for the archives

[Guest guest]

> ###########

> Our Files archives would certainly become

> richer by adding

> whatever you have studied for your own enrichment.

> The cross

> referencing to Sanskrit verses would pose no

> problems. Thanks for the

> offer.

> The Upanishads have often used the word

> 'iva' (as if/like)

> to bring out the nuance of 'mAyA'. I hope you have

> included such

> references too.

 

Namaste Sunder et al,

Firstly apologies for the size of this file but if you

want to save it for future study then that is the aim

of this posting.

Sorry Sunder but although aware of the 'as if' aspect

I did not use 'find' to locate such refs. I think

that when I do this I will use the transliterated

versions as a starting point. That will be for a

future study.

At the moment I am carrying out a similar exercise

with 'svad/svaad' and 'madhu' (sweetness) in the

Rgveda. This is for a meeting in September but I do

not think that I will have tracked them all down by

September 2004!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am still on the first

Mandala.

Incidentally, I wonder if anyone would like to offer

their translation of I.164.22a: tasyedAhuH pippalaM

svAdvagre

Griffith gives 'Upon its top they say the fig is

luscious '. My limited Sanskrit split the beginning as

tasya it AhuH which has several possible meanings

using Monier Williams so your comments would be

welcomed.

 

I hope the following mAyA refs. will assist some

people,

 

Ken Knight

 

 

mAyA.

 

Please note that the extracts from the Upanishads set

out below were collected for a group of English

people, with very little knowledge of Sanskrit but

having various connections with advaitin teaching. The

aim was to get behind the superficial and rather

ignorant understanding of mAyA generally used and

thereby remove some of our own ignorance. We

attempted to trace the word from its use in the Vedas

through to Twentieth century writing of Sarvapalli

Radhakrishnan and Sri Aurobindo. (Sarvapalli

Radhakrishnan isolates 6 meanings of Maya :

1) inexplicable mystery 2) power of

self-becoming 3) duality of consciousness and

matter 4) primal matter 5) concealment 6)

one-sided dependence.)

 

No attempt here is made to present an argument for

any particular understanding of mAyA. The extracts

were copied and pasted from this site:

http://www.geocities.com/hindu_shastras/ebooks/upanishads

I did not try to link any of these English

translations to the Sanskrit texts as that will be for

some future study. Similarly, I did not seek out the

‘as if…....iva’ references. Should I do that at some

future date I will put them into the archives.

Please do not take this as a precise study, it was a

catch-all trawl through many varied texts. I begin

with a very very brief look at the Vedas.

 

Krishna Yajur Veda 4.9-10

‘With maya, His power of wonder, He made all things,

and by maya the human soul is bound. Know, therefore,

that nature is maya, but that God is the ruler of maya

and that all beings in our universe are parts of His

infinite splendour.’

 

RgVedaX 177.1

1. THE sapient with their spirit and their mind behold

the Bird adorned with all an Asura's magic might

(mAyA).

Sages observe him in the ocean's inmost depth: the

wise disposers seek the station of his rays.

Nb. I have not included here the many references from

the RgVeda on the power (mAyA) of the gods to become

many as we concentrated on the Mayabheda hymn above.

 

 

 

Upanishads and mAyA

 

Adhyatma:

14. Never should one be heedless in devotion to

Brahman; ‘heedlessness is death’ so aver the

philosophers of Brahman in regard to (this) science.

15. Just as a pulled-up water-reed stays not still,

even for a moment, so does Maya (ceaselessly) envelop

even a wise man if he averts his face (from the

Truth).

16. Whosoever wins absoluteness while alive continues

to be absolute even after death. Rooted in

concentration, O sinless one, remain steadfast.

17. With the vision of the non-dual Self through

unwavering concentration comes the dissolution without

residue of the knots of ignorance in the heart.

……

30. The expressed sense of the word tat (God) has

Maya for His adjunct; He is the world-cause. He is

characterised by omniscience, etc.; is tinged by

transcendence, and is essentially Truth and so forth.

31. The expressed sense of the word ‘Tvam’ shines

forth as the content of the idea and expression ‘I’;

it is awareness blended with the mind (the inner organ

of perception).

32. Only through the exclusion of Maya and avidya,

the adjuncts of God and Jiva is the supreme Spirit,

the impartite Being, Consciousness and Bliss,

indicated.

 

Atma Upanishad

12. Being the one, the universal Soul is present in

all beings. Though one, It is seen as many, like the

moon in the water.

13. Just as it is the jar which being removed (from

one place to another) changes places and not the Akasa

enclosed in the jar – so is the Jiva which resembles

the Akasa.

14. When various forms like the jar are broken again

and again the Akasa does not know them to be broken,

but He knows perfectly.

15. Being covered by Maya, which is a mere sound, It

does not, through darkness, know the Akasa (the

Blissful one). When ignorance is rent asunder, It

being then Itself only sees the unity.

16. The Om as Word is (first looked upon as) the

Supreme Brahman. After that (word-idea) has vanished,

that imperishable Brahman (remains). The wise one

should meditate on that imperishable Brahman, if he

desires the peace of his soul.

17. Two kinds of Vidya ought to be known – the

Word-Brahman and the Supreme Brahman. One having

mastered the Word-Brahman attains to the Highest

Brahman.

18. After studying the Vedas the intelligent one who

is solely intent on acquiring knowledge and

realisation, should discard the Vedas altogether, as

the man who seeks to obtain rice discards the husk.

19. Of cows which are of diverse colours the milk is

of the same colour. (the intelligent one) regards

Jnana as the milk, and the many-branched Vedas as the

cows.

20. Like the butter hidden in milk, the Pure

Consciousness resides in every being. That ought to be

constantly churned out by the churning rod of the

mind.

21. Taking hold of the rope of knowledge, one should

bring out, like fire, the Supreme Brahman. I am that

Brahman indivisible, immutable, and calm, thus it is

thought of.

22. In Whom reside all beings, and Who resides in all

beings by virtue of His being the giver of grace to

all – I am that Soul of the Universe, the Supreme

Being, I am that Soul of the Universe, the Supreme

Being.

 

Annapurna Upanishad

IV-28-29. The sage fulfils his duty with the

realization, ‘I am the one Brahman’; (Brahman is) the

ground of all, non-dual, supreme, eternal, of the

essence of being, intelligence, and bliss, beyond the

range of word and mind.

IV-30. There shine not the forms of the moon and the

sun; the winds blow not; and none of the gods (are

there). This divinity alone shines forth as being,

pure by itself, free from rajas.

IV-31. The knot of the heart is split; all doubts are

cut asunder. All his actions dwindle when He, who is

both here and beyond, is seen.

IV-32. In this body are the birds, called the Jiva

and the Lord, dwelling together. Of them the Jiva eats

the fruit of action, not the great Lord.

IV-33. Alone as the Witness, without participation,

the great Lord shines by Himself. Through Maya is set

up the difference between them. Spirit is other than

Its form; as It does not dwindle, the Spirit is

non-different (from all objects).

IV-34. As the unity of the Spirit is established

through reasoning and means of right knowledge, once

that unity is comprehensively known, one no more

sorrows; nor is one deluded.

IV-35. Having the certain knowledge, ‘I am the ground

of the whole world, solid Truth and Knowledge’, the

sage may dispel (all) sorrow.

IV-36. Those whose flaws have (all) been attenuated

realize in their own bodies the Witness of all, whose

essence is self-luminous Being; not those others who

are encompassed by Maya.

………………..

V-74. Well disciplined (sage) ! For achieving

liberation, one should meditate on the bodiless Self

that is Brahman - Being consciousness and Bliss

without end – as ‘I am (That)’.

V-75. Concentration is the origination of knowledge

in regard to the unity of the Supreme and the Jiva.

The Self, verily, is eternal, omnipresent, immutable

and flawless.

V-76. Being (but) one, through Maya it splits up; not

in Its essence. Therefore the non-dual alone is; no

manifold, no empirical life (is there).

V-77. Just as space is called ‘Pot-space’ (and)

‘great space’, so, due to delusion, is the self called

Jiva and Ishvara in two ways.

V-78. When the all-pervading spirit shines always

without a break in the mind of the Yogin then one

becomes one’s Self.

V-79. Verily, when one beholds all beings in one’s

own Self, and one’s Self in all beings, one becomes

Brahman.

V-80. In the state of concentration, atoned with the

Supreme, one beholds no beings; one then is the Alone.

……………………..

V-107. In the absence of the I-sense and its

negation, at once existent and non-existent, what

remains unattached, self-same, superlatively pure, and

steadfast is said to be the Fourth.

V-108. That superlatively pure sameness, the

quiescent status of liberation-in-life, the state of

the spectator is, inempirical usage, called the fourth

state.

V-109. This is neither wakefulness nor dream, for

there is no room for mental constructions. Neither is

this the state of deep sleep; for no inertness is

involved in this.

V-110. This world as it is, is dissolved, and then it

is the Fourth State for those who are tranquillised

and rightly awakened; for the unawakened it stands

changeless (as it is in its plurality).

V-111. When the aspect of I-sense is given up, and

equability dominates, and the mind disintegrates, the

Fourth State comes on.

V-112. The repudiation of the objective manifold is

the doctrine of the Shastras setting forth the Spirit.

Here is neither avidya nor Maya; this is the tranquil

Brahman, unfatigued.

 

Atma-Bodha Upanishad

II-1-10. The Maya has gone away from me, I am the

pure vision; my ego has gone down, so has the

difference between world, god and soul. I am the

inner-self, without positive and negative rules; I am

the expansive Bliss; I am the witness, independent,

exerting in my greatness; without old age and decay,

opposing sides, pure knowledge, the ocean of

liberation; I am subtle without any attributes.

I am without three qualities, all worlds

exists in my belly; the changeless consciousness,

beyond reason and action, I have no parts, unborn,

pure reality.

I am endless knowledge, auspicious,

indivisible, faultless, reality unbounded. I am to be

known by Agamas, attractive to all the worlds. I am

pure joy; purity, sole, ever shining, beginningless; I

have ascertained the highest Truth.

I know myself without a second, with

discrimination. Even then Bondage and Liberation are

experienced. The world has gone away that appears to

be real like serpent and rope; only Brahman exists as

the basis of the world; therefore the world does not

exist; like sugar pervaded by the taste of the

sugarcane, I am pervaded by Bliss. All the three

worlds, from Brahma to the smallest worm are imagined

in me.

In the ocean there are many things, from

the bubble to the wave; but the ocean does not desire

these – So also, I have no desire for things of the

world; I am like a rich-man not desiring poverty. A

wise person abandons poison favouring Amrita. The sun

which makes the pot shine is not destroyed along with

the pot; so also the spirit is not destroyed with the

body.

I have no bondage nor liberation, no

Shastra, no Guru. I have gone beyond Maya – let life

go away or let the mind be attacked – I have no misery

as I am filled with joy,

 

Atma Upanishad

II-25. Having won the status of Brahman, no longer is

the Yogin reborn, for his ignorance-born bodies have

all been consumed by the experimental knowledge of

Being as the Self.

II-26-27(a). Because that Yogin has become Brahman,

how can Brahman be reborn ? Bondage and liberation,

set up by Maya, are not real in themselves in relation

to the Self, just as the appearance and disappearance

of the snake are not in relation to the stirless rope.

II-27(b). Bondage and liberation may be described as

real and unreal and as due to the nescience

(concealment of truth).

II-28-29. Brahman suffers from no concealment

whatsoever. It is uncovered, there being nothing other

than It (to cover It). The ideas, ‘it is’ and ‘it is

not’, as regards Reality, are only ideas in the

intellect. They do not pertain to the eternal Reality.

So bondage and liberation are set up by Maya and do

not pertain to the Self.

II-30. In the supreme Truth as in the sky, impartite,

inactive, quiescent, flawless, unstained and non-dual

where is room for (mental) construction ?

II-31. Neither suppression nor generation, neither

the bond nor the striving: neither the liberty seeking

nor the liberated – this is the metaphysical truth.

 

Brihadaranyaka Up.

 

II-v-19: This is that meditation on things mutually

helpful which Dadhyac, versed in the Atharva-Veda,

taught the Asvins. Perceiving this the Rishi said,

‘(He) transformed Himself in accordance with each

form; that form of His was for the sake of making Him

known. The Lord on account of Maya (notions

superimposed by ignorance) is perceived as manifold,

for to Him are yoked ten organs, nay, hundreds of

them. He is the organs; He is ten and thousands – many

and infinite. That Brahman is without prior or

posterior, without interior or exterior. This self,

the perceiver of everything, is Brahman. This is the

teaching.

 

Devi Upanishad

12. Know we Great Lakshmi,

Goddess of good Fortune;

On all fulfilment do we meditate.

May the Goddess inspire us !

13. Through You, Dakshayani, was Aditi born;

She is your daughter; after her were born

The gods auspicious,

Friends of deathlessness.

14. Love, womb, love’s part, the bearer of the

thunderbolt

The cave, ha-sa, the wind, the cloud, Indra;

Again the cave, sa-ka-la with Maya –

So runs the full primeval science begetting all.

15. This is the power of Self, enchanting all, armed

with the noose, the hook, the bow and the arrow. This

is the great and holy Science.

16. Who knows thus tides over grief.

 

Kaivalya Upanishad

 

7. Meditating on the highest Lord, allied to Uma,

powerful, three-eyed, blue-necked, and tranquil, the

holy man reaches Him who is the source of all, the

witness of all and is beyond darkness (i.e. Avidya).

8. He is Brahma, He is Shiva, He is Indra, He is the

Immutable, the Supreme, the Self-luminous, He alone is

Vishnu, He is Prana, He is Time and Fire, He is the

Moon.

9. He alone is all that was, and all that will be, the

Eternal; knowing Him, one transcends death; there is

no other way to freedom.

10. Seeing the Atman in all beings, and all beings in

the Atman, one attains the highest Brahman – not by

any other means.

11. Making the Atman the (lower) Arani, and OM the

upper Arani, by the repeated friction of knowledge, a

wise man burns up the bond.

12. With his self thus deluded by Maya or ignorance,

it is he who identifies himself with the body and does

all sorts of things. In the waking state it is he (the

Jiva) who attains satisfaction through the varied

objects of enjoyment, such as women, food, drink, etc.

13. In the dream-state that Jiva feels pleasure and

pain in a sphere of existence created by his own Maya

or ignorance. During the state of profound sleep, when

everything is dissolved (into their causal state), he

is overpowered by Tams or non-manifestation and comes

to exist in his form of Bliss.

 

Katharudra Up.

14-15. That Brahman, which is without a second, and

which is Truth, Knowledge and Happiness, is the object

of (real) knowing. The best of the twice-born, who

know Brahman residing in the cave which is called the

highest heaven, during his transmigratory existence

known as ‘illusion’, ‘ignorance’, etc., attain all

desired things instantaneously.

16. He who realizes his own Self, which is the witness

of the power called ignorance and illusion, knowing ‘I

am Brahman alone’ becomes Brahman Itself.

17. From this Self which is one with Brahman and which

is possessed of power (i.e. maya) arose the unmanifest

ether (Akasa) like a rope-serpent.

18. Then from the ether emerged the unmanifest touch

which is named ‘air’ (Vayu). Then from air emerged

fire; from fire, water; and from water, the earth.

19. Then after dividing and compounding all those

subtle (elements) into five, from them alone the

auspicious Lord created the cosmic egg.

20. Enfolded in the cosmic egg are gods, anti-gods,

Yakshas, Kinnaras, human beings, animals, birds, etc.,

in accordance with (the result of) their own actions.

21. The bodies of beings which appear in the form of

(a framework of) bones, sinews, etc., is the self of

the nature of food for the all-pervading Self.

22. Then, further within, is the self of Prana [vital

energy] split (into five). Still further within is the

self of the nature of mind which is different (from

the others).

23. Next, even further within and different is the

self of the nature of knowledge. Then, in the

interior, distinct, is the self of the nature of

bliss.

24. That (self) of the nature of food is pervaded by

(the self) of the nature of vital energy; similarly

(the self of) vital energy is by the nature (pervaded)

by (the self) of the nature of mind.

25. The mind-self is pervaded by the self of

knowledge. The ever-happy self of the nature of

knowledge is always pervaded by bliss.

26. In the same way, the self of bliss is pervaded by

Brahman, the witness, the innermost of all. Brahman is

not (pervaded) by anything else.

27-28. By realizing directly this Brahman, which is

named the Support (the Tail puccha), which is of the

nature of truth, knowledge and non-duality, the

essence, the joy, the eternal, the dweller in the body

becomes happy everywhere. Wherefrom otherwise can

there be happiness ?

 

Narayana Up.

[Hymn to Hiranyagarbha – from Taittiriya-Samhita

IV-1-8:

1. The resplendent Prajapati was born at the

beginning of creation from the Supreme potent with the

power of Maya. Having been born He became the one

sustainer and nourisher of all beings. The same

Paramatman, here designated as Hiranyagarbha, supports

the earth as well as heaven. May we worship that

shining One with offerings – who is of the nature of

bliss or whose characteristic nature cannot be

interrogated.

2. Who became the sovereign ruler of all beings

living and existing on the earth; who controls as the

indwelling Spirit all the bipeds and quadrupeds

evident on the earth;

3. Who is the giver of Self (all Selves in

reality being Himself); who is the bestower of

strength (as nourisher through food); whose command

even gods are eager to receive; whom immortality and

death obey like shadow;

XII-4: The Supreme having become the four-faced Brahma

among gods, the master of right words among the

composers, the seer among the intelligent people, the

buffalo among animals, the kite among the birds, the

cutting axe among the destructive tools and soma among

the sacrificers, transcends all purifying agencies

accompanied by the sound (of holy chant).

XII-5: There is one unborn Female (Maya, the uncaused

substance of the universe) red, white and black

(representing Sattva, Rajas and Tamas) producing

manifold offspring of the same nature. There is one

unborn (in the generic sense some Jivas who are

attached) who lies by her taking delight in her; there

is another unborn (in the generic sense those who are

not attached) who leaves her after having enjoyed her.

XII-6: That which is the sun who abides in the clear

sky, is the Vasu (the air that moves) in the

mid-region, is the fire that dwells in the sacrificial

altar and in the domestic hearth as the guest, is the

fire that shines in men and in the gods, as the Soul,

is the fire that is consecrated in the sacrifice, is

dwelling in the sky as air, is born in water as

submarine heat, is born in the rays of the sun, is the

fire that is directly seen as the luminary, and is

born on the mountain as the rising sun – that is the

Supreme Truth, the Reality underlying all.

 

Maha Upanishad V-114.

‘sage ! That ultimate Status which is said to be

imperishable is (in truth) not won. Twice-born sage !

Speculate not as to whence this (nescience) has

arisen.

V-115. ‘Speculate rather on: ‘how shall I destroy it ?

Once it is dissipated and dispelled you will

(renunciation-)cognise that status.

V-116. ‘That integral status (includes the knowledge)

‘Whence this Maya has come and how it has perished.

Therefore try to treat (with remedies) this abode of

diseases (i.e. Maya).

V-117-118(a). ‘So that she may not subject you again

to the sufferings of birth (etc.,). ‘The sea of the

Spirit shines forth in one’s Self with its splendid

inner vibrations. With certitude meditate inwardly

that is homogeneous and infinite.

…….

V-128. ‘The potent Spirit, thus degenerating into

dense egoism, passes voluntarily into bondage as a

silk-worm in its cocoon.

V-129. ‘And, like a lion in chains, becomes totally

dependent finding itself within a net of its own

imaginings and nothing more.

V-130. ‘Sometimes (it operates as) mind, sometimes as

intellect; sometimes as cognition; sometimes as (pure)

action. Sometimes it is egoism and sometimes it is

held to be what is thought.

V-131. ‘Sometimes it is called Prakriti and sometimes

it is held to be Maya. Sometimes it is designated a

‘flaw’ and sometimes referred to as ‘action’.

V-132. ‘Sometimes it is proclaimed as bondage and

sometimes accounted the ‘eight-fold case’. Sometimes

it is said to be avidya and sometimes it is identified

with ‘desire’.

V-133. ‘Bearing within itself, as its seeds the

fig-tree, this entire empirical sphere that fashions

the cords of cravings, the Jiva is verily a tree sans

fruits.

 

 

 

Maitrayani Upanishad

 

It has been said: ‘As waves in great rivers, the past

deeds are one’s safeguard – like the coast line for

the ocean. Rebirth is unavoidable – bound by good and

bad results (of actions), as a beast by ropes. Like a

prisoner, one in the clutches of Death is not free;

dwells in the midst of many fears. He who is maddened

by worldly pleasures is like one intoxicated. He is in

the grip of sin and roams, like one bitten by a snake

is he in the jaws of danger, as in darkness one is

blinded by passion. As caught in a magic show one is

in the midst of Maya. He sees every thing wrongly as

in a dream, essenceless like the pith of plantain –

like an actor dressed up for a moment – falsely

attractive like a painted wall. It has been stated

‘sense-objects’ like sound are there, sources of

trouble. Attached to them, the self forgets the

supreme place.

The remedy is the winning of knowledge –

following one’s own Dharma, one’s law of life supports

all like a tree-trunk. By this law does one go

upwards; without it one tumbles down – this has been

laid down in the Vedas.

 

Mandukya Upanishad

 

1. I bow to that Brahman who pervades the entire

world by a diffusion of the rays of knowledge that

pervade all things that are moving and unmoving, who

after having enjoyed (in the waking state) all objects

of enjoyment that are gross, and who again, after

having drunk (in the state of dream) all objects born

of desire and illumined by the intellect, reposes

while experiencing bliss Himself and making us all

enjoy by (His own) Maya, and who, through an

attribution of Maya, is the fourth in number, and

is supreme, immortal and unborn.

…………………….

