Category Archives: avyayam

Bhagavad Gita Verse 56, Chapter 18

14 Sunday Jul 2013

Posted by in 18.56, avaapnoti, avyayam, chapter 18 verse 56, kurvaanaha, madvyapaashrayaha, matprasaadaat, padam, sadaa, sarvakarmaani, shaashvatam

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sarvakarmaanyapi sadaa kurvaano madvyapaashrayaha |
matprasaadaadavaapnoti shaashvatam padamavyayam || 56 ||
 
Always engaging even in all actions, one who considers me as his refuge, through my grace attains that eternal, imperishable state.
 
sarvakarmaani : all actions
api : even
sadaa : always
kurvaanaha : engaging
madvyapaashrayaha : one to whom I am the refuge
matprasaadaat : through my grace
avaapnoti : attains
shaashvatam : eternal
padam : state
avyayam : imperishable
 
Arjuna, after having heard the final message of the Gita discourse, would probably have had felt quite dejected and sad, like many of us. Unless one gave up all actions, took up a life of a monk, lived in a secluded place and contemplated constantly upon the eternal essence, liberation is not possible. How many of us, who are currently quite entrenched in the world, can see ourselves taking up a path of monkhood? It is next to impossible. We may begin to think that the Gita is not for us.
 
Anticipating this frustration, Shri Krishna brought the discourse back to Arjuna’s level, as it were. Arjuna, like us, was not in a state to renounce his actions and retire to a state of monkhood. Shri Krishna reassured Arjuna that liberation is absolutely possible for such people. It is because of one key point. Whether one continues to act in this world, or takes up renunciation, liberation is entirely up to the grace of Ishvara. We can make all the preparations we want to fall asleep, but ultimately, whether or not we fall asleep is not in our hands.
 
So then, having known this, Arjuna, who had temporarily given up hope of attaining the shaashvata avyaya padam, the eternal and imperishable state of liberation, regained his interest in the discourse. Shri Krishna now began winding up the entire Gita, by summarizing its key aspects from a very practical standpoint. The simple practical advice given here is to continue performing our duty, not to worry too much if we inadvertently perform a prohibited action, and to consider Ishvara as the one and only one aashraya, the ultimate refuge.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 5, Chapter 15

10 Sunday Mar 2013

Posted by in 15.5, adhyaatmanityaa, amoodhaahaa, avyayam, chapter 15 verse 5, dvandvaihi, gachhanti, jitasangadoshaa, nirmaanamohaa, padam, sukhaduhkhasangnaihi, vimuktaahaa, vinivrittakaamaahaa

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nirmaanamohaa jitasangadoshaa adhyaatmanityaa vinivrittakaamaahaa |
dvandvairvimuktaahaa sukhaduhkhasangnairgachhantyamoodhaahaa padamavyayam tat || 5 ||
 
Free from pride and delusion, with the defect of attachment conquered, always dwelling in the self, liberated from the pairs of opposites known as joy and sorrow, ignorance-free individuals attain that imperishable goal.
 
nirmaanamohaa : free from pride and delusion
jitasangadoshaa : conquered the defect of attachment
adhyaatmanityaa : always dwelling in the self
vinivrittakaamaahaa : abandoned all desires
dvandvaihi : from pairs of opposites
vimuktaahaa : liberated
sukhaduhkhasangnaihi : known as joy and sorrow
gachhanti : attain
amoodhaahaa : ignorance-free individuals
padam : goal
avyayam : imperishable
tat : that
 
If one has to seek refuge in Ishvara, per the previous shloka, what should be the qualifications of such a seeker? This complex and elaborate topic has been very nicely packed into one shloka by Shri Krishna. The first qualification of a seeker is the absence, or at least, reduction of the sense of I and mine. Candidates who are interviewing for a new position frequently pass off an entire team’s effort as their own. It is very easy to spot the inflated sense of pride in them. And even if they spent a few minutes contributing to a project, they still have the notion that it is their project, nobody else’s. Shri Krishna says that this I and mine notion, this pride and delusion has to go away in a seeker.
 
