Vivekachudamani – Condemnation of the Ego – Verses 298-309   «   »

Vivekachudamani – Condemnation of the Ego – Verses 298-309   «   »

सन्त्यन्ये प्रतिबन्धाः पुंसः संसारहेतवो दृष्टाः ।
तेषामेवं मूलं प्रथमविकारो भवत्यहंकारः ॥ २९८ ॥
santyanye pratibandhāḥ puṃsaḥ saṃsārahetavo dṛṣṭāḥ |
teṣāmevaṃ mūlaṃ prathamavikāro bhavatyahaṃkāraḥ || 298 ||
298. Other obstacles are also observed to exist for men, which lead to transmigration. The root of them, for the above reasons, is the first modification of Nescience called egoism.
Notes: Other obstacles—such as desires etc.
For the above reasons—because but for Egoism, which is a product of nescience, there would not be any false identification, and therefore no serious trouble.
यावत्स्यात्स्वस्य संबन्धोऽहंकारेण दुरात्मना ।
तावन्न लेशमात्रापि मुक्तिवार्ता विलक्षणा ॥ २९९ ॥
yāvatsyātsvasya saṃbandho’haṃkāreṇa durātmanā |
tāvanna leśamātrāpi muktivārtā vilakṣaṇā || 299 ||
299. So long as one has any relation to this wicked ego, there should not be the least talk about Liberation, which is unique.
अहंकारग्रहान्मुक्तः स्वरूपमुपपद्यते ।
चन्द्रवद्विमलः पूर्णः सदानन्दः स्वयंप्रभः ॥ ३00 ॥
ahaṃkāragrahānmuktaḥ svarūpamupapadyate |
candravadvimalaḥ pūrṇaḥ sadānandaḥ svayaṃprabhaḥ || 300 ||
300. Freed from the clutches of egoism, as the moon from those of Rāhu, man attains to his real nature, and becomes pure, infinite, ever blissful and self-luminous. 
Notes: Graha in Sanskrit means both ‘planet’ and ‘seizure.’ The eclipses of the sun and moon are popularly ascribed by Hindu mythology to the periodical attacks by their enemy Rahu, a demon whom they prevented from drinking the nectar.
यो वा पुरे सोऽहमिति प्रतीतो
बुद्ध्या प्रकॢप्तस्तमसातिमूढया ।
तस्यैव निःशेषतया विनाशे
ब्रह्मात्मभावः प्रतिबन्धशून्यः ॥ ३0१ ॥
yo vā pure so’hamiti pratīto
buddhyā prakḷptastamasātimūḍhayā |
tasyaiva niḥśeṣatayā vināśe
brahmātmabhāvaḥ pratibandhaśūnyaḥ || 301 ||
301. That which has been created by the Buddhi extremely deluded by Nescience, and which is perceived in this body as ‘I am such and such’ – when that egoism is totally destroyed, one attains an unobstructed identity with Brahman.
Notes: I am such and such—I am strong or weak.
learned or ignorant, happy or miserable and so forth.
ब्रह्मानन्दनिधिर्महाबलवताहंकारघोराहिना
संवेष्ट्यात्मनि रक्ष्यते गुणमायाइश्चण्डेस्त्रिभिर्मस्तकैः ।
विज्ञानाख्यमहासिना श्रुतिमता विच्छिद्य शीर्षत्रयं
निर्मूल्याहिमिमं निधिं सुखकरं धीरोऽनुभोक्तुंक्षमः ॥ ३0२ ॥
brahmānandanidhirmahābalavatāhaṃkāraghorāhinā
saṃveṣṭyātmani rakṣyate guṇaMāyāiścaṇḍestribhirmastakaiḥ |
vijñānākhyamahāsinā śrutimatā vicchidya śīrṣatrayaṃ
nirmūlyāhimimaṃ nidhiṃ sukhakaraṃ dhīro’nubhoktuṃkṣamaḥ || 302 ||
302. The treasure of the Bliss of Brahman is coiled round by the mighty and dreadful serpent of egoism, and guarded for its own use by means of its three fierce hoods consisting of the three Guṇas. Only the wise man, destroying it by severing its three hoods with the great sword of realisation in accordance with the teachings of the Śrutis, can enjoy this treasure which confers bliss.
Notes: In this Sloka Egoism is compared to a threeheaded snake. Sattva, Rajas and Tamas—balance, activity and inertia—are spoken of as its three hoods. The way to destroy it is through Realisation. When Egoism is gone, one is conscious of his real nature as Brahman. The appropriateness of the metaphors is obvious.
यावद्वा यत्किंचिद्विषदोषस्फूर्तिरस्ति चेद्देहे ।
कथमारोग्याय भवेत्तद्वदहन्तापि योगिनो मुक्त्यै ॥ ३0३ ॥
yāvadvā yatkiṃcidviṣadoṣasphūrtirasti ceddehe |
kathamārogyāya bhavettadvadahantāpi yogino muktyai || 303 ||
303. As long as there is a trace of poisoning left in the body, how can one hope for recovery? Similar is the effect of egoism on the Yogi’s Liberation.
अहमोऽत्यन्तनिवृत्त्या तत्कृतनानाविकल्पसंहृत्या ।
प्रत्यक्तत्त्वविवेकादिदमहमस्मीति विन्दते तत्त्वम् ॥ ३0४ ॥
