[Advaita-l] Another evidence of avidyA and mAya identity - bRhadAraNyaka vArttika

[Venkatraghavan S]

Namaste,
I was reading the ghaTa bhAShya portion of Sureshvara's vArttika (BUB
1.2.1), and came across these vArttikas that are evidence of him
identifying the mRtyu of the upaniShad mantra (मृत्युनैवेदमावृतमासीत्) with
mAyA and equating mAyA with avidyA.

नामरूपादिना येयमविद्या प्रथतेऽसती |
माया तस्याः परं सौक्ष्म्यं मृत्युनैवेति भण्यते || BUBV 1.2.135
This unreal ignorance which manifests / expands as names and forms is mAyA.
Its most subtle aspect is mentioned here (in the upaniShad) with the words
"(all this was enveloped) by death".

Anandagiri AchArya in this context says - न केवल
कार्यलिङ्गकानुमानगम्याविद्या अपि तु अनुभवसिद्धाऽपीत्याह *इयमि*ति | तर्हि
प्रामाणिकत्वाद्वस्तुत्वं नेत्याह *असती*ति | तत्त्वतो मानागम्यत्वादित्यर्थः
| ये केचिदविद्यामाययोर्भेदमाहुस्तन्निरासार्थं *माये*त्युक्तमप्रमाणिकम्
तयोर्नानात्वम् | अव्यक्तनामरूपमध्यक्षाद्ययोग्यमपञ्चीकृतमहाभूतातिरिक्तं
मायारूपं मृत्युशब्दितम् इत्याह *तस्या* इति |
To reveal that ignorance is not only known through an inference of the
cause from its effects, it is also experienced directly, the vArttikakAra
says "*this* (ignorance"). Even though it is known by pramANa, to say that
it is not real, he says "*unreal (ignorance)*". The intended meaning is
that it is not revealed by the pramANa as something real. To refute those
who say that avidyA and mAyA are different, he says "*mAyA*". Therefore,
their (mAyA's and avidyA's) difference is not valid. To say that mAyA, the
entity denoted by the word mRtyu (death), the unmanifest names and forms,
which is beyond the reach of perception etc, is even different to the
apancIkRta elements, he says "*its* (*subtlest* *form*)".

मृत्युर्वै तम इत्येवमाप एवेदमित्यापि |
अविद्या प्रथते मौली व्यक्ताव्यक्तात्मनानिशम् || BUBV 1.2.136
Even in the sentence "death is darkness" (taittirIya brAhmaNa 1.4.7.5) and
also the sentence "waters themselves are this universe" (taittirIya
brAhmaNa 1.4.7.7), it is ignorance that expands as the manifest and
unmanifest.

Again, Anandagiri says उद्गीथाधिकारे हि
व्यक्तशब्दितस्वाभाविकज्ञानकर्मात्मना प्रथमाना मूलाविद्यैव
मृत्युशब्दव्याख्यानेन तमः शब्देनोच्यते | सप्तमे
चाव्यक्तशब्दितप्रकृत्यात्मना सैवाविद्याऽप्शब्देन विवक्ष्यतेऽतः सदा
दृश्यद्वैतात्मना तस्या भावादविरुद्धं  साभासायास्तस्या
मृत्युशब्दत्वमित्यर्थः |
In the udgItha chapter, it is mUlAvidyA that is referred to by the word
"tamah", which is expands as common knowledge and action, denoted by the
word "vyakta". Further in the seventh mantra, it is the very same avidyA
denoted by the word "Apah", which is revealed to be prakRti, denoted by the
word "avyakta". Therefore, as it (avidyA / mAyA) is always present as the
essence of the seen multiplicity (of the world), there is nothing
inappropriate for it be referred to by the word "mRtyu", which implies its
existence along with its apparent effects (for death also indirectly refers
to the object that perishes).

Kind regards,
Venkatraghavan