[Advaita-l] Real concealed by unreal

[V Subrahmanian]

The below verses from TirumUlar's work Tirumandiram echo the Upanishadic
teaching of advaita vedAnta.

மரத்தை மறைத்தது மாமத யானை
மரத்தில் மறைந்தது மாமத யானை
பரத்தை மறைத்தது பார்முதல் பூதம்
பரத்தில் மறைந்தது பார்முதல் பூதம்

transliterated:
marattai maRaittadu mAmada yAnai.
marattil maRaindadu mAmada yAnai.
parattai maRaittadu pArmudal bhUtam.
parattil maRaindadu pArmudal bhUtam.

Meaning: when the beautifully carved elephant is seen, one doesn't pay
attention to the wood with which it is made. One may even run away in fear,
thinking it is a real elephant. When the wood with which the elephant is
made is perceived, the elephant disappears (no longer holds us in thrall).

Similarly, the world made of five elements such as earth, is perceived,
hides the Supreme. When the Supreme is perceived in the world, the world
disappears (loses it's significance).

Just like the elephant and the wood with which it is made, are not
different, the world and paramAtma are not different. To a child, the wood
is not seen, only the elephant is. To an adult however, the wood that makes
the elephant is visible. Similarly, to an ajnAni, the world hides the
paramAtma. However, to the jnAni, all that is seen is paramAtma. सर्वं
खल्विदं ब्रह्म.
On Nov 3, 2016 12:28 AM, "V Subrahmanian" <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com> wrote:

> மரத்தை மறைத்தது மாமத யானை
> மரத்தில் மறைந்தது மாமத யானை
> பரத்தை மறைத்தன பார்முதல் பூதம்
> பரத்தில் மறைந்தன பார்முதல் பூதமே
>
> திருமூலர் 8-21
> http://www.thevaaram.org/thirumurai_1/s ... rtLimit=21
>
> दन्तिनि दारुविकारे दारु तिरोभवति सोऽपि तत्रैव |
> जगति तथा परमात्मा परमात्मन्यपि जगत्तिरोधते || 28 ||
>
> svAtmanirUpaNam (Page 94) Adi Sankara
>
> https://books.google.co.in/books?id=F6i ... ru&f=false
>
> This comparison was brought out by Maha Periava in his discourse on Adi
> Sankara (Dec 23, 1957) published in Acharya's Call (Part 1) (Page 115-119)
> 0 x
>