Vivekachudamani – Total Vigilance – Its Price – Verses 320-329   «   »

Vivekachudamani – Total Vigilance – Its Price – Verses 320-329   «   »

दृश्यं प्रतीतं प्रविलापयन्सन्
सन्मात्रमानन्दघनं विभावयन् ।
समाहितः सन्बहिरन्तरं वा
कालं नयेथाः सति कर्मबन्धे ॥ ३२0 ॥
dṛśyaṃ pratītaṃ pravilāpayansan
sanmātramānandaghanaṃ vibhāvayan |
samāhitaḥ sanbahirantaraṃ vā
kālaṃ nayethāḥ sati karmabandhe || 320 ||
320. Causing the external and internal universe, which are now perceived, to vanish, and meditating on the Reality, the Bliss Embodied, one should pass one’s time watchfully, if there be any residue of Prārabdha work left.
Notes: External and internal universes—the worlds of matter and thought. The former exists outside of man, whereas the latter he himself creates by the power of thought.
Causing……to vanish—through the eliminating
process, ‘Neti, Neti—Brahman is not this, not this, etc.
प्रमादो ब्रह्मनिष्ठायां न कर्तव्यः कदाचन ।
प्रमादो मृत्युरित्याह भगवान्ब्रह्मणः सुतः ॥ ३२१ ॥
pramādo brahmaniṣṭhāyāṃ na kartavyaḥ kadācana |
pramādo mṛtyurityāha bhagavānbrahmaṇaḥ sutaḥ || 321 ||
321. One should never be careless in one’s steadfastness to Brahman. Bhagavan Sanatkumāra, who is Brahma’s son, has called inadvertence to be death itself.
Notes: Sanatkumara .—In the celebrated Sanatsujâta-Samváda (chapters 40-45, Udyoga Parva, Mahabharata)—the conversation between Sanatkumara and King Dhritarâshtra—there occur words like the following—“pramādaṃ vai mṛtyumahaṃ bravīmi”—“I call inadvertence itself as death,” .
Brahmâ’s son—and therefore a high authority on spiritual matters.
न प्रमादादनर्थोऽन्यो ज्ञानिनः स्वस्वरूपतः ।
ततो मोहस्ततोऽहंधीस्ततो बन्धस्ततो व्यथा ॥ ३२२ ॥
na pramādādanartho’nyo jñāninaḥ svasvarūpataḥ |
tato mohastato’haṃdhīstato bandhastato vyathā || 322 ||
322. There is no greater danger for the Jñānin than carelessness about his own real nature. From this comes delusion, thence egoism, this is followed by bondage, and then comes misery.
विषयाभिमुखं दृष्ट्वा विद्वांसमपि विस्मृतिः ।
विक्षेपयति धीदोषैर्योषा जारमिव प्रियम् ॥ ३२३ ॥
viṣayābhimukhaṃ dṛṣṭvā vidvāṃsamapi vismṛtiḥ |
vikṣepayati dhīdoṣairyoṣā jāramiva priyam || 323 ||
323. Finding even a wise man hankering after the sense-objects, oblivion torments him through the evil propensities of the Buddhi, as a woman does her doting paramour.
Notes: The memory of his sweetheart haunts the man and he is miserable.
यथापकृष्टं शैवालं क्षणमात्रं न तिष्ठति ।
आवृणोति तथा माया प्राज्ञं वापि पराङ्मुखम् ॥ ३२४ ॥
yathāpakṛṣṭaṃ śaivālaṃ kṣaṇamātraṃ na tiṣṭhati |
āvṛṇoti tathā māyā prājñaṃ vāpi parāṅmukham || 324 ||
324. As sedge, even if removed, does not stay away for a moment, but covers the water again, so Māyā or Nescience also covers even a wise man, if he is averse to meditation on the Self.
Notes: The sedge has to be prevented from closing in by means of a bamboo or some other thing. Meditation also is necessary to keep Nescience-away.
लक्ष्यच्युतं चेद्यदि चित्तमीषद्
बहिर्मुखं सन्निपतेत्ततस्ततः ।
प्रमादतः प्रच्युतकेलिकन्दुकः
सोपानपङ्क्तौ पतितो यथा तथा ॥ ३२५ ॥
lakṣyacyutaṃ cedyadi cittamīṣad
bahirmukhaṃ sannipatettatastataḥ |
pramādataḥ pracyutakelikandukaḥ
sopānapaṅktau patito yathā tathā || 325 ||
325. If the mind ever so slightly strays from the Ideal and becomes outgoing, then it goes down and down, just as a play-ball inadvertently dropped on the staircase bounds down from one step to another.
Notes: Ideal—Brahman. Cf. Mundaka II. ii. 3-4.
What a terrible and graphic warning to happy-go-lucky aspirants!
विषयेष्वाविशच्चेतः संकल्पयति तद्गुणान् ।
सम्यक्संकल्पनात्कामः कामात्पुंसः प्रवर्तनम् ॥ ३२६ ॥
viṣayeṣvāviśaccetaḥ saṃkalpayati tadguṇān |
samyaksaṃkalpanātkāmaḥ kāmātpuṃsaḥ pravartanam || 326 ||
326. The mind that is attached to the sense-objects reflects on their qualities; from mature reflection arises desire, and after desiring a man sets about having that thing.
Notes: An echo of Gita, II. 62-63.
अतः प्रमादान्न परोऽस्ति मृत्युः
विवेकिनो ब्रह्मविदः समाधौ ।
समाहितः सिद्धिमुपैति सम्यक्
समाहितात्मा भव सावधानः ॥ ३२७ ॥
ataḥ pramādānna paro’sti mṛtyuḥ
vivekino brahmavidaḥ samādhau |
samāhitaḥ siddhimupaiti samyak
samāhitātmā bhava sāvadhānaḥ || 327 ||
327. Hence to the discriminating knower of Brahman there is no worse death than  inadvertence with regard to concentration. But the man who is concentrated attains complete success. (Therefore) carefully concentrate thy mind (on Brahman).
ततः स्वरूपविभ्रंशो विभ्रष्टस्तु पतत्यधः ।
पतितस्य विना नाशं पुनर्नारोह ईक्ष्यते ॥ ३२८ ॥
tataḥ svarūpavibhraṃśo vibhraṣṭastu patatyadhaḥ |
patitasya vinā nāśaṃ punarnāroha īkṣyate || 328 ||
328. Through inadvertence a man deviates from his real nature, and the man who has thus deviated falls. The fallen man comes to ruin, and is scarcely seen to rise again.
संकल्पं वर्जयेत्तस्मात्सर्वानर्थस्य कारणम् ।
जीवतो यस्य कैवल्यं विदेहे स च केवलः
यत्किंचित्पश्यतो भेदं भयं ब्रूते यजुःश्रुतिः ॥ ३२९ ॥
saṃkalpaṃ varjayettasmātsarvānarthasya kāraṇam |
jīvato yasya kaivalyaṃ videhe sa ca kevalaḥ
yatkiṃcitpaśyato bhedaṃ bhayaṃ brūte yajuḥśrutiḥ || 329 ||
329. Therefore one should give up reflecting on the sense-objects, which is the root of all mischief. He who is completely aloof even while living, is alone aloof after the dissolution of the body. The Yajur-Veda declares that there is fear for one who sees the least bit of distinction.

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 320-329 – Vivekachudamani Verses 320-329 – By Adi Sankaracharya – In Sanskrit with English Meaning, Transliteration, Translation, Commenary, Lyrics, Audio – Vivekachudamani-320-329