Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Vedanta Siddhanta Samarasa

In this verses, Saint Tayumanavar refers to Vedanta Siddhanta Samarasa. Is not yet another doctrine of philosophy. Samarasa means reconciliation or harmony. That is the equability or harmony of Vedanta and Shaiva Siddhanta, an harmonizing of the two. I do not see big contradictions in these doctrines. Though, there is an certain difference between them. It is the philosophical conflict between the Vedanta, i.e., primarily the non-dualist (advaita) approach, and the theistic Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta schools of thought, and, generally, religious conflict based on doctrinal differences on the nature of ultimate reality. In the Vedanta, the soul, being non-different from God in its essential nature, merges with Him. In the Siddhanta, the soul is distinct, eternal in its nature with a mala or impurity of dnava. Hence after union with God, the soul still retains its individuality with the veiling power of dnava neutralized. Thus, the soul has an experience of its union with Shiva and His transcendental Bliss. In brief, Vedanta is the realization of the Self (the same self in all) i.e., becoming as the self in self-identity of knowledge, and Siddhanta is the realization of oneself as an individual soul of being and universalizing himself to become an universal individual.
Thayumanavar's  idea of Samarasam was his solution to this conflict based on doctrinal differences on the nature of ultimate reality. It was not merely an intellectual exercise, but the expression of a deep and comprehensive experience and realization of the truth that the facets of ultimate reality exclusively emphasized by Advaita Vedanta and Shaiva Siddhanta are complementary facets of one reality.
Tayumanavar says: "Always, my deeds are Your deeds. I am non-different from you, as my being as "I" cannot be apart or without you. The nature (svabhdva) of Vedanta Siddhdnta Samarasa is just this."
It is the final leap at the culmination of spiritual endeavour and total renunciation. The total and complete surrender.

OM NAMAH SHIVAYA

2 comments:

Shrinivas Tilak said...

Thomas Manninezhath has written a monograph on this topic. See Thomas Manninezhath. 1993. Harmony of Religions: Vedanta Siddhanta Samarasam of Tayumānavar, Delhi: Motilal Banarasidass

Shrinivas Tilak said...

I came across a monograph devoted to this very topic. See Manninezhath, Thomas. 1993. Harmony of Religions: Vedanta Siddhanta Samarasam of Tayumānavar, Delhi: Motilal Banarasidass