Shobhanam

Kumbakonam Advaita Sabha Golden Jubilee Commemorative Publication
Excerpts

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Translated from Tamil into English by Divya Shivashankar

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Kumbakonam Advaita Sabha – Golden Jubilee Commemorative Publication

A compendium of essays in Tamil

 

Endowed with the Divya-Srimukha graced by

 

Srimad Paramahamsa Parivrajakacharya
Sri Jagadguru Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Pitadipathi
Sri Chandrashekharendra Saraswati Sri Shankaracharya Swamigal

 

Published by Sri Kamakoti Koshasthanam, July 1945

 

Srimukham

graced by

Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Pithadipati Sri Jagadguru Sri Chandrashekharendra Saraswati Samyameendral

on the occasion of

The Golden Jubilee of The Kumbakonam Advaita Sabha

 

That which explains the truest of all that exists to benefit all who are born in this world, and that which offers the greatest aid beyond which no better aid exists, is but advaita vidya. To wipe away all the troubles of jIvas mired in suffering is the greatest aid. The Truth is that, upon the realization of which its seekers attain consummate bliss. There is a vAkyA in ishAvAsya upanishad the purport of which is “What delusion and what sorrow can be for the one who realizes Oneness?” This vAkyA proclaims, “advaita vidya that expounds Oneness, is capable of destroying all suffering at the root.”

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“Duality is nothing but mAyA, non-duality is Truth” (mANDUkya, Agama pramAna 17), and “It is the Truth. It is the Self. That thou art” (sAmavEdam ChAndogyopanishad 6.16.3), are verses that instruct the Truth of advaitatattva.

How does advaitavidhya eradicate the mounds of suffering seen among jIvas that are but containers of sorrows? Are there not other ways to completely eradicate suffering, fear etc.?

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The complete destruction of sorrow is not possible until the root of that sorrow is destroyed. Although the performance of yagnyas, upasana, materials etc. can mitigate to a small extent the occasional sufferings, eradication devoid of recurrence cannot be possible until the root of sorrow is eradicated.

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What is the root cause of this sorrow?

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Seekers would say, “piravi (birth)”. “There is no absence of joy and sorrow in one embodied”, says vEdam.

What is the cause of that birth?

“karma” say the inferrers.

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If man were to entirely give up performance of karmA, complete eradication of suffering is attained. Therefore, a question may arise if one desirous of mOksha would not think of other means such as Bhakti, gnAnam etc.

Without eradicating that which is the root of karmAs performed until this very second in this current janmA and in the previous janmAs, “complete eradication of karmAs” would be but in word. If so, what is the underlying cause of those karmAs?

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The tantrakArA would say, “attachment.” They fault attachment and the dislike, hatred etc. that are associated with that attachment. Be it any object, until a man has like or dislike towards it, he would keep trying to obtain or shun that object.

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What is the underlying cause of that fault?

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“The fault of duality”, would say the Realized ones. “Fear arises from Duality”, says vEdAnta. If there is no manifestation of duality at all, due to the absence of a supporting cause: fear, like and dislike, that are the causes of action will not arise.

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“When all is Atman to one, how can anything be seen via anything? What can be smelt by what? What can be known by what?” says vEdam.

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What is the cause behind the manifestation of the dual?

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“False knowledge”, would say the eminent seeker.

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The false knowledge that has been determined by scholars proficient in nyAyA to be the first cause of all samsArA, is eradicated only by knowing and experiencing the non-dual One; advaita vidya helps jIvas greatly thus. The eradication of the dvaita ajnAna can be made possible only by knowing and experiencing the Truth of advaita. Why?

(1) Since nothing else can oppose that ignorance.

(2) Since only jnAnam can remove ajnAnam.

 

Mental peace, Divine Grace etc all bestow such advaitic sAkshAtkArA only.

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Since advaitam, that is referred to in the vEdAs as “All this is Brahman”, is sung about sweetly in the Vedas as “Anandame Brahmam enRu aRindAr” (He learnt that Bliss is Brahman), and as “Anandamum aRivum Brhma” (Knowledge and Bliss are Brahman), it becomes the exalted purushArthAs of jIvAs. The advaitavidya that also mentions the same, bestows much more love on its children (its seekers) than their own parents would, and is hence of great aid.

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vEdamAtA Herself explains the path, as She seeks the benefit of humankind through the assertion The Non-Dual Brahman is the One Truth.

