Eka vigyaaneena bahu vigyaanam bhavati!
If you know one, you know it all! In the prelude to the discussion that culminates in "Tat Tvam Asi" (or the famous "You are That") Shvetaketu who has just returned from his gurukul was asked by his dad, "My son, did you learn that one thing, knowing which you become the knower of everything?" Shvetaketu had come back home from 16+ years of gurukul thinking he has learned everything. His dad's question caught him unawares and results in the discussion that ends with "Tat Tvam Asi Shvetaketo." That one thing is nothing but the Brahmam. But the expression "Tat Tvam Asi" ends up as one of the Advaitic Mahavakyams supposed to equate the Jeevatma to the Paramatma. Swami Ramanuja interprets it using the Visishtadvaitic core theory of Sharira-Atma Bhavam.
What is Sharira-Atma Bhavam (SAB for convenience)?
In short, it defines the Antaryami (Paramatma) as the owner of the Atma (Jeevatma) who in turn owns the Sharira or the physical body. In the Advaitic interpretation, the Jeevatma is the Paramatma and there is no distinction. Visishtadvaita's interpretation is "Chetana Achetana Visishta Brahmam" - i.e Chetana (Sentient) and Achetana (Insentient) are sesham to the Brahamam.
In common parlance, people identify themselves with the body they are in. Therefore they say "I have the Atma inside me." They seldom realize how wrong that statement is. The Atma is not a part of the body. It is the owner of the body. It is the "command control center" of the body. It is the Atma that has taken this body with the purpose of realizing Moksha. That said, the Antaryami dwells inside the Atma and is the owner of the Atma - the relationship is very similar to relationship the Atma has with the body This is called Sharia Atma Bhavam. Therefore when we refer to somebody with their name - it refers to the physical body, the Jeevatma that owns that physical body, and the Paramatma that owns the Jeevatma encased on that physical body. This is the fundamental theory that differentiates Visishtadvaitam and Advaitam.
Visishtadvaitam is still advaitam because it believes in the singleness of the Brahmam - there is only one Brahmam. However, as stated by Kanchi Devaperumal (Varadaraja Perumal at Kanchipuram) to Thirukkachi Nambigal, "Darshanam Bheda-evacha." i.e the Jeevatma has a separate identity from the Paramatma - and never becomes "one-with" (or merges with) the Brahmam. The Jeevatma, upon Moksham resides for ever in a new "Divya Mangala Vigraham" in the Sri Vaikuntha abode of the Lord, remaining eternally in service to HIM. The Jeevatma's purpose of existence is to be of service to HIM - whether here on Earth or in Sri Vaikuntha.
If you know one, you know it all! In the prelude to the discussion that culminates in "Tat Tvam Asi" (or the famous "You are That") Shvetaketu who has just returned from his gurukul was asked by his dad, "My son, did you learn that one thing, knowing which you become the knower of everything?" Shvetaketu had come back home from 16+ years of gurukul thinking he has learned everything. His dad's question caught him unawares and results in the discussion that ends with "Tat Tvam Asi Shvetaketo." That one thing is nothing but the Brahmam. But the expression "Tat Tvam Asi" ends up as one of the Advaitic Mahavakyams supposed to equate the Jeevatma to the Paramatma. Swami Ramanuja interprets it using the Visishtadvaitic core theory of Sharira-Atma Bhavam.
What is Sharira-Atma Bhavam (SAB for convenience)?
In short, it defines the Antaryami (Paramatma) as the owner of the Atma (Jeevatma) who in turn owns the Sharira or the physical body. In the Advaitic interpretation, the Jeevatma is the Paramatma and there is no distinction. Visishtadvaita's interpretation is "Chetana Achetana Visishta Brahmam" - i.e Chetana (Sentient) and Achetana (Insentient) are sesham to the Brahamam.
In common parlance, people identify themselves with the body they are in. Therefore they say "I have the Atma inside me." They seldom realize how wrong that statement is. The Atma is not a part of the body. It is the owner of the body. It is the "command control center" of the body. It is the Atma that has taken this body with the purpose of realizing Moksha. That said, the Antaryami dwells inside the Atma and is the owner of the Atma - the relationship is very similar to relationship the Atma has with the body This is called Sharia Atma Bhavam. Therefore when we refer to somebody with their name - it refers to the physical body, the Jeevatma that owns that physical body, and the Paramatma that owns the Jeevatma encased on that physical body. This is the fundamental theory that differentiates Visishtadvaitam and Advaitam.
Visishtadvaitam is still advaitam because it believes in the singleness of the Brahmam - there is only one Brahmam. However, as stated by Kanchi Devaperumal (Varadaraja Perumal at Kanchipuram) to Thirukkachi Nambigal, "Darshanam Bheda-evacha." i.e the Jeevatma has a separate identity from the Paramatma - and never becomes "one-with" (or merges with) the Brahmam. The Jeevatma, upon Moksham resides for ever in a new "Divya Mangala Vigraham" in the Sri Vaikuntha abode of the Lord, remaining eternally in service to HIM. The Jeevatma's purpose of existence is to be of service to HIM - whether here on Earth or in Sri Vaikuntha.
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