1 Crown Jewel of Sagacity Adi Shankara's Viveka Chudamani

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Crown Jewel of Sagacity Adi Shankara’s Viveka Chudamani Exegesis of Some Slokas Dr V.V.B. Rama Rao I Vivekachudamani was composed by Shree Shankaracharya and is considered a sublime text and scripture dealing with the essence of advaita, non-dualism or monistic philosophy. It is difficult to say as to when this was composed and by which Shankaracharya. Adi Shankara was born, according to recent research in our country (we need not go by British historians and certainly not by oriental scholars like Max Mueller, the German), in the year 509 B.C. at Kaladi in today's Kerala. Shankaracharya is the position of the pontiffs at the four peethas in different parts of our country established by Adi Shankara. The hoary text that goes as a dialogue between the preceptor and the guru explains the basic concepts of a very important system of belief. While translating Shankara Bhagavatpaada's Vivekachudamani into Tamil (eventually included in the complete works of Sri Ramana Maharshi) Sri Ramana of Tiruvannamalai mentioned the need for translations. The sacred seer knew about many commentaries. He noted that though there are many seekers intent upon realizing the Bliss of Liberation, mukti, they do not have the scholarship for studying them. The bulk of Indic scriptures and sacred texts are in classical Sanskrit. To bring these into easy access, there have been umpteen renderings of these highly venerable texts in almost all Indian languages. Not merely rendering but even abridgements are not uncommon. Conveying the basic import is found to be essential. Viveka is a technical term in advaita philosophy and has no single word translation- equivalent in English. It is basically a sense of enlightened sense of proportion. It involves the faculty of distinguishing and even classifying things according to their features, qualities and properties. It involves knowledge, judgement and wisdom. It refers to sagacity, judiciousness, discrimination and discretion in matters relating to the realm of the spirituality. It is a true understanding of sat and asat, terms which are basic to the understanding of Reality. Very recently there has been a very slim and selective rendering of Vivekachudamani by Professor Vedula Subrahmanya Sastry, formerly Head of the Dept of Telugu of Andhra University. Another singular contribution of Professor Vedula is a short glossary of Vedantic terms in Teligu with brief explanations and succinct elucidation of very seminal concepts. For those who know English the following explanations of important terms may be of some immediate practical use. A great scholar both in Telugu and the language of the sacred text, Sanskrit, Professor Vedula Subrahmanya Sastry, rendered the essence of Shree Shankara's teaching in it in simple Telugu for the enthusiasts of spiritual enlightenment. Mine is an attempt to put across a rough and ready rendering of that book for readers in English. Any lapses in the rendering are mine and I owe a deep debt of gratitude to the revered Professor for his large-hearted assent to this, my little project.

An Ardent Prayer sarvavedanta siddhanta gocharam tamagocharam govindam paramanandam sadgurum pranatosmyaham 1 Salute I Govinda, the preceptor par excellence, the one with the form of paramananda, the One not seen by the sense organs and the One manifest in the theory of Advaita, which can be called the essence of all Vedanta. jantoonaam narajanma durlabhamatah punsthvam tato vipratha tasmatdvaidika dharma marga parathaa vidvatvamsmatparam atmaanaatma vivechanam swanubhavo brahmatmana sansthithi muktirno shatakoti janma sukruthai punyairvina labhyate 2 Among the millions of living beings, it is very rare to be born as a human being. In that, to be born as a male, into a family belonging to the order of the dutiful brahmins is more difficult and rare. Even among them being one interested and dedicated to Vedic dharma and being learned, being able to discriminate between Atman and Unatman, getting realised to experience the Atman, and being a resident in the feeling of 'I am Brahman' are increasingly difficult and surely rare. This would come by only owing to the merit (punya) acquired over some crores of births by getting liberation from the bonds of Sansara. In birth even as a Brahmin, it is not easy to get the desire for liberation from Sansara. Service to Guru, the preceptor is hard to come by. These can be obtained only from the grace of God. Being born as a Brahmin, accomplished in Vedic lore and learning, if one does not make a sincere effort to be liberated from the bonds of Sansara, surely he is Ajnaani, one unknowing and ignorant. He would be considered as one who has killed himself. There could never be a more ignorant man than the one thinks that this very rare birth is only to experience worldly things and the comforts offered by the senses and the sense organs. One can be very learned. One may offer worship to many deities, perform pious deeds. But all those are of no avail. Liberation from Sansara is possible only when through Jnaana one experiences Brahman. In no other way is salvation possible in any number of births. Shruti, Veda, says clearly that in no other way is liberation possible. Kartavya What is to be done. One learned in Shastras and Vedas should try for salvation. One should give up all pleasures and comforts that the senses may provide. One should take refuge at the feet of the Guru, the preceptor. Then one should bear in mind and act meticulously as taught by the Guru. The sadhaka, aspirant, should keep his chitta vrittis, the wanderings and wavings of his mind firmly under control. He should be committed seriously to attain selfrealization. Though in the ocean of Sansara he should uplift himself. (Glossary of important Vedantic terms for understanding)

Glossary of Vedantic Terms

Ajnaana is to think that there could be a thing which is not Brahman. It is ajanaana to think that the body is ‘me’; that the external, visible world is true and everlasting: to see the serpent in the rope. The ‘knowingness’, or jnaana is to realize tattwa jnaanaardha, attaining metaphysical understanding. Adhikaari: Adhikaara is power or authority that comes from one’s qualifications, abilities or deserts, having qualities of deserving. Adhikaari is the one who has adhikaara. He who has scholarship, who is an intellectual with the ability to look within and see atma, the self, and the one who can discriminate between appearance and reality having richness of saadhana chatushthaya is adhikaari (See anubandha chatushthayam below) Adhishthaanam: It is the thing that causes bhranti, illusion owing to ajnaana. This is what the world is to parabrahma. In rope-serpent illusion this is the rope for the serpent. Aadhyaasa: Attributing in a thing some thing that is not there really. The senses, praana, life force, manas, myness, ahamkaara, comforts, the five elements and the five sheaths, pancha koshas and the entire universe down to the body which are non-self or anaatma are supposed to be the person. Anirvachaneeyam: That which cannot be described either as sat or asat. This is caused by bhranti or illusion. If it is sat like Brahman, it does not have pain. If asat it is not seen. As such brahman is anirvachaneeya. The kid of a barren woman is not seen. It is bhranti, illusion. Anubandha chatushthayam: 1) Capacity to discriminate between nitya and anitya, eternal and non-eternal 2) renunciation of fruit here in this world 3) the six qualities like shama, dama, etc., and 4) mumukshatwam, quality of yearning for liberation. These are the four essential qualities or items of equipment for attaining liberation which is called mokshapraapti. Annamayakosham: The Physical Sheath. The gross body, sthoola sareera is born of anna, sustained by it and dies without it. The body has five koshas, and this is one. Avashtaatrayam: the three states of jagrat (wakefulness), swapna (dream) and sushupti (deep sleep) Avidya: the power of parameshwar, Supreme Being, a compound of three gunas, attributes of sattwa, rajas and tamasaavyaktam: this is avidya itself, called maya also. This is having the three gunas or attributes. This is the causal body for the atman. Ashtha paashaas: Eight bonds: daya, lajja, bhayam, shanka, jugupsa, kulam, sheelam, jaati. These are: compassion, sense of shame, fear, doubt, disgust, caste, character and race, respectively. Ashthavasuvulu: avidya, kamam, karma, and the five elements Earth, Water, Light, Air, Sky. Kamam is desire, karma is action. Avidya is already explained. Asat: That which is not found anywhere in all the three worlds: the horn of a hare and the son of a barren woman. Ahamkaara: the affection for “I” and ‘me’; the sense of ‘myness’. This is the basic bondage or shackle in samsara. This is called ‘egosense’ or ‘myness’ also. Antahkarana: Roughly, the inner sense of discretion. Manas, buddhi, chittam and ahamkaram are called the foursome of antahkaranachatushthayam Aakaasham: One of the five elements. It is pure, flawless, of all pervading quality. This is given as example of the atman. According to the context ghatakash and patakaash are understood: sky in the pot etc. Atman: ever wandering, that which experiences the fruit of action. It is the absolute reality. It is used to signify jeeva and manas also. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says it is the one which is

