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

[Venkatesh Murthy]

Namaste

The Advaita Nimitta Brahman is understood if we look at picture of Kali
standing on Siva's body. She is the creator of the world and Siva is simply
lying down not doing anything. She the Prakruti is doing everything. Geeta
is also teaching same thing. Prakruti is doing everything but the unwise
person thinks he is doer. Similarly Maayaa is the Creator and doing
everything. Brahman is not doing anything. But you cannot object and
say Maayaa is like Pradhana of Samkhya. Why? Because Maayaa is not real.
There is no real creation like in Samkhya.

You cannot object and say it is like Maadhvas Nimitta Karana also. Why?
Because in Maadhva philosophy the Brahman is creating the world like a
potter making a pot. He is real and pot also is real.

On Mon, Jan 29, 2018 at 11:07 PM, V Subrahmanian via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> On Mon, Jan 29, 2018 at 7:03 PM, Kalyan via Advaita-l <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>
> > Namaste
> >
> > This is certainly strange. In BSB, Shankara spends considerable time
> > arguing that brahman is also the material cause.
> >
> > Now all you are saying is that a dependant (on brahman) pradhAna is the
> > material cause whereas for sAmkhya, pradhAna is independent. (If that is
> > the only difference, wonder why so many polemics against the sAmkhyas).
> > This looks like a position that of Madhwa/dvaita would be very
> comfortable
> > with!
> >
>
> Namaste
>
> I expected this kind of understanding of the term nimitta  in the post.
> What is intended by the term 'nimitta maatram' is the participation of
> Brahman is only passive. [ A parallel is the term 'sAkShimAtram' in the
> antaryami brahmana 3.7.3 bhashyam  देवताकार्यकरणस्य
> ईश्वरसाक्षिमात्रसान्निध्येन
> हि नियमेन प्रवृत्तिनिवृत्ती स्याताम्  Sridhara Swamin too uses the term
> 'sannidhimaatra' .   The objection was: If Brahman, in association with
> rajoguna, is the creator, then the effects of rajas, namely activity,
> misery, etc. will apply to Brahman. In reply thereof it is stated that the
> participation of Brahman is only nimittamaatram, by mere presence as the
> consciousness.  This nimitta is not the same as 'nimitta kaaranam.'
>
> Regards
> subbu
>
> >
> > Regards
> > Kalyan
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-- 
Regards

-Venkatesh