Oh Krishna! Neither am I aware of the meaning of Jnana, Vairagya, Bhakti, Advaita, Visishtadvaita, Dvaita, liberation, Vaikunta and Self-Realization, nor am I bothered about them! The only one I know is You! It is up to You to see to it that I experience the Ultimate!-- Sri Sri Muralidhara SwamijiTHE BASICS OF THE THREE PHILOSOPHIESAccording to our Indian tradition, the philosophies are classified broadly intotwo main categories 1. Vaidhikam those that accept the Vedas as the ultimate authority2. Avaidhikam those that do not accept the VedasThe Vedas have two portions, namely Karma kanda(Poorva Kanda) and Brahma Kanda (Uttara Kanda). The Brahma kanda also goes by the name Upanishads. The part of Vedas that details the ritualistic way is known as Karma kanda and that which describes the ultimate Supreme Brahman is known as the Brahma Kanda or the Upanishads.Sage Jaimini composed the Poorva Mimamsa Shastra to clarify the doubts regardingthe Karma Kanda of the Vedas. To clarify doubts regarding the Brahma Kanda, Sage Veda Vyasa wrote the Saariraka mimamsa or the Brahma sutras. The Vedantins resorted to the Brahmasutras in order to get the apparent contradictions of the Upanishads explained. The Brahma sutras, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita were taken up byour Poorva Acharyas to explain the Supreme Truth. Sri Adi Shankara, Sri Ramanujaand Sri Madhva wrote commentaries on the above three works known collectively as Prasthana thrayam i.e, the three main scriptures of our religion. The basic tenets of the philosophies existed even before the respective Acharya propounded them and wrote commentaries. But it is only after the advent of these Acharyas andtheir commentaries, the three schools of philosophy Advaita, Visishtaadvaita and Dvaita- came to be known by their respective names. All the three schools accept the Vedas (here Upanishads) as the final authority.Any philosophy must explain the relationship between the individual soul Jiva, theSupreme soul Brahman and the insentient matter Prapancha or Universe. It should also show the way to Supreme bliss(liberation). The aforesaid philosophies differ in explaining the relationship between the three and also the state called Liberation.Let u get ourselves introduced to a few basic tenets accepted by each of these schools. Chronologically, Advaita was the first philosophy to be propounded followed by Visishtadvaita and Dvaita in that order. Let us take them up in the sameorder.ADVAITAHappiness is the only state of mind that is sought by every being that is born on this earth. Misery is most unwelcome to all creatures. Every living creature is engaged in some activity or the other only in search of eternal happiness. Buthave they attained this happiness eternal happiness? The answer is a big No! Instead they have gotten themselves entangled only in miseries. They have not been able to get this happiness because they seek external happiness from external objects, while the truth is that eternal bliss is within oneself and the search must be made within to attain this supreme bliss.All the pleasures that are derived from the external objects are trifles compared to that eternal bliss which is the Supreme. Hence, it would the greatest helpif one could show the way to this eternal bliss. The Vidya(knowledge) of Advaita philosophy does this supreme help to all, by showing the way to eternal bliss.Let us briefly get introduced to the concept of Advaita philosophy and the manner in which it helps to attain liberation, the nature of which is eternal bliss.Advaita is that state of non-duality where there is complete cessation of thoughts such as I am an individual, the objects that are seen/perceived are different from me, so on and so forth. In this state, there is no misery or delusion. Tatrako moha: ka: shoka: says the Ishavasya Upanishad which means Where is delusion ormisery for the one who has realized this non-dual stateThe mixture of joy and misery is inevitable to all beings that are born. The cause for birth is the Karma load (stock of the results of actions performed) of the individual soul. As long as action is there, Karma is accumulated and that will lead to birth, which in turn will result in death. The cycle goes on. So theonly way to completely avoid misery is to get out of this cycle of births and deaths. Hence if one wishes