Greatness of Bhagavad RamAnuja Darsanam(GRD2)

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Greatness of Bhagavad RamAnuja Darsanam(GRD2)

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ADVAITA, DVAITA AND VISISHTADVAITA

SECTION 2 THE SRUTI PASSAGES IN SUPPORT OF

THE THREE STREAMS OF PHILOSOPHY

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ADVAITA : A few passages relied on by the Advaitins in

support of their contention are as follows:-

( 1 ) " That thou Art " - " Tat Tvam Asi " (Chand. up.6.8.7)

( 2 ) " I am Brahma " - " Aham BrahmAsmi " (Brihad. up.)

( 3 ) " This soul is Brahma " - " Ayam Atma Brahma "

(Mand.up1.2 and Brih. up. 2.5.19 & 4.4.5)

( 4 ) " Brahman is reality; Knowledge infinity "

" Satyam GnAnam; Anantham Brahma (Taitt. up. 2.1.1)

( 5 ) " Sat (Beingness) alone was in the beginning, One only

without a second " " Sadeva Sobhyedam Agra Aseeth;

Ekameva Adviteeyam " (Chand. up. 6.2.1)

( 6 ) " For, whenever one perceives even the slightest distinction in

Him, there, indeed, he has reason to fear "

Yatha hye vai sha Yetasmin udaram antaram kurute;

Atha tasyaBhayam Bhavathi (Taitt.up. 2.7.11)

( 7 ) " That which is all this is the self " -

" Idam sarvam Yad Ayam Atmatmedam Amritam idam Brahmedam Sarvam (Brih. up.

4.5.7 )

( 8 ) " There is nothing here that is many and varied, He who sees

this as varied passes from death to death "

" Na Iha Nanasthi Kinchna; Mrityossa Mrityum Apnotiyah iha Naneva Pasyati "

( Brih.up6.4.19 and Kath. up. 4.10 )

( 9 ) " Modification is but a name arising from speech; but the truth

is that it is verily clay "

" Vacha rambanam Vikara Namadheyam Mrittiketi evam Satyam "

(Chan.up. 6.1.4 )

(10) " He is without parts, without actions, without faults, without

taints, tranquil "

" Nishkalam Nishkriyam Santham Niravadhyam Niranjanam " (Svet.up.6.19 )

(11) " Let him worship him as the self itself " -

" Atmatyeva Upaseetha " ( Brih.up.1.4.7 )

(12) " He who knows Brahman becomes Brahman indeed " - "

Sa Yo Hi Esha Brahma Veda Brahmaiva Bhavathi "

(Mund.up.3.2 9 )

(13) " That which is without attributes, without taint " -

" Nirgunam Niranjanam " ( Atharva Maha narayana up.7)

(14) " Indeed the self, this one only, was in the beginning " -

" Atma va idameka eva agra Aseeth " (Aitareya up.1.1 )

(15) " There exist no being, movable or immovable which is

without me "

" Na Tadasti Vina Syat Maya Bhutham Characharam " (B.G.10.39)

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DVAITA : While Abheda Srutis are a few and far between, the

Vedas abound with Bheda Srutis on which the Dvaita philosophy

is based. A few examples are given below:-

( 1 ) " Knowing the individual self and the Impeller as distinct and

being blessed by him, he attains immortality " -

" Pritak Atmanam Preritaram cha Matva jushtas tatas tena Amrutatvam

Apnoti " (Svet. up. 1.6)

( 2 ) " He who understands all; He who knows everything "

'Yat Sarvajnas Sarvavid " (Mand.up.1.1.9 & 2.2.7)

( 3 ) " His supreme power is revealed, indeed, as varied, natural, as

consisting of knowledge, strength and action "

" Para Asya Saktir Vividhaiva Sruyate Svaabhavikee Gnana Bhala Kriya cha "

(Svet.up.6.8)

( 4 ) " It thought " -

" Tad eikshyata- Bahusyam Prajayeya " (Chan.up, 6.2.3)

( 5 ) " He thought- may I create the worlds "

