Vivekachudamani – Spiritual Growth – the Secret – Verses 339-348   «   »

Vivekachudamani – Spiritual Growth – the Secret – Verses 339-348   «   »

सर्वात्मना बन्धविमुक्तिहेतुः
सर्वात्मभावान्न परोऽस्ति कश्चित् ।
दृश्याग्रहे सत्युपपद्यतेऽसौ
सर्वात्मभावोऽस्य सदात्मनिष्ठया ॥ ३३९ ॥
sarvātmanā bandhavimuktihetuḥ
sarvātmabhāvānna paro’sti kaścit |
dṛśyāgrahe satyupapadyate’sau
sarvātmabhāvo’sya sadātmaniṣṭhayā || 339 ||
339. To realise the whole universe as the Self is the means of getting rid of bondage. There is nothing higher than identifying the universe with the Self. One realises this state by excluding the objective world through steadfastness in the eternal Ātman.
दृश्यस्याग्रहणं कथं नु घटते देहात्मना तिष्ठतो
बाह्यार्थानुभवप्रसक्तमनसस्तत्तत्क्रियां कुर्वतः ।
संन्यस्ताखिलधर्मकर्मविषयैर्नित्यात्मनिष्ठापरैः
तत्त्वज्ञैः करणीयमात्मनि सदानन्देच्छुभिर्यत्नतः ॥ ३४0 ॥
dṛśyasyāgrahaṇaṃ kathaṃ nu ghaṭate dehātmanā tiṣṭhato
bāhyārthānubhavaprasaktamanasastattatkriyāṃ kurvataḥ |
saṃnyastākhiladharmakarmaviṣayairnityātmaniṣṭhāparaiḥ
tattvajñaiḥ karaṇīyamātmani sadānandecchubhiryatnataḥ || 340 ||
340. How is the exclusion of the objective world possible for one who lives identified with the body, whose mind is attached to the perception of external objects, and who performs various acts for that end? This exclusion should be carefully practised by sages who have renounced all kinds of duties and actions and objects, who are passionately devoted to the eternal Ātman, and who wish to possess an undying bliss.
Notes: Duties—belonging to various stations in life. Actions—i.e. selfish actions. Objects— sense-objects.
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341. To the Sannyasin who has gone through the act of hearing, the Sruti passage, “Calm, self-controlled’1 etc., prescribes Samadhi, for his realisation of the universe as his own self.
Hearing—the truth from the lips of the Guru, after the prescribed manner.
“Calm, self-controlled" ÖY.—The reference is to Brihadaranvaka Upanishad I V. iv. 23.
सर्वात्मसिद्धये भिक्षोः कृतश्रवणकर्मणः ।
समाधिं विदधात्येषा शान्तो दान्त इति श्रुतिः ॥ ३४१ ॥
sarvātmasiddhaye bhikṣoḥ kṛtaśravaṇakarmaṇaḥ |
samādhiṃ vidadhātyeṣā śānto dānta iti śrutiḥ || 341 ||
341. To the Sannyasin who has gone through the act of hearing, the Shruti passage, ‘Calm, self-controlled.’ Etc., prescribes Samadhi for realising the identity of the universe with the Self.
आरूढशक्तेरहमो विनाशः
कर्तुन्न शक्य सहसापि पण्डितैः ।
ये निर्विकल्पाख्यसमाधिनिश्चलाः
तानन्तरानन्तभवा हि वासनाः ॥ ३४२ ॥
ārūḍhaśakterahamo vināśaḥ
kartunna śakya sahasāpi paṇḍitaiḥ |
ye nirvikalpākhyasamādhiniścalāḥ
tānantarānantabhavā hi vāsanāḥ || 342 ||
342. Even wise men cannot suddenly destroy egoism after it has once become strong, barring those who are perfectly calm through the Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Desires are verily the effect of innumerable births.
Notes: Nirvikalpa Samadhi—the highest kind of Samadhi in which all relative ideas are transcended and the Atman is realised as It is. The term has been already explained.
अहंबुद्ध्यैव मोहिन्या योजयित्वावृतेर्बलात् ।
विक्षेपशक्तिः पुरुषं विक्षेपयति तद्गुणैः ॥ ३४३ ॥
