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Re: Sri. Ramanuja a nitya-mukta (rationale)

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Venkat Nagarajan • July 12, 1999 


Dear Bhagavats,
namO nArAyaNA.

It is rationale to claim Sri. Ramauja a nitya-mukta 

Reasoning Cont'd

The classification of jivas into three categories is a valid premise based on statements in the vedas and premises are an important part of any valid argument.   The statement Sri. Ramanuja is a nitya-mukta is also a premise. It is rationale to accept such a premise! Without accepting this, one cannot conclude that Vis*istAdvaita vedanta is the "most perfect" description of the nature of reality, for then even Sri. Ramanuja would be subject to delusion from avidya-karma.  Note an argument is valid, if given premises are true the conclusion cannot be false.

This premise gains credence from the fact that great mahans, at present, are of the same view.  Further, Sri. Vedanta Desika was also of the same view, most definitely, for he is the lion of logic!  If one reads the translated philosophical works of Sri. Vedanta Desika, in the right spirit (and in a thorough and non cursory manner) one will have no doubts about the fact that Vis*istAdvaita Vedanta is the *most perfect*description of the nature of reality.   To illustrate this point, I provide a direct quote: *There is not a topic in philosophy which is not discussed in  Tattva-MuktA-KalApa.  What is not considered here cannot be found elsewhere.  I have examined in this work very carefully almost all topics relating to both pramAnas and prameyas at some place or the other; if I have overlooked any philosophic issue or expressed the same in a manner that may appear ambiguous no one else would be capable to decide it other than myself.*  (Source: Sri. S.M.S. Chari*s fundamentals!
!
 of Vis*istAdvaita) This is not the arrogance but the confidence coming forth from a nitya- mukta !

In conclusion:

Belief is at the root of everything, be it mundane or spiritual.  There is no such thing as pure logic; even logic is based on belief; one cannot establish the validity of an argument without accepting the rules of logic as truths.) The preceding point is pointed out beautifully by the lion of logic and poetry, Sri. Vedanta Desika in his Tattva-muktA-kalApa! (Reference Sri. S.M.S. Chari*s book:Fundamentals of Vis*istAdvaita.)

As Beautifully pointed out by Sri. Anand:

-The nitya-muktA Bhagavad rAmAnuja produced the wonderful commentary on the brahma sUtras etc.   In doing this he used various  tools which were used by other system of philosophies as well. It is in this area that one can think of some commonalities etc. Some arguments against a certain view point may be given already by Sankara. This doesn't mean that bhagavad rAmAnuja is "evolving" VisishtAdvaita based on such principles of advaita and other system of philosophies.

- Even in the previous yugAs, great sages like bOdhAyana, Dramida, Tanka and others were upholding VisishtAdvaita as the actual vEdAnta. Thus,  VisishtAdvaita is not some "evolved" philosophy.

Opinion and fact are not to be equated, one is subject to delusion from avidya-karma while the other is not.

adiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan,
Venkat    
krishNArpaNam