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Re: Sri.Mani's non-sequitor

From: A. Bharat (kbharat_at_giasbg01.vsnl.net.in)
Date: Tue Jul 06 1999 - 14:20:27 PDT 

Mani wrote:

" I felt that mere praise of Sankara 
(and subsequent denigration of other Vaidikas, such as mImAmsakAs,
as "enemies from within"), without proper context, required a
response." 

With the feeling that Mani's comments are too succinct,I would
like to add a couple of lines of explanation.

Swami EmberumAnAr in the <Laghu Poorvapaksha> to the SrI BhAshya
states emphatically that both PUrva-MImAmsA and Uttara-MImAmsA
(VEdAnta)form a continuous whole;and for this statement he
brings forward the authority of VrttikAra SwAmi BOdhAyana himself:

<Vakhshyati cha karma-brahma-mImAmsayO-raika-SAstryam,"samhita-
metat SArIrakam JaiminIyEna shodasha-lakshaNEnEti,SAstraikatva-
siddhih"> 

Since VEdAnta is connected to Jaimini's 16-chaptered
Poorva-MImAmsa,they both form a single SAstra.

And further on SwAmi EmberumAnAr clearly explains 
that while PoorvaMImAmsa details the <ArAdhana-
prakAra>(the method of worship),VEdAnta deals with 
the <ArAdhya swaroopa> (the nature of the Deity
which is worshipped).Thus they are forever inter-connected,
and the use of the phrase "enemies from within" in
respect of MImAmsakas would hardly be appropriate.

Also since in Sankara's philosophy there exists only a
single attributeless entity,the question of worship and
worshipper,which presupposes the existence of a second
entity would not arise.

I am also an admirer of Sankara's poetry and clarity of
expression as in Bhaja Govindam and other Stotras.But
his philosophy is a totally different matter.

EmberumAnAr TiruvaDigaLE SaraNam!
BHARAT