22. STUDY OF THE ŚĀSTRA-S

D: Is it necessary for one seeking mokṣa to study the śāstra-s?

A: Study of the śāstra-s is needed to understand the Truth, clear doubts and secure realisation of the Absolute.

D: What are the works that Acharyal would recommend?

A: For a spiritually advanced aspirant, the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad alone is sufficient. In studying it, Gauḍapādācārya’s kārikā-s and Bhagavatpāda’s bhāṣya thereon may also be studied.

The Muktika Upaniṣad says about the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad:

(MukU, I.26)

(The Māṇḍūkya alone is sufficient to give liberation to a mumukṣu.)

The Yoga-vāsiṣṭha is a fine text that anyone can study. The Bhagavadgītā, which flowed from the lips of the Lord Himself, is very important. Bhagavatpāda’s works, Śrī Vidyāraṇya’s Pañcadaśī, etc., can also be studied.

D: Why has the study of śāstra-s been advocated?

A: To clarify the Truth to an aspirant. Doubts may arise if we do not correctly understand the view of śāstra-s. The study of the śāstra-s clears such doubts. Firm faith in Vedānta is established. Scriptural studies enable one to realise as a fact what is taught by the Guru and is the final purport of the śāstra-s.

D: Is the study of scriptures necessary for one having absolute faith in the teaching of one’s Guru?

A: If a disciple has so firm a faith, it is not necessary for him to study the śāstra-s formally in order to know the Truth.

D: How long should one study the śāstra-s?

A: As long as one is not convinced of the Truth. Thereafter, one can stop. It is said

(AU, 18)

(Just as one desirous of grains discards the chaff, so also (after a certain stage) one should totally give up study of the śāstra-s.)

D: What texts could those involved in worldly activities read profitably on a regular basis?

A: They can recite at least one chapter of the Bhagavadgītā every day. Doing Viṣṇusahasranāma-pārāyaṇa daily is a very good practice. At least a little of Bhagavatpāda’s Vivekacūḍāmaṇi and Śrī Vidyāraṇya’s Pañcadaśī could be read regularly to get a clear understanding of Vedānta.

D: Which verses of the Bhagavadgītā are particularly delightful to Acharyal?

(BG, XII.13-14)

(He who is free from malice towards all beings, who is friendly as well as compassionate, who has no feeling of mine and is free from egoism, to whom pleasure and pain are alike, who forgives all, who is ever content and of controlled mind, who is endowed with firm conviction and whose mind and intellect are in Me – that devotee of Mine is dear to Me.)

D: Do not these verses refer to the characteristics of a jñānin? This being the case, will the verses be useful to a mumukṣu (one who aspires for liberation)?

A: Bhagavatpāda has clarified that the attributes of a jñānin are described for others to strive to attain that state. If all are compassionate and devoid of hatred as taught by the Lord, the whole world will be peaceful.

D: The śāstra-s disallow certain actions in the kaliyuga though permitting them in the other yuga-s. What is the reason for this?

A: The śāstra-s do so and that is all. Though we are capable of giving the purport of what has been said in the śāstra-s, we have neither the authority nor the competence to change or to give reasons for all that has been said therein. As I am in this pīṭha, I am, to a certain extent, in the position of a Judge. A Judge can give his judgement only as per the existing laws. He cannot make a law of his own. Similarly, I do not make any new scriptural law. No purpose is served by asking Me why some actions are specifically prescribed in the kaliyuga. Only the authors of Smṛti texts should be consulted!

D: Can all read the Purāṇa-s, Rāmāyaṇa and such other works?

A: All can read them and benefit.

D: Those who are not Brahmins do not have the opportunity to attain mokṣa. Some raise such an objection. Is the position really so?

A: Whoever said that only a Brahmin can get jñāna and, hence, liberation? Vidura, for instance, was a great, enlightened soul. He was not a brāhmaṇa. That formal study of the Veda is traditionally done after upanayana does not imply that the path to liberation is not available to all. We can find the essence of the upaniṣad-s in texts like the Yogavāsiṣṭha and Vicārsāgar (Hindi). All can study such works and acquire jñāna. Everyone is competent to get jñāna. Śaṅkarabhagavatpāda has said this conclusively.

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❑Incidents from Acharyal's Life

As a student, in His pūrvāśrama days and as a saṁnyāsin, Acharyal applied Himself with great ardour to the study of the śāstra-s.

