SrIdakshiNAmurti-stotram (Part IX - d)

[Guest guest]

Sridakshinamurtistotram

(Part IX –d)

SrIgurubhyo namaH

 

SrIdakshiNAmurti-stotram (Part IX - d)

 

sarva-tantra-svatantrAya sadAtma-advaita-vAdine

shrImate shankarAchArya vedAnta-gurave namaH

(Salutations to Thee, O great Acharya Shankara, the Supreme Teacher

of Vedanta, who was the master of all shAstras and was specially the

protagonist of the eternal non-dual Atman – An invocatory prayer in

the book: laghu-vAsudeva-mananam.)

 

Continuing our study of the eighth verse (vishwam pashyati…) we

shall now look at some aspects of Maya/Avidya.

 

The locus and object of Avidya:

 

The Sankshepa-shArIraka (I – 319) says:

 

Ashrayatva-viShayatva-bhAginI nir-vibhAga-chitireva kevalA

pUrvasiddha-tamaso hi pashchimo nAshrayo bhavati nApi gocharaH

 

((Undifferentiated Consciousness is the locus as well as the object

of Avidya. The embodied soul and the Ishvara ) that come into being

subsequent to Avidya can neither be the locus nor the object of

Avidya which exists prior to them.)

 

The SvAraajya-siddhi (I.47) says: As the experience `I am ignorant'

reveals, this beginningless ignorance is based on Consciousness and

makes It its object. Just as Raahu conceals and nevertheless is

manifested by the Moon, so ignorance conceals, and is also revealed

by Consciousness. It projects (the world) and deludes the

individual. Alas! It is very difficult to define it.

 

AvaraNashakti and Vikshepashakti of Maya:

 

This mUlAjnAna, primal ignorance, is thus to be associated with two

powers – AvaraNa-shakti, the concealing power and VikShepa-shakti,

the projecting power. The concealment is in evidence particularly

in suShupti – deep sleep. This is referred to in the hymn in the

sixth stanza

` RAhu-grasta….'

 

This concealment is likened to the darkness experienced by the owl

in bright sunshine. This means that like Avidya, its offshoot which

is this concealment, is spoken of only from the empirical standpoint

while from the absolute standpoint, it is not. The Manasollasa

VIII.22 says:

 

Just as the Sun, though untouched by smoke, clouds, dust and fog,

yet looks as if he were covered by them, so does Atman look as if He

were covered by MAyA.

 

The Hastaamalaka prakaraNa (10) says:

Just as the utterly ignorant who considers the Sun as covered by the

cloud and without brilliance, though in actuality, it is his own

vision that is obstructed by the cloud, likewise, to the one with

clouded intellect, Atman appears as bound, which, in reality is

ever of the nature of enlightenment; that Atman indeed, am I.

 

The Panchadashi (VII 35,36) speaks about Ajnana and its AvaraNa-

shakti, the concealing power:

 

35. Ignorance is the stage characterized by `I do not know' and is

the cause of the indifference about truth, lasting as long as

discrimination does not mature.

 

36. The empirical usage of what is contrary to truth viz., `the Self

does not exist; it does not appear,' which is the result of improper

enquiry, is the product of obscuration.

 

The VivekachUDAmaNi too says:

 

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).

 

This makes it clear that concealment offers the incidence for the

projection of the universe, brought about by the uprising of the

vasanas latent in avidya. Referring to avidya, the BrihadAraNyaka-

bhAshya (I.4.17) says:

 

//It merely conceals the true nature of Reality; it might, however,

be said to be the seed for initiating action, just as blindness is

the cause of one's falling into a pit, etc.//

 

Again, the Sutrabhahsya (2.1.12.36) says:

 

//Nor can Nescience by itself be the cause, and it is of a uniform

nature. On the other hand, Nescience may be the cause of inequality,

if it be considered as having regard to merit accruing from action

produced by the mental impressions or wrath, hatred, and other

afflicting passions//

 

Sequence of wrong realizations pertaining to aham' and `idam':

What is indeed this universe? When we closely examine this question,

we arrive at the conclusion, with the aid of the Vedanta teaching,

that it is nothing but an appearance due to a sequence of wrong

realizations consequent upon the ever-continuous non-realization of

the one Reality, Brahman. These wrong realizations are nothing but

fresh appearances arising from the modifications of avidya, their

cause, and therefore are essentially identical with it. They are

only further developments and aggrandizations of avidya. This

situation is referred to in the hymn –

 

mAyA-shakti-vilAsa-kalpita-mahA-vyAmohaH (verse 5) and mAyA-

paribhrAmitaH (verse 8).

