Vivekachudamani of Sri Sankaracharya_Text with english translation notes and an index

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VIVEKA - CHUDAMANI OF

SRI

SANKARACHARYA

HKEHY

N

iRARY I

OF ^LffORNIA/ VERSITY

I

\

Himalayan

Scries So.

XL!II.

VIYEKAGHUDAMANI OF

SRI

SANKARACHARYA

Text with English Translation, Notes and an Index,

BY

SWAMI MADHAVANANDA.

.;.^. A

•

THE ADVAITA A5HRAMA, MAYAVATI, Dt. Almora, Himalayas.

1921 All righlb received,

j

[

i'lice Rs. T>vo,

Published by

Swaml Madhavaoaada, Presldeatf

Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati.

Printed by at the

Mohan

Lai Sah Chowdhary

Prabuddha Bharata

Press,

Dt. Almora.

Mayavati,

b

133

S39I/53

nil FOREWORD Scarcely any introductiou

needed for

is

a book that professes to be, as 'Crest-jewel of Discrimination

masterpiece

on

Advaita

cardinal tenet of which

is:

'

its

title-7~

— shows, a

V^edanta,

Wp

^

the

"if^^fi^^^JT

'Brahman alone is real, tlie unreal and the individual soul

Sftfr ar|r^ ^TTT^:—

universe

is

no other than the Universal Soul.' Being an original production of Sankara's genius, the book combines with a searching analysis of our experience an authoritativencss and a depth of sincerity that at once carry conviction into the heart of its readers. The whole book is instinct with the prophetic vision of a Seer, a is

man too,

new

of Realisation, is

so lucid

life

bones

and the expression,

and poetical that quite a

has been breathed into the dry

of

philosophical

discussion,

and

on the most abstruse subject ever known. that,

too,

In preparing this edition, which reprint in book -form

r.

803

ti

om

is

a

the Piabuddh'i

[

Bhaiata,

the

ii

]

translator

gratefully

ac-

knowledges his indebtedness to the admirable Sanskrit commentary of Swami Kesavacharya of the Munimandal, Kan-

which along with the Hindi translation wonld be highly useful to those who want a fuller knowledge of this book. khal,

For

facility of reference

an Index has

been added, and the book, it is hoped, will in its present form be a vade-mecum to. all

students of Advaita: Philosophy^

M.

ViVekAchudAmani. ^^%?TfriftT^rf?rnr^'f ?m'TT^':fl[ •v,

i

r^

bow to Govinda, whose nature is Bliss Supreme, who is the Sadguru, who can be known only from the import of all Vedanta, and who is beyond the reach of speech and I.

I

mind. ['Viveka' means

and

crest, *

*

Man

i,"

Hence

jewel.

Crest-jewel of discrimination.'

on the

crest of a

diadem

is

the

masterpiece

'

the

'

Just as the jewel

most conspicuous

ornament on a person's body, treatise is a

Chuda is title means

discrimination,

so

the

among works

present

treating

of

discrimination between the Real and the unreal. In

opening stanza salutation

this

God

(

Govinda), or to the Guru,

may be

in

made

is

his

to

absolute

aspect.

It

name

Guru was Govindapada, and the ingeniously composed so as to admit of

Sloka

note

interesting to

that

the

of Sankara's is

both interpretations. Sadgiirii

may

—

lit.

the highly qualified preceptor,

refer either to Sankara's

Himself,

who

is

the

Guru

own Guru

of Gurus.

or to

]

A

and

God

VIVEKACHUDAMAWI

2

bemgs a huma?!!i birth is di& so is- a ma^ie body,, cult to obtain, more rarer thai5 that is Brahmmhood, rarer still is 2.

Foff all

the attaGhment! to

tfee

path of ¥edic religion

;

higher than

eruditioft in the Scriptures

;

thiis is

discrimination between the Self

and notSelf, Realisation, and co-ntia'oing in a state o£ identity with Brahm^n^ these come next ini to be order. ( This kind of ) Mukts m not

—

attained

except

throisgh

the

weU-earnecS

merits of a hundred crore of births,

There are three things whkh are ra? e in^ deed and are d»e to the grace of God namely^ 3.

a

human

—

birth^ the longjng

for

Liberation^

and the protecting care of a perfected sage,

The man who having by some mear^ obtained a human birth, with a male body 4.

'

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

foolish

verily

the

of

mastery

and

Vcdas

3-

boot,

to

is

enough not to exert for self-liberation, commits suicide, for he kills himself by

clinging to things unreal.

5.

What

man who and

a

greater

fool

is

there

having obtained a rare

body

masculine

human body, neglects

too,

achieve the real end of this life. Liberation. [ The real end &c.—v\z.

^^ 6. fice

than the

]

*r^^ ^^^-

'inmiir

Let people quote scriptures and to the gods, let

worship the

deities, there is

Lifetime &c.

One day

of

—

i.

Brahma

e., (

an

sacri-

rituals

and

no Liberation

for

them perform

anyone without the realisation of one's with the Atman, no, not even in the of a hundred Brahmas put together. [

to

identity lifetime

indefinite length of time.

the Creator

is

)

equivalent to

432 million years of human computation, which supposed to be the duration of the world. ] *^

^Tfar m^T^t

^cT

TfT

g%t^^ ^z

„.

