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Thread: Soundarya Lahari - Shree Shankaraachaaryaa - Advaita

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    Question Soundarya Lahari - Shree Shankaraachaaryaa - Advaita

    Namaste

    While commuting I happen to listen Soundarya Lahari few days ago. It was a melodious and peaceful experience.

    Although didn't understand a bit of it then, later learnt that it was composed by Shree Shankaraachaaryaa along with other associated legends.

    It is a very beautiful poem.

    Shree Shankaraachaaryaa has composed Baja Govindam, Karaavalambam and Soundarya Lahari among others.

    While Shree Shankaraachaaryaa spearheaded Advaita concepts why should he compose poems praising Govinda or Lakshmi Nrusimha or Parvathi ?

    Out of all the three I listed Baja Govindam is in line with Advaita but still why Govinda?

    Also legends around these poems says he met Shivaya or saved by Nrusimha etc etc. How is this possible?

    I request readers to forgive me, if my question is not appropriate.
    Anirudh...

  2. #2

    Re: Soundarya Lahari - Shree Shankaraachaaryaa - Advaita

    Namaste

    If I may point out a few things --

    1. The truth is, that the advaita in the VedAnta, is more like a set of axioms or aphorisms. It is not to be confused with a practice, way of life or some action to be taken.

    a + b = c
    A square has four equal sides.
    The earth is round
    Likewise, the Source of everything and everyone is One. Therefore, do not keep a mentality of seperateness -- of mine and yours. Do not carry the burden of doership, ownership, acheivement, and thereby keep expectations and encounter dissappointments.

    This is all vedAnta is telling us.

    2. Adi Shakara was a Govind-premi. If he was a rUpa of Shankara then that fits perfectly. Shambhu loves Govind and vice versa although Shambhu is none other than Govind playing a different role. [* Shambhu, Shankar are names of Shiva]

    3. He set examples of at least karma-kAnDa and upAsanA if not bhakti. Bhakti should never be misunderstood as karma-kAnDa. There is no doubt that jivas need to acknowledge they exist, impressions exist, vRtti exist, and there is a need to streamline and regulate that existence.

    If jivas are beginingless, they are not about to vanish so soon. If it is the nature of Brahman to manifest jivas, then it is.
    What is, is.

    om namo bhagavate vAsudevAya
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

  3. #3

    Re: Soundarya Lahari - Shree Shankaraachaaryaa - Advaita

    Quote Originally Posted by Anirudh View Post
    Namaste
    While Shree Shankaraachaaryaa spearheaded Advaita concepts why should he compose poems praising Govinda or Lakshmi Nrusimha or Parvathi ?
    Namaste.

    What advaita concept forbids praising gods? I don't know any.

    Pranams.

  4. #4

    Re: Soundarya Lahari - Shree Shankaraachaaryaa - Advaita

    Quote Originally Posted by Ekam View Post
    Namaste.

    What advaita concept forbids praising gods? I don't know any.

    Pranams.
    Namaste Ekam

    I can tell where the OP is coming from, and I have seen this myself.

    The strong advocates of non-duality (on the internet) tell us that if I am praising God, or associating with God, or dependant on God, or calling God, even speaking to Him or walking with Him, that is a sign of ignorance and confusion because I see "me and God"

    If even a pure devotee is supposedly ignorant, in mAyA, having 'sankuchit vRtti' or blemish or whatever, then what to speak of work-in-progress devotees -- if they acknowledge that the underlying Source or Truth is One at some level, yet talk about "there is me and there is BhagavAn" then they are told they are "confused"

    This is something that devotees especially of the pure bhakti tradition have to protect themselves from.

    Please see my point 1. above ....

    Advaita is knowledge in terms of an axiom -- that the underlying truth is One. Therefore, mA sucha! Do not fear or worry, nothing is "yours" that you lost it. That does not snatch my right to love the Lord as another Being I depend on and am a part of. In fact BhagavAn Shri KRshNa encourages it. The devotee in knowledge is the best to Him.

    This is because the bhakta-vatsal karuNAkAri (the Compassionate parent of the devotees), knows well that the only way to be Absolutely One with the One is to live in deep samAdhi and do nothing OR to leave the body. While embodied we have to carry on our duties, we have to acknowledge our individual role in this birth. For the devotees, that is not possible without the nectar that is BhagavAn Svayam by their side, at Whose Lotus Feet they reside.

    At this point, the Bhagavad GeetA sAr (gist) is most appropriate -- in this context. I'll be back with it.

    om namo bhagavate vAsudevAya
    Last edited by smaranam; 30 November 2014 at 10:34 AM.
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

  5. #5

    Re: Soundarya Lahari - Shree Shankaraachaaryaa - Advaita

    Hare KRshNa

    Here is the beautiful GeetA Saar (gist, essence) in Hindi, (I have had it for years in a poster form with cutest GopAL on one side)
    http://www.eaglespace.com/spirit/geetasaar.php

    This is Geeta Saar translated into English
    http://www.eaglespace.com/spirit/geetaenglish.php

    excerpt:
    [tum kyA ho? kyA hai tumhArA jo tum rote ho ki chalA gayA?]