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In the world, what aspect is heightened in kAryA than kAraNA? “Clay is the cause of the pot.” What aspect is heightened in the pot than in the ball of clay? The change in name and the change in form. ‘Pot’ is the change in name. Its base and large belly are change in form.

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Both these are mentioned as nAmarupAs, here and there in the vEdAs. “Space is that which bears the name and form. In which these are contained, that is verily Brahman.” “(One who) expands all forms, names them each, and speaks about them, is a brave paramAtmA.”

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“I shall explain the names and forms” say the vEdAs. The One who knows has attained liberation from names and forms.

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“Clay IS the pot; the cause IS the effect; the change in name and form are only illusory”. Therefore, the vEdA says, “The effected form is the orally spoken name; only the clay is the Truth.” Here, by ‘only the clay’, the imaginary nature of the effected form and the true nature of the cause are referred to.

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Thus, while contemplating the cause of a cause and so forth the preceding series of causes, and thereby upon determining that the ‘Cause of all is Brahman’, the great Truth that only for Brahman does exist truth in not just word but also in meaning, and that there exists for all others due to change in form, an imaginary nature opposed to the Truth, are explained beyond doubt by Vedas through examples. In order to clearly enunciate the purport of a text, examples / comparisons are key. In ChandOgyam, since “O Saumya, the True parabrahman that is the cause behind the creation of this object that is seen, is the non-dual One” has been shown as the ultimate cause at the very start of the chapter in which the advaitic standpoint “That thou art” is stated, the ultimate Truth of such advaitic brhma tattva stands established.

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Thus, for the damsel ‘advaita sabhA’ who endeavours for the outright spread of the unparalelled advaitavidhya that aids the entire world in a manner most difficult for all else, may the paramatma who is entirely golden be the consort. May He bathe Her in the suvarNadhArA raining from the clouds that are the Astikas during the ‘golden celebration’ commemorating Her having attained her 51st year akin to the 51 golden aksharAs of samskritam from a to ksha; may He adorn Her by the facial ornament that are the golden encomiums emanating from the faces of the poets, and trinkets thousands such; may He sustain for thousands of years the Astikas who are akin to Her children and those desirous of mOksha, and immerse all their hearts in Supreme Bliss – this is Our blessing.

 

Narayana Smrti

 

 

 

Preface

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One sings, and does variegated swarasanchArA in rAgA. mUrchanA occurs for only a few minutes during a one hour rendition. In those moments, all forget themselves and applaud.

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A huge tree has grown. A creeper has crept; leaves are abundant, while flowers are in bloom. Tenders have sprung forth, with unripe fruits hanging. Ripe fruits are heavy and dropping off. When the root is tasted by the tongue, a tasteless juice emanates. When the bark is tasted it is astringent, while the leaf is bitter, the unripe fruit sour, and the fruit sweet; only when the sweetness ripens does the fruit ripen and separate from its stalk. That separation is liberation. This is bandhamOkshA. When sweetness is full, mOksham arrives automatically. The bark, leaves, branches, and tenders are abundant on the tree, while the ripe fruit is rare, and somewhere at a particular place only.

 

Similar are the shAstrAs and arts. When nature itself is such, the notional maturity of the scholars is also such. No matter which vEdA or shAstrA or prabandhA is seen, various dvaita thoughts and statements can be seen, similar to the root, bark, log and tender as well as bitterness, sourness, astringence. However, if that shAstram, art, or notional maturity has attained wholesomeness, the sweet fruit advaitam that has lost the ‘I’ will not fail to ripen. Nevertheless, it HAS to be searched for. It might even fall into the hands of puNya purushAs as well. Even when texts that have dvaitam as their theme in opposition to the sweetness attain wholesome maturity, advaitam shines there involuntarily. Even the neem tree that has bitterness as its primary taste, cannot be separate from sweetness when it is ripe. Even in the tamarind tree that has sourness as its only taste, contains sweetness when ripe. Similarly, Purandhara dAsA, who sang ‘don’t abandon the madhwa matA’ with madhwa matA as basis, praises thus while describing the svarUpa vaibhavA of the BhagavAn: He begins ‘SriharisEvA is not sAmAnyA’ and goes on to sing ‘sarvatra srIhari vyAptA, sarvEshwarA, sarvAntaryAmIswara, and that He is sarvam, before concluding that He is ‘sarvamUrti SrIvittala’. mahAn Bhartrhari, at the stage of attainment of mOkshA, from the standpoint of mocking advaitamOkshA reveals to the world the very svarUpA of advaitamOkshA. Looking at the vibhUti rudrAkshAs He was wearing until then, as mOksha sAdhanam, He says: “I take leave of you (plural). As a fruit of having worn you until today, paramAtmA has today rejoiced. As a consequence He has immersed me into the darkness that is mOkshA. How am I to worship you both any further?” and even while upbraiding mOkshA, reveals mOkshA itself.

