firm conviction in visistadvaita

[Guest guest]

Let me openly state some issues. I hope no one mistakes me since nothing here is meant to be personal. I wonder how many of us really have strong conviction in visistadvaita. What should one do to really to get conviction in a system of thought? One answer is –by just devotion to one’s acharya or guru and praying to the almighty constantly. How do you know that guru is right? One obviously has to learn from several Gurus and also contemplate on the teachings in the light of shastras – particularly prasthana traya - ie. Gita, Upanisads and Bramhasutras. Then one can verify what a Guru has said and

if it is in line with the prasthana trayas it is fine. How can one really understand prasthana trayas properly since there are so many interpretations? Again by discussing various bhasyas with appropriate gurus and filtering out the wrong views to get the right meanings and truths. There is no short cut to contemplation. Based on one’s orientation one may get pratipatti or strong conviction in a system of thought. How long does it all take? - Several years for sure. The bottom line is there is NO replacement for – pariprashnena sevaya – ie. serving a guru and

understanding by repeated questioning. (ie. kalakshepa method and not merely by studying books). don’t get me wrong. Studying on internet or a book is good, but will not substitute studying under gurus. I personally feel after talking to SMS Chari today in San Diego that one should definitely study – Paramatha Bhanga, a classic by Sri Vedanta Desika so as to get a strong conviction in Visistadvaita as opposed to Advaita, or Dvaita or the bhedabheda schools such as Bhaskara, Yadavaprakasa or slightly different schools such as suddhadvaita, achintya bheda-bheda etc.. A Tamil explanation is available from Villivalam Naranacharya, the purvashramam brother of HH 45th Jeer of Ahobilamutt. One could ask why should one get conviction in Visistadvaita? All I can say is that I would like to meet that person who gets a strong conviction in a different system of thought once that person studies Paramatha Bhanga carefully and completely under an able teacher ! Believe me, I respect all acharyas, who have helped us take the right steps in life. However, some of them stand out when viewed from the angle of consistency with the message of Srutis,

Sutras and Srimadbhagawadgita. Asmad gurubhyo namah Adiyen Krishna Kashyap

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