    "What did you lose that you cry about? What did you bring with you, which you think you have lost? What did you produce, which you think got destroyed? You did not bring anything - whatever you have, you received from here. Whatever you have given, you have given only here. Whatever you took, you took from God. Whatever you gave, you gave to him. You came empty handed, you will leave empty handed. What is yours today, belonged to someone else yesterday, and will belong to someone else the day after tomorrow. You are mistakenly enjoying the thought that this is yours. It is this false happiness that is the cause of your sorrows."

    he nAtha nArAyaNa vAsudeva...
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

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    Re: Soundarya Lahari - Shree Shankaraachaaryaa - Advaita

    Namaste Smaranam ji

    Thanks for your reply.
    Anirudh...

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    Re: Soundarya Lahari - Shree Shankaraachaaryaa - Advaita

    Namaste Ekam ji

    If the ultimate reality is Brahman and Brahman is beyond name and forms then instead of focusing on Nirguna Brahman why should Shree Shankaraachaaryaa praise Saguna Brahman or Ishwara or a particular form of God(s) like Nrusimha or Parvati etc etc ?

    To me it sounds like...

    I have a problem statement in maths..

    I approach Grade 1 maths teacher. Teacher provides me a solution. Then I am told the solution given by Grade 1 teacher is not un real but illusory. It is not incorrect but the ultimate solution is available with Grade 5 teacher. So seek the help of Grade 5 teacher.

    Likewise why should Shree Shankaraachaaryaa introduce Grade 1 teacher (Maya) when my goal is to seek Moksha which is available to me by identifying myself with Grade 5 teacher.




    Quote Originally Posted by Ekam View Post
    Namaste.

    What advaita concept forbids praising gods? I don't know any.

    Pranams.
    Anirudh...

  8. #8

    Re: Soundarya Lahari - Shree Shankaraachaaryaa - Advaita

    Namaste Anirudhji
    Quote Originally Posted by Anirudh View Post
    Likewise why should Shree Shankaraachaaryaa introduce Grade 1 teacher (Maya) when my goal is to seek Moksha which is available to me by identifying myself with Grade 5 teacher.
    Because I/many seekers could very well be in Grade 1. I thought that was obvious.

    However, Grade 1 of this school is not the same as Grade 5 of another school. Apples and Oranges.
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

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    Re: Soundarya Lahari - Shree Shankaraachaaryaa - Advaita

    hariḥ oṁ
    ~~~~~~
    namasté

    I only offer this in passing... govinda takes on a few meanings.
    One is his guru govinda bhagavatpāda and the other is kṛṣṇa; He does this in one stroke. The ability to praise both and see them as non-different. This non-difference is at the core of advitīya thought.


    But what of the other devatā ? ādi śaṅkara-ji understood that in practice the infinite can be seen in one. And to unfold this insight of advitīya, one needed to start somewhere. So , he mentions several devatā. This allows one to align their practice to that one they might adore as the infinite is on one.

    Said another way, ādi śaṅkara-ji knew the human condition ( this is supported by his fine work found within vivekacūḍāmaṇi¹) and understood the aspirant had to be uplifted to this realization of advitīya's direct experience of wholeness. He knew the native had to start somewhere. To this fact he offered the devatā's within the pañcāyatana puja. From my point of view how could this not be more encompassing and enduring ?


    iti śivaṁ

    1. vivekacūḍāmaṇi - this says, the crown jewel of discrimination ( some say crest jewel).
    Last edited by yajvan; 30 November 2014 at 03:19 PM.
    यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

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    Question Re: Soundarya Lahari - Shree Shankaraachaaryaa - Advaita

    Namaste Smaranam Ji

    We aren't comparing Advaita with any other philosophies here. So there are no different schools.

    The introduction of Grade 1 teacher is an unwanted confusion here unless there exist some other valid reasons.

    In those days ie (during Shree Shankaraachaaryaa days) these philosophies weren't available to all. So the possibility of Grade 1 students is minimum or remote. I don't think Shree Shankaraachaaryaa would have had debates with Grade 1 students either.

    Maya concept is a well thought out answer to the practices followed then. But writing new poems / hymns on Ishwara doesn't make sense because there were many poems/hymns praising Ishwara.

    For eg... In spirit both Lakshmi Nrusimha Karavalambam stotram and Nrusimha Kavacham of Prahallad are one and the same.

    We can argue Shree Shankaraachaaryaa is a great poet so he sang but why he praise or pray Nrusimha (a particular form)when he himself is a self realized who understand that Brahman is beyond form?

    Hope Advatins of HDF will consider my question as valid and share their wisdom.


    Quote Originally Posted by smaranam View Post
    Namaste Anirudhji


    Because I/many seekers could very well be in Grade 1. I thought that was obvious.

    However, Grade 1 of this school is not the same as Grade 5 of another school. Apples and Oranges.
    Anirudh...

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