Karika # 1:

upāsanāśrito
dharmo jāte brahmaṇi vartate | 
prāgutpatterajaṃ sarvaṃ tenāsau kṛpaṇaḥ smṛtaḥ || 1

1. The Jīva betaking itself to devotion (upāsanā) thinks
itself to be related to the Brahman that is supposed to have manifested Himself
He is said to be of narrow intellect because he thinks that before creation all
was of the nature of the unborn (Reality).

Continuing his teaching Swami
Paramarthananda said, in the first two karikas Gaudapada introduces the subject
matter. He says Pada Trayam should be equated to Dvaitam or Duality. In all
three Padas duality is there, either in manifest form or as unmanifest. This Pada
Trayam exists as Karya (pada’s 1 and 2) Karana (third pada) Rupam.

Thus, five attributes of PadaTrayam
are: Pada Trayam=Dvaitam=Karya Karana Rupam = Savikaram=Karpanyam.

Karana modifies to Karya.  Wherever modification is there; time is
involved and thus Yama is involved. Therefore mortality is involved and separation
is involved, whenever time comes in. This misery experienced through old age,
death etc is known as Karpanyam. You can’t stop old age or death; this
helplessly being victim of time is Karpanyam or Samsara.

Turiyam also has similar five
attributes; only they are opposite ones. Thus:

Turiyam=Advaitam=Karya karana
Vilakshanam=Nirivikaram=A-Karpanyam=A-Samsaram.

In karika # 1, the first five
attributes related to Pada Trayam are described.

In karika # 2, the second
five attributes related to Turiyam are described.

You can choose which way you
wish to take; misery or moksha; it is all your choice. Gaudapada says, I assume
students of Vedanta are interested in Turiyam and therefore I shall deal with
it in this chapter; hence chapter is called Advaita Prakaranam. Chapter can be
called by any of the names of the five attributes of Turiyam. The name Advaita
Prakaranam is also used as it is mentioned in Mantra # 7 as well.

Karika # 1:
Every person in duality is miserable. Even exalted duality won’t free him from
misery. God is meditated upon and I am the meditator; even here there is
duality. Religion is great only in Advaita Gyanam. If it does not go to
advaitam, then you are religiously unfortunate, says Gaudapada.

Karika # 2:

ato
vakṣyāmyakārpaṇyamajāti samatāṃ gatam | 
yathā na jāyate kiṃcit jāyamānaṃ samantataḥ || 2 ||

2. Therefore
I shall now describe that (Brahman) which is free from limitations, unborn
and which is the same throughout; and from this, one
understands that it is not (in reality) born though it appears to be manifested
everywhere.

Therefore, since Pada Trayam
falls within Samsara, I shall teach Turiya Padam of Atma based on mantra # 7.
Turiyam is without Akarpanyam (where there is no tyranny of time) or Samsara (free
Turiyam) or it is misery-less Turiyam.

Ajati means Karya Karana
Vilakshanam, where there is no birth or creation. Jati here means birth; hence
this teaching of Mandukya Upanishad is called Ajati Vada meaning beyond Karya
Karana.

Nirvikaram means ever the
same; even while body is ever changing and mind is also changing; Turiyam alone
is Saman. I will teach you how nothing is born out of Turiyam; it is not a Karanam;
and hence it is Karya Karana Vilakshanam. Even though there is appearance of
Creation (things being born continuously and then die); I will show you it is
not real, it is all just an appearance; just as in a dream, everything is just
an appearance; as on waking, everything disappears. Therefore, Turiyam is not a
Karanam.

Karika # 3:

ātmā
hyākāśavajjīvairghaṭākāśairivoditaḥ | 
ghaṭādivacca saṃghātairjātāvetannidarśanam || 3 ||

3.
Ātman may be said to be similar to Ākāśa (ether) manifested
in the forms of the Jīvas (embodied selves) which may be compared
to the ether enclosed in pots. Again, as pots, etc., are said to be
produced from the Ākāśa (ether), similarly (gross) bodies are said
to be evolved from the Ātman. This is the illustration of the
manifestation (from Brahman, if any).

Now we enter the main teaching. Gudapada makes a grand beginning. He wants to show Turiyam is Karya Karana Vilakshanam. He will concentrate on “ Karana” Vilakshanam. Karana Vilakshanam means, Turiyam is not cause of anything and no creation is born out of Turiyam. For convenience of analysis Turiyam is divided into two parts:

1) Jiva, as Chetana amsha;

2) Jagat, as Achetana amshsa.

Gaudapada says, Jiva is not
born of Turiyam; neither is Jagat. He teaches this in four stages.

Stage # 1: Logical negation
of creation of Jiva. He proves Jiva is not born out of Turiyam.

Stage # 2: Logical negation
of Jagat Srishti or creation of world.

3. Stage # 3: Scriptural
negation of Jiva Srishti. He says Jiva is never created.

4. Stage # 4: Scriptural
negation of Creation of world.

Following is also a breakdown
of karikas by the above said four stages:

Karika 3-9: First stage

Karika 10: Second stage.

Karika 11-14: Third stage

Karika 15-30: Fourth stage.

Stage # 1:
Jivatma and paramatma (Turiyam) do not have Karya Karana sambandha. Jivatma is
not born out of Paramatma.

Karya Karana Sambandha is a
popular mistake; hence the misconception that I am Jivatma and Paramatma has created
me; and I have to go back to Paramatma.

To reveal the fact that they
don’t have any sambandha, Gaudapada uses scriptural examples.

Akasha Drishtanta: One space
is called both Pot space and Other space. Pot space is enclosed in a pot, while
other space is all pervading space, maha akasha or Total space.

Thus in above example:

Pot space is like Jivatma.

Total space is like Paramatma.

Gaudapada wants to study
both. If you look superficially at both spaces, you will get certain ideas; but
upon enquiry you will find them false.

First misconception: Utpatti (origination): So
the first false idea is that pot space is born out of Total space. Reality is
pot space is never born; when pot is born, there is already space and the
enclosed space is just given a new name called pot space. This name comes only
after creation of pot. So the birth of
container pot is falsely transferred to birth-less space.  This is called Utpatti or misconception.

Similarly when building a
house, is house the name of the space or the name of the walls? Since you live
in space, house is name of space you live in, while reality is, that you build
a wall and transfer its name to space.

Similarly, what is a well? It
is name of space that contains water. Reality is, nobody makes a well. You just
remove mud; then you transfer the name and say a well was made.

Similarly, when you travel to
Madras and arrive at Basin Bridge Junction, you say, Madras has arrived;
reality is that arrival of train is transferred to Madras. Madras never came.  So, also, Akasha (space) is never born.

Second misconception: Nashaha: When pot is
broken; you say, pot space is gone; while reality is that, that space is not
gone; it is just that the pot broke.

Third misconception: Doshaha: Pollution: Various things in space are polluted, such as air,
water, earth etc. Our mistake is that we consider pollution of things as “Space
Pollution”. Reality is that Space never gets polluted.

Fourth misconception: Individuality: Viseshaha: Every Jivatma is associated with individuality; thus
smaller pot space, bigger pot space etc are based upon attributes of container.
Attribute of container is transferred to space and it makes it big or small space
etc.

Fifth misconception: Sambandhaha: That pot space and total space are related, is the
misconception. Reality is, there is only one individual space. We divide total
space and create names like pot space etc. This is the false relationship; the
idea that pot space is a product while total space is the producer. We create
this Karya Karana Sambandha. Reality is that space was never created; it was
always there. So Sambandha is the fifth misconception.

None of the above
misconceptions exist. These misconceptions can also be extended to the
Jivatama.

 Thus:

1. Jivatma is never
   born. Atma is consciousness. I am enclosed consciousness. Birth is of container
   and not content; therefore, Jivatma appears to have birth.
2. Jivatma dies, is
   another misconception. I am never going to die. Enclosed body may die but
   enclosed consciousness never dies.
3. I may have several
   doshas, is another misconception. Gaudapada says, “You have no doshsa”. Doshas
   belong to container, the body. None of doshas belong to Consciousness.
4. I have
   individuality is another misconception. I do not have individuality.
   Individuality belongs to container. The content is beyond individuality.
5. I think I am
   Jivatma born out of Paramatma. Reality is that I am consciousness and I am
   never born out of Paramtma. We are just two names of the same consciousness.
   Inside enclosure is Jivatma; outside enclosure is Paramatma. It is like a
   demarcation line, say between the states of Tamil nadu and Karnataka; it is
   just a man made line. It is just a name we give to continuous space. In reality
   there is no demarcation between states.

So
relationship between Jivatma and Paramatma is an Aikya Sambandha (meaning no
sambandha). I am Turiyam. So Jivatma is not born out of Paramatma.

Karika # 3: Here
Atma (turiyam) is compared to Akasha.

Paramatma is
seemingly born as Jivatma; like total space is seemingly born as pot space,
while reality is that only container is born, not content, the consciousness.

Paramatma is
also seemingly born as the container, the body; however, this topic Gaudapada
will discuss later on.

How
can we say that Total space is born as pot space? Only clay is born as pot.
Taittirya Upanishad says: from Akasha, Vayu is born; From Vayu, Agni is born;
from Agni, water is born; from Water, Earth is born, from Earth, pot is born.
So total space has produced pot. Similarly, Paramatma is born as Jivatma, as
well as pot. This space analogy is the seeming creation of Jivatma.

Karika # 4:

ghaṭādiṣu
pralīneṣu ghaṭākāśādayo yathā | 
ākāśe saṃpralīyante tadvajjīvā ihātmani || 4 ||

4. As
on the destruction of the pot, etc., the ether enclosed in the pot,
etc., merges in the Ākāśa (the great expanse of ether), similarly
the Jīvas merge in the Ātman.

In
previous karikas misconceptions of origination or Utpatti was explained. Now
Gaudapada talks of Jivatma Nashaha; when the container resolves; when pot,
room, etc perish; the pot space also seemingly merges into total space; and
when pot space breaks, it merges into total space. Reality is that pot was
destroyed and nothing happened to space. Similarly, we say Gyani merged into
Brahman; it is only usage of a verb; nothing really happened.

In
the same manner, enclosed consciousness, Jivatma, merges into Paramatma, a
seeming merger. Reality is that there is no question of any merger at all. So, Vedanta
students wrongly ask, will I merge into God?

With Best Wishes

Ram Ramaswamy

Continuing his teaching Swami
Paramarthananda said, having completed chapter # 2, now we will enter chapter #
3 known as Advaita Prakaranam. This chapter has 48 Karikas and is an important
chapter related to Karika’s and entire Vedantic literature.

Our clarity of Advaita relies on clarity of this
chapter. If we have to understand this chapter thoroughly, we have to follow
certain conditions:

We have to review chapter 1 completely, each week. We have to review first seven mantras of Ch. # 1, as they are very important. We must do so, to better understand the meaning of each mantra. Nine Karikas are very important, especially Karikas # 10-#18 in Chapter # 1. Thus, seven mantras and nine karikas, we
must review each week to obtain most benefit from this chapter’s teaching.

I am insisting on
this because chapter # 3 is built on foundation of Chapter # 1 (the seven
mantras and nine karikas). If foundation is weak, building will not be strong.
Chapter # 3 is the building built on Chapter # 1. I will very often refer to
chapter # 1. So, I will assume you are reviewing the seven mantras and nine
karikas each week.

The previous
chapter # 2, Vaithatya Prakaranam, is a commentary on the word Prapancha
Upashamam occurring in mantra # 7. This was explained as Jagat Vaithatyam
meaning it is Pada Trayam Mithyatvam.

(Note: Prapanchopasamam means world-mithyatvam. This mithyatvam was analyzed in the second chapter. Instead of using the word prapanchopasamam, Gaudapada used the word vaitathyam. Vaitathyam and mithya are synonymous. Mithya means that the waking world we experience now is only a conditional reality like the dream world. The waking world is real only in the waking state just as the dream world is real only in the dream state. Since both of them are real only in their respective states, they are not absolutely real. This conditional reality is called mithyatvam. If the waking world and the dream world are both mithya, conditionally real, what is absolutely real? It is ‘I’ the
observing consciousness principle alone. I, the Turiya atma alone am the satyam.
I am the projector, sustainer and the experiencer of the waking world. This was
established in Vaitathyaprakaranam.)

Ch 3 is also a
commentary on another word in mantra # 7; Advaitam; hence chapter # 3 is called
Advaita Prakaranam. Here, in this chapter # 3, Gaudapada is going to deal with
Turiyam, the fourth pada.

In Chapter # 2 he
dealt with the first three Padas and their unreality while here the focus is on
Turiyam, the fourth Pada, and its reality.

I will now give
you a general direction that Gaudapada takes in this chapter.

Referring to
chapter # 1, we have mentioned that Pada 1 and Pada 2 are known as Karya padas,
the effect or product, as mentioned in Karika # 11.

Pada # 3 is Karana Pada that
corresponds to the cause of all effects. The fourth Pada is Turiyam or Karya
Karana Vilakshanam; here Karya means effect; Karana means Cause; Vilakshana
means different from.

This can also be stated as follows:

Pada # 1 and # 2: Karya
Brahma (effect, manifest)

Pada # 3: Karana Brahma
(cause, unmanifest)

Pada # 4: Karya Karana
Vilakshana (different) Brahma.

Then, the next important
principles are:

Both Karya and Karana are
subject to modifications. Every effect will go through modification to become
karanam. Thus, both are subject to modifications, meaning they are within time.
So, the first three Padas, all exist in time.

Thus, Karya Karana Rupam is
Savikaram (modification, decomposition). This explains first three Padas.