?m:

iivsii

is

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

4 7.

There

means of

no hope of Immortah'ty by

is

riches

— such indeed

tion of the Vedas.

Hence

it is

the declara-

is

clear that

works

cannot be the cause of Liberation.

[The

reference

is

to Yajnavalkya's

wife Maitreyi, Brihadaranyaka Il.iv.

dictum,

2.

words to his Cf. the

Vedic

^ ^T{w T srsrarviT^^r ^»r%% ^^^dr^ ^rr^ir:—

'Neither by rituals, nor progeny, nor by riches, but

some

by- renunciation alone

8.

strive

Therefore the best

his

nounced

for

man

attained immortality. }

of learning should

Liberation,

having

re-

from external objects, duly approaching a good and generous preceptor, and fixing his mind on the truth his desire for pleasures

inculcated by him.

—

Duly e. according to the prescribed mode. (Vide Mundaka I. ii. 12). The characteristics of a qualified Guru are given later on in sloka 33. ] [

i.

^rnT^5"c^^TOT^

^T^75;:S;i[{^g?Tr

115.11

Having attained the Yogarudha state, one should recover oneself, immersed in the sea of birth and death, by means of devotion 9.

to right discrimination.

— VIVEKACHUDAMANI [

Vogdrudha

'''When one

state

— Described

nor to actions, and has given up

he

is

Yogdrudha or

said to be

the Yoga-path."

^^cTT

Gita VI.

in

attached neither to

is

5

all

4.

sense-objects desires, then

have ascended

to

]

qft^lw^Rm^mn ^^1%^:

II? oil

Let the wise and erudite man, having

10.

commenced the practice of the reah'sation the Atman, give up all works and try

of to

cut loose the bonds of birth and death. S^All

works

— only Sakdma-Karma or works

formed with a view

ment

gaining

more sense-enjoy-

are meant, not selfless work.

''

*i(il"

Work

mind, not

The

to

is

for

for

per-

]

^^

the purification

of the

the perception of the reality.

Truth discrimination and not realisation of

brought about by

is

in

the least

by ten

millions of acts. r -s

[The idea

mind

of

C itself. ]

its

vX

is,

that

works properly done cleanse the

impurities, /when

the Truth flashes of

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

f By

adequate reasoning the convicti©n of the reality about the rope is gained, which puts an end to the great fear and misery 12.

caused by the snake worked up in the deluded

mind. Reality of the rope

[

not a snake, for which

The

13.

— it

i.

e. that it

is

was mistaken.

a rope and ]

conviction of the Truth

proceed from reasoning upon the

is

seen to salutary

counsel of the wise, and not by bathing in sacred

the

waters,

nor by

gifts,

nor

by

hundreds of Pranayamas, \_The wise

14.

—men of

15.

the

and time, place and such other

are but auxiliaries in this regard.

[The stanzas

]

Success depends essentially on a quali-

fied aspirant,

means

realisation.

qualifications 1

will

be

enumerated

in

6 and 17.]

Hence

Atman

the seeker after the Reality of

should take to reasoning, after

VIVEKACHUDAMANI approaching the Guru

dtjly

7

—who

should be

the best of the kiKJwers of Brahman, aod an

ocean of inercy„

16.

The

intelligent

and

man

learned

skilled in arguing in favour of the Scriptures

and

refutirjg

the

fit

—one who

-counter-arguments against them, has got the above characteristics is of the knowledge

recipient

of the

Atman.

17.

The man of

discrimination

the Real and the unreal, whose

away from and the

the unreal,

allied

Liberation,

is

who

virtues,

is

turned

possesses calmness

and

Is

longing

for

alone co«sidered qualified to

inquire after

Brahman.

^ ^c^^

^ftcgr ^T^^r%

18.

mind

between

Regarding

this,

n %3?ri%

M?^il

sages have spoken of

means of attainment, which alone being present, the devotion to Brahman succeeds, and ia the absence of which, it fails. four

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

8

enumerated the discrimination between the Real and the unreal, next comes the aversion to the enjoyment of fruits ( of one's actions ) here and hereafter, ( next is ) the group of six attributes, viz., calmness and the rest, and ( last ) is clearly the yearning 19.

i

*2_

J t^

First

is

for Liberation.

Sim

^^ ^nr%^$^^^qt f%R^^:

20

A

firm conviction of the

effect that

Brahman

unreal,

designated

is

is

(Viveka) between the

real

as real

I

mind

to the

and the universe the

discrimination

and the

unreal.

Vairagya or renunciation is the desire to give up all transitory enjoyments (ranging) from those of an ( animate ) body to those of Brahmahood, ( having already known their defects ) from o bservat ion, instruction and so 21.

forth.

[From

those

,Brahmdhoed.'^'^i2,\imi

is

the

VIVEKACHUDAMANI highest beinjr in the

The

seeker after

scale

of

Freedom has

9

relative

to

existence.

transcend this

undetained by enjoyments implying subjectobject relation, and realise his Self as Existencescale,

Knowledge-Bliss Absolute.

Having already known etc.— ^i^^ST^xiirf^f^J may *' (the giving up being effected) also be rendered as, through all the enjoying organs and faculties." ]

f^?:^^ fir^^afmif[^^^=5TT

22.

