VIVEKACHOODAMANI – “The Crest-Jewel of Discrimination" : Slokam-s - 27 & 28.. Sri Swami Adi Sankaracharya.

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Saturday, April 03,  2021. 05:19. PM. 
VIVEKACHOODAMANI VOLUME : 1. The PURPOSE of Human Life
PART 1: (Sloka-s 1-66, 66 No.)
1.4 QUALIFICATIONS of DISCIPLE & GURU
(Sloka-s 17-32a, 15 No.)
The four-fold qualifications (Slokas 18-30)
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Slokam - 27 : 4. MUMUKSHUTVA

"1 ahangkaaraadi dehaantaan  2 bandha anajnaana kalpitaan; 

 3 svasvaroopaavabodhena   4.moktum ichchhaa mumukshhutaa."

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Translation :

1 Ahangkaaraadi dehaantaan              =  From ego-sense right down to the body-idea,

2 bandha anajnaana kalpitaan;           =  all bondages are created by ignorance.

3 svasvaroopaavabodhena               =  By the knowledge of one’s own real nature,

4.moktum ichchhaa mumukshhutaa. =  to be freed from these (bondages) –

such a desire is called Mumukshutva

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Commentary :

1-2 Release from what? We all wish to be released from our sorrows. The difference between the spiritual student and others is that the former seeks this release internally. Others may complain, winge, and cry out for changes to their environment.

3-4 Not so the aspirant. He aims to liberate himself from within – the only liberation that is lasting and worthwhile.

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Slokam - 28: 5. The Place of GRACE

"1 Manda madhyama roopaa api  2 vairaagyena shamaadinaa;

 3 prasaadena guroh sah iyam  4 pravriddhaa sooyate phalam."

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Translation :

1 manda madhyama roopaa api Even though it (Mumukshutva) is dull or mediocre,

2 vairaagyena shamaadinaa; by dispassion and by the sixfold virtues,

3 prasaadena guroh sah iyam and by the Grace of the Guru, it can be

4 pravriddhaa sooyate phalam. increased and be made to bear fruit.

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Commentary :

1 Half-hearted and mediocre requests to God are also accepted. Acharyaji gave us a humorous example. A child in the class raises his finger to go to the toilet. The teacher is very familiar with this scenario, so he refuses at first. After a few minutes, up go two fingers, and he can see the call is desperate. Then the teacher permits the child to go. In the same way, our call to God has to be desperate – three fingers may be needed at times! Such are the loving ways of Acharyaji to deepen our love for God.

2-4 The aspirant should never feel dejected that his aspiration is not strong enough. Acharyaji said, “Never feel that you are not cut out for the spiritual path. Make yourself cut out for it. This verse and the next compassionately indicate the way in which the halfhearted and mediocre aspirations can be made intense. It is indicated in the next verse Others ask, “Why have the problems come to ME?” The aspirant asks, “Why have they come?” He seeks the root cause and eliminates it. Unless this approach is there, we will always seek outside for solutions, and get nowhere.

End.

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NEXT Slokam - 29: The Primary Qualifications & Slokam - 30: In the Absence of the Essentials
To be continued .....

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