We have seen how the problems of anupapatti defy reconciliation between advaitis and visidhtadvaitis. But, we should remember this is the subject for vidwans only, who have devoted sufficient time to study all systems carefully. Though such debates are apparently vigorous, both sides are fully aware that their paths are identical all the way up to 99%. It is only at the peak that the beliefs diverge because of varying degrees of abhimana, the mapping of identity. Otherwise, all of us honour and follow our Acharyas, and live as our dharma dictates. The ultimate destiny for all of us is at the pleasure of the Supreme only, as succinctly explained in the verse “nAyamatma pravachanena…vivrunate tanum svAm” occurring in Mundaka and Khatha Upanishads. Srivaishnavas especially value this as “janma jayamana kataksham”.
2.In fact , it is because of this strong foundation of our faith in the bedrock of omnipotent almighty, that we ignore the provocation of fanatical Christians and Muslims shouting from rooftops “Ours is the only true way. Others are doomed to eternal hell”. We protest only when they attempt to convert Hindus by sword or fraud. The semitic religions have destroyed native faiths throughout the world as pagan,by massacres and destruction which are recorded in their history with pride. But those religions are now mired in extreme worldliness in pursuit of wealth, power, and numbers. They have created an insecure world, plagued by suspicions, competition, terror and total decline of humane ethical values. People totally unaware of our sanatana dharma are now rediscovering truths which have been stated in far refined manner in upanishads.
3. The Advaita concepts of nirguna, abheda, aikyam etc are associated with great values like vairagya, eradication of desires, etc. Nammazhwar who is Satakopa Muni rounds up Tiruvaimozhi with the words “attained Paramapadam on cessation of desires”.
அவாவற்று வீடு பெற்ற குருகூர்ச்சடகோபன்…
A simple example will highlight the worth of the lofty advaita principles, and the havoc they could cause in the event of slightest misapplication. The Kamakoti Paramacharya Chandrasekharendra Saraswati is internationally renowned for his saintliness and wisdom. His uncompromising adherence to advaitic thought enabled him to appreciate and uphold the treasures of vedic wisdom, the ennobling quality of sastras, the mysticism of temples- kshetras- theerthams-moorthys as epicentres of spiritual aura, and above all the eternal and indestructible nature of Hindu sanatana dharma thanks to systems evolved over thousands of years. A certain Srivaishnava vedic scholar of repute was deeply devoted to the Paramacharya. For the greater part of his life the srivaishnava respected the vedic beliefs and observances. But in his latter life, he developed vipareetha bhavana (a type of negative attitude) and started proclaiming that vedas were not sacred as they were composed by dominant groups to further their self interests, that the sastras were hollow and vain, that srivaishnavism had crept into temples surreptitiously, and that Hindu dharma was bound to collapse and meet its doom! His statements were supported by laboured interpretation of veda and sastra passages. Coming as it did from a renowned vedic scholar, his books were gleefully adopted by atheist Dravidian readers and proclaimed as the confessions of an approver! This Srivaishnava’s writings, supported by profuse quotations from Vedas and sastras, were in conformity with the atheist Dravidian propaganda, prominently engraved in stone under the statue of their leader EVR popularly called “periyar” meaning “great man” , in every prominent public square of Tamil Nadu.
Mercifully, the Paramacharya who was steadfast in sanatana values till his last breath, did not hear these details regarding the srivaishnava.
Many advaita and Saiva passages are quoted with admiration by Vaishnava acharyas. e.g
“Let the world cease to exist for me. Let me cease to exist in the eyes of the world”.
“கேடும் ஆக்கமும் கெட்ட திருவினார்
ஓடும் செம்பொனும் ஒக்க நோக்குவார்”
“Cover the entire world with the blanket of Easwara” (Isavasya upanishad opening lines).
We shall see a few more illuminating advaita teachings in the next post.
We have to see how and why the issue of anupapattis agitated the minds of our Acharyas.
4. Chandogya Upanishad is one of the the main pillars of Brahmasutras .It starts with associating Brahmam with the ultimate rasam (“rasam” means essence and also the most endearing taste. One may get an idea of rasa by considering the example from Bhagavata purana ,top ranking bhakti work. Rasa leela celebrating Krishna-gopis spiritual love is the zenith of that work.) Rasam with Brahmam is apparently inappropriate, as the supreme is not a matter of anubhavam. But this jnana takes the back seat when there is swelling of prema as in the case of azhwars.
Here it is our duty to dispel doubts about how rasa, that is enjoyment, is spiritual. In our temples we see the moorthy images bedecked with ornaments and flowers, which is an expression of rasa. These appeal to a lay devotee and gives an idea of power and auspiciousness. But very few know that the main aradana is done behind curtains to the salagrama moorthy, an essential part of every sannidhi, as we can see if we look carefully. The theertham (charanamrutam) we receive at temples is salagrama sripada theertham, which is sacred as elders explain in detail. Thus the rituals have varying gradations appropriate to varying degrees of preparedness of devotees.