 

The SUtasamhitaa (Su.Gita: 4 – 31,32) puts it emphatically:

// Hearken O Gods ! The series of joys and sorrows as also all this

(world) that is experienced is the creation in the manner of dream,

of only the Maya of the God of Gods.

On analysis, it is seen that whatever is shown up by Maya is Maya

alone. It has been already established that there is no effect

distinct from the cause. //

Avidya as leading to the wrong realizations pertaining to aham (`I')

is referred to as kAraNa-sharIraH (causal body), in the IshAvAsya

bhAshya:

 

Shuddham nirmalam avidyA-mala-rahitam iti kAraNa-sharIra-pratiShedhaH

(By the word `shuddham' meaning `pure' or `free from the taint of

ignorance' it is shown that It (Atman) has no causal body.)

 

The wrong realizations pertaining to `idam" (this) are referred to

as –

 

Vishwam pashyati kArya-kAraNa-tayA…(in other words, this whole world-

experience of objects, relationships, differences, etc.)

In Reality there is no Maya at all; Brahman alone Is. He who is

under the sway of ignorance is unable to establish Maya. In

consideration of the nature of Reality, it is established that there

is no ignorance. The MAndUkya kaarika 4.58 says: `sA cha MaayA na

vidyate.' The Bhashya thereon is:

 

//And that Maya does not exist. Is maya to be taken as an existent

then? Not so. It is to be understood that Maya is the name of that

which does not exist. //

 

The absolute standpoint is given expression to in the Shruti

(Amritabindu Upanishad 10): na nirodho na cha utpattiH….(There is

neither destruction nor origination, neither a bound nor a

struggling soul, neither a seeker after liberation nor a liberated

one. This is 'paramArthatA', the absolute Truth.)

 

It should be noted that in the Vedantic set up, the notion of Maya

is a teaching device, a pratikalpana. The SUtasamhita (SU.Gita 4 –

33 to 36) says:

 

// O Great Sages ! That Maya is the cause is also assumptive. In

truth, it does not exist independent of its substratum. Positing of

Maya is from the standpoint of parlance and certainly not from that

of reality. In reality, the Supreme non-dual Brahman alone exists,

and none else. In actuality, only Brahman appears in the form of

Maya as also the world, the jiva etc. Wonderful indeed is the

grandeur of the Divine !!

 

Apart from Brahman Itself, nothing else exists (other than

Brahman). Yet It shines as though different from Itself. Amazing

indeed is the glory of the Divine. //

 

The mind as vikshepa-shakti itself:

 

The pre-eminent position of the Vedanta is to regard the mind,

manas, as none other than the diversifying power of Avidya. It is

not a product of avidya but is a synonym of the world-appearance

itself. The Yoga vaasishtha quoted in the Panchadashi XIII 20 says:

//O Rama ! whenever that Omnipresent Ever-luminous Infinite Self

assumes the cognizing power (a mode of Maya), it is called the

mind.//

 

In the drishti-srishti paksha (creation is mere cognition), the mind

is not a product of the subtle elements. The entire universe

inclusive of the subtle elements is regarded as a mode of the mind.

This has the sanction of the Shrutis such as `When a person is so

asleep,….. speech with all names merges in him'. This does not mean

that the world is not seen because of the absence of the instruments

of cognition. For, the Shruti again says: When he awakes, even as

sparks proceed in all directions from a blazing fire, even so, from

this Self the vital breaths proceed to their respective stations…

etc. `. Thus there is no defect in holding that the entire world is

none other than the manas.