In jagrat, swapna and
taijasa, all three states, there is dvaitam and division

Karanam (cause) also is
Dvaitam because; cause produces effect, thus duality. Therefore, cause must
contain duality in potential form. Thus, in one seed there are many potential
trees; it is a hidden duality. In every parent many children are present as
potential, due to the potential duality. So, Karanam (cause) is unmanifest
duality. Karyam (effect) is manifest duality.

Is there duality in sleep?
Even if I don’t experience duality, it is present in potential form in sleep;
thus when I wake up, I experience duality; so it is a hidden duality.

Hence Karya Karana Rupam is
dvaita Rupam.

In Samadhi we don’t give
significance to Advaita anubhava; the reason is, in Samadhi, unmanifest Dvaitam
is the one experienced. It is unmanifest dvaitam because when we come out of
Samadhi, we say, I was in advaitam.

Four words have been
introduced: Karana Pada Trayam; Karya Karana Rupam; Savikaram and Dvaitam; all
are in realm of time.

Turiyam, the fourth pada is
Karya Karana Vilakshanam; it transcends cause and effect field; so there is no
change in it. So, it is Nirvikaram.

Turiyam=Karya Karana
Vilakshanam= Nirvikara= Advaitam; Turiyam transcends time and is the Fourth Pada.

Now Gaudapada says that first
three Padas fall within Samsara, Karya Karana Dvaitam=Samasara.

Why do we say so? Reason is
as follows:

Duality is Samsara where even
if there is a second thing, there is fear. The second thing can be an object of
attachment or an object of aversion. If we move with a person, you develop Raga
or Dvesha towards him. If it is aversion it will result in sorrow. Thus,
arrival of a mosquito gives sorrow or Dvesha.

Ragaha also gives fear due to
fear of departure. The very thought of losing Drona and Bhishma caused great
sorrow to Arjuna. Dvaitam is cause of Savikara (modification); and Savikara is
Samsara.

Whatever is subject to
modification is samsara, including our body. The body grows old and we feel the
difference in our joints. All my faculties are also slowly taken away. Thus,
Savikara is Samasara.

Karya Karana Rupam=Samsara.
As long as I look upon myself as within Karya Karana Rupa, my past karmas
become cause and their effect, as such, subject to Prarabhda. I look at myself
as a victim of fate without any freedom. I feel I am a helpless victim as I am
worried which Karma is going to fructify for me today. So as karyam, I am a
Samsari.

If I look at myself, using
free will, as cause of my future, when I look at myself as a responsible karta
then I am worried about how I will discharge my duties? How will I get my
daughter married? Send son to college? Etc. This causes anxiety in me. More
responsible you are (cause), more stressed you are (product). Neither as a Karta
or Bhokta can you be free from stress. Hence, Dvaita= Samsara; Savikara=
Samsara; Karya Karana= Samsara.

So for moksha, you have to go
to Turiyam alone. Advaita is never afraid. In Nirvikaram there is no fear of
time. Therefore, Turiyam can’t be touched by time. Thus, Karya Karana
Vilakshanam= Moksha. I am not a product or cause, nor Karta nor Bhokta. So
Gaudapada wants to reveal Turiyam that alone can give moksha, in chapter # 3.

Karika # 1:

upāsanāśrito
dharmo jāte brahmaṇi vartate | 
prāgutpatterajaṃ sarvaṃ tenāsau kṛpaṇaḥ smṛtaḥ || 1

1. The Jīva betaking itself to devotion (upāsanā) thinks
itself to be related to the Brahman that is supposed to have manifested Himself
He is said to be of narrow intellect because he thinks that before creation all
was of the nature of the unborn (Reality).

In first two karikas of this
chapter, Gaudapada introduces the subject: that dvaitam is samsara; Savikara
equals Samsara; and that Pada Trayam equals Samsara.

Any type of duality is
samsara, secular or religious. Even a great upasaka, considered a great devotee
of Lord, even he is within realm of duality. It is a religious duality based
upon scriptures. Even here duality is dvaitam, Savikaram etc and hence under
samsara. This is a disturbing part of
Chapter # 3. Advanced Advaita scriptural texts criticize Karma and Upasana as
Dvaitam.

(Note: There are two types of dvaitam. One is called secular dvaitam and the other is sacred dvaitam. Secular dvaitam consists of I, (the jivatma) and the observed world (the anatma). This jivatma-anatma dvaitam is secular dvaitam because everyone knows this as ‘I am here and the world is there’. In addition to the secular dvaitam, shastra also introduces another type of dvaitam in the context of karma-yoga and upasana-yoga. Veda-purva section consists of karma-section that deals with karma-yoga and upasana-section that deals with upasana-yoga, which also involves duality. In the karma-section, I, the jivatma, am the worshipper of the Lord and the paramatma is Ishvara; introduced as Someone, to be worshipped. This is worshipper-worshipped dvaitam, is sacred dvaitam. In the upasana-section, even when we drop the rituals and take up meditation, there also we have dvaitam: I am the meditator and Ishvara is the meditated called meditator-meditated dvaitam. Gaudapada says that even though the sacred dvaitam is considered very sacred and auspicious, that sacred dvaitam also will be a cause of samsara only. Any dvaitam is cause of samsara, secular or sacred. Therefore, everyone will
have to transcend the secular and the sacred dvaitam and come to advaitam.)

So every upasaka is a
religious samsari. This creates confusion in our minds. Hence beginners should
not come to Mandukya Upanishad where it implies that conducting Pujas etc don’t
matter.

We say, Upasana Dvaitam kept,
as an end by itself, is samsara. But we are willing to allow Upasana when it is
a means to move from Dvaitam to Advaitam. The problem is that in the name of
sacredness many people remain in Dvaitam.

By
the way, these are secret verses are not to be publicized.

 (Further Notes: The Upanishad points out that
atma is advaitam and that everyone should compulsorily know the advaita atma. Why
does the Upanishad say this? Gaudapada answers that dvaitam is the cause of
several problems called samsara and so advaita-Gyanam is the only solution for
this samsara. All the Upanishads have repeatedly said the same thing. Kathopanishad
says: whoever is in dvaitam will go from mortality to mortality. In Taittiriya
Upanishad, it is said: even if the slightest duality is perceived, you will
feel insecurity (limitation, helplessness, fear, anger and depression). In Brhadaranyaka
Upanishad, it is said: dvaitam is the cause of insecurity, fear, etc. This is
everyone’s problem and for that problem advaita gyanam is the only remedy. The
problem is not the absence of advaitam but it is the absence of advaita gyanam.
When it is said that dvaitam is the problem, we should carefully note the
following: Experience of duality is not a problem. In fact, it is enjoyment.
Variety is enjoyment. Dvaita transaction is also not a problem. Dvaita
experience and transaction are not problems. Then what is problem? Taking dvaitam as satyam alone is the
problem because dvaitam is not satyam but it is only mithya. When mithya
dvaitam is mistaken as satyam, one expects stability that leads to emotional
leaning or dependence on the mithya dvaitam. Being nama-rupa, mithya
dvaitam is not stable, and it is always changing. Relying on unstable things
for stability creates a lot of problems. Relying on the unreliable things is
the definition of samsara. The reliance happens because of mistaking mithya to
be satyam. Therefore, we should stop emotionally relying upon mithya dvaitam
and start relying on satya advaitam. That satya advaitam is Turiya atma. This
advaita-gyanam is important for everyone. )

The
word Dharma in karika means the Jiva who is committed to Upasana or Saguna Ishwara
Dhyanam. He looks at deity as an object of superior attribute while looking at
himself as an ordinary Papi; this is the upasya upasaka dvaitam.

In
the karika, the word Jate means with dvaitam comes Karya Karanam as well. He is
in Virat, Vishwa, Taijasa, and Hiranyagarbha etc.

The word Utpate means before
origination of world; or before Srishti, sthiti and laya, everything was in Ajam
Karanam; meaning Brahma Rupam. His mind is in Karya Karana Brahma. I exist is
Karya Karana Brahma; this is thinking of Upasaka.

As long as he is in dvaitam,
he is within time or savikaram. He thinks, now he is away from God and that in
moksha he will join God. This concept is wrong.

His concept of Moksha is
going and coming. He has not understood moksha. Merger into God, a time bound
event, is not Moksha. Real moksha is that: I am Turiyam, ever free, and not an
event in future. But Upasaka does not understand this.

Gaudapada pities the Upasaka
as an unfortunate person; although whole world had placed him on a pedestal;
from a Turiya Drishti; he is just a samsari.

So Gaudapada is going to ask
us if we are ready for a journey beyond Karma and Upasana to a place where
there is no Jiva Ishwara Bheda.

Take Away:

Taking
dvaitam as satyam alone is the problem because dvaitam is not satyam but it is
only mithya. When mithya dvaitam is mistaken as satyam, one expects stability
that leads to emotional leaning or dependence on the mithya dvaitam.

With Best Wishes

Ram Ramaswamy

Continuing his teaching
Swamiji said, today I will give you a summary of the Chapter # 2 that is also
known as Vaithatya Prakaranam. Mandukya Karika is an analysis of the Mandukya Upanishad.
In this Karika Gaudapada is expounding from the Upanishad, not his own opinion,
rather, whatever is implicit in the Upanishad is made explicit using a method
of extraction known as Shruthyartapatti pramanam, an indirect manner of gaining
knowledge from Shruti.

In entire Mandukya Upanishad
the most important mantra is # 7 dealing with Turiyam. This topic is expanded
upon in this chapter. Turiya mantra has two words that are very important:
Prapanchoupashamam and Advaitam. Prapanchoupashamam is expanded upon in Chapter
# 2 and Advaitam is expanded upon in Chapter # 3.

The
word ‘prapanchopasamam’ means the prapancha mithyatvam. Prapancha refers to the
waking world, the universe. Upasama literally means absent. ‘prapanchopasama’ means
that even though we experience the world, factually it is not there. It is
experientially available, factually non-existent. It is otherwise called
mithyatvam, or vaitathyam. Prapanchopasamam, prapancha mithyatvam and prapancha
vaitathyam all mean that the world is mithya.

Prapanchoupasamam also means,
free from the world. What is free from the world mean? It means Turiyam is free
from the world or it is world-less. This word negates world. What is its
significance? Upanishad can’t negate experience of the world; we can’t negate
it as well, as we experience it daily. Experiential experience of the world
cant be negated but when the Upanishad says it does not exist, it means, world
is only experiential but factually non-existent or world is seemingly existent
or apparently existent.

Prapanchoupashamam deals with
unreality of world. Idea of unreality can be conveyed in Sanskrit by words such
as Satyam, Mithya and Vitathvam. They all convey unreality of world. Since
chapter # 2 analyzes unreality of world implicit in Upanishad, it is called
Vaithatya Prakaranam; it means Jagat Vaithatya Prakaranam.

Jagat is universe or cosmos,
but in Mandukya Upanishad, it means the three Padas; that is, Waker & gross
universe; Dreamer and subtle universe; and Sleeper and Causal universe. These
three pairs, together, are called Pada Trayam. So, Chapter # 2 can also be
called Pada Traya Vaithatya Prakaranam.

Having seen significance of title
we will now come to the chapter # 2 itself. It has 38 karikas and they can be
classified in five headers. They are:

1. Karika’s # 1-# 3:

Swapna Prapancha Vaithatyam,
meaning unreality of dream world.

• Karika # 4- # 18:
  Jagrat Prapancha Vaithatyam; meaning unreality of waker’s universe.
• Karika # 19-29:
  Misconceptions regarding the reality or Kalpana Prakaraha; varieties of
  confusion.
• Karika # 30- #
  34: Summary or conclusion of main discussion of pada traya mithyatvam also
  called Upasamhara.
• Karikas #35- #
  38:

Describe the sadhanas and their results or
their Phalam. We can also call it spiritual disciplines and their results.

We will see each one the five
headers now.

1. Swapna Prapancha Vaithatyam: Here Gaudapada wants to establish unreality of dream
   world. Dream example is very useful. Unreal dream world appears as real, in
   sleep. If I am convinced about it, I can extend it, to waker’s world as well.

Therefore, dream example is
very important. Gaudapada gives three proofs of unreality of dream world. Most
people probably see dream world as unreal anyway. So the three proofs are:

1. Shruti; 2. Yukti
   and 3. Anubhava.

1. Shruti Pramanam:
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says dream world is unreal; dream is only our mental
projection where non-tangible thoughts seem tangible ones.

• Yukti Pramanam:
  The logic is that dream objects can’t really exist, as they don’t have the
  required space to exist or the required time to exist. Required space is not
  there as everything is within our head; thus our head can’t accommodate say an
  elephant. Similarly the required time, to beget children and grandchildren is
  not available in a dream. Hence they are considered projections of mind.
• Anubhava
  Pramanam: On waking up we find all our dream experience disappears into thin
  air. Sleeping in New York, I am seeing Coovam, but it disappears upon waking.

Thus, we have three pramanams
of dream.

• Jagrat Prapancha Vaithatyam: Karikas # 4- # 18:

From the 4th verse up to the 18th verse, the second and the
most important topic is covered, which is that the waking world is also mithya
exactly like the dream world. Just as the dream world appears as satyam in
dream, the waking world appears as satyam in the waking state. Even though the
waking world appears as satyam in the waking state, still it is mithya only.

Gaudapada
in the very powerful verse 6 says that the dream world is mithya because it is
subject to arrival and departure. The waking world is available in the waking
state but the entire waking world disappears when you switch over from waking
to dream or deep sleep. The moment you change the state, the entire waking
world disappears and the dream world appears, and in dream it does not appear
as dream, but like the waking world only. The waking world comes in the waking
state, it goes in the dream state, the dream world comes in the dream state and
it goes in the waking state. Each one appears in its own respective state and
disappears in the other state. So both the worlds must have equal status.
Therefore, since the dream world is known to be mithya, then the waking world
also must be given the same mithya status. Thus Gaudapada says that the waking
world is mithya because it is subject to arrival and departure just like the
dream world is.