never to be born again, one must attain a state of inactivity. This inaction is possible for the individual soul only if the root cause for the actions, namely desire, is completely destroyed. Desire arises in onesmind only if he sees the objects of the world as external to him. If there is no second object (non-dual state), then there is no room for any desire at all! Absence of desire leads to inaction on the part of the individual soul which ultimately helps him come out of the cycle of birth and death. Once a soul is out ofthis cycle, there is no scope for misery and hence this state of supreme blissis known as Liberation.Notion of diversity -> Desires -> action in search of happiness ->acquisitionof Karma ->leads to cycle of births and deaths ->miseriesHence, to get freed from miseries, following the same track, one must get rid of the Notion of diversity which is the root cause of desire. This is the road to eternal bliss.How does Advaita say that there is no diversity at all, when we have the cognition of this entire universe with all varieties in its creation? Advaita proclaims that the truth which is Brahman is the only reality and that the apparent notion of diversity (the root cause of all miseries) is only due to ignorance (technically called Avidya). This Avidya is destroyed once the knowledge of Brahman arises. Once this knowledge arises, the individual soul reaises its identity withthe Supreme Brahman.The Upanishads say Sarvam khalvidam brahma i.e, All this is indeed Brahman and Anando Brahmeti vyajaanaat i.e, one realizes Brahman is blissSince this Brahman is Paramananda ghanam which means bliss condensed, it is the much sought after purushaartha ( object of desire of man) for all jivas.Let us now see, how the relationship between jiva, Brahman and the universe isexplained by the Advaita School and what according to it is the truth? Truth, according to Advaitha, is that which is eternal. In fact, according to this school, that which is the truth has to be eternal and the eternal thing is nothing butthe truth alone. In this sense, Brahman alone is truth according to this school. Then, how do we explain the objects and jivas of the world that are so vividlyperceived. Are they not true?The answer to this is that all these manifestations as the various jivas and thediverse universe are mere illusionary appearances on this Supreme Brahman. These appear due to Avidya or Maya(ignorance). The Supreme truth is only one and that is Brahman. To explain this, three states of realities are accepted in the Advaita school.1. Apparently real objects If one looks at a shiny shell from a distance, it looks like silver. This is called Apparently real as the knowledge of this object (silver) vanishes on the riseof knowledge of its substratum i.e, shell. Though silver was cognized in the shell to be truly existent, a closer inspection revealed its nature to be illusory. Thus it is only apparently real. Here the silver is merely superimposed on the shell though in truth, it never existed there.2. Empirical reality The Advaitins contend that the whole creation with its diverse names and formsis a mere superimposition on Brahman, just as silver is a superimposition on shell as explained above. As the knowledge of the substratum arises, the illusory appearance of silver is destroyed. So also, once the knowledge of the Brahman arises, this entire creation is realized to be a mere illusion. Hence all these objects which will continue to exist, till the rise of the knowledge of the Brahman, are said to be empirically (practically) real.3. Absolute reality As said before, the Brahman is the absolute reality as it never gets altered inany divisions of time past, present or future. This neither has a beginning noran end (Anaadhi Anantham). This is beyond names and forms. It cannot be described as This is Brahman. Brahman is that which remains after negating everything that is impermanent as Not this (Neti, Neti).Hence, in truth, the individual soul is the same as the Brahman and all the objects that are seen are also nothing but Brahman. Sarvam Brahmamayam says Sri Sadashiva Brahmendra.Let us now see what this Maya is, which has been described as the cause for thenotion of diversity. Maya, according to Advaita, is anirvachaniya i.e, (in Advaita parlance) one whose nature cannot be ascertained. It is a mysterious