[Advaita-l] Whether darkness is bhava - Vivarana Prameya Samgraha of Shri Vidyaranya

[Sudhanshu Shekhar]

Raghav ji,

in antaryAmI-prakaraNa, prithivI does not refer to astronomical body
prithivI but to prithivI devatA. That is clear from bhAShya. The prakarana
is adhidaivta. That is also clear from bhashya. AdhibhUta and adhyAtma come
subsequently. Therefore, it is clear that one cannot infer darkness from
the word tamas. You will notice that even 'dik' is enlisted. Therefore, we
need to find out as to which devata is referred here. That is elaborated in
Ajatashatru prakarana. There, the devatas are explained. I quote:- दिक्षु
कर्णयोः हृदि चैका देवता *अश्विनौ* देवाववियुक्तस्वभावौ ..... बाह्ये तमसि
अध्यात्मं च आवरणात्मकेऽज्ञाने हृदि च एका देवता, तस्या विशेषणम् — *मृत्युः*
.....  With these references, is it not clear that antarayami-prakarana
cannot be used to prove existence of tamas as an object like table, chair
because it is intended for respective devatAs..

Sudhanshu.

On Wed, May 8, 2019 at 3:36 PM Raghav Kumar Dwivedula via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Namaste Sudhanshu ji
> The earlier mantras from antaryAmi brAhmaNam suffice as pramANam, i
> understand, viz.,
> B.U.3.7.13
>
> यस्तमसि तिष्ठंस्तमसोऽन्तरो यं तमो न वेद यस्य तमः शरीरं यस्तमोऽन्तरो
> यमयत्येष त आत्मान्तर्याम्यमृतः ॥ १३ ॥
>
> Notice the very next mantra is about tejas (luminosity/radiance) which is
> the counterpart of tamas (darkness).
>
> यस्तेजसि तिष्ठंस्तेजसोऽन्तरो यं तेजो न वेद यस्य तेजः शरीरं यस्तेजोऽन्तरो
> यमयत्येष त आत्मान्तर्याम्यमृत इत्यधिदैवतमथाधिभूतम् ॥ १४ ॥
>
> There seems to be no BhAshya parsing the word tamas.
>
> Does the varttika or Teekaa say anything different about tamas other than
> that it's the counterpart of Tejas which is referenced in the very next
> mantra? I have not seen them.
>
> You suggested tamas here is not the devatA of darkness but the devatA of
> mRtyu. Can you please quote the reference for that?
> Om
> Raghav
>
> On Wed 8 May, 2019, 1:41 PM Sudhanshu Shekhar via Advaita-l, <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>
> > Hari Om Raghava ji,
> >
> > as far as vacuum is concerned, I think its depiction as 16-component
> tensor
> > is being discussed in Science also. However, darkness is different.
> > Thinking of vacuum or space as fluctuations of quantum field is not
> > challenged here. On darkness, I am not sure at all if science is even
> > discussing it. Emergence of quark and electrons from quantum field
> > fluctuations is indeed the dominant theory today.
> >
> > //we can still reasonably hold that an adhidevatA is revealed
> > by the upaniSad only for some existent entity, energy or law etc. // Any
> > pramana for this statement. That will be wonderful. If we can prove this,
> > then I think the discussion will end and I will be greatly benefited.
> >
> > Regards,
> > Sudhanshu.
> >
> > On Wed, May 8, 2019 at 7:32 AM Raghav Kumar Dwivedula via Advaita-l <
> > advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> >
> > > We are so accustomed to the photon (particle) model that we assume
> there
> > is
> > > nothing but emptiness or absence of matter and energy in the darkness
> and
> > > vacuum in space. These older scientific models are themselves
> challenged
> > > and contradicted by the observation of 'quantum fluctuations' -
> > > "A quantum fluctuation is the temporary appearance of energetic
> particles
> > > out of empty space, as allowed by the uncertainty principle
> > > <https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncertainty_principle>."
> > > Even the vacuum of outer space is inherently an existent entity which
> can
> > > spontaneously create particles literally out of 'thin vacuum.'
> > >
> > > Even vacuum is thus not the mere 'absence' of matter and energy.
> > >
> > > So far it's just science. Now taking care not to arbitrarily mix
> science
> > > with Vedanta, we can still reasonably hold that an adhidevatA is
> revealed
> > > by the upaniSad only for some existent entity, energy or law etc. While
> > the
> > > different indriyas etc have devatAs who govern them there is no devatA
> > for
> > > an atyanta-abhAva entity like a shasha-shRnga.
> > >
> > > The above idea may have some relevance to the verse in brihadAraNyaka
> > where
> > > there is mention of the tama abhimAnI devatA.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Tue 7 May, 2019, 10:07 PM Sudhanshu Shekhar via Advaita-l, <
> > > advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> > >
> > > > But here tamas refers to Mrityu devata just as prithivi does not
> refer
> > to
> > > > astronomical body prithivi but to prithivi devata. Moreover, this is
> > > > adhidaivata-prakarana, then how can by the word tamas is taken the
> > > > darkness? If you take here literal meaning then you will have to take
> > > even
> > > > direction as some bhava padarth like chair and table because even
> that
> > is
> > > > enlisted. By the word dik, Ashvini Kumaras are meant and so on.
> > > >
> > > > Regards,
> > > > Sudhanshu.
> > > >
> > > > On Tue 7 May, 2019, 21:06 V Subrahmanian, <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com>
> > > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > On Tue, May 7, 2019 at 9:03 PM Sudhanshu Shekhar via Advaita-l <
> > > > > advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > >> In the above, especially the 'outside' tamas, we have the shruti
> > > pramana
> > > > >> for 'tamas' being a bhaava padaartha like sun, moon, etc.
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Hari Om V Subrahmanian ji,
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Which one exactly is Shruti Pramana for 'tamas' being a bhava
> > padarth
> > > > like
> > > > >> sun, moon?
> > > > >>
> > > > >
> > > > > This passage of the Upanishad:
> > > > >
> > > > > …यस्तमसि तिष्ठंस्तमसोऽन्तरो यं तमो न वेद यस्य तमः शरीरं
> यस्तमोऽन्तरो
> > > > > > यमयत्येष त आत्मान्तर्याम्यमृतः ॥ १३ ॥ ………
> > > > > >
> > > > > This passage occurs amidst so many other cosmic entities in that
> > > > > braahmaNam.
> > > > >
> > > > > regards
> > > > > subbu
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Regards,
> > > > >> Sudhanshu.
> > > > >>
> > > > >>
> > > > >>
> > > > >>
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