RĀMĀNUJA’S
VEDĀNTA
Copyright © 2020 Bhakti Event GmbH.
First edition, published in 2020 by Bhakti Event GmbH.
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Tattva Philosophy Mind Anubhavaḥ Devotion Heart
VEDĀNTA
• Darśana (philosophy): ways of seeing Reality • How do we do it:
- through direct perception - logic
PRASTHĀNATRAYĪ
• Vedas – Upaniṣads
• Brahma-sūtras • Bhagavad Gītā
ŚAṄKARĀCĀRYA – ADVAITA VEDĀNTA
• Brahman is all there is
• The world is just an appearance (māyā) • The Soul is exactly the same as Brahman • Snake and the rope
RĀMĀNUJĀCĀRYA –
VIŚIṢṬA-ADVAITA VEDĀNTA
• Brahman is all there is • The world is real
• The individual Souls and the world are all part of Brahman
• Body and Soul relationship
• Brahman is ultimately Personal and with infinite auspicious attributes
MADHVĀCĀRYA – DUALISM
• Brahman, the world and the individual Souls are all separate
• Everything is dependent on the power and control of Brahman
SUMMARY
• Tattva vs anubhavaḥ
• Vedānta
• Prasthānatrayī
• Shankara’s Advaita Vedānta
• Rāmānuja’s Viśiṣṭa-advaita Vedānta • Madhva’s Dvaita Vedānta
THE MULTIPLICITY OF SOULS
na tvevāhaṁ jātu nāsaṁ na tvaṁ neme janādhipāḥ | na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ sarve vayamataḥ param ||
There never was a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor any of these kings. Nor will there be any time in the future when all of us shall cease to be.
THE MULTIPLICITY OF SOULS
prakṛtiṁ svām-avaṣṭabhya visṛjāmi punaḥ punaḥ |
bhūta-grāmam imaṁ kṛtsnam avaśaṁ prakṛter-vaśāt ||
Using this prakṛti of Mine, I repeatedly send forth this multitude of beings. They are helpless, being under the control of prakṛti.
ONENESS
yaj-jñātvā na punar-moham eva yāsyasi pāṇḍava |
yena bhūtāny-aśeṣeṇa
drakṣyasy-ātman-yatho mayi ||
Once you receive this knowledge, Arjuna, you will never again be deluded. Through that knowledge you will see all beings, without exception, as the Self and then as part of Me.
ONENESS
udārāḥ sarva evaitaṁ
jñānī tvātmaiva me matam | āsthitaḥ sa hi yuktātmā
māmevānuttamāṁgatim ||
Those who approach Me are all noble
people, but I see the jñānī as My very Self, for such a person is steady and exclusively devoted to Me as the highest goal.
SAMA-DARŚINAH
vidyā vinaya saṁpanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini | śuni caiva śvapāke ca
paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ ||
The sages perceive with equal vision, a good and learned brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater.
KEY VERSE
mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtas sanātanaḥ | manaṣ ṣaṣṭhān-īndriyāṇi prakṛtisthāni karṣati ||
An eternal fragment of Myself becomes embodied as the living beings – jīvas [1] – within this mortal world. It acquires the five senses, and the mind, which is the sixth, all of which reside in this material nature.
BRAHMAN - ONENESS
bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate | vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ ||
At the end of many births, the one who has true knowledge surrenders to Me, realising that “Kṛṣṇa is everything.” Such a person is very rare.
BRAHMAN - ONENESS
gatir-bhartā prabhuḥ sākṣī nivāsaḥ śaraṇaṁ suhṛt |
prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ sthānaṁ nidhānaṁ bījam avyayam ||
I am the Goal, the Supporter, the Lord, the Witness, the Abode, the Refuge and the Friend of the universe. I am creation,
destruction and the basis of everything. I am that which is preserved and the eternal seed.
DIFFERENCE WITHIN BRAHMAN
bhūmir-āpo’nalo vāyuḥ
khaṁ mano buddhir-eva ca | ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me
bhinnā prakṛtir-aṣṭadhā ||
Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect and the ego; make up the eight parts of My material nature.
DIFFERENCE WITHIN BRAHMAN
apareyamitastvanyāṁ
prakṛtiṁ viddhi me parām | jīvabhūtāṁ mahābāho
yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat ||
This is My lower nature. But, Arjuna, know that My higher nature is different. It is made up of the embodied souls, which sustain this universe.
DIFFERENCE WITHIN BRAHMAN
etad-yonīni bhūtāni sarvāṇītyupadhāraya | ahaṁ kṛtsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ pralayastathā ||
Know that all beings originate from these two natures of mine. Understand therefore that I am the origin and the dissolution of this whole universe.
THREE PRINCIPLES
• Iśvara - Supreme Lord
• Cit - Conscious Beings
• Acit - Unconcious matter
WHAT IS MĀYĀ?
daivī hyeṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā | māmeva ye prapadyante māyāmetāṁ taranti te ||
For this divine māyā of Mine consisting of the three guṇas is hard to overcome.
But those who take refuge in Me alone, cross over it easily.
WHAT DOES MOKṢA LOOK LIKE?
antakāle ca mām-eva
smaran-muktvā kalevaram | yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ yāti nāsty-atra saṁśayaḥ ||
And the one who leaves his body at the time of death and contemplates upon Me alone, without doubt reaches Me.
ŚAṄKARA’S EXPLANATION
OF THE COSMIC FORM
BRAHMAN
BRAHMAN
IŚVARA
RĀMĀNUJA’S
COSMIC FORM
HOW DO WE GET THERE?
arjuna uvāca
sannyāsaṁ karmaṇāṁ kṛṣṇa punar-yogaṁ ca śaṁsasi | yac-chreya etayor-ekaṁ tan-me brūhi suniścitam ||
Arjuna says: Kṛṣṇa, You recommend the renunciation of action and at the same time instruct me on karma-yoga. Tell me
conclusively which is the better of the two.
NITYA-KAIṄKARYAṀ
sāṅkhya-yogau pṛthag-bālāḥ pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ |
ekam-apy-āsthitaḥ
samyag-ubhayor-vindate phalam ||
Only the inexperienced speak of jñana-yoga (renunciation) and karma-yoga as separate. One who is firmly established in either path, attains the fruit of both.
NITYA-KAIṄKARYAṀ
niyatasya tu saṁnyāsaḥ karmaṇo nopapadyate | mohāt tasya parityāgas tāmasaḥ parikīrtitaḥ ||
Actions that have been prescribed should never be given up. Renouncing such
actions through ignorance is tamasic in nature.
BHAKTI
ananyāś-cintayanto māṁ ye janāḥ paryupāsate |
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ
yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmyaham ||
But then there are those who adore Me alone with undeviating concentration. For those who yearn for Me in this way, I Myself take charge of their prosperity and welfare.
BHAKTI
manmanā bhāva mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namas-kuru | māmevaiṣyasi yuktvaivam ātmānaṁ mat parāyaṇam ||
Focus your mind on Me, be devoted to Me, offer worship to Me, bow down to Me. Engaging your mind in this way, holding Me as the supreme goal, you will surely come to Me.
CARAṀA-ŚLOKA
sarva dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja | ahaṁ tvā sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ ||
Abandoning all dharmas, surrender to Me alone. I will take care of all your sins; I will liberate you. Have no fear.
SUMMARY
• Tattva vs anubhavaḥ
• Summarised the three major schools of Vedānta • Plurality of Souls
• Soul’s relationship to God • God and the world
