Vivekachudamani – That Thou Art – Explanation – Verses 241-249   «   »

Vivekachudamani – That Thou Art – Explanation – Verses 241-249   «   »

तत्त्वंपदाभ्यामभिधीयमानयोः
ब्रह्मात्मनोः शोधितयोर्यदीत्थम् ।
श्रुत्या तयोस्तत्त्वमसीति सम्यग्
एकत्वमेव प्रतिपाद्यते मुहुः ॥ २४१
अइक्यं तयोर्लक्षितयोर्न वाच्ययोः
निगद्यतेऽन्योन्यविरुद्धधर्मिणोः ।
खद्योतभान्वोरिव राजभृत्ययोः
कूपाम्बुराश्योः परमाणुमेर्वोः ॥ २४२ ॥
241-242. If thus the Śruti, in the dictum ‘Thou art That’ (Tat-Tvam-Asi), repeatedly establishes the absolute identity of Brahman (or Ishwara) and Jīva, denoted by the terms That (Tat) and thou (Tvam) respectively, divesting these terms of their relative associations, then it is the identity of their implied, not literal, meanings which is sought to be inculcated; for they are of contradictory attributes to each other – like the sun and a glow-worm, the king and a servant, the ocean and a well, or Mount Meru and an atom.
Notes: If thus the Sruti etc.—The reference is to the sixth Chapter of the Chhandogya Upanishad, where Uddâlaka Aruni tries to impress on hi s son, Svetaketu, the identity of Jiva and Brahman in various ways.
तयोर्विरोधोऽयमुपाधिकल्पितो
न वास्तवः कश्चिदुपाधिरेषः ।
ईशस्य माया महदादिकारणं
जीवस्य कार्यं शृणु पञ्चकोशम् ॥ २४३ ॥
tayorvirodho’yamupādhikalpito
na vāstavaḥ kaścidupādhireṣaḥ |
īśasya māyā mahadādikāraṇaṃ
jīvasya kāryaṃ śṛṇu pañcakośam || 243 ||
243. This contradiction between them is created by superimposition, and is not something real. This superimposition, in the case of Ishwara (the Lord), is Māyā or Nescience, which is the cause of Mahat and the rest, and in the case of the Jiva (the individual soul), listen – the five sheaths, which are the effects of Māyā, stand for it.
Notes: Mahat—See note on Sloka 123.
And the rest—the grosser manifestations that proceed from Mahat.
Five Sheaths— See note on Sloka 125.
एतावुपाधी परजीवयोस्तयोः
सम्यङ्निरासे न परो न जीवः ।
राज्यं नरेन्द्रस्य भटस्य खेटक्
तयोरपोहे न भटो न राजा ॥ २४४ ॥
etāvupādhī parajīvayostayoḥ
samyaṅnirāse na paro na jīvaḥ |
rājyaṃ narendrasya bhaṭasya kheṭak
tayorapohe na bhaṭo na rājā || 244 ||
244. These two are the superimpositions of Ishwara and the Jiva respectively, and when these are perfectly eliminated, there is neither Ishwara nor Jiva. A kingdom is the symbol of a king, and a shield of the soldier, and when these are taken away, there is neither king nor soldier.
Notes: Neither king nor soldier—he is only a man then. Similarly, if we lake away the omniscience omnipotence etc. from Isvara, and deficiencies of knowledge and power etc. from the Jiva, only Brahman remains as the substance of both.
अथात आदेश इति श्रुतिः स्वयं
निषेधति ब्रह्मणि कल्पितं द्वयम् ।
श्रुतिप्रमाणानुगृहीतबोधात्
तयोर्निरासः करणीय एव ॥ २४५ ॥
athāta ādeśa iti śrutiḥ svayaṃ
niṣedhati brahmaṇi kalpitaṃ dvayam |
śrutipramāṇānugṛhītabodhāt
tayornirāsaḥ karaṇīya eva || 245 ||
245. The Vedas themselves in the words ‘now then is the injunction’ etc., repudiate the duality imagined in Brahman. One must needs eliminate those two superimpositions by means of realisation supported by the authority of the Vedas.
Notes: The Vedas etc.—The reference is to the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad II. iii. 6.
नेदं नेदं कल्पितत्वान्न सत्यं
रज्जुदृष्टव्यालवत्स्वप्नवच्च ।
इत्थं दृश्यं साधुयुक्त्या व्यपोह्य
ज्ञेयः पश्चादेकभावस्तयोर्यः ॥ २४६ ॥
nedaṃ nedaṃ kalpitatvānna satyaṃ
rajjudṛṣṭavyālavatsvapnavacca |
itthaṃ dṛśyaṃ sādhuyuktyā vyapohya
jñeyaḥ paścādekabhāvastayoryaḥ || 246 ||
246. Neither this gross nor this subtle universe (is the Ātman). Being imagined, they are not real – like the snake seen in the rope, and like dreams. Perfectly eliminating the objective world in this way by means of reasoning, one should next realise the oneness that underlies Ishwara and the Jiva.
ततस्तु तौ लक्षणया सुलक्ष्यौ
तयोरखण्डैकरसत्वसिद्धये ।
नालं जहत्या न तथाजहत्या
किन्तूभयार्थात्मिकयैव भाव्यम् ॥ २४७ ॥
tatastu tau lakṣaṇayā sulakṣyau
tayorakhaṇḍaikarasatvasiddhaye |
nālaṃ jahatyā na tathājahatyā
kintūbhayārthātmikayaiva bhāvyam || 247 ||
247. Hence those two terms (Ishwara and Jīva) must be carefully considered through their implied meanings, so that their absolute identity may be established. Neither the method of total rejection nor that of complete retention will do. One must reason out through the process which combines the two.
Notes: There are three kinds of Lakshaná or implied meaning. The Jahati, the Ajahati and the Bhâga Lakshaná. The first is that in which one of the terms has to give up its primary meaning. For example, the phrase “gaṃgāyāṃ ghoṣaḥ” does not mean that a village of cowherds is in the Ganges, but on the Ganges. The second kind is that in which the primary meaning is retained but something is sup-
plied to make it clear, as the sentence means a white (horse) is running.” In the third kind of Lakshnâ each of the terms lias to give up a part of its connotation, see the next Sloka.
स देवदत्तोऽयमितीह चैकता
विरुद्धधर्मांशमपास्य कथ्यते ।
यथा तथा तत्त्वमसीतिवाक्ये
विरुद्धधर्मानुभयत्र हित्वा ॥ २४८ ॥
संलक्ष्य चिन्मात्रतया सदात्मनोः
अखण्डभावः परिचीयते बुधैः ।
एवं महावाक्यशतेन कथ्यते
ब्रह्मात्मनोरैक्यमखण्डभावः ॥ २४९ ॥
248-249. Just as in the sentence, ‘This is that Devadatta’, the identity is spoken of, eliminating the contradictory portions, so in the sentence ‘Thou art That’, the wise man must give up the contradictory elements on both sides and recognise the identity of Ishwara and Jīva, noticing carefully the essence of both, which is Chit, Knowledge Absolute. Thus hundreds of scriptural texts inculcate the oneness and identity of Brahman and Jīva.
Notes: Contradictory portions—Such as the differences of time and place etc.

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 241-249 – Vivekachudamani Verses 241-249 – By Adi Sankaracharya – In Sanskrit with English Meaning, Transliteration, Translation, Commenary, Lyrics, Audio – Vivekachudamani-241-249