Is Bhartrhari an Advaitin? (1)

There is a contemporary critical debate among the scholars on doctrinal similarities between Advaita and the philosophy of Grammarians – the çabdädvaita. The central concern of this debate collaborates to contemplate upon the certainty of ontological position of the eternal verbum – shabda Brahman in relation with the concept of mAyA of Advaita and the concept of kAla in grammarians view. And also about the theory of causality – on what is the grammarian’s position on the evolutionary process is – transfiguration (vivarta) or transformation (pariNAma). The topic on the theory of causality has a long history that has triggered many scholars of Indology in the past defending multi dimensional positions with intense polemics and dialectics. The debate on these questions not only surfaces highly isomorphic doctrinal patterns but are hermeneutically pivotal in mapping the philosophical orientation of the grammarians. This paper will primarily map such an identity for the grammarians assimilating contemporary scholarship over the issue.

The doctrine of Eternal Verbum is prominent feature in Indian Philosophy. The linguistic theology was systemized by various schools of Indian thought – authors seeking to justify the eternal existence of the Veda and .. to establish that çabda – the sound is eternal’ [§.3] ‘Speech, plays a vital part; of speculations about the cosmogonic or magic power of certain forms of the Word (eternal verbum), which is eternal’ [§.1. Andre Padaux; 1990]. Guy L. Beck [1995] views that the ‘parameters of Väk as a principle gradually developed in the Vedic literature – BrahmaNa-s’ (p.28).  ‘Language / Speech is Brahman’ [Rg Veda 1.1644.35 / Br Up. IV.i.2; also evident from the Taitiriya Brahmaëa [II.viii.8] ‘catvAri vAkparimitA padAni tAni vidurbrAhmaNA te manISiNaH guhA trINi nihitA nengayanti turIyaà väco manüñyä vädanti’. Supreme Being is systematically extolled and equated with the Sabda Brahman / Näda Brahman in the Upaniñads. The triadic feature of Pranava is insisted in the Maitri Upaniñad ‘OM is the Sound form of the ätman’ [6.5]. ‘UdgIta is Pranava’ [VI.5]; ‘the syllable (OM) is Supreme’ (Praëava sa udgita ... etad ekAkSaraà param).  Chändogya says, ‘OM is UdgIta and is Supreme’ – ‘Just as all leaves are permeated by the stalk so does OM that permeates all speech’ [I.i.1 / II.23.3]. ‘The extra Vedic NAda-Brahman as Sound Brahman – gradually supersedes as çabda Brahman and becomes the most consistent cosmological and psychological characterization of sacred sound in the Hindu tradition [§.48, Guy. L. Beck; 1995] ‘Nisshabdaà tat param Brahma’ – ‘the Supreme Being is Soundless’ [Nädabindu 48] ‘BijAkAaram paraM bindu nAdam’ ‘the eternal seed is supreme – the indivisible Sound’ [Dhyanabindu I.2 ].