Once the I and mine notion has diminished to some extent, the seeker has to focus on where is he stuck, where is his attachment in this world. Some may be attached to their profession, some may be attached to their family, some may be perversely attached to their enemies also. But, if we slowly unwind the attachments towards their source, we will find that the seeker is attached to his body. The attachment to the body, and the consequent fear of death, is the toughest attachment for the seeker to tackle. A certain level of dispassion towards the body, accomplished through control of the mind and senses, is a prerequisite to worship of Ishvara. When this happens, desires that are a by product of attachment, also diminish.
 
So, two qualifications are covered so far: absence of I and mine notion, and conquering one’s attachments. Only then will we be able to focus on the main goal, which is daily absorption in the self, adhyaatma nitya. But how do we remain in this state constantly? By being vigilant of labelling the two pairs of opposites – likes and dislikes, joy and sorrow, praise and censure and so on and so forth. Even a whiff of wind on either side of a tightrope walker is sufficient to bring him down. Likes and dislikes have the ability to distract us from our goal. We should not pay too much attention to them, just observe them silently as they come and go. This is forbearance or titkshaa. This will enable us to completely remove ignorance of the true nature of our self, and to reach the abode of Ishvara, described in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 1, Chapter 15

06 Wednesday Mar 2013

Posted by in 15.1, adhahashaakham, ashvattham, avyayam, chapter 15 verse 1, chhandaamsi, oordhvamoolam, parnaani, praahuhu, sahe, tam, veda, vedavita, yaha, yasya

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Shree Bhagavaan uvaacha:
oordhvamoolamadhahashaakhamashvattham praahuravyayam |
chhandaamsi yasya parnaani yastam veda sa vedavita || 1 ||
 
Shree Bhagavaan said:
With roots above and branches below, the Ashvattha tree is said to be imperishable, with the Vedas as its leaves. He who knows this, knows the Vedas.
 
oordhvamoolam : roots above
adhahashaakham : branches below
ashvattham : Ashvattha tree
praahuhu : is said
avyayam : imperishable
chhandaamsi : Vedas
yasya : of whose
parnaani : leaves
yaha : who
tam : that
veda : knows
sahe : he
vedavita : Vedas
 
Shri Krishna begins the fifteenth chapter describing an unusual sort of tree. It is “oordhvamoolam adhahashaakham”. It is upside down, with roots above and branches below. It is not as unusual as it sounds, because we encounter several trees that are inverted in our lives. A family tree, the map of an organization with the CEO on top, a decision tree in management sciences, all of these trees are upside down, with their root on top and branches below.
 
Such inverted trees have some interesting characteristics. The farther away one goes from the root, the greater is the loss of the substance or the essence. A junior employee has far less power than the CEO in an org chart, for instance. Also, these trees are never static. They keep changing. Hence, the tree described in this illustration is called “ashvattha”, which means not lasting for long. This is also the name of the tree known as ficus religiosa, or the Peepul tree in India.
 
Now, let us examine the metaphors used in this illustration. The root of this tree is Ishvara, the saguna brahman, the eternal essence with form. Its branches have evolved from Ishvara, and are nothing but the hardening of Prakriti, the hardening of the three gunas due to their permutations and combinations. The process of the creation of the universe has been explained in detail in prior chapters. It is similar to a tender, subtle sapling hardening into a robust tree as it grows over time. It is termed as avyayam or imperishable because it is permanent after its reality has been ascertained, like the illusion of the blue sky. Even when we come to know that the sky is not really blue, but just looks that way, we still perceive the illusion.
 
In any complex system, there are rules that tell how what to do and what not to do. The Vedas are the rules of this universe, and are metaphorically represented as the leaves of this ashvattha tree. Just like there are rules on how to get promoted in a corporation, there are rules in the Vedas that give us instructions on how to act in life, and how not to commit sins or errors. They are the storehouse of knowledge and actions needed to thrive in this world. One who knows the functioning of the universe in this manner, one who knows how to get to the source which is Ishvara, needs to know nothing else.
 
