Avidya for Srishti kartA brahman/Ishwara? Prashnopanishad bhashya

[V Subrahmanian]

In the Prashna Bhashya 6.3. Shankara raises a question and replies:

The mantra is:

स ईक्षाञ्चक्रे कस्मिन्नहमुत्क्रान्त उत्क्रान्तो भविष्यामि कस्मिन्वा प्रतिष्ठिते प्रतिष्ठास्यामीति ॥ ३ ॥   

 भवतां पुनर्वेदवादिनां सृष्टिकर्तृत्वे तत्त्वान्तरपरिणाम एवेत्यात्मनोऽनित्यत्वादिसर्वदोषप्रसङ्ग इति चेत् , न ; एकस्याप्यात्मनोऽविद्याविषयनामरूपोपाध्यनुपाधिकृतविशेषाभ्युपगमात् । अविद्याकृतनामरूपोपाधिनिमित्तो हि विशेषोऽभ्युपगम्यते आत्मनो बन्धमोक्षादिशास्त्रकृतसंव्यवहाराय । परमार्थतोऽनुपाधिकृतं च तत्त्वमेकमेवाद्वितीयमुपादेयं सर्वतार्किकबुद्ध्यनवगम्यं ह्यजमभयं शिवमिष्यते ।

Translation by Swami Gambhirananda:

Objection:
From your standpoint, who are followers of the Vedas and admit that the Self is the creator, there does occur an essential mutation, and therefore the Self becomes subject to all such faults as impermanence etc.

Vedantin's Answer: No, for it is held by us that though the Self is but one, still, in a state of ignorance, there occur to It apparent distinctions created by the pre- sence or absence of the limiting adjuncts constituted by the names and forms of objects. The creation of some sort of distinction in the Self by ignorance is admitted as a concession, so that talk about the bondage and freedom of the Self in the scriptures may be possible. In reality, however, one should stand by the unconditioned Entity which is one without a second, which is beyond the reach of all sophists, and which is admitted as fearless and auspicious. There can be no agentship, no enjoyership, nor any action, instrument, or result, where everything is reduced to non-duality. 

In the above discourse, the word Self means Brahman, the Creator Consciousness. 

Another conclusive passage by Shankara in the above vein in the same bhashya: Here it is even more explicit: Shankara says Brahman is assisted by all accessories that are created by Avidya, for the purpose of Brahman being/becoming a Creator:

....एतेनाविद्याकृतनामरूपाद्युपाधिकृतानेकशक्तिसाधनकृतभेदवत्त्वाद्ब्रह्मणः सृष्ट्यादिकर्तृत्वे साधनाद्यभावो दोषः प्रत्युक्तो वेदितव्यः,

Translation by Swami Gambhirananda:

It is to be understood that hereby is refuted the fault imputed by others that Brahman lacks the necessary equipment etc. for becoming an agent in the matter of creation etc.; for Brahman can (be imagined to) be associated with differences created by diverse powers and accessories that emerge from the limiting adjuncts created through name and form which are called up by ignorance. And so also is set aside the other objection raised by others that the Self (of the non-dualists) becomes the originator of Its own misery.

Conclusion:  Since avidya is generally thought of to be associated with the jiva alone and not with Ishwara/Brahman the Creator, the explicit usage of avidya-created name form upadhi for Brahman brings us to conclude that for Shankara the māyā shakti that is used by Brahman for creation, is none other than Avidya. Even with the meaning avidya = adhyasa, it is only jiva that is associated with adhyasa and not Brahman/Ishwara.  Since Shankara uses the term Avidya as the power that creates name/form upadhis that are at play in Brahman creating the universe, this conclusion gets even more strengthened. In the view of Shankara the avidya shakti and the māya shakti are non-different. 

Om Tat Sat

[Bhaskar YR]

praNAms

Hare Krishna

 

IMO in the below vedAntin’s answer there is super blend of pAramArthika and vyAhArika status of Chetan, in pAramArthika (a) it is Shuddha Chaitanya and in vyAvahArika it is jeeva Chaitanya (b)!! Though it is Shuddha Chaitanya always, when we are talking about bandha, mukti, sAdhana etc. we have to consider this jeeva Chaitanya.  With this (a) and (b) we can see vedAntin’s answer :

 

Vedantin's Answer: No, for it is held by us that though the Self is but one

 

• This is (a)

 

still, in a state of ignorance, there occur to It apparent distinctions created by the pre- sence or absence of the limiting adjuncts constituted by the names and forms of objects.

 

• This is (b) in the domain of duality where jeeva swayed by ignorance. 

 

The creation of some sort of distinction in the Self by ignorance is admitted as a concession, so that talk about the bondage and freedom of the Self in the scriptures may be possible.

