Drg Drishya viveka is prakarana grantha treatise, extracted from Upanishads and therefore, will not contradict the Upanishads. The text is written by Swami Vidyaranya. Since the unfolding method is like Panchadashi, another text written by swami Vidyaranya, Drg Drishya vivekas authorship is attributed to him.
We see different colours/shapes/forms with our sense organ, Eye, which does not multiply with the multiplicity of forms, shapes, or colours. Similarly, seeing a blue or yellow colour, our eyes do not become blue or yellow or with every shape and size eye does not change. Blindness, dullness, or sharpness are the very dharma/job/nature of the eye. The mind which is one perceives and lends existence to the eye. Mind is One and reflects many thoughts and sense organs. When the sense organs deteriorate over a period, the mind cognizes that too.
Verse 4
काम: संकल्पसन्देहौ श्रद्धाSश्रद्धे धृतीतरे l
ह्रीर्धीर्भीरित्येवमादीन भासयत्येकधा चिति: ll
Meanings:
काम: desire; संकल्प determination or resolve; सन्देह doubt; श्रद्धा faith; अश्रधा having no faith or absence of faith; ध्रुतिः fortitude (courage in adversity)/firm; इतरे not firm/unsteady/lack of fortitude; ह्री: shyness; धीः knowledge भीःfear; इति एवमादीन and of such nature; एकधा being one and same-without changing itself; चिति: sakshi/pure consciousness/ shuddha Chaitanya; भासयती illumines.
Consciousness illumines desire, determination, doubts, faith, having no faith, fortitude, lack of fortitude, shyness, knowledge, fear, and of such nature. Being One and same without changing itself, Consciousness illumines.
Desire, firmness, doubt, shyness, fear, are the work of the mind. Even for consciousness, there must be a reflecting medium and our mind plays that role. In a deep sleep state or death, mind is not transactable. Therefore, consciousness is not manifested. A person stands before a mirror and sees his reflection. When the mirror is taken away, it does not mean he does not exist. The reflecting medium is absent. In the morning after a deep sleep, we can reflect that we slept well or dreamt or had a disturbed sleep. Consciousness is always available as a waker, dreamer and as a sleeper.
The Observer is not observed. If Brahman is a creator, then when the creator is born is questionable. All creators are time bound. In Advaita, the terminology creation is never used. Everything is a manifestation of consciousness/brahman. Consciousness is not bound by time.
A person can do multiple tasks with One mind. He can scratch his hand or nose and read a book or even cook food. He can also hear many sounds or see many colours/shapes simultaneously.
Verse 5
नोदेति नास्तमेत्येषा न वृद्धिं याति न क्षयं l
स्वयं विभात्यथान्यानि भासयेत्साधानं विना ll
न उदेति not rise; न अस्तम् does not set; एषा this; न वृद्धिम् does not increase; याति undergo; न क्षयं does not deteriorate; स्वयं by itself; विभाति shines; अथ also; अन्यानि other objects; विना साधनम् without aids/ efforts; भासयते illumines/reveals itself
This does not rise, does not set, does not increase, does not undergo deterioration. It shines by itself and illumines other objects, without efforts/aids.
Awareness or consciousness is reflected through the medium of mind. Or instance, when we see our reflection in the mirror, mirror is the mind and we ourselves are consciousness. If mirror is taken away, even then we are there, but, the reflecting medium is absent.
In the guru stotram no. 2, atma is described thus: एकम् (One), नित्यम् (permanent), विमलं (pure), अचलम् (remains same), सर्वाधी साक्षी भूतम् (witness in all living beings), भाव अतीतम् (beyond emotions), त्रिगुण रहितम् (devoid of three gunas-sattvic, rajasic and tamasic), सद्गुरुम् तम् नमामि (I salute you).
In bhagavad gita, chapter 2 verse 27:
जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च ।
तस्मादपरिहार्येSर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ll
jatasya hi dhruvo mrtyur dhruvam janma mrtasya cha
tasmadapariharye arthe na tvam shochitum arhasi
For that which is born, death is certain, and that which is dead birth is certain. Therefore, you ought not to grieve over that which cannot be altered.
Consciousness has no birth or death. It is ajaha (अजाः). It is svayambhu (स्वयम्भू)-self created and does not change in any situation.
जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुप्तिषु स्फुटतरा या सम्विदुज्ज्रिंभते
याब्रह्मादिपिपीलिकान्ततनुषु प्रोता जगत् सक्षिणी
Atma/consciousness is available in all the three states- Jagrat, swapna, and sushupti avastha. In all the three states, it clearly shines. Right from brahma up to an ant, every living thing has Consciousness, available as sakshi of Jagat. When we say Namaste as a greeting, instead of shaking hands, as practiced in the west adopted the world over, it means we bow down to the supreme being residing in that person.
The sun illuminates everything. There is no question of sun rising or setting. It does not require any other power to illuminate it. The nature of Sun is self-shining and illuminates everything on its path. For instance, place a bucket of water in a room, with a small hole in the wall for the sun’s rays to pass. The rays passing through the hole fall on the water and the room gets illuminated with the reflections falling on the walls around.
All forms in the universe are modified forms of Brahman. Mind is so fast, so thoughts too travel very fast. All thoughts are impermanent and therefore, Mithya. Sthitha pragya (स्थित प्रज्ञा) is the nature of Consciousness. It is neither happy nor sad in any situation. This same quality can be applied to one’s own personality thereby attempting to achieve a balanced approach in life. If “ness” from Consciousness and Awareness is removed, only Conscious and Aware remains.