Talk on Advaita, Vishishtadvaita, Dvaita by Sri Swami Paramarthananda Saraswati

1. Transcript of the talk "Advaita, Vishishtadvaita, Dvaita" by
Sri Swami Paramarthananda Saraswati Ji
Cosmetic, grammatical errors are mine and shall not be attributed to Swamiji.
Into the talk,
Vyasacharya (Vedavyasar) plays a very important role for moksha upayaha. The original
name of Vyasa is Krishnaha (Also called Krishna Dvaipayanar, Bhaadraayanar)
What role did he play ?
For Moksha upayaha, We have 3 basic granthas or text books known as
Prasthaanatrayam written by Vyasar himself.
1) Shruthi Prasthaanam : Vedas (Veda Poorva Bhaaga (Prepares us for moksha),
Antha Bhaaga (Gives us moksha)) - Vyasacharya is closely associated with Shruthi
Prasthanam, not as the author of the Vedas, but as compiler of the Vedas, he divided the
Vedas into four and handed over to 4 disciples to perpetuate and maintain the lineage
(veda parampara). That's why he got the name Vedavyasar (The one who compiles and
divides).
2) Smruthi Prasthaanam : Bhagvad Gita. Every smruthi plays an important role, but
Bhagavad Gita plays more important role. Any secondary scriptures based on the
primary scripture Vedas are called Smruthis. Vyasacharya is the author of Smruthi
Prasthaanam too. Bhagvad gita is a part of MahaBharatham. Both have the authorship of
Vyasar.
3) Gyaya Prasthaanam : Brahmmasutra or Vedanta Sutram : The logical support is
given in the Gyaya Shastram teached by the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita. A logical
reinforcement is given in the BrahmmaSutra. The Brahmmasutras are also written by
Vyasacharya and it is also called as Bhaadraayana Sutrani (Written by Vedavysar).
Brahmma, Vishnu & Sivan rolled into one moorthy, and he is called Vedavysar.
Therefore, for every Vedantic student, Vyasa puja is important.
Vedanta Dharshanam (Teachings from the Prasthaanatrayam).
What is philosophy ? Technical understanding of philosophy is ? Purely by reasoning
without the help of any revealed books. Once, any book is involved then it is not called
philosophy. Unaided reason. Vedanta dharsanam cannot be called philosophy, because
it is arrived by Shruthi Tarka. We can say Bhuddha's theory can be said philosophy,
because it is purely based on logic. Asthika Dharsanam cannot be called philosophy,
because they all take the help of the scriptures.Hence, we cannot say Vedantic
Philosophy, but Vedantic Teaching.
Vyasar says that, logic cannot help us in understanding the absolute or attaining moksha
because logic can only reveal relative truth, but cannot reveal absolute truth. Also
Vyasar brings out an important point, logic is based on human intellect and human
perception, through perception data is collected and human intellect interprets the
collected data and he says human intellect is deficient. Human intellect has lot of
problems, 1)Ignorance, 2) Limitation of the senses.

2. Therefore, for any mumukshu, studying of Prasthaanatrayam is very important.
There are 3 Vedantic teachings by taught by 3 different acharayas.
Ramanuja Dharsana : Vishishtadvaita : Ramanua's brahmmsutram bhasyam begins
with criticism of Advaita.
Maaadhva Dharsana : Dvaita
Shankara Dharsana : Advaita
How can you say which one is right. Because, all the 3 authors are giant, we cannot
leave behind any author. If you go by the qualification of acharya, they are same. Every
tradition, they claim their acharya is an avatara.
Over centuries, followers of each dharsana, has authored lot of books those are
polemical over the other, even now there is no reconciliation achieved.
When you analyze these 3, all of them have stories to substantiate their claim
1) There was a competition between these 3 followers, and they decided to float their
books and some claim Vishisadvatiam book floated
2) On another occasion, When there was conflict between these 3, asariri came and said
advaitam sathyam.
So, we cannot negate any dharshanam.
Therefore, which is right. Debating and convincing others is out of question. Therefore,
we have to decide what to do. If I'm not a serious seeker, it's not a problem. If you are
serious seeker, then you are the best person to take the choice. Each dharsanam
teaches in the opposite way, so if you pick a dharsanam, you have to negate the other
two. You cannot say, you can use all the three. All the three are exclusive dharsanam in
its own way. In you intellect, you should have a clear picture of what your mind says, it
works that way. When somebody else asks me, we should not say Vishishadvaitam is
wrong. We should have the conviction. 3 dharsanams are diagonally opposite, so, you
cannot make it as a kiccadhi and take it.
6 basic Vichara are involved in all these 3. In all these 3, all the 6 are opposite.
1) Jeeva Swaroopam : Who is jeeva, all the three are different.
2) Eshwara Swaroopam : Nature of god, all the three are different.
3) Jagat Swaroopam : Nature of World, all the three are different.
4) Bandha Swaroopam : Nature of Bondage, all the three are different.
5) Moksha Swaroopam : Nature of moksha, all the three are different.
6) Saadhana : It depends upon the goal.
As long as you are interested in dharma, kama, artha, be a devotee of god, do service to
him. You have to decide the action if you are the seeker of moksha. You have to make
clear-cut choice.

