SMARTHA BRAHMINS

              SMARTHA BRAHMINS

Friends,

I heard the word SMARTHA first when I started reciting SANKALPA wherein I used to chant गौडस्मार्थ विहितह........I feel  the word SMRTHA might have derived from SMRUTHY. I feel it is so called because

It allows us to pray GOD in any shape i.e. in the shape of LORD SHIVA, LORD VISHNU or Goddess SHAKTHI,Etc.  as the Supreme being. In other words , SMARTHA MEANS VRIDHY.

SMARTHAS therefore evolved a POOJA called PANCHAYATHA POOJA, wherein they  performed pooja to FIVE DEITIES called as THE SUN GOD, LORD SHIVA, LORD VISHNU, LORD GANESHA and GODDESS SHAKTHY, OR DEVI. THE ARE PLACED ON A ROUND PLATE CALLED THAAMBAALAM (தாம்பாளம்) called पञ्चायतन with the Chief deity in the middle.  Some also keep Lord MURUGA as the sixth deity . In temples of medieval ages we can see this arrangement.  In other cases they worship only Lord SIIVA, LORD VISHNU/LORD KRISHNA or GODDESS SHAKTHY. ADI SHANKARA believed in SHANMATHA and is called SHANMATHA STHAPAKA. SMARTHAS ORDER OF ROUTINE is after ablution & bath on early morning of the DAY they are to perform SANDHYA VANDAN, JAPA. PANCHAYATANA POOJA, AUPAASANA, AGNIHOTRA etc. While brahmacharis (bachelor Brahmins wearing sacred thread perform AGNIKAARYAM. AGNIHOTRA  and AUPAASANAM are to be performed by married SMARTHAS ONLY. SMARTHAS TO BE SAATVICS TAKE ONLY Vegetarian diet.

Smarthas are to perform marriages as per the prescription of VEDAS only. Once a girl is married she has to change her lineage  called GOTHRA and smarthas are prohibited to marry a girl or boy of the same GOTHRA. They adhere to the system prescribed in POORVA MEEMAAMSA.

Regards to one and all and Namskarams,

P.R.RADHAKRISHNAN

ADVAITHA

                                                ADVAITHA VEDANTHA

Friends,

In this, I would like to try my hand on ADVAIDA SIDDANTHA. There are three PARAMPARAS who taught ADVAITHA.

(1)  DAIVA PARAMPARA (2) RISHI PARAMPARA (3) MAANAVA PARAMPARA

This can be found out from  "नारायणं पद्मभुवं ( DAIVA PARAMPARA) वसिiष्ठं शक्तिं च तत्पुत्रं पराशरं च व्यासं शुकं (RISHI PARAMPARA) गौडपादं महान्तं गोविन्दयोगीन्द्रं अथास्य शिष्यम्
श्री शंकराचार्यं अथास्य पद्मपादं च हस्तामलकं च शिष्यम् तं तोटकं वार्त्तिककारमन्यान् अस्मद् गुरून् सन्ततमानतोऽस्मि.” ( MAANAVA PARAMPARA)

Here we may call NAARAAYANA as Lord Mahavishnu, PADMABHUVAM as LORD BRAMHA since he was born in Lotus which came out from the naval of Mahavishnu – DAIVA PARAMPARA others VASISHTA, SHAKTHI, PARAASHARA, VYAASA, and SHUKA as RISHI PARAMPARA AND GAUDAPAADA, GOVINDA AND SHANKARA, PADMAPAADA, HASTHAAMALAKA as MANAVA PARAMPARA who propagated ADVAITHA.

Now I shall try to say what is ADVAITHA.  Before I say about Advaitha, I like to say that I am not a student of Philosophy but a Political Science Post Graduate.  Kinly excuse me if you find any mistake.  ADVAITHA PHILOSOPHY SHOW HOW APPARENT DUALITY IN REAL FORM IS NON DUALITY I.E. JEEVAATHAMA AND PARAMAATHMA ARE ONE AND THE SAME. THERE IS NO DEATH TO JEEVAATHMA. AS BHAKTHA KABIR PUT IT when the cloth becomes dirty as we change it, the body is also changed to a new form.

Now Let us see what is Brahmam. “BRAHMAN is “the impersonal, supreme and uncognisable Principle of the Universe from the essence of which all emanates, and into which all returns … is incorporeal, immaterial, unborn, eternal, beginningless and endless. It is all-pervading, animating the highest god as well as the smallest mineral atom.”

 

PARABRAHM is “The Supreme Infinite Brahman. ‘Absolute’ – the attributeless, the secondless reality. The impersonal and nameless universal PRINCIPLE.”

What is Advaitha Vedantha? “Vedanta contends that ours is a non-dual reality in which everything that exists is the self, including everything that seems to be ‘not me,’ meaning everything experienceable. If this is true then any and all experience is already the self. From this standpoint the Yoga doctrine that one needs to engage in certain practices like arresting the thoughts to produce a ‘self’ experience or ‘enter the state of the self’ is unnecessary and, in fact, redundant.” - James Swartz

Now Let us find out what is Vishistaadwaitha : VISISHTAADWAITHA IS QUALIFIED NON DUALISM in which LORD VISHNU IS THE ULTIMATE AND HE POSSESSES ALL GOOD QUALITIES. While in SOUTH INDIA it is propagated by H.H. RAMANUJA in NORTH INDIA BY CHAITHANYA MAHAPRABHU. Most probably Worship of Phallus as GOD was not liked by them.

