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Re: Instructions for the neophyte

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Sadagopan • July 24, 1998 


At 11:13 PM 7/22/98 -0400, you wrote:>
>namo bhagavate vaasudevaaya,>
>Dear vaishhNavas,>
>BTW, I happened on an interesting shloka in vedaanta-sutra (2.1.11):>

>"tarkApratishhThAnAdapi anyathAnumeyamiti chedevamapyavimokshaprasaN^gaH">

>Would vaishhNavas please shed light on the shloka ?

 -Ram-

Dear Sri Ram Gopalaswamy and Fellow students of Brahma sutrAs :

The above sutras you quoted are two adjoining ones :

2.1.11 tarkhAprathishtAnAdhapi 
2.1.12 anyathAanumEyamithi chEth , yevamapyavimOkshaprasanga :

They belong to the dhvitheeya Paadham of Dhvitheeya adhyAyam 
of Bramha SutrAs that have been heavily commented upon by
the BhaashyakArAs and elaborated by Swami Sri Desikan
in SarvArtha Siddhi .

The First One deals with the concept that 
reasoning without the help of the scriptures is not
dependable in Brahma vichAram .Here , AchArya RaamAnujA 
in his Sri Bhaashyam refers to the Saankhya system view 
based on reasoning can not topple the VedAnthic view based 
on the scriptures .

The SaankhyA system is elaborated in Kapila SutrAs 
attributed to Sage Kapilaa . The commentary ( kaarikhA )
for those sutrAs were written by Isvara KrishNA ,
who lived around 250 AD . The SaankhyA system , originally 
theistic , deals with prakrithi ( matter ) and "its evolutes" .
YogA system evolved out of it. 

The soul(Jeevan ) is a passive witness of the happenings in 
the matter in this system , particularly in the physical body , 
which is a product of matter that provides a home for the Jeevan.
Kapila darsanam argues that ignorance of the nature of matter
and of the Self (soul ) leads to worldly suffering .The true
understanding of the two leads to final release from bondage 
in this system .It points out that a mere knowledge of 
matter and self would release one from worldly sufferings .
 
AchArya RaamAnujA intreprets this Sutram and states that 
the Lord Can not be proved by Inference .Swami Sri Desikan 
in his PradhAna sathakam has commented in this context
about the three PramANams :Prathyaksham , anumAnam and 
Saasthram and has pointed out that Saasthram ( Vedam ) 
is the most important among the three and then he went 
on to point out that VedAntham (Upanishads ) is most 
prominent among Saasthrams and Purusha Sooktham is 
the most prominent among VedAntham .

The Second Suthram (2.1.12 ) , the suthrakAra 
according to Sri RamAnujA points out that 
arguments given by one system (saankhyA ) 
are capable of being defeated by another 
( Bauddha here ) "intelligent " and 
fallacious set of arguments that does not
take into account the scriptures (sruthis ).
He establishes the primacy of the scriptures 
as authority and that the reasoning going against
them is NO PROOF of knowledge and such reasoning 
can not be successful in contradicting 
the scriptural texts . 

The 14th sutram in this paadham is very important ,
where the suthrakAra points that Brahman with
the sentient ( Jeevans ) and the insentient(Prakruhti )
as its body does not experience pleasure or pain like 
the individual jeevan .

AchArya RaamAnujA goes onto establish the great darsanam
of VisishtAdvaitham thru his Sri Bhaashyam with its 
five central doctrines :

1. Brahman has attributes and is identical with Sriman
NaarAyaNA .

2 . World and souls are real .

3 .The relation between Brahman on the one hand and 
the world of chethanams and achethanams on the other
is is that between body and soul .

4. Brahman is the ONLY ONE having the World as its 
attribute leading up to the name of VisishtAdvaitham 
to this darsanam .

5.Bhakthi and Prapatthi are the means of Moksham .


How can we discharge our debt of gratitude 
to Sri Bhagavadh RaamAnujA ? The only way is
by studying Sri Bhaashyam and other 8 granthams
blessed by him and the great aruLiccheyalgaLs 
of AzhwArs and other achAryAs .

The AchArya RaamAnujA CD ROM project is a modest 
effort in that direction particularly aimed at the
younger generation and their parents .Hence , Please
join in and make it happen . Those in India can
contribute in Rupees directly to Professor Alwar
and those abroad can help with their currencies
and help us accomplish a kaimkaryam of the kind that 
has hitherto not come into focus .

PLEASE PARTICIPATE TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY .

Thanks to you all ,

V.Sadagopan