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bhasmOdhhULana bhadramastu bhavatE bhO snAna tubhyam namah

hA sOpAnaparamparE girisutAkAntAlayAlankrutE

adhyArADhanatOSHitEna viBHunA yuSHmatsaparyAsuKHA-

lOkOcchEdini mOkshanAmani mahAmOhE nilIyAmahE

 

Even when kulasEkharAzhwAr looks at tirumAl and says, “I prostrate at your feet; however, not for advaitam, bhakti on you is enough”, He declares that the worship of tirumAl tiruvadi the Holy Feet of mahAvishNu is capable of granting advaitam.

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नाहं वन्दे तव चरणयोर्द्वन्द्वमद्वन्द्वहेतोः
कुम्भीपाकं गुरुमपि हरे नारकं नापनेतुम् ।
रम्यारामामृदुतनुलता नन्दने नापि रन्तुं
भावे भावे हृदयभवने भावयेयं भवन्तम् ॥

-mukundamAlA

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Srimad Appayya dIkshitar declares that vedAdvaita is the very pinnacle / summit of vEdAntA, AgamAs, purANAs, dharmashAstras of manu etc, all prabandhAs, all of bhAratA, brahmasUtrAs, and for all the great ancient AchAryAs:

 

yaDHyapyadvaita Eva shrutishikharagirAmAgamAnAm cha niSHTha

sAkam sarvaih purANaih smrtinikaramahAbhAratAdiprabandhaih

thathraiva brahmasUtrANyapi cha vimrushatAm bhAnti vishrAntimanti

prathnairAchAryaratnairapi parijagruhE shankarAdhyaistadEva

-sivArkamaNi dIpikai

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Nevertheless, He also says only to one who has obtained shivakrupA after crossing the dvaita vishishtAdvaita states is that Truth revealed:

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tathApyanugrahadEva taruNEndushiKHAmaNE

advaitavAsanA pumsAmAvirbhavati nAnyaTHA

-SivArkamaNi dIpikai

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Sri AdishankarAchArya swAmigal also says,

dEhabuddhyA tu dAsOham jIvabuddhyA tvadamshakah

AtmabuddhyA tvamEvAham iti vEdAntadiNdimah

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“until there is the thought ‘I am the body’, I am a servant of the paraman; until there is the thought that I am the jIvA that is distinct from the body, I am a part of paraman; when the ties of the manam are eradicated by the realization ‘I am the jnAnA that is omnipresent’, ‘I am Paraman’ declare the drumbeats of the vEdavAkyAs”.

The intent of this prabandhA is to highlight, to the extent possible, this Truth contained in all pramANa texts, the words of greats, and the poems of mahAkavIs. In sangItam, all svarAs mature and only then lead to mUrchanAs. In the tree species, sweetness / madhuram is the summit of the five tastes bitter, spice, salty, astringent, sour. That is indeed the phalA; that is indeed the pakvam that is verily madhuram. Even in kAvyAs, the ninth rasA shAntam is the summit of the rasAs shrungAram, vIram, shOkam, Ascharyam, hAsyam, bhayam, kurUram, aruvaruppu; the wholesomeness of shAntam is mukti; “shAntam is indeed shivam; shivam is indeed advaitam” is the vEdavAkyA. Similarly, the summit of the crores and crores of dvaitic notions, is the state of advaitam.

 

Om shAnti! Om shAnti! Om shAntih!​​

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A Few Special Aspects of advaitam

pOlagam rAmA Shastrigal

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In all religions of the world, respective rituals have been formulated in order to absorb people from other religions.

Baptism for Christians, KalimA for Muslims, Panchasheela for the Buddhists, Shiva diksha for the Agama Saivites, affixation of two hot seals for RAmAnuja VaishnavAs, affixation of five hot seals for MAdhwa VaishnavAs, Brahma sambandam for VallabhAchArya VaishnavAs, LingadhAraNam for VIrasaivAs, iron bracelet for Sikhs etc. are a few such rites. If a person belonging to another religion wants to join any of the aforementioned religions, those of the above religions perform for him an aforementioned rite of the religion and take him into their respective religion.