Gaudapada says Waker’s
universe is unreal; He gives two reasons for this: 1. Implied reason; and 2.
Direct reason.

Implied reason:

Whatever
is objectified is Mithya. Whatever is seen; is mithya. Any object can reveal
its existence depending on an observer. Without observer, no object can reveal
its existence. Since object depends on Subject it has a dependent existence;
hence object is mithya. Thus, Jagrat Prapancha is an object of experience hence
it is mithya. Say, in another higher state of experience, one experiences a
mystical world, even that is mithya as even that mystical world depends on an
extraordinary observer. So, any Drishyam is Mithya.

Direct Reason:

Whatever is impermanent is
mithya. Anything impermanent enjoys only temporary existence. Temporary
existence means borrowed existence; or it means dependent existence; however, anything
with independent existence will exist forever. Jagrat Prapancha is subject to
arrival and departure just like the dream world is, hence it is impermanent.

Therefore Gaudapada concludes
Drishyatvam and Anithyatvam are the cause Mithyatvam.

Thereafter,
several objections are raised and all these objections are with an intention to
show that dream is mithya and waking is satyam. To prove this, various
definitions of reality are presented. Gaudapada
refutes these definitions of reality.  They
give four reasons:

1. Utility: Waker’s
universe has utility only in waking state but not in dream. If utility is
criterion then dream world will become real. Gaudapada refutes this by pointing
out that each world is useful in the respective state and each one is useless
in the other state. Dream water is useful in dream but not in waking.
Similarly, waker’s water is useful in the waking state but not useful in the
dream. So if utility is the criterion, both should be accepted as the same and
it cannot be said that one is satyam and the other is mithya.

2. Clarity: Whatever is a clear
experience is real. Thus, dream is very vague and so unreal. Gaudapada’s answer is
that the dream world is unreal only from the standpoint of the waking state but
when you are in dream, every event is very clear just as everything in the
waking world is clear in the waking state. Clarity cannot be used to
differentiate between dream and the waking world.

3. Externality: Whatever is
externally available is real. The waking world is outside and the dream world is inside.
What is outside is real and what is inside is unreal, mithya. Gaudapada refutes
this by saying that the dream world is said to be internal and unreal only when
you are in the waking state, but in dream, the dream world is experienced as
external. Internality and externality logic will thus not work to show that the
dream world is mithya and the waking world is real.

4.
Objectivity:

Objectivity is a criterion
for reality. Whatever is commonly available to all is real. Thus, this mike is
available to all, but dream is not available to all. Gaudapada however
disagrees; he says even dream world is available to them, if you are in a
dream. Dream train is available to many people in dream.

So, none of the above
criteria are correct.

If dream and Waker’s world’s
are unreal then what is reality? Unreal requires support. Reality is that which exists but which is never observed. What is
that thing? It is the observer or Consciousness alone that is reality. Everything else that is observed is unreal.
Thus world is observed, hence unreal; body is observed, hence unreal; mind is
observed, hence unreal. The awareness of world, body and mind; that awareness
principle, is Turiyam or Satyam. Thus, all three states are located and
supported in Turiyam.

Now Gaudapada says, everything unreal is born out of ignorance
of reality. Therefore Turiya Agyanam is cause of Jagrat Prapancha and Swapna
Prapancha. Citing example of snake and rope, rope ignorance is cause of snake
appearance.

 When rope is mistaken for snake, it
becomes a serious problem. The waking world will create serious

problems
when it is mistaken as satyam. Mithya mistaken as satyam will create problems
because mithya is unstable. Satyam alone is stable. When we take the mithya
world as satyam, we will seek support and security from the unstable mithya
objects, name, fame, power, position, and even relationships. Mithya never
remains the same. Because of the ignorance of “I am satyam and jagat is mithya”,
we are facing problems. ‘I am satyam, the world is mithya ’ is not an academic
knowledge but it makes a big change in our life itself, the way we look at us,
the way we look at the world. There is a huge perspective change, which is the
cause of moksha itself.

Similarly Turiya Agyanam is
cause of Pada Trayam. So the teaching is: Turiyam Satyam, Pada Trayam Mithya.

• Misconceptions regarding the reality: Because of ignorance of Turiyam, many misconceptions
  are born. In each misconception one object or another is considered Satyam. “ I
  “ am the truth, is missed out and an object is taken as reality. Some say
  energy is truth; scientists feel truth is somewhere outside and are still struggling
  to find it. The irony is that the Searcher of reality is the Reality; Seeker is
  the sought. The more you struggle, the more you miss.

Even
great philosophers have misconceptions. Gaudapada gives such philosophers hope;
he says, behind every misconception, unreality, there is Truth.  Ultimately the misconception will save them,
he says. Vedas allow for misconceptions. God, the ultimate reality, is
initially presented as an object. An object is not the real god but still Vedas
allow it in beginning stages; like Vishnu, Shiva etc. We look at God as an
object not realizing such a god can’t be true.

Gaudapada
says even that object god worship will make you fit for Vedanta. Then you will
question and realize god is not an object. Guru will then guide you to see that
you are yourself god; Tat Tvam Asi. That is why we allow all religions to
worship god in one form or another. But ultimately God is Turiyam. With this
misconception is concluded.

• Upasamhara:
  Karika # 30- 34:

I the observer am Satyam.
Whatever I experience is mithya. Advantage of this knowledge is that: Mithya
can’t affect Satyam. Observed universe can’t touch Me; I am free from all
problems created by universe. Here, I, as Turiyam alone, have the right to say
world is unreal. I am ever free from Samsara.

Gaudapada says even different
words used for Turiyam are unreal. The word Turiyam is relative to each of the
three padas. Just as father of dream child is unreal or his fatherhood is
unreal. So also the word Advaitam is unreal as is the word consciousness, which
is also unreal with respect to inertness. So
no word can be used.

Gaudapada says when we say
world is mithya, it can be stated in two different forms:

1. An unreal world exists;
and

2) A real world does not
exist.

Which of the two is correct? Saying
to some one, you are seemingly intelligent can mean he is not intelligent. When
we say world exist, it means unreal world does not exist. Unreal is from
standpoint of Turiyam.

• Sadhanas and
  their result: Karikas # 35-38:

Five sadhanas were given:

1. Sadhana
   chatushtaya sampathihi. This is stated as freedom from attachment, fear and
   anger.
2. Vedanta Sravanam:
   Systematic study of Vedanta.
3. Mananam: Here
   Munihi means one who performs mananam.
4. Nidhidhyasanam:
   Dwelling on the teaching.
5. Sanyasa ashrama:
   This is only an optional sadhana. One can practice internal sanyasam as well.

Karika # 38:

The Phalam: He will be ever
established in the knowledge that I am ever-free Turiyam even during worldly
transactions.

With this the chapter
concluded.

Take Away: Rope
ignorance is cause of snake appearance. Everything unreal is born out of
ignorance of reality. Thus, Turiya Agyanam is cause of Jagrat Prapancha and
Swapna Prapancha.

Reality is that which exists
but which is never observed. Everything else that is observed is unreal. 

With Best Wishes

Ram Ramaswamy

Karika # 34:

This manifold does not exist
as identical with Ātman nor does
it ever stand independent by itself. It is neither separate from Brahman nor is
it non-separate. This is the statement of the wise.

After pointing out in Karika
# 32 that from Turiya Drsihti or Turiya point of view, there is no creation at
all, now Gaudapada says, we can’t say the world is non-existent as well; hence
it is Mithya. He says, it is experientially available but it is difficult to
prove that it does not exist.

In this karika he shows that
proving that it does not exist is difficult. We can’t prove:

The world is Brahman,

or that it is a part of
Brahman,

or that it is different from
Brahman.

We can’t logically establish
that this world can be identified with Brahman, as Brahman is Chaitanyam while the
world is Achetanam; Brahman is nirvikara while world is Savikara.

We cant say world is part of
Brahman as infinite is beyond time and space; so world can’t be part of
Brahman.

Is world different from
Brahman? If world is a separate entity, then there should be duality and each
will limit the other; or, both will be finite. Limited Brahman is a
contradiction in terms. Brahman being non-dual, a world different from it is
not possible. So, we can’t establish a relationship between world and Brahman.

So the essence of karika # 34
is that both World and Brahman are Anirvachaniyam (indescribable).

Coming to the second line of
the karika, Gaudapada says, if you study the world, you will find logical
problems within it as well. Thus, there are many objects in creation, each
different from the other. We have assumed these objects are different. This is
our assumption and we have also invented different names for these objects.
Thus, one is called a book and another is called say, a table. I transact with
distinct words and it works. But if you probe a little bit further, you will
not be able to show the difference between table and book; leave alone Brahman.

You can never clearly say
whether an object is identical or different from another object.  What is the problem in doing so? How to prove
the difference, is the problem. Citing an example: Say yellow is different from
green color; yellow can be seen; green also I can see. Now, I introduce the
concept of difference between yellow and green. What is the color of the “difference”
between yellow and green? You can’t say the difference is yellow or green. This
“difference” is not under category of color; as such we can’t see the difference,
as there is no Pratyakha pramanam.

Let us take the form of
objects; say a square and a circle. Square is visible; circle is visible as
well; when we say they are different, is it the “difference” in form between a Square and circle ? What is
form of the “difference”? The difference is not a form; it means we can’t see
it.

Therefore
“difference” is neither color nor form. Vedanta says, “difference” is not part of
sound, shape, color, smell, taste and texture. Hence, bheda, the difference, is not provable through Pratyaksha
Pramanam. It is not a Pratyaksha Vishayaha.

Can “Bheda” (difference) be
inferred by me? Vedantin says, what can’t be perceived can never be inferred.
One can infer fire only if he has known fire through his perception in the
past. If one has never experienced fire before, he can’t infer fire from smoke.
I am able to infer fire from smoke because I have prior knowledge of fire.

So, Bheda is not object of
Pratyaksha pramana, or anumana pramana, or any other pramana, as such it cannot
reveal the Bheda. So, there is no pramanam to establish the Bheda. So, Bheda is
a misconception to begin with. Anything without pramana is known as Mithya. Similarly,
you can never talk of Dvaitam; thus the wise understand Dvaitam is also Mithya.

(Further elaboration: Thereafter, Gaudapada
makes another more profound statement. One needs to meditate on this statement
to fully grasp the meaning. We are experiencing so many objects in front of us.
Each object is different from each other. We are experiencing plurality and we
see everything different from everything else. Therefore, we are experiencing
difference everywhere in life. Vedanta asks what is the nature of difference?
Upon enquiry, difference is also mithya. Why? We experience difference but we
cannot prove difference as a fact. Blue sky is experientially available but it
is factually not there. Difference is experientially available but it cannot be
factually proved. If you have to prove something, you have to show a relevant
pramanam or evidence. What cannot be proved by pramanam cannot be accepted as
fact. What pramanam is there to prove difference? The tradition says that no
pramanam is present to prove difference. We are experiencing difference everywhere
but there is no pramanam to prove it. All our sense organs are meant to see
sound, touch, form, taste or smell. Difference or bheda does not come under any
of these five categories. Difference
does not have sound, touch, form, taste or smell. Difference is a concept we
have. Since difference does not have any attributes, pratyaksha does not prove
difference. Eyes see yellow color and blue color. The difference between the color’s yellow and blue is not perceived by
the eyes but conceived by the mind. Therefore difference is never perceived but
it is only conceived. If the difference is not perceived, why can it not be
said that it is inferred like smoke and fire? Inference will not help because
whatever you are inferring has to have been perceived by you before. You are
able to infer the fire because you have experienced fire and smoke together.
You can only infer what you have perceived before. Because difference has never
been perceived, you cannotmake an
inference also. Therefore, no pramanam can prove difference. Difference is
experienced but cannot be proved. What
is experienced but cannot be proved is mithya.

All
the objects cannot be said to be identical with or different from each other.
You can never prove objects as identical or different among themselves. You
cannot prove them to be identical because you experience difference. Difference
cannot be proved because there is no pramanam to do the proof. In short, the
world is a mystery. It is experienced but you cannot prove anything logically.
The more you go deeper, the more mysterious it gets. The adhishtanam for this
mysterious world is I, the Turiya atma. Experience life without asking too many
questions. Every question will produce an answer that will lead to more
questions. It leads to riddles. That is why it is called maya. Enjoy the world
as it is. Whenever favorable conditions come, thoroughly enjoy. Whenever
unfavorable conditions come, thoroughly put up with them. Move on. Do not talk
too much. “aham satyam jagan mithya” is the knowledge. )

Karika # 35:

By the wise, who are free
from attachment, fear and anger and who are well versed in the meaning of the
Vedas, this (Ātman) has
been verily realised as totally devoid of all imaginations (such as those of Prāṇa, etc.),
free from the illusion of the manifold, and non-dual.

With previous Karika, Gaudapada
has concluded teaching that “Jagat is Mithya”. Jagat here, in Mandukya Upanishad,
means the three Padas (Waker and waking world; Dreamer and dream world; and
Sleeper and Karana Prapancha). Turiyam alone is satyam while other three padas
are mithya.

Now in Karikas # 35-38,
Gaudapada talks of Sadhanas that helps one to grasp this teaching. In karika #
35, he talks of Sadhana chatushtaya sampathihi, Smaranam and Mananam.

First qualification: required is one should be free from Ragaha (attachments). Such a
person is a Vairagi. In such a person, even Bhayam (fear) leaves him, as does
Krodhaha (anger). He is one who enjoys a calm mind.

Second qualification: required is one who is a clear thinker. Only when I know ignorance is
the problem, knowledge becomes relevant. Knowledge must be more relevant than
karma; it should appeal to me; only then Vedantic study will appeal to me. Then,
I see the connection between ignorance, knowledge and Vedantic study and that
this study can solve this problem. One who is a clear thinker is known as a
Muni.

