प्रागुत्पत्तेर्यथाऽभावो म्रदेव ब्रह्मणः प्रथक् ।
न विद्यते ब्रह्म हि या सा मायाऽमेयवैभवा ॥ २ ॥
Just as non-being before rising up (as a pot) is clay, separate then from the Absolute,
That which is this illusive relativity of immeasurable might, indeed is not the Absolute.
Commentary
What has no absolute existence rises up appearing as a pot from clay, but is separate from the Absolute. Narayana Guru defines illusive relativity in his gloss (didhiti) on this chapter in the following way: "Illusive relativity refers to what is not real, what does not even exist but seems to exist in ordinary life."
Despite the fact that illusive relativity is not the Absolute, it has "immeasurable might" causing great confusion to the mind. When the wilful mind itself is put away illusive relativity ceases to be. The Tripurasiddhanta Tantra shows us how powerful illusive relativity is: "The unconditioned Absolute by the playful tricks of illusive relativity becomes, Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Isana and Sadasiva." The Panchabrahma Upanishad (verse 18) confirms this: "Illusive relativity is delusion", and goes on to state in verse 26 that "the darkness which composes the five (deities) by itself shines forth fivefoldly", and concludes in verse 36: This (Absolute) fixed in the heart is seen as the witness with no specific attributes; it is said that in the heart is this auspicious Siva, liberating one from the cyclic phenomenal world."
Illusive relativity has a powerful and unique deluding power of its own. The sage includes even knowledge under illusive relativity as the next verse shows.