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1. Only in the smArta matham that is the advaita matham, has there been formulated no rite to include others from other sects.
    

2. While religions such as Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, mAdhvam etc originated in the name of their founders, and traditions such as Saivam, Vaishnavam etc originated in the name of the deities worshipped, it is only the advaita matham that is named after its foundational texts, as ‘vaidiki’ in Telugu region, and as ‘smArta matham’ in a few regions including the Tamil region.
    

3. Subsects of Hinduism, such as Agamasaivam, vIrasaivam, rAmAnujam, mAdhvam, Chaitanyam, Vallabham etc. have attained propagation only in a few regions. People do not even know of them in a few other regions. Nobody knows of the rAmAnuja shAstrAs in Nepal and Malayalam. Nobody knows of the mAdhvA shAstrAs in Sindhu, Panjab, and Kashmir. Nobody knows of the vallabha shAstrAs in the Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada regions. Nobody knows of vIrasaivam in Assam and Bengal. Only the advaita shAstram has sustained firmly in all regions where the Vedas are prevalent.
    

4. The advaita tradition is the tradition condemned first in the shAstrAs of other traditions when they set out to condemn other traditions excepting themselves. They do not condemn the mAdhva, rAmAnuja traditions and proceed to primarily condemn the advaita matham. rAmAnuja, as well, does not condemn other traditions that existed before his time, and primarily attacks Advaita. vallabhA opposes advaitA more than mAdhva-rAmAnujas. The Saivites of the bhEdavAdA are similar, as are Buddhists and Jains. No matter which shAstraic texts are perused of every other tradition, the prime place is accorded to advaita.
    

5. It is advaita that says any Astika sect is acceptable to it. The Astika sects mostly have for their basis karma mArgA or bhakti mArgA. Since advaita sAkshAtkAram that is the essential foundation of chittashuddhi is obtained through Karma mArgA and since the ekAgra state of the chitta is obtained through bhakti mArgA, Advaita embraces the sects that condemn it as well.
    

6. All other sects have strictly ordained their adherents in matters of marking of foreheads, ritualistic worship, temples to visit etc. Only the advaitigal / smArtAs wear either vibhUti, nAmam, gOpi or chandanam as per their kulAchArA, and worship various deities as per their devotion by way of pUja and temple visits. Even the advaita pIThAdhipathis worship at the temples of all Vedic deities including temples for Shiva, Vishnu, Shakti etc. No restriction has been put in place in any matters. If it had been a sect that had been established by an individual at a certain point in time, it would have been possible to enlist new members with uniform regulations/rituals. Adi Acharya Swamigal has only explained the Vedanta Upanishad Tattva, and ordained that in matters of dharma and upasana, the eternal dharmashAstrAs and the saguNamUrtis of each person’s kulOpAsanA are to be their respective pramANAs, and has not created any new religious restrictions.
    

7. It is only the advaita matA that has for its pramANAs the vEdAs and the vEdAngAs. Most of the sects in our country have each included some AgamA or a prabandhA in a regional language. These sects sometimes exalt these more than the vEdAs. Even in this manner, advaita sect is the only vaidika sect. Since advaita sect has for its foundation the vEdAs and the vEdAngAs, it becomes a pApA for the advaitis to change their respective eternal kulAchArAs and dharmashAstrAchArAs. Since it has for its basis the vEda vEdAngAs, there is no place for religious conversion as per the varNAshramA divisions classified on the basis of duties ordained by birth. The religious conversion here is one of conversion of the heart and not of the appearance. Though there aren’t any rituals in place to include others into the advaita sect, those who have attained maturity while being adherents of any sects, automatically become advaitis. Even if we were to ignore them, they do not get disheartened. In recent times, hundreds including thanjavur mAdhva swAmigal, Paul Dyson, Sister Nivedita of America, mastAn sAhib, vaishNava ammUr swAmigal, raghunAtAchAryAr etc. gained competence in advaita tattvam without symbols of conversion such as change in appearance, restrictions, hatred towards their previous sect etc. Only when the appearance is changed would there arise hatred towards their previous sects. It is only the advaita satyam that matures without hatred towards the previous sect.
    

