Vivekachoodamani : ( 05/05/2013. )

                                                  Swami Adi Sankaracharya 576. Considering you to be a seeker after liberation, void of the taints of this Dark Age, with a mind free from desires, I have today revealed to you, again and again, as I would to my own son, the supreme and profound secret, the inmost essence of Vedanta, the crown of all Vedas. 577. Hearing the words of the Teacher, the disciple prostrated to him with reverence, and obtaining his permission, went his way, freed from bondage. 578. And the Teacher, his mind immersed in the ocean of eternal Bliss, forever wandered about, verily blessing the whole world. 579. Thus, by means of a dialogue between the Teacher and the disciple, the true nature of the Self (Atman) has been indicated for the easy comprehension of seekers after liberation. 580. May the seekers after liberation appreciate this salutary teaching, those who have cleansed themselves of the taints of the mind by observing the prescribed met

521. Seeing that the worthy student has gained the Bliss of the Self, is enlightened, and is prostrating, the noble Teacher being glad at heart again spoke these supreme words. 522. An unbroken stream of perceptions of Brahman is this universe; so in every respect it is nothing but Brahman. In all conditions perceive the Brahman with the vision of illumination and a serene mind. Is it ever possible that one who has eyes can see anything other than forms all around? So too, what is there to engage the intellect of a realized person, save Brahman? 523.Which wise man would relinquish reveling in supreme Bliss for the enjoyment of paltry things? When the greatly enchanting moon is shining, who would wish to gaze upon a painted moon? 524.  In the perception of objects unreal, there is neither the slightest contentment nor the cessation of misery. Therefore, content in the realization of the essence of non-dual Bliss, remain happy, ever established in the Self. 525. O noble one,

480. Through the words of the teachers, the pronouncements of the scriptures and by one‘s own reasoning with senses controlled and mind fixed, at an auspicious moment realising the supreme Truth, such a person becomes motionless in form and perfectly established in the Self. 481. After concentrating his mind on the supreme Brahman for some time, he rose, and out of supreme Bliss, he spoke as follows. 482. My intellect is completely vanished and all activities have dropped off by realizsing the oneness of the Self and the Brahman; I understand neither 'this' nor 'not-this', nor do I know what or of what measure is this endless Bliss. 483. Impossible for speech to express, impossible for the mind to conceive is the splendour of the ocean of the supreme Brahman, replete with the swell of the nectarine Bliss of the Self. In an infinitesimal part of It my mind has merged like a hailstone in the ocean, is now content with the essence of that Bliss. 484. Where

472. Noble-hearted renunciates who have abandoned all attachments and discarded all sense-enjoyments, who are calm and controlled, realize this supreme Truth. And at the end, they gain Bliss Supreme as a result of their Self-realization. 473. You too, discriminating thus, be established in this surpassing Truth, the real nature of the Self which is Bliss Absolute, and shaking off the delusion created by your own mind, be liberated and illumined and fulfill your destiny. 474. Perceive the nature of the Self with the eye of perfect Knowledge through Samadhi, where the mind has been brought to complete quietude. If the declarations of Sruti (heard from the Teacher) are perfectly understood without a trace of doubt, it can lead to no more scepticism. 475. When the Self, the Existence-Knowledge-Bliss, is realised, through liberation from one's bondage of ignorance, then the scriptures, logical reasoning, the words of the Teacher--these are proofs; the internal realization o

465. Only Brahman there is, one without a second, complete, infinite, without beginning or end, Ineffable and changeless; in It there is no duality whatsoever. 466. The essence of Existence, the essence of Knowledge, the essence of Eternal Bliss, Non-dual, devoid of any activity, is only the Brahman; one without a second; in It there is no duality whatsoever. 467.The Subject within all, Non-dual, homogeneous, endless, all-pervading, there is only the Brahman; one without a second; in It there is no duality whatsoever. 468. That which is to be neither shunned nor taken up nor accepted, that which is non-dual and without support--there is only the Brahman; in it there is no duality whatsoever. 469. With no qualities or parts, It is subtle without disturbances and taintless--there is only the Brahman; one without a second; in it there is no duality whatsoever. 470. The Real Nature which is incomprehensible, which is beyond mind and speech and non-dual, there is only the

