Re: Soundarya Lahari - Shree Shankaraachaaryaa - Advaita
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté
I only offer this in passing... govinda takes on a few meanings.
One is his guru govinda bhagavatpāda and the other is kṛṣṇa; He does this in one stroke. The ability to praise both and see them as non-different. This non-difference is at the core of advitīya thought.
But what of the other devatā ? ādi śaṅkara-ji understood that in practice the infinite can be seen in one. And to unfold this insight of advitīya, one needed to start somewhere. So , he mentions several devatā. This allows one to align their practice to that one they might adore as the infinite is on one.
Said another way, ādi śaṅkara-ji knew the human condition ( this is supported by his fine work found within vivekacūḍāmaṇi¹) and understood the aspirant had to be uplifted to this realization of advitīya's direct experience of wholeness. He knew the native had to start somewhere. To this fact he offered the devatā's within the pañcāyatana puja. From my point of view how could this not be more encompassing and enduring ?
iti śivaṁ
1. vivekacūḍāmaṇi - this says, the crown jewel of discrimination ( some say crest jewel).
Last edited by yajvan; 30 November 2014 at 03:19 PM.
यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
because you are identical with śiva
_
Bookmarks