I-16. When the individual Self, sleeping under the

influence of Maya that is beginningless, is awakened,

then he realises (Turiya that is) unborn, sleepless,

dreamless and non-dual.

I-17. If a phenomenal world were to exist, it should,

no doubt, cease to be. This duality is but an

illusion; in reality it is non-dual.

I-18. The notion (such as the teacher, the taught and

the scripture) will disappear, if anyone had imagined

it. This notion (of the teacher etc.,) is for the

purpose of instruction. When (the Truth is) realised,

duality does not exist.

……………….

II-12. The self-luminous Self, by Its own Maya

imagines Itself by Itself and It alone cognises all

objects. This is a settled fact of the Vedanta-texts.

II-13. The Lord imagined in diverse forms the worldly

objects existing in the mind. With the mind turned

outward, He imagines diversely permanent objects (as

also impermanent things). Thus the Lord imagines.

II-14. Things that exist within as long as the thought

lasts and things that are external and conform to two

points of time, are all imaginations alone. The

distinction (between them) is caused by nothing else.

II-15. The objects that seem to be unmanifested within

the mind, and those that seem to be manifested

without, are all mere imaginations, their distinction

being the difference in the sense-organs.

II-16. First of all, He imagines the Jiva (individual

soul) and then (He imagines) various objects, external

and internal. As is (a man’s) knowledge, so is (his)

memory of it.

II-17. Just as a rope, the nature of which is not

known in the dark, is imagined to be things such as a

snake, a water-line, etc., so too is the Self imagined

(as various things).

II-18. As when the (real nature of the) rope is known,

the illusion ceases and the rope alone remains in its

non-dual nature, so too is the ascertainment of the

Self.

II-19. (The Self) is imagined as infinite objects like

prana etc. This is the Maya of the luminous One by

which It itself is deluded, (as it where).

 

…………………….

III-10. All aggregates (such as body) are created like

dream by the Maya of the Self. Whether they be

superior (to another) or equal, there is no ground to

prove their reality.

 

……………………………..

III-10. All aggregates (such as body) are created like

dream by the Maya of the Self. Whether they be

superior (to another) or equal, there is no ground to

prove their reality.

III-23. The sruti favours equally the creation in

reality and through Maya. That which is settled by the

sruti and supported by reasoning is true, and not

anything else.

III-24. Since the sruti says, "There is no

multiplicity here", "the Lord, owing to Maya, (is seen

diversely)", and "The Self, though unborn, (appears to

be born in many ways)", it becomes obvious that He is

born through Maya.

III-25. By the censure of (the worship of)

Hiranyagarbha is negated creation. By the statement,

"Who will cause it to be born?", is denied causality.

III-26. On the ground of non-apprehension (of

Brahman), all the preceding instruction (for Its

comprehension) is negated by the sruti, "This Self is

that which has been declared as ‘Not this, not this’".

Hence the unborn Self becomes revealed by Itself.

III-27. Birth of that which exists occurs only through

Maya and not in reality. He who thinks that something

is born in reality, (should know) that that which is

already born is (re)born.

III-28. The birth of that which is non-existent cannot

occur either through Maya or in reality, for a son of

a barren woman cannot be born either through Maya or

in reality.

III-29. As in dream the mind vibrates through Maya, as

though with dual roles, so in the waking state the

mind vibrates through Maya, as though with dual roles.

III-30. There can be no doubt that the non-dual mind

alone appears in dream in dual roles. Similarly, in

the waking state too, the non-dual mind appears to

possess dual roles.

III-31. Whatever there is, moving and unmoving, which

constitutes this duality, is perceived by the mind,

for when mind does not exist as mind, duality is never

perceived.

III-32. When the mind ceases to imagine consequent on

the realisation of the Truth which is the Self, then

it attains the state of not being the mind and becomes

a non-perceiver, owing to the absence of objects to be

perceived.

III-33. (The knowers of Brahman) say that the

knowledge which is free from imagination, and unborn

is not distinct from the knowable. The knowledge of

which Brahman is the sole object is unborn and

everlasting. The unborn (Self) is known by the

(knowledge that is) unborn.

III-34. The behaviour of the mind (thus) restrained,

which is free from all imagination and which is

endowed with discrimination, should be noticed. The

mind in deep sleep is of a different character and is

not like that (when it is under restraint).

III-35. The mind becomes dissolved in deep sleep, but

when under restraint, it doesn’t become dissolved.

That (mind) alone becomes Brahman, the fearless,

endowed with the light that is Consciousness on all

sides.

III-36. (Brahman is) birthless, sleepless, dreamless,

nameless, formless, ever-resplendent and omniscient.

(As regards That) there can be no routine practice of

any kind.

…………………………..

IV-57. From the relative plane (of thinking)

everything seems to be born and is not, therefore,

eternal. From the absolute plane (of perception)

everything is the unborn (Self) and there is,

therefore, nothing like destruction.

IV-58. The souls that are thus born are not born in

reality. Their birth is like that of an object through

Maya. And that Maya again is non-existent.

IV-59. Just as from a magical seed comes out a sprout

of that very nature which is neither permanent nor

destructible, so too, is the reasoning applicable in

respect of objects.

IV-60. In the case of all birthless entities the terms

permanent and non-permanent can have no application.

Where words fail to describe, no entity can be spoken

of in a discriminative manner.

IV-61. As in dream Consciousness vibrates through

illusion, as though dual by nature, so in the waking

state Consciousness vibrates through illusion as

though possessed of dual appearances.

 

Mundaka Up.

 

II-i-1: That thing that is such, is true.

As from a fire fully ablaze, fly off sparks in their

thousands that are akin to the fire, similarly O

good-looking one, from the Imperishable originate

different kinds of creatures and into It again they

merge.

II-i-2: The Purusha is transcendental, since He is

formless. And since He is coextensive with all that is

external and internal and since He is birthless,

therefore He is without vital force and without mind;

He is pure and superior to the (other) superior

imperishable (Maya).

II-i-3: From Him originates the vital force as well as

the mind, all the senses, space, air, fire, water, and

earth that supports everything.

II-i-4: The indwelling Self of all is surely He of

whom the heaven is the head, the moon and sun are the

two eyes, the directions are the two ears, the

revealed Vedas are the speech, air is the vital force,

the whole Universe is the heart, and (It is He) from

whose two feet emerged the earth.

…………………..

III-ii-8: As rivers, flowing down, become

indistinguishable on reaching the sea by giving up

their names and forms, so also the illumined soul,

having become freed from name and form, reaches the

self-effulgent Purusha that is higher than the higher

(Maya).

III-ii-9: Anyone who knows that supreme Brahman

becomes Brahman indeed. In his line is not born anyone

who does not know Brahman. He overcomes grief, and

rises above aberrations; and becoming freed from the

knots of the heart, he attains immortality.

III-ii-10: This (rule) has been revealed by the mantra

(which runs thus): ‘To them alone should one expound

this knowledge of b who are engaged in the practice of

disciplines, versed in the Vedas, and indeed devoted

to Brahman, who personally sacrifice to the fire

called Ekarsi with faith, and by whom has been duly

accomplished the vow of holding fire on the head.’

 

Narada Parivrajaka Up.

IX-1. Then Narada inquired: ‘How is the real form of

Brahman ?’ The god Brahma answered (expounding) the

real form of Brahman. Those who consider that He (the

transcendent Brahman) is one and himself (the

individual self) as another are beasts, though not

beasts in their (true) nature. The wise (sage) having

realized thus (that the individual Self and Brahman

are identical) is released from the jaws of death

(i.e. belief in duality results in death and

renunciation-birth; that in non-duality, in

immortality). There is no other path known to reach

the goal (of final beatitude).

IX-2. Time (is the root-cause of worldly life, say

some philosophers), Nature (say the Mimamsakas),

chance (say the atheists), the (five) elements (say

the Jainas who believe in the eternality of the

world), Matter (Prakriti) (say the Saktas), the

Purusha (Hiranyagarbha) (say the Yogins) – thus the

speculation (on the cause of worldly life). The

combination of these is not (the cause) on account of

the existence of the Self. The Self too is incapable

(of being the cause) on account of its being subject

to happiness and misery.

IX-3. They (the knowers of Brahman) resorting to the

Yoga of deep meditation perceived the power (Maya) of

the self-luminous Atman, well hidden by its own

attributes (of Sattva, etc.,), who, alone, governs all

these causes including Time and the individual Self.

IX-4. (Maya, under the guidance of the Saguna-Brahman

– Ishvara – created the universe. Brahman itself does

not perform any action as it is nishkriya). (They

perceived) that (world resembling the wheel of a

chariot) in one felly (Maya), covered with three (the

gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, possessing the power of

creation, sustenance and withdrawal of the world, due

to the association with the three gunas), possessing

sixteen powers (kalas), having fifty spokes with

twenty nails (in the form of the senses and their

objects), having six groups of eight (astakas) with

one fetter (desire) of many forms, with three kinds of

paths, and having delusion which is the cause of the

two (goodness and sin, based on love and hatred).

…………………….

IX-7. This (described before as different from the

Saguna Brahman, or Ishvara) has indeed been sung (in

the Upanishads) as the supreme Brahman; on Him (the

essence of the Pranava) the triad (is super-imposed)

and it is the support (of the phenomenal world) which

is in itself; it is imperishable. Knowers of the Veda

realizing the difference (between the Self and Brahman

to be false) and being completely devoted to Him are

absorbed in the transcendent Brahman.

IX-8. The Lord sustains the universe unified (by cause

and effect), the perishable (phenomenal world) and the

imperishable (Maya), the manifested (Nature) and the

unmanifested (cause, Maya).

………………………….

IX-10. Prakriti (Pradhana) is perishable; the Lord

(Hara, who dispels ignorance) is immortal and

imperishable. The one self-effulgent Being rules over

the perishable (Prakriti) and the individual Atman. By

repeated deep meditation on Him and concentration of

the mind (in Yoga, ‘I am He’) and by the realization

of true reality, (there shall be) the disappearance of

the universal illusion (Maya) at the end (of one’s

ignorance).

 

 

Nirvana Upanishad

48. The presiding deity (of the Taraka) is the

everlasting bliss of non-duality.

49. The voluntary religious observance is the

restraint of the inner senses.

50. Renouncing (tyaga) is the giving up of fear,

delusion, sorrow and anger.

51. (Renouncing results is) the enjoyment of bliss in

the identity of the higher and lower (self).

52. Unrestrainedness is pure power.

53. When the reality of Brahman shines in the self

there is the annihilation of the phenomenal world

which is enveloped by the power of Shiva (Maya);

similarly the burning of the existence or

non-existence of the aggregate of the causal, subtle

and gross bodies.

 

Paingala Upanishad

I-1. Then indeed Paingala approached Yajnavalkya as a

disciple, and, having served him for twelve years,

said: Instruct me in regard to the supreme mystery of

Aloneness.

I-2. The eminent Yajnavalkya replied: Dear one, in the

beginning this indeed existed. It was the eternally

free, immutable, everlastingly one, secondless

Brahman, full of Truth, Knowledge and Bliss.

I-3. In it existed the primordial and indefinable

Prakriti, consisting of Gunas in a state of equipoise,

red, white and dark, resembling (the existence of)

water, silver, a man and outlines (respectively) in

the mirage oyster-shell, a stump and a mirror; what

was reflected in it was the Witness Consciousness.

I-4. Having been modified, with the preponderance of

Sattva, and named Avyakta (the Unmanifest), it

(Prakriti) became the power of concealment. What was

reflected in it became God Consciousness. He has Maya

under His control, is omniscient, is the initial cause

of creation, sustenance and dissolution (of the world)

and has the form of the sprouting world. He manifests

the entire world dissolved in Him. Due to the power of

the Karmas of living beings is the (world) spread out

like this cloth and due to their exhaustion again is

(the world) concealed. In Him alone does the entire

world exist as a folded cloth.

…………………………

-11. In the cosmos they could not, without God,

pulsate or act. He desired to vivify them. Splitting

open the macrocosm, the channels of Brahman, and the

crowns of individuals, he entered into them. Though

they were inert, like sentient (beings) they performed

each its own functions.

I-12. The omniscient Lord, conjoined with a streak of

Maya, on entering the individual bodies, and deluded

by it, became the Jiva; due to self-identification

with the three bodies (he) became both agent and

reaper (of action’s fruits). Possessing the attributes

of wakefulness, dream, deep sleep, swoon and death,

like a chain of buckets (attached to a water wheel) he

becomes troubled and as it were is born and dies,

revolving like a potter’s wheel.

………………………………………

II-8. By God’s command (the Self) with the adjunct of

Maya together with the Unmanifest, entering the

individual causal body became Prajna. The Prajna is

undifferentiated, real, ‘Having conceit-in-deep-sleep’

is the name of Prajna.

II-9. Texts like Tattvamasi declare the identity with

Brahman of the real Jiva concealed by ignorance and

part of the unmanifest; not of the other two, the

empirical and the illusory Jivas (in the waking and

dream-state).

…………………….

III-1-2. Then Paingala said to Yajnavalkya: Set forth

the explanation of the major text(s) [Maha-vakyas].

Yajnavalkya replied: Thou art That; Thou That art;

Thou Brahman art; I am Brahman – One should meditate

thus.

III-3. The expressed sense of the word ‘tat’ is the

world-cause, marked by ‘other-ness’ (mediacy), having

Being, Consciousness and Bliss as his characteristics,

Maya as his adjunct and omniscience, etc., as his

features. The very same with awareness mixed up with

the inner sense, the object of the I-notion, is the

expressed meaning of ‘tvam’. Rejecting the adjuncts of

the supreme (God) and the Jiva, viz.: Maya and avidya,

the indicated sense of tat and tvam is Brahman,

non-different from the inner Self.

III-4. ‘Hearing’ is investigation into the import of

propositions like ‘That Thou art’ and ‘I am Brahman’.

Reflection is the exclusive dwelling on the content of

what has been heard. Meditation is the fixing of the

mind one-pointedly on the reality, made doubtless

through investigation and reflection. Concentration,

resembling a flame in a windless spot, is the thought

(chitta) whose content is solely the object meditated,

exclusive of the agent, and the act, of meditation.

III-5. Then (mind’s) modifications referring to the

Self, though shooting up, remain uncognised; they are

only inferred from memory. By this (Samadhi) alone are

dissolved Crores of deeds accumulated in the course of

beginningless transmigratory existence.

 

Sandilya Up.

 

Then Sandilya questioned Atharvan thus: "From the

Brahman that is OM, imperishable, actionless,

beneficial, Sat (be-ness) only and supreme, how

dissolution this universe arise ? How does it exist in

It ? And how is it absorbed in It ? Please solve me

this doubt."

Atharvan replied: "The Supreme Brahman, the Truth, is

the imperishable and the actionless. Then from the

formless Brahman, three forms (or aspects) arose,

(viz.,) Nishkala (partless), Sakala (with parts) and

Sakala-Nishkala (with and without parts). That which

is Satya, Vijnana and Ananda; That which is

actionless, without any impurity, omnipresent,

extremely subtle, having faces in every direction,

undefinable and immortal – that is His Nishkala

aspect. Maheshvara (the great Lord) who is black and

yellow rules with Avidya, Mula-Prakriti or Maya that

is red, white and black and that is co-existent with

him. This is his Sakala-Nishkala aspect. Then the Lord

desired (or willed) by his spiritual wisdom (thus):

May I become many ? May I bring forth ? Then from this

Person who was contemplating and whose desires are

fulfilled, three letters sprang up.

…………………

That Supreme Lord who is endowed with all kinds of

wealth, who is all pervading, who is situated in the

hearts of all beings, who is the Lord of Maya and

whose form is Maya; He is Brahma; He is Vishnu; He is

Rudra; He is Indra; He is all the Devas; He is all the

Bhutas (elements or beings); He only is before; He

only is behind; He only is on our left; He only is on

our right; He only is below; He only is above; He only

is the all.

 

Sarasvati Rahasya Up.

46. Sarasvati thus spake:

Through Me even Brahma won

Self-knowledge eternal;

Ever being Truth, Knowledge, Bliss,

Mine is perpetual Brahmanhood,

Without let or hindrance.

47. Thence through equilibrium

Of qualities, Sattva,

Rajas, Tamas, become

I Prakriti; in Me

Chit’s semblance shines,

As reflection in mirror fair.

48. Once more, Prakriti shines

Threefoldwise, through that

Reflection of the Chit;

And as determined by

Prakriti, am I Purusha too verily.

49. The Unborn, in Maya

In which pure Sattva reigns,

Is reflected; Maya,

Prakriti is, that has

Sattva dominant.

50. That Maya is adjunct,

Wholly subordinate

To all-knowing Ishwara;

For, His alone oneness,

Over Maya lordship, and

Omniscience are, in truth.

51. Being of Sattva made,

In essence collective,

Of worlds the spectator,

He is God who holds power

To make, unmake or otherwise

Make the universe; He

Has virtues like all-knowingness.

52. Maya has forces two; one projection,

The other, concealment: the first projects

The world – all that is subtle and all gross.

53. The second veils, within, the gulf

Between the Seer and seen; without,

The gulf between creation and Brahman.

Maya causes endless cosmic flux.

54. Nescience appears in Witness-light,

To subtle body conjoined,

Spirit and mind co-dwelling there

Become jiva phenomenal.

55. His Jivahood,

Through ascription shines forth, also,

In Witness-light; together with

The fall of what conceals, and so,

The shining forth of distinction,

That (Jivahood) disappears, too.

56. So also, through subservience

Of Brahman to the Power which

Veils Its difference from cosmos,

Brahman shines forth in mutations.

57. Here, too, the difference that holds

Between Brahman and the cosmos

Shows not, once Maya’s power which

Conceals falls low; their difference

Is in creation; in Brahman never.

58. Five factors are there here; being,

Shining, loving, form, and name, too;

The first three to Brahman pertain;

Two others constitute the world.

59. Leave aside the last two factors,

Be intent on the former three;

Either in the heart, or without,

Practise always concentration.

 

Sarva Sara Up.

4. And Ananta, the Infinite, (remaining in the

same manner) as (does) clay in modifications of clay,

as gold in modifications of gold, as thread in fabrics

of thread, the antecedent, all-pervading

Consciousness, that is in all phenomena of creation

beginning with the Unmanifested, is called the

Infinite. And Ananda, Bliss – the essence of the

consciousness of happiness, the ocean of measureless

bliss, and the state of undifferentiated happiness is

called Bliss. That, of which the above fourfold nature

is an indication, and which is permanent in all space,

time, substance, and causation, is called the Entity

of “That” (Tat) Paramatman, Supreme Self, and

Para-Brahman, or the Highest Brahman. Distinguished

from the Entity of “Thou” (when it appears to be)

possessed of attributes, as well as from the Entity of

“That” (when it appears to be) possessed of

attributes, that which is all-pervading like the sky,

subtle, whole by itself, pure Existence, the Entity of

“Art” (Asi). Self-luminous, is spoken of as the Atman;

the Entity of “not-That”, also is spoken of as Atman.

That which is beginningless, fruitful, open to both

proof and disproof, neither real nor unreal, nor

real-unreal – non-existent, when, because of the

immutability of its own substratum, the cause of

change is ascertained; -- existent when it is not so

ascertained – (thus that) which is undefinable, is

called Maya.

 

Sita Upanishad

 

1. The gods, indeed, said to Prajapati: who is Sita ?

What is Her form ? Then Prajapati replied: She is

Sita:

2. Being the first cause Sita is known as

Prakriti; of Pranava, too, She is cause

And so is named Prakriti.

3. Maya in very essence,

Is Sita, of three letters formed.

Called Vishnu, the world-seed,

And Maya, too, is the letter i.

4. The letter sa denotes truth immortal;

Achievement; Siva with his consort.

Ta denotes the Queen of Speech

United with Brahman, the Deliverer.

5. The Goddess who is the great Illusion, whose form

is unmanifest, and who is denoted by ‘i’ becomes

manifest, beauteous as the moon, faultless of limb,

decked with ornamental garlands, pearls and other

adornments.

6. At first, at the time of Vedic studies, She is

essentially the clear Vedic speech. Secondly, on

earth, at the tip of the plough She springs up, who,

as the bliss of Brahman-realization, is ever present.

Thirdly, as denoted by ‘i’ She becomes unmanifest. So

is She Sita. Thus they explain in the text of the

Saunakas.

 

Svetasvatara Upanishad

 

III-1: It is the self-same One who exists alone at the

time of creation and dissolution of the universe, that

assumes manifold powers and appears as the Divine Lord

by virtue of His inscrutable power of Maya. He it is

that protects all the worlds and controls all the

various forces working therein. Those who realize this

Being becomes immortal.

III-2: He who protects and controls the worlds by His

own powers, He – Rudra – is indeed one only. There is

no one beside Him who can make Him the second. O men,

He is present inside the hearts of all beings. After

projecting and maintaining all the worlds, He finally

withdraws them into Himself.

………………………..

IV-8: Of what avail are the Vedas to him who does not

know that indestructible, highest Ethereal Being, in

whom the gods and the Vedas reside ? Only those who

know That are satisfied.

IV-9: The Lord of Maya projects the Vedas, sacrifices,

spiritual practices, past and future, religious

observances, all that the Vedas declare, and the whole

world including ourselves. The other, again, is bound

by Maya in this.

IV-10: Know then that Nature is Maya, and that the

great God is the Lord of Maya. The whole world is

filled with beings who form His parts.

………………………………………….

Tejo Bindu Up.

7-11(a). He is said to be a Jivanmukta who realises:

‘I have no Chitta, no Buddhi, no Ahamkara, no sense,

no body at any time, no Pranas, no Maya, no passion

and no anger, I am the great, I have nothing of these

objects or of the world and I have no sin, no

characteristics, no eye, no Manas, no ear, no nose, no

tongue, no hand, no waking, no dreaming, or causal

state in the least or the fourth state.’

