Brahman by itself has no authorship; derives it from Maya - Varaha Purana

[V Subrahmanian]

This chapter clearly states this premise of Vedanta:

वराहपुराणम्/अध्यायः १४४

https://sa.wikisource.org/s/b68

आनन्दरूपः शुद्धात्मा ह्यकर्त्ता निर्विकारकः ।। ४८ ।।

स्वां योगमायामाविश्य कर्तृत्वं प्राप्तवानसि ।।

The pure Brahman, i.e. Nirguna Brahman, has no authorship. It is Nirvikari, Immutable. Authorship of Brahman is only through contact with Maya.

प्रकृत्या सृज्यमानेऽस्मिन्द्रष्टा साक्षी निगद्यते ।। ४९ ।।

Atma is merely a witness while Prakriti creates.

प्रकृतेस्त्रिगुणैरस्मिन्सृज्यमानेऽपि नान्यथा ।।

सान्निध्यमात्रतो देव त्वयि स्फुरति कारणे ।।१४४.५०।।

Just being in the presence of Prakriti (the world) makes one think that You, Brahman, are the creator. An example of this is the red color of a China rose flower (hibiscus) placed nearby seen in a colorless crystal:

स्फटिके हि यथा स्वच्छे जपाकुसुमरागतः ।।

प्रकाश्यते त्वप्रकाशाज्ज्योतीरूपं नताऽस्मि तत् ।। ५१ ।।

In Advaita alone this example for illusion is used many times:

Brahma sutra Commentary 3.2.11:

हि उपाधियोगादप्यन्यादृशस्य वस्तुनोऽन्यादृशः स्वभावः सम्भवति ; न हि स्वच्छः सन् स्फटिकः अलक्तकाद्युपाधियोगादस्वच्छो भवति, भ्रममात्रत्वादस्वच्छताभिनिवेशस्य ; उपाधीनां च अविद्याप्रत्युपस्थापितत्वात् ।

Brihadaranyaka Bhasya 2.1.20:

न स्वत आत्मनः संसारित्वम् , अलक्तकाद्युपाधि- संयोगजनितरक्तस्फटिकादिबुद्धिवत् भ्रान्तमेव न परमार्थतः ।

Panchapadika:

कथं पुनः स्फटिके लोहितिम्नो मिथ्यात्वम् ? उच्यते — यदि स्फटिकप्रतिस्फालिता नयनरश्मयो जपाकुसुममुपसर्पेयुः, तदा विशिष्टसंनिवेशं तदेव लोहितं ग्राहयेयुः ।

Thus it is the popular analogy in Advaita.

Om

[sunil bhattacharjya]

Dear friends,

There is an interesting story, which is generally told to the newly married couples of the Brahmin community in Assam. It seems Mother Bhavani/Gauri/Parvati/Uma (i.e., Prakrti) told Lord Shiva (Brahman), that he also has to do some work, and not just bless the world.

Lord Shiva agreed to grow rice, taking the help of Nandi to prepare the land, for cultivation of Paddy. Paddy grew very nicely and some people became jealous seeing the field covered with luxuriant growth of paddy.  Due to the fire of their jealous eyes, the paddy-field caught fire, and seeing that Lord Shiva extinguised the fire, but by that time some portion of the field was scorched. This resulted in production of two types of rice, Laahi (the longer variety) and Saali (the shorter variety),

This is probably a lesson to the males, that when the need is felt even Brahman is prepared to work, and the males should not just study and teach alone, they should be prepared to do other work too, as needed. 

My 2 cents

Sunil K. Bhattacharjya

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[sunil bhattacharjya]

Dear friends,

Further to the previous story of work done by Lord Shiva, on the request of Mother Bhavani, I understand that there is also another pauranic story, where  the Creator Brahma (Prakriti),  requested Lord Shiva (Maheshwara or Brahman ) also to create. Lord Shiva agreed and he created the eleven Rudras.  As the creations of Lord Shivas  are all immortals, Lord Brahma requested Lord Shiva to stop any further creaton.

my 2 cents

Sunil KB

[Bhaskar YR]

praNAms

Hare Krishna

 

It shiva is also the courier boy of mA shakti.  Shivadooti mA instructed shiva to do this work 😊 Reference durga saptashati.

 

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!

Bhaskar YR

 

From: adva...@googlegroups.com <adva...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of sunil bhattacharjya
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Subject: Re: [advaitin] Brahman by itself has no authorship; derives it from Maya - Varaha Purana

 

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Om

 

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