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

[Venkata sriram P]

Namaste,
 
//
If you accept Vasudevam sarvam iti, why not?
//
 
There is a witty joke in telugu that says king’s 1st wife is 
well-behaved, noble & gentle in character.  This statement implies that 
his 2nd wife is simply quite opposite.
 
So, when one is labeling Sankara as Vaishnava 
(irrespective of the definitions), it implies
He is not Saiva, Ganapatya, Sakta etc. 
 
So, one must be careful in choosing the brands
for Acharya Sankara.  
 
//
Is this padam, the state of Vishnu or His lotus feet? 
The question comes up because the devas see it eternally
//
 
When you yourself said “vAdudaH sarvaM iti”, then where is 
the question of hands & feet of Vishnu.  There is incoherence in 
understanding.  
 
The mantra draShTa for this is mEdhAtithi and the tattva that
Is spoken of is the trivikrama & its three-fold expansion
and the yAska defines this as “viseSheNa kramaNa kritavAn”.
Because, He expanded in all directions and became all-pervasive,
He is glorified as Vishnu.  
 
Shakapuni & Niruktakara Yaska define this as Agni & Aditya 
Respectively whose expansion towards all the directions 
Is 3-fold as bhUH, bhuvaH, suvaH.  This triple-fold
expansion is the tri-vikrama and the padaM is that 
transcendental state (saptadhAmabhiH) which the 
wise meditate, contemplate with alertness (jAgravAmsA
samindhatE). 
 
The suktas in Rg Veda are the pointers to 
“richO akSharE paramE vyOman” only which
is the parama pada. 
 
Regs,
Sriram