We now come to the fundamental question. Why has Shri Krishna started talking about this tree now? It is to cultivate dispassion or vairagya in us. Even a tinge of attachment to the world can derail our spiritual progress. Over the next few shlokas, we will learn more about this tree so that we can understand our entanglement in it, and consequently, learn how to release ourselves from it through dispassion.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 5, Chapter 14

10 Sunday Feb 2013

Posted by in 14.5, avyayam, chapter 14 verse 5, dehe, dehinam, gunaahaa, iti, mahaabaaho, nibandhanti, prakritisambhavaahaa, rajaha, sattvam, tamaha

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sattvam rajastama iti gunaahaa prakritisambhavaahaa |
nibandhanti mahaabaaho dehe dehinamavyayam || 5 ||
 
Sattva, rajas, tamas, these gunaas born of Prakriti, O mighty-armed warrior, bind the imperishable body dweller to the body.
 
sattvam : sattva
rajaha : rajas
tamaha : tamas
iti : these
gunaahaa : gunaas
prakritisambhavaahaa : born of Prakriti
nibandhanti : bind
mahaabaaho : O mighty-armed warrior
dehe : to the body
dehinam : body dweller
avyayam : imperishable
 
Shri Krishna beings the detailed analysis of Prakriti with two points. First, he breaks down Prakriti into its three components: the gunaas which are sattva, rajas and tamas. We have to note that the phrase “born of” in the shloka does not mean that Prakriti creates the three gunaas. It means that Prakriti itself is nothing but the three gunaas. Next, Shri Krishna states the effect of Prakriti on the Purusha, also known as the jeeva, the individual soul. He says that Prakriti binds or ties down the imperishable body dweller, the “dehi”, the jeeva, to the body.
 
Let us begin by understanding what the term “gunaa” means. From our point of view, gunaa is a state of mind. In just one day, we experience calmness, passion and lethargy, which are roughly equal to sattva, rajas and tamas respectively. From a broader point of view, gunaas refer to building blocks of the universe. Inert matter is tamas, action or dynamism is rajas, and harmony is sattva. Since we are primarily interested in liberation from our sorrow, we shall focus on the impact of the gunaas on our mind rather than their impact on the universe.
 
Now, if we have repeatedly heard that our self is imperishable and can never be bound, then how can the perishable gunaas bind the self? The answer is : the gunaas by themselves do not bind us. Ignorance of our true nature, followed by our mis-identification with the body, puts us in a situation where we ourselves allow the gunaas to take over control of our life.
 
Imagine that you have parked your car on the left side of road. A car that looks just like your car is also parked on the same road, but on the right side of the road. After you come out of the building and absent-mindedly think that the other car is yours, you are trapped. You see a new scratch on the car and get upset, you get a parking ticket and have to pay the fine, and so on. The other car has not “bound” you, but your incorrect knowledge has done so. We can also go back to the example of the child watching the boxing match. He is as though glued to the screen, while his grandmother is not. The TV does not bind him since it is is nothing but millions of red, blue and green dots of light. It is the child’s strong identification with the boxer that binds him.
 
Similarly, the individual soul which has mis-identified itself with the body, gets entrapped in the play of the three gunaas. In the next three shlokas, Shri Krishna takes up each gunaa one by one, and explains its power to bind the body in detail.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 4, Chapter 11

18 Thursday Oct 2012

Posted by in 11.4, aatmaanam, avyayam, chapter 11 verse 4, darshaya, drishtum, iti, manyase, mayaa, me, prabho, shakayam, tat, tataha, tvam, yadi, yogeshvara

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manyase yadi tachchakayam mayaa drishtumiti prabho |
yogeshvara tato me tvam darshayaatmaanamavyayam || 4 ||
 
O Lord, if you think that it is possible for this to be seen by me, then O Yogeshvara, you show me your undivided form.
 
manyase : you think
yadi : if
tat : that
shakayam : possible
mayaa : by me
drishtum : seen
iti : this
prabho : O Lord
yogeshvara : O Yogeshvara
tataha : then
me : me
tvam : you
darshaya : show
aatmaanam : your
avyayam : undivided form
 
We come across another aspect of Arjuna’s request in this shloka. Imagine the plight of an movie actor who is absolutely devoted to his craft. He has worked day and nights for a whole year in a movie as a supporting actor. After the shooting ends, he is filled with a burning desire to see the entire movie. Why so? It is because he has only seen the bits and pieces of the movie that he was involved with, and he is not satisfied unless he sees it as a single story, end to end.
 
Likewise, Arjuna is no longer content with seeing bits and pieces of Ishvara’s expressions. He wants to see how it all comes together as one undivided entity. This is indicated by Arjuna’s use of the word “avyayam” which means undivided, without any discontinuity. And like the only person who can reveal the whole movie is the director, the only person that can reveal the undivided nature of the universe is the “prabhu”, the governor, master and controller.
 
