[Advaita-l] [advaitin] Spiritual pursuit and familiy traditions

[V Subrahmanian]

On Sun, Sep 21, 2025 at 8:44 PM నావికుడు <navikudu at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> Namaskaram.  Discussions in one of the recently active threads raised an
> important question. Could you kindly shed some light on this, preferably
> with references or examples?
>
> Is a person born into a particular tradition (e.g. Dwaitha, Advaitha or
> Visishtadvaitha) supposed to stick to the same tradition in their spiritual
> pursuit throughout their life?  Or should a person apply genuine inquiry
> and honestly seek the Truth even if it takes him / her  beyond own family
> tradition?
>
> Pranaams
> Sandeep Achar
>

A year ago I met a young man, in his mid 20's, who had accompanied his
Acharya to an Advaita Chintana event.  During the five-day stay there I had
interacted with him and got to know that he was a Madhwa from a town in
Karnataka.  While doing CA course in Bangalore he had come into close
contact with the Sri Ramakrishna Ashram.  Over time he developed a deep
resolve to become a monk in that Order. Naturally his family resisted the
idea. They got a couple of Madhwa pandits to talk to him.  They even got
the intervention of the pontiff of a very famous Madhwa Mutt.  But he was
firm in his resolve. He was pursuing serious study of Advaita in a
traditional manner under that Acharya.

There are such examples in all traditions. From Smarta to Srivaishnava and
Madhwa and from the other two traditions conversion to Advaita.  They have
happened in the past and do happen now.

warm regards
subbu

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