Vivekananda on the Vedas (part 139)

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Parts 1 to 138 were posted earlier. This is part 139. Your comments are welcome... Vivekananda Centre London

Earlier postings can be seen at http://www.vivekananda.btinternet.co.uk/veda.htm

 

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA ON THE VEDAS AND UPANISHADS

By Sister Gayatriprana

part 139

9. Ramanuja, Who Maintained Eternal Differences within Brahman

Truly it has been said of the Upanishads by Ramanuja that they form the head, the shoulders, the crest of the Vedas, and surely enough the Upanishads have become the Bible of modern India.(82)

Ramanuja says that the Vedas are the holiest study. Let the sons of the three upper castes get the sutra and at eight, ten, or eleven years of age begin the study, which means going to a guru and learning the Vedas word for word with perfect intonation and pronunciation.

Visistadvaita is qualified Advaita (monism). Its expounder was Ramanuja. He says, "Out of the ocean of milk of the Vedas Vyasa has churned this butter of philosophy, the better to help humankind." He says again, "All virtues and all qualities belong to Brahman, Lord of the universe. He is the greatest Purusha.(83)

Although the system of Ramanuja admits the unity of the total, within that totality of existence there are, according to him, eternal differences. Therefore, for all practical purposes, this system also being dualistic, it was easy for Ramanuja to keep the distinction between the personal soul and the personal God very clear.(84)

10. Madhvacharya, Who Had No Place for Reasoning, but Emphasized Vedic Revelation and the Puranas

Madhva was a thoroughgoing dualist or Dvaitist. He claims that even women may study the Vedas. He quotes chiefly from the Puranas. He says that Brahman means Vishnu, not Shiva at all, because there is no salvation except through Vishnu.

There is no place for reasoning in Madhva’s explanation; it is all taken from revelation in the Vedas. (85)

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> " Vivekananda Centre " <vivekananda

>Ramakrishna

> " list " <Ramakrishna >, " self-knowledge-list "

><Self-knowledge >

>[sri Ramakrishna] Vivekananda on the Vedas (part 139)

>Sun, 12 Jan 2003 23:14:42 -0000

>

>Parts 1 to 138 were posted earlier. This is part 139. Your comments are

>welcome... Vivekananda Centre London

>Earlier postings can be seen at

>http://www.vivekananda.btinternet.co.uk/veda.htm

>

>SWAMI VIVEKANANDA ON THE VEDAS AND UPANISHADS

>By Sister Gayatriprana

>part 139

>

>9. Ramanuja, Who Maintained Eternal Differences within Brahman

>

>Truly it has been said of the Upanishads by Ramanuja that they form the

>head, the shoulders, the crest of the Vedas, and surely enough the

>Upanishads have become the Bible of modern India.(82)

>

>Ramanuja says that the Vedas are the holiest study. Let the sons of the

>three upper castes get the sutra and at eight, ten, or eleven years of

>age begin the study, which means going to a guru and learning the Vedas

>word for word with perfect intonation and pronunciation.

>

>Visistadvaita is qualified Advaita (monism). Its expounder was Ramanuja. He

>says, " Out of the ocean of milk of the Vedas Vyasa has churned this butter

>of philosophy, the better to help humankind. " He says again, " All virtues

>and all qualities belong to Brahman, Lord of the universe. He is the

>greatest Purusha.(83)

>

>Although the system of Ramanuja admits the unity of the total, within that

>totality

 

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