The Sarva-Darsana-Samgraha Part 13

"Stigmatisation, imposition of names, wors.h.i.+p; the last is of ten kinds."

Difference (or duality between the Supreme Being and the universe) may also be inferred from cognisability and other marks. So also difference (or duality) may be understood from revelation, from texts setting out duality in emanc.i.p.ation and beat.i.tude, such as: "All rejoice over truth attained; truthful, and celebrating the gift of the divine Indra, they recount his glory;" "Sarva, among those that know the truth, O Brahman, is in the universe, true spirit; true is individual spirit; truth is duality, truth is duality, in me is illusion, in me illusion, in me illusion."

Again:--

"After attaining this knowledge, becoming like unto me,

"In creation they are not born again, in retractation they perish not" (Bhagavad-gita, xiv. 2).

According also to such aphorisms as, "Excepting cosmical operation because of occasion, and because of non-proximity."

Nor should suggestion be made that individual spirit is G.o.d in virtue of the text, He that knows the absolute becomes the absolute; for this text is hyperbolically eulogistic, like the text, Wors.h.i.+pping a Brahman devoutly a Sudra becomes a Brahman, _i.e._, becomes exalted.

If any one urge that according to the text:--

"If the universe existed it would doubtless come to an end,"

this duality is merely illusory, and in reality a unity, and that duality is learnt to be illusorily imagined; it may be replied: What you say is true, but you do not understand its meaning; for the real meaning is, If this world had been produced, it would, without doubt, come to an end; therefore this universe is from everlasting, a fivefold dual universe; and it is not non-existent, because it is mere illusion. Illusion is defined to be the will of the Lord, in virtue of the testimony of many such pa.s.sages as:--

"The great illusion, ignorance, necessity, the bewilderment,

"The originant, ideation,--thus is thy will called, O Infinite.

"The originant, because it originates greatly; ideation, because it produces ideas;

"The illusion of Hari, who is called _a_, is termed (_avidya_) ignorance:

"Styled (_maya_) illusion, because it is pre-eminent, for the name _maya_ is used of the pre-eminent;

"The excellent knowledge of Vish?u is called, though one only, by these names;

"For Hari is excellent knowledge, and this is characterised by spontaneous beat.i.tude."

That in which this excellent knowledge produces knowledge and effects sustentation thereof, that is pure illusion, as known and sustained, therefore by the Supreme Lord duality is not illusorily imagined. For in the Lord illusory imagination of the universe is not possible, illusory imagination arising from non-perception of differences (which as an imperfection is inconsistent with the divine nature).

If it be asked how then that (illusory duality) is predicated, the answer is that in reality there is a non-duality, that is in reality, Vish?u being better than all else, has no equal and no superior.

Accordingly, the grand revelation:--

"A difference between soul and the Lord, a difference between the unsentient and the Lord,

"A difference among souls, and a difference of the unsentient and the soul each from the other.

"Also the difference of unsentient things from one another, the world with its five divisions.

"This same is real and from all eternity; if it had had a beginning it would have an end:

"Whereas it does not come to an end; and it is not illusorily imagined:

"For if it were imagined it would cease, but it never ceases.

"That there is no duality is therefore the doctrine of those that lack knowledge;

"For this the doctrine of those that have knowledge is known and sustained by Vish?u."

The purpose, then, of all revelations is to set out the supreme excellence of Vish?u. With this in view the Lord declared:--

"Two are these persons in the universe, the perishable and the imperishable;

"The perishable is all the elements, the imperishable is the unmodified.

"The other, the most excellent person, called the Supreme Spirit,

"Is the undecaying Lord, who pervading sustains the three worlds.

"Since transcending the perishable, I am more excellent than the imperishable (soul),

"Hence I am celebrated among men and in the Veda as the best of persons (_Purushottama_);

"He who uninfatuated knows me thus the best of persons, he all-knowing wors.h.i.+ps me in every wise.

"Thus this most mysterious inst.i.tute is declared, blameless (Arjuna):

"Knowing this a man may be wise, and may have done what he has to do, O Bharata" (Bhagavad-gita, xv. 16-20).

So in the Maha-varaha--

"The primary purport of all the Vedas relates to the supreme spouse of Sri;

"Its purport regarding the excellence of any other deity must be subordinate."

It is reasonable that the primary purport should regard the supreme excellence of Vish?u. For emanc.i.p.ation is the highest end of all men, according to the text of the Bhallaveya Upanishad: While merit, wealth, and enjoyment are transitory, emanc.i.p.ation is eternal; therefore a wise man should strive unceasingly to attain thereto. And emanc.i.p.ation is not won without the grace of Vish?u, according to the text of the Naraya?a Upanishad: Through whose grace is the highest state, through whose essence he is liberated from transmigration, while inferior men propitiating the divinities are not emanc.i.p.ated; the supreme object of discernment to those who desire to be liberated from this snare of works. According also to the words of the Vish?u-pura?a--

"If he be propitiated, what may not here be won? Enough of all wealth and enjoyments. These are scanty enough. On climbing the tree of the supreme essence, without doubt a man attains to the fruit of emanc.i.p.ation."

And it is declared that the grace of Vish?u is won only through the knowledge of his excellence, not through the knowledge of non-duality.

Nor is there in this doctrine any confliction with texts declaratory of the ident.i.ty (of personal and impersonal spirit) such as, That art thou (for this pretended ident.i.ty) is mere babbling from ignorance of the real purport.

"The word That, when undetermined, designates the eternally unknown,

"The word Thou designates a knowable ent.i.ty; how can these be one?"

And this text (That art thou) indicates similarity (not ident.i.ty) like the text, The sun is the sacrificial post. Thus the grand revelation:--

"The ultimate unity of the individual soul is either similarity of cognition,

"Or entrance into the same place, or in relation to the place of the individual;

"Not essential unity, for even when it is emanc.i.p.ated it is different,