Now, Arjuna knows that he has to approach Shri Krishna with humility. That’s why he politely says: “show me that form only if you think that I am qualified to see it”. Morever, Arjuna does not want to imagine it or dream it up, he wants to see it with his eyes, with his “drishti”. He also refers to Shri Krishna as “yogeshwara”, the teacher of several yogas in the Gita such as karma yoga, dhyana yoga, jnyana yoga and bhakti yoga. The yoga in “Vibhooti yoga” is the power that creates variety in the one undivided Ishvara.
 
So, does Shri Krishna agree to this request? We shall see next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 2, Chapter 11

16 Tuesday Oct 2012

Posted by in 11.2, api, avyayam, bhavaapyayau, bhootaanaam, cha, chapter 11 verse 2, hi, kamalapatraaksha, maahaatmyam, mayaa, shrutau, tvattaha, vistarashaha

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bhavaapyayau hi bhootaanaam shrutau vistarasho mayaa |
tvattaha kamalapatraaksha maahaatmyamapi chaavyayam || 2 ||
 
For, I have heard about the creation and dissolution of all beings, elaborately, from you O lotus-eyed one, and also about your imperishable glory.
 
bhavaapyayau : creation and dissolution
hi : for
bhootaanaam : all beings
shrutau : have heard
vistarashaha : elaborately
mayaa : I have
tvattaha : from you
kamalapatraaksha : O lotus-eyed
maahaatmyam : glory
api : also
cha : and
avyayam : imperishable
 
Arjuna, ever the good student, uses this shloka to summarize Shri Krishna’s teaching. He acknowledges that he has understood the essence of the teaching, which asserts Ishvara as the creator, maintainer and dissolution of the entire universe. In other words, there is no other cause of the universe besides Ishvara. He is both the raw material and the intelligence behind the universe. This “mahaatmyam” or glory was further reinforced in Arjuna’s mind by hearing the divine expressions of Ishvara from Shri Krishna.
 
However, by addressing Shri Krishna as “lotus-eyed”, Arjuna also reveals his understanding of another aspect of Ishvara. Like the lotus that does not get affected by the attributes of its pond, Ishvara does not get personally involved in the workings of the universe. He is impartial to everyone in the granting of results, liberation and bondage. He remains as the “avyayam” or imperishable foundation upon which the mechanical Prakriti projects the multitude of names and forms.
 
Now, there is a hint of dissatisfaction expressed by Arjuna in this shloka. Even though he has understood the teaching from Ishvara himself, resolved his doubts, and also learnt the techniques of karma yoga and dhyana yoga or meditation, he needs one more thing. What is that? He divulges it in the next shloka.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 18, Chapter 9

13 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by in 9.18, avyayam, beejam, chapter 9 verse 18 bhartaa, gatihi, nidhaanam, nivaasaha, prabhavah, prabhuh, pralayah, saakshi, sharanam, sthaanam, suhrita

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gatirbhartaa prabhuh saakshi nivaasaha sharanam suhrita |
prabhavah pralayah sthaanam nidhaanam beejamavyayam || 18 ||
 
I am the outcome, nourisher, master, witness, abode, refuge and well-wisher. I am the origin, dissolution, sustenance, repository and the imperishable seed.
 
gatihi : outcome
bhartaa : nourisher
prabhuh : master
saakshi : witness
nivaasaha : abode
sharanam : refuge
suhrita : well-wisher
prabhavah : origin
pralayah : dissolution
sthaanam : sustenance
nidhaanam : repository
beejam : seed
avyayam : imperishable
 
Shri Krishna gives 12 single-word pointers or indicators of Ishvara. These are considered the foundation of many bhakti traditions. A more exhaustive list is provided in the Vishnu Sahasranaama, the thousand names of Ishvara as Lord Vishnu.
 
“Gatihi” means goal, destination or outcome. The karmaphaa, the fruit of our action, leads us to our destination or goal. The actions are the means, and the fruit of the actions is the goal. Shri Krishna says that Ishvara is the highest goal that we can aspire to. “Bhartaa” is the controller and supporter of the entire universe. It literally means someone who provides for his family. Ishvara nourishes and takes care of all beings in this universe, hence he is the provider of the universe. Since he is also the ultimate controller and master, he is known as “Prabhuhu”.
 
