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at the time of Pralaya and lose all sense of I -ness. Their memory
becomes perfectly dead to all previous connections and experiences
and even as to self as a distinct unit. The child starts with a body
of his own, and faculties limited to that body. The Jiva children
that came into existence at the beginning 1 of the Universe had how-
ever nothing peculiar to themselves, and they had even to acquire the
sense of I-ness.
First, the Jiva identifies himself with his body and mind,
his own phenomenal basis. For, if he identifies himself with the
universal spirit, there is no action for him, no working out of his own
Karma. Though from the standpoint of the highest wisdom indivi-
duality is a delusion, for the one unchangeable ever-lasting element
in Jiva is Atma, and at the final stage of development man has to
separate himself from his phenomenal basis and to identify himself
with Atma, which is the real self, still the sense of separateness is
necessary for the process of creation and for the gaining of ex-
periences. This sense is two-fold, (i) the non-perception of Atma
as Self, called Avidya by Patanjali and Tamas in the Puranas, and
(2) the perception of the upddhi as self, called Asmita by Patanjali
and Moha in the Puranas.
Attachment and aversion, likes and dislikes, are equally neces-
sary for continued individual action. The Jiva eats what he likes and
does not eat what he dislikes. He associates himself with certain
objects, ideas and thoughts and shuns others. His likes and dislikes
form the guiding principle of his actions. These affinities are called
Raga and Dvesha by Patanjali and Maha Moha and Tamisra in
the Puranas.
The tenacious desire to live in the present body is called Abhi-
nivesha by Patanjali. This desire becomes an instinct in the Jiva, so
necessary is it for his preservation. The Puranas call it Andha-
Tamisra. Sridhara explains it as the shock we receive from a separa-
tion from all our present enjoyments. For, according to him, the
idea of death is nothing but a sense of separation from our present
enjoyments.
These forms of Avidya were called into being that the forms
of the previous Kalpa might be brought into existence, or that
the work of creation might be undertaken. These faculties are the
very essence of life manifestation. But the process has now been
reversed. The work of creation is over. We have acquired the ex-
periences of earth-life, and we are now destined to take a jouruey
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