Shankara says: Vedantins have no purport in Creation

[V Subrahmanian]

In the Mandukya Karika Bhashya Shankara says:

Commenting on this Karika which says 'Creation is an expression of Ishwara's vibhuti, splendour - so say those who are concerned with creation. Others think that creation is akin to dream, magical performance, etc. 

Shankara says:  Those who are concerned with the absolute Truth, paramarthaka chintanam, are not bothered about creation and cites the Brihadaranyaka mantra which says:  Ishwara, out of Maya, manifests as many.' 

From this we conclude that Shankara does not hold the creation shrutis as having any significance for the Vedantin.  Shankara emphasises this twice in this very bhashya. 

Om Tat Sat 

विभूतिं प्रसवं त्वन्ये मन्यन्ते सृष्टिचिन्तकाः ।
स्वप्नमायासरूपेति सृष्टिरन्यैर्विकल्पिता ॥ ७ ॥

विभूतिर्विस्तार ईश्वरस्य सृष्टिरिति सृष्टिचिन्तका मन्यन्ते ; न तु परमार्थचिन्तकानां सृष्टावादर इत्यर्थः, ‘इन्द्रो मायाभिः पुरुरूप ईयते’ (बृ. उ. २ । ५ । १९) इति श्रुतेः । न हि मायाविनं सूत्रमाकाशे निःक्षिप्य तेन सायुधमारुह्य चक्षुर्गोचरतामतीत्य युद्धेन खण्डशश्छिन्नं पतितं पुनरुत्थितं च पश्यतां तत्कृतमायादिसतत्त्वचिन्तायामादरो भवति । तथैवायं मायाविनः सूत्रप्रसारणसमः सुषुप्तस्वप्नादिविकासः ; तदारूढमायाविसमश्च तत्स्थप्राज्ञतैजसादिः ; सूत्रतदारूढाभ्यामन्यः परमार्थमायावी । स एव भूमिष्ठो मायाच्छन्नः अदृश्यमान एव स्थितो यथा, तथा तुरीयाख्यं परमार्थतत्त्वम् । अतस्तच्चिन्तायामेवादरो मुमुक्षूणामार्याणाम् , न निष्प्रयोजनायां सृष्टावादर इत्यतः सृष्टिचिन्तकानामेवैते विकल्पा इत्याह — स्वप्नमायासरूपेति । स्वप्नसरूपा मायासरूपा चेति ॥

[Sudhanshu Shekhar]

Namaste Subbu ji.

From this we conclude that Shankara does not hold the creation shrutis as having any significance for the Vedantin.  Shankara emphasises this twice in this very bhashya. 

Creation-shruti are not devoid of significance for VedAntI. They hold great significance - by being the tool through which advitIyatva of Brahman is established. However, they don't have significance in their literal meaning.

The paramArtha-chintaka has no interest or prayojana in physics of creation. This is because: investigating the physics of dream-creation is useless. There is no physics there at all.

The paramArtha-chintaka has, however, prayojana in advitIyatva of Brahman which is established by creation-shruti.

That is why creation-shruti are called arthavAda by BhAshyakAra in Aitareya. Their dwArabhUta-artha is to be ignored whereas the lakshya-artha, which is in unison with pramANa-vAkyAs proclaiming advitIyatva of Brahman, is to be accepted.

...अस्तु तर्हि सर्वमेवेदमनुपपन्नम् । न, अत्रात्माववोधमात्रस्य विवक्षितत्वात्सर्वोऽयमर्थवाद इत्यदोषः ।

Regards,

Sudhanshu Shekhar.

[V Subrahmanian]

Dear Sudhanshu ji,

What I meant to convey is what Shankara says there:

स एव भूमिष्ठो मायाच्छन्नः अदृश्यमान एव स्थितो यथा, तथा तुरीयाख्यं परमार्थतत्त्वम् । अतस्तच्चिन्तायामेवादरो मुमुक्षूणामार्याणाम् , न निष्प्रयोजनायां सृष्टावादर इत्यतः सृष्टिचिन्तकानामेवैते विकल्पा इत्याह — स्वप्नमायासरूपेति । स्वप्नसरूपा मायासरूपा चेति ॥

The purport/significance for the Vedantin is the Turiya  that is 'unseen' behind the 'seen' creation. Hence the Mumukshus, Aryas, focus on the Turiya alone and not on the creation that is of no use.  By anvaya-vyatirka Shankara conveys that it is the Brahman that is the focus of the aspirant.  

 

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[Sudhanshu Shekhar]

Namaste Subbu ji.

Yes. I get that point. Just that someone may misconstrue as srishTi-vAkya having no relevance for vedAntI. That is why I just tried to expand.

Regards. 

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