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Common Opinions, arguments

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No evidence: God cannot be seen, heard or even experienced. So God does not exist.
Problem of Suffering: If God is merciful, can there be suffering?

why do his devotees suffer?
why are there tsunamis, earthquakes and such disasters, in which innocent people die?
Even atheists are successful; sometimes more successful than theists. Therefore God does not exist. Or Belief in God does not matter.
If pain is because of our karma, can’t the merciful God not overrule Karma?

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Common Opinions, arguments

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Problem of Evil:

If God is omnipotent, and still does not remove evil, he is not merciful.
If he is merciful and still evil is there, he is not omnipotent.

Can God create a stone that He cannot lift? If yes, He is not all-powerful. If no, He is not all-capable.
Purpose of Creation: Why did God create this world? If he had a purpose, it means there was some lacuna in Him. If he did not have a purpose, his act does not befit an intelligent being.

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Common Opinions, arguments ... contd.

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All Gods – Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma, Indra etc. – are different forms of the same God : एकं सत् विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति
Shiva is the real God
There is no ONE real God. Each God just plays his role.
It is not He, but a ‘She’. Adi-shakti is the mother of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. She created them. She is the real Goddess.
God does not have any form. It (not He or She) is nirAkAra.
God is pure energy and consciousness. It does not have any qualities – nirguNa.
God may be all-powerful but His avataras are not. See, Rama cried when he did not find Seeta. He had to depend on Hanuman and other monkeys for help.

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Common Opinions, arguments ... contd.

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God likes goodness and devotion. If you are good to others and do not harm others, it is sufficient. No need for ritualistic conduct (आचरण/ಆಚರಣೆ).

After seeing the above questions, I have one - Why take trouble trying to know about God? Let Him be happy wherever he is. I will be happy here. These detective pursuits, trying to find out God, are useless.

Pascal’s wager is not logically correct. Will blame God for not providing enough evidence.

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In pursuit of answers

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True, why take trouble trying to know about God? What is the use?
How do we find if there is a purpose or not? Which Pramana will tell us if there is a purpose or not?

Not Perception (Pratyaksha) because the purpose can be atindriya
Not Inference (anumAna) because the purpose is not inferable; because God’s preference is not known.

Only Agama can come to our rescue. Only it can tell us about God. And also, if there is any use in knowing more about Him.
Which Agama then? There are so many texts each claiming to be valid in its own way?

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Agama

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Two types of texts

Authored Texts
Unauthored Texts = Veda.

Unauthored Texts are free from mistakes. All mistakes happen only due to authors. Therefore texts without authors have no mistakes.

If Author is ignorant, it MAY lead to mistakes in text
If Author does not want to give correct information, it MAY lead to mistakes
If Author is incapable (does not know proper language, blind, deaf etc.) then it MAY lead to mistakes.
In the converse, whenever there are mistakes in texts (or speech), definitely then the author is responsible.
So how can there be mistakes in unauthored texts?

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Veda - Can there be an unauthored text?

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But how can there be a text without author? All texts are authored!

The rule that all texts have authors is known only through Inductive reasoning. Just like we know that any number divided by itself gives 1, without dividing every number we know.

How do we ascertain a historical fact? Provided it can be ascertained, it is through multiple independent sources = prasiddhi.
Any text’s authors are also known through such prasiddhi. The same prasiddhi is there for Veda being unauthored. And there is parampara for such prasiddhi.
Unlike other religious texts, where revelation has happened to a single source, the Veda has come down through multiple Rishis.
Different rishis teach whatever they ‘see’ verbatim. Even then, there is no dependence on a particular Rishi because the Vedic lore has always been with us.
Author-not-known is not same as No-author. Akasha does not have a creator, we don’t say Akasha’s creator is not known.

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When to use Veda?

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When that knowledge cannot be obtained through perception or inference
Examples - Dharma, adharma, what to do, what not to do, svarga, naraka – how do we get this knowledge?

Not through Perception because nobody can see, hear, touch them
Not through inference, logic (tarka)
(Anumana and pratyaksha, without the aid of Agama, cannot become pramANa for dharma and others).
Only through Agama

More examples: pApa, puNya

Not doing sandhyAvandana will result in pApa. How do we know?
One should fast on ekadashi. How do we know?
One should not eat during eclipses: How do we know?
Purpose behind applying gopichandana

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Veda is THE Evidence.

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Apaurusheya Vedas is the primary Agama.

