[Advaita-l] Reply to Sri Vidyamanya Tirtha's observations

[Bhaskar YR]

praNAms Sri ChandramouLi prabhuji
Hare Krishna

I have a small correction to make in your reply. 

>  IMHO, no correction is required in Sri Vidya prabhuji's statement.  We 
have discussed this topic in detail some years back in this very forum. 


Bhagavatpada is very clear that at this stage of one's sadhana it is
absolutely essential to take to sanyasa ashrama for reaching the Goal of
Brahma jnana( ref Brahma Sutra Bhashya 3-4-20. This also has cross
references to various shruti / smriti vakyas . 

>  Yes, shankara emphasizes the importance of taking formal saNyAsa for 
brahma jignAsa.  But point to be noted here is brahma jnAna / realization 
can happen to any sincere mumukshu irrespective of his Ashrama.  Hope you 
would agree with me that brahma jnAna / realization is not saNyAsa Ashrama 
adheena. 

It is only in exceptional
cases that this jnana arises even in persons ( like king Janaka or 
Vamadeva
for example ) who are in other ashramas 

>  shankara gives other examples also in sUtra bhAshya and clearly says 
all the 4 varNAshrami-s (including stree-s) are eligible to get the 
ultimate knowledge.

but it is concluded that in such cases they would have undergone the due 
process of sanyasa ashrama in one
of their earlier janmas.

>  interestingly, if these souls have undergone saNyAsa in earlier janma 
and currently assuming gruhastAshrama,  then these souls can be considered 
as patitA-s from the antyAshrama. And shankara says there is no 
prAyaschitta for these patita-s :-)) 

>  Anyway, this is not anyway an attempt to belittle the importance of 
saNyAsa as an Ashrama in brahma jignAsa.

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!
bhaskar