" Sa Eihshata Lokannu Srujaa iti " (Aitt.up. 1.1)

( 6 ) " May I become many and be born-It desired "

" So Akamayata Bahu Syaam Prajayeyeti; (Taitt.up 2.6.1)

( 7 ) " Knowing the enjoyer, the object of enjoyment and the

Impeller "

" Bhokta Bhogyam Preritaram cha Matva Sarvam Proktam Trividham brahmam Etat "

(Svet. up. 1.12)

( 8 ) " One of them eats the sweet Pippala fruit, while the other

shines in splendor without eating at all "

" Dva Suparna Sayuja Sakhaya Samanam vriksham

Parishaswajate; Tayoranyah pippalam Khadvatyanasnan

Anyo abhi chakaseethi " - (Svet. up. 4.6)

( 9 ) " Prakriti and Purusha are both without a beginning " -

" Prakritim Purushams chaiva Viddhi Anadhi ubhe Api "

(BG 18.19)

(10) " Entering into these three deities along with this individual

self which is the same as myself, I bring about the

differentiation of name and form " -

" Seyam Devataikshata Hanthaha Mamastisro Devata Anena

Jeevena Atmana Anupravisya Nama Roope Vyakaravaneethi "

(Chan.up. 6.3.2)

(11) " Those who depart from here, after having known the self and

His eternal qualities, freely move over all the worlds " -

" Ya Atmanam ananuvidhya Vrajantyetamscha Satyan Kaman

Thesham Sarveshu Lokeshva Kamacharo Bhavatyatha Ya Iha

Atmanam Anuvidya Vrajantyetams cha Satyan Kaman

Tesham Sarveshu Lokeshu KamacharoBhavathi " (Chan.up1.1.6)

(12) " The liberated self having reached the Lord, whose nature is

bliss, moves about over all the worlds, enjoying whatever

things he likes, and assuming whatever form he likes " -

Yetamanandamayat mamanam Upasamkramya; Iman Lokan

Kamaannee kama roopyanu Sancharan etat Samagayan Aaste;

Havoo; Havoo; Havu " (Taitt. up. 3.10.5)

(13 ) " Then the wise man, casting aside merit and demerit and

free of all taint, attains the highest degree of equality with

Brahman " -

" Tada Vidvan Punya Pape Vidooya Niranjanah Paramam Samyam Upaithi "

(Mund.up.3.1.3)

(14) " Having approached the Supreme light, the liberated self

maintains himself in his own form "

" Param Jyotir Upasampadhya Svena Rupena Abhi Nishpadhyate "

(Chan.up. 8.3.4)

(15 ) " By what means shall one know the knower? " -

" Vigjnataram arekena Vijaneeyath " (Brih.up. 6.5.15)

(16 ) " The all knowing Paramatma created various forms and

named them suitably and publicized them "

" Sarvani Roopani Vichitya Dheerah Naamaani Kritva Abivadan

Yataste " ( Purusha Suktam)

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VISISHTADVAITA :

A few examples of Ghataka Srutis that reconcile the apparent contradictions

of the above passages and on which Visishtadvaita is based are given below:-

 

But the most important Ghataka Srutis relate to the Sareera- Sareeri bhAva,

the sheet-anchor of VisishTAdvaita quoted at (8) and (9) below. Vide

“PradhAna Prathitantra AdhikAram” of “ Srimad Rahasya Traya Saram” of Swami

Desikan.

