Jainism from the View Point of Vedantic Acaryas

Author(s): Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: B J Institute

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Jainism from
the view point of Vedāntic Ācāryas
pārijātasaurabha. His loved God is Sri Ramākānta Purusottama, who is also called Bhagavān Vāsudeva, not Lord Krsna. For Nimbārka, Brahmopāsanā (meditation on Brahman) is the chief means of liberation not grace of Lord Krsna. Nimbārka nowhere refutes Advaita of Sankara in his Brahmasūtrabhāsya. If Nimbārka was well aware of the Advaita of Sankara he could have refuted it in his Brahmasūtrabhāsya itself as he refuted the Sānkhya, Bauddha, Jaina, Pāśupata and Sākta. Even some of the scholars of Nimbārka sect believe that Harivyāsadeva is the real author of Daśaśloki (L.K. Goswami, p. 51). Thus, this work which advocates Rādhākļşņa cult is the work of later period.
Prapannakalpavalli (P.K.) propagates the doctrine of self-surrender to God. i.e. Prapatti and Mantrarahasyaşodasi (M.R.S.) advocates, self-surrender to spiritual preceptor i.e. gurūpasatti, as chief means of liberation. Nimbārka, does not mention these doctrines in his Brahmansūtrabhāsya. According to Nimbārka knowledge (Vidyā) obtained through meditation on Brahman (dhyāna) is the unique means of liberation (V.P.S., III. II. 24-25; III.IV.1). Mantrarahasyaşodasi prescribes most secret gurumantra viz. eighteen syllabled Gopālmantra, (M.R.S., 3-5, 17) of which no reference is made by Nimbărka in his Brahmasūtrabhāşya. If it is secret mantra and essence of Nimbārka Vedānta, he could have mentioned it in his major work (i.e. in V.P.S.) without fail. Another work attributed to Nimbārka viz. Saviśeșanirviseşaśrikrýnastavarāja (S.N.K.S.) can