[Advaita-l] {भारतीयविद्वत्परिषत्} Advaita vs Visistadvaita summary by Vasudeva Abhyankar Shastri

[V Subrahmanian]

On Thu, Dec 11, 2025 at 2:38 PM Sudhanshu Shekhar <sudhanshu.iitk at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Hari Om Subbu ji.
>
> Here are some question: In advaita the difference across jivas are due to the
>> difference in shtula sukshma sharira of jivas. Since the shāstra says that
>> these bodies are not of the Atman, at the Atman level there is no difference
>> across jivas.  In Vishishtadvaita, what differentiates one Atman from
>> another Atman as they too do not admit the sthula sukshma sharira for the
>> Atman?
>>
>
> In VishidhTAdvaita, it is accepted that there are two types of bheda
> between any two jIvAs. One, aupAdhika-bheda (created due to upAdhi such as
> body/mind). Two, swarUpa-bheda.
>
> The aupAdhika-bheda is karma-krita (caused due to karma) and is not
> inherent to jIva. This aupAdhika-bheda is removed in mOksha when karma is
> removed.
>
> The swarUpa-bheda is always present. This swarUpa-bheda is inexpressible
> in words as it is not an object of speech. However, this swarUpa-bheda is
> self-luminous. One knows it by itself. Nothing else is required to know
> this difference between two jIvAs.
>

Dear Sudhanshu ji,

This is almost like Dvaita; they accept a svarupa deha to the Atman which
manifests only in mukti.

>
> On account of this swarUpa-bheda, one mukta-AtmA does not address another
> mukta-AtmA as "I". It addresses oneself as "I", whereas other mukta-AtmA as
> "you".
>
> जीवात्मस्वरूपं देवमनुष्यादिप्रकृतिपरिणामविशेषरूपनानाविधभेदरहितं
> ज्ञानानन्दैकगुणम् । तस्यैतस्य कर्मकृतदेवादिभेदेऽपध्वस्ते स्वरूपभेदो
> वाचामगोचरः स्वसंवेद्यः, ज्ञानस्वरूपमित्येतावदेव निर्देश्यम् । तच्च
> सर्वेषामात्मनां समानम् ।
>
> Reference is VedArtha Sangrah, page 14 onwards of Hindi VyAkhyA by Swami
> Neelameghacharya ji.
>
> Also, what is meant by  prakārādvaitam here?
>>
>
> Despite there being mutual differences (swarUpa-bheda) between jIvAs,
> there is identity among them in so far as their prakAra (visheshaNa) is
> concerned. All jIvAs are all jnAna-Anada-swarUpa.
>

In Dvaita too jivas are jnana-ananda svarupa. On such counts as this and
chetanatva, they say there are some similarities between jiva and Ishwara
too.


> However , this jnAna is dharmI-jnAna which is different from a
> dharma-jnAna which situates in jIva. This dharma-jnAna continues in mukti.
>
> So, like one rice grain is different from another rice grain. There is
> swarUpa-bheda between two rice-grains, but there is prakAra-advaita through
> the identity of prakAra, rice-hood, between these two grains.
>

Is it that because it is not possible to talk about the difference/s
between two jivas that they don't spell what differentiates one jiva from
another, in mukti too?

>
> Further, though visheshaNa-jIva is different from
> visheshya-kUTastha-nirvikAra-Brahman, the visheshaNa-jIva is not different
> from vishishTa-Brahman. There is singular vishishTa-Brahman. Nothing, which
> is not vishishTa-Brahman, exists. This is prakArI-advaita. That is, there
> is only one prakArI-Brahman, vishishTa-Brahman.
>
> Reference: AdvaitAmOda.  यद्ब्रह्मणः शरीरभूतं न भवति तादृशं
> ब्रह्मव्यतिरिक्तं किंचिदपि नास्तीति तात्पर्यम् । एतदेव विशिष्टाद्वैतं
> *प्रकार्यद्वैतमिति* चोच्यते ।.... जीवाः परस्परं वस्तुतो भिन्ना एव । किं
> तु भिन्नानामपि तेषां ज्ञानस्वरूपेणैकजातीयत्वाज्जीवैक्यमिति व्यवहारो भवति
> । ऐक्यं तुल्यत्वम् । स चायं च व्रीहिरेक एव तवेदं
> चौषधमेकमेवेत्यत्रैवात्राप्येकशब्दस्तुल्यार्थकः । जीवाद्वैतमिति
> व्यवहारस्याप्येतदेव तात्पर्यम् | *जीवानां मिथो भेदेऽपि
> तद्वतप्रकारस्यैक्यात् । एतदेव प्रकाराद्वैतमित्युच्यते* ।
>
> Another question is: In the Ramajuja system the jivas (Atma) are aNu as opposed
>> to vibhu (all pervading) in Advaita.  By ANu is it meant that the Atman
>> is of atomic size? If the meaning sukshma is given to aNu, even advaita
>> admits the Atman to be sukshma, subtle and not of any size. Could you
>> please clarify?
>>
>
> As per Sri Bhashya 2.3.19-32, jIva is aNu (atomic size) and is located in
> a specific place in body.
>