Third qualification: One who sees the connection between knowledge,
Vedantic study, Sravanam and mananam. Many think self-knowledge comes only
through meditation. One must know that knowledge can come only through Vedanta
sravanam and mananam. Only those people can grasp Turiya Atma as defined in
mantra # 7.  This Turiyam is
without any division of pramata-pramanam-prameyam, and Vishva-Virat,
Taijasa-Hiranyagarbha, Prajna-Ishvara. Even the microcosm-macrocosm duality is
not present in Turiyam. Those divisions belong to the transactional plane. The
Turiyam is totally free from the mithya world and is non-dual.

These are the qualifications
for an aspirant.

Karika # 36:

Therefore knowing the Ātman to be such, fix your attention on
non-duality. Having realized non-duality behave in the world like an insensible
object.

Some more qualifications are
enumerated in this karika.

If a person has Sadhana
Chatushtaya Sampathihi, to him just sravanam will give him the Knowledge and
Gyana phalam. For a qualified student, Gyanam and Gyana Phalam will occur at
the same time. For others, Gyanam may occur but Gyana phalam may evade them.
Here the problem is lack of Sadhana chatushtaya sampathihi. If so, how to
rectify this gap?

The gap can be covered
through Nidhidhyasanam. It is to be
followed by a student who has studied Vedanta but still does not get it. So,
repeated sravanam and then mananam and dwelling on teaching are required. Here
the importance is on mental dwelling on the teaching. This is nidhidhyasanam.
Even after learning Vedanta, if I am still just a learned Sanyasi; then I must
dwell on Turiyam Satyam all the time. As I dwell on teaching the mind becomes
prepared; then gyanam comes through shanti and with shanti then comes advaitam.

When this shanti comes, do
not publicize that you are a Gyani or a jivan muktaha. Live in the world as an
Agyani. Only if somebody wishes knowledge, give it to him.

Thus, this karika prescribes
Nidhidhyasanam.

Karika # 37:

The man of self restraint
should be above all praise, salutation and all
rites prescribed by the Smṛti in connection with the departed ancestors. He
should have this body and the Ātman as his support and depend
upon chances, i.e., he should be satisfied with those things for
his physical wants, that chance brings to him.

Here Gaudapada says another
Sadhana, an optional one, is Sanyasa Ashrama. It is useful for Vedantic study;
and sravanam, mananam and nidhidhyasanam. If you wish, you can take to this
path. Here, one chooses, to be a monk.

Advantages of Sanyasa:

1. He is free from
   duties in samsara. Free from pancha maha Yagna requirements. There are no
   religious or social obligations. A Grihastha can’t be free from any of them.
2. Deva Yagna is not
   required
3. Pitr Yagna is not
   required.
4. Manushya Yagna is
   not required.
5. He does not
   maintain a home

Only
requirement is Sravanam, mananam and nidhidhyasanam.

He
lives in the body, a temporary abode, during Laukika Vyavahara; otherwise, he lives
in Brahman.

If
he has any possessions, whatever comes through prarabhdha, he accepts it. He
basically lives, by chance. Such a person is a sanyasi; but it requires courage
to lead this life.

Karika # 38:

Having known the truth
regarding what exists internally (i.e., within
the body) as well as the truth regarding what exists externally (i.e., the
earth, etc.) he becomes one with Reality, derives his
pleasure from It and never deviates from the Real.

By following above sadhanas a
person will get Tatva Darshanam. It is not a physical darshanam rather he now
understands Turiyam.  He sees Turiyam both within and without. He
sees it in form of Sakshi Chaitanyam Rupam which is not associated with the
mind. It is consciousness dissociated from mind.

He sees Turiyam outside also. Brahman inside
only makes it limited. Brahman Outside, is seen as Sat, the existence principle.
Where is the existence principle evident? In which part of the world is it
evident? It is evident in the is-ness of the “pillar is”; the is-ness belongs
to the pillar; in the is-ness of the “gold is” etc. This is existence or Sat.

Gaudapada
says, when we say a Gyani sees Tatvam, we commit a mistake. Tatvam is not an
object rather it is the “I” the subject. He becomes Atma himself. Previously he
said: I have a body with Atma. Now he says: I have an Atma with a body.

This
Tatva darshanam gives him joy. He does not require any other entertainment;
knowledge itself is his ananda. He does not reject external happiness; he
accepts material happiness as well. However, he does not slip from Brahman, thereafter.
He has obtained Gyana-nishta. Worldly transactions don’t pull him from Gyanam.
Citing example of an expert cyclist, he does not lose his balance even as he
performs other activities. Such a person is called a Jivan mukta. This
concludes chapter 2 where Gaudapada focused on Jagan Mithya.

Take Away:

Difference
does not have sound, touch, form, taste or smell. Difference is a concept we
have. Since difference does not have any attributes, pratyaksha does not prove
difference.  

The
difference between the colors yellow and blue is not perceived by the eyes but
conceived by the mind. Therefore difference is never perceived but it is only
conceived.

What
is experienced but cannot be proved is mithya.

Sakshi Chaitanyam is
consciousness dissociated from mind.

With Best Wishes

Ram Ramaswamy

Karika
# 30:

etaireṣo’pṛthagbhāvaiḥ
pṛthageveti lakṣitaḥ | 
evaṃ yo veda tattvena kalpayetso’viśaṅkitaḥ || 30 ||

30. This Ātman, though
non-separate from all these, appears, as it were, separate. One
who knows this truly imagines (interprets) (the meaning of the Vedas) without
hesitation.

Gaudapada gave an elaborate
list of various misconceptions of different philosophers; he says they commit
mistake of looking at reality as an object that is outside of us; they also
think the object has an independent reality; they also think that “ I” also has
an independent reality. Gaudapada says no object can have reality, as it is
dependent for its existence on the subject. So, he concludes that all these
objects are non-separate from Atma, just as dream world can’t have an existence
from Waker.

The
dreamer in dream looks upon the dream world as existing independently but when
he wakes up, the dream world resolves into him, the observer. The fundamental truth
is that the observed does not exist independent of the observer. Anything observed, ordinary or extraordinary,
secular or sacred cannot exist independent of the Turiyam Atma, the observer.

Thus, Objects are dependent
on subject; hence they are Mithya.

They look upon Jagrat Prapancha
as an independent entity even as a person in dream world thinks the dream is
real. Once object is taken as a separate entity, then subject is also taken as
separate from object, causing Subject/Object division; thus both subject and
object become limited and then we can’t obtain freedom from limitation. In
other philosophies this limitation is never overcome; they preserve the duality
and limitation is not overcome.

Wise person is one who
understands that the division is just an appearance and not a reality. Citing
example of sunrise, it is just an appearance; it is not real; it is result of
earth’s rotation. Experience of division
is not the problem; considering division as reality is the problem.

One who knows that duality is
just an appearance and that non-duality is a fact, that person alone can teach
scriptures; he is a real Guru. The word Kalpayate in Karika means teaching.

Others use Veda Pramanam but
they are not aware of it. Right teaching is when Dvaitam is in the beginning
but ends in Advaitam as destination; he is a real Guru. He alone can interpret
scriptures convincingly.

Karika # 31:

As are dreams and illusions
or a castle in the air seen in the sky, so
is the universe viewed by the wise in the Vedānta.

Here Gaudapada says until one
comes to Vedanta one can be a Dwaitin; but once he goes through Vedantic
teaching this two-fold difference must be gone and non-dual reality must come
forward. He will continue to see Dvaitam but will know it is false.

For several centuries we
thought earth was stationery and planets revolved around earth; then one
scientist suggested that earth is going around the sun, but world was not
willing to believe him; he was persecuted; then they started discovering; truth
is not based on democracy, and accepted that earth goes around the sun. Even
after knowing this fact, we still experience sun going around us. So, experience does not change knowledge; just
as sunrise does not change the fact that sun does not rise or set. So also Dvaita anubhava cannot displace
advaita gyanam.

Along
these lines, when we have a general
awakening, the dream world is known as mithya and the dream world disappears
for me. Whereas, when there is spiritual awakening from maya-shakti, the waking
world is falsified but it does not disappear. It will continue for the awakened
person, he experiences it, but knows that it is mithya. Once the waking
world is known to be mithya, the awakened person knows that it does not exist
separate from him just like the dream world. The dream world anatma, the waking world anatma, or any anatma does not
exist separate from me, the atma, the Experiencer.

So, wise people understand this universe as non-factual, mithya or advaitam is understood as fact, in light of vedantic teachings. After this knowledge Dvaita experience continues but they look upon Dvaitam as Swapnam and dream is not taken as fact. Similarly Maya, when we see in a magic show a lady being cut in half with blood spilling on stage and body being separated, but we are not upset as we know it is only a magic show. So eyes report subject/ object division but Vedantic teaching tells us it is not true. Third example is Gandharva nagaram where sky-city shows different patterns of clouds; thus one can see a floating city, seemingly there but we know it is just a cloud arrangement. Even modern science says there are only photons; protons etc or it is energy in motion. Vedantin says, world is consciousness in motion.

Like the dream world, the magician’s creation, or a seeming city in the sky when there are cloud Formations, which are all only appearances, in the same way from the standpoint of Turiyam, this entire Those people who are experts in Vedantic teaching also see creation as a mithya appearance. For them it is not just a teaching anymore but it has become a fact.

Karika # 32:

There is no dissolution, no
birth, none in bondage, none aspiring for wisdom, no seeker of liberation and
none liberated. This is the absolute truth.

A very important Karika often
quoted by Shankaracharya. It says, from point of view of Turiyam, world does
not exist; however, from body’s point of view, world exists; from mind’s point
of view also, world exists.

This
verse is a corollary of the previous verse. It is a profound and often a
disturbing verse. For a Gyani, the waking world is also exactly like the dream
world only. What does it mean? Let us look at the dream world first. When we
are in the dream world we see many events happening. They all appear real in
dream. From the dreamer’s standpoint, all the dream events are really taking
place. But when the dreamer wakes up, from the standpoint of the waker, it is
realized that all the dream events did not really take place. They all
seemingly happened but factually they did not happen. If this is understood
with respect to the dream world, Gauḍapada says that that this understanding
should be extended to the waking world also.

The
creation, sustenance, and dissolution of the waking world only seemingly happen
but really they do not happen from the standpoint of Turiya atma. From the waker’s
standpoint they are real. Jivas coming into existence, experiencing samsara, jivas
becoming seekers, following the sadhanas karma-yoga, upasana-yoga and
jnana-yoga, coming to a guru, guru teaching, and getting liberated only
seemingly happen. There is no question of anyone becoming liberated. From the
standpoint of the body-mind complex, all these are really happening but from
the standpoint of Turiyam, all these are as though happening.

For dream body, dream hunger
is real and so we go after dream food. Dream body’s wound is also real; we even
go to a dream doctor; obtain dream medicine and even pay in dream money. Now if
while swallowing the dream medication you wake up, you find there are no wound,
no doctor and no money. All are non-existent only after waking up. So, from
waker’s point of view dream was unreal. So also from Turiyam point of view
world is not real even as dream body is not real to waker. What about Pralayam?
From Turiyam’s point of view there is neither Srishti nor Pralayam; all these
exist only from point of view of body and mind only.

If Srishti and Laya are not
real it also means there is no Sthiti as well. So, if the world is not there
then what about the people in the world? Jivas are also as good as not there.
If so, where is the bondage of the jiva? If there is no bound jiva what is
point of seeking liberation? Seeking
liberation is only for one who is bound. Seeker alone has to do all the
seeking via various sadhanas. When seeker himself does not exist, where is the seeking?
From Turiyam’s point of view he is also non-existent.

How about liberated person?
When there is no bound person where is the need for liberation? It all depends
upon which “I” is asking? Citing an example, in such a case, one may ask should
I come to the class or not? So long as Ahamkara “I” exists, come to class, if
not, no need to come to class.

Karika # 33:

This (the Ātman) is imagined both as
unreal objects that are perceived and as the non-duality. The objects (Bhāvas) are
imagined in the non-duality itself. Therefore, non-duality (alone)
is the (highest) bliss.

Here Gaudapada makes a very
important observation. He says Dvaitam is totally mithya. Thus, the trio of
Vishwa and Jagrit prapancha; Taijasa and Swapna Prapancha and; Pragya and
Karana Prapancha, all three are mithya and therefore between two (dvaitam and
advaitam) which is better? Naturally Advaitam is better as it is partially
Satyam and as such auspicious while Dvaitam is inauspicious. Therefore, come to
advaitam.

Why do you say advaitam is
partially satyam? Let us start with what is mithya? Whatever is negated is
mithya. Whatever is un-negated is Satyam. Turiyam is un-negatable hence it is
Satyam. Once dvaitam is negated Advaitam is Satyam. Here Gaudapada says, when
advaitam remains as Satyam then the word advaitam becomes irrelevant. Advaitam
has meaning only so long as Dvaitam is there. Once Dvaitam is negated, there is
no more need for word advaitam. Using snake rope analogy, the rope is the
support of the rope-snake when a person experiences the rope-snake. From the
standpoint of the false rope-snake, the rope is called the adhishtanam of the
rope-snake because rope alone lends existence to the snake. Whatever borrows
existence is called mithya and whatever lends existence is called adhishtanam.
Now Gaudapada says that the word adhishtanam is used only from the standpoint
of the mithya snake. If the snake is negated in better lighting, the snake is
known to be nonexistent and was only an appearance. Once the snake is negated,
can one call the rope the adhishtanam?

Adhishtanam
is adhishtanam only from the standpoint of the snake when it was borrowing
existence. When the snake has been negated, the rope cannot be called adhishtanam
any more. Even the word advaita adhishtanam is only from the standpoint of the
dvaita world, the empirical angle.

