[Advaita-l] Difference between Sankhya and Advaita.

[Srikanta Narayanaswami]

> With reference to the above,the purpose of "Yoga"in Yogadarshana is to unite Prakrithi with Purusha.The
>definition of "Yoga"is "Yujyate iti yogah",it is to yoke or unite.The Kundalini shakthi which is in the 'Muladhara"
>traverses through the different chakras and finally unites with the  Purusha in the "sahasrara"chakra which is
>a thousand petalled Lotus.
>  

Dear Sri Srikanta,

I try to avoid responding to many of your unique observations on this list, but I would request you to please show,

(a) what do you mean by Yogadarshana? Is it Patanjala Yoga (i.e. yogasUtra of Patanjali - bhAshya of Vyasa and
      subcommentaries thereon) or is it something else?
(b) If Patanjala Yoga is meant, could you kindly provide a sUtra/bhAshya/sub-commentary reference which says
      that the purpose of this darshana is to unite Prakrithi with Purusha?
(b) If not Patanjala Yoga, could you enlighten us as to what are your terms of reference for saying the above and
      then bringing in Kundalini shakti and the chakras in this context? 

Finally, if manonasha is Buddhistic, please let us know what your opinion is of the gauDapAda kArikA-s that talk
of amanastA, amanI-bhAva and nirvikalpa/akalpakam. For your ease of reference, I am talking of verses 29-35
in the third prakaraNa of the kArikA-s, namely the advaita prakaraNa. 

Regards,
Vidyasankar                         
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Mr.Vidya shankar
I would like to write to you that you neednot try to avoid responding to my observations on this list.There is no inhibition on my part or need be any reservation on that.Now,coming to the central core of the topic,I shall make the following observations:
a)Yoga darshana is a method or marga for realisation or finding the truth,or vision by Yoga marga.We have only one Yoga darshana by Patanjali,the founder of the Yoga darshana.It includes the commentaries by Vyasa which is said to be ancient and thesubcommentaries which when studied carefully may be of use.It is not some thing else apart from it.It contains only practical part or phases,called Yama,niyama,asana,pranayama,pratyahara dhyana,dharana,samadhi.It has many padas.
b)The Jiva when he born has the Jiva shakthi dormant in him,but Avidya or nescience prevents him to vision the Truth(Darshana).The Prakrithi prevents him to have this vision of Truth or realisation.The Purusha(this not Atman of the Upanishads which is also called Purusha.It is this Purusha who is in ignorance called the Jiva.This Jiva bhava is to be eliminated.This could be done by elevating the Prakrthi or Shakthi which lies dormant in the Muladhara chakra.This can be known from the Yoga shastra where these chakras lie in the body.These are the various points which refer to the points through which the Kundalini or the shakthi traverses through the Susumna nadi which lies between the Ida and Pingala branches(i.e the right and left)branches.Any movement to the right or to the left has to be avoided,by the Yoga technique.This Kundalini is like a serpent which is furious if  the dormant power is not streamlined without controlling its power.This can also
 be known from the Yoga shastra,from the practical part of it.
 
c)Now,finally coming to the most imporrtant question,Acharya Gaudapada has clearly explained in the Advaita prakarana itself that controlling the mind is like a Tittiri bird emptying the ocean drop by drop.The story goes like this.A Tittiri bird which has built its home on the shore of the ocean,when the tides have raised tries to prevent the movement of water of the ocean reaching the shore tries to empty the ocean with a blade of grass!He calls the Yoga of controlling the mind is like trying to empty the ocean with a blade of grass.Amani bhava is not without the mind or destruction of the mind by Buddhistic technique,which is Mano nasha in Buddhism.It is the sublimation of the mind without destruction,by Jnana.In it there is no imagination(akalpaka,or nirvikalpa).Further he has discussed atlength that the Ajathi vada or Asparsha Yoga is different from Buddhism(Naitad Buddhena bhashitam)in the Alata shanthi prakarana.
The karika in the Alata shanthi prakarana goes as follows:
"Asparsha yogo vai nama sarva satva sukham hitah!
Avivado viruddhesca desitahstam namamyaham"!!
"This  yoga which is called Asparsha yoga is conducive for all beings.This Yoga is without any dispute(avivada) and also not against(aviruddha),which is taught(or shown),I pay my obeisance(namamyaham).
"Asparsha yogo vai nama durdarsha sarva Yogibhih!
Yoginah bibhayati  hi asmat Abhaye bhaya darsinah!!"
 
The Karika above says :
This which is called Asparsha Yoga  is very difficult to be visualised(durdarsha).The Yogis are afraid of it,but it is without causing fear(abhaya-which bestows the grace of fearlessness),seeing fear where in reality there is fearlessness.
 
I would like to mention at this stage that my Theses on the "Mandukyopanishath and the Gaudapada karikas" is complete and I am trying to publish my book from a prominent publisher.I request any one in this list to help me publish my Theses.
I hereby thank you and others who have raised this question.
Regards,
N.Srikanta.