The

resting of the

5151*

i

mind steadfastly

on its Goal ( viz. Brahman ) after having detached itselfCfrom the manifold of senseobjects by continually observing their defects, is

called

Sama

or c almne ss.

Turning both kinds of sense-organs away from sense-objects and placing them in 23.

their

respective

self-control.

The

drawal consists to act [

centres

in

is

called

Dama

or

Uparati or self-withthe mind-function ceasing

best

by means of external

objects.

Bofh kinds of organs— \\z.

knoNvledge and those of action.

]

The

organs oi

LV^

--

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

10

24.

The

bearing of

all

afflictions

without

them, being free ( at the same time ) from anxiety or lament on their score, is called Titiksha or forbearance. caring

to redress

Acceptance by firm judgment of the mind as true of what the scriptures and the Guru instruct, is called by the sages Sraddha 25.

>-^

or

by means of which the Reality

faith,

is

perceived.

—

Acceptance by firin judgment etc. Not to be confused with what is generally called blind accep[

tance.

The whole mind must

state of

assured reliance on the truth of instruc-

attain to that perfect

tions received, without

which a whole-hearted, one-

pointed

those

possible.

V

26.

( in

practice

of

instructions

not

is

]

Not the mere indulgence of thought

cujjosity

)

of the intellect

but the constant concentration (

or the affirming faculty

)

ou

VIVEKACHUDAMANI what

the ever-pure

Brahman

Saraadhdna or

self-settledness.

is

^7j called

is

Not the mere indulgence etc-^hat is, not the mere intellectual or philosophical satisfaction in thinking of or studying the Truth. jj The intellect [

must be sought

to

be

activity of concentration

27.

Mumukshuta

r esolve d

the

into

on the Truth.

or yearning

higher

]

for

freedom

the desire to free oneself, by realising one's true nature, from all bondages from that of is

egoism to that of the body,— bondages superimposed by Ignorance.

5y^5f 3d: 28.

Even though

yearning

Guru,

means (

for

may ),

^^% ^«i:

torpid or

ii^'==ii

mediocre, this

freedom, through the grace of the bear fruit ( being developed ) by

of Vairagya

calmness

29.

^5!f sTf ;8rT

and so

(

renunciation

),

Sama

on.

In his case verily whose renunciation

and yearning

for

freedom are intense, calm-

!

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

I?

ness and the other practices have their

meaning and bear

Where

(

really

)

fruit.

however ) this renunciation and yearning for freedom are torpid, there calmness and the other practices are as mere 30.

(

appearances, like water in a desert [

any

Mere

appeaf-ances

^ox

e.

they

are without

like

the

mirage any

i.

without burning renunciation and desire

Freedom, the other practices may be swept

for

by a strong impulse

^\\

—

and may vanish

stability

time,

etc.

of fg^ or

off

some strong bhnd

J

attachment.

] )

^N

31.

Among things conducive to

Devotion (Bhakti place.

»^,

Liberation,

alone holds the supreme

)

The seeking

after one's real

nature

is

designated as Devotion. [

The seeking

etc.

Advaita standpoint.

—This

definition

is

from the

who substitute Isvara, the Atman or Supreme Self

Dualists

Supreme Lord, for immanent in being, of course define Bhakti otherwise. For example, Narada defines it as gr ^^r%^

the

—

M^MMH^TT " It is of to some Being," and

the nature of extreme

Sandilya, another

love

authority

VIVEKAOnUDAMANI

13

m

on the subject, puts it as qTT^^FFO^— " extreme attachment to Isvara, ihe Lord." reflection

it

will

appear that there

is

not

It

is

On

much

dif-

ference between the definitions of the two schools.]

Others maintain that the inquiry into

32-.

own

the truth of one's

The who

Self

inquirer about the truth

is

Devotion.

Atman

of the

above-mentioned means of attainment should approach a wise possessed

is

preceptor,

bondage

who

of

the

confers

emancipation

;

Truth of one's own self ^c.

[

putting the

statement of the

we

another way, for

are

the

—This

is

Atman

—

Ahove-vie7itioned

i.

e. in

simply

Sloka in

previous

in

though ignorance has veiled the truth from

•^

from

reality,

us.

Slokas 19 and 31.

]

rv

33.

Who

is

versed in the Vedas, sinless,

unsmitten by desire and a knower of Brahman par excellence,

^

who has withdrawn

himself

into Brahman,(^calm, like fire that has con-

sumed

its

fueMwho

is

a boundless reservoir of

—

— VIVEKACHUDAMANI

14

mercy that knows no reason, and a friend of all good people who prostrate themselves before him ;

{Fire.....fuel.

of

mergence

in

— Cf. Svetasvatara, VI.

19.

Srutis.

is

state

Brahman, and( the perfect cessa-

tion of all activity of the relative plane

The Sloka

The

is

meant.^

an adaptation of the language of

]

34.

Worshipping that Guru with devotion,

and approaching him, when he is pleased with prostration, humility and service, (he) should ask him what he has got to know :

3$.

