[Advaita-l] [advaitin] Seeking clarification on Bri. Up. Mantra 1-4-2

[H S Chandramouli]

Dear Sri Kuntimaddiji,

I have tried to answer some of your queries based on Sri Sureshwaracharya's
Vatika translated into english by Shoun Hino/KP Jog , and into kannada  by
Sri Krishna Jois, a very learned vedantin.

K ::

<<  How did viraj gained the knowledge of unity or who instructed him about
that knowledge. >>

H  ::

This is answered in the verses 77 - 90 of the vartika. Just as Viraj gained
birth of such an exalted status  due to his accumulated punya of a very
high order, even so he gained knowledge without any external aids like
guru, shastra etc for the same reason. It is commonly noticed in this world
also instances of men with intelligence, power of grasping, memory,
firmness and clarity translating them into knowledge through instruments of
action which have originated from ( earlier ) holy acts, so also ( would
they be ) in the case of the highly endowed Viraj. In this context the
following Manu smrti is cited in the Vartika << jnanamapratigham yasya
vairagyam cha jagatpateh I aisvryam chaiva dharmashcha sahasidham
chatushtayam II >> translated as << In the case of the Lor of the world, (
the four, viz ) vairagya, aisvrya, dharma, and unbounded ( or, unobstructed
) knowledge are born together with him >> . This is cited to prove the the
clarity of Viraj's knowledge. Viraj and his knowledge etc coexist. The word
" sahasidham "  means knowledge is gained without any external aids, not
that they were existing at the time of birth itself. The possible objection
that then such aids are not necessary for anyone is not valid. They are not
required only for persons of such high calibre. For others with a much
lower order of spiritual attainments they are essential.An illustration
given in the Vartika in this regard is that of cats and owls being able to
see objects in darkness withought the need for any light. whereas for
humans light is essential to see through darkness.

There are a number of other detailed reasons also advanced in the verses
77-90 which I have not brought out here.

K  ::

<<

Further objection – if that is so he should have no fear.

The response to this is somewhat lengthy and does not directly addresses
the objection, as I see.
It boils down to either to say he does not have full knowledge that he is
Brahman and therefore has only partial knowledge that he is one without a
second but not that he is infiniteness or aham brahmaasmi, even though he
knows that he is one without a second. Hence he is still born, since he did
upaasana (Bri. Up. 1-3-28 on asatoma satgamaya,.etc) with a desire to
become Hiranya garbha in the next life.

 I felt that the discussion in Shankara bhaashhya does not directly
addresses the objection that was raised. From my understanding he has the
knowledge similar to who am I inquiry where one can arrive at the I am all
alone since anything else  is not I and hence inert – that is just tvam
padaartha vichaara and does not yet involve tat padartha vichaara and the
mahavaakya vichaara. But Bhaashya seems to imply something else, unless I
misunderstood its implication. >>

H ::

Viraj has fear only before knowledge. Not afterwards.The Bhashya next
proceeds with the reasons for Viraj feeling " lonely " ( absence of Delight
) after gaining knowledge. I am not sure if you are refering to this when
you say <<
But Bhaashya seems to imply something else, unless I misunderstood its
implication. >> Kindly clarify.

Have I really addressed any of the points raised by you. I am myself not
very sure.

Regards






On Thu, Apr 17, 2014 at 6:00 PM, kuntimaddi sadananda <
kuntimaddisada at yahoo.com> wrote:

>
> PraNams - some typo as usual
> it says:
>
> Further objection – if that is so he should have fear. -
>
> Correction:
>
> Further objection: If that is so, he should not have fear.
>
> Hari Om!
> Sadananda
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