Lakshmi-Nrsimha-pancharatnam - 3

[Anand V. Hudli]

|| shrI-laxmI-narasiMhAya namaH ||

   AkR^itisAmyAchchhAlmalikusume sthalanalinatvabhramamakaroH
    gandharasAviha kimu vidyete viphalaM bhrAmyasi bhR^ishavirase .asmin.h|
   chetobhR^iN^ga bhramasi vR^ithA bhavamarubhUmau virasAyAM
    bhaja bhaja laxmInarasiMhAnaghapadasarasijamakarandam.h || 3 ||

   Due to similarity in form, you mistake (mistook) the flower of
   the cotton tree for a lotus (having the attributes of lotus).
   Do you have any sense of smell and taste? You roam about in this
   extremely dry place without success. O mind-bee! You roam about without
   purpose in the joyless desert of worldly matters. Worship (taste) the
   pure nectar of the lotus feet of Lakshmi-Narasimha!

   Notes:

   Illusion or superimposition goes by several names such as adhyAropa,
   adhyAsa, bhrama, etc.

   Shankara, in his introduction to the commentary on the Brahma
   sutras, gives a definition of superimposition:

    adhyAso nAma atasmintadbuddhiH,
    superimposition is the cognition of something as something else.

   Superimposition may be of two types. 1) An object is mistaken for
   something else as a rope is mistaken for a snake. 2) An attribute of
   something else is mistakenly cognized in an object. For example, a
   colorless crystal placed in the proximity of a red flower appears as
   if the crystal itself is red.

   The common superimposition is that the dualistic world is superimposed
   on Brahman. The body is superimposed on the Self. Also, attributes that
   are not found in the Self are superimposed on It. As Shankara says, for
   example, a person thinks, "sthUlo .ahaM", (I am fat), "kR^isho .ahaM"
   (I am lean), "gauro .ahaM" ( I am fair complexioned), etc. Thus,
   attributes of the body are mistaken as being present in the Self.

   The question can now be raised: Why does everyone commit the mistake of
   superimposing something else on the Self? How does one get rid of this
   superimposition?

   Answers Shankara in his introduction to the sUtra bhAShya:

   naisargiko mithyApratyayarUpaH kartR^itvabhoktR^itvapravartako
   adhyAsaH sarvalokapratyaxaH| asya anarthahetoH prahANAya Atmaikatva-
   vidyApratipattaye sarve vedAntA Arabhyante |

   adhyAsa (superimposition), which is natural (to everyone), is a false
   notion that impels one to do things and enjoy or experience the results
   of actions. This adhyAsa is experienced by the whole world. In order to
   remove this cause of evil, and to realize the One Self, all (study in)
   vedAnta (upanishhads) is begun.


   Anand