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Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00153 May 2005

 
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SrI:
 
Dear BhakthAs :
 
Dr.S.M.Srinivasa Chari is a preeminent , contemproary Vedantic Scholar ,
who has been blessed to recieve training from sampradhAyic VaishNavite
AchAryAs like Vaikunta Vaasi , SrI Goshtipuram SoumyanArAyaNAchArya
Swami for many years
 
Those years of intense , traditional kaalakshEpams from authoritative VaishNavite
scholars & AchAryAs have laid the foundation for him to share his unique insights into
Bhagavad RaamAnuja Darsanam  in the form of outstanding monographs ;
latter are reference books for many aasthikAs at every level of knowledge
about  our Aasthika darsanams . The facility and throughness with which
Dr.Chari explains the grand doctrines of VisishtAdhvaitham , Adhvaitham
and Dhvaitham is unique among modern  day authors on Comparitive
Philosophy . With a keen sense of impartiality , he has compared the three
darsanams developed by AchArya RaamAnuja , Samkara and MaadhvA
and evaluated them in the context of their aadhAram in PrasthAna Thrayam
( Upanishads , Brahma SoothrAs and Bhagavad GitA ) . His constructive
evaluations of the fundamentals of the above three darsanams and
their key assumptions are eye openers for novices as well as advanced
students of philosophy .
 
Sofar , Dr.Chari has illumined us with such comparitive evaluations of
the three darsanams through the release of the following Six outstanding
monographs so far . Each one of them is a treasure :
 
1. Advaitha and VisishtAdhvaitha : A study based on Swamy Desikan's
    Sata dhUshaNi .
 
2. Fundamentals of VisishtAdhvaitha: A study based on Swamy Desikan's
    Tatthva Muktha Kalaapa . 
 
3. VaishNavism : A handy reference monograph dealing with Its Philosophy  ,
    Theology and Religious Discipline .
 
4. Philosophy and Theistic Mysticism of the AzhwArs :In depth study of
    the theological and philosophical teachings of the 12 AzhwArs .
 
5. The Philosophy of the VedAntha SoothrAs : An objectie and pioneering
evaluation of BadarAyaNA's VedAntha SutrAs as commented upon by
the three principal darsana sthApakAs .
 
6. The Philosophy of the Upanishads : A dispassionate study of the commentaries
by Samkara , MaadhvA and Ramanuja on BadarayaNa"s  Vedanta SutrAs .  
 
Sr.S.M.S. Chari's mature genius has now added to the above list of Six
important monographs , yet another brilliant monograph entitled :
"The Philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita " .
 
We are indeed fortunate to have the benefit of  Dr. Chari's authoritative
and scholarly monograph on " The Philosophy of Bhagavad Gita ",
which focuses on the objective evaluation of Samkara's , RaamAnujA's
and MaadhvA's  commentaries on GithOpanishad . Dr. Chari's latest
monograph on Gita is one of its kind that breaks new grounds and
extends the frontiers of research in this important area of comparitive
study of VedAntha . Dr.Chari summarizes first the Philosophy of Bhagavad
Gita as advanced by the three AchAryAs in an impressively clear and concise
manner .   He covers all the eighteen chapters of  Bhagavad Gita using key 
slOkams from each of the chapters and compares the different intrepretations
on these quintessential slOkams  from the point of view of the three AchAryAs  .  
This forms Part I of this monograph . In Part II , Dr. Chari focuses on
an objective and refreshing evaluation of the individual commentaries of
Samkara , Ramnauja and Maadhva on Bhagavd Gita across the matrix of
(1) The TatthvAs (2) The Saadhana and (3) The Doctrine of Parama PurushArtha .
 
The TatthvAs deals with the three doctrines of VedAntha (Tatthva Thrayam )
on ParamAthman( Iswaran) , JeevAthman( Sentients) and the Jagath ( Universe) .
 
The Saadhana comprises of Karma Yoga , Jn~Ana Yoga and Bhakthi yoga ,
the spiritual doctrines established by Gita for attaining Parama PurushArtha .
Saadhana  is recognized as the Central theme of Bhagavad Gita .
 
The doctrine of Parama PurushArtha deals with the Supreme goal (Viz).,
the knowledge of Brahman . The knowledge of Reality (TatthvAs) and
the means of its attainment would be valuable , if only there is a worthy
higher goal (Parama PurushArtham) is to be attained . That highest goal
as taught by Lord KrishNa as the Supreme Brahman is the attainment of
liberation from bondage in SamsAram .
 
