advaitham and dwaitham

gokulkr · June 30, 2006

I saw someone in name "Guest" pretending like me and posting in this thread telling "suddha-advaita" is supreme.

It is not me. I respect all the Vaishnava sampradayas.

I dont think that "Dwaitam" was about to be defeated by Mayavadis. Of course "Sri Vallabhacharya" proved "Sri Krishna" as Supreme. It doesnt meant that 'Sri Vallabhacharya" saved dwaitam or he is supreme than "Sri Vyasaraja thirtha".

Only in 'Dwaitam" we can find towering personalities like "Sri Raghavendra Swamy". No one can deny that.

So both Dwaitham & Vishistadvaitham are supreme in their own aspects , as both lead to feet of Lord Hari only.

April 7, 2007

I wonder what the original system of Vedanta, that of Vyasa or Badarayna was? From what I've read in a few places it was likely to be Bhedabheda, though Visistadvaita and advaita are also thought to be ancient systems.

What do we know about this Bhedabheda Vedanta philosophy and which Hindu sect teaches it today? Because most seem to teach either Advaita, Visistadvaita or Dvaita. Vallabha seemd to have taught it under another name as suddadvaita. I read an article which says that the Bhedabheda philosophy is being rediscovered and being taken more serously by scholars and intellectuals.

April 8, 2007

On the eleventh day of the second fortnight of the month of Margshirsh of Samvat 1877, Shriji Maharaj was seated on a cot in the Durbar of Shri Sura Khachar at Loya. He had put on a white turban. He was dressed in all white clothes. He had covered his body with a white cotton shawl. The saints and the devotees from the different places were assembled before him.

Then Shriji Maharaj said to the Paramhamsas,2 "The Acharyas3 of the past have preached different schools of thought according to the difference in their understanding. Shankar Swami4 preached the Advait5 school of thought with prominance of the knowledge of ultimate reality and Shri Ramanujacharya the Vishishtadvaita school of thought. Shri Ramanujacharya has explained that Jiva, Maya and Purushottam are the three eternal entities. Purushottam8 is the supreme cause of all, the all controller. He is seated in his divine abode Akshardham9 with a divine form. All the incarnations emanate from him. Therefore, Purushottam Narayan8 is the only form which should be worshipped by all. Shri Vallabhacharya10 is full of exuberant devotion and has preached the Bhakti." These Acharyas3 have, their own interpretations of the scriptures and have established their own schools of thought indepedent of others. Their books – containing their philosophy – indictate the trend of their thoughts.

In the like manner, what is the underlying thought that I propound in my talks ? Just as a thread runs smoothly through the hole of needle, which kind of trend runs esoterically and lucidly through my spiritual talks like a thread holding smoothly all the beads of a rosary ?"

All the elder Paramhamsas2 tried to reply according to their understanding. Then Shriji Maharaj said, "Now let me tell you. Rishabhdev Bhagwan12 had close association with Vasudev Bhagwan12 but in order that his disciples might gain in spiritual wisdom, he discarded the Siddhis14 which an Yogi15 earns after attaining the proficiency in Yoga. The Shrimad Bhagwat says, "An Yogi15 who has attained proficiency in yoga and has established control over his mind, should even then meticulously avoid the tempting calls of the mind.

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(Bhagwat : 5 . 6. 3 & 4)

I like those who have accepted renunciation with a perfect control over their mind. Again, compared to other abodes of God, I have a great liking for divine abode of Badrikashram16 and Shweldweep. I feel greatly exhilarated within myself when I think of performing Tapas in these divine abodes, with a full withdrawal of Indriyas. The other Lokas which offer sumptuous enjoyment are always repulsive to my mind. Again, out of the various incarnations from Narayan,8 I like Rishabhadev,12 next to him Kapilji12 and Dattatraya.12 Krishna,13 however, is dearest to me of all the tree. And I feel that this incarnation is the greatest of all the incavnnations and the most powerful. It is distinguished only as Avatari18 out of whom the other Avatars emerge. Incarnations of Matsya,19 Kurma19 etc. have no attraction for me.