Acharyal’s studies in Tarka were as yet incomplete when a Tarka scholar from North India chanced to come to Sringeri to seek some clarifications from Paramacharyal. Paramacharyal directed the pandit to our Guru but the scholar was diffident and sought help from Paramacharyal Himself. “Let Him give the necessary explanation. If your doubts are still not dispelled, I shall clarify”, said the sage. Unconvinced but not in a position to say anything, the scholar settled down to hear what he felt would be the inept mumbling of a novice. He was taken aback beyond measure when he heard a torrential flow of intricate points from the divine lips of our Master which thoroughly dispelled the doubts. He realised his folly in underestimating Acharyal’s genius and after due apology returned home satiated and wiser in more ways than one.

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Acharyal constantly encouraged the study of the śāstra-s. He was instrumental in starting institutions to propagate the study of śāstra-s. He organised and presided over the annual vidvat-sadas at Sringeri and at various cities during His tours. Invariably He moderated the scriptural discussions and gave final ruling on topics debated upon by the assembled scholars.

Acharyal never believed in keeping to Himself what He had learnt. Hence, He trained many in the Tarka-śāstra. He was very keen on expounding Vedānta texts. He would welcome doubts and would not hesitate to send for numerous reference texts. He would permit interested people to attend His classes, for He used to say, “Even the mere hearing of śāstra-s is beneficial. Thus, I do not think it essential to limit the number of persons coming for the classes. Suppose that twenty persons come for the lessons. Will it not be that at least one or two listen intently and interestedly and thereby derive special benefit from hearing the śāstra-s?”

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❑ Experiences of Devotees

I was in my teens when I chanced to attend a vidwat-sadas at Sringeri. Realising that I could not make out anything from the scholarly debates of the assembled pandits, I abruptly got up from the sadas and proceeded to perform my evening sandhyāvandana. After the night pūjā, Acharyal sent for me and enquired why I did not sit through the sadas. I replied that it did not make sense to me to sit in the sadas, pretending as if I was able to grasp the import of the scholarly discussions, when, in reality, I did not comprehend anything whatsoever.

“No, that’s not the attitude”, Acharyal corrected me. “It is not necessary that you should be able to grasp everything that is discussed in the sadas. Even mere hearing of śāstra-s will fetch you puṇya. So, it is sufficient if you sit in a sadas and listen to the scriptural discussions. From now on, make it a point to attend vidvat-sadas whenever you get an opportunity. Sometime or the other you will start comprehending the import of these scriptural discussions.” I followed Acharyal’s advice, and, needless to mention, I immensely benefited from it. [Sri A.Ramaswamy]

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Acharyal’s razor-sharp intellect, His keen zest for learning and His unmatched humility - all enabled Him evolve as an erudite scholar in almost every branch of śāstra - be it Veda-s, Vedānta, or Tarka. Once, the Maharaja of Cochin, himself an accomplished scholar in the Nyāya-śāstra, had prayed to Acharyal to resolve one of his doubts in the Nyāya-śāstra. He wrote a letter to Acharyal detailing his query and sent it through some pandits in Kerala. It was during that time that a vidvat-sadas was going on in the august presence of our Acharyal. When the letter was submitted, Acharyal directed one of the pandits to read it out before the scholars assembled at the vidvat-sadas, initiating a discussion among the scholars. One by one, the pandits expressed their solution but one or the other scholar promptly rebutted the replies. Erudite vidvān-s such as Mathur Sri Venkateswara Sastrigal, who had learnt under none other than Jagadguru Sri Chandrasekhara Bharati Mahaswamigal and later became a professor in the Mysore University, and Sri Madhusudana Bhattacharya, a renowned Tārkika from Calcutta, too offered their explanations only to be subsequently countered by the other scholars. The debate continued and it seemed as though it would be eternity before a conclusion could be reached. Acharyal suggested to the scholars that all of them reflect on the issue further and come out with a tenable conclusion before the concluding session of the sabhā. The doubt pertained to a siddhānta of Nyāya-śāstra, for which no explicit answer was available in any other Nyāya Text. As it turned out, even on the concluding day, none of the pandits was able to resolve the doubt to the satisfaction of the sabhā. At this juncture, Acharyal Himself intervened and presented an appropriate answer in His inimitably lucid style. The pandits were awestruck at the splendid reply given by Acharyal. Prouḍha-vidvān Mathur Venkateswara Sastrigal openly remarked, “Only our Acharyal, the Pontiff of Sri Sharada Peetam, can put any doubt to rest. After all, is He not the Goddess Śāradāmbā in human form?” It became a memorable sadas for the vidvān-s. The Maharaja’s joy knew no bounds when he received the clarification offered by Acharyal. He promptly wrote a letter to Acharyal conveying his reverential salutations and gratitude for the guidance received.

[Sri K.S.Venkatarama Sastrigal]

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