[Advaita-l] (Advaita) Bhakti vs. Jnana

[V Subrahmanian]

2011/7/30 Ramanan Subramanian <ramanan82 at gmail.com>

> > Bhagavatam accepted by Madusudana,
> > Sridhara and Citsuka (as pointed out by Sri Jaladhar) repeatedly says
> that
> > a bhakta does not care for liberation.
> >
>
> Not only Sridhara and Citsukha agree on this, but Shankara and Anandagiri
> also echo this in Bhagavad Gita Bhashya 5.10:
>
> Shankara --
>
> "ब्रह्मणि ईश्वरे आधाय निक्षिप्य 'तदर्थं कर्म करोमि' इति भृत्य इव
> स्वाम्यर्थं
> सर्वाणि कर्माणि मोक्षेऽपि फले सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोति यः सर्वकर्माणि, लिप्यते
> न स पापेन न संबध्यते पद्मपत्रमिव अम्भसा उदकेन।"
>
> In English: "Whoever performs actions dedicating all unto Brahman - unto
> Ishvara - with the mindset 'i am working for him', as a servant works for a
> master, renouncing the desire for its fruits - *even the desire to obtain
> liberation or moksa* - such a person is not tainted by sins, just as a
> lotus
> leaf does not become wet on contact with water."
>
> Anandagiri restates the same in a different language --
>
> "यथा भृत्यः स्वाम्यर्थं कर्माणि करोति न स्वफलमपेक्षते तथैव यो
> विद्वान्मोक्षेऽपि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा भगवदर्थमेव सर्वाणि कर्माणि करोति न स
> स्वकर्मणा बध्यते। नहि पद्मपत्रमम्भसा संबध्यते तद्वदित्यर्थः"
>

Here the greatness of karma yoga is extolled. We get a confirmation of this
by this introduction, avatArikaa, in the bhashyam for the verse 5.10:

यस्तु पुनः अतत्त्ववित् प्रवृत्तश्च कर्मयोगे ....

Such an aspirant has to have the only goal as serving the Lord through his
enjoiined duties.  There aught not to be attachment to anything, including
liberation.  Such an attachment can divert his attention from
IshwarArpaNabuddhyA karma pravRtti.  Yhe maturity required to relinquish
karma has not yet set in such a person.  Hence, for him karma yoga is the
path to be practiced.  That such a person is undoubtedly a karma yogin and
not yet a jnani/jnana yogin is brought out by the bhashyam for the
subsequent verse:


 कायेन देहेन मनसा बुद्ध्या च केवलैः ममत्ववर्जितैः' ईश्वरायैव कर्म करोमि, न
मम फलाय' इति ममत्वबुद्धिशून्यैः इन्द्रियैरपि -- केवलशब्दः कायादिभिरपि
प्रत्येकं संबध्यते -- सर्वव्यापारेषु ममतावर्जनाय। *योगिनः कर्मिणः कर्म
कुर्वन्ति सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलविषयम् आत्मशुद्धये सत्त्वशुद्धये इत्यर्थः।
तस्मात् तत्रैव तव अधिकारः इति कुरु कर्मैव।।यस्माच्च -- ।।5.11।।*
**
**


Bhagavan and Bhagavatpada would never approve a situation where a person
knowingly shuns the desire for moksha.

Regards,
subrahmanian.v
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