446. He who is an adept at meditation is yet seen to have external perceptions. Sruti says, this is prarabdha at work. This can be inferred from actual results seen. 447. As long as there is the experience of happiness etc., the work of prarabdha* is seen to persist. Every result is seen to have a preceding action; there can be no result independent of action. *past actions that have begun in the present life to fructify or to bear fruit. 448. ―I am Brahman‖---with this Realization, the actions of a hundreds of millions of world cycles come to nought, like the actions of the dream-life on waking up. 449. Can the meritorious acts or sinful deeds that a person has imagined doing in a dream take one to heaven or hell when one has woken up? 450. Being unattached and indifferent like the sky, one who is realised is never concerned in the least about the actions yet to be performed. 451. The space, because of its contact with the jar, is not tainted by the smell of the liqu

426. On account of constant absorption in Brahman, freed from the sense of reality of external objects, only seemingly enjoying them when offered by others, like one sleepy or like a baby, perceiving the world as one seen in a dream and recognizing it only now and then, such a person is indeed rare. Such a person is the enjoyer of the fruits of infinite merits and is truly considered blessed and revered on earth. 427. That person of steady wisdom, having merged oneself in Brahman enjoys everlasting Bliss, without modification, and freed from all activity. 428. The type of mental activity which admits only the identity of the Self and Brahman, free from all limitations and devoid of duality, which is only concerned with pure Knowledge, is called the ‗illumination‘. One who has this steady illumination is known as a person of steady wisdom. 429. One who has steady wisdom, who experiences endless Bliss, who has forgotten the phenomenal world, that person is considered a jivan-mu

419. The perfected Yogi who is liberated-while-living, gets this as a result—in himself he enjoys the Bliss Eternal, both within and without. 420. The reward of dispassion is Knowledge, that knowledge is withdrawal from sense pleasures. The reward of this withdrawal is the peace arising from the experience of one‘s own Blissful Self. 421. When there are no succeeding stages, the preceding ones are useless. (In a perfect series), automatic cessation of the objective world, supreme satisfaction and unequalled Bliss will follow naturally. 422. The result of Knowledge is indifference towards worldly sorrows, How can he, who performs blameworthy deeds in delusion, perform them again when he possesses right discrimination? 423. Turning away from the unreal should be the result of Knowledge; attachment to the unreal is the result of ignorance. Such is seen to be the case of one who knows a mirage etc., and one who does not. Else, what other tangible result do the knowers-of-Reali

414. Once the body has been cast off like a corpse, the wise person has no attachment to it, though, like a shadow, it is still visible as appearance, owing to the effects of past actions. 415. Eternal, unsullied Knowledge-Bliss—thus realizing the Atman, fling far away this body which is inert and impure. Then think of it no more, for a thing vomited brings only disgust when it is remembered. 416. Burning all this, root and all, in the fire of Brahman, the Eternal, Absolute Self, the truly wise remain alone, established as the pure, eternal, enlightened, blissfulSelf. 417. This body is woven from the fibre of Prarabdha* and the knower of Truth is not concerned whether it drops off or remains—as the garland around the cow‘s neck, for his thoughts are reposed in Brahman, the quintessence of Bliss. *The Vedic texts divide Karma into three types: Sanchita, Agami, and Prarabdha. Sanchita is karma accumulated in the past; Agami is karma to be worked out in the future; and Prarab

407. The wise have observed that the superimposition is identical with its substratum—just like the rope and the snake. The distinction exists only due to delusion. 408. The apparent universe has its root in the mind and cannot exist in the absence of the mind. Therefore, concentrate the mind by fixing it on Supreme Self, the inmost principle. 409. Through Samadhi, the wise realize the infinite Brahman in the heart as something (inexplicable) of the essence of eternal Knowledge and complete Bliss, which is unparalleled, which is beyond all limitations, which is ever free, which has no activity and which is indivisible and absolute like the limitless sky. 410. Through Samadhi, the wise realize the infinite Brahman in the heart, as devoid of cause and effect, as the Reality beyond all imagination, as homogenous, beyond all compares and proofs, established by the declarations of the scriptures as eternally self-established. 411.  Through Samadhi, the wise realize the infinite Brahman

398. When the apparent realities superimposed on the Self are removed, then what remains is the Supreme Brahman, the Infinite, Non-dual, actionless, alone, all by itself.  399. When the functions of the mind, the thoughts, have merged in the Paramatman, the Brahman, the Absolute, then this phenomenal world is perceived no longer. What remains thereafter is all mere talk.  400. In the One Reality, the conception of the universe is a mere imagination. How can there be any distinctions in the reality which is Changeless, Formless, and qualitiless?  401. In the One Reality devoid of the distinctions of seer, seeing, and seen etc., how can there be any distinctions in that which is Changeless, Formless, and Absolute?  402. In that One Reality which is all full to overflowing, like the ocean after the dissolution of the universe, which is the changeless, formless, and Absolute, how can there be any distinctions?  403. How can there be any indication of distinctions in the Supreme