8. While figureheads of other religions such as buddhA, rAmAnujA, mahAvIrA etc. had been propagated through thousands of stone and copper idols etc. it is only for the advaitAchAryAs that prominence has occurred through enlightening scriptures. If the scriptures in our country are counted, scriptures in advaitajnAnam are the highest in number. Even in the scriptures of other sects, advaita is mentioned the most. In those, even at instances where other sects are mentioned, advaitam is given the foremost condemnation. When stone and copper figurines are considered, those for advaitAchAryAs are but negligible in number. In particular, the figurines of advaitAchAryAs that are being worshipped for centuries are at only Kanchipuram and TiruvottriyUr. The others must have been consecrated within only a couple of centuries.
    

9. Why are there no religional-traditional conversions, nor shivadvEshA, vishNudvEshA, restrictions, temple autonomy etc. in advaitamatham? According to advaitamatham, since only those who have no adhikArA in vEdas and dharmashAstrAms are to follow AgamAs, the smArtAs who are vaidIkAs do not go in pursuit of dIkshAs such as pancharAtram, pAshupatam etc while there exist the four vEdAs, dharmashAstrAs and vEdantatattvam. It is to provide a path for salvation to those unable to re-adhere to vEdashAstrAs for some reason and thereby have slipped from the vEdamArgA, that those AgamAdIkshAs have been formulated. ‘The acquisition of AgamadIkshAs such as hot seals etc by jIvAs who are to adhere to vaidikAnushtAnAs, causes a deficiency in their natural varNAshrama shuddhi’ is the opinion of the smArtashAstrAs. The conclusion of the dharmashAstrAs is that vaidikashaivAs can worship only at temples that have been consecrated for parArtha pUjai as per the Agamic directives.
   
    

10. Since there are no rituals today to accommodate persons into the advaitamathA, there has not existed any such ritual ever. This mathA is not one that has grown on the basis of restrictions, like other religions. It is due to this reason that this religion has not been named after a singular person. Only on association with the Vedas, smritis and Vedanta tattvAs has this religion earned the names vaidikam, smArtam and advaitam. The religions categorized by their uniform restrictions / disciplines have all only recently originated. The 72 religions that existed before the time of Sri Adishankaracharya Swamigal ceased to exist due to His advaita exposition. The prajAs purified their chittA, and surrendered to the tattvA. They began living by their respective birthrights that are the dharmAs according to varNAshramA and their kulAchArAs. Those who had no more adhikArA to return to varNAshramA, began living by AgamAs and through them approached advaita tattvam. Before the advent of Sri Acharya Swamigal,it can be said that the religions that had existed in our land before Him mostly ceased to exist here. It was the vEdAnta tattvam contained in the vEdavEdAngAs without an origin, that was established. The ancient AzhwArs, nAyanmArs, kambar, kAlidAsA, ThirumUlar, and ThiruvaLLUvar have all echoed the voice of Sri AchArya SwamigaL. The other religions that are seen today in our nation have all originated after the time of Swamigal. Those who established these new religions have not obliterated the religions that had existed before them. It is due to this reason that, new shAstrAs composed by those of any religion are meant to attack advaita foremost. There has been no one before or since Sri Acharya Swamigal who has made all the religions that existed before his time attain oneness into the very tattvam expounded by Him.
    
    Why do new religions with restrictions / disciplines originate?
    
