пятница, 7 июля 2017 г.

"PURUSOTTAMAJI - A STUDY" by A.D. Shastri, V.T. Choksi Sanskrit Series -1, 1st edition - 1966

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English annotation by Vishnudut1926: Purushottama Ji was one of the latest Acharyas in Purshi-Marg succession (please see "Genealogy chart" below). 

The first part of this research-book is great, it dwells on biography of Shree Purushottama-Acharya and His Granthas synopsis in brief.

The research, for example, discusses Purushottama enmity with Shaktas, especially with BhaskaraRaya. 

A.D. Shastri relies not only on the written sources, but live experience, for example, one of the chapters contains the horoscope of Purushottama Ji, obtained during the meeting with Nrisimhalal Ji Pandya of Nathdvar

Here is the above-mentioned "Genealogy Chart" (p.28):


Interesting note - A.D. Shastri writes that Purushottama Ji was more into Vedantic Shuddha-Adwaita, while Hariraya was more into simple Bhakti and Subodhini (p. 396): 
"Hariraya can best be compared with Gokulanatha and Vitthalesha. He was a devotee and his mission was to explain the path of devotion to the masses. 
Hariraya works are mainly short tracts and most of them are on the Subodhini. He taught more of Krishna and His Leela, Pushti and Maryada rather than Brahman and its attributes or the theory of causation. 
Purushottama on the other hand discussed and debated the principles of the Shuddha-Adwaita philosophy. He was a scholar and he considered it his duty to explain the theories taught by Vallabha by arguments and analysis. 
The works of Hariraya do not reveal the scholarship that is seen in the works of Purushottama. 
Purushottama on his part appears to lack that emotion and spiritual experience of a devotee. Though he was sincere in his devotion, the emotional side of a devotee was burnt in the white heat of his intellectual feats. 
Hariraya was a mystic, a follower of Prameya Marga, while Purushottama was rational and leaning towards the Pramana Marga".
The second part of the book may seem to be rather boring for bhaktas with emotional aptitude, because it dwells on dry Vedanta and comparisons of Vallabha-Vedanta with Shankara-Vedanta. Very boring theme, especially if you a Krishna-bhakta.

I have expected more musings over Pushti-Bhakti, maryada-jivas, Subodhini Tikas and etc. from this book, not dry Vedantic conclusions.

And the theme "Vallabha-Shuddha-Adwaita VS. Shankara-Adwaita" is the most humdrum and lifeless theme you can find in the world, especially in the light of the fact that everyone knows that Vedanta of Shankaracharya (Adwaita) is extremely bad, asuric and not worth even an atom of our attention.
Anyway, recommended for reading, especially the 1st part with biography of Purushottama Ji Acharya. 

P.S. Please also pay attention to the very interesting biography of Shree Vithaldas Thakordas Choksi mentioned in the very first pages of the book! 

It's a brilliant example of a rich philantropist prapanna from Shree Ramanuja-Sampradaya who died in his 30s (proving that prapannas of Bhagavan Shree Narayana usually don't stay too long in sansara!).