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VIVEKACŪDĀMAŅI
167
There are two powers of ajñāna which are the causes of bondage: one is the power of concealment (āvarana-sakti) and the other is the power of (wrong) projection (vikșepa-sakti). Their causing bondage is explained in order. The ātman is akhanda, not separable into parts. Hence it is eternal (nitya). It has no origination or destruction (for, only what is originated will have an end and cannot be nitya or eternal). It is advaya, without a second. It is a power of the nature of knowing; vide the śrutis: svābhāviki jñānabalakriyā ca (svet.); ayamātmā brahma sarvānubhūḥ: satyam jñānamanantam brahma (Taitt.), vijñānamānandam brahma; krtsnah prajñānaghana eva (Brh.) etc.
sphurantam: shining: the ātman shines by that power; anantavaibhavam: by saying it is ananta, endless, the idea of relative endlessness as in the case of the sky etc., is negated. Its (the ātman's) glory is ananta, does not depend on anything else. By this, its extraordinary glory is conveyed. This is to show that the sense of the aham (the ātman) is inappropriate in the body which is extremely delimited from other things.
On this ātman, being delimited, being non-eternal, having something outside itself, having a second (sadvaya, not advaya) and being inanimate (jada) are superimposed due to ajñāna. The reason for this is given. The ātman is anantavaibhava of infinite expansiveness; it is integral, eternal, without a second and shines in its native splendour of the power of intelligence. This ātman is hidden by the concealing power which is of the nature of tamas, and whose existence is known to those who have learnt to discriminate 31
The concealing power hides the ātman as Rāhu which is tamomaya hides the intensely bright orb of the sun making it appear as if it has no power to shine. In the same way as the sun, though of intense brightness, is spoken as not shining when enveloped by Rāhu, so too does the ātman, when enveloped by the concealing power; though by itself supremely effulgent, i.e., its real nature becomes unknown.
142 The first half of this śloka speaks of concealment, and the the second half of (wrong) projection.
31 The idea is that ordinary mortals are not aware of the existence of this tamomaya-avrti-sakti. To those who have learnt to discriminate between the anatman and the atman, the concealing power is clear,
