Re: Sri.Mani's non-sequitor

From the Bhakti List Archives

• July 6, 1999


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  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:

 

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 (the method of worship),VEdAnta deals with 
the  (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