[Advaita-l] Creation by Brahman - only a nimitta - Vishnu Purana - Sridhara Swamin

[V Subrahmanian]

Creation by Brahman - only a nimitta - Vishnu Purana - Sridhara Swamin

In the Vishnu purana (VP) at the very beginning there is a description of
creation.

भूराद्यांश्चतुरो लोकान्पूर्ववत्समकल्पयत् ॥ १,४.४९ ॥

*ब्रह्मरूपधरो देवस्ततोऽसौ रजसावृतः  ।*

चकार सृष्टिं भगवांश्चतुर्वक्रधरो हरिः  ॥ १,४.५० ॥

निमित्तमात्रमेवासौ सृज्यानां सर्गकर्मणि  ।

प्रधानकारणीभूता यतो वै सृज्यशक्तयः  ॥ १,४.५१ ॥

निमित्तमात्रं मुक्त्वैवं नान्यत्किञ्चिदपेक्षते  ।

नीयते तपतां श्रेष्ट स्वशक्त्या वस्तु वस्तुताम्  ॥ १,४.५२ ॥


Brahman (known as Vishnu, Deva, etc.), taking the form of Brahma, engaged
in creation. Sridhara Swamin says: After having stated the Varaha lila of
Hari, the creation of Deva-s, etc. by Hari alone, by taking the form of
Brahma. [thus, Brahma, is no different from Brahman, Hari].  Sridhara
Swamin comments: The verse says: Hari, having been enveloped by Rajas,
created. Now, since the effect of Rajas is engaging in action, misery, etc.
does it amount to  Brahman, Hari, being subjected to these effects? No. The
verse says: nimittamaatram. Hari, taking the form of Brahma, is just a
nimitta, incidental, to creation. Sridhara Swamin explains: Brahmaa is just
an instrument, just as rain is the common cause of all kinds of seeds to
sprout, just being in the presence, sannidhimaatrena, proximate. The prime
cause is Pradhana, maya shakti. The Brahma shakti, being just instrumental,
takes forward the Pradhana to the state of creating, manifesting, as
bodies. Therefore the question of Brahman, Hari, being tainted by rajas
does not arise.


The Brahmasutra too is emphatic about this.
ब्रह्मसूत्रभाष्यम्द्वितीयोऽध्यायःप्रथमः पादः सूत्रम् ३४ - भाष्यम्

………इति वदामः ; अतः सृज्यमानप्राणिधर्माधर्मापेक्षा विषमा सृष्टिरिति
नायमीश्वरस्यापराधः ; ईश्वरस्तु पर्जन्यवद्द्रष्टव्यः — यथा हि पर्जन्यो
व्रीहियवादिसृष्टौ साधारणं कारणं भवति, व्रीहियवादिवैषम्ये तु
तत्तद्बीजगतान्येवासाधारणानि सामर्थ्यानि कारणानि………

Sridhara Swamin too uses the very words of Shankara:
parjanyavat...daadhaaraNakaarNameva....


श्रीमैत्रेय उवाच

*यथा ससर्ज देवोऽसौ देवर्षिपितृदानवान्  ।*

मनुष्यतिर्यग्वृक्षादीन्भूव्योमसलिलौकसः  ॥ १,५.१ ॥

यद्गुणं यत्स्वभावं च यद्रूपं च जगद्द्विज  ।

*सर्गादौ सृष्टवान्ब्रह्मा तन्ममाचक्ष्व कृत्स्त्रशः  ॥* १,५.२ ॥


The VP talks about Deva, Hari and Brahma, alternatively, non-differently,
as the creator. Sridhara Swamin once again reminds the earlier section
statement: Brahman, hari, taking the form of Brahma.....ब्रह्मरूपधरो देवो
सृष्टिं चकार इत्युक्तम् |


श्रीपराशर उवाच

मैत्रेय कथयाम्येतच्छृषुष्व सुसमाहितः  ।

यथा ससर्ज देवोसौ देवादीनखिलान्विभुः  ॥ १,५.३ ॥

सृष्टिं चिन्तय तस्तस्य कल्पादिषु यथा पुरा  ।

*अबुद्धिपूर्वकः सर्गः प्रादुर्भूतस्तमोमयः  ॥ १,५.४ ॥*

तमोमोहो महामोहस्तामिस्त्रो ह्यन्धसंज्ञितः  ।

अविद्या पञ्चपर्वैषा प्रागुर्भूता महात्मनः  ॥ १,५.५ ॥


Here the VP clearly says that creation is ignorance-based. With no
deliberating intellectually, out of mere ignorance, creation takes place.
Hence alone there is misery. Abuddhipurvaka is the strong term the VP uses.
Sridhara Swamin comments: अविद्यां विना सृष्टेषु देहेषु जीवानां
कर्तृत्वभोक्तृत्वाद्यसम्भवात् प्रथममविद्याविर्भावमाह - अबुद्धिपूर्वकः
अनवधानमूलः तमोमयः  अविद्यावृतिरूपः  The delusion involved here is very
clearly brought out by the VP and Sridhara Swamin.


Thus, the VP teaches:


Brahman alone appears as Brahma while creating.  There is Hari-Brahma
abheda.


Creation is actually ignorance manifesting.


Om Tat Sat