Advaita is bonafide??

[vijay]

Ive read statement by prabhupada a few time in the gita saying that seeing one self as god is okay but a lesser process leading to bhakti, but he also emphasises its dangerous maybe because one can become offensive to the lord. Any ideas? Is this the correct understanding?

"By meditation one can be able to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead by a gradual process. There are processes which make one understand that one himself is the Supreme, and that sort of meditation is preferred if one is unable to engage in devotional service. If one is not able to meditate in such a way, then there are prescribed duties, as enjoined in the Vedic literature, for the brahmanas, vaisyas and sudras, which we shall find in a later chapter of Bhagavad-gita. But in all cases, one should give up the result or fruits of labor; this means to employ the result of karma for some good cause. "

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

Read 12th chapter of Gita. It explains the various paths to follow, first recommending raganuga bhakti, and finally, if nothing else could be followed, concluding with sacrificing the results of one's actions for some mundane cause. Somewhere in between those two extremes fall all the other spiritual paths of the Vedas.

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

There are processes which make one understand that one himself is the Supreme, and that sort of meditation is preferred if one is unable to engage in devotional service.

Bg. 12. 3–4 TRANSLATION

But those who fully worship the unmanifested, that which lies beyond the perception of the senses, the all-pervading, inconceivable, fixed, and immovable—the impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth—by controlling the various senses and being equally disposed to everyone, such persons, engaged in the welfare of all, at last achieve Me.

Bg.12.5 TRANSLATION

For those whose minds are attached to the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme, advancement is very troublesome. To make progrese in that discipline is always difficult for those who are embodied.

PURPORT EXTRACT-

The process of jnana-yoga, although ultimately bringing one to the same goal, is very troublesome, whereas the path of bhakti-yoga, the process of being in direct service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is easier and is natural for the embodied soul.

www.vedabase.net

[vijay]

So is this thinking of oneself as god mayavada which prabhupada is so against? Or is this brahmavad, im not exactly sure how its different from mayavad.

[Pankaja_Dasa]

Avaitin or Jnani's seem to like Krishna pastimes but in 'the end' think it's all one. And that the Impersonal Liberation [merging into Supreme Brahman] is the Highest Goal. So you can see Mayavadis's and Advaitins have the same goal. Although Jnana's or Adviatins if they meet with a Pure Vaishnava devotee they can find out about Krishna Personal Form. Sorry if that is vague, I am writing quickly.

Bhagavad-gita establishes the conception that we are 'amsa' parts of God. So the theory of 'oneness' cannot be established on the ground that we are eternal. So then we HAVE to undersand it from the point of view of the Bhagavata Parampara where it says, Krishna says that those who worship His Impersonal aspect it is very troublesome affair.

The Personal aspect is established by Bhagavata[m]

Parampara and they have many reasons for establishing it. Since 'oneness' cannot be established. So you also have a problem of God being only Impersonal and we His Parts-BUT with that you become more like Karmis. [viz Muslims conception of God]. Then it turns into an almost athieistic religion. But even the Qu'ran established God as Personal in the end ]see thread Qu'ran and Personal aspect'.

So we cannot understand Bhagavad-gita FULLY from the Impersonal point of view or Mayavada, advaitin. I feel the missing link is provided by the Vaishnavas. Prabhupada said himself that Bhagavad-gita is a great secret.

 

-==-

 

Chapter 7. Knowledge of the Absolute

 

TEXT 9

punyo gandhah prthivyam ca

tejas casmi vibhavasau

jivanam sarva-bhutesu

tapas casmi tapasvisu

 

SYNONYMS

punyah--original; gandhah--fragrance; prthivyam--in the earth; ca--also; tejah--temperature; ca--also; asmi--I am; vibhavasau--in the fire; jivanam--life; sarva--all; bhutesu--living entities; tapah--penance; ca--also; asmi--I am; tapasvisu--in those who practice penance.

 

 

TRANSLATION

I am the original fragrance of the earth, and I am the heat in fire. I am the life of all that lives, and I am the penances of all ascetics.

 

 

PURPORT

Punya means that which is not decomposed; punya is original. Everything in the material world has a certain flavor or fragrance, as the flavor and fragrance in a flower, or in the earth, in water, in fire, in air, etc. The uncontaminated flavor, the original flavor, which permeates everything, is Krsna. Similarly, everything has a particular original taste, and this taste can be changed by the mixture of chemicals. So everything original has some smell, some fragrance, and some taste. Vibhava means fire. Without fire we cannot run factories, we cannot cook, etc., and that fire is Krsna. The heat in the fire is Krsna. According to Vedic medicine, indigestion is due to a low temperature in the belly. So even for digestion fire is needed. In Krsna consciousness we become aware that earth, water, fire, air and every active principle, all chemicals and all material elements are due to Krsna. The duration of man's life is also due to Krsna. Therefore by the grace of Krsna, man can prolong his life or diminish it. So Krsna consciousness is active in every sphere.

 

TEXT 10

TRANSLATION

O son of Prtha, know that I am the original seed of all existences, the intelligence of the intelligent, and the prowess of all powerful men.

 

www.vedabase.net

=---=

This above two verse establishes Krishna as being the life of all that lives, since we don't accept Impersonal View point or Advatin [merging etc]. Krishna saying He is the life of all that lives will not make sence to either of us. So according to Prabhupada Translations [who is in the Bhagavata Parampara System] this verse means Krishna is non-different from His Soul.

[Guest guest]

 

So is this thinking of oneself as god mayavada which prabhupada is so against? Or is this brahmavad, im not exactly sure how its different from mayavad.

Thinking of oneself as God is moronic, to put it gently. There exists no such religious belief in the world.

 

Cheers

[Guest guest]

 

So is this thinking of oneself as god mayavada which prabhupada is so against? Or is this brahmavad, im not exactly sure how its different from mayavad.

 

Hare Krsna my dear Cousin,

 

You know the answer to this, but you are very humble, a mayavadhi thinks himself as God, a Brahmavadhi is a person who accepts that the supreme truth is Brahman and there is no truth superior to this.

 

Ys.

 

JHCal