…………………………

31. I am Chinmatra simply and there is no not-Atman.

Rest assured of it. This universe is not (really at

all). This universe is not (really) at all. It was

nowhere produced and stays nowhere.

32. Some say that Chitta is the universe. Not at all.

It exists not. Neither the universe nor Chitta nor

Ahankara nor Jiva exists (really).

33-34. Neither the creation of Maya nor Maya itself

exists (really). Fear does not (really) exist. Actor,

action, hearing, thinking, the two Samadhis, the

measurer, the measure, Ajnana and Aviveka – none of

these exists (truly) anywhere.

…………………………

1-9(a). Ribhu continued again: “Know everything as

Sachchinmaya (full of sat and consciousness). It

pervades everything. Sachchidananda is non-dual,

decayless, alone and other than all. It is ‘I’. It

alone is Akasa and ‘thou’. It is I. There is (in it)

no Manas, no Buddhi, no Ahankara, no Chitta, or the

collection of these – neither ‘thou’ nor I, nor

anything else nor everything. Brahman alone is.

Sentence, words, Vedas, letters, beginning, middle or

end, truth, law, pleasure, pain, existence, Maya,

Prakriti, body, face, nose, tongue, palate, teeth,

lip, forehead, expiration and inspiration, sweat,

bone, blood, urine, distance, proximity, limb, belly,

crown, the movement of hands and feet, Shastras,

command, the knower, the known and the knowledge, the

waking, dreaming and dreamless sleeping and the fourth

state – all these do not belong to me. Everything is

Sachchinmaya interwoven.

………………………….

61-63. I alone shine always. Therefore how can I with

such a nature become Asat ? That which is called

‘thou’ is the great Brahman of the nature of the bliss

of consciousness and of the nature of Chit having

Chidakasha and Chit alone as the great bliss. Atman

alone is ‘I’. Asat is not ‘I’. I am Kutastha, the

great guru and Sachchidananda alone. I am this born

universe. No time, no universe, no Maya, no Prakriti

(in me).

64. I alone am the Hari. Personally, I alone am the

Sadashiva. I am of the nature of pure consciousness. I

am the enjoyer of pure Sattva.

65-71. I am the only essence full of Chit. Everything

is Brahman and Brahman alone. Everything is Brahman

and is Chit alone. I am of the nature of the

all-latent and the all-witness. I am the supreme

Atman, the supreme Jyotis, the supreme wealth, the

supreme goal, the essence of all Vedantas, the subject

discussed in all the Shastras the nature of Yogic

bliss, the ocean of the chief bliss, the brightness of

all wisdom, of the nature of chief wisdom, the

brightness of the fourth state and the non-fourth but

devoid of them, the indestructible Chit, truth,

Vasudeva, the birthless and the deathless Brahma,

Chidakasha, the unconditioned, the stainless, the

immaculate, the emancipated, the utterly emancipated,

the soulless, the formless and of the nature of the

non-created universe. The universe which is assumed as

truth and non-truth does not really exist.

 

Tripura Tapini Up.

-1: Now, in this sphere (of nescience), the Lord

(Sadasiva), assuming the guises of Prajapati, Vishnu

and Rudra, comes to be styled Goddess Tripura. By His

primeval Power are fashioned the three abodes – the

earth, the atmosphere and the heavens, or the heavens,

the earth and the nether world. In the form of hrim,

identical with the maya of Hara, the divine Hrillekha

permeates, with Her terrible might, the terminus of

the three peaks (above the junction of the two

eyebrows), the seat of equilibrium of the three gunas,

and the region where the world of objects is

dissolved. This selfsame divinity is called Tripura.

…………………………..

-26: Whoso repeats thus the fifteen-syllabled mantra

of Tripura attains all desires; he attains all

enjoyments; he conquers all worlds; he causes all

words to bloom; he attains the status of Rudra;

breaking through the abode of Vishnu (the veil of

Maya), he reaches the supreme Brahman.

………………………………

I-39: The Lord (Sadasiva) said to all the gods: Having

listened to the incantation (set forth by Me) and made

it clear to yourself (‘I am Brahman’), know (there is

nothing other than Brahman) and reduce (whatever

appears besides) to Brahman. Enthrone the supreme

vidya, the Divinity in the heart – the Divinity styled

Kama, the Primeval One; whose form is the Fourth; who

transcends the Fourth, who exceeds all; who occupies

all seats consecrated with holy spells; who is

surrounded on all sides by deities seated on the main

and subordinate seats; who pervades all parts (from

Prana, vital breath, to naman, name); the deity who is

replete with delight; who is in union with the supreme

Spirit; who is in the heart; whose gift is

immortality; who is complete and who is possessed of

senses; who, forever, is uprisen; who comprises three

groups; has three abodes, and is the supreme and most

excellent Maya; who is the supreme power of Vishnu.

Enthrone in the pericarp of the heart’s lotus the

supreme, sacred Lakshmi, the Maya ever uprisen; who

controls the senses of Her devotees; who overwhelms

the god of love; who is armed with bow and arrow; who

inspires eloquence; who abides in the centre of the

moon’s sphere, is adorned with the crescent, and

assumes the guise of the seventeen Prajapatis. She is

the great one, eternally present. Her hands holding a

noose and a goad are charming. She, the three-eyed

one, shines like the rising sun. In the heart meditate

on the goddess Mahalakshmi, comprehending all glories

and possessed of all auspicious marks. Her own nature

is Spirit. She is flawless. Her name is Trikuta. She

has a smiling face, is beautiful, is the great Maya,

and is extremely fascinating. She is adorned with

great ear-rings. She rests on the threefold seat and

abides in the nameless sacred abode, Sripitha. She is

the great Bhairavi, the power of Spirit, the great

Tripura. Meditate on Her through the great yoga of

meditation. Whoso knows Her thus (fulfils his life).

This is the great Upanishad.

 

…………………………………

Next tell us about the attributeless Supreme.

V-2: The blessed Lord spoke to them: By means of the

fourth and final Maya (avidya, jnana, vijnana and

samyagjnana), has the supreme Brahman been indicated,

the supreme Person, the supreme Self, whose essence is

consciousness. The hearer, the thinker, the seer, the

teacher, the toucher, the proclaimer, the cognizer,

the supreme knower, the inner person in all persons –

that Self must be cognized.

…………………………………………..

V-5: Two kinds of minds there are:

Pure and impure;

Impure the mind, desire-ridden,

The pure of desires freed.

V-6: Mind alone is cause of man’s

Bondage and release; bondage is

Clinging to objects; the mind

Withdrawn therefrom promotes release.

V-7: Shorn of attachment to objects,

And restricted to the heart,

Mind thus ceases to be mind –

Such is the state supreme.

V-8: Control the mind until

It quiescence reaches in the heart.

This is knowledge and meditation;

The rest is naught but words.

 

Varaha Upanishad

7(b)-8. I alone am happiness. There is none other. If

there is said to be another, then it is not happiness.

There is no such things as love, except on my account.

The love that is on account of me is not natural to

me. As I am the seat of supreme love, that ‘I am not’

is not.

9. He who is sought after by all, saying “I should

become such”, is myself, the all-pervading. How can

non-light affect Atman, the self-shining which is no

other than the light whence originates the words ‘I am

not light’.

10-12(a). My firm conviction is whoever knows for

certain that (Atman) which is self-shining and has

itself no basis (to rest upon), is one of Vijnana. The

universe, Jiva, Ishvara, Maya and others do not really

exist, except my full Atman.

………………………

50(b)-51(a). As the Akasa of the pot and that of the

house are both located in the all-pervading Akasa, so

the Jivas and Ishvara are only evolved out of me, the

Chidakasa (the one Akasa of universal consciousness).

51(b)-52(a). So that which did not exist before the

evolution of Atmas (Jiva) (and Ishvara) and that which

is rejected at the end (viz., universal deluge) is

called Maya by Brahma-Jnanis through their

discrimination.

52(b)-53(a). Should Maya and its effects (the

universe) be annihilated, there is no state of

Ishvara, there is no state of Jiva. Therefore like the

Akasa without its vehicle, I am the immaculate and

Chit.

……………………

68. Likewise the wise do not identify themselves with

their gross and subtle bodies. If the delusive

knowledge (that the universe is real) with its cause

should be destroyed by the fire of Atma-Jnana, the

wise man becomes bodiless, through the idea ‘It

(Brahman) is not this; It is not this’.

69. Shastras, the knowledge of reality (of the

universe) perishes. Through direct perception of

truth, one’s fitness for action (in this universe)

ceases. With the cessation of Prarabdha (the portion

of the past Karma which is being enjoyed in this

life), the destruction of the manifestation (of the

universe) takes place. Maya is thus destroyed in a

three-fold manner.

70. If within himself no identification (of Jiva) with

Brahman takes place, the state (of the separateness)

of Jiva does not perish. If the non-dual one is truly

discerned, then all affinities (for objects) cease.

71. With the cessation of Prarabdha (arising from the

cessation of affinities), there is that of the body.

Therefore it is certain that Maya perishes thus

entirely. If it is said that all the universe is, that

Brahman alone is that is of the nature of Sat.

………………………

14. As in the presence of the sun the world of its-own

accord begins to perform its actions, so in my

presence all the worlds are animated to action.

15. As to the mother-of pearl, the illusory conception

of silver is falsely attributed, so to me is falsely

attributed through Maya this universe which is

composed of Mahat, etc.

16. I am not with those differences that are

(observable) in the body of low caste men, the body of

cow, etc., the fixed one’s, the bodies of Brahmanas

and others.

17. As to a person, even after being relieved from the

misconception of the directions, the (same

misconception of) direction continues (as before),

just so is to me the universe though destroyed by

Vijnana. Therefore the universe is not.

18. I am neither the body nor the organs of sense and

action, nor Pranas, Nor Manas, nor Buddhi, nor

Ahankara, nor Chitta, nor Maya, nor the universe

including Akasa and others.

19. Neither am I the actor, the enjoyer, nor he who

causes the enjoyment. I am Brahman that is Chit, Sat

and Ananda alone and that is Janardana (Vishnu).

20. As, through the fluctuation of water, the sun

(reflected therein) is moved, so Atman arises in this

mundane existence through its mere connection with

Ahankara.

 

Yoga Kumdalini Up.

 

26. Atman is of the dimensions of a thumb, is a light

without smoke and without form, is shining within (the

body) and is undifferentiated and immutable.

27-28(a). The Vijnana Atman that dwells in this body

is deluded by Maya during the states of waking,

dreaming and dreamless sleep; but after many births,

owing to the effect of good Karma, it wishes to attain

its own state.

 

Yoga Tattva Up.

 

4. To which Hrisikesha (the Lord of the senses or

Vishnu) replied thus: “Listen. I shall explain its

truth. All souls are immersed in happiness and sorrow

through the snare of Maya.

5-6. Kaivalya, the supreme seat, is the path which

gives them emancipation, which rends asunder the snare

of Maya, which is the destroyer of birth, old age and

disease and which enables one to overcome death.

Panchadasi

16. When the element of sattva is pure, Prakriti is

known as Maya; when impure (being mixed up with rajas

and tamas) it is called Avidya. Brahman, reflected in

Maya, is known as the omniscient Isvara, who controls

Maya.

………………………

44. Brahman becomes the material and efficient cause

of the world when associated with those aspects of

Maya in which there is a predominance of tamas and

sattva respectively. This Brahman is referred to as

‘That ‘ in the text ‘That thou art’.

…………………….

46. When the three mutually contradictory aspects of

Maya are rejected, there remains the one individual

Brahman whose nature is existence, consciousness and

bliss. This is pointed out by the great saying 'That

thou art’.

……………………….

48. Similarly, when the adjuncts, Maya and Avidya

(the conflicting connotations in the proposition 'That

thou art') of Brahman, and Jiva, are negated, there

remains the indivisible supreme Brahman, whose nature

is existence, consciousness and bliss.

…………………………….

 

II

33. The sun does not have the attribute of darkness;

nor is it itself of the nature of darkness. As

existence and non-existence are similarly

contradictory, (you cannot predicate something about

nothing, so) how do you say ‘nothing existed’ ?

34. (The Buddhists retort): (According to you

Vedantins) The names and forms of Akasa and other

elements are conjured up by Maya in (or on) Sat, the

existence or Reality. Similarly (according to us) they

(names and forms) are illusively produced by Maya in

(or on) non-existence, Asat. (Reply): Our answer is,

‘May you live long’, i.e. you have fallen into a

logical trap.

35. If you affirm that name and form attributed to an

existing thing: are both creations of Maya (an

illusory principle), then tell us what is the

substratum upon which Maya creates names and forms;

for illusion without a substratum, is never seen.

36. (The opponent says): In the Vedic text ‘Existence

was (sat asit)’ if the two words mean differently then

two separate things come in. If the words refer to the

same thing, then there is tautology. (The Vedantins

replies): Not that, i.e., the two terms certainly

refer to the same thing, but identical statements like

this are seen in usage.

37. We all use the expressions, ‘What has to be done

has been done’, ‘speech is spoken’, and ‘A burden is

borne’. The Vedic text ‘Existence was’ is meant for

those whose minds are accustomed to such expressions.

38. Such text as ‘Before creation’ spoken in

reference to Brahman who is timeless, are meant for

beginners who are used to the idea of time. They do

not imply the existence of duality.

39. Objections are raised and answered from the point

of view of duality. From the stand point of pure

non-duality neither questions nor answers are

possible.

…………………………

44. Brahman the pure existence (without any reference

to the world) can be experienced without an iota of

doubt, when all mentations cease. And what we

experience is not nothing, for we are not conscious of

the perception of nothing.

45. (Objection): The idea of existence is also absent

in the state of quiescence. (reply): It does not

matter. Brahman is self-revealing and the witness of

the tranquil mind. It can be easily perceived by men

inasmuch as it is the witness of the cessation of all

mentations.

46. When the mind is void of all mentations we

experience the witness or obscuring consciousness (in

its purity) as calm and unagitated. Similarly prior to

the functioning of Maya the existence, Sat, remained

(in its purity) as quiescence, calm and unruffled.

47. As the power to burn exists in fire, so the power

Maya, which has no existence independent of Brahman

and which is inferred by its effect, exists in

Brahman. Before the effect appears, the power behind

the effect is not directly experienced by anyone

anywhere.

48. The power of a substance is not the substance

itself, as for instance, the power to burn is not the

fire itself. (Similarly, Maya, which is the power of

Brahman, is not Brahman). If Power is something other

than Brahman, then define its nature.

49. (If you say the nature of) Maya is ‘nothingness’

(then you contradict yourself inasmuch as in verse 34)

you said that ‘nothing’ is an effect of Maya (and an

effect of a thing cannot be its nature, an effect

being poterior to the thing). (So you will have to

admit that) Maya is neither sunyam, non-existence nor

Sat, existence, but it is as it is (i.e. something

undefinable by the two terms).

50. This peculiar nature of Maya is corroborated by

the Vedic text which purports, there was neither

non-existence nor existence then (i.e., before

creation) but there was darkness (by which is meant

Maya). This attribution of existence to darkness (or

Maya) is due to its association with existence, not by

virtue of itself, in as much as it (existence) is

denied to it (in the just mentioned Vedic passage).

51. Hence like nothingness, Maya also cannot be a

distinct entity in its own right. In the world too, an

able man and his ability are not considered two but

one.

52. If it is argued that increase in one’s power

leads to the prolongation of his life (we counter it

by saying that) the prolongation is not the result of

power but the effects thereof, such as war,

agriculture, etc.

53. Power is now here considered to be independent of

its substratum. Before creation no effects of power

existed. What grounds are there for assuming a duality

?

54. Power does not operate in the whole of Brahman

but only in a part of it. Earth’s power of producing

pots is not seen in all earth but in a portion or mode

of earth only, viz., in clay, i.e., earth mixed with

water.

55. The Shruti says: ‘Creation is only a quarter of

Brahman, the other three quarters are self-revealing’

(i.e., not dependent on Maya’s effects for its

revelation). Thus does the Shruti say Maya covers but

a part of Brahman.

56. In the Gita, Sri Krishna says to Arjuna: ‘The

world is sustained by a part of Mine’, indicating that

the world is sustained by a part of the Lord.

57. The Shruti supports the same view: ‘The supreme

spirit, pervading the world on every side, yet extends

ten fingers beyond it’. In the Sutras, too, Brahman is

declared to transcend the world of differences.

58. Shruti, the well-wisher of the questioner, being

asked whether Maya pervades the whole or part of

Brahman, speaks of the partless as having parts in

order to explain the non-dual nature of Brahman, by

giving illustrations.

59. With Brahman as its basis, Maya creates the

various objects of the world, just as a variety of

pictures are drawn on a wall by the use of different

colours.

60. The first modification of Maya is Akasa. Its

nature is space i.e., it gives room to things to exist

and expand. Akasa derives its existence from Brahman,

its substratum.

61. The nature of Brahman is existence only. Brahman

is spaceless but Akasa has both space and existence as

its nature.

62. Akasa also has the property of (conveying or

communicating) sound, which Brahman does not have.

Thus Akasa has two properties, sound and existence,

whereas Brahman has only one existence.

63. The same Sakti (power) i.e. Maya which has

conjured up Akasa in the real entity, Sat or Existence

has also produced the difference between them, after

having shown their identity.

64. It is Sat which appears as Akasa, but ordinary

people, and the logicians say that existence is a

property of Akasa. This is only to be expected, for

Maya is the conjurer.

65. It is common knowledge that correct understanding

makes a thing appear as it is in itself and illusion

makes it appear differently.

66. A thing appears to be quite different after a

thorough discussion of the Vedic passage (concerned)

from what it appeared before such a discussion. So let

us now discuss the nature of Akasa.

…………………………..

78. The real entity (Brahman) is all-pervasive; the

range of Maya is limited, that of Akasa is more

limited and that of the air yet more so.

79. The following are the properties air is known to

possess: ability to absorb moisture, perceptibility to

the same of touch, speed and motion. Existence and the

properties of Maya and Akasa are also found in air.

80. When we say, air exists, we mean that it does so

by virtue of the universal principle, existence. If

the idea of existence is abstracted from air what is

left is of the nature of Maya i.e. a non-entity. The

property of sound that is found in air is of Akasa.

81. (Objection): It was stated before (in 67) that

existence was a natural concomitant of every thing and

that Akasa was not. Now you say that Akasa is

concomitant of air. Do they not contradict ?

82. (Reply): We implied before that space as an

attribute of Akasa was not found in air; we now say

that the ability to produce sound, which is also the

attribute of Akasa is found in air. Where is the

contradiction ?

83. (Objection): If you argue that because air is

different from the real entity it is unreal, why do

you not infer that air, perceived by the senses being

different from Maya, is not unreal like Maya ?

84. (Reply): Air is unreal because its nature

partakes of the nature of Maya. Unreality is common to

Maya, and its effects, because both differ from

reality (existence), although Maya, being power, is

not subject to perception whereas its effects are.

85. There may be sub-divisions within non-existence.

But what is the use of considering them here ?

…………………

90. Endowed with these properties of Brahman, Maya,

Akasa and air, respectively, fire has colour as its

specific property; apart from existence, all the other

properties of fire are unreal. Understand this by

discrimination.

91. Since the reality of fire as Brahman and its

unreality apart from Brahman has been established, it

is easy to understand the unreality of water apart

from Brahman since it consists of only one-tenth part

of fire.

92. Its existence, its pseudo-reality apart from

existence, its perceptibility to the senses of sound,

touch and sight are taken from the entities from which

it is derived (namely, Brahman, Maya, Akasa, air and

fire respectively). Its specific property is

perceptibility to the sense of taste.

III

32. It is for this that the Shruti in the passage

“That Atman is ‘not this, not this’” negates all

objects (having names and forms), but keeps the ‘that’

(i.e. Atman) intact.

33. The entire world (severally and collectively)

that can be referred to as ‘this’ can be negated, but

the thing which is not ‘this’ can never be negated and

this indestructible witness is the Self.

34. Thus has been established (here) the eternal

existence of the Self which, according to the Shruti,

is Brahman; and Its nature of pure consciousness has

already been proved by statements like ‘It is

awareness itself’.

35. Being all-pervasive, Brahman is not limited by

space; being eternal, It is not limited by time; and

being of the nature of everything, It is not limited

by any object. Thus Brahman is infinite in all three

respects.

36. Space, time and the objects in them being

illusions causes by Maya, there is no limitation of

Brahman by them. Infinity of Brahman is therefore

clear.

37. Brahman who is existence, consciousness and

infinity is the Reality. Its being Ishvara (the

Omniscient Lord of the world) and Jiva (the individual

soul) are (mere) superimpositions by the two illusory

adjuncts (Maya and Avidya, respectively).

38. There is a power (called Maya) of this Ishvara

which controls everything. It informs all objects from

the bliss sheath (to the physical body and the

external world).

39. If the particular attributes of all objects are

not determined by this power, there would be chaos in

the world, for there would be nothing to distinguish

the properties of one object from those of another.

40. This power appears as ‘conscious’ because it is

associated with the reflection of Brahman. And because

of Its association with this power, Brahman gets Its

omniscience.

41. Brahman is called the individual soul (Jiva) when

It is viewed in association with the five sheaths, as

a man is called a father and a grandfather in relation

to his son or his grandson.

IV

2. The Svetasvatara Upanishad says: ‘Know Maya as

Prakriti and Brahman associated with Maya as the great

Ishvara’ (who imparts existence and consciousness to

it and guides it). It is He who creates the world.

………………

12. Maya of the great Ishvara has, like its power of

creation, another power which deludes all. It is this

power which deludes the Jiva.

…………………….

13. The Jiva, thus deluded to believe himself to be

powerless and identified with a body, becomes subject

to grief. Thus is described in brief the duality

created by Ishvara

……………………….