ahaṃbuddhyaiva mohinyā yojayitvāvṛterbalāt |
vikṣepaśaktiḥ puruṣaṃ vikṣepayati tadguṇaiḥ || 343 ||
343. The projecting power, through the aid of the veiling power, connects a man with the siren of an egoistic idea, and distracts him through the attributes of that.
विक्षेपशक्तिविजयो विषमो विधातुं
निःशेषमावरणशक्तिनिवृत्त्यभावे ।
दृग्दृश्ययोः स्फुटपयोजलवद्विभागे
नश्येत्तदावरणमात्मनि च स्वभावात्
निःसंशयेन भवति प्रतिबन्धशून्यो
विक्षेपणं नहिं तदा यदि चेन्मृषार्थे ॥ ३४४ ॥
vikṣepaśaktivijayo viṣamo vidhātuṃ
niḥśeṣamāvaraṇaśaktinivṛttyabhāve |
dṛgdṛśyayoḥ sphuṭapayojalavadvibhāge
naśyettadāvaraṇamātmani ca svabhāvāt
niḥsaṃśayena bhavati pratibandhaśūnyo
vikṣepaṇaṃ nahiṃ tadā yadi cenmṛṣārthe || 344 ||
344. It is extremely difficult to conquer the projecting power unless the veiling power is perfectly rooted out. And that covering over the Ātman naturally vanishes when the subject is perfectly distinguished from the objects, like milk from water. But the victory is undoubtedly (complete and) free from obstacles when there is no oscillation of the mind due to the unreal sense-objects.
सम्यग्विवेकः स्फुटबोधजन्यो
विभज्य दृग्दृश्यपदार्थतत्त्वम् ।
छिनत्ति मायाकृतमोहबन्धं
यस्माद्विमुक्तस्तु पुनर्न संसृतिः ॥ ३४५ ॥
samyagvivekaḥ sphuṭabodhajanyo
vibhajya dṛgdṛśyapadārthatattvam |
chinatti māyākṛtamohabandhaṃ
yasmādvimuktastu punarna saṃsṛtiḥ || 345 ||
345. Perfect discrimination brought on by direct realisation distinguishes the true nature of the subject from that of the object, and breaks the bond of delusion created by Māyā; and there is no more transmigration for one who has been freed from this.
परावरैकत्वविवेकवन्हिः
दहत्यविद्यागहनं ह्यशेषम् ।
किं स्यात्पुनः संसरणस्य बीजं
अद्वैतभावं समुपेयुषोऽस्य ॥ ३४६ ॥
parāvaraikatvavivekavanhiḥ
dahatyavidyāgahanaṃ hyaśeṣam |
kiṃ syātpunaḥ saṃsaraṇasya bījaṃ
advaitabhāvaṃ samupeyuṣo’sya || 346 ||
346. The knowledge of the identity of the Jiva and Brahman entirely consumes the impenetrable forest of Avidya or Nescience. For one who has realised the state of Oneness, is there any seed left for future transmigration?
आवरणस्य निवृत्तिर्भवति हि सम्यक्पदार्थदर्शनतः ।
मिथ्याज्ञानविनाशस्तद्विक्षेपजनितदुःखनिवृत्तिः ॥ ३४७ ॥
āvaraṇasya nivṛttirbhavati hi samyakpadārthadarśanataḥ |
mithyājñānavināśastadvikṣepajanitaduḥkhanivṛttiḥ || 347 ||
347. The veil that hides Truth vanishes only when the Reality is fully realised. (Thence follow) the destruction of false knowledge and the cessation of misery brought about by its distracting influence.
एतत्त्रितयं दृष्टं सम्यग्रज्जुस्वरूपविज्ञानात् ।
तस्माद्वस्तुसतत्त्वं ज्ञातव्यं बन्धमुक्तये विदुषा ॥ ३४८ ॥
etattritayaṃ dṛṣṭaṃ samyagrajjusvarūpavijñānāt |
tasmādvastusatattvaṃ jñātavyaṃ bandhamuktaye viduṣā || 348 ||
348. These three are observed in the case of a rope when its real nature is fully known. Therefore the wise man should know the real nature of things for the breaking of his bonds.

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 339-348 – Vivekachudamani Verses 339-348 – By Adi Sankaracharya – In Sanskrit with English Meaning, Transliteration, Translation, Commenary, Lyrics, Audio – Vivekachudamani-339-348