Srimathey Ramanujaya Namaha

Sastras say one can get liberated by Gnana

Advaitins say it is knowledge obtained by reading vedas. Ex. you read verses from veda and you obtain knowledge. They say that one gets liberated by this Gnana

Swamy Ramanuja says that  one cannot obtain liberation by mere kevala gnana. It has to be bhakthi roopa panna Gnana. By Bhakthi, ofcourse this does not mean Bhakthi yoga but the actual Bhakthi itself which is common for both Sharanagathals and Bhakthi yoga nishtas. Without Bhakthi, ofcourse no one will surrender to Bhagavan. It is this Bhakthi which is more important than mere knowledge obtained by reading sastras.

Kannan in Gita Chapter 11 shloka 54,

“bhaktya tv ananyaya sakya aham evam vidho ‘rjuna

jnatum drastum ca tattvena pravestum ca parantapa”

When kannan went as pandava doothan , he chose to stay only in vidura’s house and not Bhishma / Drona / Duryodana. Vidura on seeing the lord became surprised and out of anxiety he did not know what he was doing. he took bananas, peeled them off ,threw the bananas and gave the skin of bananas to Lord. He kept doing this for sometime when Vidura’s wife saw what was happening and made her husband realize what he was doing. Vidura immediately apologized and started offering Bananas now. Lord said ” Enough Vidura, I am done”. Vidura said,” But this is the first proper banana that I am offering to you”. Lord said ” Dear vidura, it is not by these bananas that my hunger is going to get satisfied. It is what you did out of anxiety and happiness as soon as I arrived that satisfied me”.

In short, knowledge obtained by mere reading of sastras will not help. Bhakthi kalandha Gnanam dhaan uyarndhadhu.

Sri Velukkudi Swamy thiruvadigaley saranam.