Drg-Drshya-Viveka - 14

"Creation is the manifestation of names and forms in the Reality which is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, like foam etc. in the ocean." - Verse 14

Excerpt From Commentary

What is it that we see? We see mountains, rivers, people and other entities. These are all names, each of which indicates a form. Communication would be impossible in the absence of names, so a name depends on the form. What is a form? It must constitute the substance of which it is made. The form depends on the substance. Just like the ocean appears to consist of innumerable waves, bubbles, foam, breakers etc., these are names given to particular forms, even though all forms are made up of the same oceanic water. The names and forms are only superimposed on the water.

What composes the names and forms of this creation? It cannot be another form and name, since the name depends on the form and the form in turn depends on its constituent substratum. The material cause of this creation must be a nameless and formless entity, since names and forms are forever being born and perishing, appearing stationary only for a moment in the present. The world is thus bound by time and space. The cause being formless, it must be unlimited by time and space. Hence, the cause of this world is an Infinite entity. Existence-Consciousness is Infinite.

An effect cannot exist independent of its material cause. For instance, gold ornaments cannot exist without gold. Now we should inquire: what is it without which the world would not exist? That would be its cause. The world cannot exist without Existence. Hence Existence is its cause. Existence is eternal and changeless. Shankaracharya in Taittriya Bhashya defines 'existence' as that about which our thought does not change, and unreality as that about which it changes.

yad-vishayA buddhih na vyamicharati tat sat

yad-vishayA buddhih vyamicharati tad-asat

In perceiving this world, we say mountain is, or the river is. Each perception has the object-thought and the is-thought. The object thought changes but the is-thought remains constant. The objects are unreal and the is-thought is real. But without the principle of Existence, can the existence of the is-thought exist?

Existence being eternal and all-pervading, is consciousness and infinite. Unlimited by time, space and objects, it is all-inclusive and lacks nothing. Vedanta calls this entity brahman. If the truth be nameless, why call it brahman? This is done only to indicate that which is beyond names.