19. In the actual creation of the objects the

modifications or functions of Maya, the power of the

Lord are the cause; whereas for the actual enjoyment

of those objects it is the modifications or functions

of the inner organs of the Jivas that are responsible.

………………………………………..

 

 

 

Siddhanta Panjara

 

Chapter Five

97. Disciple: O teacher, I wish to know the nature of

Maya in order to give it up. What is abandoned without

knowing, that abandonment is indeed not real

abandonment.

98. That is truly abandoned which is given up having

known ‘this is thus’. Therefore O compassionate one,

explain to me the nature of Maya.

99. Preceptor: That which endows (apparent)

differentiation to beings with regard to their parts,

is defined as Maya by the knowers of the essence of

all scriptures.

100. That which produces diverse distinctions in the

Supreme is verily called Maya by the examiners of the

nature of Maya.

101. That which brings about impossible aberrations in

the form of Brahman is verily called Maya by those

learned in the essence of all scriptures.

102. That which appears to the intellect as having

attributes in the one devoid of all attributes, as

duality in the non-dual, is called Maya.

103. (The notion of) reality in the unreal is

determined as Maya and that of unreality in the real

is accounted for by the same; how it happens is

explained (below).

104. A snake in the rope and silver in the shell

appear even in the mind of the being who knows (the

truth).

105. Although the rope and the shell are real, the

snake and the silver which are unreal, appear in them.

106. Then again, on the unreal serpent and silver the

knowledge that ‘this is rope’, ‘this is nacre’ is

dawned.

107. In this body which is unreal, resolved as one’s

own, both the notion ‘I am the body’ and the true

knowledge arise.

108. In the consciousness which is of the nature of

reality and in God of the same nature, non-reality,

non-consciousness and absence of supremacy appear.

109. Karma is said to be of two kinds – Vaidic and

Tantric. Purity of speech, mind and body is the actual

result of the two.

110. Unreality is attributed by all to the result

which is real and reality is attributed to Anima,

etc., which are unreal.

111. Also, reality is imagined in the heaven, etc.,

which are unreal. Such an assumption is determined as

Maya in the world.

112. All these are not reasonable, but always appear;

the unreasonable yet manifested object is called

unreal.

113. Falsity, the Primordial, the unmanifested, the

indestructible, darkness, knowledge and ignorance are

proclaimed as synonyms of Maya.

114. Maya is held to be of two kinds – pure and

impure. That of the form of transmigration is impure,

(while) that which removes transmigration is pure.

115. Of these two, the nature of the impure Maya has

been described by me. Now I will speak of the nature

of the pure one for the release of oneself from

bondage.

116. Interest in study, in association with the

virtuous, in Mantra-Sastra, Japa, respect for the

preceptor, oblation and worship are known as pure

Maya.

117. For the beings of the nature of pure Maya, for

the devoted and for the wise, the knowledge of reality

arises through proper practice.

118-119(a). On the attainment of knowledge, the

devotion of the knower becomes

perfect; and living on the earth, appears as mad, dumb

or inert.

119(b)-120. The knower because of contrary qualities

is not one among those people

who are possessed of desire, anger, etc., passionate

and unrestrained just as a swan is different from cows

due to difference in qualities.

121. The pure Maya makes the transmigration reject the

embodied who moves about to experience the (results

of) actions which have begun to operate.

122. Having bestowed final release from the body to

the blessed one, Maya then extinguishes itself for

lack of substratum.

123. It has been shown by me in many ways to refute

each of those whose scriptures conclude that there is

no Maya.

 

Chapter Six

124. Disciple: The nature of Maya narrated by you is

indeed knowledge. How does that (Maya) remove the

transmigration which is unreal ?

125. How does the Maya which is unreal give rise to

the release which is real ? You may please remove

this doubt remaining in my mind.

126. Preceptor: O disciple, just as the unreal dream

cognition ‘I am a Chandala’ occurred all of a sudden

to the pure noble Brahmin.

127. Then in front of this Chandala, who was a thief

in the forest, appeared a lion possessing a body as

huge as a mountain,

128. Seeing that unreal mighty lion, the Brahmin

agitated with fear, woke up abandoning the state of

being a Chandala,

129. Just as the lion which is unreal removed the

state of being Chandala, so also, the Maya which is

unreal certainly removes transmigration.

130. Just as the face reflected in a mirror, though

itself unreal, makes the real face known,

131. So also the pure Maya which is unreal reveals to

the pure-minded mortals the self which is of the form

of reality.

132. Thus when Karma diminishes, the Mahamaya, which

is pure and impure, gives beings the liberation, which

is of the form of the destruction of Maya itself.

133. Just as in the world the fire in the wood

perishes because of the destruction of the wood, so

also in the world Maya perishes because of the lack of

substratum.

134. Having understood well our doctrine and fixing

this in mind and rejecting other doctrines, move about

with ease.

 

428. The shell, when seen only as a white brilliant

object, does not appear to a person in its own form.

429. Similarly, even though the Supreme Self is known

as pure consciousness, the eternality and perfection

of the self does not at all become evident.

430. Just as the unchanging rope appears in the form

of a snake, similarly in this case also, the world

which consists of beings and the Supreme Lord.

431. Duality exists in the empirical state in

two-foldness – as the seer and the seen, (but) does

not indeed exist in profound meditation. Therefore it

is clearly proved that duality is due to adventitious

conditions.

432-434. Therein the visible world (Drisya) is indeed

Maya; the seeing self is the

Supreme Lord. Maya is not real because it is different

from the reality, also because of being the creator of

the unreal world. It is not unreal because of being

annulled by the true knowledge, because of the

immediate cognition ‘I do not at all know myself’. Nor

is it both real and unreal due to its contradictions.

435-437. Because of the impossibility of the existence

of contrary objects in one place,

the Maya of the Supreme Self is indescribable as real

or as unreal. If it were different from the Supreme

Self, it would become non-existent. Mahamaya is of the

nature of object to be known, the Supreme Shiva is of

the nature of intelligence. It is not capable of being

known as such. Because of their contradictory nature,

it is not proper to take them as identical.

438. If it is said to be of the nature of (both)

difference and non-difference, that too is not proper.

For a single entity cannot be different and

non-different at the same time. This Maya is of the

nature of effect (Karya), therefore it is not with

parts.

439-443. Nor is it devoid of parts, for it exists in

the form of the universe. If it is also not

of the nature both (with and without parts) when

viewed from the said reasoning (contradictoriness).

Hence it is established that Mahamaya is indeed

indescribable. In this form of pure consciousness,

this movable and immovable universe appears constantly

due to Maya like the imaginary town in the sky.

Therefore the universe created by Maya in the pure

consciousness in unreal like the universe in the

dream, like the rope-snake and like the shell-silver.

The unreality of an entity is its negation by the true

knowledge.

444-445. Maya exists in the Self till liberation like

Rahu in the sun, it is not the body, the sense organ,

the mind or intelligence or self. Because of the

experience of ‘mine’ with regard to them, the nature

of being self does not apply to them. Likewise, it is

certain that the nature of being self does not belong

to the vital air (Prana) also.

 

Shankara

 

Aparokshanubhuti

48. Moreover, the Shruti has condemned (the belief in

variety) in the words, “The person who”, being

deceived by Maya, “sees variety in this (Brahman),

goes from death to death”.

Vakya Vritti

44. ‘That which shines, as the object of the idea and

the word ‘I’, is Consciousness expressing in the inner

equipments. This is the direct word-meaning of ‘thou’

(twam).”

45. “The Consciousness that is expressed through

Maya, which then becomes the ‘cause of the Universe’,

which is described as omnipresent, etc.; that which is

known only indirectly (meditate); and which is having

the nature of existence, etc., -- that Eswara is the

word-meaning of the term ‘That’.”

Vivekachudamani

65. As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its

extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the

removal of stones and other such things lying above it

and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being

(merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth

of the self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects,

is to be attained through the instructions of a knower

of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so

forth, but not through perverted arguments.

………………………………………….

108. Avidya (Nescience) or Maya, called also the

Undifferentiated, is the power of the Lord. She is

without beginning, is made up of the three Gunas and

is superior to the effects (as their cause). She is to

be inferred by one of clear intellect only from the

effects She produces. It is She who brings forth this

whole universe.

109. She is neither existent nor non-existent nor

partaking of both characters; neither same nor

different nor both; neither composed of parts nor an

indivisible whole nor both. She is most wonderful and

cannot be described in words.

110. Maya can be destroyed by the realisation of the

pure Brahman, the one without a second, just as the

mistaken idea of a snake is removed by the

discrimination of the rope. She has her Gunas as

Rajas, Tamas and Sattva, named after their respective

functions.

111. Rajas has its Vikshepa-Shakti or projecting

power, which is of the nature of an activity, and from

which this primeval flow of activity has emanated.

>From this also, mental modifications such as

attachment and grief are continually produced.

112. Lust, anger, avarice, arrogance, spite, egoism,

envy, jealousy, etc., -- these are the dire attributes

of Rajas, from which the worldly tendency of man is

produced. Therefore Rajas is a cause of bondage.

113. Avriti or the veiling power is the power of

Tamas, which makes things appear other than what they

are. It is this that causes man’s repeated

transmigrations, and starts the action of the

projecting power (Vikshepa).

………………………..

123. From Mahat down to the gross body everything is

the effect of Maya: These and Maya itself know thou to

be the non-Self, and therefore unreal like the mirage

in a desert.

……………………………….

237-238. Hence whatever is manifested, viz. this

universe, is the Supreme Brahman Itself, the Real, the

One without a second, pure, the Essence of Knowledge,

taintless, serene, devoid of beginning and end, beyond

activity, the Essence of Bliss Absolute – transcending

all the diversities created by Maya or Nescience,

eternal, ever beyond the reach of pain, indivisible,

immeasurable, formless, undifferentiated, nameless,

immutable, self-luminous.

………………………..

243. This contradiction between them is created by

superimposition, and is not something real. This

superimposition, in the case of Ishwara (the Lord), is

Maya or Nescience, which is the cause of Mahat and the

rest, and in the case of the Jiva (the individual

soul), listen – the five sheaths, which are the

effects of Maya, stand for it.

………………………………

260. That which, though One only, is the cause of the

many; which refutes all other causes, but is Itself

without cause; distinct from Maya and its effect, the

universe; and independent – that Brahman art thou,

meditate on this in thy mind.

261. That which is free from duality; which is

infinite and indestructible; distinct from the

universe and Maya, supreme, eternal; which is undying

Bliss; taintless – that Brahman art thou, meditate on

this in thy mind.

262. That Reality which (though One) appears variously

owing to delusion, taking on names and forms,

attributes and changes, Itself always unchanged, like

gold in its modifications – that Brahman art thou,

meditate on this in thy mind.

263. That beyond which there is nothing; which shines

even above Maya, which again is superior to its

effect, the universe; the inmost Self of all, free

from differentiation; the Real Self, the

Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute; infinite and

immutable – that Brahman art thou, meditate on this in

thy mind.

…………………………………………

345. Perfect discrimination brought on by direct

realisation distinguishes the true nature of the

subject from that of the object, and breaks the bond

of delusion created by Maya; and there is no more

transmigration for one who has been freed from this.

……………………………………………..

324. As sedge, even if removed, does not stay away for

a moment, but covers the water again, so Maya or

Nescience also covers even a wise man, if he is averse

to meditation on the Self.

…………………………………………………………..

389. The Self is within, and the Self is without; the

Self is before and the Self is behind; the Self is in

the south, and the Self is in the north; the Self

likewise is above as also below.

390. As the wave, the foam, the whirlpool, the bubble,

etc., are all in essence but water, similarly the Chit

(Knowledge Absolute) is all this, from the body up to

egoism. Everything is verily the Chit, homogeneous and

pure.

391. All this universe known through speech and mind

is nothing but Brahman; there is nothing besides

Brahman, which exists beyond the utmost range of the

Prakriti. Are the pitcher, jug, jar, etc., known to be

distinct from the clay of which they are composed ? It

is the deluded man who talks of "thou" and "I", as an

effect of the wine of Maya.

……………………………………………

496. In me, the ocean of Infinite Bliss, the waves of

the universe are created and destroyed by the playing

of the wind of Maya.

497. Such ideas as gross (or subtle) are erroneously

imagined in me by people through the manifestation of

things superimposed – just as in the indivisible and

absolute time, cycles, years, half-years, seasons,

etc., are imagined.

498. That which is superimposed by the grossly

ignorant fools can never taint the substratum: The

great rush of waters observed in a mirage never wets

the desert tracts.

……………………………………..

513. I am verily that Brahman, the One without a

second, which transcends the endless differentiations

of Maya, which is the inmost essence of all, is beyond

the range of consciousness, and which is Truth,

Knowledge, Infinity and Bliss Absolute.

………………….

569. Bondage and Liberation, which are conjured up by

Maya, do not really exist in the Atman, one’s Reality,

as the appearance and exit of the snake do not abide

in the rope, which suffers no change.

……………………

573. Hence this bondage and Liberation are created by

Maya, and are not in the Atman. How can there be any

idea of limitation with regard to the Supreme Truth,

which is without parts, without activity, calm,

unimpeachable, taintless, and One without a second, as

there can be none with regard to the infinite sky ?

 

Brahma Sutras

 

SECTION - II

 

Topic-1: Dream State

1. In the intermediate stage (of dream) occurs (real)

creation; for the Upanishad says so.

2. And some (following a particular branch) consider

the Self to be a creator (of things desired); and sons

and others (are the objects desired).

3. But the dream creation is a mere Maya, because of

its nature of not being a complete manifestation of

the totality of attributes (found in the wakeful

state).

4. A dream is also an omen, for so it is known from

the Upanishads and experts say so.

5. From the meditation on the supreme Lord, however,

becomes manifest that which remains obscured; because

the soul’s bondage and freedom are derived from Him.

6. Or rather that covering occurs also on account of

connection with the body.

 

 

Bhagavad Gita

4. Jnana Yoga

THE BLESSED LORD SAID:

5. Many births of Mine have passed, as well as of

thine, O Arjuna; all these I know, thou knowest not, O

harasser of foes.

6. Though I am unborn, of imperishable nature, and

though I am the Lord of all beings, yet ruling over My

own nature, I am born by My own Maya.

7. Whenever there is a decay of religion, O Bharata

and an ascendency of irreligion, then I manifest

Myself.

8. For the protection of the good, for the

destruction of evil-doers, for the firm establishment

of religion, I am born in every age.

9. Whoso knows thus My divine birth and action in

truth

VII

25. I am not manifest to all, veiled (as I am) by

Yoga-Maya. This deluded world knows not Me, unborn and

imperishable.

XVIII

61. The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings, O

Arjuna, whirling by Maya all beings (as if) mounted on

a machine.

62. Fly unto Him for refuge with all thy being. O

Bharata; by His Grace shalt thou obtain supreme peace

(and) the eternal resting place.

63. Thus has wisdom, more secret than all that is

secret, been declared to thee by Me; reflect thou over

it all and act as thou pleasest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

advaitin, ken knight <hilken_98@Y...> wrote:

 

I did not try to link any of these English

> translations to the Sanskrit texts as that will be for

> some future study. Similarly, I did not seek out the

> `as if…....iva' references. Should I do that at some

> future date I will put them into the archives.

> Please do not take this as a precise study, it was a

> catch-all trawl through many varied texts. I begin

> with a very very brief look at the Vedas.

>

> Krishna Yajur Veda 4.9-10

> `With maya, His power of wonder, He made all things,

> and by maya the human soul is bound. Know, therefore,

> that nature is maya, but that God is the ruler of maya

> and that all beings in our universe are parts of His

> infinite splendour.'

 

Namaste, Kenji, I am amazed at the enormity of the gigantic work you

are doing! Congratulations. May God be with you.

Please help me on a simple question. The reference above: Krishna

Yajur Veda 4.9-10, does not lead me anywhere. There are only

7 'prashnas' under the 4th KANDa of Krishna Yajur Veda. So, am I

reading your reference wrongly? Help!

 

PraNAms to all advaitins

profvk

[Guest guest]

Namaste Ken:

Thank you so much for this posting of references to

"Maya". I am going to slowly go through it and really enjoy. Thanks again!

When you said that you had a study group, I am just curious what you guys

were studying specifically7?

 

Peace and Love Always,

Sarojini

-

"ken knight" <hilken_98

<advaitin>

Tuesday, August 19, 2003 11:07 AM

for the archives

 

>

> > ###########

> > Our Files archives would certainly become

> > richer by adding

> > whatever you have studied for your own enrichment.

> > The cross

> > referencing to Sanskrit verses would pose no

> > problems. Thanks for the

> > offer.

> > The Upanishads have often used the word

> > 'iva' (as if/like)

> > to bring out the nuance of 'mAyA'. I hope you have

> > included such

> > references too.

>

> Namaste Sunder et al,

> Firstly apologies for the size of this file but if you

> want to save it for future study then that is the aim

> of this posting.

> Sorry Sunder but although aware of the 'as if' aspect

> I did not use 'find' to locate such refs. I think

> that when I do this I will use the transliterated

> versions as a starting point. That will be for a

> future study.

> At the moment I am carrying out a similar exercise

> with 'svad/svaad' and 'madhu' (sweetness) in the

> Rgveda. This is for a meeting in September but I do

> not think that I will have tracked them all down by

> September 2004!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am still on the first

> Mandala.

> Incidentally, I wonder if anyone would like to offer

> their translation of I.164.22a: tasyedAhuH pippalaM

> svAdvagre

> Griffith gives 'Upon its top they say the fig is

> luscious '. My limited Sanskrit split the beginning as

> tasya it AhuH which has several possible meanings

> using Monier Williams so your comments would be

> welcomed.

>

> I hope the following mAyA refs. will assist some

> people,

>

> Ken Knight

>

>

> mAyA.

>

> Please note that the extracts from the Upanishads set

> out below were collected for a group of English

> people, with very little knowledge of Sanskrit but

> having various connections with advaitin teaching. The

> aim was to get behind the superficial and rather

> ignorant understanding of mAyA generally used and

> thereby remove some of our own ignorance. We

> attempted to trace the word from its use in the Vedas

> through to Twentieth century writing of Sarvapalli

> Radhakrishnan and Sri Aurobindo. (Sarvapalli

> Radhakrishnan isolates 6 meanings of Maya :

> 1) inexplicable mystery 2) power of

> self-becoming 3) duality of consciousness and

> matter 4) primal matter 5) concealment 6)

> one-sided dependence.)

>

> No attempt here is made to present an argument for

> any particular understanding of mAyA. The extracts

> were copied and pasted from this site:

> http://www.geocities.com/hindu_shastras/ebooks/upanishads

> I did not try to link any of these English

> translations to the Sanskrit texts as that will be for

> some future study. Similarly, I did not seek out the

> 'as if.....iva' references. Should I do that at some

> future date I will put them into the archives.

> Please do not take this as a precise study, it was a

> catch-all trawl through many varied texts. I begin

> with a very very brief look at the Vedas.

>

> Krishna Yajur Veda 4.9-10

> 'With maya, His power of wonder, He made all things,

> and by maya the human soul is bound. Know, therefore,

> that nature is maya, but that God is the ruler of maya

> and that all beings in our universe are parts of His

> infinite splendour.'

>

> RgVedaX 177.1

> 1. THE sapient with their spirit and their mind behold

> the Bird adorned with all an Asura's magic might

> (mAyA).

> Sages observe him in the ocean's inmost depth: the

> wise disposers seek the station of his rays.

> Nb. I have not included here the many references from

> the RgVeda on the power (mAyA) of the gods to become

> many as we concentrated on the Mayabheda hymn above.

>

>

>

> Upanishads and mAyA

>

> Adhyatma:

> 14. Never should one be heedless in devotion to

> Brahman; 'heedlessness is death' so aver the

> philosophers of Brahman in regard to (this) science.

> 15. Just as a pulled-up water-reed stays not still,

> even for a moment, so does Maya (ceaselessly) envelop

> even a wise man if he averts his face (from the

> Truth).

> 16. Whosoever wins absoluteness while alive continues

> to be absolute even after death. Rooted in

> concentration, O sinless one, remain steadfast.

> 17. With the vision of the non-dual Self through

> unwavering concentration comes the dissolution without

> residue of the knots of ignorance in the heart.

> ..

> 30. The expressed sense of the word tat (God) has

> Maya for His adjunct; He is the world-cause. He is

> characterised by omniscience, etc.; is tinged by

> transcendence, and is essentially Truth and so forth.

> 31. The expressed sense of the word 'Tvam' shines

> forth as the content of the idea and expression 'I';

> it is awareness blended with the mind (the inner organ

> of perception).

> 32. Only through the exclusion of Maya and avidya,

> the adjuncts of God and Jiva is the supreme Spirit,

> the impartite Being, Consciousness and Bliss,

> indicated.

>

> Atma Upanishad

> 12. Being the one, the universal Soul is present in

> all beings. Though one, It is seen as many, like the

> moon in the water.

> 13. Just as it is the jar which being removed (from

> one place to another) changes places and not the Akasa

> enclosed in the jar - so is the Jiva which resembles

> the Akasa.

> 14. When various forms like the jar are broken again

> and again the Akasa does not know them to be broken,

> but He knows perfectly.

> 15. Being covered by Maya, which is a mere sound, It

> does not, through darkness, know the Akasa (the

> Blissful one). When ignorance is rent asunder, It

> being then Itself only sees the unity.

> 16. The Om as Word is (first looked upon as) the

> Supreme Brahman. After that (word-idea) has vanished,

> that imperishable Brahman (remains). The wise one

> should meditate on that imperishable Brahman, if he

> desires the peace of his soul.

