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Few days ago I was going through a post. I don't remember the exact question or who asked it, but i think the question was something like this - why did Brahman create the universe or why did Brahman become from ONE to Many? ... Anyway, Mr. Pradip's answer to that was something like this - "Brahman was bored or afraid and so he became the universe".

My question to all Advaitins here including Mr.Pradip, do you all think nirguna nirakara Brahman in the paramarthika/absolute state (before the manifestation of jivas and jagat) has an universal mind of ITS own, through which IT desires to become all this multiplicity? ... I am not talking about the individual mind or ego of the jiva, but an infinite universal collective mind. Does something like that exist in paramarthika? If not how does Brahman think - I am alone or I am bored?

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    @TheCrimsonUniverse Now this sounds confusing. Because Maya doesn't exist. When we say Maya creates Universe we mean Maya shows a Universe that doesn't exist. The one has been not split into many it is only a illusion created by Maya, which is itself an illusion. When it's said sarvam khalvidam Brahma we don't mean for eg a Rock is Brahma. It means the underlying reality of the Rock is Brahma and that underlying relaity is being distorted by Maya as a Rock, the Rock doesn't even exist. This is tricky.
    – user22253
    Dec 13, 2021 at 6:26
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    @TheCrimsonUniverse The one Brahma is now one, in the past one and in the future is also one. It has not split. The variety of splits you see is an illusion by Maya so this illusion is not caused by Brahma so Brahma didn't create it.
    – user22253
    Dec 13, 2021 at 6:26
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    Kalasarpa yoga has begun @MrGreenGold
    – Agamas Tantras
    Dec 13, 2021 at 9:20
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    @TheCrimsonUniverse Maya is uncaused as it is there from eternity and will stay on for eternity. Avidya, Mula avidya etc are different names approximately. Please read Brahma Sutra Bhashya, starting Adhyasa Bhasya section of Adi Shankara where he explains this. The non existence of Maya is not exactly like non existence of other imaginary things. It's actually technically called sad asad vilakshana. Neither exists nor not exists unique. Maya doe'snt exist also does not not exist. It's unique.
    – user22253
    Dec 13, 2021 at 9:44
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    @MrGreenGold the answers which you have written is a result of kalasarpa period on humanity
    – Agamas Tantras
    Dec 13, 2021 at 9:52

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Nirguna Brahman according to Advaita has no mental state. So when I wrote 'Brahman was lonely' it was sloppy writing. I should have written 'Brahman as Viraj was lonely'. Who is Viraj?

In the beginning, this [universe] was the self (Viraj) alone, in the shape of a person. He reflected and saw nothing else but His self. He first said: "I am He." Therefore He came to be known by the name I (Aham). Hence, even now, when a person is addressed, he first says: "It is I," and then says whatever other name he may have. And because He, before (purva) the whole group [of aspirants], burnt (aushat) all evils, therefore He is called Purusha. He who knows this verily burns up him who wishes to be [Viraj] in advance of him.

Brhadaranyaka Upanishad I.IV.1

Viraj: The first embodied being, born of the Cosmic egg. He is endowed with a human form. It is important to remember that Sankaracharya uses the word Prajapati to denote both Hiranyagarbha and Viraj. The former applies to Brahman when identified, through maya, with the totality of subtle bodies, and the latter, to Brahman when identified through maya, with the totality of gross bodies.

Commentary of Brhadaranyaka Upanishad I.IV.1 by Swami Nikhilananda

I will add this explanatory material to that answer.

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  • So both Hiranyagarbha and Viraj (according to Brihadaranyaka Up.) are saguna brahman?
    – The Crimson Universe
    Dec 12, 2021 at 14:56
  • Hiranyagarbha is Brahma and thus Isvara. So Hiranyagarbha is Saguna Brahman. Viraj may also probably be thought of as Saguna Brahman in the gross plane.
    – Pradip Gangopadhyay
    Dec 13, 2021 at 5:03
  • Yes, maybe I should have been more clear in mg objection. This is now a very clear answer. 🙏
    – user22253
    Dec 13, 2021 at 6:27
  • Thank you Mr.Pradip. Is this viraj the same as what the dualists call virat purusha who's upper portion of the body contains the devas, the waist portion contains humans and lower portion contains the asuras?
    – The Crimson Universe
    Dec 13, 2021 at 8:59
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    Yes. Viraj is the same as Virat and is also known as Vaisvanar.
    – Pradip Gangopadhyay
    Dec 13, 2021 at 11:59

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