After negating snake, rope
alone remains. Once object is negated as mithya, subject alone remains as
Satyam; but once object has been negated, subject need not be called as such.
Subject just remains without subject status; so also advaitam remains with
advaitam-status; divisionless remains without divisionless status.

The truth revealed by word
advaitam remains; it can’t be called object nor subject; nor matter or
consciousness; or dvaitam or advaitam. After negating matter, the word
consciousness, has no more relevance; similarly the word eternal is only related
to non-eternal. Thus, advaitam status is partially mithya but its substance is
still Satyam.

This atma is visualized in
form of dvaita prapancha, which is mithya. Atma is imagined as non-dual
substratum; the substratum status is also mithya; observer is satyam while observer-status
is also mithya; witness is satyam while witness-status is Mithya. Hence it is
called nameless or Amatra.

After negation of everything
whatever remains is truth. Therefore the word advaitam is mithya.

Moreover dvaita prapancha
exists depending on advaitam only. Thus, Dvaitam depends on advaitam hence
advaitam is stayam. In the karika’s first line advaitam is mithya but in second
line it says it is satyam. Therefore, it means advaitam status is mithya but
advaitam, non-duality itself, is auspicious.

Karika # 34:

This manifold does not exist
as identical with Ātman nor does
it ever stand independent by itself. It is neither separate from Brahman nor is
it non-separate. This is the statement of the wise.

Here Gaudapada says, the more
you probe Dvaita Prapancha, the more it becomes mysterious, hence it is called
Maya or anirvacharniyam; it is like a dream, we can’t say it is not existent
since it gives us a lot of trouble. That is why we even have prayers to prevent
bad dreams. So we cant say it does not exist nor can we say it exists as well.
Thus, I have never declared my dream wealth for tax purposes. Hence, it is a
mystery. Matter also can’t be defined. Matter or anatma or world does not exist
as identical as Chaitanyam or Atma.

Anatma is inert; atma is
consciousness principle, hence world can’t be same as atma. Can matter exist as
separate from consciousness? We can’t prove existence of world separate from
observer. Existence presupposes

Consciousness. So anatma is
neither identical with atma nor is it separate from atma. Therefore there is an
answer in the middle. Can we say it is partially identical; we can’t say so as
consciousness does not have parts.

In short, the
world is a mystery. It is experienced but you cannot prove anything logically.
The more you go deeper, the more mysterious it gets.

Is Matter identical with
consciousness?

Is Matter separate from
consciousness?

I can’t say matter does not
exist. I can’t say whatever I experience does not exist. Intellect can only be
by classification; thus we have chapters in a book. World, however, is not
available for categorization. The more we probe the hazier it gets. Scientists
are also finding this out; they are not sure if observed object exists in an
observer or not.

Take Away:

Anything
observed, ordinary or extraordinary, secular or sacred cannot exist independent
of the Turiyam Atma, the observer.

Experience of division is not
the problem; considering division as reality is the problem. Thus sunrise is
experienced but it is not real.

Experience does not change
knowledge; just as sunrise does not change the fact that sun does not rise or
set. So also Dvaita anubhava cannot displace advaita gyanam.

When
we have a general awakening, the dream world is known as mithya and the dream
world disappears for me. Whereas, when there is spiritual awakening from
maya-shakti, the waking world is falsified but it does not disappear. It will
continue for the awakened person, he experiences it, but knows that it is
mithya.

Seeking liberation is only for
one who is bound.

In
short, the world is a mystery. It is experienced but you cannot prove anything
logically. The more you go deeper, the more mysterious it gets.

With Best Wishes

Ram Ramaswamy

Karika # 18

niścitāyāṃ
yathā rajjvāṃ vikalpo vinivartate | 
rajjureveti cādvaitaṃ tadvadātmaviniścayaḥ || 18 ||

18. When
the real nature of the rope is ascertained all illusions about it disappear and
there arises the conviction that it is the one (unchanged) rope and nothing
else; even so is the nature of the conviction regarding Ātman.

Continuing his teaching
Swamiji said, Gaudapada pointed out that Jagrat Prapancha is a relative reality
or Mithya, as it is valid only in its own time, but disappears with knowledge.
Dream world is also real only in dream and upon waking the dream world is lost.
Mithya is a relative reality; it does not mean it does not exist or is
non-existent.

Thus fatherhood is real only from point of view of a
son. Reality in relation to something is known as relative reality. Thus swapna and waking states are also relative
realities.

Another example cited by
Gaudapada is the example of a rope and snake. Any Mithya is born out of ignorance and exists as such until ignorance
is removed. Once ignorance is removed, Mithya goes away; thus rope-snake is
negated by rope knowledge.

Thus, Satyam or Adhishtanam is the one that produces
Mithya through its ignorance and it is also the knowledge that removes mithya.

As per Vedas the entire world is mithya and it is the
Sakshi, the Observer, that is the Satyam.

If object is mithya and
subject is satyam, the object must be born out of ignorance of subject the
adhishtanam. Subjective (ignorance of Turiya Atma) ignorance is cause of Mithya
objects. This mithya object is negated by Knowledge of “I”, the adishtanam.
Thus, Drk is Satyam and Drishyam is Mithya.

Turiya Atma knowledge will
negate all objects; all that will be left is advaitam.

Karika # 19:

prāṇādibhiranantaiśca
bhāvairetairvikalpitaḥ | 
māyaiṣā tasya devasya yayā saṃmohitaḥ svayam || 19 ||

19. The Ātman is
imagined as Prāṇa and other endless objects. This is due to Māyā
(ignorance) of the luminous (Ātman itself) by
which It is (as it were) deluded.

Prana
in this verse is Hiranyagarbha, the total prana principle. Prana here refers to
any deity of any religion. Considering such a deity as the ultimate reality is the
first mistake. When we worship a deity, can we accept this deity as the
ultimate truth? Is that deity an object of experience or the subject? Manḍukya
Upanishad’s fundamental teaching is that any object of experience cannot exist
independent of the observer. Anything that is observed is mithya.

Gaudapada says, once Satyam
is lost sight of then Mithya will be wrongly raised to level of Satyam and then
relative reality will be seen as Satyam. Once rope reality is lost sight of,
snake satyam takes over.

This happens, as Satyam is
lost. Once I lose sight of Turiyam the Drishya Prapancha is seen Satyam; this
false elevation leads to samsara. We are in search of truth, whatever we
discover to be truth is the new truth, as whatever is object you see in dream
cannot be real.

All philosophers forget that
they seek reality outside and commit blunders; so Gaudapada laments every
philosopher misses reality searching for reality.

Fact is no object is real; reality is the subject alone; and all this happens due to power of Maya or Ignorance; the misconception is the glory of maya. Maya is so powerful that we will conclude that the truth is something somewhere. We will never think that we are the truth. Sri Krishna refers to the maya’s power in the Bhagavad Gita. By this maya alone the philosophers are confused. Some of them are religious philosophers believing in God and some others are atheistic Reality is available as “ I” but instead of searching for this sakshi, he looks for truth somewhere far away. Truth is neither near you nor far away from you; it is You the seeker himself.

Citing a story as an example:
A man was travelling on train with a lot of money. While counting his cash he
noticed another man was looking at him. He was afraid he was a thief. So, when
other man went to the toilet, he placed the bag of cash under the thief’s
pillow, a place he would never look for. When the man went for lunch, the thief
searched all over and could not find the money.

When traveller came back, the
frustrated thief asked him where he hid the money. He said I hid it in a place
where you will never look for it under your pillow.

Similarly, God has kept Atma
hidden within ourselves through power of maya. Maya is power of Turiya Atma.
Because of this power no scientist will seek within himself or herself the
truth. Scientist will study everything but himself.

This happens everyday. We
create dreams and they delude us; Truth is one, confusions are many. Gaudapada
says, thus, we commit many mistakes.

First mistake is a
religious mistake. Taking an objective god as truth. God is ultimate truth. Vedanta will
not answer but will ask the question whether Vishnu is an object of experience
or the subject, consciousness principle.
Vedanta asks, is God an object of
knowledge?

Majority of philosophers say God,
as an object is the ultimate reality. Gaudapada says God is also just an
object. So universe created by God is also Mithya. Advaitam says God can be
reality only when God is recognized as I the Turiyam. If God is an Object it is
not Satyam. Any deity, objectified is a relative reality. God as an object is
talked about by Nyaya Philosophers. Other confusions also exist.

Then, Gaudapada says, as long as this truth is not known we will continue to mistake the anatma to be satyam. Many people including great philosophers have missed this truth either because they did not come to the Upanishads that alone reveal this truth or they come to the Upanishads but do not know how to extract the truth from the Upanishads. Reality is one but false conclusions can be many. In Karikas 19-28 Gaudapada gives us a list of such false conclusions. Shankaracharya did not comment on these verses but Anandagiri, the sub-commentator pointed out the philosophies that should be avoided. Gaudapada gives a big list of confusions of other people.

Karika # 20:

prāṇa
iti prāṇavido bhūtānīti ca tadvidaḥ |
guṇā iti guṇavidastattvānīti ca tadvidaḥ || 20 ||

20. Those¹ that
know only Prāṇa,² call It (Ātman), Prāṇa, those³ that
know Bhūtas call It Bhūtas,⁴those⁵ knowing Guṇas call It Guṇas,⁶ those⁷ knowing Tattvas, call
It Tattvas.⁸

Many religious philosophers
consider that God as an object is the ultimate truth. Karma Kanda and Upasana
kanda present God as an object. However, beyond a certain level we have to
remove God, as an object and God as I have to be accepted. In the fourth level
of Bhakti there is no difference between Bhakta and Bhakti. Dvaita is OK to
start off, but it can’t be the ultimate goal.

Other philosophers think
Pancha Bhutas are ultimate truth.

Sankhya Philosophers say the
three Gunas are ultimate reality. These people are not aware of nirguna
Chaitanyam.

Other philosphers such as
Shaivas worship the Tatva Trayam ( Pashu (Jivas); Pati (Lord of Jivas) ; and
Pasam ( String or noose of attachment). All see objects as reality.

Karika # 21:

pādā
iti pādavido viṣayā iti tadvidaḥ |
lokā iti lokavido devā iti ca tadvidaḥ || 21 ||

21. Those
acquainted with the quarters¹ (Pādas) call It
quarters; those² with objects, the objects³;those⁴ with Lokas, the Lokas⁵; those⁶ with Devas, the Devas.⁷

There are philosophers who
come to Mandukya and conclude Chatushpada Atma is Satyam. Upanishad, however, negates
all three padas except fourth pada or Turiyam that is Satyam; yet another
confusion.

Another group of materialists
believe in sensory pleasures as they believe philosophies generally confuse us.
Thus, Charavaka’s say, enjoy life as long as you live.

Other philosophies believe in
Loka Trayam ( Sukshma, Karana, Sthula) as ultimate, according to Puranikas.

Others say Devatas are
ultimate reality.

Karika # 22:   

vedā
iti vedavido yajñā iti ca tadvidaḥ |
bhokteti ca bhoktṛvido bhojyamiti ca tadvidaḥ || 22 ||

22. Those
knowing the Vedas call It the Vedas¹; those² acquainted
with the sacrifices, call It the sacrifices³ (Yagna); those⁴ conversant
with the enjoyer, designate It as the enjoyer⁵ and
those⁶with the object of enjoyment, call It such.

Some others say Vedas are
ultimate reality called Nada Brahma or Shabda Brahma. So if you chant Vedas,
they will transform you as they produce vibrations through mantras. They also
take to music or nada upasana; they say nada Brahman will liberate you. Vedanta
does not agree with them. So they spend time chanting, but they will never come
to ultimate truth.

Some are a little
enlightened; they learn Vedas, Veda Purva and Karma kanda as they are enamored
by Yagnas. They think rituals will liberate them. Karma can’t remove self-ignorance.
Turiya Gyanam can’t come through Yagnas. This was Mandana Mishras discussion
with Shankara. He was a great ritualist who became Shankara’s disciple.

People of Sankhya persuasion
say Atma is ultimate truth; and they say Atma is a Bhokta and that Atma is not
a doer.

Others think eating is the
greatest thing, known as Supakara.

Karika# 23:

sūkṣma
iti sūkṣmavidaḥ sthūla iti ca tadvidaḥ |
mūrta iti mūrtavido’mūrta iti ca tadvidaḥ || 23 ||

23. The
Knowers¹ of the subtle designate It as the subtle,² the
Knowers³ of the gross call It the gross,⁴ Those⁵ that
are familiar with a Personality (having form) call It a person,⁶ and
those⁷ that do not believe in anything having a form
call It a void.⁸

Other philosophers like
Digamabra and Swetambara Jain’s think reality is Sukshma Atma.

Charavaka’s think body is
ultimate; they deny all else. They say there is no consciousness other than
mind. There is no eternal consciousness; it is a fleeting phenomenon; once mind
dies consciousness dies; so body is truth; protect body; eat well. They don’t
believe in punyam and papam.

Some others believe that God
is ultimate reality situated in some Loka. Vallabha Sampradaya says, Sri
Krishna, as a Personal God, is the ultimate truth. They believe in Gita. They
believe Shankaracharya’s commentaries are incorrect.

Others believe in Shunyam
(not nirguna Brahman) or Shunya vada.
They
say that the formless, emptiness called shunyam is called the ultimate reality.
The shunyavadi says that he is shunyam also.

