[Advaita-l] snake-rope example

[S.N. Sastri]

Sub: Rope-snake example.

The oft-quoted example of the rope appearing as a snake is not found in any
of the ten major upanishads. It is not generally known that it appears in
one of the 'minor' upanishads, known as 'nirAlambopanishad'. 108 upanishads
have been listed in a certain order in muktikopanishad which is the last,
i.e. 108th upanishad. nirAlambopanishad is No.36 in this list. The
rope-snake example is mentioned in mantra 8 of that upanishad. The sentence
is:--

rajjau sarpabhrAntiriva advitIye sarvAnusyUte sarvamaye brahmaNi
deva-tiryan-nara-sthAvara-strIpurusha-varNASrama-bandhamokshopAdhi-nAnAtmabhedakalpitam
jnAnam ajnAnam.

S.N.Sastri