[Advaita-l] Pitrupaksha questions

Srikanta Narayanaswami srikanta.narayanaswami at yahoo.com
Sat Oct 1 06:50:55 CDT 2011


there is no pratyavaya incurred by its nonperformance"

This is true. 
Do you know if Sankara talks about what, if any, then is the effect of nonperformance of nitya karmas?

"The question is will the mere performance is enough or should it be with the realisation by Jnana as set forth in the BG and Sri Shankara."

In Shankara's view is perfornance of any karma compatible with Jnana?

Finally, in your opinion, based on your thorough and erudite learning of Shankara, can you tell me if a grhastha can continue to discharge his duties towards his family - earn a livelihood, own a house, have a bankbalance - with the abiding nishta of Oneness in Brahman, and avoid nitya/naimittika karmas as they serve him no end, and since mentally he is "akarta"?

Hari OM
Shyam
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Please read my posting on Jaldhar Vyas's question on the above topic.SriShankara Bhagawathpada doesnot say one must perform karmas.But he focusses his writing on the Jnana part in his commentary on the B.G.
There are various verses by B.G on the importance of Jnana."Nahi jnanena sadrsham pavitramiha vidyate"
'Shraddhavan labhate jnanam"Verses which deride karmas are also found in B.G"doorena hyavaram karma(karmas are inferior),"sarvakarmakhilam Partha jnane parisamapyate",Sarva karmani manasa sanyasya"
"Buddhau sharanam anvicca krpanah phalahetavah","Pratyavayaou na vidyate"'Sarva dharman parityajya mamekam sharanam vraja aham tvam sarva papebhyo mokshayishyami ma shucah"Even if you are the worst of all sinners,you will cross the ocean of samsara with the boat of Jnana".Sri Shankara Bhagawathpada also comments on these verses highlighting the Jnana.He again and again reiterates that the darkness(karmas)will not dispell another darkness.
As for as your question whether a grahastha can continue to discharge his duties towards his family---etc.SriShankara Bhagawathpada answers beautifully in his Sashvatha slokahs--"Mohamudgara".There is not even 
one aspect of Life sriShankara Bhawathpada has left uncovered in his 'Bhaja Govindam"stotram.
N.Srikanta.


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