[Advaita-l] "Adharma" of a Jnani - the instances of Miracles (was Re: Is morality necessary for liberation?)

[S Jayanarayanan]

This will be my last posting on this topic. I have neither the time nor the inclination to get into the topic of Yoga Siddhis and Jnanis. 
(I intentionally used the English word "Miracle" because it is typically used in the context of Saints.)
 
ALL the Jnanis in the Itihasas and Puranas have aligned themselves to Dharma only.
 
Example:
 
Krishna studied under a Guru -> Dharma.
Krishna took perfect care of the people (and cattle too) around him -> Dharma.
Krishna killed countless asuras who disturbed the peace of good people (e.g. Kamsa) -> Dharma.
Krishna strove for peace with the Kauravas -> Dharma.
Krishna counselled others (e.g. Arjuna) on Dharma -> Dharma.
 
Now, someone may ask: how about Krishna playing around with the Gopis - especially those who were married! Is that not adharma?
 
Clearly, Krishna was on the side of Dharma. Even his playing around with the Gopis was to liberate them. But he has displayed via his powers that he does not fall under the precise Dharma that is applicable to the layman. One such is his lifting the Govardhana mountain with his little finger - not as mere showmanship, but as DHARMA of protecting the people from the wrath of Indra. Every single one of Krishna's powers and plays has been used for Dharmic purposes ONLY.
 
Similarly the case with Agastya - there are numerous instances where he has shown himself to be on the side of Dharma. In the case of his eating meat - he did so to rid the earth of a demon (Vatapi). This itself was done for Dharma and Dharma ALONE.
 
Take the case of Adi Sankara. It is superfluous to discuss the instances he adhered to Dharma. His entire LIFE was devoted to Dharma ONLY. Now one may ask, "What about his learning the art of love by taking on a king's body?"
 
Firstly, Sankara's taking up another's body itself is at the height of one's yogic powers. Can an ordinary man leave his body and take on the body of a dead man? This is impossible for any of us - but Sankara was able to do so. He learned the art of love and returned to his original body. One must remember that he did this also only for the sake of Dharma - because he had to defeat Ubhaya Bharati before he could establish the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta. He has also displayed his Yogic powers - for the sake of Dharma - by freeing himself from the clutches of a crocodile, by changing the course of the river Purna, by making golden amlas rain from the sky to help a poor pious lady, and so on. Again like Krishna, Sankara's life was devoted to Dharma only.
 
Now consider the case of Ravana:
 
His disturbing the peace of good people -> Adharma.
His putting on the guise of a Sannyasi to fool another -> Adharma.
His forcibly taking the wife of another -> Adharma.
His attempt to kill a messenger (Hanuman) -> Adharma.
His rejection of good counseling (from Vibheeshana) -> Adharma.
 
Ravana was obviously on the side of Adharma. Every one of his powers was used for Adharma. He is rightfully called an Asura.
 
Requoting the Apastamba Dharma Sutra 2.6.13.8-10:
 

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/sbe02/sbe0248.htm
 

PRASNA II, PATALA 6, KHANDA 13.
 

"8. Transgression of the law and violence are found amongst the ancient (sages).
9. They committed no sin on account of the greatness of their lustre.
10. A man of later times who seeing their (deeds) follows them, falls."
 
The Sanskrit original of #9 above says, "tejo visheSheNa" -> "Exceptional Spirituality". The meaning and implication are obvious.

 


----- Original Message -----
From: RAMESH RAMANAN <rameshramanan at yahoo.co.uk>
To: A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
Cc: 
Sent: Thursday, February 6, 2014 7:47 AM
Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] "Adharma" of a Jnani - the instances	of	Miracles	(was Re: Is morality necessary for liberation?)

Pranams, 


I think that those who who claim to be Jnanis but follow adharmic ways may perform some so-called miracles just to impress the laymen of their superiority, but they are not actually the self-realized jnanis, but just above the ordinary rank and file of mankind, just like a hypnotist or a mesmerizer is. A self-realized Jnani CAN NOT afford to be adharmic, as his very nature becomes the embodiment of dharma, Otherwise, he can not claim any right to Jnana as such. My humble Pranams to all the members. Ramesh





On Thursday, 6 February 2014, 16:10, Bhaskar YR <bhaskar.yr at in.abb.com> wrote:

If someone performs adharma and claims to be a Jnani, it is perfectly fair 
to expect them to perform Miracles too.


Because: the Jnanis in the Itihasas and Puranas adhere to Dharma only. In 
the rare instances that they do not adhere to Dharma, they have shown 
their ability to perform Miracles.

praNAms Sri Karthik prabhuji
Hare Krishna

Kindly pardon me prabhuji.  Frankly I am not able to understand the 
relevance between miracles & jnAni-s avyavahAra. Does it not convey the 
wrong message that those who can perform miracles can some time indulge in 
questionable activities and still maintain their jnAni-hood intact??  For 
that matter, you would agree with me that all siddha purusha-s (those who 
gained occult powers like aNimAdi siddhi-s through ashtAnga yOga, tantra 
sAdhana etc.) are NOT paramArtha jnAni-s and paramArtha jnAni is not 
always a siddha purusha.  Under these circumstances, how can we bridge 
relation between jnAni and miracles??  am I missing something here 
prabhuji??  Kindly clarify.

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!
bhaskar

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