The 'Fifth Veda' of Hinduism by Theodor Ithamar;

Author:Theodor, Ithamar;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Hinduism sacred texts, Literary studies: classical, early & medieval, Comparative religion, Asian history, Oriental & Indian philosophy, History of ideas, Indian subcontinent
ISBN: 4644127
Publisher: I.B.Tauris

The Concept of Impersonal Brahman

This section is engaged with the first notion of divinity delineated in the BhP, which is the notion of Impersonal Brahman. This notion corresponds to śānta rasa, which is the rasa characterized by the most relaxed personal characteristics. With regard to the question of the status of śānta among other rasas we find two positions: the position of Abhinavagupta who takes śānta rasa to be the bedrock of all rasas and the peak aesthetic experience, and the position of Bhoja, who accepts śānta as a lower stage on the aesthetic path leading to śṛṅgāra. As previously argued in this work, the position of Bhoja seems to be compatible with the theology of the BhP, as it allows personal devotion, whereas the position of Abhinavagupta seems to be incompatible with the theology of the BhP, due to its predominant advaitin nature. In general, this section and those that follow consider the BhP's structure according to Rūpa Gosvāmī's typology, in regard to which Haberman writes, ‘The particular typology of religion Rūpa presents in the Bhaktirasāmṛtasindhu utilizes all the aesthetic components of the classical tradition. The chief elements of this, however, are the varying objects (viṣaya), shifting vessels (āśraya),and the resulting different religious experiences (bhāvas).’20 Accordingly, Rūpa articulates his theory that intertwines theology and aesthetics. This theory enables the understanding of the sections depicting non-duality in a non-advaitin way, that is, as simultaneously representing both the state of Brahman realization and the state of śānta rasa. In regard to śānta rasa Haberman writes:

Rūpa represents the resulting emotional experience (bhāva) as being somewhat similar to the joy of the yogīs (3.15). Jīva glosses the joy of the yogīs as an experience of the unqualified Absolute reality (nirviśeṣa-brahman). However, the object of the yogīs' quest is said to be the self (ātman), whereas the object (viṣaya) of this rasa is the Lord (īśa).21

The Upaniṣadic tradition views the essence of Brahman which is the yogī's object of meditation, to be sat-cit-ānanda. Rūpa and Jīva focus on the yogī's quest for nirviśeṣa-brahman, and consider it in terms of a peaceful rasa, having the self as its object, and as such, hold a similar position to Abhinavagupta.22 However, they differ from Abhinavagupta by considering the object of this rasa to be īśa or īśvara, and by doing that, they open the door for developing further relationships with him, by entering into deeper or higher moods. In regard to this rasa Rūpa Gosvāmin writes:

[Hari] is the Substantial Excitant and has the following qualities: he is a concentrated form of being, consciousness, and bliss (saccidānanda), the crest jewel of the pleasure of the self (ātmārāmaśiromaṇi), the Highest Self (paramātmā), the Highest Reality (parabrahman), tranquil, patient, pure, self-restrained.23

This exemplifies Rūpa's view of nirviśeṣa-brahman as the substantial excitant of śānta rasa. Two examples of the BhP's referring to the supreme as nirviśeṣa-brahman may be quoted:

30 This form of the Supreme Person who is indeed formless, and whose true constitution is the pure consciousness of the self, has been created by the various elements of nature.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.