worthy to be seen, known, worth contemplating and worth retaining. The Upanishads say that it is pure, pristine, without action and without limbs or organs. Anandamya kosha: This is a sheath where there is the reflection of the micro quality of bliss. This affection results when something dear is enjoyed. The meritorious, punyatmas, experience this by merely having the body. Avaranashakti: This is the quality of tamoguna which covers a thing. This is the basis for a man to have samsara.shrams: brahmacharya (celibate), grihastha (family, house holder) vaanaprastha (old age) and samnyasa (ascetic) Idriyas: (memory to the atman) five jnaanendriyas and five karmendriyas, senses and sense organs. Eshwar: The one who has maya as means, upadhi, stationed in all beings. With maya he dictates and disciplines all while being above maya. Uparati: keeping chittavritti firmly under control without allowing it to stray into vishayas or external things or Maya Upadhi: base. For Eshwar maya is the base. For jeevi the five koshas like annamaya kosha are the base. Oormis: waves The waves in the ocean of samsara: those relating to praana are hunger and thirst, to the manas griefs and enticements; to deha, the body birth and death. These six are shadoormis. Karma is the activity of the senses. This is of three types: sanchita, praarabda and aagaami. Sanchita is experiencing the fruit of actions, which has been brought forward from the previous birth; prarabda is experiencing the fruit of actions in this birth and aagaami is experiencing the fruit of actions performed in this birth in the birth to come. There is another division: nitya, naimittika, kaamya, nishiddha karmas. What is to be done every day is nitya karma; that which is done for a purpose is naimittika and that which done with a desire is kaamya and that which is prohibited by the scriptures is nishiddha karma. In yet another division they are of three types: maanasika, vaachika and kaayika, performed with the mind, the speech and the body. Karmendriyas, legs, anus, genital are the five used in speech; taking and giving; walking; excretion and procreation. Kaarana sareera: Prakriti with three attributes (tri gunas) becomes kaarana sareera for the atman. its sthiti, being or existence, is the state of deep sleep, sushupti. Kootastha: koota is an implement on which a goldsmith flattens gold into a thin leaf. It is stable and unmoving. The person who remains unmoved like that is a kootastha. Koshas: the sheaths like praanamayakosha etc. They are five as explained earlier. Chittam: That which signifies, conveys, makes known. It makes known sabda sparsa rasa roopa gandha to be experienced by the subject. Chidaabhaasa: Chit is chaitanya, consciousness. Paramaatama, the Supreme Being. Aabhaas is image. Chidaabhaas is the chaitanya that is reflected in the chitta. This is the Jeeva. Jhadajahallakshana: When the meaning of the word used does not strictly refer to the purported thing. Devadaata seen somewhere at some other time can be recognized as Devadatta in a different place at a different time with the application of jahadajahallakshnana. The Supreme Being is omniscient. Jeeva is limited in knowingness. If the respective qualities are removed, ignored, and if only chaitanya is reckoned, the condition of (advaita) monism – non duality is arrived at. Jeeva, that is Jeevaatma, is equated with Paramatma. Jnaana: knowingness, coupled with discrimination and wisdom. Jaagradavastha: State of wakefulness

Jignyaasa: The desire to know is jignyaasa. Jeevanmukta: The one liberated while alive. Steeped in the conviction that jeevatama and paramatma are one, when chittavritti, the goings about of chitta are minimal, the condition is called prajna. The one with that prajna is jeevanmukta. The purport, meaning, is that while being alive the one who is free from the bonds of samsara is a jeevanmukta. With avarana, covering, destroyed, he lives with prarabda alone with equanimity. Jeevatma: Jeevudu is called jeevatma also. He is anaadi, without beginning, ahamkari, steeped in ego-sense, and goes on carrying out acts. He acts according to his past vasanas, tendencies. He experiences the fruit of his deeds, good and evil. Jnaanendriya: Senses which take in sabda, roopa, sparsa, rasa, gandha. These are the skin, eye, ear, tongue and nose. Tat twam asi: This is mahavakya, a grand declaration from Chandogyopanishad. Tat is ‘paramatma’, twam is ‘you’ asi is ‘are’. That thou art. The meaning is that jeeva is paramatma and the two are not different at all. Tamoguna: This is the attribute of darkness. This engenders produces, moha, enticement, evil attraction. Taapa-s; Taapa is feeling of severe heat. These are of three types: adhyaatmika, adibhautika and adhidaivika: The grief of the manas owing to attractions/enticements is adhyatmika; the grief accruing from serpents, tigers, etc is adibhautikam; the grief accruing from fire, thunderbolt or excessive rain etc is adhidaivikam. Titiksha: Patience, tolerance, the absence of any thought of revenge and the fortitude to bear insult or harm constitutes titiksha. Triputi: The knower, the thing to be known and knowingness together are triputi. There is another tripuiti too: the seer, the seen and the scene Damam: The restraint of the external senses by keeping the senses in their places without allowing them to stray about in various vishayas, things that attract. Drishyam: The scene which is seen. The sthoola deham and the world around are all seen and form a scene. According to shastra, all that is liable to be destroyed. Dhyanam: To divert and concentrate all the movements of chitta as a stream towards the goal - the Supreme Being. Nityaanityavastuvivekam: It is certain that Brahman is nitya and jagat is mithya. This is viveka, discrimination or sense of judgement. Nidhidhyaasanam: This is akin to dhyanam and akin to nirvikalpa samadhi. Nirvikalpa samaadhi; Keeping the manas unwaveringly on the paramatma after restraining the occupations of the senses is nirvikalpasamadhi, It demands the cultivation of equanimity in the mind and thus in the self. Parabrahmam: This is one: Truth, Jnanam. It is limitless and endless. This is also called paramatma. Puryashthakam: 1. Karmendriyas – five sense organs; 2. jnanendriyas , sense pereceptions – five; 3. vaayus like praana etc.–five; 4. mahabhootas, five elements like the Earth 5. antahkaran,– mano, buddhi, chitta and ahamkara; 6. avidya compound of the three gunas. 7. kaama, desire and 8. karma, action. All these comprise sookshma sareera. Pancha kosha-s: Five sheaths: annamaya, praanamaya, manomaya, vijnaanamaya and anandamaya. These are different from atman and are called anatman. Pancha bhoota-s: Five elements: Earth, Water, Light, Air, Sky, bhoomi, apas, tejas.vaayu and aakasha. Pancheekaranam: Uniting into five. Each element joins all the others to make a mahaaboota, mega element. The elements thus divided go to form the sthoola sareera, the gross body.

Prajna: Immersed in the feeling that jeeva and eswar are one and the same and restraining the manas from straying according to the pulls of the chitta is prajna. Pratyayam: Pratyayam means jnaana, knowingness. Pratyagaatma: That which enters every body. This means paramatma and jeeva. Praagabhaavam: The state of not being. The state of the pot before it becomes pot is its pragbhava. Praanamaya kosham: Vital Sheath. Praana conjoined with the five sense organs, karmendriyas, is pranamayakosha. Filled with this the annamaya kosha goes about in all actions. This is anatman, non-atman. Prana-s: Praana is only one. In view of its operating in various parts of the body it is of various types of vaayu: prana, apaana, vyaana, udaana and samaana. Bandham: Obtaining the feeling of atman in anatma, non-atman, like the body. Bandham: is the feeling that “I” is the body. This feeling/belief creates the troubles of birth and death. Buddhi: Conjoining with matter, this creates the knowledge of matter. Brahman: That which grows, expands. Bhakti: The best instrument in the equipment for man to get liberation, moksha. Bhakti is making the manas coalesce into its own form of pratyagatma. Some say that it is contemplating its own form of atma tatwa, nature of atman. Bhaava vikaara: the changefulness of the thing. These are of six kinds: birth, stay, growth, mutation, decay and death. Atman des not have these vikaraas, changes. Only anatman has these. Bhranti: This is aadhyaasa itself. Taking one thing to be another, construing or taking the rope to be a serpent or to take the body, anatman, as atman. Mananam: Subtle enquiry contemplating something heard from the guru as a message or upadesha with some proofs. Manas: That which has sankapa, intention, and vikalpa, alternative. Manomayakosham: Mental Sheath. Manas, along with the other koshas, is called manomayakosha. This spreads into pranamayakosha and flourishes in pride. This is anatman. Mahat: Buddhi, the cause of ahamkara. Maya: That which is not true. This is the power of pararameswar. This is without beginning, anaadi. This is prakriti with the three gunas, attributes. This is known as avidya also. It is this that engenders this universe. This is inexplicable, indefinable, the upadhi, base for parameswar. Mithya: That which is not there but appears to be there. In rajju sarpa bhranti the rope appearing as serpent is bhranti. It is like water in a mirage. This is adhyaasa, the universe being seen in Brahman. Mishrasatwam: This is satwa with a little mixture of rajas and tamas. This is the base for linga sareera or sookshma sareera. Mukti: Getting rid of the tendencies that have been there long with strength is liberation. Mukti kaaranam: The cause of liberation. To be rid of bondage, the faith that aham brahmasmi becomes the reason. It is because of this that the knowing ones, jnaani-s experience absolute bliss. Muni: One who has total restraint of speech, one committed to dhyana and a knowing one, jnaani, is a muni. Mumuksha: The desire to get rid of samsara; .the wish to be liberated. Mumukshu: The one who wishes to be liberated and seeks to get moksha. Moola prakriti:That which is the compound of the three gunas. This is base for the emergence of the universe.

