VIVEKACHOODAMANI – “The Crest-Jewel of Discrimination" : Slokams- 12 & 13. - Sri Swami Adi Sankaracharya
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Saturday, May 23, 2020.
VIVEKACHOODAMANI VOLUME : 1. The PURPOSE of Human Life
PART 1: (Verses 1-66, 66 No.)
1.3 THE MEANS TO LIBERATION
(Slokam 6-16, 11 No.)
Slokam -12 & 13.
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Slokam 12: The World for What it Is
"Samyag vichaaratah siddhaa rajjutattva avadhaaranaa;
bhraanti-udita mahaa sarpa bhaya duhkha vinaashinee."
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Slokam Translation : 12.
1 samyag vichaaratah siddhaa = Only through steady and balanced thinking, is gained
2 rajjutattva avadhaaranaa; = the ascertainment of the truth of the “rope”, by which
3 bhraanti-udita mahaa sarpa = the delusion-created, terrifying snake
4 bhaya duhkha vinaashinee. = of fear and sorrow is destroyed.
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Slokam 13: The Seeker Cannot Avoid Self-Enquiry
"Arthasya nishchayah drishhtah vichaarena hita-uktitah
na snaanena na daanena praanaayama shatena vaa."
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Slokam Translation : 13.
5 arthasya nishchayah drishhtah = The conviction of the Reality is seen
6 vichaarena hita-uktitah; = by enquiry along the lines advised by the wise;
7 na snaanena na daanena = and not by sacred baths, nor any amount of charity,
8 praanaayama shatena vaa. = nor even hundreds of Pranayamas.
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Discourse : Slokam 12 and 13. :
1-4 To get rid of this delusion we do not need more actions, but only to make an
enquiry, directly facing the ‘snake’ (the world of experience). Then it vanishes altogether.
5-6 There is a strong tendency in man to get ‘stuck’ to outer practices and perform
them mechanically without the inner feeling that is primary. When the time is ripe for it, we need to give up all these and use intellectual enquity with greater purpose.
7-8 Vedanta is not against any of these practices. The only purpose of these lines is
to draw attention to the true need. In the case of Pranayama, its central purpose in Yoga is to bring the mind to a quietened state called Yogarudha. As a Sadhana, there is no other need for it. Sri Shankaracharya himself has on numerous occasions practised these.
The Summary of Renunciation of Actions :
When a great work is tackled, the preparation for it takes most of the time. So it is
with Self-enquiry. The steps of Sravana, Manana and Nididhyasana require enormous focus.
All other activities are requested to be given up. If this reason is not understood correctly, active people do not welcome such suggestions, and the lazy ones simply love them!
The central guideline here is: If it is only for personal pleasure, then give it up.
Desire-prompted activity must yield first. It is wrong to call this “Abandoning one’s duty”.
Inactual fact, it just drops off on its own when the desire for God gets intense. That is the correct way to look at these Slokams.
Up to this point we have been seeing the need to adopt Enquiry as our primary
means to attain liberation. With that objective now driven home, the Teacher proceeds
further. He shifts the focus to the readiness of the student for the Sadhana that lies ahead.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next - Slokam 14: Success Depends on Qualifications
To be continued ....
====================================================
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday, May 23, 2020.
VIVEKACHOODAMANI VOLUME : 1. The PURPOSE of Human Life
PART 1: (Verses 1-66, 66 No.)
1.3 THE MEANS TO LIBERATION
(Slokam 6-16, 11 No.)
Slokam -12 & 13.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Slokam 12: The World for What it Is
"Samyag vichaaratah siddhaa rajjutattva avadhaaranaa;
bhraanti-udita mahaa sarpa bhaya duhkha vinaashinee."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Slokam Translation : 12.
1 samyag vichaaratah siddhaa = Only through steady and balanced thinking, is gained
2 rajjutattva avadhaaranaa; = the ascertainment of the truth of the “rope”, by which
3 bhraanti-udita mahaa sarpa = the delusion-created, terrifying snake
4 bhaya duhkha vinaashinee. = of fear and sorrow is destroyed.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Slokam 13: The Seeker Cannot Avoid Self-Enquiry
"Arthasya nishchayah drishhtah vichaarena hita-uktitah
na snaanena na daanena praanaayama shatena vaa."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Slokam Translation : 13.
5 arthasya nishchayah drishhtah = The conviction of the Reality is seen
6 vichaarena hita-uktitah; = by enquiry along the lines advised by the wise;
7 na snaanena na daanena = and not by sacred baths, nor any amount of charity,
8 praanaayama shatena vaa. = nor even hundreds of Pranayamas.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Discourse : Slokam 12 and 13. :
1-4 To get rid of this delusion we do not need more actions, but only to make an
enquiry, directly facing the ‘snake’ (the world of experience). Then it vanishes altogether.
5-6 There is a strong tendency in man to get ‘stuck’ to outer practices and perform
them mechanically without the inner feeling that is primary. When the time is ripe for it, we need to give up all these and use intellectual enquity with greater purpose.
7-8 Vedanta is not against any of these practices. The only purpose of these lines is
to draw attention to the true need. In the case of Pranayama, its central purpose in Yoga is to bring the mind to a quietened state called Yogarudha. As a Sadhana, there is no other need for it. Sri Shankaracharya himself has on numerous occasions practised these.
The Summary of Renunciation of Actions :
When a great work is tackled, the preparation for it takes most of the time. So it is
with Self-enquiry. The steps of Sravana, Manana and Nididhyasana require enormous focus.
All other activities are requested to be given up. If this reason is not understood correctly, active people do not welcome such suggestions, and the lazy ones simply love them!
The central guideline here is: If it is only for personal pleasure, then give it up.
Desire-prompted activity must yield first. It is wrong to call this “Abandoning one’s duty”.
Inactual fact, it just drops off on its own when the desire for God gets intense. That is the correct way to look at these Slokams.
Up to this point we have been seeing the need to adopt Enquiry as our primary
means to attain liberation. With that objective now driven home, the Teacher proceeds
further. He shifts the focus to the readiness of the student for the Sadhana that lies ahead.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next - Slokam 14: Success Depends on Qualifications
To be continued ....
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