The three texts in the prasth\u0101natarya, the Holy Gita (bhagavadg\u012bt\u0101), upani\u1e63ad-s and the brahma-s\u016btra-s – and the commentaries on them have traditionally been considered as the core of ved\u0101nta. These texts have been interpreted and explained by various teachers before and after \u0101di \u015ba\u1e43kara in many ways – dvaita, advaita and vi\u015bi\u1e63\u1e6d\u0101dvaita, mainly. \u0100di \u015ba\u1e43kara, \u015br\u012b madhv\u0101c\u0101rya, and \u015br\u012b r\u0101m\u0101nuja as the most prominent of these schools, even though they were not the first to purport the main theme in them. <\/p>\n
Advaita ved\u0101nta that we know of and study today, was interpreted, commentated, discussed, debated and explained at various times by various thinkers. Several models and explanations have been proposed and used to help understand those Ved\u0101ntic concepts of Universal Reality or One-ness. Well established, accepted and understood schools are called siddh\u0101nta-s, some proposals or models that have not yet gotten wide acceptance are called v\u0101da-s.
\nV\u0101da-s, loosely translated to axioms, doctrines, tenets, principles etc., try to argue a point-of-view by giving us explanations and examples to help understand concepts – perhaps the entire Advaitic thought or some aspect of it. We keep coming across them during various discussions and commentaries. We come across:
\n aj\u0101ti-v\u0101da or aj\u0101ta-v\u0101da in the m\u0101\u1e47\u1e0d\u016bkya k\u0101rik\u0101 of the great Gau\u1e0dap\u0101da, where the fundamental doctrine is that of \u2018No-Origination\u2019, that there was no beginning and nothing was ever born; hence no plurality with distinction or differentiation among any and that all is one illusion.
\n\u0101bh\u0101sa-v\u0101da proposes that bondage is a superimposition on the \u012a\u015bvara, the Self (Chaitanya) conditioned by Ignorance (avidy\u0101) because of j\u012bva which is the Self conditioned by Cognition (buddhi).
\npratibimba-v\u0101da according to Prak\u0101\u015b\u0101tma, \u012a\u015bvara is an image of Consciousness (bimba-caitanya) conditioned by Ignorance and J\u012bva is the reflection (prati-bimba) of the ignorance conditioned by the inner senses (antah-karana) through v\u0101sana-s. aj\u00f1\u0101nopahita\u1e43 bimbacaitanya\u1e43 \u012a\u015bvara\u1e25 anta\u1e25karanatatsa\u1e43sk\u0101r\u0101vacchinna aj\u00f1\u0101napratibimbam j\u012bva\u1e25 iti.
\nIn avaccheda-v\u0101da, the objectification of Consciousness as the \u012a\u015bvara, (aj\u00f1\u0101navi\u1e63ay\u012bbh\u016bta\u1e43 caitanya\u1e43 i\u015bvara\u1e25) by ignorance and j\u012bva as Consciousness limited by ignorance, hence subordinated to \u012a\u015bvara. Ignorance is plural and varied, there is plurality in the perception of j\u012bva-s and creates the multitude of universes. Thus, in all separated plurality, there is still convergence in Oneness. \u012b\u015bvarasya ca saprapa\u1e43ca jiv\u0101vidyadhi\u1e63\u1e6dh\u0101natvena k\u0101ra\u1e47atvopac\u0101r\u0101d iti | aya\u1e43 eva c\u0101vacchedav\u0101da\u1e25
\n\u015b\u0101mkara-ved\u0101nta, which we can call as brahmaikya-v\u0101da (my suggestion!), is well summed up in viveka c\u016b\u1e0d\u0101ma\u1e47i by the great master as brahmasatya\u1e43 jaganmithya\u1e43 j\u012bvo brahmaika n\u0101 para\u1e25<\/p>\n
d\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di s\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di v\u0101da is another such v\u0101da. Just as many commentators accept it, just as many refute it. Even though it does not enjoy acceptance and popularity, it is discussed very often in literature and vidvatsabh\u0101-s. <\/p>\n
d\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di s\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di v\u0101da in its simplest interpretation is that all creation has existence only as long as it is perceived. A simple example used to explain is that of the rajju-sarpa, mistaking the rope for a serpent, going through the experiences of the perceived snake, and later getting over them when truly perceived as a rope. At no time was there a snake in reality, it manifested in the seer, by the seer, with the perception of the snake and dissolved with the removal of that perception. d\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di, defined as v\u1e5btti upahita caitanya – modifications of the mind and body – that reveal the vi\u1e63aya-s to the J\u012bva, when conditioned by avidya, creates s\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di, a manifestation of the material world. S\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di is all that manifests, understood as the Jagat and the associated bandha and moksha.<\/p>\n
The tenets of d\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di s\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di v\u0101da are about the complete absence of \u012a\u015bvara-tattva, the j\u012bva, as the singular reality, there is no aj\u00f1\u0101tasatt\u0101, only j\u00f1\u0101t\u0101yasatt\u0101 creating a unique illusionary Jagat in its totality. There is no bandha-mok\u1e63a vyavasth\u0101, the world is created when the j\u012bva experiences the world and involutes as soon as the experience ends. There are no j\u0101grata and svapna, they merge into one illusion. yath\u0101 svapne dvaya bh\u0101s\u0101\u1e43 spa\u1e43date m\u0101yay\u0101 mana\u1e25 tath\u0101 j\u0101grat dvay\u0101 bh\u0101s\u0101… It is all that separates from the Self, the \u015buddha caitanya. It is everything to be experienced is through a set of karana-s and in an abode \u0101yatana. With the j\u012bva as the kart\u1e5b and bhokt\u1e5b, bandha and mok\u1e63a are moot. <\/p>\n
