Srimad Bhagvatam and on Tattvas
Namaste,
I am not much fond of Puranas but Srimad Bhagvatam has fascinated me with the gems of knowledge it contains. There are endless debates on validity of paths among the zealous followers of different paths. Bhagvad Gita talks of different paths and there are other scriptures also talking on the various different paths of Hindu Dharma. However, the clarity of Srimad Bhagvatam on this issue is exceptional.
On this forum itself, we have seen people fighting tooth and nail to prove how their path is better than all others. A common scene has been attack on Advaita by the Vaishnavas (mostly from ISKCON or subscribing to the views of ISKCON). These people have no qualms in calling the Advaitins not only MAyAvaadi in a derogatory fashion but also sometimes as demons / rascals etc. They try to show that Adi Shankara was actually born to confuse people and divert them from the path of Dharma.
As we are Advaitins so it is but natural that we defend our path. But what do Vaishnava Scriptures say on this issue ? Let us take some excerpts from Srimad Bhagavatam :
Uddhava asks Lord Krishna in Canto 11, chapter 22, verse 1-3 :
"How many are the Tattvas enumerated by the sages, O' Lord of the Universe ? O Lord, regarding this I hear that thou speakest of twenty eight, divided into nine, eleven, five and three. Some speak of twenty six and others twenty five, some speak of seven, some nine or six or four and other eleven. Some speak of seventeen and some again thirteen. Thou shouldst tell me O' Immortal One the purpose which the sages have in view in this differently enumerating them."
===> In the above verses, the question is for finding out who is saying the truth. What is Lord Krishna's opinion on this issue ?
Lord Krishna says in Verse 4:
"Howsoever the sages may speak, it is quite in order, for all the tattvas are included in every enumeration."
By saying this, Lord Krishna validates all such versions. He further says :
"It is not as you put it but it is as I put it" - this sort of fighting over the issue is due to My powers Sattva, Rajasa and Tamasa which are difficult to get rid of"
"O' best of men, it is owing to their mutual interpretation that the Tattvas are enumerated in a relation of cause and effect, according to the view of that particular exponent."
What do God says for the Dualists and for the Non-dualists ?
First He talks about the Dualists.
He says :
Verse 10 :" Some hold the view that since a man is under the grip of beginningless nescience, cannot realise his Self unaided, the Omniscient Giver of knowledge must be a different being from him"
Then He talks about the Non-dualists :
He says :
Verse 11 : "On this point others say that there is not the least difference between the soul (of Jeeva) and God. Therefore it is futile to make a distinction between them and knowledge is but an attribute of Prakriti".
Then He keeps talking on various different views on tattvas in this chapter. And His final say on all such views :
Verse 34 : "Thus the sages have made various enumerations of Tattvas. All of these, being reasonable, are apposite"
So, in God's view, all these views are correct. The difference is due to various ways of describing the same thing.
OM
"Om Namo Bhagvate Vaasudevaye"
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