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Re: ultimate-saraNagathi

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M K Sudarshan • July 26, 1997 


At 04:03 PM 7/24/97 -0700, Sri.Kalale wrote:
>>I just wanted to share with our readers this one, following the thread of
>thought by Sri M.K Sudarshan.
>To leave out the
>philosophic component by a noted authority, in fact strengthens the stance
>of critics of Visistadvaita. 
>Adiyen Krishna Kalale


Dear Sri.Kalale,
I'm very sorry I intruded into a very interesting debate amongst so many
learned scholars of the list on this current thread. I ought to have been
wiser and desisted from treading on a wicket I am unfit to play on.

My comment was from the sidelines. It possesses no thrust of argument.

I have really no worthwhile opinions on this subject as I confess I am a
complete ignoramus in matters of "cold and hard philosophy". My interests
lie principally in "warm and soft" SriVaishnava religious
"literature"/"poetry"/"drama". 

I belong to a "literary" breed of SriVaishnava, not the "philosophical"
variety. My cup of tea is Yasoda's clumsy "worrel" (Tamil for
"kitchen-mortar") and not the arcanities of the Upanishad.

Please do not mistake my casual comments to be a criticism of VishtAdvaitA-
philosophy about which I know very little.

All I was trying to say was that I have PERSONALLY discovered that
"philosophizing" comes so naturally to Advaitins in the same way as
"theologizing" comes naturally to a Bhakti-proponent. This is NOT to say
that I find the "philosophy" of the first and the "theology" of the second
weaker than that of the other.

BTW, speaking of "worrel", are you a cricketing enthusiast, Sri.Kalale ?

If you are, then, you will easily understand it better if I explain to you
that Sri.Sunil Gavaskar and Sri.G.R.Vishvanath are both "COMPLETE" batsmen.
And yet one would rather watch Gavaskar's full range of delightful "off-side
strokes" than Vishvanath's. Similarly, when it came to "leg-side strokes"
one would much rather pay to watch the elegant Sri.Vishvanath than
Sri.Gavaskar ! One was a natural "off-side" and the other was a natural
"leg-side" player.

Now, that does not mean either Sri.Gavaskar or Sri.G.R.Vishvananth was lame
on one leg !!!

In the current discussion on this particular thread of discussion,
Sri.Kalale, I prefer to remain in the "sidelines" (or, should I say,
"stadium-stands"?!) and be content with cheer-leading for both Gavaskar AND
Vishvananth !

adiyEn/dAsan,
sudarshan