When we are kids, we aspire to become like our parents. They provide for us and also control our activities. They are our gatihi, bhartaa and prabhuhu. But if they get too attached to us, they will continue planning our life even when we become adults. That is why Ishvara remains an unattached witness, or “saakshi”.
 
Furthermore, Ishvara is the “nivaasaha” or container of the universe. He is “sharanam”, the ultimate refuge when there is no one else left for us to turn to. He is a well wisher or “suhrita”, someone who does not expect anything in return. Ishvara creates, dissolves and maintains the universe therefore he is “prabhavaha”, “pralaya” and “sthaanam”. He is also “nidhaanam”, the repository where all beings become unmanifest at the end of creation.
 
Finally, Ishvara is the seed that has created the universe. Unlike most seeds that can only generate one plant, Ishvara continues to create the universe infinitely, without modification. Hence he is called the imperishable seed “avyayam beejam”.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 13, Chapter 9

09 Thursday Aug 2012

Posted by in 9.13, aashritaahaa, ananyamanasaha, avyayam, bhajanti, bhootaadim, chapter 9 verse 13, daiveem, jnyaatvaa, maam, mahaatmaanahah, paartha, prakritim, tu

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mahaatmaanastu maam paartha daiveem prakritimaashritaahaa |
bhajantyananyamanaso jnyaatvaa bhootaadimavyayam || 13 ||
 
But, noble individuals take refuge in my divine nature, O Paartha. Knowing me as the imperishable source of all beings, they worship me single-mindedly.
 
mahaatmaanahah : noble individuals
tu : but
maam : my
paartha : O Paartha
daiveem : divine
prakritim : nature
aashritaahaa : take refuge
bhajanti : worship
ananyamanasaha : single-minded
jnyaatvaa : having known
bhootaadim : source of all beings
avyayam : imperishable
 
Shri Krishna now begins to describe those individuals who have understood the true, divine nature of Ishvara. These “mahaatmaas” or noble individuals treat Ishvara as their one and only one refuge, and worship him with unwavering devotion. With a view to instruct us in the ways of such noble individuals, Shri Krishna devotes the next few shlokas to this topic.
 
The word “aashritaha” or refuge is key to understanding this shloka. What does this word mean? It is how we answer the question “when I am in trouble, what do I turn to?”. Most of us have various sources of refuge. For some, it is their ancestral inheritance. For some, it is their academic qualifications. For some, it is their family. Whenever we are in trouble, we pursue those avenues for comfort and security.
 
However, the mahaatmaas or noble individuals do not look to any of these sources for refuge. They have understood one simple fact: anything that can change over time is under the control of Prakriti. Prakriti, the realm of name and form, is every changing and can never be relied upon for support all the time. We ourselves would have encountered several instances where money or family did not help someone in their time of need. The noble individuals know that there is only one true refuge that is universal and unchanging: it is Ishvara.
 
Knowing this, what do the noble individuals do? They are “ananya manasaha”, they are singularly devoted to Ishvara. Even though they may be tempted by Prakriti’s play and dazzle of name and form, they know that ultimately every source of joy that it gives, turns into sorrow eventually. Furthermore, their devotion for Ishvara is not for the attainment for anything else. It is solely for the attainment of Ishvara.
 
Unlike these noble individuals, most of us still rush into Prakriti for joy, comfort, security and support. But Prakriti teaches us a lesson over our lifetime when we repeatedly seek joy which turns into sorrow. How do the noble individuals remain focused in Ishvara while living in the world of Prakriti? We shall see next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 2, Chapter 9

28 Saturday Jul 2012

Posted by in 9.2, avagamam, avyayam, chapter 9 verse 2, dharmyam, idam, kartum, pavitram, pratyaksha, raajaguhyam, raajavidya, susukham, uttamam

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raajavidya raajaguhyam pavitramidamuttamam |
pratyakshaavagamam dharmyam susukham kartumavyayam || 2 ||
 
This is royal knowledge, the royal secret, purifying, foremost, immediately perceived, righteous, effortless to perform, and imperishable.
 
raajavidya : royal knowledge
raajaguhyam : royal secret
pavitram : purifying
idam : this
uttamam : foremost
pratyaksha : immediate
avagamam : perception
dharmyam : righteousness
susukham : effortless
kartum : perform
avyayam : imperishable
 
Shri Krishna continues to glorify the theme of this chapter, which is the knowledge of Ishvara’s infinite nature. This shloka comprises a series of adjectives that highlight the extremely unique and special nature of the knowledge that he is about to reveal.
 
