[Advaita-l] (no subject)

[H S Chandramouli]

Namaste.

My post just presents my understanding of the issue. As I had mentioned
therein, I am aware of other views also on the topic. Just to mention a
few. During earlier discussions on the meaning and scope of the CU
declaration

//  वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं मृत्तिकेत्येव सत्यम् //  CU 6-1-4.

//  vAchArambhaNaM vikAro nAmadheyaM mRRittiketyeva satyam  //  CU 6-1-4

Translation  // All transformation has speech as its basis, and it is name
only. Clay as such is the reality //

Sri Sadananda Ji had a very different view from what I have presented in my
post.

During a discussion on kArya-kAraNa relationship, *श्रीमल्ललितालालितः**
(SrimallalitAlAlitah) disagreed with my views and promised to post a
separate writeup in Sanskrit on the topic. He has posted the same under the
heading  **मृद्घटादिदृष्टान्तः**  (**mRRidghaTAdidRRiShTAntaH)  which can
be viewed at the following link*

*//
https://www.lalitaalaalitah.com/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%98%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%83/
<https://www.lalitaalaalitah.com/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%98%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%83/>
//*

*The text is in Sanskrit. From what I could make out, it presents an
entirely different understanding.*

*So there are so many different understandings of the same topic apArt from
what Sri Bhaskar Ji has pointed out.*