Moksham: The undoing of the cord that ties the heart to avidya; liberation from avidya: getting self-realization. Yati: The one who restrains his manas and senses. Yoga: That which joins. It unites manas with paramatma. It restrains the activities of the manas. Rajogunam: The inspiration for man to act, perform deeds. Kama. Krodha etc are the qualities, dharmas, of rajo guna. Rajju sarpa bhranti: this is an illusion: seeing a serpent in a rope. The root cause of this is ajnaana. When the real thing is known the illusion disappears. Rope appears as rope. When one can see atman, the illusion disappears. The body is seen and realized as anatman. Lingas: That which reveals the subtle. There are six lingas that would help in determining the meaning of the Upanishads. These are 1. upakrama upasamharas, 2 abhyaasam, 3. apoorvata, 4. phalam, 5. artha vaadam and 6. upapatti. Lingasareeram: The subtle body is also called sookshma sareera. This has the earlier tendencies, poorva vasanas. Owing to ajnaana this is the base for jeeva. It stays till moksha is attained. Only when this is gone there is moksha. Varnadharmas: Deeds to be performed according to the ‘birth’ of individuals. Vasanas: These are called samskaras also. For flowers etc these occur owing to nearness or contact. Some are inherited by the jeevi. There are three types: loka vasana, shastra vasana and deha vasana. Mukti is to get liberated from these. These stand in the way of acquiring jnaana. Vijnaanamaya kosham: Intellectual Sheath. This is a sheath that is the reflection of the chaitanya, consciousness, in all the three states of wakefulness, dream and sleep. This is a changeful quality of prakriti. Vichaara: deep and steady enquiry. Vishayas: These are the base for the activity of the senses perceptions. Since these go about the vishayas, attractions and sensory objects, these would be a hindrance for self-realization, atma darshana. Vikshepa shakti: the power that makes the manas go about in many directions. Vairagyam; This is a state of having no desire; a kind of total non-attachment, freedom from sense attractions and enticements. Shamam: Restraint of manas to keep it steadily on pratyagatma. Shareeratryam: The three bodies: sthoola sareeram, sookshmasareeram and linga sareeramn. Shamadi shatkam: the six qualities shamam, damam, uparati, titiksha, shraddha and samaadhanam. Shuddhastwam: total, complete, pure satwam with the other two gunas being totally absent. Experiencing absolute bliss in contemplating is the absolute reality. The one with this quality enjoys ananda, bliss. Shraddha: Having total faith in what is taught by the guru as truth. It is only through this that there could be self-realization. Shravanam: Determining the purport of Vedic pronouncements with requisite investigations like upakramaupasamhaara in the Vedantic tradition. Shadoormulu: The six oormi-s: hunger and thirst; grief and attraction; birth and death are the six oormi-s. Shad bhaava vikaaras: the six mutations, changes that a thing undergoes: birth, being, change, growth, decay and death. Sat:The everlasting, eternal, atman.

Satwa gunam: the most important and valuable among the three gunas. This is the most important for self-realization. From this emerges jnaana, knowingness: knowledge and wisdom. Samadhanam: Keeping the buddhi steadily in shuddha brahman, that is, pratyagatma. Samadhi: Keeping the manas still and unwavering like an upright flame when there is no wind going beyond the knower and the dhyana. Samyak jnaanam: The knowingness, jnaana of the truth that brahman and atman are just one and the same and are not at all different. Swapnavastha: Jeeva being in the sookshma sareera shines. While in the wakeful state, the functions are performed by the senses, while in the dream-state, buddhi alone performs them all gets ‘doership’, kartrutva. Saadhana chatushthayam: nityanitya vastu vivekam, ihaamutraphalabhogam, shama and the five other qualities in shamaadi shatkam and mumukshatwam. sushupti: deep sleep. This is a state where the senses and the buddhi are all lost to merge in antahkarana. Buddhi is there as a seed. sthoola sareeram: Bones, marrow, brain, flesh, blood, organ of touch and skin along with feet, thighs, breast bottom, shoulders make this sthoola sareera.

Explanation of terms relating to Atman

Akhandam: the full, without limbs.

Akriyam: with no work

Aksharamdviteeyam: that which has no destruction

Advaitam: non-dualism, monism

Anantam: that which has no end Anaadyantam: that which is without beginning or end. Anupaadeyam: which has nothing inside or outside that is worth keeping Anaashrayam: that which has no foundation or basis Aniroopyaswaroopyam: that which has shape that cannot be described Anirvachaneeyam: that which can not be described or defined Anupaadeyam: that which is not worthy to be grasped Apratarkyam: that which is beyond imagination Aprameyam: that which cannot be measured Avikaaram: that which has no change or mutation of any kind Asangam: that which has no company and that would not mix with anything

Asat: that which is not to be found all the three loka-s Aheyam: That which has nothing to be left Anandaghanam: solid bliss Yekarasam: that which is bliss alone Yekam: one Chidghanam: solid consciousness, jnana Nityam: that which is there at all times Niranjanam: that which is not laved Niravadyamyam: flawless, perfect Nivrvikalpam: without any different thinking Nirakaram: without shape Niraakriti: without shape Niraalambam: without foundation or base Nirdwayam: with none second Nirgunam: without gunas like tallness or shortness Nishkalam:, having a single form or shape with no divisions, Nishkriyam: with no gesture or action Prjnaanaghanam: solid jnana Manovachamagocharam: that which is not seen by manas or speech Budhham: form of jnaana Satyam: ever living Sat samrudhham: full of that which is there in all the three lokas, sat Sarvatomukham: all pervasive Sadghanam: solidified sat Sarvaateetam: transcending all Sartvaatmakam: that which is all Sookshmam: that which is not perceived by the senses Svatahsiddham: formed or emerged naturally …. Exegesis to be continued

Crown Jewel of Sagacity Adi Shankara’s Viveka Chudamani Exegesis of Sixty-one Slokas Dr V.V.B. Rama Rao

II chittasya shuddhaye karma na tu vastoopalabhaye vastu siddhirvichaarena na kinchit karma kotibhih 11

The Nature of the Seekers and Aspirants To bring the manas, under control, the learned Sadhakas should give up all deeds undertaken with desire, kaamya karmas, and try for salvation. By performing pious deeds, karmas, purity of chitta only is possible. One would not attain the state of Parambrahman. However many karmas one may be committed to and performed, parambrahman can not be attained. He would not be able to experience the Brahman.

When, in the dark, a rope is taken to be a snake, grief occurs. When it is realised that the rope is only a rope and not a serpent, the grief is dispelled. This discrimination and the capacity to judge would be attained only when one goes deep into the nature of things. When one listens to the word of the Guru, the dear one and exercises one's judgement, one would be able to know and understand the nature of things. The knowledge of the nature of things (padaartha jnaana) would not be obtained by hundreds of baths or pranayamas. Self-realization, atmajnaana, is possible only through deep contemplation and tapas under the guidance of the compassionate Guru. The qualities of adhikari, the one deserving to know. Brahma Praapti, the attainment of Brahman is possible only to the most deserving one, adhikaari, the one with the right qualification. In this matter the place and time are only contributory factors. The one who aspires for liberation must find a compassionate knowing one of the Brahman (Brahma Vetta) and then think of the self. An intellectual and one capable of the right and wrong imagination and the one who has sadhana chatushthaya (to be explained a little later here) would be competent to know the self. He should have both Viveka, discrimination and judgement as well as vairagya (a sense of total unattachment), great qualities like Shama and a deep yearning for Moksha. Such a one alone is fit to know the self.

