[Advaita-l] Bhagavad Gita as predicted by Sage vAsiShTha

[kuntimaddi sadananda via Advaita-l]

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On Wed, 5/14/14, PNKKrishnadas via Advaita-l <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

 
 In the Yoga Vasistha, VAsiShTha says to Rama that he has been his Guru numerous times in the past, over many yugas, giving him
 the same teaching.  In fact, he has said that Rama has asked the same questions, and that he, VAsiShTha, has given the same answers, in the same conversations, numerous times.  VAsiShTha will continue to return, and give his teaching to put consciousness back into the creation. Being the son of Brahma, and one of the seven great rishis, he is
 always present.
 
 Consequently, VAsiShTha undoubtedly knows the Bhagavad Gita very well!  He mentions the conversation between Arjuna and Krishna in his dialogues to Rama.
 
 
Shree Krishnadas -PraNAms. It should be understood not in the form of VishiShTa and Rama but for any teacher and the student since the teaching is same and is eternal and the truth that is being pointed out is eternal. It is an allegorical statement.

If we take the literal meaning of it, we doubt the intellect of either the teacher or the student or both since once one has jnaanam there is no rebirth as per the shastras. If the teaching by a jnaani to another jnaani, then also it is worthless. It has relevance only if the teaching is by jnaani to ajnaani.

There is sloka by a student of Vedanta, that Swami Paramarthanandaji used to quote - The student prays to Shankara bhagavat paada - asking him to be his teacher in every birth that he takes. Swamiji says it means Shankara also has to have punarapi jananam and purapi maranam - for the sake of this student how does think he will realize in this life. Whether we should pity Shankara or the student. 

Glorifying the teacher and teaching is one aspect but taking these literally is another aspect.

Just my 2c.
Hari Om!
Sadananda