1.
The universe is as a reflection in a mirror, appearing to be a city within oneself, like a dream within sleep, but through the illusory power of Maya seems to be externally manifested.
The one who witnesses reality at the moment of awakening is one’s own nondual Self. Salutations to the blessed teacher in the form of that all-knowing Shiva who faces the south, holy Dakshinamurti.
Bibliography
Dakshinamurti and Manasollasa by John M. Denton
Reflections on Dakshinamurti Stotram by Swami Sarvapriyananda
Hymn to Dakshinamoorthy by Swami Chinmayananda
Hymn to Dakshinamurti (from The Hymns of Sankara) by TMP Mahadevan
other trans of 1a
in which the Self alone plays as the universe of names and forms, like a city seen in a mirror, due to the māyā power, as though produced outside, as in a dream ~Chinmayananda
The universe is like a reflection seen in a mirror, appearing like a city within one’s own Self, but seeming to be outside, through the illusory power of Māyā, as if dreaming in a sleep. ~Denton
who by mayā as by dream, sees within Himself the universe which is inside Him, like unto a city that is seen in a mirror, (but) which is manifes-ted as if without ~Mahadevan
through the illusion of the Ātman as through sleep, sees the universe existing within himself like a city reflected in a mirror, as though it were manifested externally. ~Sarvapriyananda
