, Madhwa , Ramanuja)did not consider puranas as

> Pramanas ? Why these puranas are not included in Prasthana trayam ?

> Why did they include Bhagavad gita along with upanishads though it is

> breif essence of all upanishads ?

>

 

PraNAms

 

In addition to what Shree Sanjeeva murthy wrote, Bhagavad giita is also yoga

shaastra in addition to brahma vidya. It provides a practical means to realize

the truth that is expounded in the upanishads. - sarvopanishado gaavo dhogdhaa

gopaala nandanaH - Krishna has milked the essence of the all the upanishadic

cows in B.Gita, while providing the yoga shaastra.

 

Hence it is taught to Arjuna, in the middle of a battle field. We can easily

identify with Arjuna rather than with Nachiketas of the Upanishads. In B. Geeta

the Himaliyan teaching is brought down to downtown where we all are. Acharyas

have referred to Vishunu puraNa which is considered as the oldest of the

puraNas. Brahma suutra is being nyaaya prastrana where logical consistency -

samanvayam - of vedic statements are given importance, is helpful mostly for

those who want to teach Vedanta.

 

Otherwise study of Gita with Upanishads of course under the guidance of a

teacher would suffice.

 

Hari Om!

Sadananda

 

Hari Om!

Sadananda

[Guest guest]

2008/4/26 Anupama <anupamakanakam:

> Greetings to Fellow advaitans.

>

> I would appreciate if anybody could clear my doubt. Why the three Mata

> acharyas(Sankara, Madhwa , Ramanuja)did not consider puranas as

> Pramanas ? Why these puranas are not included in Prasthana trayam ?

> Why did they include Bhagavad gita along with upanishads though it is

> breif essence of all upanishads ?

 

It is not correct to say that the purANa-s are not considered pramANa.

There are many quotes from various purANa-s in the bhAShya-s. The

upaniShat-s (shruti prasthAna), gItA (smR^iti prasthAna) and

brahmasUtra-s (nyAya prasthAna) are essentially philosophical texts

and have elaborate bhAShya-s on them. However, this does not mean that

the purANa-s are irrelevant.

 

Not only are the purANa-s often quoted in the bhAShya-s but there are

minor bhAShya-s on some sections of the purANa-s also, e.g. lalitA

trishati bhAShya by bhagavatpAda (lalitA trishati is a part of the

brahmANDa purANa). Also the adhyAtmic sections of the purANa-s are

often recommended by various AcArya-s for advaita students. A clear

example is the R^ibhu gItA from the viShNu purANa.

 

Ramesh