 

In reply to Sri Rama's question:

// Divine Sire ! Kindly explain to me clearly what exactly is the

nature of the mind which projects all this, abounding in evil.//,

 

Sage Vasishtha replies, after pointing out that manas has no

independent existence of its own other than that of the Substratum:

 

//O Blessed One ! experience, memory, imagination, etc., constitute

the mind. It is otherwise called avidya, samsriti, chittam, manas,

bandha, mala and tamas. When all such imagination disappears, only

the Substratum remains.// (Laghu Yoga Vaasishtha:3,1, 61 – 65)

 

The Vivekachudamani (171) says:

//There is no ignorance apart from the mind. The mind alone is

ignorance, the cause of the bondage, samsara. When that is

destroyed, all else is destroyed and when it is manifested,

everything else is manifested.//

 

This eradication of manas is accomplished only if the avidya in

which it is rooted in the form of vasanas is dispelled, and not

otherwise.

 

The aspects pertaining to the three states (waking, dream and sleep)

shall be taken up in the sequel.

 

(end of part IX – d)

(To be continued)

 

Om Tat Sat

[Guest guest]

Namaste Subrahmanian,

Your article is wonderful with apt quotations from so many different works.

Svarajya siddhi is a wonderful work but somehow it is not very popular among

traditional scholars nowadays. When they speak of Siddhi literature they

refer to only four- Brahmasiddhi, Ishtasiddhi, Advaitasiddhi and

Naishkarmyasiddhi. I started translating Svarajyasiddhi some time ago, but

it was interrupted when I took up other texts. I shall go back to it some

time. I have an old book with a Skt commentary by the author himself

published by Kadalangudi Natesa Sastrigal. Do you have any Eng. translation?

S.N.Sastri

 

 

 

On 10/5/06, subrahmanian_v <subrahmanian_v > wrote:

>

> Sridakshinamurtistotram

> (Part IX –d)

> SrIgurubhyo namaH

>

> SrIdakshiNAmurti-stotram (Part IX - d)

>

> sarva-tantra-svatantrAya sadAtma-advaita-vAdine

> shrImate shankarAchArya vedAnta-gurave namaH

> (Salutations to Thee, O great Acharya Shankara, the Supreme Teacher

> of Vedanta, who was the master of all shAstras and was specially the

> protagonist of the eternal non-dual Atman – An invocatory prayer in

> the book: laghu-vAsudeva-mananam.)

>

> Vishwam pashyati kArya-kAraNa-tayA…(in other words, this whole world-

> experience of objects, relationships, differences, etc.)

> In Reality there is no Maya at all; Brahman alone Is. He who is

> under the sway of ignorance is unable to establish Maya. In

> consideration of the nature of Reality, it is established that there

> is no ignorance. The MAndUkya kaarika 4.58 says: `sA cha MaayA na

> vidyate.' The Bhashya thereon is:

 

 

 

 

(To be continued)

>

> Om Tat Sat

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

advaitin, "S.N. Sastri" <sn.sastri wrote:

I have an old book with a Skt commentary by the author himself

> published by Kadalangudi Natesa Sastrigal. Do you have any Eng.

translation?

> S.N.Sastri

 

SrIgurubhyo NamaH

 

Namaste Sir,

 

The book 'svArAjya-siddhi'referred above is with me as well; pages

so brittle. Recently (2001) a Tamil translation with elaborate

commentary has been brought out by the Shastra-prakAshikaa Trust,

Chennai(with which Swami ParamArthAnanda ji is associated). A group

known to me is studying this work with this book currently in

Chennai. The book is a translation of the Sanskrit original with the

commentary named 'kaivalya-kalpadruma'of the original author, Sri

Gangaadharendra Saraswati. The Tamil translation is by

Smt.V.S.Kamalaambaal ammaal.

 

Maybe Shri Sunder Hattangadi ji will be able to give us more details

about any English translation.

 

Warm Regards,

subbu

Om Tat Sat

[Guest guest]

advaitin, "subrahmanian_v"

<subrahmanian_v wrote:

>

> advaitin, "S.N. Sastri" <sn.sastri@> wrote:

> I have an old book with a Skt commentary by the author himself

> > published by Kadalangudi Natesa Sastrigal. Do you have any Eng.

