'Adhyaropa - Apavada' in the Bhagavatam

[V Subrahmanian]

'Adhyaropa - Apavada' in the Bhagavatam

In these slokas it is mentioned that the Supreme Lord does not engage in the act of creation in absolute terms. The Shastra negates the idea that Ishwara is actively involved in the creation of the world, after initially positing such an active involvement.

श्रीमद्भागवतपुराणम्/स्कन्धः २/अध्यायः १०
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न इत्थंभावेन हि परं द्रष्टुं अर्हन्ति सूरयः ॥ ४४ ॥
नास्य कर्मणि जन्मादौ परस्य अनुविधीयते ।
कर्तृत्वप्रतिषेधार्थं माययारोपितं हि तत् ॥ ४५ ॥

Sridhara Swami has quoted some verses from the Upanishad in his commentary: (See his commentary in the attached image)

निष्कलं निष्क्रियं शान्तं निरवद्यं निरञ्जनम्‌। श्वेताश्वतर उपनिषद् 6.18
इन्द्रो मायाभिः पुरुरूप ईयते | बृहदारण्यकोपनिषद 2.5.19

Many Puranas also describe the Supreme Being as a passive participator in creation:

चिद्रूपममृतं शुद्धं निष्क्रियं व्यापकं शिवम् ।
तुरीयायामवस्थायामास्थितोऽसौ न संशयः ॥ १,२३५.१८ ॥ Garuda purana

लक्ष्मीनारायणसंहिता/खण्डः ४ (तिष्यसन्तानः)/अध्यायः ०९९:
तदिदं मोहनं बद्रि चाद्वैते द्वैतवद् यथा ।
एवं विदित्वा निर्लेपं निष्क्रियं च निरञ्जनम् ।।९५।।।

Shankaracharya in his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita quotes a venerable Acharya of the Vedanta tradition:

तथा हि सम्प्रदायविदां वचनम् — ‘अध्यारोपापवादाभ्यां निष्प्रपञ्चं प्रपञ्च्यते’ ( ? ) इति 13.13

This is the Upanishadic method of first attributing qualities (to Brahman) that are not actually present in it and then denying them, since it is very difficult to correctly comprehend the Supreme Truth. This method can be seen alluded to in the Bhagavatam.

Om Tat Sat