energy whose nature cannot be determined to be either truth or untruth. It is described as the cause for this universe according to the Advaita school. Maya appears to be real only till the knowledge of the Brahman arises. Once this supreme knowledge arises, Maya becomes unreal. The entire universe along with its cause disappears at the rise of the supreme knowledge.To put it in a nutshell,Brahma satyam Jagat mithya Jivo brahmaiva naapara:i.e,Brahman alone is real. The entire universe is illusory. The individual soul is non- different from the BrahmanLiberation for the jiva is the realisation of his identity with the supreme Brahman. This Brahman is Satyam Jnanam Anantham i.e, Truth, knowledge and infinite and hence is eternal bliss.DVAITASrimanMadhvamathe hari: paratara: satyam jagat taatvikoBhedo jivaganaaa hareranuchraa nichochabhaavam gataa: |Mukthirnaijasukhaanubhoothiramala Bhakthischa tat saadhanamHyakhshyaaditritayam pramaanamakhilaamnaayaikavedyo hari: ||The above verse indicates eight principles accepted in the system of Dvaita Vedanta (The Philosophy of Dvaita)1. Hari: parathara:- Lord Narayana is the supreme:A) That person who does not rely on others (or external things) for form, knowledge and action is said to be independent. The Jiva (or the individual soul) andJada prakriti (the insentient matter) are dependent because they rely or dependon others. Lord Narayana alone who helps the Jivas and the Jada is independent.This is because he does not seek help from anything external.B) The sruti text Agniravama: which states Agni or the god of fire to be the mostinferior among gods, declares that Lord vishnu is the most superior god. All theother gods lie between these two gods. (The above said is the Shruthi pramaanaor the support from the vedas - Shruthi to declare the superiority of Lord Hari).C) Veda Vyasa (who compiled the vedas) also proclaims that there is no god greater than Lord Kesava ( Na daivam keshavaathparam).D) The Lord too, in Bhagavadgita, says Maththa: paratharam Naasthi i.e., thereis nothing greater than (or superior to) Me.Hence (from the aforesaid explanations a, b, c, &d) Lord Hari or Vishnu is the Independent Superior Lord.2. Sathyam Jagath : The World is true. An object is defined to be True if it exists in any one ofthe three divisions of tim i.e. past, present or future. For instance, we see atemple and the knowledge This is a temple arises. The temple is true becausethe temple continues to exist.Suppose, we mistake a rope to be a snake. After close inspection, we realize that it is not a snake but only a rope. Now, the knowledge regarding the snake is afalse one and hence the snake is also false . Since the knowledge regarding the world is not as said in the above illustration, the world is true . The Rgveda - Vishvam Sathyam. . . is the verbal testimony (i.e., Support from the sruti)to this (i.e., the fact that the world is True .)3. Thathviko Bhedha: The difference among the principles is also true: The word Bhedha indicates the difference between one object and another. This is of 5 types (i) The difference between Lord Vishnu and the jivas (ii) The difference between (Jada) inert object & Lord Vishnu (iii) difference between jiva and Jada (iv) Difference between one Jiva and another and (v) difference between one inert object and another.(i) Lord Vishnu, who is omniscient, is filled with infinite auspicious qualities. Jiva, on the other hand is full of infirmities like narrow mindedness, limitedknowledge etc. The Lords infinite auspicious qualities are inseparable from Him. So also, the jiva s faults are inseparable from them and hence are permanent features of the Jivas. Hence the difference between the two (i.e., the Lord and Jivas) is true and eternal.(ii) It is indeed well known that inert objects do not possess any knowledge. Hence the difference between the lord who is full of knowledge and Jada (inert objects) is also eternal.(iii) So is the difference between Jiva and Jada.