Anything that is in line with them is valid - sadAgama
Anything that is not in line with them is invalid - durAgama

Mahabharata (includes BhagavadGita and Vishnu-sahasranama)
Ramayana (not Valmiki’s, but the original Ramayana written by Hayagriva)
Brahmasutras
Pancharatras

Why not Shaiva tantra, Shaakta tantra?
Veda-viruddha

Sattvika puranas.

Why not others?
Veda-viruddha

These are called Sadagamas (ಸದಾಗಮ सदागम)

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Interpretation of Agamas

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Others too accept Agamas, but partially.
Weak rules of interpretation. Like ‘ahaM brahmaasmi’.
Acharya’s main rule: na cha anubhavavirodhe Agamasya prAmANyam.

(Agama is not valid if it contradicts established anubhava. So no Agama can be valid, if its interpetation says that you are infinite God).

So how do we interpret?
Using Brahmasutras
Why should we trust Brahmasutras?
Because they are logical, are based on Vedas, and are written by most trustworthy Being – Sri Vedavyasa.
How do we know he is trustworthy?
From shaastra. Shaastra says Narayana is Vedavyasa and all words of God are pramana. SarvaM bhagavadvachanaM pramANaM
Then why not Buddha? – Because of lack of shrotranukulya…

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So what do सदागम say?

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God exists and is the Creator etc. :

यतो वा इमानि भूतानि जायन्ते । येन जातानि जीवन्ति ।

यत् प्रयन्त्यभिसंविशन्ति । तद्विजिज्ञासस्व | तद् ब्रह्मेति |

Because of whom all beings are born, because of whom all beings sustain, and into whom all beings go.. Attempt to learn more about That. That is known as Brahman.

अथ कस्मादुच्यते ब्रह्मेति । बृहन्तो ह्यस्मिन्गुणाः

Why is He called Brahma? In whom, all qualities are complete, full.

न ते विष्णो जायमानो न जातो देव महिम्नः परं अन्तं आप ।

O Vishnu, no god who is already born or to be born can ever acquire your infinite powers.

तमेव विद्वान् अमृत इह भवति । नान्यः पन्था अयनाय विद्यते

Only by knowing him, one becomes ‘immortal’. There is no other way.

(अमृत = mokSha, only bliss, no misery, no boring lectures. Wow!)

प्रियो हि ज्ञानिनो अत्यर्थं अहं स च मम प्रियः’

“A jnAni is dearest to Me” says Paramatma

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All Gods are not ONE.

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Veda teaches us that there are multiple beings, but with One Supreme God. Only Vishnu is shown to be flawless. Others have defects. Taratamya is also taught in similar manner.

परो मात्रया तन्वावृधान न ते महित्वं अन्वश्नुवन्ति (RV 7.99.1)

न ते विष्णो जायमानो न जातो देव महिम्नः परं अन्तमाप ।

(O Vishnu, No deva yet to be born, or is born has / will achieve your Supreme glory.

Rigveda 10.82.3 - यो देवानां नामधा एक एव

Rigveda 1.164.6 too does not advocate singularity. Repetition of ‘agni’ would be superfluous. ‘AhuH’ would be superfluous.

इन्द्रं मित्रं वरुणमग्निमाहुरथो दिव्यः स सुपर्णो गरुत्मान्

एकं सद् विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति अग्निं यमं मातरिश्वानं आहुः

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Now answer those questions

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Remember the following:

God is known through Vedas and other such sadAgamas.
He has infinite guNas and totally devoid of doShas.
He does not have doShas such as अज्ञान, दुःख, दुर्बल (अल्पबल), वैषम्य, नैर्घृण्य.... अपूर्णता (तदिच्छा च)... पारतंत्र्य
Sarva-svami including Prakriti
If we don’t get answers, we will go back to sadAgamas.

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Few Answers

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He creates for the sake of jiivas. To give them an opportunity to get mokSha. He has no purpose.
There cannot be any infinity more infinite than Him. So a stone that He cannot lift is a logical impossibility (like a round-square).
He has a form. He has infinite forms actually.
He does not have वैषम्य, नैर्घृण्य
He gives karma-phala. Karma is beginningless.
He makes you do karma as per your svabhAva.

Then punish him, not me, for any paapakarma?
No, he is just manifesting your nature, like electric current does with bulbs. If you were independent to do it, you would have done the same karma then.

Good karma leads to good results. Bad karma leads to bad results.

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Paramatma and Sadhana

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Good karma leads to good results. Bad karma leads to bad results.
But both results will bind the person in samsaara. Imagine staying in the school itself forever!
Only karma done in a spirit of devotion and as service of Paramatma will help you get out of bondage.

