The nature of the world

Athma Bodha – 3

Verse 6

Samsarah Swapnatulyo hi Ragadweshadi Samkulah I

Swakaale Satyavatbhati Prabodhe sati Asadbhavet II

The world which is full of attachments, aversions, etc., is like a dream. It appears to be real, as long as one is ignorant but becomes unreal when one is awake (i.e., when true wisdom dawns).

Samsara means that which is ever changing and here it denotes the world of births and deaths in an endless cycle. The unreal nature of the world is brought out through a beautiful simile.  The world of objects existing in time and space is compared to a dream as viewed from the waking state.  A dreamer in dream does not know it is a dream and experiences the dream world in dream as he experiences the world in the waking stage. On waking up he realises the unreality of the dream and is not worried over dream disasters or elated over dream bonanzas. In the same way when one becomes established in the Jnanam he realises the unreality of the experienced world with its attachments and aversions, which arise out of raga, dwesha, the result of kama, krodha and other negative qualities of  loba, moha, madha and matsarya.  He learns that he was attributing reality to the world of pluralirty out of Atma ajjnanam and the experienced world is only an adhysa, a wrong projection of ignorant mind and only Brahman i.e, Athma is Real. When one wakes up, dream world disappears and in the same way when one wakes up to Athma Jnanam, the feeling of reality of the world of plurality disappears.

Verse 7

Taavat satyam Jagadbhati Suktikaa Rajatam Yatha I

Yavanna Jnayate Brahma Sarvadhistaanam-Advayam. II

The world appears to be Real (Satyam) so long as Brahman, the substratum, the basis of all this creation, is not realised. It is like the illusion of silver in the mother-of-pearl.

In this verse the mithyatvam of the world is further explained through another simile, namely the mother of pearl that shines like silver in the sunlight.  This shining mother of pearl is mistaken for silver and only close investigation reveals its real nature. Similarly all this world of plurality appears real until we know Brahman that is Sarvadhishtanam, the substratum of all, which alone is Real and one only without a second.  When we know Brahman through Athma Jnanam and realize our Real Self as Sathya Athma, then the  experienced world of plurality is revealed to us as only relatively real i.e. mithya and not absolutely Real and so it does not delude us any longer.

Verse 8

Upadane Akhilaadhare Jaganti Paramesware I

Sarga sthiti Layaanyanti Budbudaaneeva Vaarini II

Like bubbles in the water, the worlds rise, exist and dissolve in the Supreme Iswara, who is the material cause and the prop of everything.

Jaganthi means the worlds.  All the 14 worlds of the Universe have three qualities of Srishti, Sthithi and Layam.  These three actions take place in the substratum Brahman, here called Parameswara.  This phenomenon of arising, existing and dissolving is compared to the bubbles that rise in water, exist in water and collapse in water.  Just as bubbles in water are only water, rising in water, existing, even growing bigger, in water and bursting to merge back in water, the plurality that is seen as worlds is only a play of names and forms on the substratum that is Brahman.  Brahman as Iswara with His power of Maya manifest acts as the material and efficient cause of creation, Maya with its vikshepa sakthi projecting the Universe out of itself.  

Verse 9

Satchidaatmani Anusyoote Nitye-Vishnow Prakalpitaah I

Vyaktayo Vividhassarvaa Haatake Katakaadivat. II

All the manifested world of things and beings are projected by imagination upon the substratum which is the eternal all-pervading Vishnu, whose nature is Existence-Intelligence; just as the different ornaments are all made out of the same gold.

Here Vishnu stands for Supreme Brahman who is the substratum for the Universe.  As is said in the previous verse Brahman, with His power Maya manifest, is the material cause for the universe, like gold for the ornaments made of gold. The ornaments may vary like bracelets, chains, rings etc.  But they are all basically gold only with different names and forms..  Similarly the manifested world of things is basically Vishnu, the Supreme Brahman only with various forms and different names.  Just as a jeweler views all ornaments as manifestations of gold with different forms and names, an Athma Jnani looks upon everything in creation as Brahman only with different forms and names. 

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