(iv) The preceptor is full of knowledge of scriptures and is hence worthy of worship. Hence the difference between a Jiva who is a preceptor and another Jiva, who worships the preceptor as a disciple, is also eternal. This shows that difference between one jiva and another exists.The above differences are substantiated bya) The Brahmasootra Bhedhavyapadheshatb) The upanisad dhvaa suparna.. andc) The gita sloka Dhvaavimou...v)Ordinary stones are different from stones like saalagraamam, which is divine.So difference between one inert object and another is also real.4. Difference between Jivas and visnudasas : All Jivas have four bodies. Among them the first is called the svarupa deha (orthe essential body)(I) Svarupa deha: - This body does not have any creation or destruction. It hasno beginning and is eternal. Based on the nature of this svarupa deha, the jivesare classified as follows:(i) Some Jivas have qualities like knowledge, bliss etc., as their essential nature (in this svarupa deha). Hence they are known as Mukthiyogya i.e., one whois capable of attaining liberation . They alone can get liberated.(ii) The svarupa deha of certain Jivas is verily of the form of faults like misery etc., they are called tamoyogya-s and are eternally riveted to hell.They are of 4 types - inferior men, ghosts, demons, and dhaityas .(iii) Many Jivas have a svarupa deha which is a combination of joy and miseries;they neither get liberated nor go to hell. They are eternally in the cycle of birth and death (i.e, (samsara) transmigration) Hence they are called Nityasamsari or Madhyamamanushyaa:All are Narayanadasas (Servants of Lord Narayana). Nityasamsari s are higher than tamoyogya -s and Muktiyogya -s are greater than Nityasamsaris. Even amongMuktiyogya - s, kings like prahlada, pitrus, sages, and devas are higher Mukthiyogya - s in the increasing order. Lord Brahma is superior to all devas. TheMukthiyogya - s will initially be samsari - s and will attain liberation after the completion of sadhanas (Spiritual practices). Lord Narayana and Mahalakshmi are Nitya Muktas or eternally liberated as they are not samsari s. The difference as animals, birds, plants, human etc., exists in this swarupa deha itself.The individual form also exists in this swarupa deha. Hence a swan will remaina swan even if liberated.The Brahma sutra "Sukthopasrupya" and the sloka "Mukthanam parama gati:" of Mahabharata are the pramana (texts of supports) for this. The sloka Na yatra maaya of Bhagavata states that even in liberation, the lower liberated souls worship the higher ( or greater) liberated souls. Hence, it is proved that there is taaratamya (i.e., gradation) even in liberation. When there is gradation even in liberation, then the case of difference in samsara needs no explanation.5. Mukti or liberation is the realization of one s svarupa deha:The svarupa deha mentioned earlier has eyes, ears and other indriyas (sense organs) and parts of the body in their essential forms. The second of the 4 bodies (mentioned in the beginning of point 4) is the linga sarira which is sticking tothe svarupa deha. This is like the husk sticking on to rice. This too is neithercreated nor destroyed. But this, which covers the Jiva from time unknown, is removed at the time of liberation. Above this linga sarira, there is a body calledAniruddha deha . Lord Aniruddha created this at the time of creation. It getsdestroyed only at the time of dissolution. It is only above this Aniruddha dehathat the Sthoolasharira- gross body is formed. This body is created and destroyed in every Janma (birth or life). There are inert senses (Indriyas) and parts (avayava) of body in the inert Linga, Aniruddha and sthula sariras. They functiononly when they come in contact with their essential counterparts in the Svaroopadeha, which is covered with the above said three bodies. The Jiva does not experience the bliss of its Svarupa during transmigration. When they get destroyed atthe time of liberation, Svaroopaanandha (the bliss of ones nature) is experienced. The experience of this bliss is liberation.6. Pure Bhakti is the only means to liberation:There is no difference of opinion in this. It is wrong to say, as some do, thatlust, anger, fear etc.; too, when directed towards Lord Vishnu can bestow liberation.7. "Pratyaksha, Anumaana" and "Veda" are the three "Pramaanas" : The means of Knowledge is called "Pramaana". It is only three.i) Pratyaksha or perception: - This is the direct perception of external objectsthrough organs of senses like eyes, ears, etc. Joy, sorrow etc., are experienced by mind. Hence sense organs, mind etc., are Pratyaksa Pramaana i.e., means todirect knowledge.ii) Anumaana or inference: - with the knowledge arising out of this