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VIVEKACUDAMANI
all this is anātman. Thus the question: 'what is this anātman? (vide śl. 51 supra) is answered..
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Beginning with the last effect of māyā, upto the first material cause (responsible for the world), it has been said that everything is the anatman. To convey this with great force it is said conversely everything from the primordial material cause of transformation to the last produced effect also is of the same nature. mithya character of all this is conveyed in this sloka.
माया मायाकार्यं सर्वं महदादिदेहपर्यन्तम् ।
अदिदमनात्मतत्त्वं विद्धि त्वं मरुमरीचिकाकल्पम् ।। १२५ ।।
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māyā māyākāryam sarvam mahadādidehaparyantam asadidamanātmatattvam viddhi tvam marumaricikā kalpam ||
Know that all these, māyā and its effects, from the mahat upto the body are asat and of the nature of the anātman like a mirage.
The
māyā: mula prakṛti: primordial Nature.
mahat: the category or tattva of mahat.
The śruti says: tadaikṣata (Taitt.): "That thought', i.e. in the beginning Sat (existence or sadvastu) alone was, quality-less and inactive. Then, That saw or thought. This seeing or thinking itself is the first act resulting in the procession from Mahat to body which are the effects of māyā. From Mahat issued ahaṁkāra which means the samkalpa of Isvara. Vide the śruti so'kamayata (Tait.): That (He) desired. Thence issued forth the five subtle elements; then, the gross elements by the process of quintuplication; then the entire universe (brahmaṇḍa); from that the fourteen worlds and the gross bodies contained in them-all this upto the body and including you (as the body); this māyā and the products of mãyã are of the nature of the anatman, i.e., what is distinct and different from the ātman. The question: 'What is this anātman?' in śl. 51 is answered by saying that it is asat, that it is separate and distinct from the atman which is of the nature of sat or pure existence. Therefore, understand that all this is mithya like a mirage. It is destructible by the realisation of the aforesaid pure non-dual Brahman. All this universe melts away even while perceived. In the hot season, the hot rays which the sun sends forth fall on the earth producing the impression of a sheet of water. But really, when seen carefully there