( 1 ) " He who is free of sin, old age, death, sorrow, hunger and

thirst; He whose desires are true, He whose will is true . " -

" Yesha Atma Apahatapapma Vijaro Vimmrutyur Visokho

Vijigatsopipasas Satya Sankamas Satya Sankalpah "

(Chan. up.8.1.5, 8.7.1 and 8.7.3)

( 2 ) " Eternal among the eternals, Intelligent among the intelligent, He

though One, realizes the desires of many " -

" Nityo Nityanam Chetanas Chetananam Eko Bahoonam Yo

Vidadati Kaamaan " (Kata.up.5.13 and Svet.up13)

( 3 ) " Fearing him the wind blows... He who knows the bliss of

Brahman, fears not " -

" Bheeshasmath vatah pavate; Bheeshodeti Suryah; Bheeshasmath Agnischa

Indrascha Mrity dhavati panchama iti; saisha Anandasya mimamsa Bhavati "

(Taitt. Up II -Anuvaka 7.8)

( 4 ) " Not able to approach whom the words return with the mind;

Know Him as Brahman "

" Yato Vacho Nivartante Aprapya Manasa saha Anandam Brahmano Vidvan " (ibid)

( 5 ) " The successful worshipper attains, along with the intelligent

Brahman, all His auspicious qualities " -

" So Asnute Sarvan Kaamaan Saha; Brahmana Vipaschiteti " (Taitt.up 2.1.1)

( 6 ) " Having created the world, he entered into it "

" Tat srushtva Tadeva Anupravisath Tad Anu pravisya " - (Taitt.up.2.6.1)

( 7 ) " He who has entered within, is the ruler of all things that are

born, and is the self of all " -

" Antah Pravishtas sastha Jananam " (Taitt. Aranyaka 3.24)

( 8 ) " He who dwelling in the self, is within the self, whom the

self does not know, whose body is the self, who is the inner ruler of the

self. He is your inner ruler and immortal self "

" Ya Atmani tishtan Atmanontaro Yam Atma Na Veda Yasya Atma Sareeram Ya

Atmaanam Antaroyamayati sata Atma Antaryamy Amrutah "

(Brih. up.3.7.22 and the whole of the Antaryami Brahmana)

( 9 ) " He who is moving within the earth... whose body is matter,

whom matter does not know, He is the internal self of all beings. He is

bereft of all sins. He is the One. He is Narayana "

" Yasya Prithvi Sareeram, Yah Prithveem Antare Sancharan Yam Prithvi Na

Veda; Sarva Bhuta Antaratma Apahata Papma Divyo Deva eko Narayana " (Subala

Up. 7.1)

(10) " The Lord alone rules over the destructible and the

indestructible self "

" Ksharam Pradhanam Amrutaksharam Harah

Ksharatmanaveesate Deva Ekah " (Svet.up1.10)

(11) " He is the Lord of all the senses, the individual self " -

" Sa Karanam Karanadhipah Na cha Asya Kanchijjanita Na cha Adhipah " (ibid

6.9.16)

(12) " He is the Lord of the individual souls, is eternal, auspicious

and inexhaustible "

" Atmeswaram Saaswatham Sivam Achyutam " (Mahanarayana up. 11.3)

(13) " Except in the matter of creation of the universe etc., the

liberated souls possess all the powers of the Lord, because the

texts dealing with this point mention the Lord alone and not the

selves " -

" Jagat Vyaapaara Varjam Prakaranada Sannihitatva Cha "

(Brahma Sutra 4.4.17)

(14) " Equality between the individual self and the Lord is

confined solely to enjoyment "

" Bhoga Matra Samya Lingascha " - (Brahma Sutra 4.4.21)

(15) " Brahman is that which is approached by the liberated selves " - "

Muktopasrupya Vyapadesath " (Brahma Sutra 1.3.2)

(16) " He is the Lord, the soul of the Universe and eternal "

" Patim Viswasya Atmeswaram Sawatham " ( Taitt.Up. N. Anuvaka)

(17) " For whom all beings are his body "

" Yasya Sarvani Buthani Sareeram " (Brih. Up)

(18) " He enters in all things and confers on them forms and

names " " Anena Jeevena Atmana Anupravisya Nama Rupe

Vayakaravani " (Chan. Up. 6.3)

Thus, it will be seen that all the three streams are based on one or more of

the Sruthi VAkhyams and therefore all of them are indeed - " Vaideeka matham "

in that sense.

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GRD 3: SECTION 3:ADVAITA VIS - A - VIS OTHER SCHOOLS will follow

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