[Advaita-l] Maya and Avidya

[Raghav Kumar Dwivedula]

Namaste Subbu ji and Shrinivas ji

A similar figurative idea of the beneficent aspect of Prakriti is presented
in the sAMkhya kArikA.

vatsavivṛddhinimittaṃ kṣīrasya yathā pravṛttirajñasya |
puruṣavimokṣanimittaṃ tathā pravṛttiḥpradhānasya || 57||

Just as is the secretion of milk, which is unconscious, *for the sake of
nourishment* of the calf, so is the creation of the Pradhana for the sake
of the release of Purusha.

nānāvidhairupāyairupakāriṇyanupakāriṇaḥ puṃsaḥ |
guṇavatyaguṇasya satastasyārthamapārthakaṃ carati || 60 ||

By manifold means does *benevolent Prakriti*, possessed of the gunas,
pursue, in a
manner in which it has no interest of its own, the object of Purusha who
makes no
return, being devoid as Purusha is of the gunas.

Om
Raghav

On Thu, 17 Sep, 2020, 3:03 PM V Subrahmanian via Advaita-l, <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> On Thu, Sep 17, 2020 at 10:48 AM Shrinivas Gadkari via Advaita-l <
> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>
> > Namaste,
> >
> > A simpler explanation of these terms for those who may be interested:
> >
> > mAyA : A key to deciphering the (possible) original meaning of this word
> > can be found in local Indian languages. For example, in Marathi, this
> word
> > means "motherly love". In-fact word mAya or mAyI means mother.
> > Ishvara's involvement in/ with the world in out of motherly love, mAyA.
> > Hence this worldly involvement does not lead to any binding karma.
> >
>
> In a way, this theory finds approval in the Panchadashi.  It says 'Ishwara
> srishti (involving Maya) is not binding.  On the other hand, is useful (for
> moksha sadhana).  Jiva srishti (involving avidya) is binding.  The example
> given is: Ishwara creates a female body, a maamsa maya stree. But the jiva
> sees her in so many ways, mother, sister, wife, daughter, etc. etc. all
> these are manomaya stree-s.  The former is innocent, the latter is binding.
>
> regards
> subbu
>
> >
> > On the other hand, jIva-s involvement in world is mixed with "incorrect
> > understanding of things = avidyA" to a larger or lesser extent. This
> > involvement in worldly affairs, to the extent it is rooted in avidyA,
> > leads to binding karma.
> >
> > Hence the emphasis of overcoming avidyA with vidyA, jnAna, vijnAna.
> > Hence the repeated claims that avidyA is the cause of all sorrow.
> >
> > Regards,
> > Shrinivas Gadkari
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