Bhakti List Archives

Re: Digest Number 563 ( Once upon a time... )

From the Bhakti List Archives

Ramkumar Gopalaswamy • Tue Mar 19 2002 - 15:34:27 PST 


Dear Mani

Thanks for the detailed reply. I find it helpful.

Yes. I was confused before and was trying to contrast 'nirguNa' (in the
sense of 'akhila-hEya-pratyanIka')  with 'saguNa' referred to in the
puraaNic quote below by Sri Maruthi:

        Maruthi> 'para vidyAsu sarvAsu saguNa mEva BrahmOpAsyam. phalam
        Maruthi>  caika rUpamEva atO vidyA vikalpaha.'
        Maruthi>  It is pointed out in the purANa ghattam that Sri
vyAsa
        Maruthi>  maharshi ( sutra kAra ) also indicated that in all
        Maruthi>  para vidyAs, only saguNa Brahma has to be
worshipped".

Since the Supreme Being is both saguNa and nirguNa simultaneously, one
might ask - why would the puraaNic verse above explictly mention
'saguNa' ?

An answer to this question is in the long reply you posted earlier.

'saguNa' in the verse above, is probably identifying  vishNu and none
else  with the Supreme Being, since vishNu is the only One Who is
saguNa (and nirguNa as well),  rather than contrast 'saguNa' with
'nirguNa'.

raamaanuja-daasa
//Ramkumar


--- Mani Varadarajan  wrote:
> 
> Dear Ramkumar,
> 
> I am sorry -- I think I read your message too fast.
> You asked about nirguNa brahman, where nirguNa means
> 'akhila-hEya-pratyanIka', i.e., free from any limiting
> or defiling qualities.  I believe you were contrasting
> this with 'saguNa' brahman.
> 
> In Visishtadvaita, Brahman is always saguNa, and said
> Brahman is always akhila-hEya-pratyanIka. There is no
> distinction made between the two.  I am sorry for my
> overlong reply earlier.
> 
> Mani
> 


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