Sadhasna Chatushtayam - Four Ways Of the Aspirant To contemplate and realise Brahman the learned ones spoke of four ways. Only when one has the four accomplishments in Sadhana, one would attain that They are : adau nityaanitya vasthu vivekah pariganyate ihaamutra phalabhoga viragastadantaram

shamadi shattka sampattirmumukhutvamiti sphutam 19 i.nitya nitya vastu vivek (Judgment of the real and unreal) This is coming firmly to the decision and conviction that Brahman alone is Satya, True and the Jagat, world is mithya, illusion or appearance.

ii.vairagya (Non-attachment and renunciation) By experiencing directly and listening to the utterances in Vedanta as well as the preaching of the Guru, realising that right from the body to everything that is to be experienced is only anitya, impermanent or fleeting, one should give up all desire and attachment. This is vairagya.

iii.Shamadi shatkam: Six sublime qualities The sestet of qualities shama, dama, uparati, titiksha, shraddha, samaadhanam, these six are called shamadi shatkam. Shama is keeping the manas steady giving up the attraction and affections of all sensory feelings and keeping them away as unworthy and dangerous. Dama is to withdraw the senses from all attractions and keep them in respective places firmly. The jnaanendriyas are sensory faculties like sight, smell, touch etc. The jnaanendriyas are sensory organs like the mouth, nose, tongue etc. uparati: Restraining the manas from straying into external things (worldly things and sense gratification) is the best - It is uparati) Titiksha : It is tolerating with patience all kinds of grief, pain and trouble. Shraddha : Coming to a determination that what the guru has taught is true and believing that is the absolute truth is Shraddha. With this one can attain the goal. Samadhanam : With Shraddha, Brahman can be attained. Keeping the buddhi unwaveringly and steadily on the absolute Parabrahman is samadhanam. - 11 -- iv. Mumukshatwam: The Quality of the Seeker Mumukshatwam : Without placating, casting or lulling the manas, shedding or leaving all bonds right from egosense to body with a desire to attain self-realizations is mumukshatva, the qualities of a mumukshu, a seeker of self realization.

Only those who have these four qualities explained above are eligible and fit for brahmajignyasa, contemplating and thinking to know brahman. If viewed and reviewed carefully on the basis of these two things, vairagya and shamadi shatkam, mumukshatwa appears rather slow and sluggish in some and of a medium quality in some others. However it may be, with Guru's grace it grows and gives fruit too. Whoever has vairagya and mumukshatva would find these qualities like shama meaningful and rewarding. In those who have these qualities but are slow and sluggish. Shama and other qualities may shine but do not bear fruit as a tree in a marshy land. The form of Bhakti The means to obtain moksha, Salvation, is bhakti, devotion. Bhakti is the quality of losing one's self in his own atma, the inner self orpratyagatma. One's real form is parabrahman. Being immersed in it, losing one's self into it is bhakti. Some hold that bhakti is the feeling that the person himself is parabrahman. So it is said.

moksha sadhana samagryam bhaktireva gareeyasee swaswarpanusamdhanam bhaktirityabhidheeyate swatmatatwanusandhanam bhaktiritya pare jaguh 32

The Qualities of a Preceptor, guru The one who has these four qualities and is desirous of knowing the atman should seek refuge in a guru who has prajna. It is only through him that mukti would be possible. He who has the following qualities only should be taken as a guru. i. He is the one who is a veda vetta, one knowing the Vedas. ii. He is sinless and he wouldn't be even a whit attracted to desire. iii. He is the best among those who know Brahman : losing himself totally in parabrahma. iv. Like fire which has no more faggots, he is totally cooled down and his manas is peaceful. v. He is an ocean of compassion. vi. He is a close relative of all good people and is humble. He loves his disciples.

shrotriyo vrijino kamahato yo brahmavittamah brahmanyuparata- s12s -a- nto nirandhana ivanalah ahetuka dayasindhu bandhuranamatam sataam 35 Such a guru needs to be approached in all humility and should be propitiated with devotion and loyalty. He should be asked then to know about what is to be known regarding atman.

The way of enquiry Master! Kin of all those who bow down in Salutation! Ocean of compassion! I am in bhava sagara, the ocean of life and sansara. Kindly rain compassion on me through the corner of your eye and uplift me. I am being consumed by the wildfire of sansara. I am being blown away by the winds of misfortunes. I am terror-struck. I seek refuge in you. Save me in every way from death. There is none else to come to my rescue.

durvaara sansara davaagni taptam dodhoooyamaanam drushtavaataih bheetam prapannam paripaahi mrutyoh sharanyamanyam yadaham na jaane 38 Minds of the Great Men Mahatmas, embodiments of peace, good men like the spring season would make people happy. Having crossed the frightful flood, ocean of sansara, without any particular reason, they would relieve people of grief and suffering. This is their natural quality. Doesn't the moon protect and save this earth baked by the Sun's rays giving his cool rays! Lord! I am being tossed in the flames of sansara. Kindly sprinkle waters from the vessels of your words which are sacred, holy, cool and replete with the ananda of the highest order. Sprinkle the nectar of your words which are very dear to my hearing. Blessed really are those who are accepted by you being chosen as deserving your grace and compassion. brahmananda rasaanubhooti kalitai pootai susheetairyutai ryushmadvakkalasho ghnitaih shrutisukhairvakyamrutai sechayaja santaptam bhavataapa daava dahana jwaalbhirenam prabho! dhanyaste bhavadeekshanagateh paatreekrutah sweekrutaah 41 How can I ever cross this ocean of sansara? What is the refuge for me? what is the ruse prabhu! I am not able to find any. Save me with your compassion. Destroy the grief of sansara for me! Guru's abhaya (assuring protection from fear of harm) Thus sending up prayers, being scorched in the flames of sansara, goes the afflicted one to the guru. The guru, with compassionate looks graces him with abhaya,

fearlessness forthwith. The one who has ap- 1p3r --o ached him is eager to attain moksha, he is the one who would meticulously follow his teaching; he is of a calm and cool mind with restraint of his manas. For such a disciple (sishya), the guru must preach with kindness the intricacies of tatwa, philosophy. Thus the guru should draw the sishya near. "O! Learned one! You are in no danger. There is a way, a technique to cross the

ocean of sansara. I would show you the way taken byyatis, successful sadhakas to cross sansara. There is a great upaya (method, a ruse or a shortcut) to destroy the fear of sansara. Going that way you could reach the other shore and get absolute bliss. "You would be able to getjnaana by contemplating the meaning put across in the upanishads. Veda has it that for the mumukshu, the one who seeks moksha or salvation, dhyana, yoga, bhakti and shraddha are necessary. When one has these four qualities, one can easily get liberation from the bond of the body. "For you, the form and embodiment of atman, owing to ajnaana, a bond has formed with the body which is anatma. Because of that you are entangled in sansara. The fire of jnaana would destroy sansara totally by contemplating and distinguishing what is atman and what is anatma." The question of the disciple, Sishya The disciple said : "Master! listen to me with compassion. I ask you a question. "I would be blessed to hear the answer from your lips!" "What is bandha, bond? Where did it come from? What is its basis? How can it be severed? What is anatma? What is one's form which is Paramatma? How can one distinguish the one from the other? Kindly explain."

