[Advaita-l] Ishwara Swarupam

[V Subrahmanian]

On Fri, Apr 13, 2012 at 3:24 PM, Rajaram Venkataramani <
rajaramvenk at gmail.com> wrote:

> That is exactly the Mandukya sAra: the Turiya is free of the kAraNopAdhi
> > and the kAryopAdhi - the two states of waking and dream (kArya) and their
> > kAraNa state the sleep, in all their vyaShTi and samaShTi modes.  The
> > shukarahasyopaniShad says:
> >
> > कार्योपाधिरयं जीवः कारणोपाधिरीश्वरः ।
> > कार्यकारणतां हित्वा पूर्णबोधोऽवशिष्यते ॥ १२ I
> >
> > //This jiva is the effect-upAdhi and Ishwara is the cause-upAdhi. Upon
> > giving up/rejecting/negating/transcending the upAdhis  of
> kArya-kAraNatva,
> > the Pure Infinite Consciousness/Awareness, free of any upAdhi whatsoever,
> > alone remains over.//
> >
> > Sri Appayya Dikshitar has quoted this in the siddhAntaleshasangraha:
> >
> > // सङ्क्षेपशारीरके तु - "*कार्योपाधिरयं जीवः* कारणोपाधिरीश्वरः" इति
> > श्रुतिमनुसृत्य अविद्यायां चित्प्रतिबिम्ब ईश्वरः, अन्तःकरणे
> चित्प्रतिबिम्बो
> > जीवः। //
> >
> > According to this Ishwara is the reflected consciousness in the medium
> > called avidyA and jiva is the reflected consciousness in the medium
> called
> > the mind.
> >
>
> The karanopadhi ishwara is Avyakta, the Immutable.


I have not seen 'avyakta' being translated as Immutable. It is generally
translated as 'unmanifest'.  Pl. give the source of your translation, if
any.  'Immutable' is used to refer to Brahman/Atman in the sense of
'nirvikAri' ' *immutable object* is that whose state does not undergo any
modification.' Also avyakta is inert principle like maya.  ['avyakta' as
Atman/Brahman is not meant here.]  This term is used for Brahman in the BG
8 th chapter:

*परस्तस्मात्तु* भावोऽन्यो व्यक्तोऽव्यक्तात्सना तन:। य: स सर्वेषु भूतेषु
नश्यत्सु न विनश्यति॥ Bhagawad Geeta verse 8:21.

अव्यक्तोऽक्षर इत्युक्तस्तमाहु: परमां गतिम्। यं प्राप्य न निवर्तंते तद्धाम
परमं मम॥ Bhagawad Geeta verse 8:22

Here the term 'avyakta' is used in both the senses of 'mAyA' and
'Brahman.'

Parameshwara is nirupadhika beyond this.  Right?
>

Yes: The Gita says:

समं सर्वेषु भूतेषु *तिष्ठन्तं परमेश्वरम्* । विनश्यत्स्वविनश्यन्तं यः पश्यति
स पश्यति ॥१३- २७॥
 समं पश्यन्हि सर्वत्र समवस्थितमीश्वरम् । न हिनस्त्यात्मनात्मानं ततो याति
परां गतिम् ॥१३- २८॥

The position is: That chaitanyam which has avyakta/maya as its upAdhi for
purposes of creating, etc. is called Ishwara.  And Brahman/Parameshwara is
that same chaitanyam which has no upAdhi whatsoever, that is which does not
associate with any upAdhi, is nirupAdhika chaitanyam, Brahman, Turiya. The
word 'Ishwara' can also replace 'parameshwara' as can be seen in the above
Gita verse/s.

Shankara Himself has used this term 'Ishwara' in the non-nirupAdhika sense:

ये *सगुणब्रह्मोपासनात्*सह एव मनसा *ईश्वर*सायुज्यं व्रजन्ति किं तेषां
निरवग्रहं ऐश्वर्यं भवति आहोस्वित्सावग्रहं इति संशयः   । BSB 4.4.17

I think, nay, fervently hope, this particular post is extremely
clarificatory on this discussion.  It presents the concept of Ishwara in
Advaita in the correct perspective.  It also shows how the term can be used
in a sense that is different from the general sense.  Taking all this one
can rest with a firm understanding.

Regards,
subrahmanian.v