[Advaita-l] Bhakti in Advaita Tradition - Post - Gaudapada and Pre-Madhusudana

[Venkata sriram P]

Dear Rajaramji,
 
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I think Sankara is Vaishnava and Vishnu is not only the four-handed deity
 
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How come Sankara Bhagavatpada, whose vision reverberates with shruti vakya
"EkaM sat viprAH bahudhA vadanti", is labelled as vaishnava? 
 
Granted that vishnu is not the four-handed deity as stated in shruti (tat vishnOh 
paramaM padaM sadA pashyanti sUrayaH....).  On the similar lines, Siva can 
also be derived as "sAntaM sivaM advaitaM.." and other panchayAtana deities viz.,
gaNapati, ambika & aditya.  
 
Acharya Sankara is all rolled into One who is beyond all "isms".  And that is Advaita.
 
regs,
sriram