The Flood of Illusion (Mayanadi)

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The Flood of Illusion (Mayanadi)

 

After a review of the doctrines of the great Vedantic interpreters about the

Bhagavadgita, let us now pass on to the mystical interpretation of Jnanesvara.

Jnanesvara is not far removed even time from the " last of the Romans ", the

great Vedantic commentators, and his interpretation is absolutely mystical and

in a way super-Vedantic. Jnanesvara was not nearly one of the greatest saints

of Maharastra, but also certainly one of the greatest interpreters of the

Bhagavadgita that have ever lived. The most distinguishing feature of his

interpretative of the Bhagavadgita is his unique combination of philosophy,

poetry and mysticism. Its philosophy is of a high order no doubt, but its

poetry is of a still higher order. And when mysticism is combined with

philosophical insight and poetical imagination, one can easily see how

Jnanesvara's interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita stands supreme.

 

Jnanesvara's description of the flood of illusion is a very wonderful one. The

concept of Maya, which Samkara had inaugurated, finds its best poetic

expression in Jnanesvara. He speaks of the course of Mayanadi which starts

from the precipice of Brahman, which he calls Brahmacala or Brahmagiri. Who

will not be reminded of the Brahmagiri mountain at Tryaubakesvara around which

Jnanegvara's father with his four children used to make peregrinations ? The

reference to the Brahmagiri seems to be a definite personal one. Issuing from

the precipice of Brahman, therefore, Jnanesvara tells us, as: the river moves

on, it produces bubbles in the shape of the elements which appear on its

surface. It is further augmented by the rain of the qualities. The qualities

send showers of rain into the flood and increase its flow. In this flood, as.

it moves on, there are whirlpools of hatred and windings of jealousy, and huge

fishes in the shape of moral aberrations ( Pramadas swim inside the flood.

The flood in its motion carries off the small hamlets of restraint and

self-control which are situated on its two banks; it breaks its waters upon

the island of sexual enjoyment which is a resort of a number of creatures, so

that all these creatures ultimately are destined to be drowned in that great

flood.

 

Janesvara very intelligently refers to the different kinds of Pramanas. One

does not know how far he had studied Nyaya philosophy, but certainly here he

makes mention of two important Pramanas namely, reason and scriptures and

Of those who are dependent upon their reason trying to swim across the river,

no trace is left in the course of their swimming, and they sink in the abyss

of self-conceit. The sacred scriptures are merely huge pieces of stone which a

man fastens to his chest and thus being heavily laden, he falls into the mouth

of the whale of arrogance. and having been thus disposed of, Jnanesvara

tells us in a general way that other means of swimming across the river, that

is, other criteria or Pramanas are only sure ways of destruction. Ultimately

no intellectual criterion enables us to escape the Mayanadi.

 

Finally, if we want to cross such a terrific stream we must have a steersman

in the shape of a spiritual teacher. We must have a rudder in the shape of

devotion, which conception we take the liberty of introducing in the

description. We must travel on the sure raft of mystical experience. It is

only when these three things meet, namely, the spiritual teacher, devotion and

mystical experience, that we have the possibility of crossing that great flood

of illusion. But one very extraordinary phenomenon takes place in the course

of this flood. It disappears as soon as we begin to cross it. As we have

noticed before that when the Sun of Absolute Reality rises, there is nothing

left for him to illuminate: similarly here, in the case of the flood of

illusion, it so happens that as soon as we have begun to cross it, no water

remains to cross.

 

Source: " The Bhagavadgita as a Philosophy of Self-realization ", by R.D.

Ranade

Publ.: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay, 3rd. edition 1982