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183
The
the mind. While discussing this question, Madhusudana again
considers, in passing, the role of scripture in devotional
spirituality, and again it is given a place corresponding to
that which the "great sayings" have in Advaita.
objector remarks that, if the experience of God is inherent,
then the goal of spiritual practice is already accomplished,
no cause (hetu) of this state is required, and scripture
will therefore be useless. Madhusudana answers that
"scripture serves in the acquisition of the form of the
Lord, which in turn prevents the mind's taking on the form
of other objects," and he further specifies that this
experience of God is "generated by scripture" (s盲stra-
箩补苍测腻).62
Note that both the objection and the response
assume that scripture is in some way the cause of the state
of God-realization.
The lack of dependence on the Vedic revelation
suggested here is thoroughly in keeping with the democratic
spirit of the bhakti movements, and equally opposed to
Ved膩ntic exclusivism. It allows devotion--and through
devotion the highest goal of life--to be accessible to
those, such as women and members of the lower castes, who
are not eligible for Vedic study. This of course raises the
question of adhikara or eligibility for bhakti, which
Madhusudana does not neglect. An important difference
between bhakti and j帽膩na lies in the qualifications that