    Sri Acharya swAmigal's advent was to establish the advaita siddhAntA, of a broad outlook, that is the import of the mahAvAkya reconciliatory to the shanmatAs of saivam, vaishNavam, shAktam, gANApatyam, sauram, kaumAram. A question arises - why did new religions with increased restrictions originate as branch religions of the Hindu religion during later years in our nation. Let it be aside that they originated due to differences in philosophy. Even if difference in tattva arises in the mind of a panditA, if there is no aid with regards to circumstance etc, it will not take the form as a religion with restrictions. What is the circumstance that has given form to such new religions? It can be said that the reason for the origination of Das faction, Bose faction etc in our Indian National Congress, is the same reason behind the origination of these new religions. Beofre the advent of these new religions, in the vaidika smArta advaita matham, there were siva upAsakAs and vishNu upAsakAs. The number of sivOpAsakAs was higher, as were the temples for siva. In purANAs too, sivapurANAs were more in number, as were sivabhaktAs among mahAkavIs and sivayOgIs among yOgIs. A few who were staunch vishNu bhaktAs feared that their policy of vishNu bhakti may over time become weaker and become sivamayam, if they were to stay within the advaita matham among the huge number of siva bhaktAs. The advent of those such as rAmAnujA etc gave further shape to their thoughts. More than half the vishNu bhaktAs in Southern India joined their pAncharAtra dIkshai. Not all vishNu bhaktAs joined the faction. For the sect that had formed to not dissolve, several party disciplines were formulated. niyamAs that were more than those mentioned in the shAstrAs were formulated. Due to this reason, shAstram for the smArtha tradition and sampradAyam for other traditions were categorized. These stipulations became not only the reason for the sect to grow but also helped accommodate new members while not giving way to attrition of earlier members. It also happened that they had to denigrate the very smArthakulAs they had been born into before joining these new sects (sEtlUr, kadAmbi, kandAdai, uruppattUr, kumANdUr, thooppil, sOzhiyar etc). Similarly, the madhva sect origionated in the tuLuvanAdu along the western coastal region. In the gurjar region, vallabha sect was established by a Telugu Brahmin. Chaitanya matham originated in West Bengal. From the fact that all these newly originated sects are mostly concerned with vaishnavite revolution, the tattvam that these originated only due to the fear of dissolution into saivam. In all these new sects, mostly, sampradayic restrictions exist approximately. (An ancient Tarka scholar has proved that the religion of buddhism also expanded due to such members joining it). (The members who join this new sect, even after doing so,  continue to maintain relations with the clans-people of the smArthakulA they were born into, for a considerable period of time. Once they have completely immersed themselves in this new sect, they leave their memory of their previous kulA and begin to casually maintain relations with members of any kulA (vadamA, telungar) within their new sect. There is no place within the smArthA sect for such relations. Christians do not, in great number, become mohammadAns. mohammadAns do not, in great number, become  Christians. Similarly, among us, madhvAs do not, in great number, become rAmAnujAs; those of the rAmAnujA sect do not, in great number, become madhvAs. It is the smArthAs who become members of both these sects as well. This is due to the lack of restrictions. Due to this, a though occurs if new restrictions are to be formulated. However, due to new restrictions, there occurs place for innumerable pApAs. Therefore, the shAstrAic methodology is indeed the natural restriction. When smArthAs become lax in that shAstraic methodology, there originates space for the inconveniences mentioned above. New restrictions are not needed. By firmly and unfailingly following tattvam and its foundational shastraic methods, these new inconveniences have to slowly diminish by themselves. On occasion, those of other religions such as Buddhists and Jains do also mix into these new sects.
    
    In the advaitamathA, there is no place for any new restrictions apart from the ancient ones mentioned in the vEda vEdAngAs. vyavahArAs such as vivAham etc happen within the respective kulaparamparAs. The kulAchArAs are preserved as is. The upAsanAmUrtI, the ritualistic mark on the forehead do not change. It will be understood and undertaken that adhering to their respective varNAshrama dharmAs in a spirit of dedicating them to IshvarA while contemplating on Him mentally, is the path to get closer to Him. When varNAshrama is adhered to properly, through which service to the world happens, and when Ishvara bhakti matures, then advaitic maturity occurs by itself. Among the mahAns who have established advaitasiddhAntam, several have been immeasurable bhaktAs of vishNu. There are no texts in the world that are comparable to advaitasiddhi and brahmAnandIyam. Their respective authors madhusUdhana saraswati swAmigaL and gauDa brahmAnanda swAmigaL were staunch vishNu bhaktAs. MadhusUdhana Saraswati SwamigaL says, "We ourselves are vaishNavAs. Is not vishNu the omniscient paramAtmA? The VaishNavAs who are bhEdavAdIs reduce His wholesomeness and belittle Him when they say there do truly exist other entities apart from Him. They are vaishnavAs only by name. We who are advaitIs are the true vaishNavAs". There is no need to enter other sects just for the sake of vishNu bhakti.

