World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 478

Subrahmanya :
lows:
Addressing Subrahmanya Shri Shankara prays in his hymn as fol
न जानामि शब्दं न जानामि चार्थम्
न जानामि पद्यं न जानामि गद्यम्
चदेका षडास्या हृदि द्योतते मे मुखान्स्सरन्ते गिरश्चापि चित्रम् ॥
"I don't know either words or meaningss, either poetry or prose; the God with six faces radiates in my heart; mysterious poetic utterances come out from me". Here Shri Shankara sees Subrahmanya or Shanmukha as the Absolute power, God.
You can take any God, Shri Shankara sees in Him the Parabrahman, and that is the distinctive feature of Shri Shankara. This is the sublime attitude of Acharya Shri Shankara.
The Harmony of Spiritual Philosophies:
Before the incarnation of Shri Shankara, Indian Philosophical schools - such as school of Vishisthadvaita, school of Dvaita, school of Shakti Vishisthadvaita" etc. were not existent. There may be a lot of controversy over his place of birth, date of birth etc., But all historians, clearly agree that only after the incarnation of Shri Shankara, these schools of philosophy came into existence. Then comes a question- "How could then he be the harmoniser of different schools of philosophy ?" But in his philosophical works, one can notice the ideas of Dvaita philosophy and that of Vishisthadvaita. But they have come in his books as only passing thoughts while presenting his philosophy of Advaita. Consequently no historian thinks that these schools of Dvaita and Vishisthadvaita were present in is time on the basis of these passing thoughts. When a philosopher of extraordinary sharp intellectual calibre thinks on Ishwar (God), Jeeva (Being) and the world, he sees the phase of Dvaita Vedanta, and also the phase of Vishisthadvaita Vedanta. Hence he has narrated them in his philosophical discourses. There is no contradiction in his narration. In this sense also, Shri Shankara is a master harmoniser.
Several of Shri Shankara's works reflect the Dvaita philosophy. Major part of his devotional literature is replete with Dvaita philosophy. "Bhaj Govindam" there is a Lord by name Govinda. O Mind! serve Him". The meaning of "Bhaj" is "to render service". When we use the term 'serve' it implies that the recipient of the service is a Lord, and one who renders service is a servant. This is the 'difference' of Dvaita School. In the amshadhikarana" of Brahmasutra interpretation we can notice the spirit of Vishisthadvaita. Nanavyapadeshat Anyatha Chapi
(Ansho
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