Aparokshanubhuti-19

Verse No 44

1. Prapañca (world) = Vivarta of Brahman:
2. The world is an appearance upon Brahman, not a real modification.
3. Rope-Snake Analogy:
4. Just as a rope appears as a snake due to ignorance, the world appears as distinct due to avidyā (ignorance).
5. Brahman is Immutable:
6. Brahman remains untouched, unaltered, and unchanged through this appearance — maintaining nirvikāratva (changelessness).
7. Refutation of Other Theories:

• Ārambhavāda (Nyāya–Vaiśeṣika): rejected
• Pariṇāmavāda (Sāṅkhya): rejected
• Vivartavāda (Advaita Vedānta): affirmed

Verse No 45

1. Brahman as the Upādāna-Kāraṇa:
2. The universe arises from Brahman itself, not from atoms (Nyāya–Vaiśeṣika) or Prakṛti (Sāṅkhya).
3. Role of Māyā:
4. Brahman appears as the world due to the limiting adjunct of māyā, not due to any real transformation — preserving Brahman’s changeless nature.
5. Scriptural Authority:
6. Upaniṣadic statements like “From the Self, space emerged” directly support this non-dual causality.
7. Rejection of Dual Causality Theories:
8. The idea that anything other than Brahman (like atoms or nature) could be the material cause of the universe is rejected.
9. Brahman ≠ Efficient Cause Alone:
10. Brahman is both the efficient cause (nimitta) and material cause (upādāna) — unlike in dualistic theologies where God creates the world using separate matter.