And this is my concept of Upasana. Within the divine light which transcends every thing, which is fathomless in all directions, even above and beneath, there is enthroned on a divine pedestal Narayan – Purushottam Bhagwan.8 Around this divine pedestal are seated the released souls, infinite in number, and enjoying the divine Darshan20 of Narayan.8 I always have the vision of this Narayan8 surrounded by the released souls. Light emanated from the person of Narayan8 is great. At times it – appears that this divine light is superimposed upon the divine form of Narayan8 and his released souls, and obstructs the Divine Darshan20 of Narayan8 and the released souls. Such an obstruction in the Darshan20 of Narayan8 along with his divine assembly greatly pains me. Only when I see the divine form of Narayan8 do I rejoice. This is my concept of Upasana. And Bhakti offered to this God, I like to offer in such exuberance as was offered by the Gopis. I have been looking around at people, and when I find the women covetously drawn towards her man, I feel that it would be good if we have such intense love for God. Similarly, when I find people strongly attached either to their sons or to wealth, I feel that, it would be good if we have such strong attachment to God. And when I hear some body singing, I would like to go to him or send somebody to him and feel pleased listening to him.

And I love only those who are devoid of the evil instincts of passion, anger, covetousness, taste, attachment, ego, envy, hypocrisy, falsehood etc. and who with such and elevated state, offer devotion to God and observe the religious obligations laid down in our scriptures. One who does not possess such is not at all close to us. We do not like his company. We avoid such person. Formerly I have greatly detested people who committed adultery, but now I feel resentment for such people who possess vicious instincts like anger, ego and envy, since people committing adultery realize their weakness and even if rebuked, do not go out of this holy Satsang.21 But the people with the instinct of ego, envy and anger would definitely leave this Satsang,21 if only slightly rebuked. They are, therefore, an anathema and should be discarded harshly.

What is that ego ? One, possessed by ego, remains always petulant, even before the people greater in age and dignity than himself. He would never humble himself before such devotees and try to serve them.

I will now tell you precisely the fundamental principles which I have been enunciating in my talks. I absolutely do not concur with the philosoply of Advait Vedanta22 as preached by Shri Shankar Swami. I have accepted the view of Shri Ramanujacharya who holds Purushottam8 as transcending both Kshar–Jivas and Akshar.24 Lord Purushottam8 is, therefore, the form of Upasana.25 He is to be offered dedicated devotion, as was offered by the Gopis to Shri Krishna. The absolute detachment that Shukadevji24 and Jad Bharat25 showed towards the world should be our craving. These fundamental tenets run lucidly in my preachings and are ably expounded in the scriptures which are accepted as authority by this Satsang.21 One who is so learned would definitely realize the significance of this talk when he goes through these scriptures."

Even though, he was the Purushottam,8 Shriji Maharaj thus addressed his disciples so that they might learn and imbibe his choicest aptitudes.

Thus Ends Vachanamrit : Loya - 14

2. Saints. 3. Religious prophets. 4. Shankaracharya – one of the founders of Advait school of philosophy. 5. Monism. 6. Founding preacher of Vishishtadvaita sschool of religious philosophy. 7. Monism establishing Jiva, Maya and God as three eternal entities. 8. Supreme Lord. 9. Abode of Lord Purushottam. 10. Supporting Acharya in Vishishtadvait school. 11. Devotion. 12. A great devotee (deity). 13. Supreme Lord incarnated. 14. Medititional acheivements. 15. An ascetic. 16. A holy place. 17. The mind is frickle, hence should not be trusted. Severe penance of the sages for a long time has come to naught because they trusted their mind. Just as an adultress having taken her husband into confidance gives an easy access to her lovers and gets him killed, similarly the mind of a Yogi causes him to fall if he trusts it, by giving an easy access to passion followed by other internal enimies. 18. Incarnated. 19. Two incarnations of supreme Lord in the form of fish & turtle. 20. To see with utmost devotion. 21. Company of saintly people, Inception in Swaminarayan Sect. 22. Monism. 23. Founder preacher of Monism. 24. Ever existant. 25. Meditational worship. 26. A saint and preacher of Bhagwat. 27. A great devotee.

April 8, 2007

Dwait - Adwait and devotee<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O /><O:P></O:P>

On the third day of the first fortnight of Chaitra in Samvat year 1882, Swami Shri Sahajanandji Maharaj was seated on a well furnished cot placed under Ashoka tree in the courtyard of Mahol in Jaitalpur. He was dressed in white attires. He was profusely garlanded with fresh flower garlands. Fine strings of colourful flowers were suspended from his turban and small bunches of flowers were adorning his ears. He was playing with a lemon fruit in his hand. Saints and devotees from various places were seated before him.<O:P></O:P>