O

Master,

O

friend of those that

to thee, thou ocean of mercy,

save me, fallen as

I

am

I

bow

into this

bow

to thee

;

sea of birth

and death, with a straightforward glance of nectar-like grace thine eye, which sheds supreme. [

The

expression,

abounding

characteristically Oriental. plain. ]

in

hyperbole,

The meaning

is

is

quite

J

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

I

Save me from death, afflicted as I am by the unquenchable fire of this world-forest^ and shaken violently by the winds of ai> untoward lot, terrified and ( so ) seeking refuge in thee, for I do not know of any other man 36.

with [

whom

to seek shelter.

&c.

Forest-fire

—The

commonly compared

world

to a wilderness

(

Samsdra

on

fire.

)

\%

The

physical and mental torments are referred to.

Untoward

— the aggregate of bad deeds

lot

in one's past incarnations,

of the present

which bring on the

done evils

life. ]

There are good souls, calm and magnanimous, who do good to others as does the spring, and who having themselves crossed this dreadful ocean of birth and death, help others also to cross the same, without any 37.

motive whatsoever.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

l6

[

Do good

spring

heart's bounty, as the

—

i.

e.

unasked, out of their

spring infuses

new

life

into

animate and inanimate nature, unobserved and unThe next Sloka follows up the idea. ] sought.

sT^rrnTcTHm^RT It

38.

mous

to

the

tarily

ll^^ll

the very nature of the magnani-

move

removing is

is

f^m Rf^

of their

own accord towards

others' troubles.

moon who,

Here, for instance,

everybody knows, volunsaves the earth parched by the flaming as

rays of the sun.

HiTR?5:T:^T3^RT^T^Ir: g^?T§[r^^5aTi^>=F;l:

O

'jl':

^^fr^t^-

^Rf^^^W^T'5^: ^=^^

I

with

thy nectar-like speech, sweetened by the enjoyment of the 39.

Lord,

elixir-like bliss of

Brahman, pure, cooling

to a degree, issuing in streams

from thy

from a pitcher, and delightful to the ear, do thou sprinkle me who am tormented by worldly afflictions as by the

lips as

—

— VIVEKACHUDAMANI tongues of a

on

forest-fire.

17

Blessed are those

whom

even a passing glance of thine eye lights, accepting them as thine own. [

Stripped of metaphor the Sloka would

Take

on

pity

world and •s

me and

me

the

way ont

of

rv

How

"^

•

to cross this

ocean of phe-

nomenal existence, what is to be my fate, and which of the means should I adopt: Condescend as to these I know nothing. to save me, O Lord, and describe at length how to put an end to the misery of this relative existence. [

Which of the means'.

often conflicting

which

41.

am

I to

Among

means prescribed

adopt

?

the various in the

and

Shastras,

]

As he thus speaks, tormented by

the afflictions of the world

— which

is

B

:

this

its afflictions. ]

*

40.

teach

mean

like

iS

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

a forest on

fire

—and

tion, the saint eyes

seeking his protec--

him with

a

glance

softened with pity and spontaneously bidj.

him

give up

all fear,

To him who has sought

42.

tection, thirsting for liberation,

obeys the injunctions of

who

is

his pr De-

who

duly

the scriptures,,

mind, and endowed (to such a one) the sage

of a pacified

v/ith calmness,

—

proceeds to inculcate the truth

out

of

sheer grace: [

L

This verse

ii.

is

an adaptation of Mundaka

13.

To him who &€. he

is

ITT

Upa.

— The

a qualified aspirant.

^^ f^t^^^

43.

Fear not,

no death

adjectives

imply that

]

?rr^^TT^'.

O

for thee;

learned one, there

is

means

of

there

is

a

crossing this sea of relative existence that ;

;

VIVE'KACHUDAMANI

19

very way by which sages have gone beyond it, I

shall inculcate to thee.

There is a sovereign means which puts an end to the fear of relative existence through that thou wilt cross the sea of Samsara and attain bliss supreme. 44.

Reasoning on the meaning of the Vedanta leads to efficient knowledge, which immediately followed by the total is annihilation of the misery born of relative 45.

existence. [

Efficient

—the

hiowledge

highest

which consists of the realisation of the the individual soul with

46.

Brahman.

—these

identity

of

Yoga

of

]

Faith, devotion and the

meditation

knowledge,

are mentioned by

the

Sruti as the immediate factors of Libera'tion

VlVEKACmJDAMANI

20

whoever abides these, gets Liberation from the bondage the body, which is the conjuring in the case of a seeker;

in of of

Ignorance. [

The

reference

is

to Kaivalya

Upanishad i. 2. Bhakti. These have

— Shraddha, Devotion— Slokas 25 and been defined the Bondage of the body — Faith

in

31, 32.

i.

the Self with the body, which

Ignorance or Avidya.

identification of

e.

is

solely

due

to

]

through the touch of Ignorance that thou who art the Supreme Self, findest thyself under the bondage of non-Self, whence alone proceeds the round The 'fire of knowlof births and deaths. edge, kindled by the discrimination between these two, burns up the effects of Ignorance together with their root. 47.

It

48.

The

listen,

is

verily

disciple said;

Condescend to

Master, to the question

I

am

!

VIVEKACHUDAMANI putting (to thee)

;

I

shall

l)e

2*1

gratified to

hear a reply to the same from thy

lips.

Bondage, forsooth? How has it c^ne (upon the Self) ? How does it continue to exist? How is one free^ from it? Who is this non-Self? And who is the Supreme Self? And how can one discriminate between them? Do tell me about all these. 49.