> 17. Two kinds of Vidya ought to be known - the

> Word-Brahman and the Supreme Brahman. One having

> mastered the Word-Brahman attains to the Highest

> Brahman.

> 18. After studying the Vedas the intelligent one who

> is solely intent on acquiring knowledge and

> realisation, should discard the Vedas altogether, as

> the man who seeks to obtain rice discards the husk.

> 19. Of cows which are of diverse colours the milk is

> of the same colour. (the intelligent one) regards

> Jnana as the milk, and the many-branched Vedas as the

> cows.

> 20. Like the butter hidden in milk, the Pure

> Consciousness resides in every being. That ought to be

> constantly churned out by the churning rod of the

> mind.

> 21. Taking hold of the rope of knowledge, one should

> bring out, like fire, the Supreme Brahman. I am that

> Brahman indivisible, immutable, and calm, thus it is

> thought of.

> 22. In Whom reside all beings, and Who resides in all

> beings by virtue of His being the giver of grace to

> all - I am that Soul of the Universe, the Supreme

> Being, I am that Soul of the Universe, the Supreme

> Being.

>

> Annapurna Upanishad

> IV-28-29. The sage fulfils his duty with the

> realization, 'I am the one Brahman'; (Brahman is) the

> ground of all, non-dual, supreme, eternal, of the

> essence of being, intelligence, and bliss, beyond the

> range of word and mind.

> IV-30. There shine not the forms of the moon and the

> sun; the winds blow not; and none of the gods (are

> there). This divinity alone shines forth as being,

> pure by itself, free from rajas.

> IV-31. The knot of the heart is split; all doubts are

> cut asunder. All his actions dwindle when He, who is

> both here and beyond, is seen.

> IV-32. In this body are the birds, called the Jiva

> and the Lord, dwelling together. Of them the Jiva eats

> the fruit of action, not the great Lord.

> IV-33. Alone as the Witness, without participation,

> the great Lord shines by Himself. Through Maya is set

> up the difference between them. Spirit is other than

> Its form; as It does not dwindle, the Spirit is

> non-different (from all objects).

> IV-34. As the unity of the Spirit is established

> through reasoning and means of right knowledge, once

> that unity is comprehensively known, one no more

> sorrows; nor is one deluded.

> IV-35. Having the certain knowledge, 'I am the ground

> of the whole world, solid Truth and Knowledge', the

> sage may dispel (all) sorrow.

> IV-36. Those whose flaws have (all) been attenuated

> realize in their own bodies the Witness of all, whose

> essence is self-luminous Being; not those others who

> are encompassed by Maya.

> ........

> V-74. Well disciplined (sage) ! For achieving

> liberation, one should meditate on the bodiless Self

> that is Brahman - Being consciousness and Bliss

> without end - as 'I am (That)'.

> V-75. Concentration is the origination of knowledge

> in regard to the unity of the Supreme and the Jiva.

> The Self, verily, is eternal, omnipresent, immutable

> and flawless.

> V-76. Being (but) one, through Maya it splits up; not

> in Its essence. Therefore the non-dual alone is; no

> manifold, no empirical life (is there).

> V-77. Just as space is called 'Pot-space' (and)

> 'great space', so, due to delusion, is the self called

> Jiva and Ishvara in two ways.

> V-78. When the all-pervading spirit shines always

> without a break in the mind of the Yogin then one

> becomes one's Self.

> V-79. Verily, when one beholds all beings in one's

> own Self, and one's Self in all beings, one becomes

> Brahman.

> V-80. In the state of concentration, atoned with the

> Supreme, one beholds no beings; one then is the Alone.

> ..........

> V-107. In the absence of the I-sense and its

> negation, at once existent and non-existent, what

> remains unattached, self-same, superlatively pure, and

> steadfast is said to be the Fourth.

> V-108. That superlatively pure sameness, the

> quiescent status of liberation-in-life, the state of

> the spectator is, inempirical usage, called the fourth

> state.

> V-109. This is neither wakefulness nor dream, for

> there is no room for mental constructions. Neither is

> this the state of deep sleep; for no inertness is

> involved in this.

> V-110. This world as it is, is dissolved, and then it

> is the Fourth State for those who are tranquillised

> and rightly awakened; for the unawakened it stands

> changeless (as it is in its plurality).

> V-111. When the aspect of I-sense is given up, and

> equability dominates, and the mind disintegrates, the

> Fourth State comes on.

> V-112. The repudiation of the objective manifold is

> the doctrine of the Shastras setting forth the Spirit.

> Here is neither avidya nor Maya; this is the tranquil

> Brahman, unfatigued.

>

> Atma-Bodha Upanishad

> II-1-10. The Maya has gone away from me, I am the

> pure vision; my ego has gone down, so has the

> difference between world, god and soul. I am the

> inner-self, without positive and negative rules; I am

> the expansive Bliss; I am the witness, independent,

> exerting in my greatness; without old age and decay,

> opposing sides, pure knowledge, the ocean of

> liberation; I am subtle without any attributes.

> I am without three qualities, all worlds

> exists in my belly; the changeless consciousness,

> beyond reason and action, I have no parts, unborn,

> pure reality.

> I am endless knowledge, auspicious,

> indivisible, faultless, reality unbounded. I am to be

> known by Agamas, attractive to all the worlds. I am

> pure joy; purity, sole, ever shining, beginningless; I

> have ascertained the highest Truth.

> I know myself without a second, with

> discrimination. Even then Bondage and Liberation are

> experienced. The world has gone away that appears to

> be real like serpent and rope; only Brahman exists as

> the basis of the world; therefore the world does not

> exist; like sugar pervaded by the taste of the

> sugarcane, I am pervaded by Bliss. All the three

> worlds, from Brahma to the smallest worm are imagined

> in me.

> In the ocean there are many things, from

> the bubble to the wave; but the ocean does not desire

> these - So also, I have no desire for things of the

> world; I am like a rich-man not desiring poverty. A

> wise person abandons poison favouring Amrita. The sun

> which makes the pot shine is not destroyed along with

> the pot; so also the spirit is not destroyed with the

> body.

> I have no bondage nor liberation, no

> Shastra, no Guru. I have gone beyond Maya - let life

> go away or let the mind be attacked - I have no misery

> as I am filled with joy,

>

> Atma Upanishad

> II-25. Having won the status of Brahman, no longer is

> the Yogin reborn, for his ignorance-born bodies have

> all been consumed by the experimental knowledge of

> Being as the Self.

> II-26-27(a). Because that Yogin has become Brahman,

> how can Brahman be reborn ? Bondage and liberation,

> set up by Maya, are not real in themselves in relation

> to the Self, just as the appearance and disappearance

> of the snake are not in relation to the stirless rope.

> II-27(b). Bondage and liberation may be described as

> real and unreal and as due to the nescience

> (concealment of truth).

> II-28-29. Brahman suffers from no concealment

> whatsoever. It is uncovered, there being nothing other

> than It (to cover It). The ideas, 'it is' and 'it is

> not', as regards Reality, are only ideas in the

> intellect. They do not pertain to the eternal Reality.

> So bondage and liberation are set up by Maya and do

> not pertain to the Self.

> II-30. In the supreme Truth as in the sky, impartite,

> inactive, quiescent, flawless, unstained and non-dual

> where is room for (mental) construction ?

> II-31. Neither suppression nor generation, neither

> the bond nor the striving: neither the liberty seeking

> nor the liberated - this is the metaphysical truth.

>

> Brihadaranyaka Up.

>

> II-v-19: This is that meditation on things mutually

> helpful which Dadhyac, versed in the Atharva-Veda,

> taught the Asvins. Perceiving this the Rishi said,

> '(He) transformed Himself in accordance with each

> form; that form of His was for the sake of making Him

> known. The Lord on account of Maya (notions

> superimposed by ignorance) is perceived as manifold,

> for to Him are yoked ten organs, nay, hundreds of

> them. He is the organs; He is ten and thousands - many

> and infinite. That Brahman is without prior or

> posterior, without interior or exterior. This self,

> the perceiver of everything, is Brahman. This is the

> teaching.

>

> Devi Upanishad

> 12. Know we Great Lakshmi,

> Goddess of good Fortune;

> On all fulfilment do we meditate.

> May the Goddess inspire us !

> 13. Through You, Dakshayani, was Aditi born;

> She is your daughter; after her were born

> The gods auspicious,

> Friends of deathlessness.

> 14. Love, womb, love's part, the bearer of the

> thunderbolt

> The cave, ha-sa, the wind, the cloud, Indra;

> Again the cave, sa-ka-la with Maya -

> So runs the full primeval science begetting all.

> 15. This is the power of Self, enchanting all, armed

> with the noose, the hook, the bow and the arrow. This

> is the great and holy Science.

> 16. Who knows thus tides over grief.

>

> Kaivalya Upanishad

>

> 7. Meditating on the highest Lord, allied to Uma,

> powerful, three-eyed, blue-necked, and tranquil, the

> holy man reaches Him who is the source of all, the

> witness of all and is beyond darkness (i.e. Avidya).

> 8. He is Brahma, He is Shiva, He is Indra, He is the

> Immutable, the Supreme, the Self-luminous, He alone is

> Vishnu, He is Prana, He is Time and Fire, He is the

> Moon.

> 9. He alone is all that was, and all that will be, the

> Eternal; knowing Him, one transcends death; there is

> no other way to freedom.

> 10. Seeing the Atman in all beings, and all beings in

> the Atman, one attains the highest Brahman - not by

> any other means.

> 11. Making the Atman the (lower) Arani, and OM the

> upper Arani, by the repeated friction of knowledge, a

> wise man burns up the bond.

> 12. With his self thus deluded by Maya or ignorance,

> it is he who identifies himself with the body and does

> all sorts of things. In the waking state it is he (the

> Jiva) who attains satisfaction through the varied

> objects of enjoyment, such as women, food, drink, etc.

> 13. In the dream-state that Jiva feels pleasure and

> pain in a sphere of existence created by his own Maya

> or ignorance. During the state of profound sleep, when

> everything is dissolved (into their causal state), he

> is overpowered by Tams or non-manifestation and comes

> to exist in his form of Bliss.

>

> Katharudra Up.

> 14-15. That Brahman, which is without a second, and

> which is Truth, Knowledge and Happiness, is the object

> of (real) knowing. The best of the twice-born, who

> know Brahman residing in the cave which is called the

> highest heaven, during his transmigratory existence

> known as 'illusion', 'ignorance', etc., attain all

> desired things instantaneously.

> 16. He who realizes his own Self, which is the witness

> of the power called ignorance and illusion, knowing 'I

> am Brahman alone' becomes Brahman Itself.

> 17. From this Self which is one with Brahman and which

> is possessed of power (i.e. maya) arose the unmanifest

> ether (Akasa) like a rope-serpent.

> 18. Then from the ether emerged the unmanifest touch

> which is named 'air' (Vayu). Then from air emerged

> fire; from fire, water; and from water, the earth.

> 19. Then after dividing and compounding all those

> subtle (elements) into five, from them alone the

> auspicious Lord created the cosmic egg.

> 20. Enfolded in the cosmic egg are gods, anti-gods,

> Yakshas, Kinnaras, human beings, animals, birds, etc.,

> in accordance with (the result of) their own actions.

> 21. The bodies of beings which appear in the form of

> (a framework of) bones, sinews, etc., is the self of

> the nature of food for the all-pervading Self.

> 22. Then, further within, is the self of Prana [vital

> energy] split (into five). Still further within is the

> self of the nature of mind which is different (from

> the others).

> 23. Next, even further within and different is the

> self of the nature of knowledge. Then, in the

> interior, distinct, is the self of the nature of

> bliss.

> 24. That (self) of the nature of food is pervaded by

> (the self) of the nature of vital energy; similarly

> (the self of) vital energy is by the nature (pervaded)

> by (the self) of the nature of mind.

> 25. The mind-self is pervaded by the self of

> knowledge. The ever-happy self of the nature of

> knowledge is always pervaded by bliss.

> 26. In the same way, the self of bliss is pervaded by

> Brahman, the witness, the innermost of all. Brahman is

> not (pervaded) by anything else.

> 27-28. By realizing directly this Brahman, which is

> named the Support (the Tail puccha), which is of the

> nature of truth, knowledge and non-duality, the

> essence, the joy, the eternal, the dweller in the body

> becomes happy everywhere. Wherefrom otherwise can

> there be happiness ?

>

> Narayana Up.

> [Hymn to Hiranyagarbha - from Taittiriya-Samhita

> IV-1-8:

> 1. The resplendent Prajapati was born at the

> beginning of creation from the Supreme potent with the

> power of Maya. Having been born He became the one

> sustainer and nourisher of all beings. The same

> Paramatman, here designated as Hiranyagarbha, supports

> the earth as well as heaven. May we worship that

> shining One with offerings - who is of the nature of

> bliss or whose characteristic nature cannot be

> interrogated.

> 2. Who became the sovereign ruler of all beings

> living and existing on the earth; who controls as the

> indwelling Spirit all the bipeds and quadrupeds

> evident on the earth;

> 3. Who is the giver of Self (all Selves in

> reality being Himself); who is the bestower of

> strength (as nourisher through food); whose command

> even gods are eager to receive; whom immortality and

> death obey like shadow;

> XII-4: The Supreme having become the four-faced Brahma

> among gods, the master of right words among the

> composers, the seer among the intelligent people, the

> buffalo among animals, the kite among the birds, the

> cutting axe among the destructive tools and soma among

> the sacrificers, transcends all purifying agencies

> accompanied by the sound (of holy chant).

> XII-5: There is one unborn Female (Maya, the uncaused

> substance of the universe) red, white and black

> (representing Sattva, Rajas and Tamas) producing

> manifold offspring of the same nature. There is one

> unborn (in the generic sense some Jivas who are

> attached) who lies by her taking delight in her; there

> is another unborn (in the generic sense those who are

> not attached) who leaves her after having enjoyed her.

> XII-6: That which is the sun who abides in the clear

> sky, is the Vasu (the air that moves) in the

> mid-region, is the fire that dwells in the sacrificial

> altar and in the domestic hearth as the guest, is the

> fire that shines in men and in the gods, as the Soul,

> is the fire that is consecrated in the sacrifice, is

> dwelling in the sky as air, is born in water as

> submarine heat, is born in the rays of the sun, is the

> fire that is directly seen as the luminary, and is

> born on the mountain as the rising sun - that is the

> Supreme Truth, the Reality underlying all.

>

> Maha Upanishad V-114.

> 'sage ! That ultimate Status which is said to be

> imperishable is (in truth) not won. Twice-born sage !

> Speculate not as to whence this (nescience) has

> arisen.

> V-115. 'Speculate rather on: 'how shall I destroy it ?

> Once it is dissipated and dispelled you will

> (renunciation-)cognise that status.

> V-116. 'That integral status (includes the knowledge)

> 'Whence this Maya has come and how it has perished.

> Therefore try to treat (with remedies) this abode of

> diseases (i.e. Maya).

> V-117-118(a). 'So that she may not subject you again

> to the sufferings of birth (etc.,). 'The sea of the

> Spirit shines forth in one's Self with its splendid

> inner vibrations. With certitude meditate inwardly

> that is homogeneous and infinite.

> ...

> V-128. 'The potent Spirit, thus degenerating into

> dense egoism, passes voluntarily into bondage as a

> silk-worm in its cocoon.

> V-129. 'And, like a lion in chains, becomes totally

> dependent finding itself within a net of its own

> imaginings and nothing more.

> V-130. 'Sometimes (it operates as) mind, sometimes as

> intellect; sometimes as cognition; sometimes as (pure)

> action. Sometimes it is egoism and sometimes it is

> held to be what is thought.

> V-131. 'Sometimes it is called Prakriti and sometimes

> it is held to be Maya. Sometimes it is designated a

> 'flaw' and sometimes referred to as 'action'.

> V-132. 'Sometimes it is proclaimed as bondage and

> sometimes accounted the 'eight-fold case'. Sometimes

> it is said to be avidya and sometimes it is identified

> with 'desire'.

> V-133. 'Bearing within itself, as its seeds the

> fig-tree, this entire empirical sphere that fashions

> the cords of cravings, the Jiva is verily a tree sans

> fruits.

>

>

>

> Maitrayani Upanishad

>

> It has been said: 'As waves in great rivers, the past

> deeds are one's safeguard - like the coast line for

> the ocean. Rebirth is unavoidable - bound by good and

> bad results (of actions), as a beast by ropes. Like a

> prisoner, one in the clutches of Death is not free;

> dwells in the midst of many fears. He who is maddened

> by worldly pleasures is like one intoxicated. He is in

> the grip of sin and roams, like one bitten by a snake

> is he in the jaws of danger, as in darkness one is

> blinded by passion. As caught in a magic show one is

> in the midst of Maya. He sees every thing wrongly as

> in a dream, essenceless like the pith of plantain -

> like an actor dressed up for a moment - falsely

> attractive like a painted wall. It has been stated

> 'sense-objects' like sound are there, sources of

> trouble. Attached to them, the self forgets the

> supreme place.

> The remedy is the winning of knowledge -

> following one's own Dharma, one's law of life supports

> all like a tree-trunk. By this law does one go

> upwards; without it one tumbles down - this has been

> laid down in the Vedas.

>

> Mandukya Upanishad

>

> 1. I bow to that Brahman who pervades the entire

> world by a diffusion of the rays of knowledge that

> pervade all things that are moving and unmoving, who

> after having enjoyed (in the waking state) all objects

> of enjoyment that are gross, and who again, after

> having drunk (in the state of dream) all objects born

> of desire and illumined by the intellect, reposes

> while experiencing bliss Himself and making us all

> enjoy by (His own) Maya, and who, through an

> attribution of Maya, is the fourth in number, and

> is supreme, immortal and unborn.

> .........

> I-16. When the individual Self, sleeping under the

> influence of Maya that is beginningless, is awakened,

> then he realises (Turiya that is) unborn, sleepless,

> dreamless and non-dual.

> I-17. If a phenomenal world were to exist, it should,

> no doubt, cease to be. This duality is but an

> illusion; in reality it is non-dual.

> I-18. The notion (such as the teacher, the taught and

> the scripture) will disappear, if anyone had imagined

> it. This notion (of the teacher etc.,) is for the

> purpose of instruction. When (the Truth is) realised,

> duality does not exist.

> .......

> II-12. The self-luminous Self, by Its own Maya

> imagines Itself by Itself and It alone cognises all

> objects. This is a settled fact of the Vedanta-texts.

> II-13. The Lord imagined in diverse forms the worldly

> objects existing in the mind. With the mind turned

> outward, He imagines diversely permanent objects (as

> also impermanent things). Thus the Lord imagines.

> II-14. Things that exist within as long as the thought

> lasts and things that are external and conform to two

> points of time, are all imaginations alone. The

> distinction (between them) is caused by nothing else.

> II-15. The objects that seem to be unmanifested within

> the mind, and those that seem to be manifested

> without, are all mere imaginations, their distinction

> being the difference in the sense-organs.

> II-16. First of all, He imagines the Jiva (individual

> soul) and then (He imagines) various objects, external

> and internal. As is (a man's) knowledge, so is (his)

> memory of it.

> II-17. Just as a rope, the nature of which is not

> known in the dark, is imagined to be things such as a

> snake, a water-line, etc., so too is the Self imagined

> (as various things).

> II-18. As when the (real nature of the) rope is known,

> the illusion ceases and the rope alone remains in its

> non-dual nature, so too is the ascertainment of the

> Self.

> II-19. (The Self) is imagined as infinite objects like

> prana etc. This is the Maya of the luminous One by

> which It itself is deluded, (as it where).

>

> .........

> III-10. All aggregates (such as body) are created like

> dream by the Maya of the Self. Whether they be

> superior (to another) or equal, there is no ground to

> prove their reality.

>

> .............

> III-10. All aggregates (such as body) are created like

> dream by the Maya of the Self. Whether they be

> superior (to another) or equal, there is no ground to

> prove their reality.

> III-23. The sruti favours equally the creation in

> reality and through Maya. That which is settled by the

> sruti and supported by reasoning is true, and not

> anything else.

> III-24. Since the sruti says, "There is no

> multiplicity here", "the Lord, owing to Maya, (is seen

> diversely)", and "The Self, though unborn, (appears to

> be born in many ways)", it becomes obvious that He is

> born through Maya.

> III-25. By the censure of (the worship of)

> Hiranyagarbha is negated creation. By the statement,

> "Who will cause it to be born?", is denied causality.

> III-26. On the ground of non-apprehension (of

> Brahman), all the preceding instruction (for Its

> comprehension) is negated by the sruti, "This Self is

> that which has been declared as 'Not this, not this'".

> Hence the unborn Self becomes revealed by Itself.

> III-27. Birth of that which exists occurs only through

> Maya and not in reality. He who thinks that something

> is born in reality, (should know) that that which is

> already born is (re)born.

> III-28. The birth of that which is non-existent cannot

> occur either through Maya or in reality, for a son of

> a barren woman cannot be born either through Maya or

> in reality.

> III-29. As in dream the mind vibrates through Maya, as

> though with dual roles, so in the waking state the

> mind vibrates through Maya, as though with dual roles.

> III-30. There can be no doubt that the non-dual mind

> alone appears in dream in dual roles. Similarly, in

> the waking state too, the non-dual mind appears to

> possess dual roles.

> III-31. Whatever there is, moving and unmoving, which

> constitutes this duality, is perceived by the mind,

> for when mind does not exist as mind, duality is never

> perceived.

> III-32. When the mind ceases to imagine consequent on

> the realisation of the Truth which is the Self, then

> it attains the state of not being the mind and becomes

> a non-perceiver, owing to the absence of objects to be

> perceived.

> III-33. (The knowers of Brahman) say that the

> knowledge which is free from imagination, and unborn

> is not distinct from the knowable. The knowledge of

> which Brahman is the sole object is unborn and

> everlasting. The unborn (Self) is known by the

> (knowledge that is) unborn.

