[Advaita-l] A Vichara on the terms 'Avidya' and 'Maya' Part 1

[Bhaskar YR]

Here Shankara is clearly using the terms avidyA, prakrtih etc
synonymously. Also in In IshavAsya mantra 8 bhASya explaining the word
shuddham shankara says

shuddham nirmalam avidyAmalarahitam iti kAraNasharIrapratishedah..

Here Shankara is equating avidyA with kAraNasharIra.

Those who hold that avidyA is abhAva and mAyA is different from avidyA
should explain these statements properly.

praNAms
Hare Krishna

I think this is not at all a 'fresh' objection to uphold the theory 
avidyA=mAya...This topic has been discussed in great detail by those who 
donot agree that avidyA = mAya ( I am talking about those who donot belong 
to Sri SSS lineage)!!  In short, in the previous maNtra it is said 
avidyayA mrutyum  teertvA vidyayAmrutamashnute..from avidyA he crosses 
mrutyu and through vidya he attains amrutatvaM..Here shankara says avidyA 
is kArma & vidyA is upAsana. So, understanding of the proper context is 
very important here.Since in avyAkruta there exist the seeds of avidyAkAma 
karma..here avyAkruta called as avidyA..see for example : avidyAdyaneka 
saMsAra beejaM antardOshavat mAyA, in geeta bhAshya...it is just like 
calling the poisoned rice (vishAnna) as just 'poison' (yathA 
vishasaMyuktaM annaM vishaM iti uchyate)  or calling the 'suitcase' as 
'clothes' since the suitcase is full of clothes..Moreover, the context 
here is not about equating the avidyA with mAya. daivee hyeshA guNamayi 
mama mAyA duratyayA says geetAchArya...change the word mAya here and 
replace it with 'avidyA' and you can see the repercussions of your stand 
i.e. avidyA=mAya...So, you can be rest assured that those who hold that 
avidyA is NOT mAYa have properly understood the above bhAshya vAkya 
without disturbing its context & purpose.

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!
bhaskar