konaama bandah kutah yesha aagathah

katham pratishtaasya katham vimokshah

kosaavanaatmaa paramah ka aatma tayorvivekah

kathameta duchyataam 51

The, guru, Preceptor’s Word

Said the guru : You say you want t1o be free from the bond of ajnaana and attain brahmatva, the quality of brahma. You have sanctified your whole family for generations. You have been successful. For a father, sons are those who free him from indebtedness. But for liberation from sansara, every one must endeavour for one's self only. The weight on the head someone else may relieve and hence the pain from burden. But for certain things like hunger and thirst, everyone must find ways of - 14 -- satisfying himself. For relief from disease only the patient must take medicine. Nobody else. Everyone must find atmaswaraajya, only with his own eye on jnaana. This can not be attained by scholarship. It is like the beauty of the moon which can be seen by the person himself. To be rid of the bonds of avidya or kama, the individual has to put in the

whole effort. Only either through yoga, sankhya or karma can freedom from sansara be achieved. Only through jnaana one would arrive at the conclusion that jeeva and brahma are just one. There is no other way. One can play veena and impress listeners but it can not get him an empire. The Quality and Nature of Scholarship Scholarship, eloquence and powers of argument can yield money or prestige but not liberation certainly.

vaagvaikharee shabdajharee shastravyakhyana kaushalam

vaidushyam vidushaam tadvadbhuktaye na tu mukthaye 60 If one does not realise paratatwa, study of sciences would be just fruitless. When it is known, study of sciences would be futile.

avijnate tattve shastraadheetistu nishphalaa vijnaatepi pare tattve shastraadheetistu nishphala 61 The vocabulary in shastras is like wilderness: it would confuse chitta. For that reason, atma tattwa needs to be learnt from the really knowing-one. For the one bitten by a snake, the medicine called brahma jnaana alone would be useful. With shastras or Vedas there would be no use. By ingesting medicine a disease can be cured, net merely by uttering its name. Freedom, liberation form the bonds of sansara would be possible by acquiring brahma jnaana and experiencing brahmaanubhooti not merely by repeating aham brahmaasmi: I am Brahman. Without slaying all enemies, without acquiring power over all land, simply by declaring that one is a King, one does not become a King. To dig up a treasure in the earth one has to trust the truthful man, dig and then remove the boulder to find the treasure. By merely declaring "here is the treasure" one does not get the riches unless guided and taught by a competent guru and practising manana and dhyana etc. atmatattwa can not be experienced.

aaptoktim khananam tathopari silaapakarshanam sweekritim nikshepah samapekshate nahi bahi shabdaistu nirgachchati tadvadbrahma vidopadesha manana dhyanadibhir labhyate

maayaakarya tirohitam swa- 1m5 -a- malam tattvam na duryuktibhih 67

The Action of the Learned Ones So, the learned ones must go about individually to work for liberation from the

bonds of sansara. O learned disciple! Your question is good. That is acceptable to those knowing shastras deeply. This has deep and subtle meaning. This is worth knowing by all those aspiring to get mukti. Listen to me carefully. By listening to this you would get liberation. The reason for mukti (salvation) The first requirement for moksha is attaining vairagya (non-attachment etc.) for things fleeting, anitya. Then renouncing all karmas and acquiring eminence in the shamadi shatkam. After this the muni must spend time in listening to vedanta and go on contemplating on it (manana) along with dhyana. Those who take to this as habit would surely acquire paramananda in this world itself and enjoy the bliss of nirvana. This means that he gets liberated becoming jeevan mukta. ..to be continued

- 16 --

Crown Jewel of Sagacity Adi Shankara’s Viveka Chudamani Exegesis of Some Slokas Dr V.V.B. Rama Rao

III majjasthi medah palarakta charma twagaahwayair dhaatu bhirebhiranvitam paadoru vaksho bhuja prushthamastakai rangairupaangairupayukta metat aham mameti prathitham sareeram mohaaspadam sthoolamiteeryate budhaih 74, 75

Sthoola sareera (Macro Body) The body is made of sapta dhatus, seven substances. marrow, bone, brain, flesh, blood, skin and the organ of touch. Along with these there are legs/feet, thighs, chest, shoulders, back, head organs. There are upaangas too like the eye etc. this body is the base of all moha, enticement and attraction. Scholars call this sthoola sareera. Sky, air, fire, water and earth are the five elements. In micro form each mixes with the four others and get the condition ofpancheekarana. Then they become the reason or cause for sthoola sareera. For these elements sense perceptions are sabda (sound) sparsha (touch) roopa (appearance or form rasa (taste) and gandha (smell). These are called the five tanmatras. For the jeeva, the bhokta, these become vishayas to give comfort (sukha). Ajnaanis, ignorant one's, develop attachment to these vishayas. This attachment is an unbearable bond which binds them. Thus bound, they would be going up the higher worlds and going down the under worlds. The very karma they perform would lead them up and down. ya yeshu moodhaa vishayeshu baddhaa ragoru paashena sudurdamena aayaanti niryaan- 1t7y --a dha oordhwamuchchai swakarmadootena javena neetah 77 In this world with anuraga, attachment, for sound the deer, for the elephant, for form and appearance the locust, for taste the fish and for smell the bee would be drawn into suffering and death. If attachment to one sense leads to death, what should be the lot

of a human being drawn by all the five! These vishayas (sabda etc.) are more deadly than the most poisonous black cobra. Only the one who tastes poison would be killed. Attraction to attachments would kill all. Attraction and enticement to vishayas is very powerful. It is not easy to give them up. Only the one who is rid of that bond would be liberated from sansara. Though one is a scholar and master of the six shastras, unless one is free from that bond, he can not get liberation. Even a mumukshu who attempts to cross the ocean of sansara is dragged by vishayas which are like a crocodile. But the one who really kills that crocodile can cross the ocean. vishayaakhyo graho yena suvirakhtya raosina hatah sa gachchati bhavaambhodheh paaram pratyooha varjitah 82

The way of vishayas, sense attractions, are crooked. The one who goes into them with contaminated buddhi would have to face shocks and blows at every step. He would even be killed. The good and the noble- minded follow the guru and act according to their intelligence and reach the goal. This is the truth which needs to be known. So, sishya! If you wish to get salvation, keep vishayas away like poison. Honour and treat with love the noble qualities of compassion, forgiveness, joy, peace, restraint, rectitude and patience as nectar. Practice them intensely and treat them as guides and masters. Bonds are there because of the ajnaana from earlier births. Liberation is necessary. It is your immediate duty to free yourself from the bonds. The one who thinks the body to be the most valuable wealth and spends all his time nurturing it would only be killing himself. The one while nurturing his body wishes to get selfrealization is like one holding a crocodile (thinking that it is a log) to cross the flood. Attraction to body itself is death for an aspirant. The one who wins enticements and attractions called moha alone is worthy of salvation. So, learned one! Give up your moha for wife and children, riches and position. Munis who shed moha and conquer the manas would acquire the world of the Supreme Being and merge into him.

- 18 -- moha eva mahaamrutyuh mumukshorva puraadishu

moho vinirjito yena sa

mukti psdadamarhati 87

moham jahi mahaa mrityum dehadaara sutaadishu

yamti tad vishnuh

yam jitva munayo yaanti tadvishno paramam padam 88

The Nature and Quality of sthoola sareera

Sthoola sareera made up of skin, flesh, ligaments, brain, marrow and bones is filled with urine and faces. This is worthy of blame. This is born according to the karma in the previous birth by the panchee karana, or unification of the five elements. This sareera experiences joy and grief in the state of wakefulness. Jeeva takes in the beauties of things through sense organs. He experiences them personally with a feeling of identification. (taadatmya) For the one in grihastha ashram, this body is necessary like a home to carry on the business of life. The body thus is the basis for living. Dharmaas - The Foundations of the Sthoola Sareera These bases are three: birth, old age and death. Height, weight etc. are related to this body. So are the four stages of life like childhood etc. The various rules relating to the castes and terms relating to honour and infamy are related only to sthoola sareera.

Indriyas, senses Sense organs are called jnanendriyas because they take in sound, sense of touch, sight etc. These go about in various deeds or performance of acts. Those that act are karmendriyas like mouth, tongue, eye etc.

