Shankara

Gummuluru Murthy gmurthy at MORGAN.UCS.MUN.CA
Sun Sep 6 07:01:27 CDT 1998


On Sat, 5 Sep 1998 Chelluri at AOL.COM wrote:


> Now I would like ask another question.  Like you said stotras etc. is fine
> whether they represent dwaita view or not.   You must have read Saundyalahari.
> Adi Shankaras masterpiece. My favorite.  Parayana once with nistchala bhakti
> and homam will achieve anything material or spiritual.  I am saying this by
> experience.
>
> Now the question is Why Shankara being a Sanyasi describes mother in such a
> romantic way in Saudalyalahari.   In this world I have seen no son describing
> his mother in such a romantic way.   I am searching for an answer, so far I
> did not able to get a convincing response.
>
> I asked sada. His response was good.  He said Shankara is a great poet.  What
> he saw he described and not with any other thoughts.  So did Kalidasa.
> I guess this answers God is invisible too.
>
>                                   Shubham                       Nagy
>


Namaste.

I do not see Soundarya LaharI as an erotic or a romantic description.
It is again an outpouring from the heart of what Shri Shankara "sees"
in front of Him. The description is not any different from some Shri
LalitA trishati names, or some in ShyAmalA dandakam. Also in SivAnanda
LaharI, we come across some very imaginative descriptions.

It may be a taboo to describe human anatomy for a mind contaminated by
the social restrictions of the mAyA-generated jagat and such mind may
see it as a romantic or an erotic description. But for the free and
pure spirit of Shri Shankara, that is not a restriction. He described
what He visualized in front of Him. And we also need to see it in
that way.

Regards
Gummuluru Murthy
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