शिवज्ञानबोध (मेय्कण्डार - शैव सिद्धान्त का आधारभूत दार्शनिक सूत्र ग्रन्थ)

110 SIVAGNANA BOTHAM.
starts from Brahm and throws a Veil over it and then they proceed
to build the whole fabric. In the first place an analogy to have any
probative effect must be true in itself, i.e., the same sequence and
consequence must exist in the thing compared as in the thing sought
to be proved or inferred. Here, in the illustration, if it be true
that the clouds proceed from the Sun, then we can say truly that
the Maya proceeding from the Brahm serves to veil it. In no
sense is the Sun the material cause of the cloud as the Brahm is
said to be the material cause (Upadanakarana) of Maya, Mulu-
prakriti, Jagat or the universe. This essential condition failing,
the whole superstructure must therefore tumble down. But let
me elaborate the analogy properly and see what results it yields.
Well, the Sun (Brahm) is not the material cause of the clouds
(Mulaprakriti) but yet it is a cause of clouds. It is by the
action of Sun's heat (Kriya Sakti) the clouds (Mulaprakriti)
are formed out of water (Maya). Water itself cannot pass off
into vapour and clouds but by the action of the Sun. So Maya
cannot evolve into Jagat or the universe but for the Kriya Sakti
of the Lord. No doubt, when the clouds are formed by the
action of the Sun, these clouds do enshroud, well, not the Sun
but the human eye. The very instant you use the word shroud-
ing or veiling, you imply a third thing placed on the other side
of the veil. The human eye can no more be derived from the
Sun than the soul or human monad from Brahm. Though in
either case the eye or the soul can only see or know but with the
dim or full light of the Sun or God, Brahm. The greater or
less dimness is caused by the thickness or lightness of the clouds
or Maya coating. And as the eye and the Sun approximate
nearer and nearer, the clouds are dissipated away. And so, as the
soul comes nearest to God, Maya vanishes.
Take another example of Analogy used by the same school
of thinkers ; and this is a most favorite one with them. It is the
simile of the Sun shining in many pots of water, serving to