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[Madhva standpoint] What is meant by mode of Brahman

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gururaj rao • March 8, 2002 


[ The article below is presented as an informational post
  about the Madhva doctrine concerning the jiva and Brahman.
  It is significantly different from Sri Ramanuja's philosophy
  in many ways.  As you will read below, the post does not
  at all answer the question as to what being a "mode" (prakAra)
  of Brahman is, since that idea is alien to Madhva philosophy.
  This post is presented to highlight the contrast between the two
  schools. -- moderator ]

Dear Mr. P.Srinivasan

Subject: What is meant by Mode of Brahman?
This has reference to the query, reproduced below:
> > In our real svarupa, we (jivatmas) along with
> > Prakriti are said to 
> > be the Body of Brahman (Narayana). This is easy to
> > understand (and 
> > also visibly shown to Arjuna). 
I will give you the version as per Madwa-Dwaitha
Parampara,to
the extent I Know.
Jiva, Prakrithi and Brahman are always different
entities. They have always existed. By The will
of Brahman ( who is Sriman Narayana) the
Jiva gets bonded to Prakrithi, and suffers
numerous birth cycles.Again by the wishes
of Brahman the bondage between the Jiva and
Prakrithi gets destroyed, and the Jiva gets Moksha.
Even in Moksha the Jiva does not become one with
Brahman, he only enjoys the close proximity to
Brahman.
What Lord Krishna(who is the Brahman)
showed Arjuna in the VishwaRoopa Darshana,
is the entire Universe is within him(and not the
Universe IS him).
> However the jiva is also said to be an attribute of
> > Brahman. How is 
> > it that the jiva, who is a substantive existent,
is
> > also considered 
> > an attribute? Also the jiva is said to be a Mode
of
> > Brahman. What is 
> > meant by Mode? Can someone kindly elucidate?
> 
As mentioned above the Jiva and Brahman are
different always. Jiva is a separate entity and is
not part of an attribute of Brahman.
The Brahman has countless attributes
and qualities. The Jivas are dependent on the
Brahman. The attributes of Jiva fall in the
Satva, Rajas and Tamasa category. The attributes
of Brahman are different from the attributes
of Jiva.
In the Brahma Sutras it is said
OM JANMADYASYA YATAH OM
This sentence talks of Brahman and indicates
(as per Madwa-Dwaitha Parampara)
He(Brahman) is the creator, Sustainer and
Destroyer of the World. He is also the bestower
of knowledge and liberation.
The Vedas and Brahma Suktas primarily describe
the Infinite attributes and qualities of Brahman.
Jiva attains Moksha through (Mode) Brahman,
that is through the Grace of Brahman the Jiva
attains Moksha.
KrishnAparana 
Regards
Gururaj

> > 
> > Message: 1
> >    Date: Mon, 04 Mar 2002 06:20:55 -0000
> >    From: "psrinivasan99" 
> > Subject: What is meant by Mode of Brahman?
> > 
> > Dear Vaishnavas:
> > 
> > I have a question which I would like to get
> > clarified. 
> > 
> > In our real svarupa, we (jivatmas) along with
> > Prakriti are said to 
> > be the Body of Brahman (Narayana). This is easy to
> > understand (and 
> > also visibly shown to Arjuna). 
> > 
> > However the jiva is also said to be an attribute
of
> > Brahman. How is 
> > it that the jiva, who is a substantive existent,
is
> > also considered 
> > an attribute? Also the jiva is said to be a Mode
of
> > Brahman. What is 
> > meant by Mode? Can someone kindly elucidate?
> > 
> > dasan,
> > P.Srinivasan




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