[Advaita-l] 'Paramārtha, bhrānti' in Vishnu puranam

[V Subrahmanian]

The terms 'Parmārthika' and  'bhrānti' in Vishnu purāṇam


In the Viṣṇu purāṇam is a verse which reads:


ज्ञानस्वरूपमत्यन्तनिर्मलं परमार्थतः ।
तमेवार्थस्वरूपेण भ्रान्तिदर्शनतः स्थितम् ॥1.2.6॥

The above verse says that 'That Supreme Truth is immensely pure
Consciousness. However, owing to the deluded vision of the seer, it appears
to be of a variegated nature.

This appearing of the One only Truth as many is due to bhrama,
misconception/error. Hence there cannot be the objection: If Brahman itself
transforms into the world, then on the rule that the one that undergoes
transformation, vikāra, will perish at a future time, Brahman cannot be
eternal/real.

The reply is that since Brahman is appearing as the world only owing to the
deluded vision, no such objection can be raised.

Shankaracharya has cited this verse in his commentary to the name
'pramāṇam' (949) occurring in the Viṣṇu sahasra nāma.

subrahmanian.v