[Advaita-l] Bhamati DSV theory according to Siddhanta Bindu

[Venkatesh Murthy]

Namaste

अज्ञानविषयीभूतं चैतन्यमीश्वरः अज्ञानाश्रयीभूतं च जीव इति वाचस्पतिमिश्राः
।अस्मिंश्च पक्षे अज्ञाननानात्त्वाज्जीवनानात्वम् । प्रतिजीवं च प्रपञ्चभेदः
जीवस्यैवाज्ञानोपहिततया जगदुपादानत्वात् प्रत्यभिज्ञा चातिसादृश्यात् ईश्वरस्य
च सप्रपञ्चजीवाविद्याऽधिष्ठानत्वेन कारणत्वोपचारादित । अयमेव चावच्छेदवादः ।
Translation by Sri S N Sastri

According to Vachaspatimisra, pure consciousness which is the content
(object) of nescience is Isvara. The locus of nescience is the jiva. In
this view multiplicity of jivas is due to multiplicity of nescience. Thus the
universe is different for each jiva, because the jiva is the material cause
of the universe since it has nescience as limiting adjunct. The recognition
of the universe as the same by all is due to extreme similarity. Isvara is
metaphorically described as the cause of the universe because of being the
substratum of the jivas, nescience and the universe. This is the limitation
theory.

Important point is Ishwara is not really the cause of the universe but the
Jeeva is the cause. There is no Ishwara Srushti. Bellamkonda Rama Raya Kavi
has said in his Vyaakhyaa

ईश्वरशब्दोऽत्र निरुपाधिकचैतन्यवाची न तु अज्ञानविषयीकृतचैतन्यवाची । The
Ishwara here in Bhamati is the Nirupaadhika = Suddha Brahma only. This
means the Tat in Tat Tvam Asi is Suddha Brahman exactly like for DSV. Jeeva
is creator of the universe exactly like for DSV but there are many Jeevas.
When I am seeing a pot and you are seeing the same pot the two pots are not
the same. I am seeing a pot in my universe and you are seeing a pot in your
universe. But there is Ati Saadrushya between the pots. They are very very
similar but not same. Therefore we both think we are seeing the same pot.

Therefore Bhamati theory is nothing but DSV with NJV.


-- 
Regards

-Venkatesh