While HH. Adi Shankara  propagated ADAITHA as  Given in SWETHASWATHARA UPANISHAD and other Upanishads in saying that BRHMAN is ABSULUTE who is Omni-present. Omni-potent, omniscient , and also  “SAKSHEE CHETHO KEVALO NIRGUNASCHA”. For him BRAHMAN is a WITNESS TO ALL ACTIONS BY ALL  but without GUNA (THRIGUNAS)i.e. SATHWA (PURITY, LOVE, BENEVOLENCE AND KNOWLEDGE). RAJAS. (ACTIONS SUCH AS BRAVERY and MATERIAL RESULT ORIENTED ACTION etc.), THAMAS ( The correct meaning is DARKNESS However we can say LAZINESS, INERTIA AND DULLNESS) AND ALSO HEADS ALL ACTIONS. 

BUDDISM IS NOT ATHEISTIC.  However they avoid the Word GOD and it Identifies the Universe as GOD. Buddist avoid the term GOD   

“ Jnana or awareness without conceptual constructions is declared to be Brahman. This awareness is unborn, without sleep or dream, without name and form and is omniscient. When there are no thoughts about objects, awareness rests in itself and attains equanimity. This is called contactless concentration or asparsha yoga and even the yogis are afraid of it “.As per DALAI LAMA the HEAD OF BUDDIST PRIESTS OF TIBET, "The purpose of the Buddha coming to this world was not to measure the circumference of the world and the distance between the earth and the moon, but rather to teach the Dharma, to liberate sentient beings, to relieve sentient beings of their sufferings." The FAITH is the THRIGUNAS “a. Uncritical faith: motivation is for no apparent reason b. Longing faith: motivation is led by an emotionally unstable mind c. Conviction: motivated by sound reasoning

In fact H.H. GAUDAPAADA the preceptor of the preceptor of  HH . ADI SHANKARA, called HH.GOVINDA has taken the BUDDIST THEORY in ADVAIDA PHILOSOPHY As per Wikipedia “Gaudapda took over the Buddhist doctrines that ultimate reality is pure consciousness (vijñapti-mātra) and "that the nature of the world is the four-cornered negationGaudapada "wove [both doctrines] into a philosophy of the Mandukaya Upanisad, which was further developed by Shankara". At the same time, Gaudapada emphatically rejected the epistemic idealism of the Buddhists, arguing that there was a difference between objects seen in dreams and real objects in the world, although both were ultimately unreal. He also rejected the pluralism and momentariness of consciousnesses, which were core doctrines of the Vijnanavada school, and their techniques for achieving liberation.

Gaudapada also took over the Buddhist concept of "ajāta" from Nagarjuna's Madhyamaka philosophy, which uses the term "anutpāda". "Ajātivāda", "the Doctrine of no-origination or non-creation, is the fundamental philosophical doctrine of Gaudapada

 Śaṅkara Bhagavatpādācārya or Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, synthesised and rejuvenated the doctrine of Advaita. He consolidated the Advaita Vedanta, an interpretation of the Vedic scriptures that continued the line of thought of some of the Upanishadic teachers, Shankara's teacher Govinda Bhagavatpada, Govinda's teacher Gaudapada, and Gaudapada's teacher Ajativada. His interpretation, including works ascribed to him, has become the normative interpretation of Advaita Vedanta.”.

Shri Gaudapadacharya Math

Shri Gaudapadacharya Math

Around 740 AD Gaudapada founded Shri Gaudapadacharya Math, also known as Kavaḷē maṭha. It is located in Kavale, Ponda, Goa, and is the oldest matha of the South Indian Saraswat Brahmins Unlike other mathas, Shri Gaudapadacharya matha is not a polemical center established to influence the faith of all Hindus, its jurisdiction is limited to only Dakshinatya Saraswat Brahmins.”.

It was HH Adi Shankara who Systematised and incorporated the BUDDIST THEORY In his “VIVEKA CHUDAMANI”. ADI SHANKARA WAS A HINDU PHILOSOPHER OF 8^TH CENTUARY OF CE according to majority of writers.

According to this “BRAHMAM IS ONLY THE REAL AND THE WORLD IS ONLY AN ILLUSION AND THE INDIVIDUAL (SELF) IS NOT DIFFERENT FROM BRAHMAM

SRINGERI MUTT , ONE OF THE MUTTS ESTABLISHED BY ADI SHANKARA has given a short summary of the above as “The eternal, impersonal, consciousness Absolute is the Brahman, the one without a second”.

At a time when BUDDHISM was getting popular and popular with the masses, this synchronisation was essential since HINDUISM was about to be extinguished.