The Sense Inside - Antahkaranam According to the functions they perform the four are called antahkaranam: they are manas, buddhi, chittam and ahankara. In experiencing the vishayas, sensory objects, for attraction and repulsion the basis would be manas. As per the form and nature of things, padardhas the decision about them is caused by buddhi. 'Me', 'my', myness-ego sense all these can be called ahankara. That which reminds the thing- is chitta. Though an ornament is made of gold, it is known by the shape gold takes like ring, necklace, bracelet etc. Though it is all water, water in the glass, water in the pot are - 19 -- used to refer to the same water. Though prana is one-basically vayu, or air, according to its various forms and funtions vayu is called prana, apaana, vyana, udana and samaana. Sookshma Sareeram

i) Mouth etc. are Karmendriyas ii) Ear, Skin, these are Jnanendriyas: these are five. iii) The five vayus like prana etc. iv) The elements like Earth, Air, Water etc. v) Antahkarana. These are four: manas, buddhi, chittam and ahankara. vi) avidya 'ignorance' vii) Kamam, desire and viii) karma. These eight are called puryashtatkam. This is also called sookshma sareera or linga sareera.

This is made up of the unification or compounding of the five elements this is calledpancheekarana. This makes us experience the fruits of actions, karmaphala. It is because of one's ajnaana. This is without beginning, anadi. This is the base for the Jeevi. Base is upadhi. vagaadi pancha shravanaadi pancha pranaadi panchabhramukhani pancha buddhyaadya vidyapi cha kaamakarmanee puryashtakam sookshma sareeramaahuh 98 idam sareeram shrunu sookshmasanjyitam lingam tvapancheekruta bhoota sambhavam savaasanam karmaphalaanu bhaavakam swaajnaanato anaadi roopadhibhirtmanah 99 For this sookshma sareera the base is the state of dreams. In dreams only this sookshma sareera operates (shines). In this state buddhi alone experiences the feelings of the body in the wakeful state. Making buddhi its upadhi, base, pratyagaatma witnesses the acts in the dream. It would not be laved by the karmas, acts, performed by buddhi. So pratyagaatama would the remain as asang, unattached. As instruments like a chisel help the carpenter, for the activities of chidatma this ling sareera would be an instrument. Even then atman is asanga, unattached. Blindness and efficiency are the dharmas, qualities of the eye. So also of the ear are the ability to hear or deafness. All these are related to the senses but they do not belong to atman. Atman is unattached. Hunger and thirst are the dharmas of prana. Inhalation and exhalation are the activities, karmas, of the prana. In the body eyes etc., are sense organs. Since they are light reflected in buddhi, they have the ego-sense. This the scholars call ahankara. This has the feeling or affection that, 'I' am the doer, 'I' am the eater etc. This ahankara with the three gunas of satwa rajas and tamas would have the three states: wakeful state, dream state and deep-sleep state. When things are favourable one feels "I am happy: I am comfortable". When unfavourable one feels 'I am grief strick- 2e0n -- '. Comfort and grief are the dharmas of antahkarana.These do not belong to atman which is anandaswaroop, the form of bliss. It never has any grief. The deep sleep state is without any vishayas. Then the bliss, the form of atman, is experienced. That the form of atman is ananda (bliss) is proved actually, and also as an experience down the ages. The latter is

anumanapramaanas, a proof that is believed. Even the Veda says so while acclaiming. pratyakshamaitihyamanumanam cha jaagrati. Maya The power, shakti, of Maheswar is called maya that is moolaprakriti, basic nature. That has no beginning: it is anadi. It comprises the trigunas, satwa, rajas and tamo gunas. It is imagined by the learned one according to its 'doing' kriya. avyakta naamnee paramesha shaktir anadya vidyaa trigunatmikaa paraa kaaryanumeyaa sudhiyaina maayaa yayaa jagatsarvamidam prosooyate 110 That is neither sat nor asat : nor is it a blend of the two. It is neither different from Eshwar nor the same. It is neither broken nor whole. It is not made of limbs-nor is it without limbs. It is wondrous. It has an indescribable form. When it is known to be a rope definitely the bhranti that it is a serpent disappears. In the same way then one learns that it is pure and second to none and just one. When brahman is realized this maya is destroyed. The trigunas are also the doing of maya. Diversifying power - Vikshepa shakti This shakti is related to the doing/act of rajo guna. This is the power that drives the entire creation. Love and hate, joy and grief are all owing to this diversification. The dreadful desire and anger (kama and krodha) and the arishadvarga, deadly enemies are the dharmas of rajo guna. It is because of this that a human being goes about his doings, acts, deeds. This rajo guna is the cause of the bond of sansara - sansara bandha. vikshepashaktee rajasah kriyaatmikaa yatah pravrittih prasrutaa puranee ragaadayosyah prabhavanti nityam duhkhaadiyo ye manso vikaaraah kaamakrodho 113 lobhadhambhaabhyaasooyaa ahankaarershyaa matsaraadyaastu ghoraah dharmaa yete rajasah pumpravriti rasmaadetattadrajo bandhahetuh 114

Power that is covered: Avarana Shakti This relates to tamoguna. Because of this, one thing 'appears' as another. This is the base for man to get into sansara. While avarana shakti create sansara with the form of birth and death, vikshepa shakti makes jeeva get into that. yeshaa vrittirnama tamo gunasya shaktiryayaa vastvava bhaasate nyathaa saishaa nidanam purushasya samsrute- r2 1v -- ikshepa shakteh prasarasya hetuh 115 Though one is a genius or a great scholar or a skilled one able to see minute things, if surrounded or enveloped in tamoguna, he can not realize atmashakti. He believes that the body and world which are asat as truth and lasting. There after he follows the dharmas related to things which are asat.

There are three qualities of avarana shakti. abhavana. Vipareeta bhavana and sambhavana viprati. Abhava is thinking that there is no truth atma vastu. (It is not believing in atman) To believe that the asat, the body etc., are himself is vipareeta bhavana. To doubt Veda's declarations and the messages of the guru is sambhavana vipratipatti. Vikshepa shakti would not allow one with avarana shakti to have his own way. It would hurl him into sansara. Ajnaana, (ignorance) aalasyam (delay) Jadata (inactivity) nidra (sleep)pramadam (carelessness and moodhatva (obtuseness) are the qualities of tamas. One with these qualities would never be able to realize atman. He would be just like a column, a Pillar like one which has the nature of sleep only. Quality of mixed Sattva - Mishra sattwa gunam Sattva is pure like clear water. When Sattwa dominates and along with it rajas and tamo gunas are there in it slightly, a linga sareera is formed. In the shuddha tattwa atman is reflected. Just as the sun illumines all, in this shudha sattwa reflecting the atmabimba illumines the jad body. Refraining from self-praise nor being showy, proud and arrogant, having principles like yama (restraint) and good qualities like shraddha and bhakti (commitment and devotion) fearlessness and purity in sattwa are divine qualities. Mishratattwa is the quality deciding that the body etc. which are asat are not him. Experience of the atman, peace beyond understanding, contentment and commitment to paramatma are the qualities of shuddha tatwa. The one having these qualities would enjoy and experience bliss. When the three, sattwa, rajas and tamas, gunas are in equal parts, it is called avyakta. This is the karana sareera for atman. This would surface and be apparent in the dream-state. In this state the nature of sense and the behaviour of buddhi would coalesce in the atman.

avyaktametat trigunairniruktam tatkaaranam nama sareeramaatmanah sushutpiretasya vibhaktyavastah praleena sarvendriya buddhi vrittih 122 In this deep-sleep state all kinds of knowledge of things would be totally destroyed. Buddhi stays only as a seed. The one in that state stating that he has not experienced anything is common knowledge. The Nature of non-atman anaatma swabhaava: sthoola sareeram, the ten senses and the five types of manas and the five elements and the univ- e22r s-- e upto avyakta are all considered anatma. Maya and its activity, that is, from mahat to deha, the entire universe is considered asat. This is anaatma. This is like a mirage.

The form and shape of paramatma

Now, I'll tell you about the form and shape of paramatma. The one who knows this would be free from the bond of sansara. He would experience only Brahman and nothing else. There is one base for nitya, the everlasting, eternal, without beginning. That is paramatma. That is witness to all the three states. It is different from the five sheaths. In all the three states, buddhi and its activities, sat and asat and "I" are all known by that. It sees all personally. No sense can perceive it. But that can not be made consious by anything else. That is all pervasive. It can not be pervaded by any. All that is irradiated by atman only. Simply because of it (the atman), the body, senses, manas, buddhi and other things behave as if activated by somebody else. yasya sannidhi maatrena dehendriya manodhiyah vishayeshu swakeeyeshu vartante prerita iva 131 Only by this paramatma which is ever the form of jnaana everything is being known right from ahankara to deha, all vishayas, griefs and joys.

