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Introduction : 11 The Contents of Gandapada-Karika xi duality, but the Prājña remains influenced by the basic Avidvā or Ajñāna which is absent in the case of the Turya. Some philosophers who believe in a real process of creation regard the creation as the manifestation of the Lord, or as resembling the dream or magic phenomena, or as due to the will of the Lord, or as coming from Kāla ( Time) or as serving the purpose of enjoyment or sport for the Lord, or as being the nature of the Lord. But all these theories are wrong. If the highest is known to be Aptakāma ( whose desires are fulfilled ), how could he be associated with creation in any capacity, without changing his own nature ? So, the correct position in this matter is that all duality is but illusion and Advaita the only reality. When the soul, who is, so to speak, asleep under the intuence of (Avidya or ) Maya is awakened and frees himself from the clutches of Avidya, Advaita, unoriginated, uncontaminated by ile experiences in the waking, dream or deep sleep, flashes forth. If the creation were real, it would ever remain real, for none can ever change his nature. The various theories of creation have their use in gradually making the soul realise the Advaita which is extremely difficult to grasp, especially by people of ordinary intelligence. The realisation of Advaita can be achieved by the worship of or meditation on the sacred ओङ्कार. Corresponding to the three states ( 1जाग्रत्, स्वप्न and सुषुप्ति) we have विश्व, तेजस and प्राज्ञ forms of Atman and these can be taken to resemble or as equated with अ, उ and म, the three मात्राs of ओङ्कार. For the purposes of उपासना, the symbol ओम् is very useful as it enables the साधक to get a proper idea of the Paramātman easily. Thus ओङ्कार परमात्मन् (1) Has three मात्राs-अ,उ,म्, (1) -Has three पाद-विश्व, तेजस and प्राज्ञ ( respectively concerned with जाग्रत, स्वप्न and सुषुप्ति states ). (2)अ is the first of the (2) विश्वdeals with the gross alphabet, and which is first perceived and thus resembles अ.