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11. In our nation, since time immemorial, both Shiva temple and Vishnu temple have been consecrated in each village, in the IshAnyA and west directions respectively. During later times, when either vIrAshaivam or vIravaishNavam originate in a few villages, we see that shivAlayAs undergo damage due to vIravaishNavam and vishNu AlayAs undergo damage due to vIrasaivam. Only due to the fact that the matham for the citizens of our nation since time immemorial is the vaidika advaita siddhAnta matham, these two temples are consecrated and worshipped at with the same bhakti. When either of these temples are faced with any harm, advaitIs experience as much pain themselves as they would when either of their eyes are harmed. When historically researched, it can be said that even vIravaishNavAs and vIrasaivAs are descendents of ancestors who worshipped both Gods as same. Contrarily, if there had existed as many vIrasaivAs and vIravaishNavAs in ancient times as they do now, there would not have been two temples equally built in the Northeast and West of each village (even in places where members of only one sect live now). When saivasiddhAnta shAstrAs and vaishNava shAstrAs originated, their authors, among whom many were santAnAchAryArs belonging to the fourth varNA, did not do ucchAraNA of vEdavAkyam in deference to their varNAshramA that has vEdam as pramANam, in any significant shAstravAdams seen in their significant treatises such as sivagnAnabOdham, sivagnAnasiddhiyAr, divyaprabhandhams etc. Even the AzhvArs are seen to evidently contemplate shivA and vishNu as One, in their prabhandams. The sectarians that inhabit in our nation now as mAdhvAs, vaishNavAs, saivasiddhAntIs, vallabhAs, Sikhs, Christians, mohammedAns etc. are mostly descendants of ancestors who had only the vEdA as their refuge, the advaitic Supreme Being as tattvA, and varNAshrama dharmA that is taught by the dharmashAstrAs as their path. If these sectarians were to understand clearly the truth of the advaita tattvam that is evinced in the ultimate section of the vEdAs that are beyond time, and that advaita siddhAntam is that which gives abhEda deivabhakti and helps the jivA attain mOksham, they would begin to adopt, at least in their minds, the same benevolent attitude that their ancestors had. To help in illustrating this truth, is the duty of the advaitIs who place their trust solely in the vEdAs.

 

12. It is the opinion of a section of researchers that not only the inhabitants of our land, but those who have inhabited the entire world are descendants of ancestors who lived by the Vedas, varNAshrama dharmA and advaita tattvam.

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13. In a stone edict about 3500 years old found near Palestine depicting a treaty entered into by two rulers, the Vedic gods mitrA and varuNA are mentioned as pramANA. In the American nation of Mexico, the utsava 'rAmalIlA' celebrated during navarAtrI since ancient times; the sUryopAsanA and temples to sUryA that exist in the South American nation of Peru; the names of towns surrounding the sahArA desert in Africa, that contain in them rAma nAmA; the silAmUrtI depicting gangAdhara paramasivA as vrishabhArUDhA that has been found in the nation Mesopotamia; the sivalIlai kootthu that the indigenous people of Australia still dance; the samskrta texts contained in a golden box buried in the sands of the Gobi desert near Mongolia (and found by a white person Stein); the texts that emerged around 2000 years ago that tell the history of Shivashakti temples with vrishabhA and simhA that existed in Greece around 4000 years ago; the samarasa upAsanA mUrtIs of advaitis such as Shivalingam, Shaktiyantram, sALagrAmam etc. that have been excavated in sites such as Harappa and Mohenjodaro, and are said to be more than 5000 years old; the ShivAlayAs and vishNu AlayAs, the numerous yAga symbols and dharmashAstrangaL found in nations such as Siam (Thailand), Sumatra, Java, Borneo etc.; the mUrti of VinAyakA found buried in Ireland, - all the above have become evidence to conclude that vEdam, abhEda vishNu upAsanA and varNAshrama dharmam had pervaded and existed all around the world. Since the days of the week are referred to sequentially with the same names in all countries across the world, there is room to surmise that all mankind expanded from a singular civilization. Nowhere except in our jyOtishashAstram is there a reason for the sequential order of days such as Sunday, Monday, Tuesday etc.

It is seen that the tattvam expounded in our shAstrAs that 'of AtmA and jIvA, the jIvA undergoes the phalA of the karmavruksham' is the basis for the names 'Atma', 'jIv' (Adam and Eve) for the first beings and the account of EvE eating the fruit, found in the Bible of the Christians.

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14. Manu has mentioned the Persians, the Chinese, the Tartars, and the Dravidians, among others, in his 

dharma text, and has remarked that they were indeed kshatriyAs in the beginning and later due to karmAnushThAna lObhA, they slipped from that varNA.