It is commonly accepted that the first essay of d\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di s\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di v\u0101da was made in Swami Prakashananda\u2019s work ved\u0101nta-siddh\u0101nta-mukt\u0101val\u012b. The assertion is that there are two types or degrees of manifestation – illusory and absolute. And by subordinating illusory to the absolute, a perception while maintaining the singular absolute reality of Brahman alone, a concept of a creation at the time of perception is presented. <\/p>\n
Swami Madhusudana Saraswathi\u2019s text siddh\u0101nta-bindu-\u1e6d\u012bk\u0101, while explaining eka-j\u012bva-v\u0101da, emphasizes that this is an important doctrine, (mukhya), that only those who have an advanced understanding of reality can appreciate. mukhyo ved\u0101nta-siddh\u0101nta\u1e25 eka-j\u012bva-v\u0101d\u0101khya\u1e25 iv\u0101meva ca d\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di-s\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di-v\u0101da\u1e43 \u0101cak\u1e63ate.<\/p>\n
Concepts similar to d\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di s\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di v\u0101da are found in several Upanishads and pur\u0101\u1e47a-s. m\u0101\u1e47\u1e0d\u016bkya k\u0101rik\u0101 is widely accepted to be an interpretation of d\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di s\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di v\u0101da. kau\u1e63\u012btaki declares in its exegeses of the individual self as the substratum for Prana, that as the j\u012bva in su\u1e63upti does not even see dreams and the only entity remaining is pr\u0101\u1e47a, everything else that was manifest is now dissolved. yath\u0101 supta\u1e25 svapna\u1e43 katha\u00f1cana pa\u015byati ath\u0101smin j\u012bve pr\u0101\u1e47a evaikadh\u0101 bhavati\u2026 kau. 4.39. In b\u1e5bhad\u0101ra\u1e47yaka 4.3.23, \u201cIt does not see in su\u1e63upti because, even though the seeing capability of the seer (or Self) has not gone away, It does not see anything at all. Because there is nothing second to It that can be seen\u201d yadvai tanna pa\u015byati pa\u015byanvai tanna pa\u015byati, na hi dra\u1e63\u1e6durd\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6derviparilopo vidyate\u2019vin\u0101\u015bitv\u0101n | na tu taddvit\u012byamasti tato\u2019nyadvibhakta\u1e43 yatpa\u015byet ||23||. The implied meaning is that whatever is seen and manifest is because the Self wills the manifestation and dissolution of the jagat. <\/p>\n
There are similar references in yogav\u0101si\u1e63\u1e6da and a couple of purana-s, \u0101tmapur\u0101\u1e47a and vi\u1e63\u1e47upur\u0101\u1e47a, for example.<\/p>\n
Most commentators who refute the d\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di s\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di v\u0101da primarily base their arguments around the prolific examples of the \u012a\u015bvara s\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di in the upani\u1e63ad-s and the sa\u1e43hita-s. The Ch\u0101ndogya, aitareya, and b\u1e5bhad\u0101ra\u1e47yaka are some prominent examples.<\/p>\n
d\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di s\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di v\u0101da, even as it is simple to understand conceptually, a deeper contemplation usually leads to more questions on perception, impermanence of perception and differentiating \u012a\u015bvara and J\u012bva. It serves as a powerful model to affirm Advaita Vedanta’s central teaching: only \u015buddha caitanya is real. For seekers who resonate with d\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di-s\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6di-v\u0101da, seeing the world as mind-made enables them to quieten the mind, transcend the ego, and realize the Self, which is beyond all experiences, names and forms. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The three texts in the prasth\u0101natarya, the Holy Gita (bhagavadg\u012bt\u0101), upani\u1e63ad-s and the brahma-s\u016btra-s – and the commentaries on them have traditionally been considered as the core of ved\u0101nta. These texts have been interpreted and explained by various teachers before and after \u0101di \u015ba\u1e43kara in many ways – dvaita, advaita and vi\u015bi\u1e63\u1e6d\u0101dvaita, mainly. \u0100di \u015ba\u1e43kara, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-915","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","hentry","category-vedanta-topics","post_format-post-format-image"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cmportland.org\/HariPatrika2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/915","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cmportland.org\/HariPatrika2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cmportland.org\/HariPatrika2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cmportland.org\/HariPatrika2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cmportland.org\/HariPatrika2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=915"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/cmportland.org\/HariPatrika2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/915\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1225,"href":"https:\/\/cmportland.org\/HariPatrika2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/915\/revisions\/1225"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cmportland.org\/HariPatrika2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=915"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cmportland.org\/HariPatrika2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=915"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cmportland.org\/HariPatrika2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=915"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}