This paramatma is stationed in all Beings, jeevas. Its seat is the heart cave (hridaya guha). That "inward moving", antaryaami, that paramatma is the most ancient. That is a continuous single flow of the experience of bliss. That is second to none. That can be known only throughjnaana. It is with the inspiration of atman that speech and praana are activated. In maya, parmatma with great effulgence illumines the entire universe. It is like the sunlight. Paramatma knows all that the senses, body andpraana are doing. Like fire, that has acquired iron, it follows all. It does not move. It does not have any change. Atman is not born; it does not die It does not grow or deteriorate. It does not change. It is ever present. It is inside, coalesced in the body. Even then like the sky in the pot it is not touched by it. That means paramatma does not have any change. Paramatma is different from prakriti or ajnaana. It is distinct, from vikriti or the world. Its nature is pure jnaana, shuddha jnaana or chaitanya. While being both formless and having form it irradiates everything. It stays witness to buddhi in all three states. O disciple! Learn that when you restrain you manas on things you stay cheerful. With your own buddhi thus trained you learn that your own form is paramatma. You cross over the ocean of sansara which has the waves of birth - 23 -- and death. Be accomplished and fulfilled attaining brahmtva.

The cause of the bond of sansara For man sansara, the bond, means having the belief that the anatma, body, is atman. This occurs because of ajnaana. This is the cause for the grief of birth and death.

Because of this alone man believes that he is the body and sustains it as a spider spins and protects the web with form, taste etc. of vishayas. He is serving it and sustaining it. Friend ! the stupid one owing to ignorance thinks what is not as something that is. He sees one and takes it to be another. Because of ajnaana, in the rope he sees the serpent thereafter many outward things happen. For this reason ajnaana itself is becoming a bond. Atman which is perfect, everlasting, and inspiring as jnaana shakti is covered by the tamo guna as avarana shakti like the sun hidden by Rahu at the time of eclipse. Owing to this ignorance, he believes that his body is atman, his real self. Then the vikshepa shakti of rajo guna binds him and puts him to grief, pain and suffering. The crocodile of maha moha swallows the atma prana of the man. With buddhi that is full of tamo guna, he experiences great woes. He goes about floating and sinking in the ocean filled with vishayas in deceitful and crooked ways. The row of clouds engendered by the sun becomes flashy and covers the sun himself. In the same way the ego sense, ahankara born in man covers atmajnaana. While the sun is covered by thick clouds, the wind becoming powerful bothers them. In the same way the dense tamoguna covering atman makes vikshepa shakti which puts the ajnaani to various kinds of tribulations. Thus aavarana and vikshepa cause the bond if sansara to man. Being attracted to these, he believes that he is his body. The Tree of sansara For the tree of sansara the seed is ajnaana. To think that the body is atma is the little sprout. The love and affection for sensations are the leaves. Karma waters the plant. The groups of senses are the top; sabda etc., the vishayas are flowers. Various griefs that result from deeds are the fruit of the tree. The jeeva the eater of the fruit and as such a blind. beejam sansriti bhoomijasya tu tamo dehaatmadheeram kuro raagah pallavamambu karma tu vapuh skandho savah shakhikah agraaneedriyasanhatischa vishayah pushpaani duhkham phalam naanaakarma samudbhavam bahuvidham bhoktaatra jeevah khagah 147

The Bond of anaatma Owing to ajnaana the bond is formed with sareera the body, which is anatma. This bond is natural and has no beginning, anadi, which has always been and which would always be. That causes taapa, heat, This bond, formed owing to ajnaana, can not be cut off by either instruments or incantati- 2o4n -- s; by word or fire. It would not go off even by the performance of a million deeds. This is possible only through the grace of Eshwar. With the sword of viveka, discrimination between atman and anaatman, the bond of anatma can be cut off. For the one who has commitment and dedication to the declarations of the Veda, a devotion to dharma in his deeds would come. Without

dedication or, nishtha, the manas is not cleansed and sanctified. Only for the one with clean and pure buddhi the jnaana, about paramatma would come. Only with such jnaana, sansara would be destroyed at the very root. The water in the well that could be descended into would be covered with moss (or water weed) would not shine. In the same way, atman, which is overed by the five sheaths would not be effulgent. That moss should be removed for the clean water to be seen. Then only the water of the well would quench the thirst of man and give comfort. Only when the five sheaths are removed the burning flame of atman shines as pratyagaatma. For that reason, the learned one should make a distinction between atman and anatman. Only with that would he be able to realize that he is the form of sat chidananda and feel its bliss. Just as the tip of the sacred sacred grass is nipped off, unless the pratyagatma is detached from asanga and akriya of all other things, the real scene can not be seen. The real one is the form if pratyagaatma. Then only one is liberated from sansaara and the cycle of birth and death. Annamaya Kosha - Physical Sheath The sthoola sareera is born of anna (food). This lives because of anna and without it, if perishes. This body which is made of skin flesh, bone etc., and full of urine and faeces can not be clean and ever be pure atman. dehoyamanna bhavanonnamayasthu kosah chaanneeva jeevathi vinashyati tad viheenah twakcharma maamsa rudhiraasthi pureesha raashir naayam swayam bhavatumarhati nitya shuddah 157 This body does not exist before birth. After death too it would not be. It stays for a short while; it quickly undergoes change. It is made up of limbs. It is inactive and is just to be seen like a pot. How can that be atman which knows all the vagaries of the body! The body has limbs and organs. It may live in the absence of some of them. But atman has no limbs. Its power is not to be destroyed. For that reason also body can not be atman. Atman is the controller, organiser, niyaamaka. It appoints all. Body is appointed by atman. Atman is witness to all the stages of life and activities. It is independent, autonomous. It is self born. Deha, body is not. The body made of flesh and bones and a bag etc. is foul. How can it be atman which is a sakshi, witness to all? Ajnaani, the ignorant one, thinks that 'he' is the body. But the learned one knows what is what and makes a distinction between atman and body, the anatma. He realizes that he is the - 2f5o --r m ofpratyagaatma. The one with the jnana relating the atman and anatman is a mahatma who realizes that he is paramatma. He says and believes : aham brahma smi. Ajnaani!; shed your buddhi which makes you think that you are the sthoola sareera with blood, flesh, bones etc. Your obtain buddhi in the all-pervasive unity of

brahman, unless one sheds the illusion that asat, the senses etc., and the body are not brahman, even a scholar can not obtain liberation. Even though he understands vedanta and visualises it, he would still be not liberated. The sareera, body is like a shadow; an image in a mirror and something that is seen as in a dream! Won't you ever, even for a moment; believe that the body is atman. Don't think that you are the sareera. To believe so is the seed for grief. That is the reason for grief in sansara. If you shed that illusion you would not be born again. Pranamaya Kosha - Vital Sheath Along with the five karmendriyas sense organs, prana makes up pranamaya kosha. It is because of this annamaya kosha gets the feeling of 'I'. Filled with anna it appears in all karmas, or, deeds. karmendriyai panchabhiranchitoyam praano bhavet pranamayasthu kosah yenaatmavannamayonna poornaat pravartate sau sakala kriyaasu 167 Even this annamaya kosha is not atman. This is just a form, a mutation of air. It goes in and comes out as air. It never has any likes or dislikes. It can not know either itself or anything else. It has no independence. It is always dependent. Manomaya Kosha - Mental Sheath The five senses of perception and manas together are called manomaya kosha, mental sheath. This sheath causes the feeling of 'I' and 'my'. This creates the differentiations of various signs and symbols. This is very powerful. It occupies the pranamaya kosha completely. jnaanendriyani cha manascha manomayah syaat kosho mamaahamiti vastu vikalpa hetuh sanjnadi bedha kalanaakalito baleeyam statpoorva koshamabhipoorya vijrumbhate yah 169 This fire called manomayam is roused by the five ritwiks of jnanendriyas. The sense perceptions provide the ghee for increasing the flames. The tendencies, vasanas acquired over the earlier births are the sacred faggots to kindle the fire. Avidya is not different from manas. Manas itself is ajnana. That itself is the reason for sansara. If it is destroyed all sansara would be destroyed. If it flashily erupts sansara would be uncontrollable. In a dr- 2e6a -- m where there is nothing, Manas creates everything that is experienced in the dream. Even the state of wakefulness, is the explosion of the manas. In deep sleep manas is destroyed. There would be no sense of anything. Then everyone says. "I know anything."So, for man sansara is just a creation of the manas. It does not exist in reality.

