Effect of Avidya on Ishwara v/s Jiva

Advaita Vedanta offers a nuanced perspective on avidya (ignorance) and maya (illusion), particularly in relation to Ishwara (the cosmic creator or macrocosm) and Jiva (the individual being). A central critique questions whether Ishwara experiences ignorance. If valid cognition (pramana) removes ignorance, then:

• If Ishwara possesses valid cognition, He cannot experience ignorance.
• If He does not possess valid cognition, His omniscience is called into question.

This dilemma challenges not only the nature of Ishwara, but also the authority of Shruti (scripture)—which is accepted as a pramana precisely because it dispels ignorance and guides seekers toward liberation.

The Layered Veil of Ignorance

Avidya manifests as a single veil with two layers, obstructing clear perception of Brahman:

1. The first layer (concealment, avarana-shakti)—This prevents direct recognition of Brahman, creating doubt or denial of its existence.
2. The second layer (projection, vikshepa-shakti)—This distorts reality, making the world appear fragmented and dual.

Just as a misty veil both obscures vision and creates false appearances, avidya’s layered effect causes the Jiva to misperceive non-dual reality as multiplicity.

Liberation is achieved when the veil is fully removed:

• The first layer dissolves when the seeker intellectually understands that Brahman alone exists (through shravana and manana).
• The second layer falls away when the seeker abides in non-dual awareness (through niddhidyasana).

Ishwara and Avidya: Knowing vs Experiencing

Advaita Vedanta resolves the paradox of Ishwara’s relationship with ignorance through two key distinctions:

• Ishwara wields maya but is never bound by avidya. Ishwara knows ignorance exists but does not suffer from it.
• Jiva, on the other hand, is fully immersed in avidya, experiencing its layered distortions.

Since Ishwara is associated with maya but not affected by its powers, He wields the cosmic creative force (nirmana-shakti) to manifest the world, while Jiva is trapped in avidya due to moha-shakti (deluding power).

Thus, Ishwara is aware of ignorance and functions through it, while Jiva is trapped within ignorance and falsely identifies with multiplicity.

Avidya as the Root of Illusion

Avidya is the manifestation of misrepresented knowledge in the Jiva. This avidya causes one to mistake the One as the many, leading to identification with the body and misplaced ahamkara (egoism). This lack of correct knowledge bewilders the mind, resulting in large-scale confusion that, in reality, is only an illusion—maya.

Here, the causal relationship is essential:

• Maya is the effect; Avidya is the cause.
• Avidya conceals the truth and projects illusion, much like the dream state.
  • Forgetting oneself in REM sleep is akin to avidya—the loss of self-awareness.
  • Experiencing and believing the dream world as real is akin to maya—illusion arising from misperception.

Valid Cognition and the Removal of Ignorance

Since valid cognition (pramana) eliminates ignorance, Advaita Vedanta makes a crucial distinction: ignorance is removed only when obstacles do not interfere with direct realisation.

The layered veil of avidya consists of concealment (avarana-shakti), which hides Brahman, and projection (vikshepa-shakti), which distorts reality. Shruti (scripture) serves as the guiding pramana, working systematically to dispel both layers:

Removal of Layer of Concealment

• This is done through paroksha jnana (indirect cognition)—intellectual study, reflection, and reasoning.
• Shruti provides valid knowledge, allowing seekers to recognise Brahman conceptually and intellectually.

Removal of Layer of Projection

• This is done through aparoksha jnana (direct cognition)—immediate and experiential realization.
• Here, mere intellectual understanding is insufficient—one must abide in the non-dual awareness revealed by Shruti.

Thus, valid cognition (pramana) functions in two stages:

• First, the concealment layer falls away, revealing the truth that Brahman alone exists.
• Then, the projection layer dissolves, removing the false perception of duality.

If valid cognition were unable to remove ignorance, then:

• Shruti would lose its authority as a pramana.
• Liberation (moksha) would be impossible, since avidya would remain unresolved.

However, Advaita maintains that Shruti does dispel ignorance, guiding the Jiva beyond Ishwara and beyond Maya, toward Brahman—the ultimate truth.

Analogy: The Sun, the Mirror, and the Fog

To illustrate how Maya’s two layers affect Ishwara vs Jiva, consider this analogy:

Imagine the Sun shining brilliantly in the sky. This Sun represents Brahman—the absolute reality.

Now, there’s a perfect mirror reflecting the Sun clearly. This mirror represents Ishwara, the cosmic creator. Ishwara does not create the Sun; He simply reflects its light perfectly without distortion.

Meanwhile, Jiva is like a small, foggy mirror, covered by a single veil with two layers:

1. The fog (Avarana-shakti)—This hides the Sun, preventing direct awareness of Brahman.
2. Distorted reflections (Vikshepa-shakti)—This projects false images, making the Jiva experience multiplicity instead of unity.

• Ishwara wields maya, creating the world, yet remains untouched by ignorance.
• Jiva is caught within the fog of avidya, unable to recognize the Sun clearly.

Thus, removal of avidya requires two steps:

1. Clearing the fog (removing concealment) to recognize Brahman’s existence.
2. Correcting the distortions (removing projection) to abide effortlessly in the non-dual reality.

Conclusion

The journey toward liberation is about transcending the veil of avidya, peeling away its layers of concealment and projection. While Ishwara exists within transactional reality, Shruti directs the seeker beyond Ishwara, beyond maya, and beyond conceptual frameworks—toward Brahman, the ultimate truth.