Karika # 24:

kāla
iti kālavido diśa iti ca tadvidaḥ |
vādā iti vādavido bhuvanānīti tadvidaḥ || 24 ||

24. The
Knowers¹ of time call It time²; the
Knowers of space (ether) call It space (ether). Those versed in disputation
call It the problem in dispute and the Knowers of the worlds call It the worlds.³

There are people obsessed
with time; astrology based thinkers, that believe time determines everything. Here you are controlled by outside
force of time; Vedanta, however, believes that I am the controller. So, it is
an obstacle to, Aham Brahma Asmi. I am a slave of world seeking moksha.

Take Away:

Any Mithya is born out of
ignorance and exists as such until ignorance is removed. Once ignorance is removed,
Mithya goes away; thus rope-snake is negated by rope knowledge.

Thus, Satyam or Adhishtanam
is the one that produces Mithya through its ignorance and it is also the
knowledge that removes mithya.

Reality in relation to
something is known as relative reality. Thus, fatherhood is real only from
point of view of a son.

With Best Wishes

Ram Ramaswamy

Karika # 24:

kāla
iti kālavido diśa iti ca tadvidaḥ |
vādā iti vādavido bhuvanānīti tadvidaḥ || 24 ||

24. The
Knowers¹ of time call It time²; the
Knowers of space (ether) call It space (ether). Those versed in disputation
call It the problem in dispute and the Knowers of the worlds call It the worlds.³

Continuing his teaching
Swamiji said, Gaudapada pointed out that universe experienced in any manner (as
Swapna, Jagrat, or any other higher state), still remains an object of
experience and thus a mithya.

Mithya means relative
reality, meaning it has meaning only in a particular state. Once the state
changes, the object is no more real.

The
truth of Turiya Atma is that as Observer, I am the projector and sustainer and experiencer
of whatever I projected with the help of a relevant body; the dream world
through the dream body and the waking world through the waking body. The bodies
themselves are projections.

Using the projected bodies I experience the projected universe. When this truth is missed, so many anatmas are mistaken as atma, the reality. Until now, various misconceptions with regard to the external world were pointed out.

Thus Swapna Prapancha is real
in swapna but not in Jagrat; jagrat prapancha is real in jagrat but not in
swapna. Therefore Gaudapada says Observer alone is Satyam while observed is
Mithya.

Advantage of this knowledge
is that mithya, relative reality, cannot affect Satyam, the absolute reality.
The advantage of this knowledge is that whatever happens in Drshya Prapancha,
it does not affect Me. This includes the world, the body and mind; all are
drsihyam and thus mithya; whatever happens to them, I, Turiyam, am unaffected.
Once I lose sight of the fact that I, The Observer, am reality, then Mithya
becomes Satyam.

Once waker is lost sight of,
dream becomes reality; instead of seeing dream as my creative glory, it becomes
a nightmare.

To convey this idea Gaudapada
talked of errors of philosophers in Karikas # 20-28. Each philosopher has
mistakenly taken one object or other as the truth; they don’t realize I the
observer am the truth.

Karika # 25:

mana iti manovido buddhiriti
ca tadvidaḥ |
cittamiti cittavido dharmādharmau ca tadvidaḥ ||
25 ||

25. The Cognizers¹ of
the mind call It the mind;² of³ the Buddhi
(intellect) the Buddhi⁴; of theChitta (mind-stuff), the Chitta⁵; and the Knowers⁶ of Dharma (righteousness) and Adharma (unrighteousness) call It the one⁷ or the other.

There are astrologers who
attribute everything to time such that I look at myself as a slave of time; I
give reality to time; I think every moment of life is determined by stars; thus
this greatest Brahman has become a victim of time, a mithya. Every event seems
to confirm my confusion that I am victim of Kala; thus I become an extrovert
controlling various planets via Pariharas.

I am not criticizing
astrology; it is a relative reality; it does not take me to absolute reality;
any apara Vidhya should take me to para vidhya. Therefore, till death they are
obsessed with Jyotisham.

Another set of people is
obsessed with quarters. They don’t do namaskara facing south. We should grow
out of all this and realize that all directions are relative reality. Our aim
is to grow out of them; that is why Dakshina murthy is facing south.

It takes time to grow out of
these conditions. They even consider seeing a Sanyasi to be a bad omen.

“A Gyani swallows Yama”, per
Katho Upanishad; for him, the entire world is food; even Yama is frightened of
a gyani.

Similarly, a variety of
systems like mantra vada, tantra vada; each considers that they can influence
life. Each Vada claims it can influence you becoming greater than “you”.

Gaudapada asks why transform
your life when you are complete and wonderful. Other systems say 14 Lokas are
the true. Each loka is governed by its own conditions. Common feature of these
philosophies is that, “I” am slave of these factors. Vedanta says, I am not
dependent on anything; rather they all depend on me.

Karika # 26:

pañcaviṃśaka
ityeke ṣaḍviśa iti cāpare |
ekatriṃśaka ityāhurananta iti cāpare || 26 ||

Some¹ say that the Reality consists of twenty-five
categories, others² twenty-six, while there are others³ who conceive It as consisting of thirty-one
categories and lastly people are not wanting who think such categories to be
infinite.

Then, there are ones,
obsessed with psychology and believe everything is determined by the mind. They
divide mind into two parts. One part of mind, the lower layer, is the
unconscious mind, determined by childhood experiences. Every human life has
this unconscious mind.

I am a victim of my own mind
as my mind is a victim of my own past. They don’t accept freewill. They also
say, anger is part of unconscious mind, as is one’s low self- image. Thus I am
made slave of psychologists.

Another philosophy is Buddhism
also known as Kshanik Vada. It says that the knowledge we have is reality. They
believe in budhi; they done believe in Atma; they believe in stream of
thoughts; they believe every thought exists for a moment. This system is also
known as Yogachara.

Some others consider memory
to be the ultimate truth. Even the way one judges situations and people,
depends on memory. Citing an example: A man falls into a river and is rescued;
but, thereafter, he is scared of the river.

Purvamimasa: This group says
punya and papam are only reality. All Lokas are due to punya and papa. God is also
punya and papam alone. They believe in Vedas but don’t believe in God. They
believe Vedas are eternal without a creator. Dharma and adharma revealed in
Vedas is the ultimate truth.

All these philosophies have the
common factor that they believe in external factors as controlling me.

Karika # 27:

lokām̐llokavidaḥ
prāhurāśramā iti tadvidaḥ |
strīpuṃnapuṃsakaṃ laiṅgāḥ parāparamathāpare || 27 ||

27. Those¹ who know only to please others call It (Reality) such² pleasure; those³ who are cognizant of the Āśramas call It the Āśramas; the grammarians call It the male, female or the neuter, and others know It as
the Parā⁴ and Aparā.

Another group believes world
as absolute reality. For convenience they divide world into a few principles
and call it Tatvani. Sankhya philosophers believe world is made of 25 Tatvas.
Gaudapada, however, says, this is again another misconception.

Sankhyas are materialists who
don’t believe in God. They believe in Vedas but don’t accept God. Their
philosophy is known as Atheistic Theism.

Yoga philosophers believe in
25 Tatvams plus Ishwara and it is known as Theistic Theism.

Thus:

Kapila Muni wrote Sankhya.

Jaimini wrote Mimamsa

Patanjali wrote on Yoga.

All these people are listed
in Karikas 20-28. Gaudapada says, all these philosophers including: Jaimini,
Kapila amd Patanjali are all confused; they consider “I” am a slave of external
factors. Reality is that they are all slaves of Me, the Turiyam.

Pashupatha shaivism is yet
another group; they have four sub groups such as: Kapalika, Pashupathas. They
believe in 31 Tatvams as making up the world.

When we say Shiva or Vishnu,
what does it mean to you? If they are an object located somewhere different
from you, then Shiva and Vishnu are an objectified personal God. Advaita does
not accept either; we are Brahmavadis. Shiva or Krishna is not different from
Me. For sake of Chitta shudhi you can accept them as Objective gods. Ultimately
Shiva and Vishnu are non-different from Me; I am Smartha or a Brahmavadi.

There are others who say
there are infinite principles that make up reality.

Karika # 28:

sṛṣṭiriti
sṛṣṭivido laya iti ca tadvidaḥ |
sthitiriti sthitividaḥ sarve ceha tu sarvadā || 28 ||

28. The Knowers¹ of creation call It creation; the Knowers of dissolution describe It as
dissolution and the believers in subsistence believe It to be subsistence.
Really speaking, all² these ideas are always imagined³ in Ātman.

Another group believes
happiness is ultimate truth. They say objects of happiness and pleasures are
ultimate truth.

There are others obsessed
with Varna ashrama dharma. It is acceptable to follow this for some time to
gain spiritual growth but soon after one has to get out of it. It is only a
means and not an end in itself. Treating means, as an end is un-wise; so one
has to grow out of Varna ashrama. Don’t let anything bind you.

Grammarians obsessed with
words and language believe language is only truth. They are known as Sphotavadis.
They forget language is only a means of communication.

Parampapas: They believe
ultimate truth is in form of papa. The believe Karya, Karana Brahma is ultimate
truth. Gaudapada says, Karya Karana Vilakshanam is ultimate truth or Turiyam;
it is neither karyam nor karanam.

In chapter # 3 we will
analyze Karya Karana Vilakshnam in greater detail.

Take Away:

With Best Wishes

Ram Ramaswamy

Karika # 16:

जीवं कल्पयते पूर्वं वचो भावान्पृथग्विधान् । 
बाह्यानाध्यात्मिकांश्चैव यथाविद्यस्तथास्मृतिः ॥ १६ ॥

16. First of all, is imagined the Jīva (the embodied being) and then are imagined
the various entities, objective
and subjective, that are
perceived. As is (one’s) knowledge so is (one’s) memory of it.

Continuing his teaching Swamiji
said, by taking the dream example, Gaudapada established that world of waking
is not much different from that of dream; both are Mithya; both derive their existence
from the Observer; so long as “I”, the observer, enjoy the dream world, it is
real; but it will last only as long as I am under the spell of the dream. Once
I wake up, I become an Observer in waking state; the dream world’s existence is
stripped off.

In Jagrat Prapancha, it also
appears real to me; but Gaudapada says it is also relative, as here too, its
existence depends on the Observer; thus, if I go to sleep or dream or go to
another world of reality, the Jagrat prapancha loses its reality.

Gaudapada concludes from all
this that any objective world (observed world) is only relative world; in its
own time, it is real, but in another plane, determined by the observer, it
loses its reality. As Pramata changes, Prameya also changes. So the question
comes up, if every Prameya (experience) is a relative reality; what is absolute
reality? Gaudapada says absolute reality has to be Aprameyam. What is that absolute reality which exists
but is not an object? The answer is “I” the Atma alone can be absolute reality.
The Atma lends reality to the relative world.

So, Gaudapada says, I the
Atma, project a relative reality and then lends reality to it. From my vasanas
I project as a dream and then lend existence to the dream. The tragedy is that
I forget that the dream depends upon me.

I am doing a noble service to
dream world by giving it existence; but it gives me samsara and frightens me
with experiences. So, I withdraw help to the dream world by waking up. So, I,
the Atma, with Maya Shakti have created Jagrat prapancha. This Jagrat prapancha
(Waker’s world) having borrowed reality from me, now threatens me; so to
deflate this world, the Jagrat prapancha, only way out is to wake up. Every
Guru’s goal is to wake up the student. Gaudapada says, I, the Atma, with Maya
Shakti have created the jagrat prapancha world. Similarly, with Nidra Shakti I
create the swapna prapancha.

Atma Agyanam is a longer
nidra.

Now Guadapada wants to give
us the order of creation. Creation is a cyclic process; so it has no beginning
or end; however for purpose of discussion we have to begin somewhere; it is
like a round table conference that is set up to get around the ego’s of VIP’s.
So, Gaudapada says to understand creation we should start with Jiva Srishti.

Atma, with help of Maya
Shakti projects Jiva. Jiva gets a body that depends on his/her karma of the
past; he also gets an appropriate environment to be born in; he also gets an
appropriate raga, dvesha and vasanas. I create all this, as the Lord of the
jiva. After that, Jiva runs on its own. The 16^th Karika, the last
line, gives us how the Jiva runs its course (self sustaining cycle of world)

The Jiva looks around the
world; obtains knowledge; here experiences are registered; he will then
classify the world (a subjective judgment).

Citing an example for this,
Swamiji said, say two people come this class. They may feel it is a source of
joy or sorrow based upon Gyanam and memory that it was joyful or sorrowful. He
remembers things as joyful or sorrowful. He then wants to repeat the joyful
experience and he avoids any sorrowful experience. This is known as Pravrithi
(attachment) and Nivrithi (aversion). Thus the process is as follows:

Gyanam> memory>
Pravriti and or nivrthi ( Karmas).

 This is called Yatna. Pravrithi Nivrithi
karmas produce papam and punyam through Adrishta Phalam, also called Agami
Karma. Some Agami karmas fructify in this life while others wait to fructify in
a future life.

Hence re-birth becomes
necessary to complete our Agami Karmas. This cycle goes on, birth after birth. It
is an eternal cyclic process, punarapi jananam and punarpi maranam.

How will God help me. He can
wake me up to the fact that “ I” am Satyam and Jagan is mithya, a defanged
cobra.

As long as I see objective
world, world is real; I am ensnared; but once I Know I am the truth, I wake up.

Thus:

Yatha Vidhya tatha smrithi;
Yatha smrithi Thatha Ichha; Yatha Ichha Tatha Karma; Yatha Karma tatha Phalam
Yatha phalam Tatha Punarjanmam. This is the cyclic process of Punarapi jananam
and punrapi maranam.

Karika # 17:

aniścitā
yathā rajjurandhakāre vikalpitā | 
sarpadhārādibhirbhāvaistadvadātmā vikalpitaḥ || 17 ||

17. As
the rope, whose nature is not really known,, is imagined in the dark to be a
snake, a water-line, etc., so also is the Ātman imagined (in
various ways).