*Just for information.*

*Regards*

On Tue, Oct 10, 2023 at 5:08 PM H S Chandramouli via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Namaste.
> There have been a number of threads recently discussing aspects of the
> above topic. Such discussions have taken place earlier also on several
> occasions in which I had also participated. In most of those discussions,
> there was no agreement on several aspects. I am prsenting below my
> understanding of the topic in a conolidated manner. I have confined myself
> to cite references only from the Bhashya. It may be useful for new
> participants who may like to join the discussions. I am aware that there
> may not be agreement on many of the issues.
> I have split it into two parts in view of size limitation.
>
> Regards
>
> मृद्घट (mRRidghaTa) (Clay-pot) and रज्जुसर्प (rajjusarpa) (Rope-serpent)
> illustrations in Chandogya  Upanishad.
>
> In CU chapter 6-1, Sage Udhalaka asks his son the following question
>
>  //  श्वेतकेतो यन्नु सोम्येदं महामना अनूचानमानी स्तब्धोऽस्युत
> तमादेशमप्राक्ष्यः येनाश्रुतꣳ श्रुतं भवत्यमतं मतमविज्ञातं विज्ञातमिति कथं नु
> भगवः स आदेशो भवतीति ॥ ३ ॥  //  CU 6-1-3.
>
> //   shvetaketo yannu somyedaM mahAmanA anUchAnamAnI stabdho.asyuta
> tamAdeshamaprAkShyaH yenAshrutaꣳ shrutaM bhavatyamataM matamavij~nAtaM
> vij~nAtamiti kathaM nu bhagavaH sa Adesho bhavatIti || 3 | //  CU 6-1-3
>
> Translation  // "Through which the unheard of becomes heard, the unthought
> of becomes the thought of, the unknown becomes the known?". (Svetaketu
> asked), "O venerable sir, in what way is that instruction imparted?" //.
>
> This has practically the same purport as the question raised by one of  the
> disciples in Mu Up, but worded differently
>
> //  कस्मिन्नु भगवो विज्ञाते सर्वमिदं विज्ञातं भवतीति ॥ ३ ॥ // Mu Up 1-1-3
>
> //  kasminnu bhagavo vij~nAte sarvamidaM vij~nAtaM bhavatIti || 3 || //  Mu
> Up 1-1-3
>
>  Svetaketu did not know the answer, so he reqests his father to clarify. In
> this context Sage Udhalaka presents the  सृष्टि (sRRiShTi,  Creation)
>  process in a unique way starting all the way from the state of praLaya.
> Sage Udhalaka addresses Svetaketu in the following manner.
>
> //  सदेव सोम्येदमग्र आसीदेकमेवाद्वितीयम् । //  CU 6-2-2
>
> //  sadeva somyedamagra AsIdekamevAdvitIyam |  //  CU 6-2-2
>
> Translation  // O good looking one, in the beginning all this was
> Existence, One only, without a second //.
>
> //  तदैक्षत बहु स्यां प्रजायेयेति //  CU  6-2-3
>
> //  tadaikShata bahu syAM prajAyeyeti  //  CU  6-2-3
>
> Translation  // That (Existence) saw, ' I shall become many.  I shall be
> born'  //.
>
> The सत् (sat)  willed to diversify or modify itself into a multitudinous
> variety leading to सृष्टि (sRRiShTi), Jagat
> or Creation. The word सत् (sat) here represents the combination of Brahman
>  and avyAkruta. Individually, neither Brahman (Chaitanya SvarUpa) nor
> avyAkruta (inert or jada) can Create. Brahman  though Chaitanya svarUpa is
> कूटस्थ (kUtastha), changeless and cannot undergo any vikAra or
> modification. AvyAkruta, though endowed with unthinkable powers to modify
> itself  in any number of ways  is jada or inert and cannot activate its
> power on its own. Its association with Brahman (Chaitanya)  however enables
> activation of this power. This association is अनादि (anAdi) beginningless
> as per Advaita SidhAnta. It is thus this combination which undergoes the
> required modification.  In what manner does this combination, addressed as
> सत् (sat) here, perform this diversification?  Ch Up elaborates this
> process with the use of two illustrations ; मृद्घट (mRRidghaTa)  and
>  रज्जुसर्प (rajjusarpa)  दृष्टांत (dRRiShTAMta).The Clay-pot and
> Rope-serpent illustrations.
>
> Principally it is avyAkruta which undergoes परिणाम (pariNAma),
> transformation, without changing its svarUpa (nature) resulting in Creation
> or Jagat . This is illustrated by the मृद्घट दृष्टांत (mRRidghaTa
> dRRiShTAMta), the  Clay-pot illustration. While the association between
> Brahman (Chaitanya) and avyAkruta is one of विवर्त (vivarta),
> transfiguration, illustrated by the रज्जुसर्प  दृष्टांत (rajjusarpa
> dRRiShTAMta), the Rope-serpent illustration.
>
> परिणाम (pariNAma), Transforamation, is of  two types as exemplified by the
> मृद्घट दृष्टांत (mRRidghaTa dRRiShTAMta), Clay-pot illustration and
> दधिक्षीर दृष्टांत (dadhikShIra dRRiShTAMta), milk-curd illustration. In the
> former case, the substance  does not undergo any transformation or change
>  in its svarUpa (nature) but only certain attributes like form undergo
> change. While in the latter, there is a transformation or change in the
> very svarUpa (nature) itself  of the substance.
>
>  The मृद्घट दृष्टांत  (mRRidghaTa dRRiShTAMta), Clay-pot illustration, in
> the current context is explained by the  CU mantra
>
> //  वाचारम्भणं विकारो नामधेयं मृत्तिकेत्येव सत्यम् //  CU 6-1-4.
>
> //  vAchArambhaNaM vikAro nAmadheyaM mRRittiketyeva satyam  //  CU 6-1-4
>
> Translation  // All transformation has speech as its basis, and it is name
> only. Clay as such is the reality //.
>
> The pot-clay illustrartion has been utilized in a variety of contexts in
> advaitic texts. Here, in Ch Up, the context is assumption of  different
> forms by a subsatnace without changing its svarUpa (nature). The different
> forms (rUpa) are considered as different visheshaNas of the substance. Clay
> is the substance while the form (rUpa) *pot*  is its visheshaNa. The object
> or product, having clay as substance  endowed with this pot form as
> visheshaNa, acquaires a unique name (nAma)  *Pot*. Clay can have any number
> of forms (rUpa) as visheshaNa, and with each such form (visheshaNa)  the
> substance clay acquaires a different name (nAma). Since there is no change
> in the svarUpa (nature)  of the substance in any of these objects, they can
> be  addressed by either of the two names, one associated with the substance
> without visheshaNa and the other the substance as associated with its
> unique visheshaNa.
>
> Another illustration  for the same type of pariNAma (transformation)  cited
> in CU is  सुवर्णकुण्डल (suvarNakuNDala), gold-ring. Gold is the substance
> while the form * ring * is its visheshaNa. Gold can take on any number of
> forms (visheshaNAs), each one of which acquaires a unique नाम (nAma), name,
> without changing its basic svarUpa (nature) of substance gold. The object
> or product can addressed by either of the two names, one associated with
> the substance without visheshaNa and the other the substance as associated
> with its unique visheshaNa. Either as simply * gold * or as
> ring,chain,bracelet etc as the case may be.
>
> The other type of  परिणाम (pariNAma), Transforamation, is best illustrated
> by the दधिक्षीर दृष्टांत (dadhikShIra dRRiShTAMta), Milk-curd illustration.
> In this case, the transformation of milk into curd is not only in its रूप
> (rUpa),form, but is also associated with a change in the very svarUpa
> (nature) itself of the substance milk  undergoing the transformation.
>
> The transformation of avyAkruta  into Creation or Jagat is of the मृद्घट
> दृष्टांत (mRRidghaTa dRRiShTAMta), Clay-pot illustration, type. Mantra CU
> 6-2-3  states
>
> //  तदैक्षत बहु स्यां प्रजायेयेति.....  //  CU 6-2-3
>
> //  tadaikShata bahu syAM prajAyeyeti.....   //  CU 6-2-3
>
> Translation  // That (Existence) saw, ' I shall become many.  I shall be
> born'  //.
>
> The Bhashya thereon CUB 6-2-3 states, inter alia, as below
>
> //  बहु प्रभूतं स्यां भवेयं प्रजायेय प्रकर्षेणोत्पद्येय, यथा
> मृद्घटाद्याकारेण........ //  CUB 6-2-3
>
> //   bahu prabhUtaM syAM bhaveyaM prajAyeya prakarSheNotpadyeya, yathA
> mRRidghaTAdyAkAreNa........ //. CUB  6-2-3
>
> Translation  //  I shall be born excellently. Like clay taking the shape of
> pots etc ..... //
>
> CU mantra  6-3-2 states
>
> //  सेयं देवतैक्षत हन्ताहमिमास्तिस्रो देवता अनेन जीवेनात्मनानुप्रविश्य
> नामरूपे व्याकरवाणीति ॥ तासां त्रिवृतं त्रिवृतमेकैकां करवाणीति सेयं
> देवतेमास्तिस्रो देवता अनेनैव जीवेनात्मनानुप्रविश्य नामरूपे व्याकरोत् ॥  //
>  CU 6-3-2 and 6-3-3.
>
> // seyaM devataikShata hantAhamimAstisro devatA anena
> jIvenAtmanAnupravishya nAmarUpe vyAkaravANIti || tAsAM trivRRitaM
> trivRRitamekaikAM karavANIti seyaM devatemAstisro devatA anenaiva
> jIvenAtmanAnupravishya nAmarUpe vyAkarot ||  //  CU 6-3-2 and 6-3-3.
>
> Translation  // That Deity which is such saw : Let it be that now, by
> entering into these three gods, in the form of the soul of each individual
> being, I shall clearly manifest name and form.  With the idea, " I shall
> make each one of these three-fold and three-fold, that Deity who was such
> entered into these three gods, as this individual soul, and manifested name
> and form  //.
>
> Continued in part 2.
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