A close study of Dr.Chari's scholarly monograph throws light on " how
this important religious classic ( Bhagavad Gita) , which is one of the (three)
source books of VedAntha , is viewed so differently by the three VedAntic
exponents". Dr. Chari's  most welcome contribution is the assessment of
the main philosophical tenets advanced by the three Schools of VedAntha
and their closeness or otherwise to the purport of the original text of Bhagavad
Gita . In this monograph , Dr. Chari has advanced convincing reasons
to conclude that AchArya Ramanuja's BhAshyam on Bhagavad Gita 
conforms closely to the teachings of Bhagavad Gita .  
 
Dr. Chari has arrived at the above  conclusion in an impartial manner    
by " a critical examination of the following major philosophical theories
and the connected issues " . The issues in his own words are :

1.  The nature of  the Para-Tatthva or the ultimate reality - -whether it is
     the personal God of religion or the impersonal undifferentiated Being .
 
2. The nature of JeevAthman- - whether it is a distinct ontological spiritual
     entity different from Brahman or non-different from it .
 
3. The status of the Universe- - whether it is real or phenomenal in character.
 
4. The theory of Saadhana- -the Karma Yoga and its role in the Saadhana
     for Moksha ; the Jn~Ana Yoga and its role as the means to Moksha;
     the Bhakti Yoga  and its role as the direct means to Moksha .
 
5. The nature fo the Supreme Goal- - whether it is the attainment of
     a status of equality with Paramatman by the JeevAthman or is it
     the realization of  the identity  of the Jiva with Brahman .    
 
In the final chapter entitled , " General Evaluation and Conclusion " ,
Dr. Chari develops his case for his conclusion that AchArya Ramanuja"s
BhAshyam is the  closest in reflecting the teachings of Bhagavad Gita .
He rests his case on developing the answers for the above five questions.
 
His answers based on comparitive analysis of the three BhAshyas are :
 
1.The Nature of Para TatthvA or Ultimate Reality : " Throughout Gita ,
we come across only one concept of ParamAthman  , who is equated with
a personal God in the name  of Lord KrishNa . There is no reference to
an undifferentiated impersonal Being anywhere in Gita .
 
2. The Nature of JivAthman : Gita acknowledges that JivAthman is
a distinct ontological entity that is distinctly different from ParamAthman .
There is no verse in Gita , which explicitly states that JivAthman is
essentially Brahman. The Upanishads and the VedAntha SutrAs
also affirm the difference between the two: JivAthman and ParamAthman .
 
3. The Status of the Universe : Is it real or illusory  in Character ?
There is nothing in Gita that holds the universe as illusory  .
 
4. The theory of Saadhana: The question is which of the three pathways
( Karma , Jn~Ana and Bhakthi yoga) is the direct means to Moksha
and which are the subordinate means ?  Samkara identifies Jn~Ana
yoga as the direct means and the Karma as well as Bhakthi yogas
are subordinates . Ramanuja holds that Bhakti yoga is the direct means 
to Moksha and the other two are aids to it . Maadhva identifies aparOksha
Jn~Ana ( direct perception of ParamAthman) as the direct means  to Moksha ;
aparOksha Jn~Ana arises from dhyAna yoga , which is the same as
bhakthi yoga . The upadEsam in GitA does not seem to support the views
of both Samkara and Maadhva .
 
5. The Nature of the Supreme Goal : is it the attainment of a status of
equality with ParamAthman by the JivAthmanor is it the realization of
the identity of JivAthman with Brahman ? According to the teachings of
Gita , it is clear that the attainment of a status of equality (Saadharmyam)
with ParamAthman by the JeevAthman constitutes the Supreme goal .
Maadhva and Ramanuja hold this view .
 
Dr.Chari gives copious references in support of the above views 
and concludes on that basis that AchArya Ramanuja's Gita BhAshyam
is closest to the teachings of GithOpanishad .
 
Dr. Chari's monograph has a very useful glossary , list of references 
and subject index . This brilliantly composed monograph has 280 pages 
and is published by Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers , New Delhi .
One can order this book on line from the web site:www.mrmlbooks.com 
The price for the book is Rupees 575 (~14$) . 
 
adiyEn recommends this outstanding monograph for your libraries
without reservations .
 
Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil V.Sadagopan 
SrImath Azhagiya Singar Thiruvadi .    
    


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