> III-34. The behaviour of the mind (thus) restrained,

> which is free from all imagination and which is

> endowed with discrimination, should be noticed. The

> mind in deep sleep is of a different character and is

> not like that (when it is under restraint).

> III-35. The mind becomes dissolved in deep sleep, but

> when under restraint, it doesn't become dissolved.

> That (mind) alone becomes Brahman, the fearless,

> endowed with the light that is Consciousness on all

> sides.

> III-36. (Brahman is) birthless, sleepless, dreamless,

> nameless, formless, ever-resplendent and omniscient.

> (As regards That) there can be no routine practice of

> any kind.

> ............

> IV-57. From the relative plane (of thinking)

> everything seems to be born and is not, therefore,

> eternal. From the absolute plane (of perception)

> everything is the unborn (Self) and there is,

> therefore, nothing like destruction.

> IV-58. The souls that are thus born are not born in

> reality. Their birth is like that of an object through

> Maya. And that Maya again is non-existent.

> IV-59. Just as from a magical seed comes out a sprout

> of that very nature which is neither permanent nor

> destructible, so too, is the reasoning applicable in

> respect of objects.

> IV-60. In the case of all birthless entities the terms

> permanent and non-permanent can have no application.

> Where words fail to describe, no entity can be spoken

> of in a discriminative manner.

> IV-61. As in dream Consciousness vibrates through

> illusion, as though dual by nature, so in the waking

> state Consciousness vibrates through illusion as

> though possessed of dual appearances.

>

> Mundaka Up.

>

> II-i-1: That thing that is such, is true.

> As from a fire fully ablaze, fly off sparks in their

> thousands that are akin to the fire, similarly O

> good-looking one, from the Imperishable originate

> different kinds of creatures and into It again they

> merge.

> II-i-2: The Purusha is transcendental, since He is

> formless. And since He is coextensive with all that is

> external and internal and since He is birthless,

> therefore He is without vital force and without mind;

> He is pure and superior to the (other) superior

> imperishable (Maya).

> II-i-3: From Him originates the vital force as well as

> the mind, all the senses, space, air, fire, water, and

> earth that supports everything.

> II-i-4: The indwelling Self of all is surely He of

> whom the heaven is the head, the moon and sun are the

> two eyes, the directions are the two ears, the

> revealed Vedas are the speech, air is the vital force,

> the whole Universe is the heart, and (It is He) from

> whose two feet emerged the earth.

> .........

> III-ii-8: As rivers, flowing down, become

> indistinguishable on reaching the sea by giving up

> their names and forms, so also the illumined soul,

> having become freed from name and form, reaches the

> self-effulgent Purusha that is higher than the higher

> (Maya).

> III-ii-9: Anyone who knows that supreme Brahman

> becomes Brahman indeed. In his line is not born anyone

> who does not know Brahman. He overcomes grief, and

> rises above aberrations; and becoming freed from the

> knots of the heart, he attains immortality.

> III-ii-10: This (rule) has been revealed by the mantra

> (which runs thus): 'To them alone should one expound

> this knowledge of b who are engaged in the practice of

> disciplines, versed in the Vedas, and indeed devoted

> to Brahman, who personally sacrifice to the fire

> called Ekarsi with faith, and by whom has been duly

> accomplished the vow of holding fire on the head.'

>

> Narada Parivrajaka Up.

> IX-1. Then Narada inquired: 'How is the real form of

> Brahman ?' The god Brahma answered (expounding) the

> real form of Brahman. Those who consider that He (the

> transcendent Brahman) is one and himself (the

> individual self) as another are beasts, though not

> beasts in their (true) nature. The wise (sage) having

> realized thus (that the individual Self and Brahman

> are identical) is released from the jaws of death

> (i.e. belief in duality results in death and

> renunciation-birth; that in non-duality, in

> immortality). There is no other path known to reach

> the goal (of final beatitude).

> IX-2. Time (is the root-cause of worldly life, say

> some philosophers), Nature (say the Mimamsakas),

> chance (say the atheists), the (five) elements (say

> the Jainas who believe in the eternality of the

> world), Matter (Prakriti) (say the Saktas), the

> Purusha (Hiranyagarbha) (say the Yogins) - thus the

> speculation (on the cause of worldly life). The

> combination of these is not (the cause) on account of

> the existence of the Self. The Self too is incapable

> (of being the cause) on account of its being subject

> to happiness and misery.

> IX-3. They (the knowers of Brahman) resorting to the

> Yoga of deep meditation perceived the power (Maya) of

> the self-luminous Atman, well hidden by its own

> attributes (of Sattva, etc.,), who, alone, governs all

> these causes including Time and the individual Self.

> IX-4. (Maya, under the guidance of the Saguna-Brahman

> - Ishvara - created the universe. Brahman itself does

> not perform any action as it is nishkriya). (They

> perceived) that (world resembling the wheel of a

> chariot) in one felly (Maya), covered with three (the

> gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, possessing the power of

> creation, sustenance and withdrawal of the world, due

> to the association with the three gunas), possessing

> sixteen powers (kalas), having fifty spokes with

> twenty nails (in the form of the senses and their

> objects), having six groups of eight (astakas) with

> one fetter (desire) of many forms, with three kinds of

> paths, and having delusion which is the cause of the

> two (goodness and sin, based on love and hatred).

> .........

> IX-7. This (described before as different from the

> Saguna Brahman, or Ishvara) has indeed been sung (in

> the Upanishads) as the supreme Brahman; on Him (the

> essence of the Pranava) the triad (is super-imposed)

> and it is the support (of the phenomenal world) which

> is in itself; it is imperishable. Knowers of the Veda

> realizing the difference (between the Self and Brahman

> to be false) and being completely devoted to Him are

> absorbed in the transcendent Brahman.

> IX-8. The Lord sustains the universe unified (by cause

> and effect), the perishable (phenomenal world) and the

> imperishable (Maya), the manifested (Nature) and the

> unmanifested (cause, Maya).

> ...........

> IX-10. Prakriti (Pradhana) is perishable; the Lord

> (Hara, who dispels ignorance) is immortal and

> imperishable. The one self-effulgent Being rules over

> the perishable (Prakriti) and the individual Atman. By

> repeated deep meditation on Him and concentration of

> the mind (in Yoga, 'I am He') and by the realization

> of true reality, (there shall be) the disappearance of

> the universal illusion (Maya) at the end (of one's

> ignorance).

>

>

> Nirvana Upanishad

> 48. The presiding deity (of the Taraka) is the

> everlasting bliss of non-duality.

> 49. The voluntary religious observance is the

> restraint of the inner senses.

> 50. Renouncing (tyaga) is the giving up of fear,

> delusion, sorrow and anger.

> 51. (Renouncing results is) the enjoyment of bliss in

> the identity of the higher and lower (self).

> 52. Unrestrainedness is pure power.

> 53. When the reality of Brahman shines in the self

> there is the annihilation of the phenomenal world

> which is enveloped by the power of Shiva (Maya);

> similarly the burning of the existence or

> non-existence of the aggregate of the causal, subtle

> and gross bodies.

>

> Paingala Upanishad

> I-1. Then indeed Paingala approached Yajnavalkya as a

> disciple, and, having served him for twelve years,

> said: Instruct me in regard to the supreme mystery of

> Aloneness.

> I-2. The eminent Yajnavalkya replied: Dear one, in the

> beginning this indeed existed. It was the eternally

> free, immutable, everlastingly one, secondless

> Brahman, full of Truth, Knowledge and Bliss.

> I-3. In it existed the primordial and indefinable

> Prakriti, consisting of Gunas in a state of equipoise,

> red, white and dark, resembling (the existence of)

> water, silver, a man and outlines (respectively) in

> the mirage oyster-shell, a stump and a mirror; what

> was reflected in it was the Witness Consciousness.

> I-4. Having been modified, with the preponderance of

> Sattva, and named Avyakta (the Unmanifest), it

> (Prakriti) became the power of concealment. What was

> reflected in it became God Consciousness. He has Maya

> under His control, is omniscient, is the initial cause

> of creation, sustenance and dissolution (of the world)

> and has the form of the sprouting world. He manifests

> the entire world dissolved in Him. Due to the power of

> the Karmas of living beings is the (world) spread out

> like this cloth and due to their exhaustion again is

> (the world) concealed. In Him alone does the entire

> world exist as a folded cloth.

> ..........

> -11. In the cosmos they could not, without God,

> pulsate or act. He desired to vivify them. Splitting

> open the macrocosm, the channels of Brahman, and the

> crowns of individuals, he entered into them. Though

> they were inert, like sentient (beings) they performed

> each its own functions.

> I-12. The omniscient Lord, conjoined with a streak of

> Maya, on entering the individual bodies, and deluded

> by it, became the Jiva; due to self-identification

> with the three bodies (he) became both agent and

> reaper (of action's fruits). Possessing the attributes

> of wakefulness, dream, deep sleep, swoon and death,

> like a chain of buckets (attached to a water wheel) he

> becomes troubled and as it were is born and dies,

> revolving like a potter's wheel.

> ...............

> II-8. By God's command (the Self) with the adjunct of

> Maya together with the Unmanifest, entering the

> individual causal body became Prajna. The Prajna is

> undifferentiated, real, 'Having conceit-in-deep-sleep'

> is the name of Prajna.

> II-9. Texts like Tattvamasi declare the identity with

> Brahman of the real Jiva concealed by ignorance and

> part of the unmanifest; not of the other two, the

> empirical and the illusory Jivas (in the waking and

> dream-state).

> .........

> III-1-2. Then Paingala said to Yajnavalkya: Set forth

> the explanation of the major text(s) [Maha-vakyas].

> Yajnavalkya replied: Thou art That; Thou That art;

> Thou Brahman art; I am Brahman - One should meditate

> thus.

> III-3. The expressed sense of the word 'tat' is the

> world-cause, marked by 'other-ness' (mediacy), having

> Being, Consciousness and Bliss as his characteristics,

> Maya as his adjunct and omniscience, etc., as his

> features. The very same with awareness mixed up with

> the inner sense, the object of the I-notion, is the

> expressed meaning of 'tvam'. Rejecting the adjuncts of

> the supreme (God) and the Jiva, viz.: Maya and avidya,

> the indicated sense of tat and tvam is Brahman,

> non-different from the inner Self.

> III-4. 'Hearing' is investigation into the import of

> propositions like 'That Thou art' and 'I am Brahman'.

> Reflection is the exclusive dwelling on the content of

> what has been heard. Meditation is the fixing of the

> mind one-pointedly on the reality, made doubtless

> through investigation and reflection. Concentration,

> resembling a flame in a windless spot, is the thought

> (chitta) whose content is solely the object meditated,

> exclusive of the agent, and the act, of meditation.

> III-5. Then (mind's) modifications referring to the

> Self, though shooting up, remain uncognised; they are

> only inferred from memory. By this (Samadhi) alone are

> dissolved Crores of deeds accumulated in the course of

> beginningless transmigratory existence.

>

> Sandilya Up.

>

> Then Sandilya questioned Atharvan thus: "From the

> Brahman that is OM, imperishable, actionless,

> beneficial, Sat (be-ness) only and supreme, how

> dissolution this universe arise ? How does it exist in

> It ? And how is it absorbed in It ? Please solve me

> this doubt."

> Atharvan replied: "The Supreme Brahman, the Truth, is

> the imperishable and the actionless. Then from the

> formless Brahman, three forms (or aspects) arose,

> (viz.,) Nishkala (partless), Sakala (with parts) and

> Sakala-Nishkala (with and without parts). That which

> is Satya, Vijnana and Ananda; That which is

> actionless, without any impurity, omnipresent,

> extremely subtle, having faces in every direction,

> undefinable and immortal - that is His Nishkala

> aspect. Maheshvara (the great Lord) who is black and

> yellow rules with Avidya, Mula-Prakriti or Maya that

> is red, white and black and that is co-existent with

> him. This is his Sakala-Nishkala aspect. Then the Lord

> desired (or willed) by his spiritual wisdom (thus):

> May I become many ? May I bring forth ? Then from this

> Person who was contemplating and whose desires are

> fulfilled, three letters sprang up.

> .......

> That Supreme Lord who is endowed with all kinds of

> wealth, who is all pervading, who is situated in the

> hearts of all beings, who is the Lord of Maya and

> whose form is Maya; He is Brahma; He is Vishnu; He is

> Rudra; He is Indra; He is all the Devas; He is all the

> Bhutas (elements or beings); He only is before; He

> only is behind; He only is on our left; He only is on

> our right; He only is below; He only is above; He only

> is the all.

>

> Sarasvati Rahasya Up.

> 46. Sarasvati thus spake:

> Through Me even Brahma won

> Self-knowledge eternal;

> Ever being Truth, Knowledge, Bliss,

> Mine is perpetual Brahmanhood,

> Without let or hindrance.

> 47. Thence through equilibrium

> Of qualities, Sattva,

> Rajas, Tamas, become

> I Prakriti; in Me

> Chit's semblance shines,

> As reflection in mirror fair.

> 48. Once more, Prakriti shines

> Threefoldwise, through that

> Reflection of the Chit;

> And as determined by

> Prakriti, am I Purusha too verily.

> 49. The Unborn, in Maya

> In which pure Sattva reigns,

> Is reflected; Maya,

> Prakriti is, that has

> Sattva dominant.

> 50. That Maya is adjunct,

> Wholly subordinate

> To all-knowing Ishwara;

> For, His alone oneness,

> Over Maya lordship, and

> Omniscience are, in truth.

> 51. Being of Sattva made,

> In essence collective,

> Of worlds the spectator,

> He is God who holds power

> To make, unmake or otherwise

> Make the universe; He

> Has virtues like all-knowingness.

> 52. Maya has forces two; one projection,

> The other, concealment: the first projects

> The world - all that is subtle and all gross.

> 53. The second veils, within, the gulf

> Between the Seer and seen; without,

> The gulf between creation and Brahman.

> Maya causes endless cosmic flux.

> 54. Nescience appears in Witness-light,

> To subtle body conjoined,

> Spirit and mind co-dwelling there

> Become jiva phenomenal.

> 55. His Jivahood,

> Through ascription shines forth, also,

> In Witness-light; together with

> The fall of what conceals, and so,

> The shining forth of distinction,

> That (Jivahood) disappears, too.

> 56. So also, through subservience

> Of Brahman to the Power which

> Veils Its difference from cosmos,

> Brahman shines forth in mutations.

> 57. Here, too, the difference that holds

> Between Brahman and the cosmos

> Shows not, once Maya's power which

> Conceals falls low; their difference

> Is in creation; in Brahman never.

> 58. Five factors are there here; being,

> Shining, loving, form, and name, too;

> The first three to Brahman pertain;

> Two others constitute the world.

> 59. Leave aside the last two factors,

> Be intent on the former three;

> Either in the heart, or without,

> Practise always concentration.

>

> Sarva Sara Up.

> 4. And Ananta, the Infinite, (remaining in the

> same manner) as (does) clay in modifications of clay,

> as gold in modifications of gold, as thread in fabrics

> of thread, the antecedent, all-pervading

> Consciousness, that is in all phenomena of creation

> beginning with the Unmanifested, is called the

> Infinite. And Ananda, Bliss - the essence of the

> consciousness of happiness, the ocean of measureless

> bliss, and the state of undifferentiated happiness is

> called Bliss. That, of which the above fourfold nature

> is an indication, and which is permanent in all space,

> time, substance, and causation, is called the Entity

> of "That" (Tat) Paramatman, Supreme Self, and

> Para-Brahman, or the Highest Brahman. Distinguished

> from the Entity of "Thou" (when it appears to be)

> possessed of attributes, as well as from the Entity of

> "That" (when it appears to be) possessed of

> attributes, that which is all-pervading like the sky,

> subtle, whole by itself, pure Existence, the Entity of

> "Art" (Asi). Self-luminous, is spoken of as the Atman;

> the Entity of "not-That", also is spoken of as Atman.

> That which is beginningless, fruitful, open to both

> proof and disproof, neither real nor unreal, nor

> real-unreal - non-existent, when, because of the

> immutability of its own substratum, the cause of

> change is ascertained; -- existent when it is not so

> ascertained - (thus that) which is undefinable, is

> called Maya.

>

> Sita Upanishad

>

> 1. The gods, indeed, said to Prajapati: who is Sita ?

> What is Her form ? Then Prajapati replied: She is

> Sita:

> 2. Being the first cause Sita is known as

> Prakriti; of Pranava, too, She is cause

> And so is named Prakriti.

> 3. Maya in very essence,

> Is Sita, of three letters formed.

> Called Vishnu, the world-seed,

> And Maya, too, is the letter i.

> 4. The letter sa denotes truth immortal;

> Achievement; Siva with his consort.

> Ta denotes the Queen of Speech

> United with Brahman, the Deliverer.

> 5. The Goddess who is the great Illusion, whose form

> is unmanifest, and who is denoted by 'i' becomes

> manifest, beauteous as the moon, faultless of limb,

> decked with ornamental garlands, pearls and other

> adornments.

> 6. At first, at the time of Vedic studies, She is

> essentially the clear Vedic speech. Secondly, on

> earth, at the tip of the plough She springs up, who,

> as the bliss of Brahman-realization, is ever present.

> Thirdly, as denoted by 'i' She becomes unmanifest. So

> is She Sita. Thus they explain in the text of the

> Saunakas.

>

> Svetasvatara Upanishad

>

> III-1: It is the self-same One who exists alone at the

> time of creation and dissolution of the universe, that

> assumes manifold powers and appears as the Divine Lord

> by virtue of His inscrutable power of Maya. He it is

> that protects all the worlds and controls all the

> various forces working therein. Those who realize this

> Being becomes immortal.

> III-2: He who protects and controls the worlds by His

> own powers, He - Rudra - is indeed one only. There is

> no one beside Him who can make Him the second. O men,

> He is present inside the hearts of all beings. After

> projecting and maintaining all the worlds, He finally

> withdraws them into Himself.

> ...........

> IV-8: Of what avail are the Vedas to him who does not

> know that indestructible, highest Ethereal Being, in

> whom the gods and the Vedas reside ? Only those who

> know That are satisfied.

> IV-9: The Lord of Maya projects the Vedas, sacrifices,

> spiritual practices, past and future, religious

> observances, all that the Vedas declare, and the whole

> world including ourselves. The other, again, is bound

> by Maya in this.

> IV-10: Know then that Nature is Maya, and that the

> great God is the Lord of Maya. The whole world is

> filled with beings who form His parts.

> .................

> Tejo Bindu Up.

> 7-11(a). He is said to be a Jivanmukta who realises:

> 'I have no Chitta, no Buddhi, no Ahamkara, no sense,

> no body at any time, no Pranas, no Maya, no passion

> and no anger, I am the great, I have nothing of these

> objects or of the world and I have no sin, no

> characteristics, no eye, no Manas, no ear, no nose, no

> tongue, no hand, no waking, no dreaming, or causal

> state in the least or the fourth state.'

> ..........

> 31. I am Chinmatra simply and there is no not-Atman.

> Rest assured of it. This universe is not (really at

> all). This universe is not (really) at all. It was

> nowhere produced and stays nowhere.

> 32. Some say that Chitta is the universe. Not at all.

> It exists not. Neither the universe nor Chitta nor

> Ahankara nor Jiva exists (really).

> 33-34. Neither the creation of Maya nor Maya itself

> exists (really). Fear does not (really) exist. Actor,

> action, hearing, thinking, the two Samadhis, the

> measurer, the measure, Ajnana and Aviveka - none of

> these exists (truly) anywhere.

> ..........

> 1-9(a). Ribhu continued again: "Know everything as

> Sachchinmaya (full of sat and consciousness). It

> pervades everything. Sachchidananda is non-dual,

> decayless, alone and other than all. It is 'I'. It

> alone is Akasa and 'thou'. It is I. There is (in it)

> no Manas, no Buddhi, no Ahankara, no Chitta, or the

> collection of these - neither 'thou' nor I, nor

> anything else nor everything. Brahman alone is.

> Sentence, words, Vedas, letters, beginning, middle or

> end, truth, law, pleasure, pain, existence, Maya,

> Prakriti, body, face, nose, tongue, palate, teeth,

> lip, forehead, expiration and inspiration, sweat,

> bone, blood, urine, distance, proximity, limb, belly,

> crown, the movement of hands and feet, Shastras,

> command, the knower, the known and the knowledge, the

> waking, dreaming and dreamless sleeping and the fourth

> state - all these do not belong to me. Everything is

> Sachchinmaya interwoven.

> ...........

> 61-63. I alone shine always. Therefore how can I with

> such a nature become Asat ? That which is called

> 'thou' is the great Brahman of the nature of the bliss

> of consciousness and of the nature of Chit having

> Chidakasha and Chit alone as the great bliss. Atman

> alone is 'I'. Asat is not 'I'. I am Kutastha, the

> great guru and Sachchidananda alone. I am this born

> universe. No time, no universe, no Maya, no Prakriti

> (in me).

> 64. I alone am the Hari. Personally, I alone am the

> Sadashiva. I am of the nature of pure consciousness. I

> am the enjoyer of pure Sattva.

> 65-71. I am the only essence full of Chit. Everything

> is Brahman and Brahman alone. Everything is Brahman

> and is Chit alone. I am of the nature of the

> all-latent and the all-witness. I am the supreme

> Atman, the supreme Jyotis, the supreme wealth, the

> supreme goal, the essence of all Vedantas, the subject

> discussed in all the Shastras the nature of Yogic

> bliss, the ocean of the chief bliss, the brightness of

> all wisdom, of the nature of chief wisdom, the

> brightness of the fourth state and the non-fourth but

> devoid of them, the indestructible Chit, truth,

> Vasudeva, the birthless and the deathless Brahma,

> Chidakasha, the unconditioned, the stainless, the

> immaculate, the emancipated, the utterly emancipated,

> the soulless, the formless and of the nature of the

> non-created universe. The universe which is assumed as

> truth and non-truth does not really exist.

