[Advaita-l] Chidabhasa and Saguna Brahman ?

[Venkata sriram P]

Namaste,
 
chidAbhAsaH has two important concepts that are split into 2 as "AbhAsaH" & "chit".
Now, as regards the first one, the definition runs as "A-IShat-bhAsatE iti AbhAsaH" ie., "that which is less intense / luminous".
 
So, chidAbhAsaH implies "iShat bhAsamAna chit iti chidAbhAsaH" ie., the one in whom the chit is less intense / luminous.  And this only points towards the Jiva as his attibutes are "kinchit kartrutva", "kinchit jnatva" & "kinchit saktitva".  His domain is limited.  
 
Whereas, the Ishwara alongwith with mAyA as Medium (Upadhi) is sarvajna (Omniscient), 
sarva karta (all doership), sarva saktimAn (Omnipotent). 
 
The Attributes of Ishwara become Limited and Less Intense who is called Jiva. 
Such a Jiva that shines with less luminosity is called "chidAbhAsaH".
 
So, prajApati & Ishwara can never be a chidAbhAsaH as their attributes
are sarva saktitva, sarva kartrutva. The difference between Ishwara & Jiva is that paramAtma alongwith mAyA as upAdhi becomes Ishwara whereas the paramAtma alongwith Avidya as  upAdhi becomes jiva.  Ishwara controls mAyA whereas Avidya controls jiva.  This is the only difference. 
 
The duty of the acharya is to initiate his disciple in "tat tvam asi" whose essence is 
"jiva-Ishwara-abhEda tattva".
 
regs,
sriram