[Advaita-l] Brahman alone appears as jiva-jagat-Ishwara - some more references

[Venkatesh Murthy]

Namaste Sri Subrahmanian

On Tue, Apr 19, 2011 at 4:13 PM, V Subrahmanian
<v.subrahmanian at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Visishtadvaitis will say God is
>> changed into Jagat. But Dvaitis say according to Sruti God is
>> Nirvikara changeless.  How can he change into Jagat? This is against
>> Sruti.
>
>
> Advaitins have no problem here.  As pointed out recently by Shri Anand Hudli
> ji, we hold that Brahman is only the vivartopAdAna kAraNam wherein there is
> no 'danger' of Brahman subjecting Itself to any vikAra.  The crux of
> vivartavAda is that the adhiShThAnam remains nirvikAri and yet there is a
> superimposition of something else there. So in Advaita Brahman does not
> 'change' into jagat; Brahman is only 'seen' as jagat.  PariNAma, vikAra, is
> admitted only for mAyA, prakRti, the lower nature of Brahman, which is
> however, superimposed.
>

Now Visishtadvaitis can bring this objection. If Dvaitis say Prakruti
is material cause of Jagat and Advaitis say Maya is material cause
what is wrong?  Prakruti-Maya is part of God only. It is his body. You
are accepting ultimate material cause is God.  Dvaitis and Advaitis
both agree Brahman is Sarvasabdavacya. All words refer to him only. If
you Dvaitis say Prakruti or you Advaitis say Maya it will refer to
God.  God is the ultimate material cause Upadana. Both of you must
accept this.

Now they can give the Sruti references. Yasya Tamassariram-
Bruhadaranyaka 3-7-13- the Matter is body of God, Yasya Aksharam
Sariram- Subalopanishad 7-1, Yadambu Vaishnava Kayaha- Vishnu
Purana-the Water is Vishnu's body , Tat sarvam Vai Harestanuhu- Vishnu
Purana All that is Vishnu's Body, Yasya Prthivi Sariram-
Bruhadaranyaka 3-7-3, The Earth is God's body.

Ekameva Advitiyam of Chandogya Sruti means if God is accepted as
material cause only this is correct.  Only God exists. There is no
other thing. Otherwise if there is one more thing other than God like
Prakruti of Dvaitis and Maya of Advaitis there will be a problem.

-- 
Regards

-Venkatesh