[Advaita-l] Māyāmatram etc

[Anand Hudli]

There is a similar sounding expression "yadayamAtmA mAyAmAtram" that occurs
in the nrisimhottaratApini upanishad (5.1). This could also be interpreted
as the basis of the vivekachUDAmaNi verse. The commentary of upaniShad
brahma yogin explains "mAyAmAtram" in the upaniShad as "svAtirekeNa vividhaM
pratIyamAnasya svAjnAnanimittatvAt mAyAmAtram".

Note that the nrisimhottaratApini also deals with the waking, dream, and
sleep states, and the PraNava, just as the mANDUkya upaniShad does. A
correspondence between the narsiMha anuShTup mantra and the PraNava is also
established. "imamevoMkArAgravidyotaM turIyaturIyamAtmAnaM
nR^isiMhAnuShTubhaiva jAnIyAt".

There are also other upaniShads where similar expressions are used. For
example, "mAyAmAtraM jagatkR^itsnaM tadA bhavati nirvR^itiH" occurs in the
jAbAladarshanopaniShad, and "mAyAmAtraM viditvaivaM saccidekaraso hyayam"
appears in the nAradaparivrAjakopaniShad.

Anand