ahamo’tyantanivṛttyā tatkṛtanānāvikalpasaṃhṛtyā |
pratyaktattvavivekādidamahamasmīti vindate tattvam || 304 ||
304. Through the complete cessation of egoism, through the stoppage of the diverse mental waves due to it, and through the discrimination of the inner Reality, one realises that Reality as ‘I am This’.
Notes: Mental waves—such as doubt, wrong notion etc.
अहंकारे कर्तर्यहमिति मतिं मुञ्च सहसा
विकारात्मन्यात्मप्रतिफलजुषि स्वस्थितिमुषि ।
यदध्यासात्प्राप्ता जनिमृतिजरादुःखबहुला
प्रतीचश्चिन्मूर्तेस्तव सुखतनोः संसृतिरियम् ॥ ३0५ ॥
ahaṃkāre kartaryahamiti matiṃ muñca sahasā
vikārātmanyātmapratiphalajuṣi svasthitimuṣi |
yadadhyāsātprāptā janimṛtijarāduḥkhabahulā
pratīcaścinmūrtestava sukhatanoḥ saṃsṛtiriyam || 305 ||
305. Give up immediately thy identification with egoism, the agent, which is by its nature a modification, is endued with a reflection of the Self, and diverts one from being established in the Self – identifying thyself with which thou hast come by this relative existence, full of the miseries of birth, decay and death, though thou art the Witness, the Essence of Knowledge and Bliss Absolute.
Notes: Modification—of Nescience, and therefore non-permanent.
Endued etc.—This makes it look intelligent.
Relative existence—Samsára or transmigration.
सदैकरूपस्य चिदात्मनो विभोर्
आनन्दमूर्तेरनवद्यकीर्तेः ।
नैवान्यथा क्वाप्यविकारिणस्ते
विनाहमध्यासममुष्य संसृतिः ॥ ३0६ ॥
sadaikarūpasya cidātmano vibhor
ānandamūrteranavadyakīrteḥ |
naivānyathā kvāpyavikāriṇaste
vināhamadhyāsamamuṣya saṃsṛtiḥ || 306 ||
306. But for thy identification with that egoism there can never be any transmigration for thee who art immutable and eternally the same, the Knowledge Absolute, omnipresent, the Bliss Absolute, and of untarnished glory.
Notes: Untarnished glory—compare Swetâswatara Vi. 19.
तस्मादहंकारमिमं स्वशत्रुं
भोक्तुर्गले कण्टकवत्प्रतीतम् ।
विच्छिद्य विज्ञानमहासिना स्फुटं
भुङ्क्ष्वात्मसाम्राज्यसुखं यथेष्टम् ॥ ३0७ ॥
tasmādahaṃkāramimaṃ svaśatruṃ
bhokturgale kaṇṭakavatpratītam |
vicchidya vijñānamahāsinā sphuṭaṃ
bhuṅkṣvātmasāmrājyasukhaṃ yatheṣṭam || 307 ||
307. Therefore destroying this egoism, thy enemy – which appears like a thorn sticking in the throat of a man taking meal – with the great sword of realisation, enjoy directly and freely the bliss of thy own empire, the majesty of the Ātman.
Notes: Great sword—Mahâsi. The phrase, as it is, is applicable to only one side of the comparison, namely, ‘the enemy,’ but not to ‘the thorn,’ for which it should be interpreted to mean ‘a sharp knife.’
ततोऽहमादेर्विनिवर्त्य वृत्तिं
संत्यक्तरागः परमार्थलाभात् ।
तूष्णीं समास्स्वात्मसुखानुभूत्या
पूर्णात्मना ब्रह्मणि निर्विकल्पः ॥ ३0८ ॥
tato’hamādervinivartya vṛttiṃ
saṃtyaktarāgaḥ paramārthalābhāt |
tūṣṇīṃ samāssvātmasukhānubhūtyā
pūrṇātmanā brahmaṇi nirvikalpaḥ || 308 ||
308. Checking the activities of egoism etc., and giving up all attachment through the realisation of the Supreme Reality, be free from all duality through the enjoyment of the Bliss of Self, and remain quiet in Brahman, for thou hast attained thy infinite nature.
Notes: Egoism etc.—Egoism with its two forms, ‘I’ and ‘mine.’
समूलकृत्तोऽपि महानहं पुनः
व्युल्लेखितः स्याद्यदि चेतसा क्षणम् ।
संजीव्य विक्षेपशतं करोति
नभस्वता प्रावृषि वारिदो यथा ॥ ३0९ ॥
samūlakṛtto’pi mahānahaṃ punaḥ
vyullekhitaḥ syādyadi cetasā kṣaṇam |
saṃjīvya vikṣepaśataṃ karoti
nabhasvatā prāvṛṣi vārido yathā || 309 ||
309. Even though completely rooted out, this terrible egoism, if revolved in the mind even for a moment, returns to life and creates hundreds of mischiefs, like a cloud ushered in by the wind during the rainy season.

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 298-309 – Vivekachudamani Verses 298-309 – By Adi Sankaracharya – In Sanskrit with English Meaning, Transliteration, Translation, Commenary, Lyrics, Audio – Vivekachudamani-298-309