[Advaita-l] 'Avidya lesha' ('samskāra') admitted by the Upanishads, Bh.Gita and Shankara

[V Subrahmanian]

Please note this correction in this sentence:

// 5. In the same upanishad Yajnvalkya confers on Janaka 'abhayam* vaik*
Janaka prāpto'si'  - Janaka, you have attained the Fearless Brahman. //

The word 'vaik' is to be read as vai, without the k.

regards
subbu

On Sun, Sep 14, 2025 at 3:59 PM V Subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com>
wrote:

> There are many instances across the Upanishads where an Aparoksha Jnani is
> seen to be teaching, discussing, etc. the Atma vidya proving that a
> post-Jnana life is indeed there.  Here are a few such instances, though not
> exact references are given here:
>
> 1. At the end of the Prashnopanishad, the six aspirants who have now
> become Jnani-s, as per Shankara, offer their gratitude to Sage Pippalada,
> their Guru, for having bestowed that Jnana to them: tvam hi nah pitā (thou
> are our father)..for having taken us to the other shore of samsara.
> Shankara says, they worshiped the Guru with flowers and obeisance. He says
> the Guru is father because he has given birth to the brahma shariram and
> put an end to the taking of repeated births.
>
> 2. The Kenopanishad has the statement where an aspirant, undergoing the
> Atma vidya teaching, goes out for a while and returns to the class to
> declare with humility his enlightenment.
>
> 3. This Upanishad also says in the Yaksha episode that Indra got the
> Jnanam through Umā which he further taught the other devata-s.
>
> 4. The Brihadaranyaka 1.4.10 is a very clear statement of gaining Aham
> Brahmasmi jnana and attaining sarvatmatva.
>
> 5. In the same upanishad Yajnvalkya confers on Janaka 'abhayam vaik Janaka
> prāpto'si'  - Janaka, you have attained the Fearless Brahman.
>
> 6. Yajnavalkya, himself an enlightened teacher, engages in discussions,
> teaches the Brahma vidya to many and at the end renounces home and hearth.
>
> 7. In the Chandogya 7th ch. Sanatkumara, the enlightened sage, instructs
> Narada who becomes enlightened.
>
> 8. There is the famous Vāmadeva case of him declaring his enlightenment
> from the mother's womb.
>
> 9. The Ishavasya upanishad gives expression to the Universal Oneness
> vision of the Jnani.
>
> The Bhagavadgita in several chapters gives the traits of a Jnani:
> sthitaprajna, bhakta, guṇātīta and so on.
>
> The Gita 4th chapter says: One must seek a Jnani and put questions on
> Atman, etc. be submissive and serve him. A Tattvadarshi (aparoksha jnani)
> will impart the knowledge to such a one.
>
> Shankara while elaborately commenting on all the above, has of his own
> accord said, sometimes even giving unmistakable expression to his own
> enlightenment:  Brahma sutra bhashya: 4.1.15:
>
> अपि च नैवात्र विवदितव्यम् — ब्रह्मविदा कञ्चित्कालं शरीरं ध्रियते न वा
> ध्रियत इति । *कथं हि एकस्य **स्वहृदयप्रत्ययं** ब्रह्मवेदनं देहधारणं च
> अपरेण प्रतिक्षेप्तुं शक्येत ?* श्रुतिस्मृतिषु च स्थितप्रज्ञलक्षणनिर्देशेन
> एतदेव निरुच्यते । तस्मादनारब्धकार्ययोरेव
> सुकृतदुष्कृतयोर्विद्यासामर्थ्यात्क्षय इति निर्णयः ॥ १५ ॥
>
> Shankara says here:
>
> A Jnani will have the aparoksha anubhava of (1) being Brahman and (2) at
> the same time be in a body too. *No one can deny this*, continues
> Shankara, 'This alone is spoken of as Sthitaprajna lakshana in the shruti
> and smritis.'
>
>
> The corresponding verse in the Bh.Gita for no.2 above is: सर्वकर्माणि
> मनसा संन्यस्यास्ते सुखं वशी।
> नवद्वारे पुरे देही नैव कुर्वन्न कारयन्।।5.13।।  5.13
>
>
> The embodied man of self-control, having given up all actions mentally,
> continues happily in the town of nine gates, without doing or causing
> (others) to do anything at all.
>
>
> warm regards
> subbu
>
>
>
>