[Advaita-l] Bheda, Difference is not real, Jiva is Jnanavarupa, Pure Consciousness - Skanda Purana

[V Subrahmanian]

The Skandapurana makes it clear that the major tenets of the Upanishads,
namely, Jiva is verily Brahman and the variegated world is not real is the
ultimate truth:

स्कन्दपुराणम्/खण्डः १ (माहेश्वरखण्डः)/केदारखण्डः/अध्यायः ३१
https://sa.wikisource.org/s/gz2

विस्मृत्य चैनं स्वात्मानं केवलं बोधलक्षणम्॥
संसारिणो हि दृश्यंते समस्ता जीवराशयः॥ ३१.४१ ॥

Atma, not knowing its inherent nature of Pure Consciousness,
became a samsarin, embracing bondage. From this we know that samsara is
aavidyaka, a product of ignorance. In the world we have seen that
everything that is caused by ignorance is a unreal, mithya. Example
Raajju-sarpa (rope-snake), dream. Considering this rule, Vedanta holds that
jiva is indeed a-samsari and is ever-liberated, nitya mukta.

गुणातीते च वस्त्वर्थे परमार्थैकदर्शनम्॥ ३१.४९ ॥

Here Skandapurana also tells us that the Atman has no Prakritic gunas,
qualities. This is the absolute vision, pAramArthik driShTi.

यस्मिन्भेदो ह्यभेदं च यस्मिन्रागो विरागताम्॥
क्रोधो ह्यक्रोधतां याति तद्धाम परमं श्रृणु॥ ३१.५० ॥

In the absolute standpoint, differentiation, bheda, is not there and
non-differentiation alone is the truth. This also shows that the
river-ocean analogy of the Upanishads denies a separate existence for the
jiva in Mukti. The Aparoksha Jnani will be united in the Supreme Being
without any distinguishing name and form. Jeeva and Ishvara, who appeared
in bondage as different, are free from difference in mukti.
Hence it is clear that abheda is mukti. There is no room for desire and
anger in that state, because ragadvesha-s are due to differences. The
Upanishad says 'Dwitiyadvai Bhayam Bhavati' (where there is a second
entity, fear is certain). This Purana tells us that this undifferentiated
nature is the Parandhama, the Supreme state.

All these doctrinal points are accepted without any change in Advaita
alone. These propositions are very detrimental to other systems.

Om tat sat