What

is

—

50.

thou!

The Guru replied: Blessed art Thou hast achieved thy life's end

and hast

sanctified thy family,

wishest to attain free

Brahmanhood by

from the bondage

51.

A

of

him from

getting

Ignorance

and debts, but he

father has got his

others to free

that thou

his

sons

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

22

got none but himself to remove his bondage.

l;as

[

In this and the next few Slokas the necessity

of direct realisation

means

of

52.

is

emphasised

removing Ignorance.

The

as

the only

]

trouble such as that caused by

on the head can be removed by others, but none but one's own self can put a stop to the pain which is caused by hunger and the like. a load

53. diet

The patient who

and medicine

completely,

— not

is

takes (the proper)

alone seen to recover

through work done by

others.

54.

known

The

true nature of things

is

to be

personally^ through the eye of clear

illumination,

and not through

what the moon exactly

is, is

a

to be

sage:

known

VIVEKACKUDAMANI

know

hi SI

own

one's

•with

can

others

own

self

make

it?

Who

55.

eyes;

23

but one's

can get

bondage caused by the fetters of Ignorance, desire, action and the like, aye, even in a hundred crore of cycles? rid of the

[

of our

JgnoraJise

Self leads to desire, actio?i,

real

which

in

nature as the blissful its

turn impels us to

entailing countless sufferings.

Cycle

— Kalpa, the entire duration of the evolved See note on Sloka

universe.

6. ]

Vv

56.

nor

.by

Neither by Yoga, nor by Sankhya, work, nor by learning., but by the

realisation of one's

identity

with Brah-

man

possible,

and by no

Liberation

is

ether means. [

None

bring

of these,

practised mecliankaUy, will

—the absolute —which alone,

knowledge of the }iva and Brahman

on the

identity

if

highest

according to Advaita Vedanta,

is

the

supreme way

to liberation. *

Yoga may mean Hathayoga which s^engthens '

die body.

According

to the

Sankhya philosophy

liberation

»

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

24

achieved by the discrimination botween Parnsha

is

and and

The Purusha

Frakriti.

activity

all

belongs

is

to

sentient but inactive, Frakriti,

which

is

The

non-sentient, yet independent of the Purusha.

Sankh.yas also believe in a plurality of Purushas,

These are the main differences betvyeen Sankhya and Vedanta philosophies.

Work

heaven and so

to \y^

V J/L.

— Work for material ends,

Compare

forth, is

Svetasvatara Upa. III. 8.

The beauty

57.

the

skill

such as getting

meant.

alone one transcends death, there

is

—

its

*

Seeing

no other

of a guitar's

playing on

of

the

Him

way.']

form and

chords

serve

merely to please same persons, they do not suffice to

confer sovereignty.

Loud speech consisting

58.

of a

shower

words, the skill in expounding Scriptures and Kkewise erudition these merely bring, of

—

on a

schol'ar [

enjoyment to the but are no good for Liberation. personal

little

Book-learning to the exclusion of realisation

is-

deprecated in this and the following Slokas.

Loud speech. according to

— Speech

its

is

divided into four kinds

degree of subtlety.

Vaikhari

is.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI the lowest class,

and represents

Hence, dabbling

59.

articulate speech.

mere terminology

in

The study

of Scriptures

as long as the highest

25

Truth

is

is

meant.]

is

unknown,

and it is equally useless when the Truth has already been known. [

Prior to realisation,

useless

high^est

mere book-learning with-

and Renunciation is useless cannot give us Freedom, and to the man of

out Discrimination as

it

realisation,

is all

it

achieved his

life's

the

end. •

60.

The

more

so, as

he has already

]

rv

Scriptures consisting of

many

words are a dense forest which causes the mind to ramble merely. Hence the man of wisdom should earnestly set about knowing the true nature of the Self.

For one who has been bitten by the serpent of Ignorance the only remedy is the knowledge of Bra'hman; of what avail are the Vedas and Scriptures, Mantras and medicines to such a one ? 61.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

26

62.

A

disease does not leave

simply utter the without taking

name it;

of

off

if

one

the medicine,

without

(similarly)

direct realisation one cannot be liberated

by the mere utterance

of the

word Brah-

man.

Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the 63.

truth- of (the self,

how

is

one to achieve

by the mere utterance of the word Brahman?—-it would result merely in an effort of speech. liberation

[

Without causing... vanish.

— By

realising one's

Brahman, the one without a second^ in Samadhi, one becomes the pure Chit (knowledge absolute), and the duality of subject and object vanishes altogether. Short of this, ignorance which identity with

f

i

is

the cause of

64.

all evil is

Without

not destroyed.

]

killing one's enemies,

and

possessing oneself of the splendour of the entire surrounding region one cannot claim

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

2/

to be an emperor by merely saying,

'I

am

an emperor.'

65.

As

knower

of

a treasure hidden

underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and such other things lying above it and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the Self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a

Brahman, followed by reflexion, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted argumentations. [

Nikshepah

idea

is

—something remaining hidden.

—one must undergo the necessary

66.

The

practice.]