384. By fixing the purified inner-organ upon the Self, which is the Witness and Knowledge Absolute and gradually making it quiet, one should behold the state of fullness of one‘s own Self.  385. Free from all limitations like the body, sense-organs, pranas, mind and ego which are projections of one‘s ignorance, let one come to realise the Self (Atman), the Indivisible and Infinite, like the great all-pervading space.  386.Having dropped hundreds of its limitations such as a pot, a pitcher, a barn or the eye of a needle, space is recognized as one and not as many. So too, the Pure Supreme (Brahman) is indeed one, when freed from the ego and the rest.  387. Right from Brahma down to a blade of grass, all conditioning adjuncts (upadhis) are quite unreal. Therefore, one should realise one‘s own Self as one and only existent Principle.  388. Where by mistake, something is imagined to exist, there, on right discrimination, the Real itself is recognised---there being nothing other t

379. Fixing the mind firmly on Brahman, the point of concentration, restraining the sense-organs in their respective centres, holding the body steady and taking no thought for its maintenance, attaining identity with Brahman and being One with It, continuously drink the Bliss of Brahman in your own Self. Of what use are other things? They are entirely false, empty!  380. Having renounced all thought of the not-Self, which is impure and source of of misery, dwell on the Self, the Bliss Absolute, and the source of liberation.  381. Eternally shines this Atman, the Self-effulgent Witness of everything, ever-manifest in the sheath of the intellect. Making this Atman, which is distinct from the unreal, the aim of contemplation, meditate upon It as your own Self, eliminating all other thoughts.  382. Contemplating continuously upon this Atman, with no intervention of any other thought, one must distinctly realise It as one‘s own Real Self.  383. By strengthening one‘s identificatio

373. Only a detached person is fit for this internal and external renunciation; for only a dispassionate person, desirous of liberation, readily renounces both internal and external attachments.  374. Only a dispassionate person, thoroughly established in Brahman, can give up external attachment for objects and internal attachment to the ego, etc.  375. Please understand, O wise one, that dispassion and discriminating knowledge in an aspirant are like the two wings of a bird; unless both are active, no one can take the help of just one and soar to the pinnacle of the palace of liberation.  376. A person of extreme dispassion alone experiences samadhi; a man of samadhi alone has steady Realization; a person who has realised Truth alone is free from bondage and the free person alone experiences Eternal Bliss.  377. For a self-controlled person, I find no better generator of happiness than dispassion and if that is coupled with a clear Realization of the Self, it brings about ab

  354. When the non-dual Self is realized in nirvikalpa samadhi* , the heart‘s ‗knot of ignorance‘** is completely destroyed. * Nirvikalpa Samadhi is attained by means of one-point absorption of the mental activity (cittavṛtti) in the Self in such a way that the distinctions (vikalpas) of the tripartite process (triputi) of knower, known, and knowing get dissolved.   **Heart‘s knot of ignorance: Hindu scriptures speak about chid-jadd-granthi, the knot between the sentient, the conscious (Self) and the insentient, the inert (body). Due to ignorance about our essential nature, we take the ever-luminous Self to be the insentient body. This knot is not real—thank God, otherwise there will be no way out! It is only imaginary; however, due to timeless samskaaraas (tendencies gathered over countless lives), this knot has become very strong and unties with great difficulty. Says Goswami Tulsidaas: Jadd-chetan granthi par jaaee, yadpi mrisha chuutat kathinaaee. T

349. These three* are observed in ‗the rope‘ when its real nature is fully apprehended. Hence the wise person should know the true nature of things for the sake of liberation from bondage. *Seer, seen, and seeing. 350. Just as a piece of iron through contact with fire manifests as fire, the intellect manifests itself as the knower and the known through the immanence of Brahman. These two---the effects of the intellect---are observed to be unreal as in delusion, dream, and imagination 351. So too, the modifications of Nature, from the ego down to the gross body and all the sense-objects, are also unreal. They are unreal, indeed, because they are subject to change every moment. But the Self never changes. 352. The Supreme Self is eternal, non-dual, one, indivisible, pure consciousness, the witness of the Intellect etc., other than the Real and the unreal, indicated by the term ―I‖, the inmost self, and the embodiment of eternal Bliss. 353. Thus the wise person, discrimina

