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220
VIVEKACUDAMAŅI
matter of fact, there is no samsāra at any time. It appeared due to delusion like the serpent in the rope. When the truth is known, the apprehension of that appearance too vanishes. Brahman alone remains by itself. Upon the realisation of one's real nature, ajñāna and its effects-all are destroyed. For, it is said: adhisthānāvaseso hi nāśah kalpitavastunah: "Upon destruction of an imagined object, there remains only the basis on which the super-imposition has been made."
200 & 201 In sloka 194, the śişya expressed a doubt in the words: tadupădheranāditvāt na anādernāsa isyate: “As the upādhi is beginningless, its destruction cannot be affirmed.” The guru felt that the answer to this doubt had not been clearly understood by the sisya. Taking up that topic, the guru provides the answer to it in the following two and a half ślokas.
अनादित्वमविद्यायाः कार्यस्यापि तथेष्यते ।। उत्पन्नायां तु विद्यायां आविद्यकमनाद्यपि ॥२०० ॥ प्रबोधे स्वप्नबत्सर्व सहमूलं विनश्यति । अनाद्यपीदं नो नित्यं प्रागभाव इव स्फुटम् ॥
अनादेरपि विध्वंसः प्रागभावस्य वीक्षितः॥२०१॥ anāditvam avidyāyāḥ kāryasyāpi tathesyate 11 utpannāyām tu vidyāyām āvidyakamanādyapi prabodhe svapnavat sarvam sahamūlam vinaśyati anādyapīdam no nityam prāgabhāva iva sphuţam 11 anāderapi vidhvamsaḥ prāgabhāvasya vīkşitaḥ 11
The beginninglessness of avidyā and its effect is declared. When right knowledge arises, though beginningless, the effect of avidyā vanishes along with its root cause even as dream and its cause vanish on waking.
Though avidyā is beginningless, it is not eternal, even as antecedent non-existence is not eternal. For though it is beginningless, the destruction of antecedent non-existence is seen.
What was told by you that upādhi is beginningless is even so. Beginninglessness is affirmed, as of avidyā, also of the vijñānamaya kośa which is the effect of avidyā. Avidyā is one. But the objects of creation are manifold. This manifoldness requires a like manifoldness in the upādhi responsible for it. God is common to all beings and is supremely merciful. For His manifold creation. He