Pratyaksha,certain conclusions are made, though directly not perceived. For instance when one sees smoke in a particular place, one infers the presence of fire there. Thisis called inference or Anumaana Pramaana.iii) Veda: - Those (areas) which are out of reach of the above means of knowledge, like heaven, hell, god etc., can be known only through the Vedas. Hence thisis the third Pramana.8. Lord Narayana is the only import of Vedas: The Vedas have three Kandas.i) The Karma Kanda of the Vedas talk about the Karmas (or actions). They prescribe actions which please Lord Vishnu and make one reach his lotus feet. Even though at some places it describes some actions of less importance, it praises Narayana.ii) The second is the Devatha Kaanda - which praises the other deities who are Naarayanadaasa s (servants of the Lord). Through this, one attains their grace tothe reach the Lord. The praises of these deities can be considered as the Lords praise.iii) The third Kaanda is the Bramha Kaanda - which directly sings the glory of Lord Vishnu.Hence, all the Kaanda-s and Shastra-s (Scriptures) declare Narayana as the supreme person. Sarve Veda - sloka of Geeta also states the same.HARI: SARVOTTAMA: VAAYU JIVOTTAMA:VISHISHTADVAITAIn the Vishishtaadvaita school, three principles, namely, chit (sentient beings), achit (insentient matter), and Ishwara (The Supreme Lord) are accepted. Theseare known as the tattvatraya (the three tattvas) in this school. All the three areeternal and dissimilar.Among them, Ishwara is Sriman Narayana who is The Supreme Soul or Paramatman. He is all pervading and the inner controller of all ( antaryaamin i.e. residing within, He controls the world and all the living beings). He is sung as The Supreme by the Upanishads and the Vedas. Sruti texts like antarbahishcha tatsarvam vyaapya naarayastithah, tatsrushtvaa tadevaanupravishat etc are the sruti pramana (scriptural support) for this. Lord Sriman Narayana is the Supreme Brahman. He possesses infinite knowledge, bliss, and infinite auspicious qualities. The entire creation (including the chit and achit) form the body of this Supreme Being. Thisis known from texts of the Upanishads like yah pritivyaam tishtan.. esha ta atmaantaryaamya bhutah. The divine auspicious form (divyamangala vigraham) of SrimanNarayana is extremely pure. He is adorned with innumerable ornaments and weapons. Further,the srutis describe Him to have a golden complexion like that of dazzling sun, eyes like lotus and as always young and seen by the great Niyta Suriswho are eternally liberated.Thus the Sruthis have their import in extolling Sriman Narayana. He is self-contented, always pure like the clear sky and is beyond the darkness of ignorance. He is the controller of the entire universe. His form is that of the entire universe. He is the root cause for everything. The Jivatmas (individual soul) are hissubordinates. They get liberated by completely surrendering them to Lord SrimanNarayana. One who realizes this Lord as the greatest asset residing in the caves of ones heart gets liberated from the cycle of births and deaths. Sri Mahalakshmi, the divine consort of The Lord, is the queen of the entire universe. asyeshaano jagato Vishnupatni.. etc are Sruti Pramana for this. Considering the welfare of all beings, she, who is full of compassion, beseeches the lord and gets the jivas liberated. The Lord manifests himself in five stages.Param: The Lord in SriVaikuntaVyuham: The manifestation of Lord as Vasudeva,Sankarshana,Pradyumna and AniruddhaVibhavam: the incarnations of the Lord as Rama, Krishna etc.Archa: The Lord in the form of idols andantaryaamin : The Lord as the inner controller of all beings.Next, we shall see the nature of the sentients called the Jivaatmas.The jivaatma in its essential nature is full of Knowledge. The jivaatma is different from the physical body in the form of human, animals, devas etc which are all the products of the insentient matter (prakriti). He, in his true nature, isonly full of knowledge and bliss. The jiva is atomic in size. He is subordinateto the Lord in all respects. The jivas acquire bodies according to their karmas(past deeds). This physical body is a combination of the five principle elements. All these features are common to all jivatmas. The jivatmas can be classifiedinto three categories:1.Nitya2.Muktha3.BaddhaThe Nithyas are