"JAGAN MITHYA"

Jagan Mithya

The Vedas and the Upanishads declare in their profound statements the world as illusory, that it is unreal! “ Brahma Satyam Jagan Mithya”. It challenges our intellect and we are unable to accept the word of the Vedas! How is it possible to accept the statement when we see so many people, their actions before our own eyes? How can we say that what we see is false, untrue and meaningless? There's no proper understanding of what Adi Sankara has stated. Atma is called Truth as it is indestructible, eternal and changeless. “Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma”. Related to the individual it is called Jiva. Applied to all creatures it is described as the Brahman. The world, people,and their intentions continue to change and hence cannot be called Truth. It is neither the eternal Truth nor total untruth but an intermediary state which is termed “ mithya” or illusion!!

The Acharyas distinguish three types of Truth. The first is ,’Paramarthika satyam’ or eternal Truth. The second is , ‘Vyavaharika Satyam’ or truth as seen by the society. The third is that which is outside the above mentioned states and called ‘Pratibhasika y satyam’.The tin piece shines like silver reflecting the sunlight! Likewise the shell glitters like silver. But examining closely we find no silver in them! This feeling is superimposition which is not true!  Dreams too belong to this category as they appear to be true but are not so in reality. When we say horse’s  horn, that becomes total untruth .The horse can never have a horn! Stepping on the rope in darkness, you step back in fright thinking that it is a snake! There is no snake at all but it appears like a snake! There is a mixture of reality and and unreality! Reality here is only for a temporary period! The assumption that there is a snake is what is called superimposition!

The rope is the object which is real.This is called ‘adhistanam’. Snake is the superimposition. Because of the shape of the rope and darkness you superimpose the snake on the rope. This is called ‘aropyam’. If we see the object directly superimposition vanishes! According to Vyavaharikaa dasa the world is real! It is unreal when Knowledge dawns!l Darkness stands for avidya or ignorance while illumination represents real knowledge or jnana!

This type of false perception is called “ mithya” or illusion or Maya. It is the quality of Maya to present the real as unreal and the unreal as the real! It is the creation of the Brahman itself. It is the Divine sport of the Brahman to weave the web of Maya and enjoy the working of the universe! It is impossible for human beings and even the Devas to be free from the effect of Maya! Krishna points out in Bhagavad gita, “ mama Maya duraratyaya”-my Maya is insurmountable. Like the spider that weaves the web in which all insects are caught, all creatures are entangled in its meshes and struggle to escape! The spider itself is free and never caught in its own web! Thus, due to the effect of Maya, we think the world we live in is real and everything we see, hear, and enjoy or suffer is real! It is not possible for ordinary mortals like us to realize the profound truth! Only great sadhakas, after deep meditation and penance can understand.

The world is always in a state of constant change! Many ages and Yugas have disappeared. Days and nights alternate.”Dina yaminyau sayam prataha sisira vasantau punarayataha” says  Sankara in his classic ‘Bhaja Govinda’ stotra! It is because of illusion that we think the world is  real. When the world itself is unreal and temporary what about our wife, children, property, kith and kin and all other possessions? Is it not wise for us to contemplate on this glaring truth and conduct ourselves properly? Unfortunately most of us fail to realize this most important fact! Let us realize the transitory nature of the universe and conduct ourselves in such a way that we are not lost in this confusion!!!