Vedantam for Beginners -1 : 24. : I / 1,2,3.- Swami Sivananda
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The Vedanta Philosophy is best taught through practical illustrations of daily life, because
its abstract truths cannot be understood by the finite intellect very easily. The main purport of
Vedanta is that Brahman alone is real and the whole world of appearance is unreal, and that the Jiva
is nothing but Brahman Itself. This abstruse theory cannot be comprehended by ordinary men of
small understanding, who are immersed in the life of relativity and ignorance. They are taught this
sublime Truth by means of illustrations suitable to them, so that they may fix their minds on the
Reality through various angles of vision.
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hurry, and cries out in fear. His heart throbs quickly. But when a light is brought by a friend of his,
he finds that it is not a snake but only a rope, and then all his fears vanish. This is to illustrate the
unreality of the world and its superimposition on the supreme Brahman. Brahman is the Reality and
the world is only a superimposition on Brahman just as the snake is a superimposition on the rope.
seen. He believes the sight to be a true one and pursues the spot. The nearer he thinks he is to the
spot the further it retreats from him. He leaves his way out far and wanders in the desert. Then he
realises that he has done a mistake in straying away from his path in search of this false appearance
of water. He once again does not get deceived by this kind of mirage. This is given, in Vedanta, to
illustrate the falsity of the universe which appears to give pleasure, with objects for indulgence, to
the wanderer, the Jiva. When the Jiva realises through Jnana or Knowledge of the Self, that this
world is unreal and that he had done a mistake in turning away from the true path leading to his
original State of Perfection or Svarupa, he stops from running after the false mirage of this life of
sensual pleasure on earth. The world is only an appearance, just like a mirage which is only an
appearance of sun’s rays.
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13/08/2019
Vedantam for Beginners -1 : 24. : I / 1,2,3. - Swami Sivananda
========================================================================1. INTRODUCTION : 24
24. ILLUSTRATIONS IN VEDANTAM :
I.(Nyayas) :
The Vedanta Philosophy is best taught through practical illustrations of daily life, because
its abstract truths cannot be understood by the finite intellect very easily. The main purport of
Vedanta is that Brahman alone is real and the whole world of appearance is unreal, and that the Jiva
is nothing but Brahman Itself. This abstruse theory cannot be comprehended by ordinary men of
small understanding, who are immersed in the life of relativity and ignorance. They are taught this
sublime Truth by means of illustrations suitable to them, so that they may fix their minds on the
Reality through various angles of vision.
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Section / I. - 1,2,3.
1. Rajjusarpa-Nyaya:
In the twilight a man treads upon a rope, and mistaking it for a poisonous snake, jumps inhurry, and cries out in fear. His heart throbs quickly. But when a light is brought by a friend of his,
he finds that it is not a snake but only a rope, and then all his fears vanish. This is to illustrate the
unreality of the world and its superimposition on the supreme Brahman. Brahman is the Reality and
the world is only a superimposition on Brahman just as the snake is a superimposition on the rope.
2. Mrigatrishna-Nyaya:
In the desert a traveller sees at noon a mirage where water, meadows, trees and mansions areseen. He believes the sight to be a true one and pursues the spot. The nearer he thinks he is to the
spot the further it retreats from him. He leaves his way out far and wanders in the desert. Then he
realises that he has done a mistake in straying away from his path in search of this false appearance
of water. He once again does not get deceived by this kind of mirage. This is given, in Vedanta, to
illustrate the falsity of the universe which appears to give pleasure, with objects for indulgence, to
the wanderer, the Jiva. When the Jiva realises through Jnana or Knowledge of the Self, that this
world is unreal and that he had done a mistake in turning away from the true path leading to his
original State of Perfection or Svarupa, he stops from running after the false mirage of this life of
sensual pleasure on earth. The world is only an appearance, just like a mirage which is only an
appearance of sun’s rays.
3. Shuktirajata-Nyaya:
This is similar to ‘Akashanilima-Nyaya’ or ‘Stambha-Nara-Nyaya’ (Man in the post).
These are also similar to Rajjusarpa-Nyaya. These illustrate the superimposition of the unreal on
the real. The mother-of-pearl is mistaken for pure silver, the attributeless sky appears blue, the post
is mistaken for a man at night. The knowledge of the Supreme Brahman, the Reality, comes after
proper understanding, through discrimination, patience, endurance, renunciation and meditation.
The world is an appearance of Brahman, just as the man in the post is only an appearance of the post,
and the silver in nacre an appearance of nacre.
To be continued ...
These are also similar to Rajjusarpa-Nyaya. These illustrate the superimposition of the unreal on
the real. The mother-of-pearl is mistaken for pure silver, the attributeless sky appears blue, the post
is mistaken for a man at night. The knowledge of the Supreme Brahman, the Reality, comes after
proper understanding, through discrimination, patience, endurance, renunciation and meditation.
The world is an appearance of Brahman, just as the man in the post is only an appearance of the post,
and the silver in nacre an appearance of nacre.
To be continued ...
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