[Advaita-l] Fwd: Advaita-l Digest, Vol 83, Issue 2

[Vidyasankar Sundaresan]

> 
> Unfortunately, definition varies from individual to individual, school to
> school, from one understanding of jnAni to another :-)) Since there
> accepted a gradation in jnAni's jnAna (brahmavidvara, variya, varishTa
> etc.) we have to be specific about the jnAni before asking for the
> definition of jnAna in him. In short, there is no standard & universally
> accepted definition of the jnAni...'prArabdha' would play a vital role
> here !!??
> 
> Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!
> bhaskar
> 
> *Bhaskar, I agree that there can be different definitiond of jnani based on
> which stage he is on the jnana bhumi. I dont agree that the definition can
> be based on prarabda karma. If such a position is admissible, there will be

I believe it will be useful for you to think of this issue in terms of "description"
rather than "definition". The definition of a jnAnI is devastatingly simple - one
who knows Brahman as one's own Self, one who sees only the Self (sarvam
Atmaiva abhUt), one who sees Brahman everywhere and all things in Brahman
(yo mAM paSyati sarvatra, sarvaM ca mayi paSyati). There is nothing more to
be said really, as far as a definition is concerned.

A description, on the other hand, can be more elaborate and take into account
other factors. These can include descriptors such as prasanna-vadana, sarva-
bhUtahita, bhagavad-bhakta, Atmarata, AtmakrIDa, AptakAma, kRtakRtya, etc.

Regards,
Vidyasankar