Advaita-Smarta-Panchayatana-Nirguna Brahma SOME DOUBTS
Namaste,
I did not study Vedanta.
I have some doubts regarding the Advaita tradition of Sri Adi Shankaracharya.
1.Advaita is an interpretation of Vedanta Scriptures.Smarta is a tradition of Hinduism based on the Vedas,Puranas and other texts.
How are both related?I think majority of Hindus are Smarta,am I right?
But it could not imply that all Smartas study Advaita Vedanta.Are there Dvaita,Vishishta Advaita etc. following Smartas?
2.Smartas follow Panchayatana Puja,i.e. worship of five Devatas,namely Sri Vishnu,Sri Shiva,Sri Devi,Sri Ganesha and Sri Surya.I assume Advaita Vedanta is about of Nirguna Brahma.
According to Advaita,what is the relationship between formless Brahman and (personal)Devatas?
How to Advaita-Smartas reconcile Saguna worship with a Nirguna goal?
3.Most say that the Panchayatana system was started by Sri Shankaracharya and some claim that it existed before him and he popularized it.Are there any references in authoritative works of Sri Shankarachrya wherein he advocates Panchayatana(/Shanmata) system?
What did Srimad Acharya say about Bhakti,Murti Puja,Yajna etc?
Are there any references in the scriptures(Vedas,Puranas,Agamas,Tantras etc) that suggest Panchayatana Puja method?
4.I have seen that Smartas/Advaitins are very liberal.They do not have any hesitation to quote from works of other traditions,they praise the 63 Nayanmars of Shaiva Siddhanta,the other Bhakti saints etc.Most traditions never speak about great devotees of their same deity from other Sampradayas.Why are Smartas/Advaitins broad minded?Are they not concerned about diluting their own tradition?
5.And the most curious thing I've seen is the Smarta-Shakteya-Advaitin combination!
Smartas believe that the five deities are equal and forms of the same Brahman.
Shakteyas believe that the Goddess is above all other deities and all devatas originate from Her.
There are Smartas who follow Panchayatana Puja and at the same time are Shaktas.Now,Shakta Upanishads,Puranas, Agamas,tantras & literature proclaim that Sri Devi is Supreme.How do Smarta Shaktas live with this plain contradicition?
I have been seeing these things for a long time and it appears to my ignorant eyes as opposing ideologies living together.I do not have any intention to find fault with any tradition,I just want to know things really work in the Smarta,Advaita circles.Pardon me if there are any mistakes.
He dances in the golden hall of Chidambaram, Let us worship His rosy anklet girt Feet.
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