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Re: nityatvam/paratvam

From the Bhakti List Archives

murali_kadambi • Thu Dec 13 2001 - 08:57:32 PST 


Dear Mani,

Your points are well taken.  I agree that Sri Ananda Theertha accepts 
the supremacy of Brahman and total subordinacy of jeeva.  However, I 
guess, the discussion started with the paradox, "If jeeva is eternal 
how can paramAtma be supreme, and if paramAtma is supreme how can 
jeeva be eternal?"

Both schools (D and V) accept that paramAtma and jeevAtma are 
different.  They also accept that the latter is dependent on the 
former.  Agreed.  Then what does "dependence" mean?  In what way is 
the jeeva dependent on Brahman?  If, as the dwaitins believe, the 
jeeva and Brahman are utterly distinct, then how is the jeeva's 
eternality not under Brahman's control?

V's explanation is simple and straight-forward: The eternality of the 
jeeva is also under control of Brahman. In other words, the most 
important constituent of the relationship of dependence between the 
two entities is that Brahman provides the very substratum (aadharam) 
for the existence (and hence the eternality) of jeeva (and all other 
entities).  Only if the relationship is organic will it explain the 
paradox satisfactorily, not if it that of the type Master-Servant, or 
Husband-Wife.  Yes, these other relationships are undoubtedly true 
from an anubhavam point-of-view, but not from a philosophical 
standpoint.

This is why I said that D might find it difficult to explain the 
paradox.  But again, my knowledge on the subject is minimal, and D 
may also have a way of explaining it that is unknown to me.  Mani, if 
possible, could you shed some light on this?  Please feel free to 
correct any errors in my thinking.  Thank you.

-adiyen, murali kadambi




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