>

> Tripura Tapini Up.

> -1: Now, in this sphere (of nescience), the Lord

> (Sadasiva), assuming the guises of Prajapati, Vishnu

> and Rudra, comes to be styled Goddess Tripura. By His

> primeval Power are fashioned the three abodes - the

> earth, the atmosphere and the heavens, or the heavens,

> the earth and the nether world. In the form of hrim,

> identical with the maya of Hara, the divine Hrillekha

> permeates, with Her terrible might, the terminus of

> the three peaks (above the junction of the two

> eyebrows), the seat of equilibrium of the three gunas,

> and the region where the world of objects is

> dissolved. This selfsame divinity is called Tripura.

> ............

> -26: Whoso repeats thus the fifteen-syllabled mantra

> of Tripura attains all desires; he attains all

> enjoyments; he conquers all worlds; he causes all

> words to bloom; he attains the status of Rudra;

> breaking through the abode of Vishnu (the veil of

> Maya), he reaches the supreme Brahman.

> ............

> I-39: The Lord (Sadasiva) said to all the gods: Having

> listened to the incantation (set forth by Me) and made

> it clear to yourself ('I am Brahman'), know (there is

> nothing other than Brahman) and reduce (whatever

> appears besides) to Brahman. Enthrone the supreme

> vidya, the Divinity in the heart - the Divinity styled

> Kama, the Primeval One; whose form is the Fourth; who

> transcends the Fourth, who exceeds all; who occupies

> all seats consecrated with holy spells; who is

> surrounded on all sides by deities seated on the main

> and subordinate seats; who pervades all parts (from

> Prana, vital breath, to naman, name); the deity who is

> replete with delight; who is in union with the supreme

> Spirit; who is in the heart; whose gift is

> immortality; who is complete and who is possessed of

> senses; who, forever, is uprisen; who comprises three

> groups; has three abodes, and is the supreme and most

> excellent Maya; who is the supreme power of Vishnu.

> Enthrone in the pericarp of the heart's lotus the

> supreme, sacred Lakshmi, the Maya ever uprisen; who

> controls the senses of Her devotees; who overwhelms

> the god of love; who is armed with bow and arrow; who

> inspires eloquence; who abides in the centre of the

> moon's sphere, is adorned with the crescent, and

> assumes the guise of the seventeen Prajapatis. She is

> the great one, eternally present. Her hands holding a

> noose and a goad are charming. She, the three-eyed

> one, shines like the rising sun. In the heart meditate

> on the goddess Mahalakshmi, comprehending all glories

> and possessed of all auspicious marks. Her own nature

> is Spirit. She is flawless. Her name is Trikuta. She

> has a smiling face, is beautiful, is the great Maya,

> and is extremely fascinating. She is adorned with

> great ear-rings. She rests on the threefold seat and

> abides in the nameless sacred abode, Sripitha. She is

> the great Bhairavi, the power of Spirit, the great

> Tripura. Meditate on Her through the great yoga of

> meditation. Whoso knows Her thus (fulfils his life).

> This is the great Upanishad.

>

> .............

> Next tell us about the attributeless Supreme.

> V-2: The blessed Lord spoke to them: By means of the

> fourth and final Maya (avidya, jnana, vijnana and

> samyagjnana), has the supreme Brahman been indicated,

> the supreme Person, the supreme Self, whose essence is

> consciousness. The hearer, the thinker, the seer, the

> teacher, the toucher, the proclaimer, the cognizer,

> the supreme knower, the inner person in all persons -

> that Self must be cognized.

> ..................

> V-5: Two kinds of minds there are:

> Pure and impure;

> Impure the mind, desire-ridden,

> The pure of desires freed.

> V-6: Mind alone is cause of man's

> Bondage and release; bondage is

> Clinging to objects; the mind

> Withdrawn therefrom promotes release.

> V-7: Shorn of attachment to objects,

> And restricted to the heart,

> Mind thus ceases to be mind -

> Such is the state supreme.

> V-8: Control the mind until

> It quiescence reaches in the heart.

> This is knowledge and meditation;

> The rest is naught but words.

>

> Varaha Upanishad

> 7(b)-8. I alone am happiness. There is none other. If

> there is said to be another, then it is not happiness.

> There is no such things as love, except on my account.

> The love that is on account of me is not natural to

> me. As I am the seat of supreme love, that 'I am not'

> is not.

> 9. He who is sought after by all, saying "I should

> become such", is myself, the all-pervading. How can

> non-light affect Atman, the self-shining which is no

> other than the light whence originates the words 'I am

> not light'.

> 10-12(a). My firm conviction is whoever knows for

> certain that (Atman) which is self-shining and has

> itself no basis (to rest upon), is one of Vijnana. The

> universe, Jiva, Ishvara, Maya and others do not really

> exist, except my full Atman.

> .........

> 50(b)-51(a). As the Akasa of the pot and that of the

> house are both located in the all-pervading Akasa, so

> the Jivas and Ishvara are only evolved out of me, the

> Chidakasa (the one Akasa of universal consciousness).

> 51(b)-52(a). So that which did not exist before the

> evolution of Atmas (Jiva) (and Ishvara) and that which

> is rejected at the end (viz., universal deluge) is

> called Maya by Brahma-Jnanis through their

> discrimination.

> 52(b)-53(a). Should Maya and its effects (the

> universe) be annihilated, there is no state of

> Ishvara, there is no state of Jiva. Therefore like the

> Akasa without its vehicle, I am the immaculate and

> Chit.

> ........

> 68. Likewise the wise do not identify themselves with

> their gross and subtle bodies. If the delusive

> knowledge (that the universe is real) with its cause

> should be destroyed by the fire of Atma-Jnana, the

> wise man becomes bodiless, through the idea 'It

> (Brahman) is not this; It is not this'.

> 69. Shastras, the knowledge of reality (of the

> universe) perishes. Through direct perception of

> truth, one's fitness for action (in this universe)

> ceases. With the cessation of Prarabdha (the portion

> of the past Karma which is being enjoyed in this

> life), the destruction of the manifestation (of the

> universe) takes place. Maya is thus destroyed in a

> three-fold manner.

> 70. If within himself no identification (of Jiva) with

> Brahman takes place, the state (of the separateness)

> of Jiva does not perish. If the non-dual one is truly

> discerned, then all affinities (for objects) cease.

> 71. With the cessation of Prarabdha (arising from the

> cessation of affinities), there is that of the body.

> Therefore it is certain that Maya perishes thus

> entirely. If it is said that all the universe is, that

> Brahman alone is that is of the nature of Sat.

> .........

> 14. As in the presence of the sun the world of its-own

> accord begins to perform its actions, so in my

> presence all the worlds are animated to action.

> 15. As to the mother-of pearl, the illusory conception

> of silver is falsely attributed, so to me is falsely

> attributed through Maya this universe which is

> composed of Mahat, etc.

> 16. I am not with those differences that are

> (observable) in the body of low caste men, the body of

> cow, etc., the fixed one's, the bodies of Brahmanas

> and others.

> 17. As to a person, even after being relieved from the

> misconception of the directions, the (same

> misconception of) direction continues (as before),

> just so is to me the universe though destroyed by

> Vijnana. Therefore the universe is not.

> 18. I am neither the body nor the organs of sense and

> action, nor Pranas, Nor Manas, nor Buddhi, nor

> Ahankara, nor Chitta, nor Maya, nor the universe

> including Akasa and others.

> 19. Neither am I the actor, the enjoyer, nor he who

> causes the enjoyment. I am Brahman that is Chit, Sat

> and Ananda alone and that is Janardana (Vishnu).

> 20. As, through the fluctuation of water, the sun

> (reflected therein) is moved, so Atman arises in this

> mundane existence through its mere connection with

> Ahankara.

>

> Yoga Kumdalini Up.

>

> 26. Atman is of the dimensions of a thumb, is a light

> without smoke and without form, is shining within (the

> body) and is undifferentiated and immutable.

> 27-28(a). The Vijnana Atman that dwells in this body

> is deluded by Maya during the states of waking,

> dreaming and dreamless sleep; but after many births,

> owing to the effect of good Karma, it wishes to attain

> its own state.

>

> Yoga Tattva Up.

>

> 4. To which Hrisikesha (the Lord of the senses or

> Vishnu) replied thus: "Listen. I shall explain its

> truth. All souls are immersed in happiness and sorrow

> through the snare of Maya.

> 5-6. Kaivalya, the supreme seat, is the path which

> gives them emancipation, which rends asunder the snare

> of Maya, which is the destroyer of birth, old age and

> disease and which enables one to overcome death.

> Panchadasi

> 16. When the element of sattva is pure, Prakriti is

> known as Maya; when impure (being mixed up with rajas

> and tamas) it is called Avidya. Brahman, reflected in

> Maya, is known as the omniscient Isvara, who controls

> Maya.

> .........

> 44. Brahman becomes the material and efficient cause

> of the world when associated with those aspects of

> Maya in which there is a predominance of tamas and

> sattva respectively. This Brahman is referred to as

> 'That ' in the text 'That thou art'.

> .........

> 46. When the three mutually contradictory aspects of

> Maya are rejected, there remains the one individual

> Brahman whose nature is existence, consciousness and

> bliss. This is pointed out by the great saying 'That

> thou art'.

> ..........

> 48. Similarly, when the adjuncts, Maya and Avidya

> (the conflicting connotations in the proposition 'That

> thou art') of Brahman, and Jiva, are negated, there

> remains the indivisible supreme Brahman, whose nature

> is existence, consciousness and bliss.

> ............

>

> II

> 33. The sun does not have the attribute of darkness;

> nor is it itself of the nature of darkness. As

> existence and non-existence are similarly

> contradictory, (you cannot predicate something about

> nothing, so) how do you say 'nothing existed' ?

> 34. (The Buddhists retort): (According to you

> Vedantins) The names and forms of Akasa and other

> elements are conjured up by Maya in (or on) Sat, the

> existence or Reality. Similarly (according to us) they

> (names and forms) are illusively produced by Maya in

> (or on) non-existence, Asat. (Reply): Our answer is,

> 'May you live long', i.e. you have fallen into a

> logical trap.

> 35. If you affirm that name and form attributed to an

> existing thing: are both creations of Maya (an

> illusory principle), then tell us what is the

> substratum upon which Maya creates names and forms;

> for illusion without a substratum, is never seen.

> 36. (The opponent says): In the Vedic text 'Existence

> was (sat asit)' if the two words mean differently then

> two separate things come in. If the words refer to the

> same thing, then there is tautology. (The Vedantins

> replies): Not that, i.e., the two terms certainly

> refer to the same thing, but identical statements like

> this are seen in usage.

> 37. We all use the expressions, 'What has to be done

> has been done', 'speech is spoken', and 'A burden is

> borne'. The Vedic text 'Existence was' is meant for

> those whose minds are accustomed to such expressions.

> 38. Such text as 'Before creation' spoken in

> reference to Brahman who is timeless, are meant for

> beginners who are used to the idea of time. They do

> not imply the existence of duality.

> 39. Objections are raised and answered from the point

> of view of duality. From the stand point of pure

> non-duality neither questions nor answers are

> possible.

> ..........

> 44. Brahman the pure existence (without any reference

> to the world) can be experienced without an iota of

> doubt, when all mentations cease. And what we

> experience is not nothing, for we are not conscious of

> the perception of nothing.

> 45. (Objection): The idea of existence is also absent

> in the state of quiescence. (reply): It does not

> matter. Brahman is self-revealing and the witness of

> the tranquil mind. It can be easily perceived by men

> inasmuch as it is the witness of the cessation of all

> mentations.

> 46. When the mind is void of all mentations we

> experience the witness or obscuring consciousness (in

> its purity) as calm and unagitated. Similarly prior to

> the functioning of Maya the existence, Sat, remained

> (in its purity) as quiescence, calm and unruffled.

> 47. As the power to burn exists in fire, so the power

> Maya, which has no existence independent of Brahman

> and which is inferred by its effect, exists in

> Brahman. Before the effect appears, the power behind

> the effect is not directly experienced by anyone

> anywhere.

> 48. The power of a substance is not the substance

> itself, as for instance, the power to burn is not the

> fire itself. (Similarly, Maya, which is the power of

> Brahman, is not Brahman). If Power is something other

> than Brahman, then define its nature.

> 49. (If you say the nature of) Maya is 'nothingness'

> (then you contradict yourself inasmuch as in verse 34)

> you said that 'nothing' is an effect of Maya (and an

> effect of a thing cannot be its nature, an effect

> being poterior to the thing). (So you will have to

> admit that) Maya is neither sunyam, non-existence nor

> Sat, existence, but it is as it is (i.e. something

> undefinable by the two terms).

> 50. This peculiar nature of Maya is corroborated by

> the Vedic text which purports, there was neither

> non-existence nor existence then (i.e., before

> creation) but there was darkness (by which is meant

> Maya). This attribution of existence to darkness (or

> Maya) is due to its association with existence, not by

> virtue of itself, in as much as it (existence) is

> denied to it (in the just mentioned Vedic passage).

> 51. Hence like nothingness, Maya also cannot be a

> distinct entity in its own right. In the world too, an

> able man and his ability are not considered two but

> one.

> 52. If it is argued that increase in one's power

> leads to the prolongation of his life (we counter it

> by saying that) the prolongation is not the result of

> power but the effects thereof, such as war,

> agriculture, etc.

> 53. Power is now here considered to be independent of

> its substratum. Before creation no effects of power

> existed. What grounds are there for assuming a duality

> ?

> 54. Power does not operate in the whole of Brahman

> but only in a part of it. Earth's power of producing

> pots is not seen in all earth but in a portion or mode

> of earth only, viz., in clay, i.e., earth mixed with

> water.

> 55. The Shruti says: 'Creation is only a quarter of

> Brahman, the other three quarters are self-revealing'

> (i.e., not dependent on Maya's effects for its

> revelation). Thus does the Shruti say Maya covers but

> a part of Brahman.

> 56. In the Gita, Sri Krishna says to Arjuna: 'The

> world is sustained by a part of Mine', indicating that

> the world is sustained by a part of the Lord.

> 57. The Shruti supports the same view: 'The supreme

> spirit, pervading the world on every side, yet extends

> ten fingers beyond it'. In the Sutras, too, Brahman is

> declared to transcend the world of differences.

> 58. Shruti, the well-wisher of the questioner, being

> asked whether Maya pervades the whole or part of

> Brahman, speaks of the partless as having parts in

> order to explain the non-dual nature of Brahman, by

> giving illustrations.

> 59. With Brahman as its basis, Maya creates the

> various objects of the world, just as a variety of

> pictures are drawn on a wall by the use of different

> colours.

> 60. The first modification of Maya is Akasa. Its

> nature is space i.e., it gives room to things to exist

> and expand. Akasa derives its existence from Brahman,

> its substratum.

> 61. The nature of Brahman is existence only. Brahman

> is spaceless but Akasa has both space and existence as

> its nature.

> 62. Akasa also has the property of (conveying or

> communicating) sound, which Brahman does not have.

> Thus Akasa has two properties, sound and existence,

> whereas Brahman has only one existence.

> 63. The same Sakti (power) i.e. Maya which has

> conjured up Akasa in the real entity, Sat or Existence

> has also produced the difference between them, after

> having shown their identity.

> 64. It is Sat which appears as Akasa, but ordinary

> people, and the logicians say that existence is a

> property of Akasa. This is only to be expected, for

> Maya is the conjurer.

> 65. It is common knowledge that correct understanding

> makes a thing appear as it is in itself and illusion

> makes it appear differently.

> 66. A thing appears to be quite different after a

> thorough discussion of the Vedic passage (concerned)

> from what it appeared before such a discussion. So let

> us now discuss the nature of Akasa.

> ............

> 78. The real entity (Brahman) is all-pervasive; the

> range of Maya is limited, that of Akasa is more

> limited and that of the air yet more so.

> 79. The following are the properties air is known to

> possess: ability to absorb moisture, perceptibility to

> the same of touch, speed and motion. Existence and the

> properties of Maya and Akasa are also found in air.

> 80. When we say, air exists, we mean that it does so

> by virtue of the universal principle, existence. If

> the idea of existence is abstracted from air what is

> left is of the nature of Maya i.e. a non-entity. The

> property of sound that is found in air is of Akasa.

> 81. (Objection): It was stated before (in 67) that

> existence was a natural concomitant of every thing and

> that Akasa was not. Now you say that Akasa is

> concomitant of air. Do they not contradict ?

> 82. (Reply): We implied before that space as an

> attribute of Akasa was not found in air; we now say

> that the ability to produce sound, which is also the

> attribute of Akasa is found in air. Where is the

> contradiction ?

> 83. (Objection): If you argue that because air is

> different from the real entity it is unreal, why do

> you not infer that air, perceived by the senses being

> different from Maya, is not unreal like Maya ?

> 84. (Reply): Air is unreal because its nature

> partakes of the nature of Maya. Unreality is common to

> Maya, and its effects, because both differ from

> reality (existence), although Maya, being power, is

> not subject to perception whereas its effects are.

> 85. There may be sub-divisions within non-existence.

> But what is the use of considering them here ?

> .......

> 90. Endowed with these properties of Brahman, Maya,

> Akasa and air, respectively, fire has colour as its

> specific property; apart from existence, all the other

> properties of fire are unreal. Understand this by

> discrimination.

> 91. Since the reality of fire as Brahman and its

> unreality apart from Brahman has been established, it

> is easy to understand the unreality of water apart

> from Brahman since it consists of only one-tenth part

> of fire.

> 92. Its existence, its pseudo-reality apart from

> existence, its perceptibility to the senses of sound,

> touch and sight are taken from the entities from which

> it is derived (namely, Brahman, Maya, Akasa, air and

> fire respectively). Its specific property is

> perceptibility to the sense of taste.

> III

> 32. It is for this that the Shruti in the passage

> "That Atman is 'not this, not this'" negates all

> objects (having names and forms), but keeps the 'that'

> (i.e. Atman) intact.

> 33. The entire world (severally and collectively)

> that can be referred to as 'this' can be negated, but

> the thing which is not 'this' can never be negated and

> this indestructible witness is the Self.

> 34. Thus has been established (here) the eternal

> existence of the Self which, according to the Shruti,

> is Brahman; and Its nature of pure consciousness has

> already been proved by statements like 'It is

> awareness itself'.

> 35. Being all-pervasive, Brahman is not limited by

> space; being eternal, It is not limited by time; and

> being of the nature of everything, It is not limited

> by any object. Thus Brahman is infinite in all three

> respects.

> 36. Space, time and the objects in them being

> illusions causes by Maya, there is no limitation of

> Brahman by them. Infinity of Brahman is therefore

> clear.

> 37. Brahman who is existence, consciousness and

> infinity is the Reality. Its being Ishvara (the

> Omniscient Lord of the world) and Jiva (the individual

> soul) are (mere) superimpositions by the two illusory

> adjuncts (Maya and Avidya, respectively).

> 38. There is a power (called Maya) of this Ishvara

> which controls everything. It informs all objects from

> the bliss sheath (to the physical body and the

> external world).

> 39. If the particular attributes of all objects are

> not determined by this power, there would be chaos in

> the world, for there would be nothing to distinguish

> the properties of one object from those of another.

> 40. This power appears as 'conscious' because it is

> associated with the reflection of Brahman. And because

> of Its association with this power, Brahman gets Its

> omniscience.

> 41. Brahman is called the individual soul (Jiva) when

> It is viewed in association with the five sheaths, as

> a man is called a father and a grandfather in relation

> to his son or his grandson.

> IV

> 2. The Svetasvatara Upanishad says: 'Know Maya as

> Prakriti and Brahman associated with Maya as the great

> Ishvara' (who imparts existence and consciousness to

> it and guides it). It is He who creates the world.

> ......

> 12. Maya of the great Ishvara has, like its power of

> creation, another power which deludes all. It is this

> power which deludes the Jiva.

> .........

> 13. The Jiva, thus deluded to believe himself to be

> powerless and identified with a body, becomes subject

> to grief. Thus is described in brief the duality

> created by Ishvara

> ..........

> 19. In the actual creation of the objects the

> modifications or functions of Maya, the power of the

> Lord are the cause; whereas for the actual enjoyment

> of those objects it is the modifications or functions

> of the inner organs of the Jivas that are responsible.

> .................

>

>

>

> Siddhanta Panjara

>

> Chapter Five

> 97. Disciple: O teacher, I wish to know the nature of

> Maya in order to give it up. What is abandoned without

> knowing, that abandonment is indeed not real

> abandonment.

> 98. That is truly abandoned which is given up having

> known 'this is thus'. Therefore O compassionate one,

> explain to me the nature of Maya.

> 99. Preceptor: That which endows (apparent)

> differentiation to beings with regard to their parts,

> is defined as Maya by the knowers of the essence of

> all scriptures.

> 100. That which produces diverse distinctions in the

> Supreme is verily called Maya by the examiners of the

> nature of Maya.

> 101. That which brings about impossible aberrations in

> the form of Brahman is verily called Maya by those

> learned in the essence of all scriptures.

> 102. That which appears to the intellect as having

> attributes in the one devoid of all attributes, as

> duality in the non-dual, is called Maya.

> 103. (The notion of) reality in the unreal is

> determined as Maya and that of unreality in the real

> is accounted for by the same; how it happens is

> explained (below).

> 104. A snake in the rope and silver in the shell

> appear even in the mind of the being who knows (the

> truth).

> 105. Although the rope and the shell are real, the

> snake and the silver which are unreal, appear in them.

