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the exponent of the Visishtadvaita philosophy - ebooks - ISKCON ...

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—<br />

30 THE LIFE OF EAMANOJA. CH. V.<br />

Meanwhile, Kamala-uayana-bhatta at Mazlialai-mangalaiu/<br />

became <strong>the</strong> fa<strong>the</strong>r <strong>of</strong> a boy, <strong>the</strong> mo<strong>the</strong>r being his wife<br />

Sri-devi as noted. Tirumalai-Nambi receiving <strong>the</strong> news, hastened<br />

to <strong>the</strong> place and congratulating Bliatta on <strong>the</strong> happy<br />

event, foretold that <strong>the</strong> child was one <strong>of</strong> great promise ; be<br />

would grow to be very wise and good and unworldly, and an<br />

ardent Champion <strong>of</strong> Beligion. He was to be named Govinda."<br />

All <strong>the</strong> Samskaras (sacraments) were regularly administered<br />

in his case. He came <strong>of</strong> age and also entered <strong>the</strong> order <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

householder. Hearing <strong>of</strong> his cousin-bro<strong>the</strong>r studying under<br />

Ysidava-prakaSa, he gladly joined him to prosecute studies<br />

in his good company.<br />

In <strong>the</strong> course <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir landings, Yadava came aci-oss <strong>the</strong><br />

passage:—^ ^^ -q^ ^ [Taitt : Up: II, 1. /] and be explained<br />

it in a way most repugnant to <strong>the</strong> spirit <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

passage itself. For <strong>the</strong> passage means :<br />

" Brahman (God) is Truth {sattyam). Knowledge<br />

(jridnam), and InBnity {anatitaiii)."<br />

But Y&dava said that<br />

<strong>the</strong> attributes <strong>of</strong> Truth, Knowledge<br />

and Infinity could not co-exist in Brahman, inasmuch as brokenhorn-ness,<br />

horn-les»ness, a,ndjull-hornuess, could not co-exist in a<br />

cow, for example ; i. e a cow cannot have broken horns, no<br />

horns and be fully horned at one and <strong>the</strong> same time ; and<br />

<strong>the</strong>refore Brahman cannot simultaneously possess vaj-ious<br />

attributes. Brahman with attiibutes was <strong>the</strong>refore a logical<br />

impossibility. Bd,manuja protested with his teacher that this<br />

Upanishad passage could not be thus misinterpreted and<br />

so tortui-ed as to suit his own imaginary Brahman. Challenged<br />

by <strong>the</strong> teacher :— to furnish his own explanation, Kamanuja<br />

argued thus " To begin with, a sentence cannot mean o<strong>the</strong>rwise<br />

than what it is intended to mean. " That Brahman is<br />

Truth etc." i.s what is evident in this passage. It does not<br />

run thus :— " Bi-ahman is not Truth," so as to make Brahman<br />

'<br />

Now known as Madhnra-mangalam (near Coojivaraan.)<br />

'<br />

Or Embar, No. 31 <strong>of</strong> Hierarchic Table in our Its Lives <strong>of</strong> Azhvare.

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