I made this as a comment in another blog.
This stanza is from the dakSinamUrti stotram
The stanza from dakSinamUrti stotram
Vishvam Darpanna-Drshyamaana-Nagarii-Tulyam Nija-Antargatam
Pashyann-Aatmani Maayayaa Bahir-Ivo[a-U]dbhuutam Yathaa Nidrayaa |
Yah Saakssaat-Kurute Prabodha-Samaye Sva-[A]atmaanam-Eva-Advayam
Tasmai Shrii-Guru-Muurtaye Nama Idam Shrii-Dakssinnaamuurtaye |
Translation
Vishvam (Universe) Darpanna-Drshyamaana-Nagarii-Tulyam (equivalent to city seen in mirror) Nija-Antargatam (within one’s own)
Pashyann (seeing) Aatmani Maayayaa Bahir (Atman’s external mAya) -Ivo[a-U]dbhuutam Yathaa Nidrayaa (as if arising in sleep )
Yah Saakssaat (which with own eyes) Kurute (perform/does) Prabodha-Samaye (at the time of awakening) Sva-[A]atmaanam-Eva-Advayam ( self Atman like non-duality)
Tasmai Shrii-Guru-Muurtaye Nama (salutations unto that guru-murti) Idam Shrii-Dakssinnaamuurtaye (this sri dakSinamurti)
The Universe is like this, a ‘city’ seen inside a mirror. What we see inside the mirror is not the reality. It is the reflection of the City. The City has buildings, lanes big and small. The city has people moving all around. All these are inside (our) mirror. But neither the sizes, shapes, characteristics of what see in the mirror are original characteristics of the City.
What we understand from the image of the City in the mirror is our perception. What the real city is, the reality. There is this duality here.
Pashyann (seeing) Aatmani Maayayaa Bahir (Atman’s external mAya) -Ivo[a-U]dbhuutam Yathaa Nidrayaa (as if arising in sleep )
Yah Saakssaat (which with own eyes) Kurute (perform/does) Prabodha-Samaye (at the time of awakening) Sva-[A]atmaanam-Eva-Advayam ( self Atman like non-duality)
Tasmai Shrii-Guru-Muurtaye Nama (salutations unto that guru-murti) Idam Shrii-Dakssinnaamuurtaye (this sri dakSinamurti)
Summary of my translation
Like an entire city seen inside a mirror, universe is (seen) within one’s own. Seeing the Atman’s external mAya as if (seeing) in sleep (dream). That at the time of awakening with one’s own eyes, brings up non-duality as if seeing from Atman/Self himself. Unto that guru-mUrti salutations , This (is) dakSinamUrti.My understanding of this sloka
When we are sleeping, we see events happening around us. But that’s not the reality. It’s a perception. There is duality here. There is one reality and second our perception. This is dvayam.The Universe is like this, a ‘city’ seen inside a mirror. What we see inside the mirror is not the reality. It is the reflection of the City. The City has buildings, lanes big and small. The city has people moving all around. All these are inside (our) mirror. But neither the sizes, shapes, characteristics of what see in the mirror are original characteristics of the City.
What we understand from the image of the City in the mirror is our perception. What the real city is, the reality. There is this duality here.
Likewise, what we see in the Universe is the mAya of Atman. It is not the reality. Neither the sizes, shapes, characteristics of what we observe in the Universe are original characteristics. There is a different reality in our Universe, compared to our perception. There is duality here.
But when we wake-up, the duality disappears. There is one reality. The perception disappears. This is advyam.
So how do we wake up and see the original city or original Universe.?
But when we wake-up, the duality disappears. There is one reality. The perception disappears. This is advyam.
So how do we wake up and see the original city or original Universe.?
Guru is the Atman
We can wake up from the dream with the help of 'Guru'. Guru is the Atman.
Atman 'sees' or 'observes' the Universe. Like we sleep and observe an universe outside us in a dream, Atman is observing the Universe as outside it. But our dreams are our projections. Similarly, Atman projects the Universe (like a tiny seed that projects a huge banyan tree) and observes it.
Atman 'sees' or 'observes' the Universe. Like we sleep and observe an universe outside us in a dream, Atman is observing the Universe as outside it. But our dreams are our projections. Similarly, Atman projects the Universe (like a tiny seed that projects a huge banyan tree) and observes it.
mayA is self-perspective (ma-ya) (3). mAyA is one that is derived from that self-perspective. When something is seen from self-perspective alone, it becomes mAyA. Such things seen from self-perspective alone are 'illusions'.
This maya and mAyA arises when our thoughts are bonded, attached to the physical bodies and the worldly beings.
The Atman manifests as detached, observing/witnessing thought in us. When it manifests as a thought detached from the physical world and its beings, it naturally brings in other perspectives apart from self-perspective. Thus mAyA, the illusion caused by self-perspective is totally defeated.
When mAyA, the self-perspective is defeated by bringing in multiple perspectives caused by detached observing thoughts, we evolve further and further. This Observer driving the evolution of Universe is a design pattern of Universe (2). Hence this Atman which manifests as detached, observing thought in us, is described as the 'Guru' in Guru Gita (1).
This Guru is the dakSinamUrthy.
-TBT
References
1. https://thebigthinkg.blogspot.com/2018/07/who-is-guru-from-guru-gita.html2. https://vedabhasya.blogspot.com/2019/09/observer-drives-evolution.html
3. https://vedabhasya.blogspot.com/2019/08/overcoming-maya.html
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