Then Shriji Maharaj asked, ' Here in this world the debating groups have two contradictory opinions. One such argument is Dwait and another is Adwait, Now tell me, out of these two, which one should be accepted by a seeker of the absolute knowledge ?' Oh Maharaj ! In Advait school, the meditator would consider his soul as God and would act in free style resulting ulmtimately in the fall from the path of emancipation. Therefore a devotee of God should practice the path of Dwaita.' Then Shriji Maharaj posed a doubt, ' In Dwait, the soul, God and Maya have been taken as truth. Then how a soul would attain emancipation in the presence of Maya ?' Then Purushottam Bhatt said, ' He would attain Moksha (emancipation) through his good deeds.' Then again Shriji Maharaj expressed his doubt, 'There are two types of deeds - Nivrutti, (withdrawal from the deeds). Pravarutti (involvement in the deeds). Both types of the deeds merge in Maya who is in the state of Sushupti (sleep). As nobody is capable of crossing Lokaloka Parvat (a divine mountain mentioned in the scriptures) in Similar way it is not possible to go beyond Sushupati (sleep state) Maya. And Samyavastha Maya is larger than Sushupti, therefore nobody could scale through. There is only one means to cross this illusive Maya. If a soul takes refuge at the lotus feet of Shri Purushottam Bhagwan who is the destroyer of Maya, or serve the saint of Lord Purushottam Bhagwan, he becomes able to cross Maya.' Saying so, Shriji Maharaj went to have food at the Mahol.<O:P></O:P>

There after, Shriji Maharaj came back and graced his seat under Ashoka tree in the courtyard of Mahol. Showering his divine grace through his look at the saints and devotees in the assembly, Shriji Maharaj said, ' What this soul feels when no body takes notice of it ? And his ego attains different state when hundred people beging to give importance to him, again if thousand or so follows his order's and instructions, the ego of that sould reaches a higher height. But people in million and billion if begin following him the ego becomes quite different and begins levelling himself with Brahma, Shiva or Indra depending upon the size of the support. But a person with positive thinking immediately thinks that the honour, respect and following he has received and what he is receiving at present is not due to this, but considers his soul and the companionship of the saint responsible for such rewards. Greatest like Brahma (creator) craves for the dust of the lotus feet of a saint of God. Then what is the cause behind the greatness of the saint ? The greatness of the saint is not due to wealth or estates to rule over. But such greatness of the saint is due to his devotion and meditation of God. The saint has greatness attained with his inherent power of soul consciousness. Supremacy of his consciousness has awarded him greatness amongst others. If one is not capable to think in that direction, then he should determine in heart to submit at the lotus feet of the saint of God, and should identify self-consciousness with that of the saint. Someone may pose a doubt that what about master-servent relation if a devotee merges his soul like that ? One example is enough to clerify that doubt. King Galav desired to perform sacred fire. He needed Shamkarna (with dark ears) horse for holy fire. Those horses were available only at the divine abode of Lord Varun (God of water). Galav can not reach there across the space. He, therefore, invited Garuda (carrier bird of Lord Vishnu) and reached the destination riding Garuda and brought the horses. Then in that case, has Galav lost his position as servent in relation to Garuda ? No, not at all. Therefore the identification with such self conscious and Brahmic saint helps the devotee in priercing the cover of Maya.' Saying so, Shriji Maharaj asked the devotee to stay abreast to the core of this discourse.<O:P></O:P>

Thus ends Vachanamrit : Jetalpur -1

April 20, 2007

On the sixth day of the first fortnight of the month of Magh in Samvant 1876 Shriji Maharaj was seated facing west on a cot under the Margosa tree near the temple of Shri Vasudev Narayan in the Durbar of Shri Dada Khacher at Gadhada. He had put on a white turban and had put on his shoulder a white side cloth. His body was wrapped by a white cotton shawl. Yellow flower srtrings were arranged about his ears. Saints and the followers from the different places were assembled before him in an assembly.<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O /><O:P></O:P>

A Brahmins belonging to Advait2-school was present in the assembly. Shriji Maharaj said to address him, “Those who follow Advait Vedant3 declare that the rules of Vidhi4 and Nishedh5, heaven and hell, perceptor and the disciple, are all deceptive illusions, and therefore mythical. Only all prevailing Brahm6 is the eternal truth. With what understanding, do they make such pronouncement? Shankaracharya7, the exponent of the Advait2 philosophy, has laid down that one who has renounced the world should put on the garments of an anchoret, should keep a staff and wooden bowl, should recite the Bhagwad Geeta8, chant the Vishnusahasra Mantra9 and should offer worship to Shri Vishnu. Further, he should respect the elders and should go for begging only to the houses of pious Brahmins. Shankaracharya has thus recommanded that these scriptural codes should fully be observed. Does he, therefore lack requisite knowledge ? and those who propound that these scriptural codes are mythical, do they have more enlightenment than Shankaracharya ? Therefore, it seems that such preachers who denounce the observance of the scriptural codes are pseudo-pundits.<O:P></O:P>

