Aurobindo about Advaita

[Samar Abbas]

On Mon, 14 Jun 1999, Ramakrishnan Balasubramanian wrote:
> The smArtas who owe allegiance to sha.nkara are spread all over the
> country. They are definitely greater in number and percentage.

The composition is ca. 75 % Vaishnava, 25 % Shaiva and only 1-2 % Smarta,
Jain & Buddhist. In Tamil Nadu, there is a saying `First Shaiva, then
Smarta, then Vaishnava', ie. Smartism is seen only as a stepping stone for
converts from Shaivism to Vaishnavsim and nothing else.
 I agree that the importance of Smartism is only recent, so that Smartism
has gained far more prominence than its low numerical importance suggests.
This is only a temporary phase, we shall see Vaishnava and Shaiva revivals
shortly as true traditions are restored.

Samar