[Advaita-l] Prakriti/Māya is a superimposition on Brahman - Paingalopanishat

[V Subrahmanian]

In this Upanishad, at the very beginning of the teaching, it is stated that
Māyā / Prakriti is unreal.  First Brahman is mentioned as the one that was
the only Tattvam before creation. It is of the nature of ever-free,
immutable, Existence, Consciousness, Bliss, Ever Full, Ancient, One only
without a second:


स होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः सदेव सोम्येदमग्र आसीत् । तन्नित्यमुक्तमविक्रियं
सत्यज्ञानानन्दपरिपूर्ण सनातनमेकमेवाद्वितीयं ब्रह्म ॥ २ ॥  Chapter 1.2

Then comes the statement about Prakriti:


तस्मिन् मरुशुक्तिकास्थाणुस्फटिकादौ जलरौप्यपुरुषरेखाऽऽदिवल्लोहितशुक्लकृष्णा
गुणमयी *गुणसाम्यानिर्वाच्या* मूलप्रकृतिरासीत् । तत्प्रतिबिम्बितं यत्तत्
साक्षिचैतन्यमासीत् ॥ ३ ॥

In It, was like a mirage in the desert, silver
<https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/silver#hinduism> in mother-of-pearl
<https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/pearl#hinduism>, a person in the
pillar, or colour <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/colour#hinduism>,
etc., in the crystals, mūlaprakṛti
<https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/mulaprakriti#hinduism>, having in
equal proportions the guṇas
<https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/guna#hinduism>, red,[1]
<https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/thirty-minor-upanishads/d/doc217008.html#note-e-86011>
 white <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/white#hinduism>, and black
<https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/black#hinduism>, and being beyond the
power <https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/power#hinduism> of speech
<https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/speech#hinduism>. That which is
reflected in it is Sākṣi
<https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/sakshi#hinduism>-Caitanya
<https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/caitanya#hinduism> (lit., the
witness-consciousness).

The Upanishad calls Prakriti anirvāchyā.

The above concept is quite in tune with the Bhāgavatam which, in the very
opening verse says 'creation is just an appearance in Brahman.'  And in
accordance with the *Bhagavadgītā 7.14:*

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया ।
मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते ॥

Śrī Kṛṣṇa says:
“This divine *Māyā* of Mine, constituted of the guṇas — *sattva, rajas,*
 and *tamas* — is exceedingly difficult to transcend.
Yet those who take refuge in Me — in My *Ātma/Brahma-svarūpa* — they cross
over this *Māyā*.”

And again He declares:

*Bhagavadgītā 5.29:*

भोक्तारं यज्ञतपसां सर्वलोकमहेश्वरम् ।
सुहृदं सर्वभूतानां ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिमृच्छति ॥

“One who knows Me — the enjoyer of all sacrifices and austerities, the
great Lord of all worlds, the friend of all beings — attains *śānti* (peace,
i.e., *mokṣa*).”

Here, *peace is had through knowledge* implies that *bondage (saṁsāra)* arises
through *ignorance (ajñāna)*.
The cause of *saṁsāra* is *Māyā*, and *Māyā* is dispelled by *jñāna* —
hence it is *jñāna-nivartyam*.  That which is dispelled by knowledge is
well known to be mithyā in the world, on the analogy of rope-snake, dream,
etc.

Thus we have the Upanishad itself holding Prakriti to be mithyā.  It is in
keeping with its own declaration that Brahman is ekam eva advaitīyam.  So,
there cannot be anything, including Prakrit, as a second entity apart from
Brahman.

One can read the entire Upanishad in English translation here:

https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/thirty-minor-upanishads/d/doc217008.html


warm regards

subbu