> 106. Then again, on the unreal serpent and silver the

> knowledge that 'this is rope', 'this is nacre' is

> dawned.

> 107. In this body which is unreal, resolved as one's

> own, both the notion 'I am the body' and the true

> knowledge arise.

> 108. In the consciousness which is of the nature of

> reality and in God of the same nature, non-reality,

> non-consciousness and absence of supremacy appear.

> 109. Karma is said to be of two kinds - Vaidic and

> Tantric. Purity of speech, mind and body is the actual

> result of the two.

> 110. Unreality is attributed by all to the result

> which is real and reality is attributed to Anima,

> etc., which are unreal.

> 111. Also, reality is imagined in the heaven, etc.,

> which are unreal. Such an assumption is determined as

> Maya in the world.

> 112. All these are not reasonable, but always appear;

> the unreasonable yet manifested object is called

> unreal.

> 113. Falsity, the Primordial, the unmanifested, the

> indestructible, darkness, knowledge and ignorance are

> proclaimed as synonyms of Maya.

> 114. Maya is held to be of two kinds - pure and

> impure. That of the form of transmigration is impure,

> (while) that which removes transmigration is pure.

> 115. Of these two, the nature of the impure Maya has

> been described by me. Now I will speak of the nature

> of the pure one for the release of oneself from

> bondage.

> 116. Interest in study, in association with the

> virtuous, in Mantra-Sastra, Japa, respect for the

> preceptor, oblation and worship are known as pure

> Maya.

> 117. For the beings of the nature of pure Maya, for

> the devoted and for the wise, the knowledge of reality

> arises through proper practice.

> 118-119(a). On the attainment of knowledge, the

> devotion of the knower becomes

> perfect; and living on the earth, appears as mad, dumb

> or inert.

> 119(b)-120. The knower because of contrary qualities

> is not one among those people

> who are possessed of desire, anger, etc., passionate

> and unrestrained just as a swan is different from cows

> due to difference in qualities.

> 121. The pure Maya makes the transmigration reject the

> embodied who moves about to experience the (results

> of) actions which have begun to operate.

> 122. Having bestowed final release from the body to

> the blessed one, Maya then extinguishes itself for

> lack of substratum.

> 123. It has been shown by me in many ways to refute

> each of those whose scriptures conclude that there is

> no Maya.

>

> Chapter Six

> 124. Disciple: The nature of Maya narrated by you is

> indeed knowledge. How does that (Maya) remove the

> transmigration which is unreal ?

> 125. How does the Maya which is unreal give rise to

> the release which is real ? You may please remove

> this doubt remaining in my mind.

> 126. Preceptor: O disciple, just as the unreal dream

> cognition 'I am a Chandala' occurred all of a sudden

> to the pure noble Brahmin.

> 127. Then in front of this Chandala, who was a thief

> in the forest, appeared a lion possessing a body as

> huge as a mountain,

> 128. Seeing that unreal mighty lion, the Brahmin

> agitated with fear, woke up abandoning the state of

> being a Chandala,

> 129. Just as the lion which is unreal removed the

> state of being Chandala, so also, the Maya which is

> unreal certainly removes transmigration.

> 130. Just as the face reflected in a mirror, though

> itself unreal, makes the real face known,

> 131. So also the pure Maya which is unreal reveals to

> the pure-minded mortals the self which is of the form

> of reality.

> 132. Thus when Karma diminishes, the Mahamaya, which

> is pure and impure, gives beings the liberation, which

> is of the form of the destruction of Maya itself.

> 133. Just as in the world the fire in the wood

> perishes because of the destruction of the wood, so

> also in the world Maya perishes because of the lack of

> substratum.

> 134. Having understood well our doctrine and fixing

> this in mind and rejecting other doctrines, move about

> with ease.

>

> 428. The shell, when seen only as a white brilliant

> object, does not appear to a person in its own form.

> 429. Similarly, even though the Supreme Self is known

> as pure consciousness, the eternality and perfection

> of the self does not at all become evident.

> 430. Just as the unchanging rope appears in the form

> of a snake, similarly in this case also, the world

> which consists of beings and the Supreme Lord.

> 431. Duality exists in the empirical state in

> two-foldness - as the seer and the seen, (but) does

> not indeed exist in profound meditation. Therefore it

> is clearly proved that duality is due to adventitious

> conditions.

> 432-434. Therein the visible world (Drisya) is indeed

> Maya; the seeing self is the

> Supreme Lord. Maya is not real because it is different

> from the reality, also because of being the creator of

> the unreal world. It is not unreal because of being

> annulled by the true knowledge, because of the

> immediate cognition 'I do not at all know myself'. Nor

> is it both real and unreal due to its contradictions.

> 435-437. Because of the impossibility of the existence

> of contrary objects in one place,

> the Maya of the Supreme Self is indescribable as real

> or as unreal. If it were different from the Supreme

> Self, it would become non-existent. Mahamaya is of the

> nature of object to be known, the Supreme Shiva is of

> the nature of intelligence. It is not capable of being

> known as such. Because of their contradictory nature,

> it is not proper to take them as identical.

> 438. If it is said to be of the nature of (both)

> difference and non-difference, that too is not proper.

> For a single entity cannot be different and

> non-different at the same time. This Maya is of the

> nature of effect (Karya), therefore it is not with

> parts.

> 439-443. Nor is it devoid of parts, for it exists in

> the form of the universe. If it is also not

> of the nature both (with and without parts) when

> viewed from the said reasoning (contradictoriness).

> Hence it is established that Mahamaya is indeed

> indescribable. In this form of pure consciousness,

> this movable and immovable universe appears constantly

> due to Maya like the imaginary town in the sky.

> Therefore the universe created by Maya in the pure

> consciousness in unreal like the universe in the

> dream, like the rope-snake and like the shell-silver.

> The unreality of an entity is its negation by the true

> knowledge.

> 444-445. Maya exists in the Self till liberation like

> Rahu in the sun, it is not the body, the sense organ,

> the mind or intelligence or self. Because of the

> experience of 'mine' with regard to them, the nature

> of being self does not apply to them. Likewise, it is

> certain that the nature of being self does not belong

> to the vital air (Prana) also.

>

> Shankara

>

> Aparokshanubhuti

> 48. Moreover, the Shruti has condemned (the belief in

> variety) in the words, "The person who", being

> deceived by Maya, "sees variety in this (Brahman),

> goes from death to death".

> Vakya Vritti

> 44. 'That which shines, as the object of the idea and

> the word 'I', is Consciousness expressing in the inner

> equipments. This is the direct word-meaning of 'thou'

> (twam)."

> 45. "The Consciousness that is expressed through

> Maya, which then becomes the 'cause of the Universe',

> which is described as omnipresent, etc.; that which is

> known only indirectly (meditate); and which is having

> the nature of existence, etc., -- that Eswara is the

> word-meaning of the term 'That'."

> Vivekachudamani

> 65. As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its

> extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the

> removal of stones and other such things lying above it

> and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being

> (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth

> of the self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects,

> is to be attained through the instructions of a knower

> of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so

> forth, but not through perverted arguments.

> .................

> 108. Avidya (Nescience) or Maya, called also the

> Undifferentiated, is the power of the Lord. She is

> without beginning, is made up of the three Gunas and

> is superior to the effects (as their cause). She is to

> be inferred by one of clear intellect only from the

> effects She produces. It is She who brings forth this

> whole universe.

> 109. She is neither existent nor non-existent nor

> partaking of both characters; neither same nor

> different nor both; neither composed of parts nor an

> indivisible whole nor both. She is most wonderful and

> cannot be described in words.

> 110. Maya can be destroyed by the realisation of the

> pure Brahman, the one without a second, just as the

> mistaken idea of a snake is removed by the

> discrimination of the rope. She has her Gunas as

> Rajas, Tamas and Sattva, named after their respective

> functions.

> 111. Rajas has its Vikshepa-Shakti or projecting

> power, which is of the nature of an activity, and from

> which this primeval flow of activity has emanated.

> >From this also, mental modifications such as

> attachment and grief are continually produced.

> 112. Lust, anger, avarice, arrogance, spite, egoism,

> envy, jealousy, etc., -- these are the dire attributes

> of Rajas, from which the worldly tendency of man is

> produced. Therefore Rajas is a cause of bondage.

> 113. Avriti or the veiling power is the power of

> Tamas, which makes things appear other than what they

> are. It is this that causes man's repeated

> transmigrations, and starts the action of the

> projecting power (Vikshepa).

> ...........

> 123. From Mahat down to the gross body everything is

> the effect of Maya: These and Maya itself know thou to

> be the non-Self, and therefore unreal like the mirage

> in a desert.

> .............

> 237-238. Hence whatever is manifested, viz. this

> universe, is the Supreme Brahman Itself, the Real, the

> One without a second, pure, the Essence of Knowledge,

> taintless, serene, devoid of beginning and end, beyond

> activity, the Essence of Bliss Absolute - transcending

> all the diversities created by Maya or Nescience,

> eternal, ever beyond the reach of pain, indivisible,

> immeasurable, formless, undifferentiated, nameless,

> immutable, self-luminous.

> ...........

> 243. This contradiction between them is created by

> superimposition, and is not something real. This

> superimposition, in the case of Ishwara (the Lord), is

> Maya or Nescience, which is the cause of Mahat and the

> rest, and in the case of the Jiva (the individual

> soul), listen - the five sheaths, which are the

> effects of Maya, stand for it.

> ............

> 260. That which, though One only, is the cause of the

> many; which refutes all other causes, but is Itself

> without cause; distinct from Maya and its effect, the

> universe; and independent - that Brahman art thou,

> meditate on this in thy mind.

> 261. That which is free from duality; which is

> infinite and indestructible; distinct from the

> universe and Maya, supreme, eternal; which is undying

> Bliss; taintless - that Brahman art thou, meditate on

> this in thy mind.

> 262. That Reality which (though One) appears variously

> owing to delusion, taking on names and forms,

> attributes and changes, Itself always unchanged, like

> gold in its modifications - that Brahman art thou,

> meditate on this in thy mind.

> 263. That beyond which there is nothing; which shines

> even above Maya, which again is superior to its

> effect, the universe; the inmost Self of all, free

> from differentiation; the Real Self, the

> Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute; infinite and

> immutable - that Brahman art thou, meditate on this in

> thy mind.

> ................

> 345. Perfect discrimination brought on by direct

> realisation distinguishes the true nature of the

> subject from that of the object, and breaks the bond

> of delusion created by Maya; and there is no more

> transmigration for one who has been freed from this.

> ...................

> 324. As sedge, even if removed, does not stay away for

> a moment, but covers the water again, so Maya or

> Nescience also covers even a wise man, if he is averse

> to meditation on the Self.

> ........................

> 389. The Self is within, and the Self is without; the

> Self is before and the Self is behind; the Self is in

> the south, and the Self is in the north; the Self

> likewise is above as also below.

> 390. As the wave, the foam, the whirlpool, the bubble,

> etc., are all in essence but water, similarly the Chit

> (Knowledge Absolute) is all this, from the body up to

> egoism. Everything is verily the Chit, homogeneous and

> pure.

> 391. All this universe known through speech and mind

> is nothing but Brahman; there is nothing besides

> Brahman, which exists beyond the utmost range of the

> Prakriti. Are the pitcher, jug, jar, etc., known to be

> distinct from the clay of which they are composed ? It

> is the deluded man who talks of "thou" and "I", as an

> effect of the wine of Maya.

> .................

> 496. In me, the ocean of Infinite Bliss, the waves of

> the universe are created and destroyed by the playing

> of the wind of Maya.

> 497. Such ideas as gross (or subtle) are erroneously

> imagined in me by people through the manifestation of

> things superimposed - just as in the indivisible and

> absolute time, cycles, years, half-years, seasons,

> etc., are imagined.

> 498. That which is superimposed by the grossly

> ignorant fools can never taint the substratum: The

> great rush of waters observed in a mirage never wets

> the desert tracts.

> ................

> 513. I am verily that Brahman, the One without a

> second, which transcends the endless differentiations

> of Maya, which is the inmost essence of all, is beyond

> the range of consciousness, and which is Truth,

> Knowledge, Infinity and Bliss Absolute.

> ........

> 569. Bondage and Liberation, which are conjured up by

> Maya, do not really exist in the Atman, one's Reality,

> as the appearance and exit of the snake do not abide

> in the rope, which suffers no change.

> ........

> 573. Hence this bondage and Liberation are created by

> Maya, and are not in the Atman. How can there be any

> idea of limitation with regard to the Supreme Truth,

> which is without parts, without activity, calm,

> unimpeachable, taintless, and One without a second, as

> there can be none with regard to the infinite sky ?

>

> Brahma Sutras

>

> SECTION - II

>

> Topic-1: Dream State

> 1. In the intermediate stage (of dream) occurs (real)

> creation; for the Upanishad says so.

> 2. And some (following a particular branch) consider

> the Self to be a creator (of things desired); and sons

> and others (are the objects desired).

> 3. But the dream creation is a mere Maya, because of

> its nature of not being a complete manifestation of

> the totality of attributes (found in the wakeful

> state).

> 4. A dream is also an omen, for so it is known from

> the Upanishads and experts say so.

> 5. From the meditation on the supreme Lord, however,

> becomes manifest that which remains obscured; because

> the soul's bondage and freedom are derived from Him.

> 6. Or rather that covering occurs also on account of

> connection with the body.

>

>

> Bhagavad Gita

> 4. Jnana Yoga

> THE BLESSED LORD SAID:

> 5. Many births of Mine have passed, as well as of

> thine, O Arjuna; all these I know, thou knowest not, O

> harasser of foes.

> 6. Though I am unborn, of imperishable nature, and

> though I am the Lord of all beings, yet ruling over My

> own nature, I am born by My own Maya.

> 7. Whenever there is a decay of religion, O Bharata

> and an ascendency of irreligion, then I manifest

> Myself.

> 8. For the protection of the good, for the

> destruction of evil-doers, for the firm establishment

> of religion, I am born in every age.

> 9. Whoso knows thus My divine birth and action in

> truth

> VII

> 25. I am not manifest to all, veiled (as I am) by

> Yoga-Maya. This deluded world knows not Me, unborn and

> imperishable.

> XVIII

> 61. The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings, O

> Arjuna, whirling by Maya all beings (as if) mounted on

> a machine.

> 62. Fly unto Him for refuge with all thy being. O

> Bharata; by His Grace shalt thou obtain supreme peace

> (and) the eternal resting place.

> 63. Thus has wisdom, more secret than all that is

> secret, been declared to thee by Me; reflect thou over

> it all and act as thou pleasest.

>

>

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>

> Discussion of Shankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy of nonseparablity of

Atman and Brahman.

> Advaitin List Archives available at:

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>

>

[Guest guest]

advaitin, ken knight <hilken_98@Y...> wrote:

>>

>

> Incidentally, I wonder if anyone would like to offer

> their translation of I.164.22a: tasyedAhuH pippalaM

> svAdvagre

> Griffith gives 'Upon its top they say the fig is

> luscious '. My limited Sanskrit split the beginning as

> tasya it AhuH which has several possible meanings

> using Monier Williams so your comments would be

> welcomed.

 

Namaste,

 

The MAYA references file has been uploaded in the Files section

under the same name.

 

The sandhi split for the quoted line can be tasya id (or it)

AhuH, where id (it)is a particle for emphasis.

 

id

 

Meaning ind. Ved. (probably the neut. form of the pronom. base %{i}

see 3. %{i} ; a particle of affirmation) even , just , only ;

indeed , assuredly (especially , in strengthening an antithesis ,

e.g. %{ya4thA@va4zanti@devA4s@ta4he74d@asat} , as the gods wish it ,

thus indeed it will be RV. viii , 28 , 4 ; %

{di4psanta@i4d@ripa4vo@nA74ha@debhuH} , the enemies wishing indeed to

hurt were in nowise able to hurt RV. i , 147 , 3). %{id} is often

added to words expressing excess or exclusion (e.g. %{vizva@it} ,

every one indeed ; %{zazvad@it} , constantly indeed ; %{eka@it} , one

only). At the beginning of sentences it often adds emphasis to

pronouns , prepositions , particles (e.g. %{tvam@it} , thou indeed ; %

{yadi@it} , if indeed , &c.) %{id} occurs often in the R2ig-veda and

Atharva-veda , seldom in the Bra1hman2as , and its place is taken in

classical Sanskr2it by %{eva} and other particles.

======================================================================

 

Taking the context of the previous two verses the meaning is clearer:

 

 

This is Wilson's translation of Sayana's commentary:

 

http://www.srivaishnava.org/scripts/veda/rv/rvbook1.htm

 

1.164.20 Two birds associated together, and mutual friends, take

refuge in the same tree; one of them eats the sweet fig; the other

abstaining from food, merely looks on. [Two birds associated

together: the vital and supreme spirit, jiva_tma_ and parama_tma_,

are here alluded to using the metaphor of the two birds; eats the

sweet fig: pippalam sva_du atti: the vital spirit enjoys the rewards

of acts. dvau dvau pratis.t.hitau sukr.tau dharmakarta_rau: two

species of souls to be intended as abiding in one body (Nirukta

14.30)].

1.164.21 Where the smooth-gliding (rays), cognizant (of their duty),

distil the perpetual portion of ambrosia (water); there has the lord

and steadfast protector all beings consigned me, (though) immature

(in wisdom). [smooth-gliding: supran.a = supatanah s'obhana gamana

ras'mayah, the goers easily or beautifully, the rays of the sun;

consigned me: A_ditya has admitted, or admits me, the reciter of the

hymn, to the sphere of the sun].

1.164.22 In the tree into which the smooth-gliding (rays) feeders on

the sweet (produce), enter, and again bring forth (light) over all,

they have called the fruit sweet, but he partakes not of it who knows

not the protector (of the universe). [The tree: the orb or region of

the sun; he partakes not of it, who: tan na unna s'ad yah pitaram na

veda: pitaram = pa_laka, cherisher, protector; the sun, the supreme

spirit].

==============================================================

 

This is Griffith's translation:

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rigveda/rv01164.htm

20 Two Birds with fair wings, knit with bonds of friendship, in the

same sheltering tree have found a refuge.

One of the twain eats the sweet Fig-tree's fruitage; the other eating

not regardeth only.

21 Where those fine Birds hymn ceaselessly their portion of life

eternal, and the sacred synods,

There is the Universe's mighty Keeper, who, wise, hath entered into

me the simple.

22 The, tree whereon the fine Birds eat the sweetness, where they all

rest and procreate their offspring,--

Upon its top they say the fig is luscious none gaineth it who knoweth

not the Father.

===============================================================

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

[Guest guest]

--- "V. Krishnamurthy" <profvk wrote:

>

> Please help me on a simple question. The reference

> above: Krishna

> Yajur Veda 4.9-10, does not lead me anywhere. There

> are only

> 7 'prashnas' under the 4th KANDa of Krishna Yajur

> Veda.

 

Namaste Professor,

I am a naughty man. I included this as an afterthought

to the main body of quotes from the Upanishads. I had

taken the reference from a collection of quotes on

this site:

http://wuarchive.wustl.edu/doc/coombspapers/otherarchives/asian-religions-archiv\

es/hinduism/religious-texts/hind-scriptural-quotes-01.txt

As my own personal study is concentrating on the

RgVeda at the moment I did not try to track this down

further to check the reference. It seems to be an

authorative site so I had trusted it. I should know

better at my age.

I have had a brief look this morning at the Krishna

Yajur Veda on line version and not found the

reference. I will have another go later today.

Sorry to cause the trouble.

The Upanishad quotes should not give any trouble as

they are extracted from straightforward scans that

someone has posted.

By the way, if the above URL does not succeed. I got

to it this morning by putting up a Google search:

krishna yajur veda maya

It was about fourth in the list.

 

Best wishes

 

Ken Knight

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

--- Sarojini <Yoga wrote:

>I am going to slowly go through it and

> really enjoy. Thanks again!

> When you said that you had a study group, I am just

> curious what you guys

> were studying specifically7?

 

Namaste Sarojini,

Probably we are studying our ignorance hoping that it

will disappear in the light of shruti.

We meet a few times each summer when I set up some

topics for study. All the rest of the group are

involved with various organisations 'teaching'

advaita but I work independently because, as life has

evolved, the study of scriptures is my way. It is my

love for the scriptures that attracts these old

friends and as they do not have such a connection

otherwise they ask me to set up some study sessions

each year.

This summer we looked at the 'I am' sayings in various

traditions...Vedas, Vedanta, Ramana Maharshi,

Kabbalah, Sufism and in the Gospel of St.John. It may

be of interest to you to note that in St John the word

used for 'truth' in the Greek versions means

'not-forgetting'... .alethenos...which is really what

we are studying in advaita.

We also looked at 'dhi' in the Rgveda before the

sessions on maya.

The maya session was set up because I feel that

negative philosophy can get caught in the trap of

creating that which it is trying to deny. So people

try to dismiss illusion through the veil of their own

delusion. For example if we look at a lampstand and

say 'It is not there' we may fall into delusion of our

own making...(I know of one lady who vehemently

insists it is all an illusion but is always trying to

deal with 'issues', even forcing her dying husband to

'deal with the issue of his illness').

If we look at the lampstand or any other form and

allow the 'name' to not repeat then the form

dissolves. Then the essence of the lampstand is

'known' as the veils part. Just as the essence of

ropeness remains after the removal of the snake and

the burning of the rope.

During that last session we each wrote out our

definition of maya, placed them in a metal bowl and

burnt them. A symbolic yajna of what we are about.

If the maya topic interests you may I suggest a visit

to www.hunduism.co.za

Look down the list of topics and find one called

maya/shakti/prakriti This has some excellent articles

from such as Vivekananda and Swami Nikhilananda as

well as by C.Shah.

 

Enjoy your study,

 

Ken Knight