Advaita

(Shree Chandrashekara Bharathi, the 34th Pontiff of Sringeri)

[1912-1954]

Dvaitam means the state of twoness (i.e. duality). Advaita is therefore that thing in which there is no twoness or duality. Brahman is the name given to that something in which there is no twoness. Brahman is that basic principle of reality responsible for the creation, maintenance and dissolution of the universe. While all religious systems postulate the existence of "one" God who is the supreme being, some grant independent existence of matter(i.e., universe) and some grant independent existence of individual souls. It is only in the Advaita system that matter and the individual soul are denied existence independent of God. It is only in the Advaita system that there is no second principle independent of God.

Maya is the differentiating principle which is responsible for diversity in both the universe of matter and in the universe of souls. If it were not for Maya, there would be no diversity at all. Both matter and the individual souls would have no independent existence of their own, but for Maya. Though Maya is the Sakti or power of Brahman, it has no independent existence of its own apart from Brahman (i.e., the supreme being). From the highest standpoint of absolute truth, Maya has no existence at all. From the absolute view, only Brahman exists and nothing else.

The Advaita doctrine is enunciated from a plane which ordinary people cannot aspire to for many more births to come. At present most of us are far, far below that stage. So we have absolutely no right to approach it, much less to sit in judgment over it.

It is impossible to convey a correct idea of what Advaita is, for it is neither a matter for words nor is it a mental concept. It is, on the other hand, pure experience which transcends all these. Suppose I do not know what sweetness is. Can you describe the sweetness in words sufficiently expressive to convey an idea of sweetness? Similarly, it is impossible to teach Advaita, for Advaita is beyond the grasp of the mind and the senses. Advaita cannot be learnt. It has to be directly experienced. The bliss of Brahman (i.e., God) is the biggest of all joys. It is beyond the experience of all worlds.

-Shree Chandrashekara Bharathi, the 34th Pontiff of Sringeri-