Māyāvādakhaṇḍanam (मायावादखण्डनम्)

māyāvādakhaṇḍanam

Refutation of the Doctrine of Illusion

narasiṁhōkhilājñānamatadhvāntadivākaraḥ । jayatyamitasajjñānasukhaśaktipayōnidhiḥ ॥

Narasimha, the sun that dispels the darkness of all doctrines of ignorance, triumphs—the ocean of immeasurable true knowledge, bliss, and power.

‘vimatam anārambhaṇīyam anyathāpratipādakatvāt, yaditthaṁ tattathā, yathā sampratipannam।’

“The subject under dispute ought not to be undertaken, because it presents matters otherwise. Whatever is of this kind is so, as in the case of what is agreed upon.”

na hi brahmātmaikyasya yāthārthyaṁ tatpakṣē । advaitahānēḥ svarūpātirēkē । anatirēkē svaprakāśatvādātmanaḥ siddhasādhanatā । nirviśēṣatvādātmanō nānadhigatō viśēṣaḥ । siddhatvād svarūpasya viśēṣābhāvācca nājñānaṁ kasyacidāvarakam ।

For, on that position, the identity of Brahman and the self is not real: if it is distinct from essential nature, nonduality is abandoned; if it is not distinct, then, because the self is self-luminous, there is the establishment of what is already established. Because the self is devoid of attributes, there is no previously unapprehended attribute. And because the essential nature is already established and there is no attribute, ignorance does not obscure anything whatsoever.

‘anadhigatārthagantr̥ pramāṇam’

“A valid means of knowledge is that which apprehends a previously unapprehended object.”

iti ca tanmatam ।

And thus is their position.

ajñānāsambhavādēva tanmatam akhilamapākr̥tam । mithyātvē caikyasyātattvāvēdakatvamāgamasya syāt । satyatā ca bhēdasya । ēvamēva prayōjanamapi nirastam । svarūpatvāt mōkṣasya pūrvamēva siddhatvāt । ajñānāsambhavēna caturthaprakārābhāvāt pañcamaprakāratā’pi nirastā । viṣayaprayōjanābhāvādēva adhikārī ca । tadabhāvādēva sambandhō’pi ।

Precisely because ignorance is impossible, that doctrine is entirely refuted. And if unity were false, scripture would communicate what is unreal, while difference would be real. In precisely the same way, the purpose too is ruled out, because liberation is the essential nature and is already established. Since the fourth type is absent owing to the impossibility of ignorance, even the status of being a fifth type is ruled out. The qualified person too is ruled out precisely because subject matter and purpose are absent; and the relation too, precisely because that person is absent.

‘dvāvimau puruṣau lōkē kṣaraścākṣara ēva ca । kṣaraḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni kūṭasthō’kṣara ucyatē ॥’ (bha.gī.15.16)

There are these two puruṣas in the world: the perishable and, indeed, the imperishable. All beings are the perishable; the unchanging one is called the imperishable.

‘uttamaḥ puruṣastvanyaḥ paramātmētyudāhr̥taḥ । yō lōkatrayamāviśya bibhartyavyaya īśvaraḥ ॥’ (bha.gī.15.17)

But the highest Person is another, declared to be the Supreme Self—the immutable Lord who, having entered the three worlds, sustains them.

‘yasmād kṣaramatītō’hamakṣarādapi cōttamaḥ । atō’smi lōkē vēdē ca prathitaḥ puruṣōttamaḥ ॥’ (bha.gī.15.18)

Since I have transcended the perishable and am superior even to the imperishable, I am therefore renowned in the world and in the Veda as the Supreme Person.

‘yō māmēvamasammūḍhō jānāti puruṣōttamam । sa sarvavidbhajati māṁ sarvabhāvēna bhārata ॥’ (bha.gī.15.19)

Whoever, undeluded, knows me thus as the Supreme Person is a knower of all and worships me with his entire being, O Bhārata.

‘iti guhyatamaṁ śāstramidamuktaṁ mayā’nagha । ētadbuddhvā buddhimān syāt kr̥takr̥tyaśca bhārata ॥’ (bha.gī.15.20)

Thus this most secret teaching has been declared by me, O sinless one. Having understood this, one would become wise and one who has done what was to be done, O descendant of Bharata.

‘indriyēbhyaḥ parā hyarthā arthēbhyaśca paraṁ manaḥ । manasastu parā buddhiḥ buddhērātmā mahān paraḥ ॥’(kaṭha.1.3.10)

The sense objects are indeed higher than the senses, and the mind is higher than the sense objects; but the intellect is higher than the mind, and the great self is higher than the intellect.

‘mahataḥ paramavyaktam avyaktāt puruṣaḥ paraḥ । puruṣānna paraṁ kiñcit sā kāṣṭhā sā parā gatiḥ ॥’(kaṭha.1.3.10)

The unmanifest is higher than the Great; the Person is higher than the unmanifest. Nothing is higher than the Person. That is the ultimate limit; that is the highest goal.

‘bhūmnaḥ kratuvajjyāyastvaṁ tathā ca darśayati’(bra.sū.3.3.59) ।

The complete aggregate is superior, as in the case of a sacrificial rite; and scripture likewise indicates this.

iti viṣṇōḥ puruṣōttamatvamēva sarvaśāstrārthatvēna bhagavatā śrutyā cābhihitam । iti sarvajñamuninā māyāvādatamō’khilam । nirastaṁ tattvavādēna satāṁ saṁśayanuttayē ॥

Thus, Viṣṇu’s status as the Supreme Person alone has been stated by the Lord and by Śruti as the purport of all śāstras. Thus, the omniscient sage has entirely dispelled the darkness of Māyāvāda by Tattvavāda, for the removal of the doubts of the virtuous.

nāsti nārāyaṇasamaṁ na bhūtaṁ na bhaviṣyati । ētēna satyavākyēna sarvārthān sādhayāmyaham ॥(ma.bhā.1.1.34)

There is none equal to Nārāyaṇa; none has ever been, nor will there be. By this true statement, I accomplish all aims.

iti śrīmadānandatīrthabhagavatpādācāryaviracitaṁ māyāvādakhaṇḍanam ॥

Thus ends the Refutation of Māyāvāda, composed by the venerable Ānandatīrtha Bhagavatpādācārya.