[Advaita-l] Shankara says: Avidya is vidyA virodha

[V Subrahmanian]

While introducing the Bh.Gita verse 2.69:

या निशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी ।
यस्यां जाग्रति भूतानि सा निशा पश्यतो मुनेः ॥ ६९ ॥

Shankara says:

योऽयं लौकिको वैदिकश्च व्यवहारः स उत्पन्नविवेकज्ञानस्य स्थितप्रज्ञस्य
अविद्याकार्यत्वात् अविद्यानिवृत्तौ निवर्तते, *अविद्यायाश्च विद्याविरोधात् *
निवृत्तिः...

The actions, both secular and scriptural, of the Jnani, being products of
Avidya, cease when avidya has ceased. And Avidya itself ceases since it is
vidyA-virodha.

What is noteworthy in the words of Shankara is: He holds avidya to be
something that has for its nature  of  being opposed to Vidya, Knowledge.
In other words, that which has Knowledge, Jnana, Vidya, for its
annihilation, is the existent entity, bhAva rUpa, Avidya.

Om Tat Sat