Karma and Sanyasa

[Ravisankar S. Mayavaram]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1998 13:05:53 -0230 (NDT)
From: Gummuluru Murthy <gmurthy at morgan.ucs.mun.ca>
To: "Ravisankar S. Mayavaram" <msr at isc.tamu.edu>
Subject: for comment


Dear Shri Ravi,

Namaste.

I want to send the enclosed draft of a post to you first for comments
before posting it on the List. Please see the usefulness of it. If you
think anyone would get offended by it, please advise me so, and I will
either modify it or throw it in the dust-bin. If you think the post is
appropriate, you can post it on my behalf.

Regards
Gummuluru Murthy
------------------------------------------------------------------------



On Thu, 23 Jul 1998, Ramakrishnan Balasubramanian wrote:

> (BTW what is this vyavahArika advaita? Is there a pAramArthika advaita
> also?)
>

Namaste.

VyavahArika advaita (as I understand) is talking about advaita at
intellectual level. This is what most of us here indulge in. In reality,
such a thing is self-contradictory (because in reality, there is only one;
which cannot engage in a dialogue because there is nothing else to engage
in dialogue with). ParamArtha is the truth, adviteeyam.

---------

I understand Shri Ramakrishnan's concerns (which he expressed in his
first post in this thread) and also, looking at the archives, can see
where these concerns are coming from.

My interpretation in terms of prArabdha karma still stands. A jeeva has
to suffer (or enjoy, depending on from what perspective one is looking at)
the consequences of the deeds or omissions of deeds of the previous lives.
And that shows up now. In my view, that cannot be escaped. And to be blunt
and direct about it:

it is Shri Ramakrishnan's prArabdha to get agitated about some posts that
appeared earlier (on thread pUjA) and to express that agitation in the
form of a post in this thread.

it is Shri Sadananda's prArabdha to express his views on pUjA in that post
and for Shri Ramakrishnan to interpret the way he did.

it is Gummuluru Murthy's prArabdha to respond to the post on sannyAsa and
karma and to write this post as a follow-up.

it is prArabdha for some of us to think of ac, house, paycheques to be
 modern conveniences and to think of them as tools of enjoyment.

it is prArabdha for some of us to think of the same ac, house, paycheques
to be hindrances in our quest for truth.

Nothing can be avoided. Like an arrow that has been shot (which will meet
its target), the seeds for these actions have been sown long ago and we
are seeing the fruits of that action or omission.

What that means is: all of these reactions are unreal. Let us study
bhaja govindam and contemplate on the great truth expressed so beautifully
by paramAcArya bhagavatpAda Shankara.

Regards
Gummuluru Murthy
------------------------------------------------------------------------
yogarato vA bhogarato vA samgarato vA samgavihInah
yasya brahmaNi ramate chittam nandati nandati nandatyeva
                                        Shri Shankara in bhaja govindam

Let one practice concentration, or let one indulge in sense-enjoyment.
Let one find pleasure in company; or in solitude. He alone is happy,
happy, verily happy, whose mind revels in Brahman.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

>From  Fri Jul 24 19:42:36 1998
Message-Id: <FRI.24.JUL.1998.194236.0400.>
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1998 19:42:36 -0400
Reply-To: ramakris at erols.com
To: List for advaita vedanta as taught by Shri Shankara
        <ADVAITA-L at TAMU.EDU>
From: Ramakrishnan Balasubramanian <ramakris at EROLS.COM>
Subject: Re: Karma and Sanyasa
Comments: To: Advaita-L <advaita-l at tamu.edu>
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Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

> Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1998 13:05:53 -0230 (NDT)
> From: Gummuluru Murthy <gmurthy at morgan.ucs.mun.ca>
> To: "Ravisankar S. Mayavaram" <msr at isc.tamu.edu>
> Subject: for comment

> VyavahArika advaita (as I understand) is talking about advaita at
> intellectual level. This is what most of us here indulge in. In reality,
> such a thing is self-contradictory (because in reality, there is only one;
> which cannot engage in a dialogue because there is nothing else to engage
> in dialogue with). ParamArtha is the truth, adviteeyam.

I was wondering whether to reply to you or not (I am referring to my
previous post). You have this knack for converting each and every thread
about fate and free-will, each time refusing accept words of shruti or
smR^iti or sha.nkara on this. I could reproduce the words of VashishhTha
muni here, but it would only seem like an effort to insult you, so I'll
skip that.

Advaita is ONLY at the vyAvahArika level. It should be quite obvious,
IMO. If not read chapter 8 of mAnasollAsa.

[rest of the usual Gummuluru Murthy stuff deleted]

Vidyasankar saw this thread in the archives and mailed me how I had the
energy to engage in these threads. True. I think I am just about spent
:-). I take time to participate in threads about sAdhana because it's
very easy to forget the importance of karma, especially by beginners
like me/at least some of us. If at least one person benefited from my
typing up the words of H.H chandrashekhara bhAratI and Sri Ramana
Maharshi, I'd consider my time well spent.

BTW, the post was hardly offensive. It was interesting that you used the
word "get agitated" only for me :-). I presume the rest of the folks you
mentioned, including yourself, type up posts without any volition and
reaction :-)).

Rama.