[Advaita-l] "adhikarins" and the continuation of the body after jnana

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

The yAvadadhikAra adhikaraNa is germane to some of the discussions we've 
been having recently.  It consists of just one sUtra (3.3.32) which reads:
yAvadadhikAramavasthitirAdhikArikANAm ||

"as long as the adhikAra remains, there is bodily existence for those that 
have an adhikAra to fulfill"

adhikAra is a tricky word to translate.  It signifies a right or 
competency.  For example a Brahmana has the adhikAra for upanayana.  A 
kShatriya who is also a samrATa (emperor) has the adhikAra to perform the 
ashvamedha yaGYa.  It also has the sense of a task or mission.  A kings 
ministers are called adhikAris.  The dharmAdhikari oversees religious 
affairs, the koShAdhikari, the treasury, the senAdhikari, the armed forces 
etc.

This sUtra is talking about the GYAnis who have an adhikAra.  Until that 
adhikAra is complete, they continue to maintain bodily form.

How can this be?  If GYAna is supposed to indicate liberation from the 
limited self of the body and ego why would a GYAni take up another one of 
his own volition or even worse at the direction of another?

An objector suggests this is an irrelevant question.  Perhaps GYAna 
results in mokSha in some cases and not in others.

ShankarAchArya gives several instances from shruti and smrti of people who 
were indisputably GYAnis and knowers of the entire Veda who took on new 
bodies or were reincarnated.  For instance the R^iShi Apantaratamasa at the
command of viShNu took birth as kR^iShNa dvaipAyana.  (Interestingly he 
does not equate kR^iShNa dvaipAyana with vedavyAsa or badarAyana.)

The pUrvapakShin says that this demonstrates that GYAna does not result in 
mukti atleast in some cases.

ShankarAchArya disagrees.  GYAna does result in mokSha in all cases but 
certain beings have been deputed by Ishvara to perform certain acts for the 
welfare of the universe.  (E.g. kR^iShNa dvaipAyana muni wrote the 
mahAbhArata including the gItA and the 18 purANas, etc.)  Until this karma 
is fulfilled, they will continue to remain embodied despite being GYAnis. 
Note this is different from karma that they themselves did before becoming 
enlightened.

My question for those currently debating (and of course anyone else who 
would like to venture an opinion) is what is your take on this sUtra? 
Does it  make you want to change your opinions in any way?


-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>