Advaita Polemics (Advaita Samarajyam of Shri Krishnananda Saraswati)

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Advaitasamrajya written by Srikrishnanandasaraswati in the 18th century aims at explaining the Advaita theories like secondless Brahman the falsity of the world the self effulgence the identity of self and Brahman etc. It tries to show how the views regarding duality, Brahman with attributes etc. are faulty. In rather the campu style of composition this text reflects the characteristics of a good Advaita text. This provides intellectual affirmation of Advaita realization to a Advaitasadhaka.

Dr. Penna Madhusudan has been a sincere student researcher and teacher of Sanskrit shastriya texts for the last fifteen years. He has authored many books of Indian philosophy edited manuscripts and composed poems in Sanskrit. The present translation is an outcome of his regular svadhyaya. He is presently serving the Dept. of Sanskrit K. Kalidas Sanskrit University Ramtek Dist. Nagpur (Maharashtra).

The Advaita system propounds the theory that the Brahman without any attributes is the only reality. This Brahman is no other than Existence, Reality, Eternity, consciousness and Bliss. The world experience is a mere illusion, because the world is an appearance. The beginning less contact between the perceiver and the perceived is due to beginning less avidya which disappears at the rise of Brahman realization. The duality is a product of avidya, and non—duality or advaita is the Brahman itself.

Immediate Realization of the Brahman is instant means to liberation called Brahma—bhava. Because, the Upanisad (mundaka 3-2-1) states assertively that the knower of the Brahman becomes the Brahman verily. Meditation, devotion, performance of deeds enjoined in the scriptures are for mind—purification. A pure mind becomes eligible for comprehending reality. All means are to support and strengthen realization only.

As a matter of fact, a real advaitin has no opponent. There are two kinds of Advaitins, first are those who have realized the advaita, hence become Jivanmukta’ liberated-while»living. The second are those who are fully convinced of the nature of Advaita and have been striving to attain the experience or realization. The Advaitin of the first category is firmly established in the Brahman that he cannot perceive any opponent in the ocean of Brahman. He is beyond the understanding of common folk. But, the Advaitins of the second group dedicate themselves to the task of substantiating, defending, some times refining the advaita doctrines. This is how the Advaita Polemic is born. Advaita Polemics aim at-

1. Examining the Upanisad sentences in such a way to bring out their true purport,
2. Explaining the doctrines of Upanisads, Brahmasutra, in the light of Advaita, to the disciples to help them get firmly established in the Advaita, and
3. Removing the doubts of curious seekers of truth in the study of scriptures, especially when they get entangled in the arguments of many thinkers.

Thus, arguments after arguments have taken shape sometimes out of the sincere queries of disciples and sometimes out of the vehement refutations from others. It’s absolutely a natural phenomenon in the literature of any system of philosophy to ward off the doubts of truth—seekers, by way of arguments. The Upanisads are good examples of this fair practice of truth seeking.

An Advaitin or a Yogin (for that matter, a yogin in perfect spiritual absorption is an advaitin always) can never resort to preaching. It is either out of compassion for the gloomy that the advaitin resorts to preaching or to elucidate .the Advaita doctrine to the confused that he employs logic.

Is teaching possible in Advaita? A Mentally ill person perceives many things around. _He has illusions, hallucinations, delusions of various types. To him they are as real as other things to the otherwise healthy people. In that state of insanity, he never understands that the ‘experiences’ he gets are his mental fabrications’. By administering powerful drugs or by offering wise consoling that the doctors try to get him to normal mental state. Now this person can differentiate a true experience from a hallucination.