Namaste Smaranamji,
I will reply in detail later. Just a few quick points.
According to Tatva Bodh, Jiva and Atman are different
Jiva in plain words is the indwelling spirit
the attachment of body and the feeling that 'I' am body is the one that produces bondage. Such a bound soul is called Jiva-atman or simply Jiva.
Jiva is defined by Adi Shankara in Tatva Bodh and other prakaraNa granths as the one who associates itself with karma and fruits of karma, experiences pleasure and pain by associating with mind, body, intellect and ego. Jiva travels from one body to another and is trapped in the cycle of birth and death.
Atman is Sat-Chit-Ananda same as Brahman.
If you look at Sv Up. verse 5.8 just the verse before you quoted i.. 5.9, irt says
Of the size of a thumb, but effulgent like the Sun, the Jiva possesses both volition and individuality. It is endowed with the qualities of the mind and heart (Atman).
Therefore it is seen as another entity, small as the point of a goad. 5.8
The individual soul (Jiva) is extremely subtle like the point of a hair divided and subdivided many times. Yet it has the potential for infinity. He is to be realised (as none other than the paramatman). 5.9
Same is said in Shiva Gita 10.26 (as in Sv. Up. 5.9)
Later in 10.37 and 10.38 it says that without Knowledge or before merging with Brahman, Jiva is not destroyed.
After merging with Brahman, jiva is destroyed.
Now the question is Jiva or Jiva-bhAva? It has to be found out
According to Advaita, Brahman never really divides itself, as it voids it's definition
It cannot transform into anything. Brahman is unchanging.
So it is Brahman under to illusion of mAyA (the illusionary creative power) called Ishwara appears to create this universe. This is the theory of Advaita, as I have understood.
So jiva-bhava is false superimposition upon Brahman under the false notion of Ego. 'I' associates with panch-mahabhuta.
Ishwara has upAdhi-s. It takes AdhAra of vidha mAyA, but is mAyA's swami and so not bound by it.
Jiva has upAdhi-s of a-vidhA mAyA i.e. panch mahAbhuta
If you remove both upAdhi-s what remains is NirguNa Brahman.
In your 1st point, there is a a priori i.e pre-assumption that jiva is separate, which in reality is not. Hence no question of merging. Only wrong notion is realized.
Now regarding confusion of jiva, ishwara, Brahman.
there are 3 types of shruti-s -
bheda shruti-s: they describe jiva nad ishwara / Brahman as completely different
a-bheda shruti-s: They talk about oneness of Jiva nad Shia i.e Brahman
ghaTak shruti-s: They connect bheda nad abheda, like ishwara is antar yAmi.
Now regarding the quote by H-L-K
Please read it very slowly with cool mind.
The only consistency according to GauDapAda, Adi Shankara and later on re-discovered by Swami Sacchidanandendra Saraswati is adhyAropa apavAda
It is false Superimposition (adhyAropa) Followed by Retraction (apavAda)
As HLK has said, first attributes are attached and then contradicted later on in the same shruti.
e.g. Attribute of witness is added and then it is said that it cannot be reached through mind, eyes, speech, etc.
The concept of witness is introduced since the objective is to indicate that 'I' am not any object of observation. But later on, even the attribute of being a witness is removed, as to see something, there has to be another (an object that can be seen and oberver).
Hence Brahman cannot be a witness also. So the false attribute of being a witness is also negated by saying that Brahman is beyond 5 senses and mind.
It is not possible to describe Brahman, hence it cannot be taught positively. No attribute can be given to describe it. It shows that all attributes are also false and they also has to be negated. Hence the only method to explain Brahman is negative approach or false superimposition and retraction or negation of false super imposition.
In gita same thing is observed in 13.13 and 13.14 (note in some version version 1 in chapter 13 is not found, and was not commented by Adi shankara. Hence the number in followers of Ramanuja might by 13.14 and 13.15)
ज्ञेयं यत्तत्प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वाऽमृतमश्नुते।
अनादिमत्परं ब्रह्म न सत्तन्नासदुच्यते।।13.13।।
13.13 I shall speak of that which is to be known, by realizing which one attains Immortality. The supreme Brahman is without any beginning. That is called neither being nor non-being.
सर्वतः पाणिपादं तत्सर्वतोऽक्षिशिरोमुखम्।
सर्वतः श्रुतिमल्लोके सर्वमावृत्य तिष्ठति।।13.14।।
13.14 That (Knowable), which has hands and feet everwhere, which has eyes, heads and mouths everywhere, which has ears everywhere, exists in creatures by pervading them all.
सर्वेन्द्रियगुणाभासं सर्वेन्द्रियविवर्जितम्।
असक्तं सर्वभृच्चैव निर्गुणं गुणभोक्तृ च।।13.15।।
13.15 Shining through the functions of all the organs, (yet) devoid of all the organs; unattached, and verily the supporter of all; without quality, and the perceiver of qualities;
did you notice - neither being nor non-being. Then attributes of omnipresence -- then retraction of these qualities as devoid of all organs, without quality.
Please refer to shankara bhasya from link in my signature 'Gita Super Site' in verse 13.14. Select both hindi commentary (Sri Harikrishandas Goenka ) and english commentary (Swami Gambhirananda)
another e.g. to make things easy.
न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत्।
कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः।।3.5।।
3.5 Because, no one ever remains even for a moment without doing work. For all are made to work under compulsion by the gunas born of Nature.
यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन।
ज्ञानाग्निः सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा।।4.37।।
4.37 Just as burning fire turns fuel to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge turn all Karma to ashes.
Is this not contradictory? So first something is said, then it is retracted or negated.
To a matured sadhaka, shastras say that all karmas are destroyed. All means prArabhdha, AgAmi and sanchit. So even prArabhdha is destroyed. Gita also says that one cannot be free from any karma and so one should practice nitya karmas.
Upadeshas are said from adhikAra bheda.
Now you got he point as why in Sv. Up. even though the size of jiva is given, it says, it has to be experienced as infinite.
I hope the theory of Advaita is understood.
Regarding bhakti, without bhakti, one cannot under Jnana. Bhakti is the foundation.
If you notice the reason or incident of spontaneous composition of Bhaja Govindam, you will understand why it was created and why it is necessary to surrender to Ishwara (God with form)
I will write about avatar and jnani later, but one word sums up, it is I am Brahman and not I am Ishwara.
To sum up
- Jiva and Atman are different in Adviata
- bhakti is important for mental purification (bhakti not from Vaishnava POV)
- Bhakti means an attitude of non-difference with Brahman
- False Superimposition followed by Retraction is traditional teaching according to Swami Sacchidanandendra Saraswati.
Aum
Amrut
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