[Advaita-l] SAsthrabhyAsam and SamAdishatguNasampath

[Amuthan]

namo nArAyaNAya!

On 3/21/07, NARAYANA MURTHY <malahanikareswara_at_yahoo.co.in> wrote:
>   I am interested to know How "SasthravyAkhyAna kouSalam" and "SabdajAlam mahAranyam chittabhramaNa kAraNam" is dealt with by Sh.Chandrasekara Bharathi Mahaswaminah in the VC commentary.

in very simple terms, mahAsvAmi interprets 'shAstravyAkhyAnakaushalam'
as profiency in thoroughly analyzing and properly interpreting the
shAstrAs. AchArya's bhAShya goes as follows: '... shAstrasya
vyAkhyAnaM 'padachCheda.h padArthoktiH vigraho vAkyayojanA. AkShepasya
samAdhAnaM vyAkhyAnaM pa~nchalakShaNam..' ityuktarItyA
shAstrArthakathane kaushalaM prAvINyam'.

with reference to 'shabdajAlamahAraNyaM chittabhramaNakAraNam',
AchArya clarifies that even shAstravAsanA is an obstacle for
AtmasAkShAtkAra ('... shAstrakolAhalo nAshrayaNIyaH tadvAsanAyA api
j~nAnapratibandhakatvAt.'). the implied meaning is that one should
renounce the urge for mere verbal argumentation since that can disturb
the mind and instead seek refuge in one's guru for gaining
AtmasAkShAtkAra ('... kevala shabdajAlAtmaka shAstrasyApi
vikShepahetutvAt tanniShThatvamapi parityajya paramAtmasAkShAtkAravato
deshikAt AtmayAthAtmyaM sakShAtkartavyam...').

the two verses do not contradict each other. while the former asserts
the necessity for having a clear understanding of what the shAstrAs
say, the latter makes it clear that the sole purpose of such a
thorough study is to turn the mind inward, seek the pratyagAtman alone
and know it as it is ('pare... tattve nirguNe brahmaNi avij~nAte
asAkShAtkRte sati shAstrAdhItistu arthavichAraparyanta
vedAntAdhyananamapi niShphalA.').

vAsudevaH sarvaM,
aparyAptAmRtaH.