> translation?

> > S.N.Sastri

>

> SrIgurubhyo NamaH

>

> Namaste Sir,

>

> The book 'svArAjya-siddhi'referred above is with me as well; pages

> so brittle. Recently (2001) a Tamil translation with elaborate

> commentary has been brought out by the Shastra-prakAshikaa Trust,

> Chennai(with which Swami ParamArthAnanda ji is associated). A

group

> known to me is studying this work with this book currently in

> Chennai. The book is a translation of the Sanskrit original with

the

> commentary named 'kaivalya-kalpadruma'of the original author, Sri

> Gangaadharendra Saraswati. The Tamil translation is by

> Smt.V.S.Kamalaambaal ammaal.

>

 

Namaste,

 

The World Catalogue of Books does not mention any English

translations:

 

Libraries with Item: "Svarajyasiddhih"

 

Location Library Code

HI UNIV OF HAWAII AT MANOA HUH

 

IL CENTER FOR RES LIBR CRL

 

NY NEW YORK PUB LIBR RES LIBR NYP

 

Record for Item: "Svarajyasiddhih"( Libraries with Item )

 

Find Items About: Suresvaracarya. (17)

Title: Svarajyasiddhih

Author(s): Suresvaracarya. ; Svarajyasiddhih.

Bhaskaranandasarasvati. ; Kaivalyakhyadruma.

Publication: Prayaga : Mahadeva Prasadena,

Year: 1891

Description: 238 p. ; 25 cm.

Language: Sanskrit

Standard No: LCCN: 81-901787

SUBJECT(S)

Descriptor: Advaita.

Self-realization.

Note(s): In Sanskrit; pref. in English./ Cover title./ Generally

attributed to Suresvaracarya./ Reproduction: Microfiche./ New Delhi,

India :/ Library of Congress Office,/ 1981./ 3 microfiches ; 11 x 15

cm./ South Asian Retrospective Material India (SAIR), filmed by the

Library of Congress Office, New Delhi, India.

Responsibility: Svamibhaskaranandasarasvatikrtaya

Kaivalyakhyadrumasamakhyaya tikaya sahita.

Material Type: Microfiche (mfc)

Document Type: Book

Entry: 19920803

Update: 20040527

Accession No: OCLC: 26579980

Database: WorldCat

 

================================================================

 

To review Catalogue of Manuscripts in Sanskrit:

 

http://gist.ap.nic.in/cgi-bin/s1/s1sublist.cgi

 

Catalogus Catalogorum - Catalogue of Sanskrit and Allied Works and

Authors

Subject wise Information

Choose One of the Subjects from the given Subject List, you will

find the Book List for that particular Subject

 

SUBJECT LIST

Foreword

CatalogueList

SubjectList

GISTNIC

 

Download Fonts

Authors

Book Name

HOME

 

 

 

 

Regards,

 

Sunder

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the information. I shall try to get theTamil translation.

Sastri

 

 

On 10/5/06, subrahmanian_v <subrahmanian_v > wrote:

>

> advaitin, "S.N. Sastri" <sn.sastri wrote:

> I have an old book with a Skt commentary by the author himself

> > published by Kadalangudi Natesa Sastrigal. Do you have any Eng.

> translation?

> > S.N.Sastri

>

> SrIgurubhyo NamaH

>

> Namaste Sir,

>

> The book 'svArAjya-siddhi'referred above is with me as well; pages

> so brittle. Recently (2001) a Tamil translation with elaborate

> commentary has been brought out by the Shastra-prakAshikaa Trust,

> Chennai(with which Swami ParamArthAnanda ji is associated). A group

> known to me is studying this work with this book currently in

> Chennai. The book is a translation of the Sanskrit original with the

> commentary named 'kaivalya-kalpadruma'of the original author, Sri

> Gangaadharendra Saraswati. The Tamil translation is by

> Smt.V.S.Kamalaambaal ammaal.

>

> Maybe Shri Sunder Hattangadi ji will be able to give us more details

> about any English translation.

>

> Warm Regards,

> subbu

> Om Tat Sat

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>