Spiritual growth – the secret (verses 339-348) :- -------------------------------------------------------------- 339. That person alone is liberated, who, knowing the Self as Knowledge only, as the substratum of all that is moving and unmoving—both external and internal—renounces all superimpositions and remains as the Absolute and the Infinite Self.  340. To recognise the entire universe to be the Self is the means to complete liberation from bondage. There is nothing higher than realizing that one is the Self of all. One realizes this state by negating the perceptible world through being continuously established in the eternal Self.  341. How is the non-apprehension of the perceptible world possible for one who remains identified with the physical body, whose mind is attached to the enjoyment of external-objects and who performs various acts for that end? This should be carefully practised by the seers of truth, desiours of eternal bliss, who have renounced all kinds of dutie

In the one, no plurality (verses 330-338):- ------------------------------------------------------ 330. One who is completely established in unity/oneness (kaivalyam), while living, remains so even after the dissolution of the body. The Yajur-Veda declares that there is fear for one who sees even the least bit of differentiation. 331. Whenever the wise recognize even the least difference in the Infinite Brahman, at once, that which is perceived as difference through inadvertence, becomes a source of fear to them. 332. One who identifies the Self with the perceived objects, which have been negated by hundreds of Srutis, Smritis and reasoning, suffers one misery after another, like a thief---for he indulges in something forbidden. 333. One who is totally established in the Truth attains to the eternal glory of the Self. But one who dwells on the unreal perishes. That this is so is illustrated in the case of one who is not a thief and the one who is a thief. 33

Total vigilance – its price (verses 320-329) : ------------------------------------------------------------ 320. Causing the perceived universe, both external and internal, to vanish, and meditating upon the Reality, the Bliss-Embodied, one should pass one‘s time watchfully for any residual Prarabdha. 321. One should never be negligent in one‘s steady abidance in Brahman. The divine son of Creator, Santakumara, has called negligence as death itself. 322. For the wise there is no greater danger than negligence about one‘s own real nature. From this comes delusion; from delusion comes egoism; from egoism comes bondage; and from bondage comes misery. 323. Finding one hankering after the sense-objects, forgetfulness, through perverted mind, bewilders even a wise person, just as a woman torments her fond lover. 324. As moss, even if removed, does not stay away for a moment, but closes up to cover the water again, so also illusion covers even the wise, if they ever

Actions, thoughts and vasanas – renounce (verses 310-319):- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 310. Having once conquered this enemy, the ego, not a single moment‘s rest should be given to let it ruminate over the sense-objects. That is just what brings it back to life, just like water revives a dried-up citron tree. 311. That person alone, who identifies with the body, is greedy of sense-pleasures. How can one devoid of the body-idea be greedy? Hence, the tendency to ruminate over sense-objects is verily the cause of bondage of worldly existence and the sense of duality. 312.  When the"effects" are flourishing, the "seeds" also are observed to increase. When the "effects" are destroyed, the "seeds" also are destroyed. Therefore, the"effect" must be subdued. 313. Through the increase of desires (vasanas), egocentric "work" increases a

301. The ego is that which has been produced by the intellect thoroughly deluded by ignorance. It is is perceived in this body as: ―I am so-and-so.‖ When this delusion (ego-sense) is totally annihilated, one attains the unobstructed identity with Brahman. 302. The treasure of the Bliss-of-Brahman is enwrapped by the mighty and dreadful serpent of the ego-sense and zealously guarded for its own use, by its three fierce hoods, the three gunas. The wise person who destroys it by severing its three heads with the great shining sword of Realisation, in accordance with the teachings of the scriptures, alone can enjoy this treasure which brings Bliss. 303. As long as there is even a trace of poison left in the body, how can one hope for complete recovery? Even so, the yogi cannot attain liberation as long as a trace of egoism remains. 304. By the complete cessation of the ego-sense, gained by restraining the diverse mental waves, created by the ego itself and through the discriminatio

Part-3, Verses  upto 300. ------------------------------------ 213-214. The Guru answered: Thou has rightly said, O learned man ! Thou art clever indeed in discrimination. That by which all those modifications such as egoism as well as their subsequent absence (during deep sleep) are perceived, but which Itself is not perceived, know thou that Atman – the Knower – through the sharpest intellect.  215. That which is perceived by something else has for its witness the latter. When there is no agent to perceive a thing, we cannot speak of it as having been perceived at all.  216. This Atman is a self-cognised entity because It is cognised by Itself. Hence the individual soul is itself and directly the Supreme Brahman, and nothing else.  217. That which clearly manifests Itself in the states of wakefulness, dream and profound sleep; which is inwardly perceived in the mind in various forms as an unbroken series of egoistic impressions; which witnesses the egoism, the Buddh