Vivekachudamani – The Glory of the Textbook – Verses 579-581   «   »

Vivekachudamani – The Glory of the Textbook – Verses 579-581   «   »

हितमिदमुपदेशमाद्रियन्तां
विहितनिरस्तसमस्तचित्तदोषाः ।
भवसुखविरताः प्रशान्तचित्ताः
श्रुतिरसिका यतयो मुमुक्षवो ये ॥ ५७९ ॥
hitamidamupadeśamādriyantāṃ
vihitanirastasamastacittadoṣāḥ |
bhavasukhaviratāḥ praśāntacittāḥ
śrutirasikā yatayo mumukṣavo ye || 579 ||
579. May those Sannyasins who are seekers after Liberation, who have purged themselves of all taints of the mind by the observance of the prescribed methods, who are averse to worldly pleasures, and who are of serene minds, and take a delight in the Śruti – appreciate this salutary teaching!
Notes: Sannyasins—The word ‘Yati’ may simply mean ‘one who is struggling for Realisation.’ So also in Slokas 556 and 567.
Prescribed methods—Secondary or indirect (such as, sacrifices etc.) and primary or direct (such as control of the senses and mind etc.).

संसाराध्वनि तापभानुकिरणप्रोद्भूतदाहव्यथा
खिन्नानां जलकाङ्क्षया मरुभुवि भ्रान्त्या परिभ्राम्यताम् ।
अत्यासन्नसुधाम्बुधिं सुखकरं ब्रह्माद्वयं दर्शयत्य्
एषा शंकरभारती विजयते निर्वाणसंदायिनी ॥ ५८0 ॥
saṃsārādhvani tāpabhānukiraṇaprodbhūtadāhavyathā
khinnānāṃ jalakāṅkṣayā marubhuvi bhrāntyā paribhrāmyatām |
atyāsannasudhāmbudhiṃ sukhakaraṃ brahmādvayaṃ darśayaty
eṣā śaṃkarabhāratī vijayate nirvāṇasaṃdāyinī || 580 ||
580. For those who are afflicted, in the way of the world, by the burning pain due to the (scorching) sunshine of threefold misery, and who through delusion wander about in a desert in search of water – for them here is the triumphant message of Shankara pointing out, within easy reach, the soothing ocean of nectar, Brahman, the One without a second – to lead them on to Liberation. 
Notes: Threefold misery—the ádhyátmika (those pertaining to the body and mind, such as pain, anguish etc.) the âdhidaivika (those coming from divine visitations or scourges of Nature, such as cyclone, earthquake etc.), and the âdhibhautika (those due to other creatures on earth).
Wander……water—are lured by the prospect of happiness from transitory things, which, as in the case of a mirage, exhaust them the more.
Easy reach—for this Mine of Bliss is their very nature. It is no external thing to be acquired. They have simply to realise that they are already That.
On to liberation—By inducing them to take away their self-imposed veil.
The solemn cadence of the Sârdulavikridita metre makes a fitting termination to the prophetic discourse.


Vivekachudamani – Introduction
1: Devoted Dedication
2: Glory of Spiritual Life
3: Unique Graces in Life
4-7: Miseries of The Unspiritual Man
8-13: Means of Wisdom
14-17: The Fit Student
18-30: The Four Qualifications
31: Bhakti – Firm and Deep
32-40: Courtesy of Approach and Questioning
41-47: Loving Advice of the Guru
48-49: Questions of the Disciple
50: Intelligent Disciple – Appreciated
51-55: Glory of Self-Effort
56-61: Knowledge of the Self-Its Beauty
62-66: Direct Experience – Liberation
67-71: Discussion on Questions Raised
72-75: Gross Body
76-82: Sense Objects a Trap – Man Bound
83-86: Fascination for Body Criticised
87-91: Gross Body Condemned
92: Organs of Perception and Action
93-94: Inner Instruments
95: The Five Pranas
96-101: Subtle Body – Effects
102: Functions of Prāna
103-105: Ego Discussed
106-107: Infinite Love – the Self
108-110: Māyā – Pointed Out
111-112: Rajoguņa – Nature and Effects
113-116: Tamoguņa – Nature and Effects
117-119: Sattvaguņa – Nature and Effects
120-121: The Causal Body – Its Nature
122-123: Not-Self – Description
124-135: The Self – Its Nature
136: Advice for Self-control
137-142: What is Bondage – The Reply
143-144: The Powers – Agitation and Veiling
145-146: Bondage in Action
147-153: Ātman and Anātman – Discrimination
Negation of the Kośas
154-164: – Annamaya kośa (Food sheath)
165-166: – Prņamaya kośa (Vital air sheath)
167-183: – Manomaya kosa (Mental sheath)
184-188: – Vijnanamaya kośa (Intellectual sheath)
189-191: Ātman – Unattached
192-193: What is Liberation? – Disciple
194-206: Self-Knowledge gives Liberation
207-210: Anandamaya kośa (Bliss sheath)
211: Ātman – Other than the Five Kośas
212: What is Ātman? – Disciple
213-225: Nature of the Self – Discussion
226-236: All Manifestation Absolute
237-240: Brahman – Its Nature
241-249: That Thou Art – Explanation
250-253: Attitude in Meditation
254-266: Aids to Meditation
267-276: Give up Vāsanās – the Method
277-292: End Superimposition – The Means
293-297: The Perceived I’ Factor – False
298-309: Condemnation of the Ego
310-319: Actions, Thoughts and Vāsanās – Renounce
320-329: Total Vigilance – Its Price
330-338: In the One, No Plurality
339-348: Spiritual Growth – the Secret
349-353: Cause-Effect – False
354-372: Samadhi – Its Nature
373-378: Fully Detached – Samadhi Easy
379-383: Meditation – the Technique
384-397: Continuous Attention to Self
398-406: No Diversity in Reality
407-413: Ātma-vicāra – Contemplation
414-418: Give up Perceptions
419-425: The Science of Reality – Its Benefits
426-445: Signs of a Realised Seer
446-464: Prārabdha for a Saint
465-471: There is No Plurality
472-479: Experience of Selfhood
480-520: Practice of Knowledge – Disciple
521-575: Final Words of Advice
576-578: Blessed Disciple Liberated
579-581: The Glory of the Textbook

Sri Adi Sankaracharya

Vivekachudamani – Verses 579-581 – Vivekachudamani Verses 579-581 – By Adi Sankaracharya – In Sanskrit with English Meaning, Transliteration, Translation, Commenary, Lyrics, Audio – Vivekachudamani-579-581