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15. Therefore, advaitis must undertake as their foremost duty - helping all the inhabitants of the world understand: the advaita tattva that is the true essence of vEdam, and the help that varnAshrama dharmA offers in attaining the advaita tattva.

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16. If all the inhabitants of the world come to understand, as is, the worship of divinities by their ancestors, discipline, and tattvam, the seed of matadvEshA will cease to exist in this world. Compassion would prevade; auspiciousness will rise; brahmam is verily auspiciousness.

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advaitam - paramarahasyam

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pOlagam rAmA shAstrigaL

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What is the reason behind bhEdavAdA principles arising even after the time of bhagavatpAdA? Even after bhagavatpAdA incarnated as eesAmsA 'sankara sankara sAkshAth' and established paramAdvaitatattvA that is enshrined in the upanishads as 'brahman is the absolute. The world is just an appearance; that appearance is in fact that of the brahman. muktI is to shine as the brahman devoid of all appearances', what is the reason for the origination of bhEdavAdA principles such as vaishNavam and shaivam, that say, 'the world is real, differences are not mere appearances and therefore are the truth'?

 

There IS reason behind this. It is the feeling that, "those without pakvam (vedantic maturity) that is the anAdhikArIs would talk advaita vEdAntA just verbally, and would deceive themselves and others". srI krishNa bhagavAn says, "na buddhi bhEdam janayEt ajnAnam karmasanginAm'. 'Even though brahman is all-pervading is the tattvA, do not give tattvOpadEsA and change the buddhi of those who are incapable of comprehending that truth being involved in worldly karmAs. When those lacking adhikArA and pakvam hear the jnAnOpadEsA, they attain premature or incomplete knowledge, and may develop arrogance and other vices as a consequence. Therefore, it is recommended to conceal the tattvA from such anAdhikArIs. That tattvA has to be hidden at least by condemning it". The same bhagavAn when explaining advaita tattvA in Chapter 9, says, 'this is rAjavidhyA, this is rAjaguhyam, this is pavitram, this is uttamam'.  By saying rAjavidhyA, it is meant that this vidhyA itself is the pinnacle of all. Despite that, this is rAjaguhyam as in it is the vidhyA that is to be protected as the holiest secret. Thus, it is necessary to protect this paramarahasya-uttama vidhyA from the anAdhikAri children of the world at least by condemnation, just like how children are protectively kept away from chemicals. It became a necessity to say that the mArgAs of sAdhAnA were in fact the ultimate; even if that tattvA is kept hidden, when the sAdhanA mArgA is practised in the correct manner, that tattvA shall be comprehended on its own. This is the philosophical foundation upon which the sects that originated later centered around bhakti unto God and the vEdAs.

 

This is further evidenced by not just the bhagavadgitA but also the sayings of other mahAns.

 

'nirvisEsham param brahma sAkshAtkarthumanISvarA: ||

yE mantA: thEnukampyantE savisESha nirUpaNai: ||'

 

With compassion towards those who lack the ability to comprehend the indivisible brahman, the IswaratattvA along with bhEdA has been established. Even in the case of those who are involved in extreme Bhakti, the inclination to relinquish the beneficiary derivative of Bhakti may sometimes occur. An adiyAr with extreme devotion towards a particular mUrtam in a particular temple says, "vaikuNTha vAsEpi namE'bhilAsha:" For him, his native temple seems superior to the saguNa vaikuNTha lOkA. Several adiyArs say, "it is enough if I have Bhakti. I do not need the mOksham or the advaitic state that you grant". This mentality is the cause of origination of several later sects. It is for those who are of the mentality "Bhakti is enough, mOksham is not required", that their shuddhabhakti attains its truest form and even the mOksham / advaitic state that they deny accrues to them without them being conscious of it. The vEdamantram "tryambaka mantram" illustrates and establishes the attainment of banDhanivrutti ie mOksham involuntarily / unconsciously. The fruit of the peepal tree separates from its stalk. While the stalk remains in its position, the fruit alone moves elsewhere. The separation of the cucumber from its stalk is of a different kind. While the fruit remains at its position, the stalk removes itself. The cucumber of pUrNa-pakvA that is on the creeper that has grown over the earth, does not even realize that the banDhA or bondage it had is now non-existent.
The mOksham that is established with the cucumber fruit as an illustration is the advaita mOksham, that is in turn established by the tryambaka mantram. The mantram advises on the worship of shiva (trinEtrA) for the attainment of this mukti.

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