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

[Venkatesh Murthy]

Namaste

On Thu, Apr 21, 2011 at 11:40 PM, V Subrahmanian
<v.subrahmanian at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Thu, Apr 21, 2011 at 10:18 AM, Venkatesh Murthy <vmurthy36 at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Namaste
>>
>> I have given some Visishtadvaita Sruti references before.  Repeating them
>> again.
>>
>> 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.
>>
>> How to explain them with Advaita?
>>
>
> Namaste.
>
> We have the more familiar PuruSha sUktam: मुखं किमस्य कौ बाहू, कावूरू
> पादावुच्येते ...ब्राह्मणोऽस्य मुखमासीत्...etc. where the whole universe can
> be seen as Brahman's body.  We also have the ViShNusahasranAma dhyAna shloka
> भूः पादौ यस्य...describing the entire universe as the Lord's various parts
> of the body.  Advaita looks at these expressions as only Brahman's
> manifestation as the whole universe.  Such descriptions are meant to
> inculcate 1.Brahman's immanence (all pervading nature) 2.Brahman's
> transcendence (त्रिपादस्यां दिवि) 3. Brahman's आनन्त्य .  4. These are
> stated in the scripture to enable the aspirant to develop vishvarUpa Ishwara
> bhakti and relate to Ishwara through all His manifestations with due
> devotion.
>
> However one has to be aware that all this is only a manifestation of
> Brahman's aparA prakRti, lower nature, which is anAtma.  The Consciousness
> principle, the Atman, the parA prakRti, alone is the transcendental Truth.
> Thus Advaita takes all such utterances as only necessary steps to be
> appropriately used and transcended.
>

This means you accept Srutis about Saguna Brahma are a lower level
than  Nirguna Srutis. The Saguna Srutis are meant for some preparation
only and cannot give Moksha. The Nirguna Srutis will make the Saguna
Srutis useless after preparation like Upasana.  But this is not
accepted by Vedanta Desika and others. There are many Saguna Srutis to
promise Moksha. Some can give Tad Vishnoho Paramam Padam Sada
Pashyanti Surayaha. Saguna Srutis can give Moksha directly. They
cannot be inferior than Nirguna Srutis.

Moreover 'tadanupravishya' Taittiriya Upanishad 2-6-1 says God is
indwelling in all things. He is the Upadana of Jagat,


-- 
Regards

-Venkatesh