By non-knowledge the moving world is structured, the totality is no other than mind;
By knowledge this (moving world) goes to dissolution; this (moving world) is exactly like a portrait.
Commentary
Once again the sage clearly shows what are the relative and absolute factors in his spiritual vision. Non-knowledge or ignorance bring about a structured or fabricated moving world, whether it be a world as will and idea, or a world of material entities. Actually it is the conditioned mind which fabricates structures, erroneously thinking them to be absolutely real. This is delusion. The wise man remains steady in Self-knowledge, recognizing illusive relativity for what it is. The Katha Upanishad (II.5) makes this statement: "Whirling about in the midst of non-knowledge, considering themselves scholars and self-wise, running all over, (they) go round deluded, like blind men being led by one who is blind."
Narayana Guru says, "By knowledge this (moving world) goes to dissolution," and what remains is the Self-Absolute. The Siva Sutra Varttika (I.22) gives a beautiful description of the wise yogi: "When not wishing for relative powers he is carried on by a wide vision embracing all things in himself, his knowledge develops and then pure knowledge breaks forth." The moving-world is "exactly like a portrait" says the sage, showing us that what appears as real is only an image just as a painted portrait is not the real person, but only a fabrication. As the Sivanubhavasutra (V.25) says, "Non-knowledge fabricates all this beginning with the body and senses which is the delusion of non-truth."