[Advaita-l] Is Isvara paramartika?

[V Subrahmanian]

On Mon, Aug 8, 2011 at 10:57 AM, Bhaskar YR <bhaskar.yr at in.abb.com> wrote:

>  No ambiguity here in shankara's declaration.  He
> clearly states that the existence of Ishwara and his qualities like
> omnipotence, omniscience etc. are only in the realm of avidyA.  So, IMO,
> before deciding anything about Ishwara's paramArta astitva (absolute
> existence) , we have to reconcile these statements of shankara and most
> importantly without disturbing the shruti-s and advaita's ultimate
> position i.e. Atman's ekamevAdviteeyatva.
>
> Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!
> bhaskar
>
> Very nicely said, Bhaskar ji.

Swami Paramarthananda would raise this question: Is Ishwara too, then, in
Advaita, mithyA along with everything else?
A very uncomfortable question to answer, indeed.  We would ask a
counter-question: What is your understanding of the concept of 'Ishwara'?
Is He an object like any other thing in the world or the very subject of the
questioner?  If it is the former, without any hesitation we would say, 'Yes,
such an object called Ishwara is also mithyA'.  If on the other hand you
hold Ishwara is the very subject, non-different from the Self, then, thank
God !  Ishwara is saved: He is satyam.

Regards.
subrahmanian.v