[Advaita-l] Is Brahman saguNa or nirguNa or aguNa?

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Mon, 2 May 2011, Venkatesh Murthy wrote:

> Many cannot agree to this. Bhagavan Saguna Brahman has said in the
> Charama Sloka of Geeta "Sarvadharman Parityajya Mamekam Saranam
> Vraja". He is asking us to give up everything and completely
> surrender. If we do this he has promised Mokshayishyami.  He will give
> Moksha to us.  There cannot be any other clearer statement to see
> Saguna Brahma can give Moksha.

Yes.

> It is not by Nirguna Brahman only.

Sarva mean sarva, "all" not "almost all" or "all except".  you cannot give 
up all the dharmas (actions) until you give up the notions of subject and 
object.  Now when you remove all such concepts from your 
sagunatmaka understanding of Bhagavan what is left?  Brahman without 
gunas.

In conversing with Vaishnavas some have expressed that they they avoid 
nirguna concepts because "for a bhakta, seperation from his beloved is 
unbearable."  This is quite alright but is based on misunderstanding.  The 
jnana of Advaita Vedanta takes nothing away.  Rather it is the realization 
of pUrNatA, "fullness."


-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>