3. 3 dharishanam cannot lead me to the same goal, because the goals of these three
darishanams are different.
You have to ask yourself, whether What is your goal ?
Now,
1) On Jeeva Vichara, Dvaitam & Vishishtadvaitam says, Jeevatma is atomic in size
(anurooopaha jeevaha) whereas, Vedanta says, Jeevaha sarvagathaha. (everything)
2) On Eshwara Vichara, Dvaitam & Vishishtadvaitam says, Sagunaha is the real nature,
whereas Vedanta says, the real nature of ishwara is nirguna. Both Dvaitam &
Vishishtadvaitam says there is no such thing called nirgunam at all.
3) Dvaitam says, world is different from god.
4) Vishishadvaitam says, world is part of god.
5) Advaitam, there is no world at all. There is only god. Brahmman alone is there. There
is no world apart, what is there is only god.
How will you combine all these 3 and follow all the three ? Not possible at all.
Both Dvaitam & Vishishtadvaitam says, the bondage is the misconception that I'm an
independent fellow, i.e. I'm independent.. i.e. im swathantaraha this misconception is
bondage. Then, what is liberation. i.e. you are not independent., you are eternally
dependent on god. of course, for both of them, the travel is from independence to
dependence.
Even during moksha, Dvaita & Vishishtadvaita says, serving the lord as an eternally
dependent Jeeva is Moksha. Kainkarya moksha. Dasan (Daasogham)
Advaita tells the opposite, the misconception that I'm dependent is bandhaha, and
mokshaha is travel from dependence to independence. (Soogham). Discover the fact,
that I'm brahmman. Saguna jeeva, saguna eshwara, saguna jagat is resting on me is the
nirgunam brahmma. This is the teaching of Advaita.
All the acharyas worship Vyasar. It is arrogance to say anyone is wrong, according to our
intellect we should decide what convinces us and get the conviction and follow. If you
say, I don't want to be a dasa for anyone, then you are an advaitin.
If a disciple asks me : After all these arguments, my intellect is convinced only of
Vishishadvaitam means. Because I cannot swallow the idea that the world is mithya,
because it is the toughest nut to crack. I feel very comfortable to accept that world is as
real as brahmman and it is the integral part of brahman, and therefore I go by
Vishishadvaita, and I'm convinced of that. Will you get angry ? will you expel me from
the class ?
Reply is : An Advaitin's answer would be like, Advaita does not look upon Dvaitam &
Vishishtadvaitam as opposed to Advaitam. On the other hand, an Advaitin claims that

4. Dvaitam & Vishishtadvaitam are only promoters of Advaita. In fact, they are the
means..i.e., Path to come to Advaita. Even though, an Advaitin rejects the end goal of
both, he accepts both of them as the means to the end called Advaita.
Because, in the vision of Advaitin, all the seekers can be categorized into 3 levels.
1) Manda Adhikaari - Good Student
2) Mathyama Adhikaari - Better Student
3) Uttama Adhikaari - Best Student.
According to an Advaitin, Dvaita is the only mean, compulsory mean, for the conversion
of manda adhikaari to madhyama adhikaari, Vishishtadvaita is the only mean,
compulsory mean, for conversion of madhyama adhikaari to uttama adhikaari. And
therefore, Dvaita, Vishishadvaita beautifully converts mandha, madhyama adhikaari to
uttama adhikaari. And the uttama adhikaari, Advaitins, will have such an intellect that it
will beautifully without any protest, without any resistant, he will appreciate the
teachings of Advaita.
Saguna brahmman is the beginning, and Advaita rejects Saguna Brahmmam's
end.
Therefore, follow Saguna in the form of Dvaita, Vishishtadvaita, then come to Nirguna in
the form of Advaita.
Whereas, for Dvaitins and Vishisadvaitins, Advaita is never acceptable, they reject
Advaita totally. Because, for them, the means is also sagunam brahhma, and the end is
also saguna brahmma. Nirguna brahmmam is totally rejected.
Whereas, for Advaitins, does not reject sagunam, but it says, saguna brahmmam is the
means, but not the end.
But the Advaitins attitude is, a person can continue to be in Vishishtadvaita, according to
him, in due course come to Advaita, even if you don't come throughout in this jenma,
according to shastras itself, as accepted by Vishishtadvaitin himself, you will go to sukla
gadhi to Vaikunda loka and in Vaikunta loka, bhagavan vishnu will convince you.