Therefore the wise should, as in

the case of disease and the like, personally

by all the means in their power te be free from the bondage of repeated births and deaths. strive

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

23

g;5r5fT^r ^'jsr^rt ^Tct^^t;^

67.

to-day

The question is

excellent,

gg^nr:

\K^\\

that you have asked

approved

by

those

versed in the Shastras, aphoristic, preg-

nant with meaning and

fit

to be

known by

the seekers after Liberation. Aphoristic

[

68.

—

and

terse

pithy.]

Listen attentively,

O

what I am going to say. to it you shall be instantly bondage of Samsara.

to

69.

The

first

learned one,

By free

listening

from the

step to Liberation

is

the

extreme aversion to all perishable things, then follow calmness, self-control, forbearance, and the utter relinquishment of all [

work enjoined

in the Scriptures.

Aversion, calmness ^/r.— These four have been

definecf in

Slokas 20—24..

Cf.

Srmi— HTF^ ^RT

— VIVEKAGHU'DAMANI All work

all

:

work done with

good ones prescribed

the that

are evil

own

nature.

— which

moti-ve,

including

in the Shastras

and those

men do prompted by

their

]

Then come

70.

29

hearing, reflection on

and long, constant and unbroken meditation, for the Muni. After that the learned one attains the supreme Nirvikalpa state and realises the bliss of Nirvana even that,

in this [

life.

Compare

Bri.

— Meditation — Hearing

Upa.

of the

II. iv. 5.

Truth from the

lips of the

mind

the flowing of the

Guru.

one un-

in

broken stream towards one object.

—the man of Nirvikalpa — Mjmi

state

there fall

no

is

and the aspirant -

reflection.

that state of the

distinction

mental

the

mind

in

which

between subject and object

activiti es is

^

are held in

suspension,/

one with his Atman.)

s uperco nscious _state,

bej^ond

all

relatjvity,

It is

a

which

\

can \)Q/elt by the fortunate seeker, but cannot be

j

described in words.) of

it

is

that

it

Consciousness. '

blown

out,' is

is

The utmost inexpressible

Nirvana,

another

which

name

that can Bliss,

and Pure

literally

for this.

]

be said

means

*

—

—

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

30

Now

am

going to tell you fully about what you ought to know the discrimination between the Self and non-Self. 71.

I

—

Listen to

it

and decide about

it

in your

mind.

72.

Composed

,

of the

seven ingredients

marrow, bones, fat, flesh, blood, skin, and cuticle, and consisting of the following limbs and their parts legs., thighs the chest, arms, the back, and the head viz.,

—

»\

73.

abode

rs

rs

rv_»

•

—This

body,

reputed to be

of the infatuation of

'

I

the

and mine,'

designated by sages as the gross body. The sky, air, fire, water and earth are

is

subtle elements. [

The

sky^ air etc,

They

—These

are the

materials out

VIVEKACHUDAMANr

JC

of which the gross

body has been formed. have got two slates, one subtle and the other

They gross.]

Being united with parts of one another and becoming gross (they) form 74.

And

the gross body.

—

their subtle essences

form sense-objects the groups of five such as sound and the rest which conduce to the

happiness of the experiencer, the

individual soul.

—

Being united ^c, The process is as follows Each of the five elements is divided into two parts, one of the two halves is further divided into four [

parts.

Then each

gross

the union of one-half of

:

element itself

is

formed by

with one-eighth of

each of the other four. Subtle essences

Form

— Tanmdtrds. — by being

sense-ohjects

received

by the

sense-organs.

Soimd and and

—

ike

r^j/— sound, touch, smell,

taste

sight.

Happiness &c. misery also. ]

— Happiness includes

its

opposite,

!

V'lVEKACHUDAMANI

32

iRmf?cT fsrqr?^^ ^f'S^5E^^^f^^ ^^5r #r&T: 75.

Those

fools

who

llvsv^ll

are tied to these

sense-objects by the stout cord of attach-

ment, so very difficult to snap, come and depart, up and down, carried amain by the powerful emissary of one's own action. and depart &c. Become sabject [ Come

—

t>irth

to

and death and assume various bodies from

those of angels to those of brutes, according t© the merits of their work.

—

Powerful emissary &c. Just as culprit seizing things not belonging to him is put in fetters and sentenced by the royal affair in various ways, so the Jiva, oblivious of his real

attachment to sense-object kinds of misery.

^c^rf^nr:

76.

is

nature, through his

subjected to various

]

q^w:^ q^

The

deer, the elephant, the

the fish and the black-bee

—these

moth,'

five

have

one or other of the five senses viz., sound etc., through their own attachment. What then is in store for died, being tied to

man who

attached to

these five The word guna [ Their own attachment the text means both a rope and a tendency.' is

all

*

:

*

'

*

in

'

]

— VIVEKACHUDAMAM

33

r r-

11

.

Sense-objects are

more

virulent in

their evil effects than the poison of the

cobra even. Poison kills one who takes it, but those others kill one vvho even looks at them through the eyes. \Looksat them

eyes.

—The

mention of the

only typical, and implies the other sense-organs also contact with the external world eyes here

is

;

by any organ,

^

o;^ 78.

fetters

is

intended.

]

3^^ g^^ ^T?^: ^^T^^fk He who

from the the hankering for the

of

is

free

llvs'^^ll

terrible

sense-

objects so very difficult to get rid of,

alone

fit

for liberation,

and none

even though he be versed in

all

is

else.

the six

Shastras. [

Six Shastras.

