[Advaita-l] Shankara's Gita Bhashya 9.25 on Vinayaka and Matrika - a clarification

[jaldhar at braincells.com]

On Sun, 26 May 2024, V Subrahmanian via Advaita-l wrote:

> Durgaprasad's article
>
>
> Why do Smartas and Shaktas consider Devi supreme when Adi Shankara in his
> commentary to Bhagavad Gita 9.25 called the Matrika goddesses unworthy of
> worship for those who desire moksha?
> <https://www.quora.com/Why-do-Smartas-and-Shaktas-consider-Devi-supreme-when-Adi-Shankara-in-his-commentary-to-Bhagavad-Gita-9-25-called-the-Matrika-goddesses-unworthy-of-worship-for-those-who-desire-moksha>
>

As we have discussed several times on advaita-l, Shankaracharya did not 
pick these particular bhutas as random examples.  they are the pantheon of 
the kaula paschimnamnaya system of tantra which is nastika.  It is this 
tanktrika upasana which is condemned not devi worship in general (or even 
those tanktrika sampradayas which are compatible with the Vedas.)

-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>