[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
Re: ISKCON -- help with these terms
Ramakrishnan Balasubramanian <rbalasub@ecn.purdue.edu> writes:
>Shrisha Rao <shrao@nyx.net> wrote:
>>Ramakrishnan Balasubramanian <rbalasub@ecn.purdue.edu> wrote:
>>
>>I don't know much of this in detail, but Madhva's commentary on the
>>BrhadaaraNyaka Upanishad lists all the avataaras of Vishnu according to
>>him, and includes Dattatreya in the listing. I don't think the Avadhuuta
>>Gita, Tripura Rahasya, etc., are considered by him to be authoritative
>>texts; they are not, to my best knowledge, quoted from by him, or even
>>by Shankara or Raamaanuja. It is very likely that they are late
>It is quoted by Shankara, atleast at one place in his Brahma suutra bhashya.
>Giri informed me the particulars sometime back through e-mail. I've forgotten
>the exact place. Maybe he'll reply to your observation.
Shankara refers to the story of Samvarta (as found in the tripura
rahasya) in his brahma suutra bhasya in 3:4:37.
>However, if I remember right the puraaNas seem to indicate that Dattatreya
>preached advaita. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.
In maarkaNDeya puraaNa, it is mentioned that he is the incarnation of the
trinity born to the Sage Atri as 'Soma, Durvasa and Datta'. In the same
puraaNa, it is mentioned that he taught pata.njali. He is also mentioned
in other puraaNa-s as having consumed wine, lived with a maiden etc to
show that he can be non-attached. Though the attribution of Avadhuta Gita
is very doubtful (since it was written in 15th century and also is
misogynistic at certain places) but the attribution of Jivanmukta-gita and in
tripura-rahasya are usually appropriate and have been discussed. The
jivanmukta-gita is of course advaitic, while Dattatreya has been accepted
by most of the vaishnavite acharyas as an incarnation of Vishnu.
tripura rahasya is often referred to as Haritaayana samhita since
it was written by haritaayana. It is a wonderful work and was often referred
by Shrii Ramana.
Namaste
Giri
--
{The opinions expressed above are mine and not that of my employers}
http://www.geocities.com/RodeoDrive/1415 <--> Yoga/Spirituality/Hinduism page
brahma satyaM, jagat mithya, jivo brahmaivana paraH - Adi Shankara
'I want to know God's thoughts, the rest are details' -- Albert Einstein