— The

philosophy are meant.

six

schools

Indian

of

Mere book-learning

with-

out ^h^Jieart^sj^earning for emancipationywill net

produce any

effect.

]

c

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

34

Those seekers after liberation wlicfhave got only an apparent dispassiont (Vairagya) and are trying to cross the ocean of Samsara (relative existence), the 79.

shark of hankering catches by the throat and violently snatching away drowns-them. half-way. Snatching away

[

]nana.

— from the pursuit of Brahma-

]

He who

has killed the shark known, as sense-object with the sword of mature dispassion, crosses the ocean of Sanlsa;:aj, 80.

from

free [

all

Dispassion

obstacles.

—Vairagya.

]

rv r-

the

Know that death quickly overtakes^ stupid man who walks along the dread-

ful

ways

81

who

.

of

sense-pleasure, whereas one

accordance with the instructions of a well-wishing and worthy vt^alks

in

Guru, as also his his

end—know

own

reasoning, achieyas.

this to be true.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

82.

If

35

indeed thou hast a craving for

shun sense-objects from a good distance as thou wouldst do poison and always cultivate carefully the nectar-like virtues of contentment, compassion, forliberation

giveness,

and

straight-forwardness,

calmness

self-control.

83.

Whoever

leaves aside

always be attempted,

viz.,

what should

the emancipa-

tion from the

bondage of Ignorance without beginning, and passionately seeks to nourish this body which is an object for others to enjoy commits suicide thereby.

—

—

For othtrs to enjoy : to be eaten perchance by dogs ^nd jackals after death. ] [

8j4-.

Whoever seeks

to realise the

Self

— ^

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

36

by devoting himself to the nourishment the body, proceeds to cross a

of

by

river

catching hold of a crocodile, mistaking

it

for a log.

85.

So

for a seeker after liberation the

infatuation over things like the body

is

a

He who

has thoroughly conquered this deserves the state of freedom.

dire death.

Infatuation.

[

body

etc. are

—That

mine.

I

am

the

body or

that the

]

^ rar^T g^T'jft ^w^ crm^wt- ^^^ ^5:r ii^e Conquer the infatuation over things like the body, one's wife and children, conquering which the sages reach that Supreme State of Vishnu. of Vishnu. — From Rig- Veda, [ Supreme State 86.

1.

Xxii.

20-2I.

This gross body

87. for

it

is

to be deprecated

consists of the skin, flesh, blo®d,

arteries

and

J

and veins,

full of

fat,

marrow and bones

other offensive things.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI ^

*s

•s

^^^rTY^ ^^^: ^^^q*:

This gross body

88.

3/

is

'j^^i^WT

I

produced by

one's past actions out of the gross ele-

ments subdividing and combining with the other four, and is the medium of experience for the soul. That is its waking state in which it perceives gross objects. [

Subdividing

Sloka 74.

etc.

—Paiichikarana

see

note

on

]

Identifying

89.

:

itself

with this form the

though separate, enjoys gross objects, such as garlands and sandalpaste etc., by means of the external organs. Hence this body has its fullest play in the waking state. individual soul,

nrT%

\^t ^^ ^TS^f^^f^: Know

II6.0H

body to be like a house to the householder, on which rests man's entire dealing with the external 90.

world.

this gross

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

38

decay and death are the various characteristics of the gross body, Birth,

91.

as also stoutness etc.

;

childhood

conditions;

different

it

has got various

restrictions regarding caste life;

it

is

etc. are its

and order

subject to various diseases,

of

and

meets with different kinds of treatment, such as worship, insult and high honours. Caste

charya

—Brahmana

etc.

92.

&c.

The

help us to action,

life

—Brahma-

]

ears,

tongue are organs organs,

Order of

skin, of

cognise

eyes,

knowledge, for they objects;

hands, legs etc.

owing

are

the

fV

vocal

organs

to their tendency for *S

and

nose

of

work.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

93 is

— 94.

called

39

The inner organ (Antahkarana) Manas, Biiddhi, Ego or Chitta,

^.ccording to their respective functionvS

:

the Manas, from its considering the pros and cons of a thing; the Biiddhi, from its property of determining the truth of objects;

the Ego,

from

its

identification

with this body as one's own self; and the •Chitta, from its function of seeking for pleasurable objects.

The same Prana becomes Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana and Saniana accord95.

ing to

tlaeir

diversity

of

functions

and

modifications, like gold and water etc. [Like gold

etc.

—Just as the same gold

ornaments,

into

various

form

of foam, waves, etc.]

is

fashioned

and as water takes the

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

40

The

organs of action such as speech etc., the five organs of knowledge beginning with the ear, the group of five Pranas, Btiddhi and the rest, together with Nescience, desire and action these eight 96.

five

—

'cities'

make up what

is

called the

subtle

body. j

Nescience &'c.

— See note on Sloka

55,

]

rs

Listen,

97. also

—this

Linga body,

elements

before

is

subtle

body, called

produced out

their

of the

subdividing

and

combining with each other, is possessed, of desires and causes the soul to experience the fruits of less

its

actions. It

is

a beginning-

superimposition on the soul brought

on by

its

own "K •^

ignorance.