The love of azhwars was pure and sublime.
அஞ்ஞானத்தால் கலங்கியவர்கள் சம்சாரிகள்
ப்ரேமத்தால் கலங்கியவர்கள் ஆழ்வார்கள்.
Love is the noblest emotion found in the animal kingdom, and in the human race love of God is the hallmark of spirituality. The concept of love or bhakthi has no place in the heights of advaita. This is the background or unmentioned basic flaw, expressed as objections euphemistically termed unupapatti or inconsistency. It is worth noting that famous advaitis have celebrated this rasam. Thyagabrahmam sang about Rama nama rasam of Ramabrahmam. Krishnapremi holds namarasam as the siddhantam; he has published Kamakoti Bodendra Saraswati’s “Bhagavat Namamrutha Rasodayam”, from centuries old palm leaf scripts.
5. The advaita logic is that every resource should be treated as a stepping stone , which should be discarded after use. This starts with the world, extends through vedas and Easwara ,and finally jivatma which is finally discarded ,ending in absolute existence devoid of substance. Of course, advaita does not call it “discarding”, but liberation from mithya. Our acharyas point out that vedas can not be interpreted as teaching that their teachings are false, and that vedic term Advaita really means “The Supreme is One, without a second”. Srimad Bhagavatam talks of nirvisesha chinmatram as a kalyana guna of Krishna. Gaudapada and Sankara only first use these words to talk about brahman. They also indicate it as one of the many ways, not the only way. Before them we don’t come across rejection of jivan or prapancham or easwaran as mithya in philosophical works.
6. Advaita teaches the seeker to perform vedic duties with the full awareness that they are all mithya performed in a dream world. This would amount to ashraddha. Sankara would not have dreamt of such a view. Nor Bhaskara ,Yadava , Bhatta , Prabhakara and a host of others who preceded Ramanuja. It is probably only in the 16th century that the present hardened views took shape. What we now call Sankara’s advaita is a vastly transformed version, Sankara’s name being taken only to lend it prestige. From Sribhashyam we find that this process has started even before the time of Ramanuja.
7. We may extend our examination to other Indian belief systems also. They all derive their nourishment from the same eternal springs. Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, animist faiths and Vedic sects have strong fundamental bonds. All these faiths affirm our existence spanning several births resulting from karma. All affirm dharma which enjoins us to perform our duties to keep the wheel of existence moving. All recognize that each home is a shrine. Salagrama (Muktinath) one of the holiest vaishnava shrine is common to Hindus and Buddhists, the priest being Buddhist. In Thailand, Hindu priests officiate at Buddhist ceremonies. All Indian religionists freely worship at Hindu temples.
8 .One may ask, why exclude other Western religions. We don’t. Europeans and Americans frequently asked Kanchi Paramacharya or Ramana maharishi what they should do to live as Hindus. They received the same reply;there is no baptism in Hinduism. All those not allergic to being called Hindu, are Hindus.
9. We have seen that Ramanuja was noted for utmost humility, extreme circumspection, and a great sense of responsibility in the fulfillment of his master’s last wish. We have also seen he never condemned any person or doctrine, but pointed out inconsistencies, which resulted in picking holes, while accepting the whole. But his work has met with adverse criticisms which continue despite detailed rebuttal through the ages, the most brilliant and unshakable one being Vedanta Desika’s Satadushani. Over the years criticisms have increased further, critics reiterating their same standpoints. It has become more shrill since 19th century when advaitam caught the fancy of Western scholars due to its deep mysticism. Like the atom, which packs sufficient energy within itself to destroy the whole world, each one of us is the infinite omnipotent omnipresent Brahman, the one which exists without a second, and most importantly not a person or object but pure absolute existence. Under Western influence the philosophy is now tinged with parapsychological and psychedelic elements. Men and women put on ochre robes, smoke narcotics and chant Sivoham, Aham Brahmasmi ,and Tatvamasi in a bid to reach brahmasamadhi.
10. Debates between Srivaishnava and Advaita followers has become stereoype. Basically the Srivaishnava says “No way I can accept or reconcile myself to believing I am Sriman Narayana , who is under an illusion that he is a jiva . If it were so I would be aware that I am an avatara, because Maya can not obstruct the wielder of Maya “. The advaiti replies “You will realise your folly only when you acquire the jnana that Ramanuja and Narayana are all mithya and products of avidya. Avataras are all fanciful imagination, good to the extent they are stepping stones to jnana. They are your creations in your dream, but you will never know till you wake up. Once awake your avidya and Vidya go away and you yourself cease to exist, only existence remains”. There can be no end to this debate.
About Sribhashyam 