Gaudapada had pointed out
that Swapna Prapancha is only a relative reality; it has only a borrowed
reality from I the observer.

Now Gaudapada gives an
example; it is the famous Rope Snake example; it is famous in vedas. Gaudapada
was Shankaracharya’s acharya’s Guru.

This example is a very old
one cited in scriptures, well before Shankaracharya made it famous.
Kambaramayana also cites it, as an example.

The Rope Snake: A rope is not clearly seen when there is partial light or partial
darkness. It is partially recognized as something is lying down in front of me.
It is partial knowledge; that is the problem. In darkness, I don’t see
anything, thus ignorance is bliss. In total brightness, I can see the rope, so
here knowledge is bliss. Partial ignorance and partial knowledge are both
problems.

There is general knowledge
(samanya gyanam) that something is in front of me; Visesha Gyanam, that a rope
is laying in front of me is not there. This partial ignorance has two powers:
Avarna Shakti (Concealing power) and Vikshepa shakti (Projecting power).

Avarana Shakti covers the
rope partially; I don’t know it is rope. The covering of the ropeness of rope
is Avarna Shakti; then Vikshepa shakti comes up and it projects anything other
than a rope. Generally it projects anything we are afraid of. Citing an
example, if I have a stomach ache and I don’t know why, I imagine the worst
possible scenario such as say cancer.

 This power of projection is called Vikshepa
Shakti. Due to this power we see an imaginary snake. Reality is that there is
no snake at all it is just a projection of my ignorance.

Now, this non-existent snake
can cause havoc in our lives. It will be classified as a relative reality, like
a projected dream.

Who lent this reality? I have
lent this reality. Why is called relative reality? Because, when I go near it,
it disappears in wake of knowledge. So, nor is it non-existent nor is it
existent. It is sufficiently real to frighten, but not sufficiently real, to
continue when I go near it. Gaudapada says world comes under this reality and
it can’t be driven away by rituals. The only solution is to go near and see;
then we realize there was no snake to even go away. The torchlight of shastram
is required to go near and see, says Gaudapada.

“In partial darkness, a rope
is partially known; it is projected as a snake or a streak of water or as a
crack on earth; it is mistaken.”

In same way there is only I,
the Turiyam who started the drama and is trapped by it’s own drama, through
Maya shakti, the cosmic ignorance. Turiyam is mistaken as Vishwa, Taijasa and
Pragya. “I” am none of them but Turiyam.

To recap the message of
Gaudapada:

Therefore
the snake is neither nonexistent nor existent. Three points are important to
note.

1. The rope-snake is seemingly existent and in Vedanta it is
   called mithya. This mithya snake will cause problems to the observer. This is
   point one.
2. The second point that is very important is that the mithya
   snake is understood as mithya snake only after knowing the rope and until the
   person knows the rope, the mithya snake will never seem like the mithya snake.
   For the ignorant observer, mithya snake is satya snake only. Therefore it will
   cause all the problems that a satya snake causes. This is called suffering from
   fear, or mini samsara caused by mithya snake, which is for the time being is a
   satya snake.
3. When does the problem go away? The third point is that the
   problem caused by mithya snake will go away only by one method, which is the
   observer knowing the rope completely. Now he knows the rope partially. He
   should know the rope completely, which is the knowledge that rope is rope. In
   the wake of complete knowledge the problem caused by the so-called satya snake,
   which appeared satya till now, is solved for good. So what is the solution? It
   is the knowledge of the substratum.

Karika # 18

niścitāyāṃ
yathā rajjvāṃ vikalpo vinivartate | 
rajjureveti cādvaitaṃ tadvadātmaviniścayaḥ || 18 ||

18. When
the real nature of the rope is ascertained all illusions about it disappear and
there arises the conviction that it is the one (unchanged) rope and nothing
else; even so is the nature of the conviction regarding Ātman.

The rope snake can be removed
by only one method; by removing cause of rope snake. Cause of rope snake is
ignorance. Ignorance has produced snake. This is obtained by gaining rope
knowledge.

What is it? Whatever is
lending reality to rope, that lender, is called Adhishtanam. We need to know
that Adhishtanam, the projector, supporter and experiencer. One has to know only one thing, the clear knowledge
of rope, that it is rope and rope alone. Once rope is known as rope, all false
projections recede. Rope knowledge drives away all Mithya or Avidya, all are
gone in one stroke. One rope alone remains.

Similarly,
for the dreamer, in dream, the dream world is satyam. For a waker, in waking,
the waking world is satyam. Both “satya” worlds are causing havoc for the
ignorant person. As long as the self-ignorance is present, both the waking and
the dream worlds will appear as satyam and both of them will cause samsara in
their respective states. What is the remedy? Self-knowledge is the remedy. This
knowledge is that I, the atma, should be understood as Turiya chaitanyam. When
I claim that I am Vishva, the waker, it is partial knowledge and it will cause problems.
When I claim I am Taijasa, the dreamer, it is partial knowledge and it will
create problems.

When
I claim that I am Prajna, the sleeper, it is partial knowledge and it will
create problems. When I

claim
that I am Turiyam; it is complete knowledge.

So, also, if you gain
knowledge of Turiyam with help of Shastras, Vishwa, Taijasa, Pragya all
relative realities go away and only the absolute truth alone remains.

With Best Wishes,

Ram Ramaswamy

Karika # 12:

कल्पयत्यात्मनाऽऽत्मानमात्मा देवः स्वमायया | 
स एव बुध्यते भेदानिति वेदान्तनिश्चयः ॥ १२ ॥

12.
Ātman, the self-luminous, through the power of his own Māyā, imagines in himself by himself (all the
objects that the subject experiences within or without). He alone is the cognizer of the objects (so
created). This is the
decision of the Vedānta.

Continuing his teaching Swamiji
said, Gaudapada made a startling revelation about the world. Any world we
experience has only a relative reality also known as vyavaharika satyam or also
known as mithya. Even our dream state, waking state, waking to another level of
state, or a super new world, all of them are mithya. Any experienced object has
only empirical reality, including the 14 lokas. Gaudapada gives following
reasons for this:

1. These worlds you
   experience will be interpreted by instruments of your experience and since
   instrument varies it (world) will be seen differently. Thus, with eyes I will
   see color and form; with ears I will experience sound. So it is a reality as
   interpreted by instrument. X Ray vision will see only the atoms that are
   knocking around and not humans; if so, what is reality? So the world you see depends on instrument; so you are seeing an
   interpreted truth.

To experience a world without interpretation, one has
to experience it without instruments. So, you have to knock off the
instruments. Thus, an un-interpreted world can never be experienced.

• The very
  existence of world depends upon the perceiver; the moment dream perceiver
  chooses to wake up, his dream world disappears. Similarly, even this world
  depends on the pramata. Therefore, world is not absolutely real. If so, what is
  absolute reality? Even reality experienced through meditation is dvaitam. Even
  meditation is an experience, experienced by a particular mind.

Gaudapada
says if all observed worlds are relative reality then absolute reality should
be different from relative reality. What is the difference? The difference is
the “perceiver”. So absolute reality is pramata not prameyam. Is observer the
absolute reality? If observer is related to the experience, then I, the pramata,
am related to jagrat prapancha; then I, am waker and I, am not absolute.
Similarly I, am dreamer and I, am not absolute. “I”, without being dreamer or
Waker is absolute reality; it is the Consciousness principle in Waker, dreamer
and the sleeper. I, become relative, when I am associated with any of the three
states.

Swamiji
says, I, get teacherhood when I teach, but at end of class, I, just continue as
a human being. “I” am absolute reality when I don’t relate to any thing or any
state; Objectless Consciousness is known as Turiyam; unrelated consciousness is
Turiyam. Related consciousness is Vishwa, Taijasa and pragyaha. Eliminate
relationship and you get Atma. Relation less I, is Sakshi. Related I, is ahamkara.
Sakshi is atma, as well as Turiyam.

“I”
have to separate from Jagrat, Taijasa and Pragya respectively. I am the atma in
the green room. I get bored and then I play role of Vishwa, So, I use maya to create
jagrat prapancha. I use Nidra Shakti to create swapna prapancha. I, the producer,
become director and the hero of drama as well. Thus, every individual is hero
of his autobiography. He experiences Vishwa, this world; this has been stated
by the Vedas.

Who
dreams with knowledge that he is dreaming?

Karika # 13:

विकरोत्यपरान्भावानन्तश्चित्ते व्यवस्थितान् । 
नियतांश्च बहिश्चित्त एवं कल्पयते प्रभुः ॥ १३ ॥

13. The Lord (Ātman), with his mind turned outward, variously imagines the diverse objects (such as sound, etc.), which are already in
his mind (in the form of Vāsanas or Saṅkalpas or
desires). The Ātman again
(with his mind turned within), imagines in his mind various (objects of) ideas.

And how do I create this
world? I create internal world of dream; I create external world of waking. I,
Turiyam, with maya Shakti, create the world. I, use the mind as an instrument,
to create both the external and internal worlds.

How do I decide which world
to create first, internal or external? Mind is like a remote control that
controls two channels, external and internal.

How do you know mind creates?

In sleep both channels are in
a resolved state in mind.

How do you select a channel?
When mind is introvert (not operating through sense organs), within mind there
are vasanas. They are activated and one gets dream. Vasana dominated mind is
introvert mind; here one lives in his own world. In some cases, psychological
ones, they always live in this state.

Extrovert mind functioning
through the sense organs is open to jagrat prapancha. The common observer in
both is Chaitanyam. If you remain as illuminator, it is Turiyam. But if you get
attached to a role, say as father, brother, mother etc, then you have become
Vishwa; in dream you become Taijasa. I, by myself, am the realtion-less
principle.

Where is Maya located?

It is located in Turiyam. Maya
is used by Atma (prabhu) to create dream objects, a subjective reality, that
exists only for a few hours. Science says dream objects live only for 1.5
minutes. All dream objects were in mind as vasanas; Vasanas can come from
previous life as well. Once swapna is experienced, you get bored and you change
channels; then it drops vasanas to a dormant state; then mind begins functioning
as an extrovert, through sense organs; creating world of waking.

Both states are created by
atma with help of maya, as such; it is all relative reality alone.

Both prapanchas are real in
their respective states.

A Gyani will say, “I am
Ishwara, creator of everything”. It does not mean his body is god; it just
means he is in a state of Chaitanyam.

Karika # 16:

जीवं कल्पयते पूर्वं वचो भावान्पृथग्विधान् । 
बाह्यानाध्यात्मिकांश्चैव यथाविद्यस्तथास्मृतिः ॥ १६ ॥

16. First of all, is imagined the Jīva (the embodied being) and then are imagined
the various entities, objective
and subjective, that are
perceived. As is (one’s) knowledge so is (one’s) memory of it.

We saw karikas # 14, 15 and
have now come to # 16. In this karika Gaudapada answers a possible question
that may come up. He says creation has two parts.

1. Sentient,
   individual or the Jiva
2. and the jagat or
   the objective universe.

Any experience requires jiva
(chetana) and Jagat (achetana). Of these two parts, which was created first, is
considered a paradox. Between consciousness and matter, which is created first,
is the question? Normally, we say, we can’t tell their order of arrival as it
creates problems of logic. Thus, there are other paradoxes such as: Seed or
tree; Chicken or egg; Faith or freewill, all these also create logical
entanglements.

We say, they are both either
simultaneous or in a cyclical process; it is jiva jagat or jagat jiva.

Gaudapada talks of a working
arrangement. It is like talking about Srishti, Sthithi and Laya karanam; we can’t
say which came first? With freewill and fate, Vedas say, start with freewill
and then come to faith.

In case of Jiva or jagat,
start with jiva, says Gaudapada; it is a working arrangement only. Why jiva first;
because of our common experience. Citing an example, there are many continents
on the earth; in beginning some were not habited. Once humans came, they wanted
stuff to live. So, human settlements were created. So an inert thing is
meaningful only in a sentient being. Every infrastructure created is according
to the need of humans. Water, hospitals, roads, all exists for humans. Heaven
is created for certain jivas’ karmas. Similarly hell is also created. So too,
all 14 lokas were created. Thus, for jiva’s sake, all these things came up. Hence,
from a working-order point of view, Jiva came first, in beginning. Punya jiva
requires a loka, as does a papa jiva as well as a Mishra jiva. In creation,
there maybe no hierarchy, but for our understanding, Jivas came first.

Citing example of mosquito, a
pregnant mosquito requires blood; others don’t require blood. Therefore when a
mosquito bites you we are giving a blood donation to a pregnant woman, a punya
karma, per Swami Dayannda Saraswati.

Variations depend upon Jivas’
requirements. Every body has relevance only to exhaust punyams and papams.

There is creation of an
external world of objects and internal world of vasanas (character and
personality).

It is my individualistic mind
that looks at world in different patterns. I live in a world interpreted by personality;
so some parts of world, I like and some parts, I dislike. It is like hearing
Carnatic music versus pop music. The world by itself is neither joy nor sorrow.
Therefore, creation means an objective universe and a subjective personality.

Once created, I develop,
likes and dislikes. So, Raga and dvesha are created; Karma comes up; punyam and
papapam come about and with it comes punarapi jananam and punarapi maranam
starts. Thus, world remaining same our experiences vary.

Take Away:

So the world you see depends
on instrument; so you are seeing an interpreted truth, a relative truth.

With Best Wishes,

Ram Ramaswamy

Karika  15:

अव्यक्ता एव येऽन्तस्तु स्फुटा एव च ये बहिः । 
कल्पिता एव ते सर्वे विशेषस्त्विन्द्रियान्तरे ॥ १५ ॥

(Things) which
are (experienced) within are not clear. (Things) which are (experienced)
outside are clear. All of them are projected only. The distinction is due to a
different sense organ.