4I

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI

98

—99.

Dream

is

a state of the soul

from the waking state, where it shines by itself. In dreams Biiddhi, by takes on the role of the agent and itself the like, owing to various desires of the distinct

,

while the Supreme At man with Buddhi as shines in its own glory, its only superimposition, the witness of everything, and is not touched by the least

waking

state,

—

work that the Buddhi wholly- unattacli,ed,

any work that

its

does.

As

is

it

not touched by superimpositions niay it

is

perform.

[Buddhi— here *'

stands for the Antahkarana

— the

inner organ " or mind.

By z/jf^— independently Takes

OTi

of the objective world.

the role fe-V.— The

Atman

is

the

one

and whatever Buddhi does does borrowing the light ot the Atman. ]

intelligent principle,

^r^^ir^^fif^ c[^5iT§i^WK?iT

it

^^^'^#s^^ H

42

vivekachuDamani

,

This subtle body is the instrument for all activity oi the Atman, who is Knowledge Absolute like the adze and other tools of a carpenter. Therefore this Atman is perfectly unattached. 100.

,

101.

Blindness, weakness, and sharpness

are conditions of the eye, due to

or defectiveness

and

dumbness

forth,

—but

merely; etc.

never

so are deafness

of the of

its fitness

the

ear

and so

Atman, the

Knower.

102.

Inhalation and exhalation, yawn-

ing, sneezing, secretion,

and leaving

this

body etc. are called by experts functions of Prana and the rest, while hunger and thirst are characteristics of

Prana proper.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

43

The inner organ (mind) has

103.

its

seat in the organs such as the eye etc., as well as in the body, identifying itself with

them and endued with a At man.

jeflection

of:

the

Egoism which, identifying itself with the "body, becomes the doer or enjoyer and in conjunction with the Gtmas such as the Sattva, assumes the three different states.

Know

104.

[Gunas

that

it

is

—the three component factors of

Prakriti.

Different jZ/z/^j-— those of waking etc.]

When

105. able

it

the sense-objects are favoiir-

becomes So contrary.

becomes happy, and

miserable

when

the case

is

it

happiness and misery are the characteristics the ever-blissful of egoism, and not of

Atman.

106.

Sense-objects are pleasurable only

VIYEKACHUDAMANI

44

on the Atman manifesting through them, and not independently, because the Atman is by its very nature the most beloved of all. Therefore the Atman is ever blissful, and never suffers misery. as dependent

[

Vide Bri. Upa.

wife Maitreyi.

107.

— Yajnavalkya's teachings

]

That

in profound

of sense-objects,

is

we

sleep

ex-

Atman independent

perience the bliss of

clearly attested

by Sruti,

and inference.

direct perception, tradition,

— Chhandogya, Brihad^ranyaka, and other Upanishads. Jagrail — a plural

[

to his

Sruti

Kausi-

taki

verb.

is

]

Avidya (Nescience) or Ma}^^ called also the Undifferentiated, is the power of 108.

Lord.

the is

It

made up

of

without

is

the

three

Gunas

superior to the effects (as

She

is

to

be inferred by

intellect only

from the

beginning,

effects

and

is

their cause)

one of

.

clear

She produces.

;

VIVEKAGHUDAMANI It

is

She who brings forth

universe. [

The

45 this

whole

#

Undifferentiated

— the

balanced

perfectly

stale of the three

Gunas, where there

is

no mani-

fested universe.

When

is

disturbed,

balance

this

then evolution begins.

Power of

the

Lord.

— This

Vedantic conception of

Maya from

view of Prakriti which they the

same time independent.

§he

distinguishes

the

Sankhya insentient and at

call

the

]

nor nonexistent nor partaking of both characters neither same nor different nor both neither composed of parts nor an indivisible whole nor both She is most wonderftd and cannot be described in 109.

neither existent

is

;

—

;

w^ords. rv

V

This Maya can be destroyed by the realisation of the pure Brahman, the 110.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

46

one without a second, just as the mistaken idea of a snake is removed by the discrimination of the rope. She has Jier Gunas known as Rajas, Tanias and Sattva,

named

1J.1.

after their respective iunctions.

Rajas has

projecting power of

an.

its

which and

activity,

Vikshepa-Shakti or is

of the nature

from,

which

this

primeval flow of activity has emanated. From this also, the mentalmodifications such as attachment and the rest and gtief a,nd the like are continually produced. [

Vikshepa-shakii—th2it

power which

at

once

new form when once the real nature of a thing has been veiled by the dvarana-shakti, rhen-

projects a

tioned later in Sloka 113,

Primeval flow

etc.—\,

alternately evolving state. Cf.

Gita xv.

e.

the

phenomenal world,

and going back

4.]

into an involved

,

VIVEKACHUDAMANI 112.

Lust,

aii^er,

O^J

arrogance

avarice,

—

egoism, envy and jealousy etc. these are the dire attributes of Rajas, from which spite,

this worlflly

tendency

Therefore Rajas

113,

power

^z'rzV?

of

is

man

produced. a cause of bondage. of

is

or the veiling power

Tamas which makes

is

the

things

ap.-

what they are. It is this that causes man's repeated transmigrations, and starts the action of the projectpear other thaa

ing power (Vikshepa) •^

r^

ST^r^mR