 

• This is meant for (b) who has to elevate himself to (b) and it is not there to prove or conclude that (a) is having the bondage freedom etc.  And it is clear from the below where (a) is explained in its true nature.

 

In reality, however, one should stand by the unconditioned Entity which is one without a second, which is beyond the reach of all sophists, and which is admitted as fearless and auspicious. There can be no agentship, no enjoyership, nor any action, instrument, or result, where everything is reduced to non-duality. 

In the above discourse, the word Self means Brahman, the Creator Consciousness. 

 

Ø     So in the above discourse there is an admixture of jeevAtma and paramAtma and commonly used as self and contextually we have to understand to whom it has been addressed and which is defined. 

 

Another conclusive passage by Shankara in the above vein in the same bhashya: Here it is even more explicit: Shankara says Brahman is assisted by all accessories that are created by Avidya, for the purpose of Brahman being/becoming a Creator:

 

Ø     See sUtra bhAshya where bhAshyakAra explained how brahman can create without any upAdhi and sahakAri kAraNa and the purpose of creation. 

 

Conclusion:  Since avidya is generally thought of to be associated with the jiva alone and not with Ishwara/Brahman the Creator, the explicit usage of avidya-created name form upadhi for Brahman brings us to conclude that for Shankara the māyā shakti that is used by Brahman for creation, is none other than Avidya. Even with the meaning avidya = adhyasa, it is only jiva that is associated with adhyasa and not Brahman/Ishwara.  Since Shankara uses the term Avidya as the power that creates name/form upadhis that are at play in Brahman creating the universe, this conclusion gets even more strengthened. In the view of Shankara the avidya shakti and the māya shakti are non-different. 

 

• Sorry to say very wrong conclusion there is no avidyA shakti, it is mAya shakti which is not different from shaktivanta, mAya and avidyA can never be equated at any stretch of imagination.  mAyA shakti used by brahman is right but that is none other than avidyA is very wrong conclusion.  In the srushti prakriya we have follow bhAshyakAra and shruti which say Ishwara creates the jagat for the sake of jeeva to experience their respective pApa puNya.  There are exclusive chapters / adhikaraNa dedicated to discuss these issues in brahma sUtra. 

 

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!

bhaskar

[V Subrahmanian]

On Tue, May 13, 2025 at 4:26 PM 'Bhaskar YR' via advaitin <adva...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

praNAms

Hare Krishna

 

 

Another conclusive passage by Shankara in the above vein in the same bhashya: Here it is even more explicit: Shankara says Brahman is assisted by all accessories that are created by Avidya, for the purpose of Brahman being/becoming a Creator:

 

Ø     See sUtra bhAshya where bhAshyakAra explained how brahman can create without any upAdhi and sahakAri kAraNa and the purpose of creation. 

एतेनाविद्याकृतनामरूपाद्युपाधिकृतानेकशक्तिसाधनकृतभेदवत्त्वाद्ब्रह्मणः सृष्ट्यादिकर्तृत्वे साधनाद्यभावो दोषः प्रत्युक्तो वेदितव्यः,

In the above Prashnopanishat bhashya, Shankara says: Brahman that is creating the world is endowed with upadhi that is characterized by aneka shakti saadhana.  This upadhi is caused by avidya that in turn creates nama, rupa, etc. So, without any upadhi Brahman cannot be the creator, says Shankara.  Logically too, Nirguna, ekam eva advitiya Brahman, if it is to create, unless there is some upadhi, it world be impossible to engage in creation. 

 

Conclusion:  Since avidya is generally thought of to be associated with the jiva alone and not with Ishwara/Brahman the Creator, the explicit usage of avidya-created name form upadhi for Brahman brings us to conclude that for Shankara the māyā shakti that is used by Brahman for creation, is none other than Avidya. Even with the meaning avidya = adhyasa, it is only jiva that is associated with adhyasa and not Brahman/Ishwara.  Since Shankara uses the term Avidya as the power that creates name/form upadhis that are at play in Brahman creating the universe, this conclusion gets even more strengthened. In the view of Shankara the avidya shakti and the māya shakti are non-different. 

 

• Sorry to say very wrong conclusion there is no avidyA shakti, it is mAya shakti which is not different from shaktivanta, mAya and avidyA can never be equated at any stretch of imagination.  mAyA shakti used by brahman is right but that is none other than avidyA is very wrong conclusion.  In the srushti prakriya we have follow bhAshyakAra and shruti which say Ishwara creates the jagat for the sake of jeeva to experience their respective pApa puNya.  There are exclusive chapters / adhikaraNa dedicated to discuss these issues in brahma sUtra. 

That shakti is very much admitted by Shankara in that passage where only Avidya is stated and not maya. 

regards

subbu 

 

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!

bhaskar

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