In chapter 2 Gaudapada wants
to establish Jagan mithyatvam; he wants to convey, “ I”, the subject Turiyam,
am absolute reality; everything else, other than me, that is an object or an
experience, is not absolute reality. This idea that world is not a reality, is
called mithya. The word unreal is not an exact translation of mithya; however,
it means relative reality; that is, it is real from a particular point of view
and when that standpoint is shifted, it becomes irrelevant.

Citing an example, sunrise
and sunset in India is relevant in India but it will be different from a USA
perspective. The day is not a day, from USA perspective. Similarly, dates are
different, after crossing the international dateline. Date is only a relative
date. Pournami is only true from Earth’s point of view, but on the moon it has
no relevance. This is called empirical reality.

Gaudapada says waking world
is real only from point of view of physical body, where Jagrat prapancha is
real. Since humanity looks at world from physical body’s standpoint, therefore,
we see it as reality. A relative reality becomes absolute to a section when all
people have same reference point of view; thus day and night is same to all
people in Madras, but it can’t be true for some other countries.

For physical body, Jagrat
prapancha is real, but if you shift to Dream physical body, it becomes unreal;
for him dream world becomes real. So, for each physical body its reality is
real; but if you change your physical body, your reality changes. This is true
of virtual reality as well.

We get this experience in
dream, when we are in another reality. Vedanta says, this world is also a
virtual reality; change the body and reality changes. So, what is definition of absolute reality? Relative reality changes, what
is changing and passing is not absolute reality. Eternity is the definition of absolute reality. Changelessness is
definition of absolute reality.

Other suggestions were
entertained; they were looked at and then dropped by Gaudapada. They were:

1. Utility
is reality. Jagrat prapancha has utility only for jagrat shariram.

That
the dream world is useful in dream but not in waking cannot be used to say that
it is mithya, similarly the waking world is useful in waking state alone but
not in dream, making it mithya also. Both of them are objects of experience,
arriving and departing, and conditionally useful. Therefore, It is only a relative reality.

2. Externality:
it can’t be true as Jagrat prapancha is external only in jagrat shariram. The
same is true with swapna prapancha as well. It is a relative reality.

So
just because these worlds appear outside, they cannot be said to be real.

• Objectivity is reality. What is objective is available to all.
  Thus, this mike is available to all of us to see; hence it is reality.
  Gaudapada does not accept this definition. He says, thus, Swapna Prapancha is
  objective and available only in dream and for all people in dream; however, it
  is not available in Jagrat prapancha. Hence, it is also only a relative
  reality.
• Clarity is defined as reality. World is clearly perceptible,
  hence real. Gaudapada says Jagrat prapancha is real only in jagrat shariram.
  Similarly Swapna Prapancha is clear only in Swapna body. Swapna prapancha is
  not clear in Jagrat body. Clarity is also a relative reality only or a
  vyavaharika Satyam. But, here we are discussing paramarthika satyam. Eternity alone
  is absolute reality.

We rearranged the karikas for better continuity. Thus Karikas # 6 through 8, 7, 9,10, 14 and 15 were studied. Except # 6, all others are suggestions from questionersthat are not accepted by Gaudapada. Crucial karika is # 6. After denouncingother suggestions Gudapada is answering other questioners, so, we go back toKarika # 11.

Swamiji
gave us a pre-view of karika # 11. In Karika # 11, a disturbed person raises a
question. Jagrat prapancha and Swapna prapancha, both are relative realities.
This questioner says, you say whatever I see is relative; you say a perceived
god is a relative reality; If you saw god, it is real, but only a relative reality.
He wants to know what is absolute reality? Whatever
is eternal is real but whatever I see is not eternal. Everything I imagine is
in time and space. Even a mystic’s experience is non-eternal, scientific
experiences are also non-eternal. What then is eternal is the question?

Gaudapada
says Vedanta will disturb you, as whatever you considered important is changed.

Karika # 11:

उभयोरपि वैतथ्यं भेदानां स्थानयोर्यदि । 
क एतान्बुध्यते भेदान्को वै तेषां विकल्पकः ॥ ११ ॥

11. If the objects cognized in both the
conditions (of dream and of waking) be illusory, who cognizes all these
(illusory objects) and who again imagines them?

Teacher,
I am disturbed. You are dismissing everything in swapna prapancha and jagrat
prapancha as mithya or relative reality.

When you discuss Swapna
Prapancha you are discussing the objects and subjects in a dream.        Pramata and prameyam are both
discussed. Similarly, Jagrat prapancha when you discuss, you are discussing
Jagrat pramata, prameya and Prameyam. If all are false what is real? Who is
projector of relative reality or mithya? Changing reality requires a changeless
substratum; who is the projector? I can say Waker is projector of dream world. Who
is knower, experiencer of the relative universe? What is substratum of absolute
reality?

Another way of explaining this Karika # 11,
notes from another source:

This
verse contains a very profound question. The answer that is equally profound
may be difficult to accept. The objector says that he agrees with Gaudapada
temporarily that the waking world also is mithya like the dream world. That
means questions come up. I know that the dream world is projected by me because
we all know that dream is nothing but vasanas, impressions in our minds that we
project at the time of dream. Thereafter I myself support the dream world. I am
the projector, supporter and later I alone enter the dream world and experience
the dream world also. I alone experience my dream using my dream body. I am the
projector, supporter, and experiencer of the dream.

If
the waking world also is mithya like dream, then who is the projector,
supporter and experiencer of the waking world? If I am the projector, supporter
and experiencer of the mithya dream world, then for the waking world also, the
same rule should apply because both are mithya. If that rule applies, I am the
projector, supporter and experiencer of the waking world.

 If I am the PSE (projector, supporter,
experiencer), what is the meaning of the word ‘I’, physical body or mind? The
‘I’ is neither of them because the body itself is a part of the waking world,
which is projected. The mind is also not the projector because the mind is also
a part of the projected waking world. I, the projector must be different from
the body and mind. The ‘I’ is the consciousness principle, atma. Then the question
is how do I do such a thing? It is unbelievable. But then, how do I create a
dream world? It is effortless because I have a special Shakti called nidra-shakti.
With the help of nidra-shakti, I project a dream universe consisting of dream
space, time, stars, moon, etc. Similarly to project the waking world also, I,
the atma, have a Shakti called maya-shakti. In previous Upanishads, this
maya-shakti is referred to as maya-shakti of Bhagavan. But

in
Mandukya Upanishad, it is referred to as maya-shakti of mine. I, as the atma,
am capable of doing that.

The
body is limited, and the mind is limited but I, the atma, with maya-shakti,
project the waking world. With two shaktis, I project two different worlds and
both of these worlds are mithya. Once I know that they are mithya, the greatest
advantage is that mithya cannot harm the satyam. This is the fourth capsule of
Vedanta: I am never affected by any event that takes place in the material
world and in the material body. Then the fifth capsule of Vedanta: By
forgetting my real nature, I convert life into a burden and by remembering my
real nature I convert life into a blessing because I can claim my glory. This
is a profound topic

Regarding
this topic the objector raises a question. Suppose the objects in both the
waking and the dream states are mithya, who is the projector of the waking
world? Anything mithya has to be projected.

I
know that I am the projector of the dream world. The next questions are who is
the supporter and who is the experiencer of the waking world. Gaudapada answers
the question of the projector, supporter and experiencer of the waking world in
karika # 12. In all the other Upanishads we learnt that there was a Bhagavan
who created the world. Now Gaudapada is changing that stand and revealing
disturbing news.

Karika # 12:

कल्पयत्यात्मनाऽऽत्मानमात्मा देवः स्वमायया | 
स एव बुध्यते भेदानिति वेदान्तनिश्चयः ॥ १२ ॥

12.
Ātman, the self-luminous, through the power of his own Māyā, imagines in himself by himself (all the
objects that the subject experiences within or without). He alone is the cognizer of the objects (so
created). This is the
decision of the Vedānta.

This is a very important
Karika. Here Gaudapada says. the only reality is you the observer, the
Consciouness principle. It alone is not a passing thing. It is there in all
three states. In and all through the changing states, only the “I” is constant.
What is this “I” must be clear.

When I look at myself from
physical body stand point of view, I am a Waker; I am Vishwa. When I am
identified with physical body, I am Waker, and it is only temporarily; thus, I,
as waker, am relative. I identified with body is only a relative reality. But
I, as Consciousness principle, without identification with body, am the eternal
principle.

Tatva Bodha says:

1. Consciousness is not part, product or property of a body.
2. It is eternal.
3. It is not limited by boundaries of body.
4. It continues even after body ceases to function in sleep or death.

I am not Vishwa, Taijasa orPragya; I am Turiyam, the eternal Consciousness. Through dream body I experience dream world; I continue in sleep as well; I as Turiyam am neither waker or dreamer or sleeper.

When I function as waker, I have time and space. In dream I have a different time and space. Only when I operate through body, do time and space arise. When I don’t function through body I am beyond time and space; I have no duality. In sleep also there is no duality.

Gaudapada says Turiya Atma is absolute reality. After knowing the absolute reality one can put on Vesham of father, brother, son etc. So have the drama; but when actor forgets he is an actor, go to green room and remember your real motive.

Gaudapada says, “I”, the Turiyam, alone has power of Maya. When I choose to operate maya, I am ishwara; without maya, I am Turiyam. When I choose to operate through body, I am karana Ishwara or Vishwa.

I create swapna prapancha and become Taijasa. I create Jagrat prapancha and become Vishwa. Thus Vishwa and Taijasa both are my projections.

When I set aside Maya, I am Turiyam. This I, the atma, I project this world out of myselfeven as I project a dream world out of my own power of vasanas. I project myself from myself by myself.  I am subject; I am Object and I am instrument as well.

I create dream world and this swapna prapancha as well. “I” am not this body. Body is also just a creation of mine. I identify with this body and enjoy this world. It is the same with jagrat prapancha as well.

How do I do all this? I do all this through maya. When I operate through maya, I am Saguna Ishwara.

In Upanishad every Gyani has said, I am god. “Be still and know I am god”, says Bible.

As per our vedas every jiva can say, I am god. Having created the universe, this atma comes down as observer,the vishwa or Taijasa.

We are all in this manner avataras.

How do you know this Turiyam?

The moment I try to know, I become a pramata, pramanam and prameya.

You have to use Vedantapramana; it tells you the consciousness is Turiyam. When you look at yourself as “I” the conscious principle, without being knower of something, you are in Turiyam.

When you don’t use any instrument such as eyes, ears, all hoods (fatherhood, brother hood) then you don’t have any experience. Youare the illuminator of absence of all particular experiences or knowledge; this is Turiyam.

This Turiyam is whichavastha?  It is available all the time in all three avasthas. I am a human being whether I enjoying teacher hood, I am still human after my teacher status goes. It is same with Vishwa role and Taijasa role etc. Actor is an actor despite role he plays. My Turiyam status can’t be displaced. When Vishwa role goes, I am still Turiyam. Relative roles can’t disturb my absolute status. If it does, then absolute status becomes relative.  Vishwa can’t displace Turiyam. I am, I was and I will be Turiyam.

Another way of explaining this Karika; notes from another source:

The answer is whoever is projecting the dream world is the same one that projects the waking world also. Therefore, atma alone projects out of itself the waking world with the help of atma itself. Other than maya-shakti, atma does not need anything else for this projection. The dreamer does not need anything else external to himself other than nidra-shakti for projecting the dream world. In the same way, atma does not require anything other than maya-shakti to project this world. Where does maya come from? Gaudapada says that it is already there in atma similar to the nidra-shakti. That atma alone is called

Bhagavan
in the Bhagavad Gita and the puranas. Bhagavan creating is only an expression
in puranas, etc. That Bhagavan is not outside in some loka. Bhagavan is nothing
other than atma. That is why the upanyasakas use the word Krishnaparamatma to
indicate that the creator is not outside but the atma itself.

In the Gita, Krishna says: “ I am the Self, who resides in the hearts of all beings and I am the cause of the creation, sustenance, and resolution of allbeings/things”. Thinking that Bhagavan is outside, people go in search of Bhagavan and do not find him and then they conclude that there is no Bhagavan. It is like the wave going in search of water. The wave going in search of water, the cloth going in search of

thread, and the jiva going in search of Brahman are all foolish efforts. That Bhagavan is none other than I, the atma. Therefore, I am the projector and supporter. I am also the experiencer. I project the dream. To experience the dream world, I need a dream body. Similarly to experience the projected waking world, I use my own physical body. I create the dream and support the dream but my own dream threatens me. This world has become a huge problem for me because of ignorance.To solve the problem, I have to wake up. I am the only truth and I am the essential truth of the creation. This is the final teaching of Vedanta. I have been looking down upon myself as an insignificant creature. Gaudapada says that I am the significant creator. Spiritual journey is from creature to creator.

Take Away:

So, what is definition of absolute reality? Relative reality changes, what is changing and passing is not absolute reality. Eternity is the definition of absolute reality.Changelessness is definition of absolute reality.

Whatever is eternal is real but whatever I see is not eternal.

When I set aside Maya, I am Turiyam. I project myself from myself by myself.  I am subject; I am Object and I am instrument as well.

Vedanta tells you the consciousness is Turiyam. When you look at yourself as “I” the conscious principle, without being knower of something, you are in Turiyam.

When you don’t use any instrument such as eyes, ears, all hoods (fatherhood, brother hood) then youdon’t have any experience. You are the illuminator of absence of all particular experiences or knowledge; this is Turiyam.

Thinking that Bhagavan is outside, people go in search of Bhagavan and do not find himand then they conclude that there is no Bhagavan. It is like the wave going in search of water. The wave going in search of water, the cloth going in search of thread, and the jiva going in search of Brahman are all foolish efforts.

With Best Wishes,

Ram Ramaswamy