DDV13
The two powers of Maya obviously are those of projecting and veiling. The projecting power creates all the world from the subtle body to the totality of the material universe.
~A
Śaktidvayaṁ hi māyāyā vikṣepāvṛti-rūpakam, vikṣepaśaktir-liṅgādi-brahmāṇḍāntaṁ jagat sṛjet.
शक्तिद्वयम् – two powers; हि – indeed; मायायाः – of māyā; विक्षेप-आवृति-रूपकम् – of the nature of projecting and veiling; (स्तः – exist); विक्षेप-शक्तिः – the projecting power; लिङ्गादि ब्रह्माण्ड-अन्तम् – beginning from the subtle body to the total universe; जगत् सृजेत् – creates the world
Indeed, māyā has two powers of the nature of projecting and veiling. The projecting power creates the world, beginning from the subtle body (the experiencer) to the total universe (the experienced).
~T
मायायाः of māyā विक्षेपावृतिरूपकं of the nature of projecting (creating) and veiling शक्तिद्वयं two powers हि without doubt (अस्ति exists) विक्षेपशक्तिः projecting power लिङ्गादिब्रह्माण्डान्तं from the sub- tle body to the (gross) universe जगत् world सृजेत् creates.
Two powers, undoubtedly, are predi- cated of māyā, viz., those of projecting_(1) and veiling. The projecting power creates ev- erything from the subtle (2) body to the gross universe.
~N
Notes
The Seer and the seen are shown to be of opposite nature by discrimination. The Seer is Existence-Consciousness. The seen is non-existent and inert. How can there possibly be any relation between the two? For instance, no one can marry a barren woman’s own son since he does not exist. Yet the seen world seems to be inseparably knotted up with the sentient Seer. The cause is said to be māyā. It should be noted that māyā does not really exist, but is postulated only to account for our experience of the world.
Māyā has two powers – the veiling and the projecting. The former veils the Truth and the latter projects the illusion. For example, a rope is mistaken for a snake. The non-apprehension of the rope is due to the veiling power and the misapprehension of the snake is caused by the projecting power. Similarly, māyā veils the Truth and projects the entire world of experiences (macrocosm) and the experiences, as well.
Reality too, is said to be indescribable. Is it also an illusion? No, both Reality and māyā are both indescribable, yet there is a difference between them. Māyā’s effect is experienced, but its exact status cannot be determined. Reality being the subject can never become an object of experience. Reality exists and yet is indescribable, and māyā is an illusion and therefore, indescribable. Also, there can be no illusion without a real substratum. That substratum is the Reality (Brahman).
~T
From this verse up to verse 21, the analysis of the cause of saṃsāra and the remedy is done. The author wishes to establish that ignorance is the cause of saṃsāra. The self-ignorance of one’s own composition, i.e., that one is a mixture of three seers, two are mithyā and one is satyaṃ, and that satya sākṣī is one’s own real nature, is the cause of the saṃsāra problem. Who or what is responsible for this ignorance? The author points out that māyā is responsible.
~P
It's Maya
Having established that the absolute ground called Brahman is unborn, undying, and changeless consciousness-existence, what is one to make of this world which is all about birth, death, and change? It’s Maya.
There’s nothing else to say. In fact, there is nothing one can say. Maya is as indescribable as Brahman. As there’s no describing the Christ in anti-Christ, there’s no describing the Brahman in not-Brahman, or Maya.
Metaphors use words to describe the indescribable. In this way, metaphors aren’t words. A rope is seen as a snake. Mirages appear in the desert. And it feels real because it’s not unreal like the horns of a hare. All is Brahman.
~A
Translators / Commentators Legend
A: Aumdada
D: Dayananda
N: Nikhilananda
P: Paramarthananda
S: Sandeepany
T: Tejomayananda
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