Vivekachudamani – Ātman and Anātman – Discrimination – Verses 147-153   «   »

Vivekachudamani – Ātman and Anātman – Discrimination – Verses 147-153   «   »

नास्त्रैर्न शस्त्रैरनिलेन वन्हिना
छेत्तुं न शक्यो न च कर्मकोटिभिः ।
विवेकविज्ञानमहासिना विना
धातुः प्रसादेन शितेन मञ्जुना ॥ १४७ ॥
nāstrairna śastrairanilena vanhinā
chettuṃ na śakyo na ca karmakoṭibhiḥ |
vivekavijñānamahāsinā vinā
dhātuḥ prasādena śitena mañjunā || 147 ||
147. This bondage can be destroyed neither by weapons nor by wind, nor by fire, nor by millions of acts – by nothing except the wonderful sword of knowledge that comes of discrimination, sharpened by the grace of the Lord.
Notes: Acts—enjoined by the Scriptures, and done with motives.
Grace……Paramatman—An echo of Katha Upanishad I. ii. 20. The Sruti has also a different reading—“dhātuprasādāt”—which means ‘through the purity of the mind and organs etc.’—This meaning is also suggested here.
श्रुतिप्रमाणैकमतेः स्वधर्म
निष्ठा तयैवात्मविशुद्धिरस्य ।
विशुद्धबुद्धेः परमात्मवेदनं
तेनैव संसारसमूलनाशः ॥ १४८ ॥
śrutipramāṇaikamateḥ svadharma
niṣṭhā tayaivātmaviśuddhirasya |
viśuddhabuddheḥ paramātmavedanaṃ
tenaiva saṃsārasamūlanāśaḥ || 148 ||
148. One who is passionately devoted to the authority of the Śrutis acquires steadiness in his Svadharma, which alone conduces to the purity of his mind. The man of pure mind realises the Supreme Self, and by this alone Samsara with its root is destroyed.
Notes: Swadharma—lit. one s own duty, or the duty for which we are fit,—which the Gita enjoins on us all to perform, as the way to perfection.
Its root—Ignorance.
कोशैरन्नमयाद्यैः पञ्चभिरात्मा न संवृतो भाति ।
निजशक्तिसमुत्पन्नैः शैवालपटलैरिवाम्बु वापीस्थम् ॥ १४९ ॥
kośairannamayādyaiḥ pañcabhirātmā na saṃvṛto bhāti |
nijaśaktisamutpannaiḥ śaivālapaṭalairivāmbu vāpīstham || 149 ||
149. Covered by the five sheaths – the material one and the rest – which are the products of Its own power, the Self ceases to appear, like the water of a tank by its accumulation of sedge.
Notes: The sheaths .—See note on Sloka 125.
They are called sheaths as they are coverings over the Atman which manifests Itself through them. From the Annamaya to the Anandamaya the sheaths are gradually finer and finer. Knowledge consists in going beyond them all by means of regulated practice and coming face to face, as it were, with the Atman.
तच्छैवालापनये सम्यक्सलिलं प्रतीयते शुद्धम् ।
तृष्णासन्तापहरं सद्यः सौख्यप्रदं परं पुंसः ॥ १५0 ॥
tacchaivālāpanaye samyaksalilaṃ pratīyate śuddham |
tṛṣṇāsantāpaharaṃ sadyaḥ saukhyapradaṃ paraṃ puṃsaḥ || 150 ||
150. On the removal of that sedge the perfectly pure water that allays the pangs of thirst and gives immediate joy, appears unobstructed before the man. 
Notes: The water is not something that is to be procured from anywhere else, it is already there; only the obstructions have to be removed, So in the case of Atman also.
पञ्चानामपि कोशानामपवादे विभात्ययं शुद्धः ।
नित्यानन्दैकरसः प्रत्यग्रूपः परः स्वयंज्योतिः ॥ १५१ ॥
pañcānāmapi kośānāmapavāde vibhātyayaṃ śuddhaḥ |
nityānandaikarasaḥ pratyagrūpaḥ paraḥ svayaṃjyotiḥ || 151 ||
151. When all the five sheaths have been eliminated, the Self of man appears – pure, of the essence of everlasting and unalloyed bliss, indwelling, supreme and self-effulgent.
Notes: Eliminated—Discriminated as being other than the Self.
Indwelling—dwelling within the heart of all.
आत्मानात्मविवेकः कर्तव्यो बन्धमुक्तये विदुषा ।
तेनैवानन्दी भवति स्वं विज्ञाय सच्चिदानन्दम् ॥ १५२ ॥
ātmānātmavivekaḥ kartavyo bandhamuktaye viduṣā |
tenaivānandī bhavati svaṃ vijñāya saccidānandam || 152 ||
152. To remove his bondage the wise man should discriminate between the Self and the  non-Self. By that alone he comes to know his own Self as Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute and becomes happy.
मुञ्जादिषीकामिव दृश्यवर्गात्
प्रत्यञ्चमात्मानमसङ्गमक्रियम् ।
विविच्य तत्र प्रविलाप्य सर्वं
तदात्मना तिष्ठति यः स मुक्तः ॥ १५३ ॥
muñjādiṣīkāmiva dṛśyavargāt
pratyañcamātmānamasaṅgamakriyam |
vivicya tatra pravilāpya sarvaṃ
tadātmanā tiṣṭhati yaḥ sa muktaḥ || 153 ||
153. He indeed is free who discriminates between all sense-objects and the indwelling, unattached and inactive Self – as one separates a stalk of grass from its enveloping sheath – and merging everything in It, remains in a state of identity with That.
Notes: All sense-objects—specially the body and its organs.
Inactive—the Witness of all activity
A stalk of grass .—Compare Katha Upanishad, II. iii. 17.
Merging .—Knowing that only the Atman manifests Itself through name and form.

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

Links
Sri Adi Sankaracharya’s Vivekachudamani – Commentary by Swami Chinmayananda
Transcript of Swami Paramarthananda’s classes on Vivekachudamani

Vivekachudamani – Verses 147-153 – Vivekachudamani Verses 147-153 – By Adi Sankaracharya – In Sanskrit with English Meaning, Transliteration, Translation, Commenary, Lyrics, Audio – Vivekachudamani-147-153