[Advaita-l] Rope-Snake Analogy in Adhyatma Ramayana

[Venkata sriram P]

Namaste,

In अध्यात्म रामायण, there is a chapter called रामगीता which has the rope-analogy. 

The excerpt is below:

एवंविधे ज्ञानमये सुखात्मके कथं भवो दुःखमयः प्रतीयते ।
अज्ञानतोऽध्यासवशात्प्रकाशते ज्ञाने विलीयेत विरोधतः क्षणात् ॥३३

One who is of the nature of Absolute Bliss, Knowledge and Bliss, 
what is the reason of presence of apparent misery called “samsaara”  in IT? 
The reason being “adhyAsa” which arises out of erroneous cognition because 
Knowledge and Ignorance are mutually exclusive and doesn’t stay together.

यदन्यदन्यत्र विभाव्यते भ्रमादध्यासमित्याहुरमुं विपश्चितः ।
असर्पभूतेऽहिविभावनं यथा रज्जवादिके तद्वदपीश्वरे जगत ॥ ३७

Out of ignorance, the erroneous cognition of reality to be something else is called 
“adhyAsa”.  Just as one erroneously perceives the rope as snake;
similarly the misery is erroneously perceived in Ishwara.

विकल्पमायारहिते चिदात्मकेऽहङ्कार एष प्रथमः प्रकल्पितः
अध्यास एवात्मनि सर्वकारणे निरामये ब्रह्मणि केवले परे ॥ ३८

The One Absolute Brahman who is beyond vikalpa and mAya, 
the “adhyAsa” in the form of “I-ness” (Ahamkara) is superimposed in It.

It is this superimposition of “I-ness” that results in “jiva-bhaava” 
which is given below as:

अनाद्यविध्योद्भवबुद्धिबिम्बितो जीवः प्रकाशोऽयमितीर्यते चितः ।
आत्माधियः साक्षितया पृथक स्थितो बुध्यापरिच्छिन्नपरः स एव हि ॥ ४० 

Regs,
Sriram