SankarAcArya's bhagavad gItA bhAshya: 2. 19-20

[Anand V. Hudli]

"nAnuyAjeshhu yeyajAmahaM karoti". There seems to be some confusion
  regarding my rendering of anuyAja as "post-sacrifice". The term
  anuyAja is perhaps better translated as "after-offering" or
  "after-sacrifice." The context of the anuyAja is sacrifices such
  as the darsha-pUrNamAsa fortnightly sacrifice. After the main sacrifice,
  come the anuyAja offerings or the after-offerings. It is during these
  offerings that the hotR^i, the R^ig vedic priest, should recite the verses
  of offering, the yAjyA's. In all offerings other than the anuyAja
  offerings, the hotR^i should first say "ye yajAmahe" before reciting the
  yAjyAs.  The meaning of "ye yajAmahe" is "ye vayamadhvaryuNA niyuktAH te
  yajAmahe"- we sacrifice (offer) to You being directed by the adhvaryu,
  ie. we recite the yAjyA's.

  Also, the detailed explanation of the nAnuyAjeshhu sentence is not
  found in the gUDhArtha-dIpikA of MadhusUdana sarasvatI. It would
  be odd for a sannyAsI to go into the details of shrauta sUtras, unless
  he wanted to put forth a pUrvapaxa argument, which is not the case here.
  Rather MadhusUdana merely indicates that he combines "na" and "bhUtva",
  in the sense of abhUtvA, just as such a combination is done in the
  case of the nAnuyAjeshhu vAkya.

  Anand

>From  Wed Jun  9 23:46:38 1999
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Date: Wed, 9 Jun 1999 23:46:38 -0400
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To: List for advaita vedanta as taught by Shri Shankara
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From: Ashish Chandra <achandra at WNMAIL.WNDEV.ATT.COM>
Subject: Re: ADVAITA-L Digest - 4 Jun 1999 to 5 Jun 1999 (#1999-44)
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Vaidya wrote :
namaskAram.
I was reading the vivekachUdAmani and came across a passage where I am not
sure what it means.
THis is with regard to HH's commentary on verse 426 - He remarks, as matter
of fact that begin quote:
When it is said that "He whose mind is given to BrahmavicAra even for a
moment,
has bathed in all the holy waters; the whole earth has been gifted away by
him;
a thousand sacrifices have been performed by him; all gods have been
propitiated; his ancestors have been rescued from samsAra; he is deserving
of
adoration even in the three worlds, " what needs to be affirmed of him who
is
always established in Brahman? FOr it is said: Of him whose mind is ever
immeresed in the ocean of knowledge of the supreme Brahman, his lineage has
got
purified, his mother has realised her purpose and the earth has been
sanctified
by him.
end quote:
I have seen quotations where the punya of many previous good deeds gets one
started in the pursuit of knowledge of Brahman. This is the first time I am
seeing the reverse being stated. I wonder if  "reverse" good associated with
the pursuit of Brahman knowledge is some thing obvious to list members also
... if so, can you kindly point it out to me please.
I was initially wondering if this passage is meant to sort of play a
psychological role to help the sadhaka "feel" good before he/she is deep
into the pursuit of jnAna, when such enticements no longer matter. But that
theory does not quite hold water as this is a comment on verse 426 - well
towards the end of the VivekachUdAmani, indicating a more ingrained truth
than mere enticements ... I hope list members will find the time to address
this.
bhava shankara desikame sharaNam
Vaidya.


Hi Vaidya,

I came across Ravi's post in soc.religion.hindu. Thought the list might find
it useful.

<<<
I was reading Gary Zukav's "Seat of the Soul" ( not very good
like his "Dancing Wu Li Masters"). He observes that since soul is
beyond ( or outside) the concept of time, it experiences all the
incarnations simultaneously. Hence any spiritual effort in any of the
incarnations benefits all the other incarnations(that gives me
enthu to meditate regularly now, in this incarnation!!).

 This idea doesn't go in hand with our concepts of Sanjitha and
Prarabdha karma(or at least with my understanding of these terms).
Can anyone comment on this?
--
Ravi
msr at tamu.edu
>>>

Ashish

>From  Thu Jun 10 00:06:26 1999
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Date: Thu, 10 Jun 1999 00:06:26 -0400
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        <ADVAITA-L at LISTS.ADVAITA-VEDANTA.ORG>
From: Ashish Chandra <achandra at WNMAIL.WNDEV.ATT.COM>
Subject: Sri Sankara's BGB 15.13
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Namaskar All,

I am not sure if the answer to my question already lies in AV archives but
anyhow, I'd like someone to please explain BGB 15-13. The sloka is as
follows :


                gamaavishya ch bhutaani dhaaryaamyahamojasaa |
                pushNaami chaushadhiih sarvaah somo bhutva rasaatmakah ||

Shri Warrier's translation is as follows :

                Entering into the earth, with prowess I sustain all beings;
                Becoming the moon with its essence of sap, I foster all plants and herbs.


What is the essence of the Lord becoming the 'moon with its essence of sap'
How does the moon have sap that sustains all plants and herbs ?

Furthermore, the relevant part of the commentary is translated as :

        [...] The moon is the abode of all essences; it instills their respective
saps in all plants and herbs. Thus I foster them.

Why is the moon invoked here ?

Thanks
Ashish