Regarding the GAUDA SARASWATH BRAHMINS, they had no institutions to propagate their religion till perhaps the 5^th Century after the death of Christ. Only after H.H. Gaudapadacharya established KAVALE MUTT in GOA they got a mutt. This was the only MUTT for the entire GAUDA SARASWAT BRAHMINS for more than 100 years or so. Till such a period all GAUDA SARASWATH BRAHMINS were SMARTHA BRAHMINS. 

I feel I may not be justified, if I do not give about THENKALAI, and VADAKALAI SECT of Iyengars. It appears to me since I am not an Iyengar born , Thenkalai Iyengars are thefollowers of  VANAMAALAI MUTT of the famous SIRIPERUMBADUR MUTT, THIRUKOOILR MUTT In VILIIPURAM AND KANCHI DISTRICTS of the present TAMIL NADU. JEEYAR SWAMY MUTT OF TIRUPPATHY, and YATHIRAJA MUTT OF MELKOTTE, MAANDYA DISTRICT OF KARNATAKA, NUNGANERI OF THIRUNELVELLI OF TN. 

VADAKALAI AYENGARS have their Mutt as AHOBILA MUTT, PARAKALA MUTT, SRIRANGAM ANDAVAN ASHRAMAM Etc.Whiile VADAKALAI IYENGARS follow H.H. RAMANUJA, and VEDANTHA DESIKA,  who sport “U” Naamam  which according to the is symbolicism of Lord Vishnu’ s Right foot which they consider as origin of the HINDU RELIGIOUS RIVER THE GANGES, the other section who believe in MANAVALA MAMUNI as their Head, wear “Y” type oordwha Pundram where in the central mark which they call as SRICHURNAM represents GODDESS MAHA LAKSHMI who is the wife of LORD MAHA VISHNU. PROBABLY HH.MANAVALA might be thinking of giving equal rights to women. HH. RAMANUJA was the founder of VISHISTA ADVAITHA who did not like the worship of LINGA and hence called the GOD as LORD VISHNU instead of SHIVA LINGA. This is the only the Main difference between ADVAITHA of H.H. ADI SHANKARA AND H.H. RAMANUJA founder of VISHISHTA ADAIDA IN SOUTH INDIA.

HH MADHWACHAR OR POORNA PRAJNA OR ANANDA MURTHY propounded DUALISM in which the Main Difference is that ATHMAN AND PAMATHMAN ARE DIFFERENT WHILE HH ADI SHANKARA AND   HH. RAMANUJA said that ATMA & PARAMATMA are not different but one and the same. The philosophy is depicted by AHAM BRAHMASMI meaning I am the Brahma. While for Adi SHANKARA the PARABRAHMAM is NIRGUNA FOR HH.  RAMANUJA PARABRAHAMAM is SAGUNA.

I am giving the differences between HH. ADI SHANKARA’s TEACHINGS and HH. RAMANUJA’S TEACHINGS Which I have taken from HINDU BLOG.

 QUOTE  “Adi Shankaracharya and Sri Ramanujacharya are two of the most important saints in Hinduism. They are the fountainhead of two different schools of thought that helps devotees in the path of Moksha. Here is a comparison of the teachings of Adi Shankara and Sri Ramanuja. This is just an attempt to learn the teachings of the two of the greatest teachers.

The teaching of Adi Shankaracharya is generally referred as Advaita Philosophy

The teaching of Sri Ramanujacharya is generally referred as Visishtadvaita Philosophy

Adi Shankara teaches Advaita or oneness of God (Brahman)

Sri Ramanuja teaches Visishta Advaita or oneness of God (Brahman) with attributes.

Adi Shankara – Brahman only exists. Manifestations are temporary. They are the result of ignorance. When ignorance is removed there is no second.

Sri Ramanuja – Brahman exists and his manifestations or attributes are real. Attributes (living and non living) are real but are controlled by Brahman.

Adi Shankara – Moksha or liberation is merging with the Brahman

Sri Ramanuja- Moksha or liberation is residing in Vaikunta near the feet of Srihari Vishnu

Adi Shankara – The world is real until knowledge dawns. To a realized soul the world is unreal.

Sri Ramanuja – The world is real and is connected to the Supreme Truth

Adi Shankara – Individual soul is real until knowledge dawns.

Sri Ramanuja– Individual soul arose from the Brahman and remains forever.

Adi Shankara – Soul merges with Brahman. Through self realization one attains bliss.

Sri Ramanuja – Final destination of soul is Vaikunta. This is attained through devotion and self sacrifice.  

Adi Shankara – Pleasure or pain is the result of Avidya. When knowledge dawn one merges in the ocean of bliss (Brahman)

Sri Ramanuja – Pleasure or pain is the result of the karma of the individual soul.” UNQUOTE

I conclude by quoting from SWETHASWATHAROPANSHAD Thus :-

         QUOTE “  ll  एको देवःसर्वभूतेषु गूडः सर्वव्यापी सर्व भूतान्तराऽत्मा

                                       कर्माद्ध्यक्षः सर्वभूताधिवासः साक्षी चेता केवलो निर्गुणश्च  ll  “ UNQUOTE

                                      -  ST UPANISHAD CHAPTER VI VERSE 11

Regards and Namaskarams,

P.R. RADHAKRISHNAN