One more example for an unreal cause giving rise to a real effect

[V Subrahmanian]

In the Brahma sutra section where the dream state is analyzed and held to be a product of maayaa, this sutra 3.2.4 where the idea that a dream, though unreal, is capable of indicating a real effect that is not sublated/negated in the waking, is discussed. सूचकश्च हि श्रुतेराचक्षते च तद्विदः ॥ ४ ॥

 बाध्यमान

मायामात्रत्वात्तर्हि न कश्चित्स्वप्ने परमार्थगन्धोऽस्तीति — नेत्युच्यते — सूचकश्च हि स्वप्नो भवति भविष्यतोः साध्वसाधुनोः ; तथा हि श्रूयते — ‘यदा कर्मसु काम्येषु स्त्रियꣳ स्वप्नेषु पश्यति । समृद्धिं तत्र जानीयात्तस्मिन्स्वप्ननिदर्शने’ (छा. उ. ५ । २ । ८) इति ; तथा ‘पुरुषं कृष्णं कृष्णदन्तं पश्यति स एनं हन्ति’ इत्येवमादिभिः स्वप्नैरचिरजीवित्वमावेद्यत इति श्रावयति ; आचक्षते च स्वप्नाध्यायविदः — कुञ्जरारोहणादीनि स्वप्ने धन्यानि, खरयानादीन्यधन्यानि’ इति ; मन्त्रदेवताद्रव्यविशेषनिमित्ताश्च केचित्स्वप्नाः सत्यार्थगन्धिनो भवन्तीति मन्यन्ते । तत्रापि भवतु नाम सूच्यमानस्य वस्तुनः सत्यत्वम् ; सूचकस्य तु स्त्रीदर्शनादेर्भवत्येव वैतथ्यम् , बाध्यमानत्वादित्यभिप्रायः ; तस्मादुपपन्नं स्वप्नस्य मायामात्रत्वम् ॥

Translation of Thibaut:

So, here we have an instance, based on the Shruti, where a dream event foretells some event that is indicated to happen in the waking.  While the dream event itself is unreal, the content of the foresaying is not unreal. Shankara, in the Brahma Sutra bhashya 2.1.14 has said: The Veda, though not absolutely (paramarthika) real, yet is capable of delivering the liberating knowledge that is not sublated. In other words, the liberation that ensues the knowledge is not sublated/contradicted. Shankara says the Upanishad is the only pramana, authority, to disprove, if any, the efficacy of the knowledge. While the Upanishads declare, for example, that Nachiketas attained this knowledge (and was liberated), nowhere it is taught that one who has this knowledge returns to samsara. Thus, the Veda, even with vyavaharika reality, succeeds in giving knowledge resulting in unsublatable liberation.

regards

subbu