Mandukya Karika, verse 4.68-70

Text

यथा स्वप्नमयो जीवो जायते म्रियतेऽपि च ।
तथा जीवा अमी सर्वे भवन्ति न भवन्ति च ॥ ६८ ॥
यथा मायामयो जीवो जायते म्रियतेऽपि च ।
तथा जीवा अमी सर्वे भवन्ति न भवन्ति च ॥ ६९ ॥
यथा निर्मितको जीवो जायते म्रियतेऽपि च ।
तथा जीवा अमी सर्वे भवन्ति न भवन्ति च ॥ ७० ॥

yathā svapnamayo jīvo jāyate mriyate'pi ca |
tathā jīvā amī sarve bhavanti na bhavanti ca || 68 ||
yathā māyāmayo jīvo jāyate mriyate'pi ca |
tathā jīvā amī sarve bhavanti na bhavanti ca || 69 ||
yathā nirmitako jīvo jāyate mriyate'pi ca |
tathā jīvā amī sarve bhavanti na bhavanti ca || 70 ||

68-70. As the dream-Jīva . comes into being and disappears, so also all Jīvas (perceived in the waking condition) appear and disappear.

As the magician’s Jīva cames into being and passes away, so also all Jīvas (perceived in the waking condition) appear and disappear.

As the artificial Jīva (brought into existence by incantation, medicinal herb, etc.) comes info being and passes away, so also all the Jīvas (perceived in the waking condition) appear ana disappear.

Shankara Bhashya (commentary)

The “magician’s Jīva” means that which is conjured up before our vision by the feat of a magician. The “artificial Jīva” is that which is brought into existence by means of incantation, medicinal herb, etc. As the Jīvas born of egg, etc., and created in dream, are seen to come into existence and then to pass away, so also the Jīvas such as human beings, etc., seen in the waking state, though really non-existent (appear to come into existence and then pass away). These1 are merely the imagination of the mind.