The cessation of the observance of the rules of conduct is prescribed only for those who have attained the highest state of Brahmic10 consciousness. When they pronounce that Brahm alone exits and everything except Brahm6 is mythical, they speak from the sublime state of Brahmic bliss, wherein they have lost the vision for seeing other objects. just as one travelling in a ship, when he comes into mid-sea, observes nothing except water and so say that ‘water alone is’, similarly a Brahmanised devotee enjoying only the bliss of Brahm6 says that Brahm alone exists and excepting Brahm6, Jiva11, Ishwar12 and Maya13 are all deceptive-appearances. Such words appear in scriptures, but not realising their esoteric meaning and also not having attained such elevated Brahmic state, if one pronounces that Brahm alone exists and everything else is a myth, one simply speaks without realising that state. Such preachers,in their personal life are deeply attached to their family member and are engaged in such activities for the maintenance of their families. Yet they posess the audacity to make such statements. They are, therefore, called the most degenerate sinners.<O:P></O:P>

Shanakaracharya has composed the U¿Fãæ<g¹c U¿ Fãæ<g¹c Fãæ<g¹c U¿ ê@m>ê¾æ Stotra and many others to be recited daily so that the Jiva may not be drawn- towards atheism. Shanakaracharaya has also composed Stotras eulogising Lord Shiva14, Ganapati15, the Sun God etcetera to bring to the knowledge of the Mumukshu16 that these Gods also really exist. as against the spread of such spiritual wisdom by Shanakaracharya, the pseudo-pundits pronounce that ‘Brahm alone is and everything else is false.’ They do not stop with such pronouncements but go a step further and say that a Gyani remains untouched by the sins he commits. It is an act of folly. All scriptures narrate the story of Jadabharat17 since he is the best amongst the renouncers. He, in his previous birth, was the son of Bhagvan Rishabhadev18. He had abdicated his kingdom, taken up Sanyas and gone to the seclusion of forest. Here, out of compassion he got so much attached to the young one of a deer that consequently he was born as a deer in his next birth. Attachment to the deer brought him this fate. Again, the Gopies of Vraj20 were amarously attached to Shri Krishna but still they transgressed the barriers of Maya, became Brahmanised and attained Akshardham. Since Shri Krishna was fully divine, his contact divinised the Gopis. Whereas Bharatji17, even though out of compassion, was attached to the young one of the deer, this contact transformed him into the form of a deer.<O:P></O:P>

‘Therefore, however much a man may be spiritulised, his contact either with a pious one or a sinner elevates him or lowers him. And even a damned sinner, if he gets the contact of God, becomes totally redeemed of all his sins and attains Abhayadan. If Shri Krishna were not divine the Gopi’s would never have been divinised, and if the Gopi’s are divinised by the contact of Shri Krishna, Shri Krishna is totally divine. Therefore, the words of pseudo- Vedantin that ‘everything is Brahm’, fall flat because like the Gopi’s, if everything is Brahm, Every woman attached to her husband and every husband attached to his wife have been divinised by such contacts and yet neither of them is said to have been so. On the contrary, they are consigned to hell.Therefore, the rules of Vidhi4 Nishedh5 possessed sanctity and should be observed respectfully. One who defies these rules spells one’s own spiritual downfall.<O:P></O:P>

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Thus Ends Vachanamrit : Gadhada - 42<O:P></O:P>

2. A school in spiritual philosophy 3. Monism 4. Do’s 5. Don’ts 6. Akshara 7. A great Saint and hermit 8. A scipture, diologue between lord Shri Krishna and Arjun 9. A hymn of one thousand names of Lord Vishnu 10. merging in the consciousness of Brahman 11. Soul 12. Cosmic gods 13. One of the five eternal entities 14. God of bliss 15. Lord Siva 16. One who is inquisitive and desirous about the knowledge of divine 17. A great Saint with full detachment 18. A divine Saint 19. Devotees 20. A sacred place attached to Lord Shri Krishna<O:P></O:P>