[Advaita-l] A request for clarifications

[Sangeerth P]

@V Subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com> sir

The link you previously shared does not seem to be opening on my end. Could
you kindly check and resend it?

I also had a question regarding the Mahabharata śloka you cited. I am
finding it difficult to fully understand the complete meaning and context
(saṅgati) of the verse. It would be very helpful if you could explain it in
detail.

In particular, the phrase *“श्रावयेच्चतुरो वर्णान्”* seems to indicate that
while Itihāsa and Purāṇa may be accessible to all four varṇas, the text
explicitly mentions only *śravaṇa-mātra adhikāra* (the right to listen),
and not the right to read or recite.(
https://sanskritsahitya.org/mahabharatam/12.314.45)

Additionally, in the Viṣṇu Sahasranāma Śaṅkara Bhāṣya, while commenting on *“Ya
idam śṛṇuyān nityam”* and the *phalaśruti* verses (
https://archive.org/details/Wxxw_shri-vishnu-sahasranam-with-shankaracharya-bhashya-gita-press-gorakhpur/page/n277/mode/2up),
Śaṅkarācārya appears to distinguish phala between śravaṇa and kīrtana. He
notes that for a fourth varṇa individual, the adhikāra is limited to
listening, not for practices like japa yajña and thats why we have separate
phala shruti mentioned for shravana, keertana and 4 varnas. Based on this,
it seems that even nāma-japa of the Viṣṇu Sahasranāma may not be permitted,
which can be somewhat controversial to state openly.

Further, in the Gītā Bhāṣya (2.69), the line:
“विदुषः त्यक्तैषणस्य स्थितप्रज्ञस्य यतेरेव मोक्षप्राप्तिः न तु असंन्यासिनः”
suggests that mokṣa is attainable only by a *yati*. Traditionally, the term
*yati* is understood to refer to a renunciate, often interpreted as a
Brahmin in the fourth āśrama (sannyāsa). If mokṣa is indeed open to all, I
wonder why the Bhāṣyakāra specifically chose the term *yati*, instead of a
more inclusive or unambiguous expression.(
https://www.gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in/srimad?scsh=1&setgb=1&&language=dv&field_chapter_value=2&field_nsutra_value=69
)

I would be grateful if you could kindly clarify these points.

Regards
Sangeerth P
8608658009


On Fri, Apr 24, 2026 at 11:21 PM V Subrahmanian via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> On Fri, Apr 24, 2026 at 10:20 PM santosh mahapatra via Advaita-l <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>
> > Esteemed Members,
> > Please accept my humble Pranams. For past several months I am going
> > through an internal turmoil due to my inability to answer some questions
> > raised by my 18 year old son regarding Adi Shankar's remarks prohibiting
> > studies of Vedas and Vedanta by Women and Shudras.Can there be any
> > spiritual interpretation to Adi Shankaracharya's such injunctions? I
> shall
> > appreciate the responses from the learned members in this group. They
> will
> > be very helpful to clarify his doubts.
> >
>
> Namaste
>
> With regard to the eligibility to study the Veda, all the traditional
> schools are in agreement. The Smritis they cite are also the same. Even
> Vallabha and Nimbarka agree with the earlier Three Acharyas.  Here is a
> short article in English consisting of the Bhashyas, English translation
> and an image from Gautama Dharma Sutra:
>
> https://adbhutam.files.wordpress.com/2021/01/eligibility-to-the-study
> -of-the-veda.pdf
> <https://adbhutam.files.wordpress.com/2021/01/eligibility-to-the-study-of-the-veda.pdf>
>
>
> Adi Shankara never said "only a male who is a Brahmin renunciant can attain
> Moksha."
>
> *1. Brahma Sutra Bhashya 1.3.38:*
>
> येषां पुनः पूर्वकृतसंस्कारवशाद्विदुरधर्मव्याधप्रभृतीनां ज्ञानोत्पत्तिः,
> तेषां न शक्यते फलप्राप्तिः प्रतिषेद्धुम् , ज्ञानस्यैकान्तिकफलत्वात् ।
> 'श्रावयेच्चतुरो वर्णान्'(म॰भा॰ १२-३२७-४९) इति चेतिहासपुराणाधिगमे
> चातुर्वर्ण्यस्याधिकारस्मरणात् । वेदपूर्वकस्तु नास्त्यधिकारः शूद्राणामिति
> स्थितम् ॥ ३८ ॥
>
> The meaning of this is: People like Vidura and Dharmavyadha, who are
> non-Brahmins, are endowed with Knowledge (Jnana) in this birth due to the
> Samskara (impressions) of spiritual practice done in their previous births
> (as depicted in the Mahabharata). No one can deny that the fruit of that
> Knowledge — namely Moksha — is unavailable to them. Just as Mahabharata
> 12.327.49 says "it must be told to all four Varnas," anyone — regardless of
> gender or caste — can come to know the Supreme Truth (Paratattva) through
> the Itihasas and Puranas and thereby attain liberation. This is what Adi
> Shankara stated.
>
> *2. Mandukya Karika Bhashya 4.95:*
>
> Furthermore, in his commentary on Mandukya Karika 4.95, Adi Shankara states
> that even women and anyone else who comes to know this Supreme Truth will
> be the greatest Jnanis in the world:
>
> अजे साम्ये परमार्थतत्त्वे एवमेवेति ये केचित् स्त्र्यादयोऽपि सुनिश्चिता
> भविष्यन्ति चेत् , त एव हि लोके महाज्ञानाः निरतिशयतत्त्वविषयज्ञाना इत्यर्थः
> ।
>
> The meaning is: If anyone — including women — becomes firmly convinced of
> this birthless, equal Supreme Reality, they alone are the great Jnanis in
> the world, possessed of unsurpassed knowledge of the Truth.
>
> *Conclusion:* Therefore, in Adi Shankara's philosophy, women and people of
> all Varnas have a path to attain Jnana and thereby reach liberation
> (Mukti).
>
>
> warm regards
>
> subbu
>
>
>
>
> > Pranams,
> > Santosh
> >  "Ego rules the world. People are helpless victims of their egos."-- Amma
> > (Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, The Hugging Saint)
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