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

[Venkatesh Murthy]

Namaste Sri Chandramouli Mahodaya
Where is Krishna Jois translation of Brihadaranyaka Vartika available? Is
the COMPLETE translation available or only a part? Vartika is a big text
and will require many volumes to translate.


On Sat, Apr 19, 2014 at 2:47 PM, H S Chandramouli
<hschandramouli at gmail.com>wrote:

> 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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-- 
Regards

-Venkatesh