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Re: 'Akshara' etc. in the BhG

From the Bhakti List Archives

mani2 • May 8, 2002 


Pardon me for the long delay in replying, but 
Krishna Kadiri brought some points up which merit
a response:

--- In bhakti-list@y..., "Krishna K"  wrote:
> ***** Mani2 wrote:
> While the akshara-upAsaka meditates principally on the jIva having 
God as its innermost self, the jnAni meditates principally on God 
having the jIva as His attribute. (The first is brahma-SarIraka-
jIvAtma upAsana, the second is svAtma-viSishTa-brahma upAsana). As 
Martin has pointed out, Sri Ramanuja mentions that the distinction 
between these two aspirants is only in the initial stage ("mukha-
bhedena" -- see Vedanta Saara).
> ****
> 
> If the differences in upAsana is only in initial stages and only 
nominal (mukha-bhedena), why does the Lord qualify the axara-upAsana 
as 'klesho adhikataraH'?

The nominality of the difference is in the nature of
the ultimate goal, and it is in this context that
Sri Ramanuja has made this comment. The akshara-upAsana
is no doubt an inferior meditation, compared to the
direct brahma-upAsana.  But the akshara-upAsaka will
ultimately and inevitably continue to brahma-upAsana
in the end and attain Brahman.

The akshara-upAsaka must meditate on the abstract
nature of the individual self and on its similarity
with the ultimate Self in respect of its consisting
solely of knowledge and bliss in its essence (jnAna-
Anandaika-svarUpatva).  This is naturally difficult
for someone who is embodied and who continues to
confuse the body with the self.  For this reason
the attainment of this goal is slower than for the
brahma-upAsaka who thirsts and meditates on the Lord
and the Lord alone.  This why Krishna declares that
for embodied beings (dehavadbhiH) akshara-upAsana
is more difficult, i.e., takes a longer time to reach
fruition.


> 'me' in 7.4 is interpreted by Madhva and his sub-commentators 
as 'madadhInA'. Ramanuja interprets it as 'madIyA';

Note: madIya here means 'belonging to Me'.

With regards,
Mani



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