THE Doctrine of Maya - HolyBooks.com

"DEVELOPMENT OF ITS CONCEPTION 85The nature of our subject requires us to examinethis work in some detail, instead of simplyspeaking of it as such. The Karika is dividedinto four parts, and as already observed, each ofthese is looked upon as having the authority of anUpanisad. The four parts are named :Agama,Vaitathya, Advaita and Aldtasdnti. The first, whichin its subject-matter is chiefly based on the MandukyaUp., discusses the nature and significance of thesecret syllable Om," and as ithangs mainly on theSruti or the Agama the it is(i.e., Veda) calledAgama. The second explains by means of argumenthow the world, characterized as it isby duality, isfalse (vaitathya), hence it is named Vaitathya.In the third are refuted the accusations against theAdvaita view and then the real standpointis maintained by reason ;hence it is called Advaita. Inthe fourth are refuted all the arguments which, whileattacking Advaitism, themselves prove contradictory and then a calm is restored and the final;word isspoken on the sole reality of the Atman andthe falsity of all else. This partis therefore aptlytermed Aldta-sdnti, which means the extinction of afirebrand. As a stick burning at one end is wavedround quickly in the air, it seems to create a circleof fire (alata-cakra) which does not really exist, so it,is with the multiplicity only appearing but not existing really. The example may sound rather unfamiliarto Western ears, but it must not be forgotten that itappeals most vividly to the Indian. The sport