The Basics of The Three Philosophies-3

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Contd….

 

DVAITA

 

SrimanMadhvamathe hari: paratara: satyam jagat

taatviko Bhedo jivaganaaa hareranuchraa

nichochabhaavam gataa: |

Mukthirnaijasukhaanubhoothiramala Bhakthischa tat

saadhanam Hyakhshyaaditritayam

pramaanamakhilaamnaayaikavedyo hari: ||

 

The above verse indicates eight principles accepted in

the system of Dvaita Vedanta (The Philosophy of

Dvaita)

 

1. 'Hari: parathara:’- Lord Narayana is the supreme:

 

A) That person who does not rely on others (or

external things) for form, knowledge and action is

said to be independent. The Jiva (or the individual

soul) and Jada prakriti (the insentient matter) are

dependent because they rely or depend on others. Lord

Narayana alone who helps the Jivas and the Jada is

independent. This is because he does not seek help

from anything external.

 

B) The sruti text ‘Agniravama:’ which states Agni or

the god of fire to be the most inferior among gods,

declares that Lord vishnu is the most superior god.

All the other gods lie between these two gods. (The

above said is the 'Shruthi pramaana' or the support

from the vedas - 'Shruthi' to declare the superiority

of Lord Hari).

 

C) Veda Vyasa (who compiled the vedas) also proclaims

that there is no god greater than Lord Kesava (Na

daivam keshavaathparam).

 

D) The Lord too, in Bhagavadgita, says 'Maththa:

paratharam Naasthi' i.e., there is nothing greater

than (or superior to) Me.

 

Hence (from the aforesaid explanations a, b, c, & d)

Lord Hari or Vishnu is the Independent Superior Lord.

 

2. 'Sathyam Jagath' : -

 

The World is true. An object is defined to be 'True'

if it exists in any one of the three divisions of time

i.e. past, present or future. For instance, we see a

temple and the knowledge 'This is a temple' arises.

The temple is 'true' because the temple continues to

exist.

 

Suppose, we mistake a rope to be a snake. After close

inspection, we realize that it is not a snake but only

a rope. Now, the knowledge regarding the snake is

false one and hence the snake is also 'false'. Since

the knowledge regarding the world is not as said in

the above illustration, the world is 'true'. The

Rgveda - 'Vishvam Sathyam. . .’ is the verbal

testimony (i.e., Support from the sruti) to this

(i.e., the fact that the world is 'True'.)

 

3. 'Thathviko Bhedha:’ -

 

The difference among the principles is also true: The

word 'Bhedha' indicates the difference between one

object and another. This is of 5 types (i) The

difference between Lord Vishnu and the jivas (ii) The

difference between (Jada) inert object & Lord Vishnu

(iii) difference between jiva and Jada (iv) Difference

between one Jiva and another and (v) difference

between one inert object and another.

 

(i) Lord Vishnu, who is omniscient, is filled with

infinite auspicious qualities. Jiva, on the other hand

is full of infirmities like narrow mindedness, limited

knowledge etc. The Lords infinite auspicious qualities

are inseparable from Him. So also, the jiva's faults

are inseparable from them and hence are permanent

features of the Jivas. Hence the difference between

the two (i.e., the Lord and Jivas) is true and

eternal.

 

(ii) It is indeed well known that inert objects do not

possess any knowledge. Hence the difference between

the lord who is full of knowledge and Jada (inert

objects) is also eternal.

 

(iii) So is the difference between Jiva and Jada.

 

(iv) The preceptor is full of knowledge of scriptures

and is hence worthy of worship. Hence the difference

between a Jiva who is a preceptor and another Jiva,

who worships the preceptor as a disciple, is also

eternal. This shows that difference between one jiva

and another exists.

The above differences are substantiated by

 

a) The Brahmasootra 'Bhedhavyapadheshat'

b) The upanisad 'dhvaa suparna..' and

c) The gita sloka 'Dhvaavimou...'

 

 

v) Ordinary stones are different from stones like

saalagraamam, which is divine. So difference between

one inert object and another is also real.

 

 

 

4. Difference between Jivas and visnudasas : -

All Jivas have four bodies. Among them the first is

called the svarupa deha (or the essential body)

 

(I) Svarupa deha: - This body does not have any

creation or destruction. It has no beginning and is

eternal. Based on the nature of this svarupa deha, the

jives are classified as follows:

 

(i) Some Jivas have qualities like knowledge, bliss

etc., as their essential nature (in this svarupa

deha). Hence they are known as 'Mukthiyogya' i.e.,

'one who is capable of attaining liberation'. They

alone can get liberated.

 

(ii) The svarupa deha of certain Jivas is verily of

the form of 'faults' like misery etc., they are called

'tamoyogya-s' and are eternally riveted to hell.

 

They are of 4 types - inferior men, ghosts, demons,

and ‘dhaityas’.

 

(iii) Many Jivas have a svarupa deha which is a

combination of joy and miseries; they neither get

liberated nor go to hell. They are eternally in the

cycle of birth and death (i.e, (samsara)

transmigration) Hence they are called 'Nityasamsari'

or 'Madhyamamanushyaa:

 

All are Narayanadasas (Servants of Lord Narayana).

'Nityasamsari' s are higher than 'tamoyogya'-s and

'Muktiyogya'-s are greater than Nityasamsaris. Even

among 'Muktiyogya'- s, kings like prahlada, pitrus,

sages, and devas are higher 'Mukthiyogya' - s in the

increasing order. Lord Brahma is superior to all

devas. The 'Mukthiyogya' - s will initially be

'samsari' - s and will attain liberation after the

completion of sadhanas (Spiritual practices). Lord

Narayana and Mahalakshmi are Nitya Muktas or eternally

liberated as they are not 'samsari' – s. The

difference as animals, birds, plants, human etc.,

exists in this swarupa deha itself. The individual

form also exists in this swarupa deha. Hence a swan

will remain a swan even if liberated.

 

The 'Brahma sutra’ " Sukthopasrupya " and the sloka

" Mukthanam parama gati: " of Mahabharata are the

pramana (texts of supports) for this. The sloka ‘Na

yatra maaya' of Bhagavata states that even in

liberation, the lower liberated souls worship the

higher ( or greater) liberated souls. Hence, it is

proved that there is taaratamya (i.e., gradation) even

in liberation. When there is gradation even in

liberation, then the case of difference in samsara

needs no explanation.

 

!!! Will Continue !!!

 

Regards

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

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