He begins by describing this knowledge as royal. It means that this knowledge is the king among any knowledge, it is foremost among all the other knowledge. As we saw in an earlier chapter, most knowledge we acquire in our life is “aparaa vidyaa”. It is related to something material and temporary. This chapter describes “paraa vidyaa”, knowledge of the absolute. Knowing this, we will ourselves become kings. We will never become subservient to anyone or anything, including our mind, body and senses.
 
This knowledge is the king of secrets. Ordinary secrets can give us happiness, wealth, power, a competitive advantage and so on, all of which are temporary and limited. But this secret yields eternal, infinite happiness.
 
Many scriptures described rituals that act as purifiers. They help us eliminate our sins. But this knowledge is the ultimate purifier because it eliminates the sinner, the root cause. As we have seen earlier, our ego creates the sense of doership and enjoyership, resulting in accumulation of merits and sins. But if our sense of doership is eliminated, all of our actions will be spontaneous and in tune with Ishvara’s will. The storehouse of our sins will be burnt away. Plus there will be no question of accumulating merits or sins.
 
Shri Krishna says that we will be able to immediately perceive or experience this knowledge. When we are a little hungry, we say “I think I am hungry”. But if we have not eaten for a while day, we automatically say “I am hungry” without any further thinking. This is what is meant by immediate and direct perception. There will be zero doubt in this knowledge.
 
This knowledge is aligned with dharma, the law that holds the universe together. Nowadays, many practices in the business world that were formerly legal are being deemed illegal and vice versa. This happens because they are based on ever-changing laws. But this knowledge is in accordance with the universal law. It holds true at any point in time, anywhere in the world. Moreover, it will always result in joy, never in sorrow.
 
Finally, this knowledge is easy to perform, it does not require any special attributes in the person other than dedication and faith. While most things that take little effort yield temporary results, this knowledge results in permanent, eternal happiness.
 
Having provided a detailed description of the characteristics of this royal knowledge, Shri Krishna describes the fate of people who do not follow this teaching.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 25, Chapter 7

22 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by in 25, 7, abhijaanaati, aham, avyayam, ayam, chapter 7 verse 25, lokaha, maam, moodhaha, na, prakaashaha, samaavritaha, sarvasya, yogamaayaa

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naaham prakaashaha sarvasya yogamaayaasamaavritaha |
moodhoyam naabhijaanaati loko maamajamavyayam || 25 ||
 
Concealed by yoga maaya, I am not visible to everyone. Foolish people do not recognize me as unborn and unchanging.
 
na : not
aham : me
prakaashaha : visible
sarvasya : everyone
yogamaayaa : yoga maayaa
samaavritaha : concealed
moodhaha : foolish
ayam : this
na : do not
abhijaanaati : recognize
lokaha : people
maam : me
ajam : unborn
avyayam : unchanging
 
Earlier, Shri Krishna stated the fundamental problem that most people have with regards to understanding the nature of Ishvara. A mental limitation forces people to think of Ishvara as a visible, finite entity. Here, Shri Krishna provides the reason for this mental limitation. He says that Ishvara is hidden from us due to the power of maaya.
 
Our mind is trained to recognize two things: space and time. We can only see, hear, touch, smell and taste objects in space. We can also perceive changes in those objects, which is nothing but the time aspect. So, we are unable to perceive anything that is beyond space and time. We can say that space and time is maaya, or the three gunaas of prakriti known as sattva, rajas and tamas are maaya.
 
Shri Krishna says that Ishvara has disguised himself in a dress, as it were, made of maaya. Our senses can perceive only maaya. Therefore, we fail to comprehend Ishvara, who is beyond maaya, just like the light of the sun blinds us from seeing the sun itself. Those who think that only the visible is real and the visible is unreal are called moodha or foolish. They fail to see the real nature of Ishvara which is beyond birth and death.
 
But if we cannot pierce through maaya, can Ishvara do so? We shall see next.