Can I then keep eating lots of sweets in a spirit of devotion and service of Paramatma?
No, karma that is vihita (enjoined on you).
How do I know them?
Through Shaastra. Not through guesses. Not through guessed benefits.

So, AchaaraNe is not needed? Acharane is to cleanse the mind. Only then correct knowledge will stay there. Can you store clean water in a dirty pot?

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Paramatma and Sadhana

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Main saadhana is ज्ञान, भक्ति, वैराग्य (Acharane is for cleansing the mind).

वेदांश्च पञ्चरात्राणि सेतिहासपुराणकान् ।

ज्ञात्वा विष्णुपरानेव मुच्यते नान्यथा क्वचित्॥

माहात्म्यज्ञानपूर्वस्तु सुदृढः सर्वतोऽधिकः ।

स्नेहो भक्तिरिति प्रोक्तः तया मुक्तिर्न चान्यथा ॥

Only by knowing Vedas, Pancharatras, Mahabharata, Puranas as propounding Vishnu (i.e. only through correct knowledge of Vishnu), one can get out of (very painful and boring) samsaara.

Bhakti means – Pure, extremely firm and exceeding affection that rises out of correct knowledge of Vishnu’s mahatmya. Only with this kind of bhakti does one get mukti.
What? But so many people are ‘devoted’ and ‘sincere’?
Yes, but correct knowledge is important. Even Hiranyakashipu was devoted and sincere.
How do we get correct knowledge of Vishnu, taratamya etc.?
By reading Srimad Anandatirtha's works – collectively called sarvamUla.

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Paramatma and Moksha

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All Good, but what will I get out of this?
Moksha – only bliss, no duHkha, no janma, no maraNa.

Won’t that become boring after a while?
No, getting bored is a problem created by restless mind, made out of prakriti. That won’t be there in mokSha.

Good, how long is the struggle?
Till you get it

But others offer a fast-track service.
Their system is flawed. They won’t get you anywhere.
How do you know?
Shaastra!

So it is a painful struggle?
No, if you focus on learning about Vishnu, his glories, his followers and their glories. It can be very enjoyable.
Ok, how will I know if I am on the right path?
Do guru-seva (lot of it), do niShkaama karma, try to study sarvamUla, develop good qualities… Paramatma will support you and even give you hints that he is supporting you.

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Paramatma and Moksha

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Tell me about Vishnu’s followers
Vayu is the foremost follower. No ignorance. No sloth (laziness). Full of knowledge and bliss.

How do you know? Shaastra – Balittha sukta etc.

There are other Gods with decreasing yogyatA i.e. jnAna, bhakti etc. but they are all to be respected according to their yogyatA

How do I know their yogyatA?
Shaastra
Why should we worship them according to yogyatA?
To please Vishnu as their antaryAmi. And Vishnu’s sannidhana is more in jivas with more yogyatA. These devatas are aparoxa-jnAnis

What is aparoxa-jnAna? Direct perception of Lord. No involvement of indriyas, manas etc.

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Summary

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Paramatma can be known only through sadAgamas.
He is guNapuurNa, sarva-doSha-vivarjita
We should do vihitakarma to please Him.
We should gain correct knowledge of Him through sadAgamas, after serving gurus.
We should love him in the correct way. Every instant.

If we get any more questions, we should search for answers in shaastra, with help from gurus.

What to do if other intelligent people don’t agree with our philosophy?
Do not worry. Vishnu will take care of them as well as you. If you too get questions, go back to shaastra.
Intelligent people can also get wrong in philosophical matters, if they don’t have Vishnu’s, Vayu’s blessings.

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Slide 25 of 25

श्रीमध्वेशकृष्णार्पणमस्तु

ಶ್ರೀಮಧ್ವೇಶಕೃಷ್ಣಾರ್ಪಣಮಸ್ತು

shrImadhvesha-Krishnarpanamastu

What does ‘arpaNa’ mean?

Good. Ask questions everywhere. There is no end to learning till moksha. arpaNa means offering

What are we offering?

The Karma that we did

But wait, I don’t see the karma, I don’t take it in my hand and put it in Vishnu’s hand. So what offering are we doing?

Offering karma means to recognize that Vishnu alone is the independent doer of these karmas, that he did them through mukhyapraaNa, who in turn got them done through devatas in us. There is no physical ‘give-n-take’ in this offering .

Alright, ಶ್ರೀಮಧ್ವೇಶಕೃಷ್ಣಾರ್ಪಣಮಸ್ತು

Good. Do this for all karmas.