[Advaita-l] Ritambara Prajna

[Venkata sriram P]

Namaste Raghavji,
 
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can we justify the idea of Patanjali's idea of RtambharA prajnA as being crucial in
attaining to true mahavAkya jnAnam in the more orthodox vedantic tradition
 
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The Gayatri Vidya Rahasya is encapsuled in the sUtra "pratibhAdvA sarvaM".
 
There are 2 aspects that are described in the above sUtra. One is pratibha and
other is prAtibha.  The sUrya is compared to pratibha and sUrya kiraNAs (mayUkhAs)
are compared to prAtibha.  
 
The "dhI" aspect is the prabhA (pratibha) and "dhI prEraNa" is the prAtibha. 
This "dhI prEraNa" or "prAtibha" is camouflaged with "prapancha vAsanAs".
 
It is the "prAtibha jnAna" which is called Gayatri Vidya.  This
prAtibha jnAna paves way for tAraka jnAna.   
 
Just as aruNOdaya is followed by sUryOdaya, the prAtibha jnAna is followed by
tAraka jnAna. 
 
Now, how to achieve this "dhI prEraNa" is the crux of the problem for which our sages 
and ancestors have handed down a wonderful tool to us which is called
"sandhyA vandana".   
 
This sandhya upAsana / vandana is more than enough for us for our spiritual sadhana.
Not knowing this, people run here and there for tantric mantras & fake gurus that
lead to ubhaya bhraShTatva. 
 
I would omit "prAtibha jnAna & its samyama part because it is the shrotriya & brahmanishta guru who opens up the pandora box to the disciple.  
 
There are 3 aspects around brahmarandhra 1) Portion above brahmarandhra
2) Portion on the brahmarandhra 3) Portion below brahmarandhra.
 
Correspondingly, with respect to the above positions, the Chit-prabha shines 
with combinatons of 3 guNAs (satva, rajas & tamas). The "shuddha sattva bhAga"
of the Chit is called "prajnA"; the "sattva bhAga" of the Chit is "Buddhi";
the "rAjasa bhAga" of the Chit is "Manas"; the "tAmasa bhAga" of the Chit is
called "ahaMkAra".  
 
It is this "prajnA" which is responsible for tAraka jnAna which is called Kaivalya.
 
The gAyatri mantra IS CAPABLE OF BESTOWING THIS PRAJNA IN THE FORM 
OF DHI PRERANA & RITAMBHARA PRAJNA.  
 
All the Acharyas of Sringeri possess this prajna who are the yogis of
highest order.  
 
namAmi shrutimAtaraM......
 
sriram