myths and facts about advaita

[Mohini Shakti Devi]

Is there such a thing as Advaita-yoga?

[atanu]

Dandavat Pranamas, Atanu Ji
"...since the inner most self is Lord..."

- So do you mean to say that our real identity is the Lord itself, and we do not have seperate identity from the Lord?...

Dandavat Pranam Shri Krishna Das Ji,

Not so exactly. It will depend on what you mean by Lord -- whether you call the special attributes suited for the ocassion as Lord or you take the immutable as the eternity. Shri Krishna teaches "the wise constitutes My Heart".

Ishwara/Guru are special purushas whom no one can be identical to in terms of attributes. Krishna Das cannot be Cassius Clay or Einstein, what to talk of Lord? But Krishna Das, as a jnani, can constitute the Heart of Lord.

That some-one is myself only. I am curious to know in what way is Mayavad different from Advaita - that will be an information for me.

Do you not have faith/fear of Guru Vani "Destruction on hearing"? Why do you then wish to hear? Destruction upon destruction?

Hare Krsna

[Krsna Das]

Dandavat Pranamas, Hare Krsna !

Not so exactly. It will depend on what you mean by Lord -- whether you call the special attributes suited for the ocassion as Lord or you take the immutable as the eternity. Shri Krishna teaches "the wise constitutes My Heart".

Ishwara/Guru are special purushas whom no one can be identical to in terms of attributes. Krishna Das cannot be Cassius Clay or Einstein, what to talk of Lord? But Krishna Das can constitute the Heart of Lord.

So what I understand from your post is that Jiva and Sri Visnu, both are different in terms of attributes.

I have some more questions, if you can kindly spare some time to reply it for me:

1. What are these attributes, which differntiate Jiva from the Lord (Personal form).

2. What is the similarity between both Jiva and Lord (Personal as well as impersonal form).

3. According to advaita-vedanta all the names and forms are nothing but illusion (maya) and so there are unreal. Am I correct? Also, I have one more question in relation to this - does this mean that the forms in which Lord manifests in his personl form are also illusion?

Also, if you can cite some slokas from sruti in addition to your viewpoint, it would be helpful.

Do you not have faith/fear of Guru Vani "Destruction on hearing"? Why do you then wish to hear? Destruction upon destruction?
Hare Krsna

Mahaprabhu has warned - "Not even to hear this doctrine".

Persons who are steadfast in devotion do not get bewildered, even upon hearing these doctrines, because they are dridha-vratah:

te dvandva-moha nirmuktah bhajante mam dridha vratah

It if for this reason, our acarayas have studied sariraka-bhasya of SriPad Sankaracarya in order to understand why it is so deterrant to devotional service to those who are not steadfast (kanistha-adhikaris or kanistha-madhyama adhikaris).

So can you pls cite the differences between advaita and mayavad?

Thanks

[kd gupta]

Dandavat Pranamas, Atanu Ji



"...since the inner most self is Lord..."

- So do you mean to say that our real identity is the Lord itself, and we do not have seperate identity from the Lord?...



That some-one is myself only. I am curious to know in what way is Mayavad different from Advaita - that will be an information for me.

Hare Krsna!

Dear Kdasji
No you don’t have your own or seperate Identity, Atanujis para explains it…

To know the pragnyaghana, the revealed consciousness of the ever unborn Self, is a step forward to knowing the Self - the final goal. This step is plainly in the domain of Advaita, since satyachidghanamis undelineated, infinite and formless.

How mayavad is Vinashti [ or this body is perished ] this quote from Kenopunishad explains…

ih+cha+iti+vidit+ath+satyam+asti…na+cha+iti+ih+viditvat+mahati+vinashtih…2/5

If the supreme soul is understood in this body, then only is fruitful otherwise it is gone waste .