Thanks for the clarifications.  I was reminded of the Sarva Darshana
Sangraha (of Madhavacharya) which says under Ramanuja Darshanam that this
is a bhedābheda school and takes the Vedartha sangraha of Ramanuja for
this.  The commentary there by Sri Vasudeva Shastri Abhyankar confirms
that.

Sarva Darshana Sangraha:

किमत्र तत्त्वं भेदोऽभेद् उभयात्मकं वा । सर्व तत्त्वम् । तत्र सर्वशरीरतया
सर्वप्रकारं ब्रह्मैवावस्थितमित्यभेदोभ्युपेयते । एकमेव ब्रह्म
नानाभूतचिदचित्प्रकारान्नानात्वेनावस्थितमिति भेदाभेदौ । चिदचिदीश्वराणां
स्वरूपस्वभाववैलक्षण्यादसंकराश्च भेदः । तत्र चिद्रूपाणां जीवात्मनामसंकुचिता
परिच्छिन्न निर्मलज्ञानरूपाणामनादिक....

Commentary:
-
किमत्रेति ।* रामानुजीयाः किं भेदवादिन उताभेदवादिनोथ वा भेदाभेदवादिन इति
प्रश्नार्थः ।* उत्तरयति -- सर्वे तस्वमिति ।* रामानुजीया भेदवादिनोऽभेदवादिन
उभयवादिनश्चेत्यर्थः । *तदुपपादयति तत्र सर्वेति । सर्वशरीरतयेति
सर्वप्रकारमिति च बहुव्रीहिः । स्वरूपस्वभावेति । चितां जीवानां स्त्ररूपं
ज्ञानात्मकमित्यचित्स्वरूपापेक्षया चितां स्वरूपवैलक्षण्यम् । चिदीश्वरयोस्तु
यद्यपि ज्ञानात्मकं स्वरूपं सममेव तथापीश्वरस्वरूपं विभु जीवानां त्वविति
चिदीश्वरयोः स्वरूपवैलक्षण्यं बोध्यम् । असंकुचितेति । असंकुचितं
परिच्छेदरहितं निर्मलं च यज्ज्ञानं तत्स्वरूपाणां जीवात्मनामि-

The basis for the above is the Vedartha Sangraha of Ramanuja:
1. वेदार्थसङ्ग्रह: Part I

सर्वशरीरतया सर्वप्रकारं ब्रह्मैवावस्थितमित्यभेदः समर्थित: । एकमेव ब्रह्म
नानाभूतचिदचिद्वस्तुप्रकारं नानात्वेनावस्थितमिति भेदाभेदौ ।
अचिद्वस्तुनश्चिद्वस्तुनश्चेश्वरस्य च स्वरूपस्वभाववैलक्षण्यादसंकराच्च भेद:
समर्थित: । (ऐक्यज्ञानस्य मोक्षसाधनत्वशङ्का, तन्निरासश्च) ननु च तत्त्वमसि
श्वेतकेतो (छा.उ.६.८.७), तस्य तावदेव चिरं (छा.उ.६.१४.२) इत्येक्यज्ञानमेव...

regards
subbu







>
> Regards.
> Sudhanshu Shekhar.
>
> --
> Commissioner of Income-tax,
> Delhi.
>
>