The distinction between Jeeva and Ishvara is adventitious (aupadhika), not real - Srimad Bhagavatam

[V Subrahmanian]

The Jeevatma Paramatma Bheda is dispelled in the verses of this chapter:

श्रीमद्भागवतपुराणम्/स्कन्धः ४/अध्यायः २८

https://sa.wikisource.org/s/ecd

अहं भवान्न चान्यस्त्वं त्वमेवाहं विचक्ष्व भोः ।

न नौ पश्यन्ति कवयः छिद्रं जातु मनागपि । ॥ ६२ ॥

Know that I am you, you are not different from me, I am you indeed. The wise never perceive us separately.

So is there is no difference between Jivais and Ishwara which we do experience? The answer is:

यथा पुरुष आत्मानं एकं आदर्शचक्षुषोः ।

द्विधाभूतमवेक्षेत तथैवान्तरमावयोः । ॥ ६३ ॥

When one looks at oneself in a mirror, the reflection appears large and stable, while when one sees oneself reflected in the eyes of another, one appears very small and unstable. Thus the difference seen between Jeeva and Ishvara follows the respective upadhi-s, just as one alone appears as two distinct reflections in different upadhi-s.

We find this Advaitic premise in the famous Viveka chudamani:

ऐक्यं तयोर्लक्षितयोर्न वाच्ययो -

र्निगद्यतेऽन्योन्यविरुद्धधर्मिणोः ।

खद्योतभान्वोरिव राजभृत्ययोः

कूपाम्बुराश्योः परमाणुमेर्वोः ॥ २४४ ॥

The distinction between Jivatman and Paramatman is due to upadhi-s and not real: firefly and sun, king and servant, well and sea, atom and Mount Meru - each of the pairs mentioned here seem to differ by upadhi only, though they are essentially the same.

Thus in the Srimad Bhagavatam, the premise of Advaita, rejecting the upadhi-based distinction between the Jeeva and Ishvara, , the absolute non-difference is stated.

Here Sridhara Swami's commentary on the Bhagavatam verses can be seen in the image below.

[sunil bhattacharjya]

Dear Subbuji,

"Adventitious" is a very good word, but a commoner may be more comfortable with the word "extrinsic" or "outwardly". Any comment?

Regards,

sunil KB

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[V Subrahmanian]

Dear Sunil ji,

I would vote for 'extrinsic' as a distant alternative.

regards

subbu

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