those who never get drowned in this ocean of samsara and enjoy the highest bliss eternally. This can be known from the famous vedic verse tat vishnor paramam padam sadaa pashyanthi soorayah.The Mukthas are those who initially toil in the samsara, and attain liberation by the Lords graceful glance (Kataksham).The Baddhas are those who keep toiling in samsara always. Until they attain liberation, they attain various bodies according to their store of Karmas and undergo sufferings.Next we shall deal with the insentient Prakruthi.This world which contains all the jivaatmas possessing various forms is Brahmans sarira or body. It is devoid of intelligence. Hence it is referred to as achit or insentient. This is not Maya. It truly undergoes a change. During deluge it dissolves in Brahman. The Lord governs and rules this prakruti. It becomes the objectof enjoyment for the jivatmas. There are three qualities for prakruti namely Sattva,Rajas and Tamas.EXPLANATION OF THE TERM VISHISHTADVAITAIn the vedic texts like tatvamasi the jivatma is interpreted to be the Brahman itself. The following explanation is given :- tat means the Brahman, tvam means the jivatma, and asi means you are. As a whole it means you, the jivatma are verily the brahman.But this explanation does not corraborate with other Upanishad texts. yah pruthivyaam thishtan pruthivyaa antaro yam pruthivi na veda yasya pruthvi sariram yah pruthivim antaro yamayati, esha ta aatma antaryamya bhhoothah { bru: 57-3}. ya aatmani thishtan aatmano antaro yamaatma na veda yasyaatma sariram ya aatmaanamantaro yamayathi sa ta aatma antaryaamya bhoothah { Madhyantina bruh: 5-7-22}.Through such texts it is known that Brahman is the Atma of all. All the sentientand insentient objects form his body. Hence, the text tatvamasi is to be interpreted as follows. tat refers to the Brahman which is the cause for the entire worldand is full of all auspicious qualities. Though the term tvam refers to the jivatman, it refers only to the Brahman as it is the Brahman that resides having the jiva as its body. By such an interpretation, the above mentioned vedic texts arealso resolved. Otherwise it would lead to imposing demerits on Brahman. In a similar manner, it is wrong to say that this world which is reffered to as maya isfalse. Going by the aforesaid vedic verses and verses such as ajaamekaam lohithasuklakrishnaamtaken from the Swetaswatara Upanishad, it is clear that the Prakruthi too is eternal. In fact the true import of the statement The Brahman alone truly exists. Nothing else exists is that The Brahman alone is the Aatman. The chit (the sentient jivas) and achit ( the insentient world) are its visheshanas( Those that qualify it).Hence the Upanishads in fact speak only this VISHISHTA-ADVAITA and not KEVALA-ADVAITA. The reason for terming it as VISHISHTAADVAITA being It is ADVAITA because it says that Brahman is one, and it is VISHISHTA because it says that the chit and the achit form its body.Next we finally deal with Samsara and Moksha, that is transmigration and liberation:- The jivatmas who are basically knowledge-personified are shrouded in ignorance and have their knowledge shrunken according to the karmas accumulated in previous births. Hence they assume various bodies of various tendencies. They imagine themselves to be the body and because of that they experience joy and sorrow. To get snapped from this bondage and to reach Vaikunta, where Sriman Narayanadwells along with Lakshmi is called Moksha or Liberation.As per the vedic text- Asyeshaanaa jagatho vishnupatni, hrishcha te lakshmishchapatnyau, Sri Mahalakshmi is the consort of Sriman Narayana. She is the queen of the entire world. She is concerned about the welfare of the jivas and secures liberation for them by pleading Sri Narayana for their cause. The paths of Karma, Gnana, Bhakthi and prapatti are the means to attain that.Prapatti is to surrender to the Lord. It is a simple path that can be easily followed by all. A jiva who has attained Vaikunta, that is Moksha, does not get caught in samsara again. Even at the time of deluge, that jiva always experiences eternal bliss in the Paramapada ( the highest abode of the Lord) that has no destruction.The Vedas declare na sa punaraavartate na sa punaraavartate which means He does not return, He does not return. That jiva does not return to this samsara.THE END