Wind brings in the cloud. It is only with the wind that it is driven away somewhere. In the same way, manas creates affections, likes and dislikes and with that rope it binds man as an animal is bound. It is manas again that frees him from the venomous vishayas. dehaadi sarva vishaye parikalpyaragam badhnati tena purusham pashuvadgunena vairasyamatra vishavatsuvidhaaya paschaa denam vimochayati tanmana eva bandhaat 175 For this reason the cause for the bondage or liberation of man from sansara is manas only. It is the cause for the contamination of manas which is the season for bondage. Manas has no connection with the three gunas and so is pure and becomes the reason for salvation or liberation (mukti or moksha). With the increase of viveka and vyragya, manas gets cleansed and leads to liberation. The mumukshu (seeker) with intelligence and expediency should first consolidate and strengthen the quality of this viveka and vairagya. The tiger of manas would be on the move in the wilderness. Good people and those who seek moksha should not go into the wilds. Manas creates many things to experience both in the wakeful and dream states. Things related to the body like caste, and the stages or states of life like Brahmacharya, (celebacy) etc., the various species of birds and beasts and the qualities like tallness or shortness, various deeds, (karmas) and their fruit all are the creation of the manas.

... to be continued

- 27 --

Crown Jewel of Sagacity Adi Shankara’s Viveka Chudamani Exegesis of Some Slokas V.V.B.Rama Rao

IV manah prasoote vishayanseshaan sthoolatmanaa sookshmatayaa cha bhoktuh sareera varnashrama jaatibhedhaan gunakriyaa hetuphalaani nityam 179 Unattached and the form of chit, is atman. Manas is the thing that draws one with moha and binds one with the senses, pranaas and gunas while performing reaping the fruit of karmas, it is the manas that makes one think that they are real. For a man to think that the body etc. which are anatman as atman, the cause is manas. Manas is the basic reason for the aviveki, the one without viveka, to feel the grief of birth and death and the faults of the gunas. For this reason, great sadhakas say that manas itself is avidya. So, to obtain or attain moksha one should get his manas cleansed by severe practice and austerities. If the manas is pure, getting moksha would be easy - a gooseberry in the hand. When one has aspiration and interest only in moksha, one should give up all affection and attraction for vishayas. One should relinquish deeds with desires. One should listen to and follow the precepts of vedanta and the teachings of the guru. One should be committed and dedicated to sravan, manan. Then only can one be able to keep the rajoguna away from him. Even the manomaya kosha cannot be atman. This has a beginning and an end. This evolves. This is grief ridden. This is the reason for experiencing vishayas. Paramatma is always a seer, a drashtha. Thus seen by him this kosha disappears. So how can the seer, the paramatma, be seen? Never, he can never be seen. vijnanamaya kosha - Intellectual Sheath Jnanendriyas and their actions with egosense and buddhi become the vijnanamaya kosha. This is the cause of sansara. buddhirbuddheendriyai saardham savruttih kartru lakshanah vijnanamaya koshah syat punsah sansarakaranam 186 The chaitanya that follows the three states (like jagradavastha) along with its reflection is considered vijnanamaya kosha. This is the vikara (variant) of prakriti which has the three gunas. This sense makes one feel that he is the doer, the actor etc. with the - 28 -- influence of this kosha he feels that he is learning and feeling the shape and nature of things through the body and the senses.

anuvraja chchitrapratibimba saktir

vijnaana sanjnah prakriter vikarah jnaana kriyaavaanam hamitya jasram dehendriyaadi shvabhimanyate bhrusham 187 The image of the chit is whithout beginning, anaadi This is of the form and shape of ego sense (ahankara) This is referred to as Jeeva. This conducts all the affairs and activities. According to the vasanas brought down from the earlier births, it performs meritorious deeds (puna karyas) and sinful ones, (paap karmas). It undergoes and experiences the fruit thereof. This one is born in several yonis (genitals of the female). That means he takes various births. He goes into the upper worlds, and the lower ones. He goes on experiencing the fruit of the actions (karmas). All the three states and all the experiences of joy and grief are his. This kosha has the affection that in the ashram dharmas, karmas and gunas that they are his. Since it is closest to the paramatma, it has extra rediance. For this reason this is the upadhi (base) for the Jeevi. For this reason, it has the buddhi that it is the atman and behaves in the way it does. They one with vijnaana would appear as prana in the heart as ajyoti. Though atma is kootastha, since it has vijnanaamaya kosha as upadhi or base, it is both the doer and the eater, karta and bhokta. Though it has neither, since it is in that base, it feels the two. Since it identifies itself with buddhi which is a mirage, for this lapse or dosha it is called separately as Jeevatma. Though a form of clay, clay and pot are given different names. In the same way the all pervading paramatma is spoken of as jeevatma. With contact with upadhi, paramatma with the qualities of upadhi shines with the dharmas of upadhi. Agni does not have vikaras, changes. But when it is with iron it gets the angularities of iron. In the same way though paramatma has a single form. According to the upadhi, with its nature, it is differently referred to as jeevatma. Shishya's Pariprasna, Questioning Sishya asks thus; "For paramatma the idea of Jeevatma may be caused by illusion or something else. Avidya that is the base for paramatma c!is without beginning and is indestructible. Then the Jeevatma bhava that has come to Atman would bring along the idea that sansara too is nitya. If that is so, since sansara cannot be removed, guruji, how I can get liberation from sansara?"

Gur- 2u9j -i- s statement

"Young man! your question is proper and relevant. Listen carefully. That which is created by avidya can never be stable. Paramatma is asanga, unattached. He is formless and without kriya, action. For such there can be no attachment with vishayas, things or

objects. To think that there is a relation is bhranti, illusion. Blackness of the cloud is only a bhranti, isn't it? By himself Paramatma is a visionary, a seer, qualityless and deedless. Pratyagatma is the embodiment of ananda, bliss. His jeeva bhava comes only because of the illusion of buddhi. Paramatma does not have jeeva bhava at all. When illusion is removed there is nothing that is different from paramatma. As long as bhranti is there with unreal knowledge, mithya jnaana, by accident, there is the expanding jeevana bhava. When illusion is gone the bhava is gone too. Only because of illusion there appears a snake: when it is gone there is only a rope. As long as illusion is there only avidya and its activities would appear to be anaadi, without beginning. With Jnaana emerging this avidya disappears. The experience in the dream is there only till one does not become wakeful. With wakefulness, the experiences are destroyed. Though 'anaadi', avidya is never nitya. Nitya is ever present and everlasting. The earlier feeling of ghata (pot) is also anaadi. When ghata comes the earlier feeling is obliterated. In the same way avidya too is extinct after jnaana comes. Owing to the connection of buddhi with upadhi (base) in the atman the quality of jeeva is well imagined. So, there is no jeeva without atman. Only through comprehensive knowingness, samyag jnaana the illusive knowingness would be destroyed. Shruti accepts that samyag jnaana is the knowingness of the oneness of (or the unity of ) jeeva and brahma and not the performance and observance of karmas (deeds). Samyag jnaana is obtained only with the viveka (realization and discrimination of atma and anatma). For this reason it is important to know what is prayagatama and what is jeevatma. Water in slush would be unclear. If the slush is removed, the water is clear. In the same way atman would be effulgent if there are no flaws in it. If asat is not there, pratyagaatama would appear clean and radiant. For this reason ahankara (ego-sense) etc. need to be rejected. Then the form of sat, atman would be resplendent. For this reason vijnanamaya kosha (Intellectual sheath) is not atman. The changeful jada is considered to be limited to only one avarana, covering. That is drishyam, visible. It is seen in many forms. So, the intellectual sheath is anitya. So it can never be atman. Anandamaya kosha - Blissful sheath Anandamaya kosha is said to be an expanded reflection of ananda. With tamoguna its body gets blown up. Its quality is to like and be liked. This feeling comes when a thing dear is accessible. In the meritorious (punyatmas) this would appear in experiencing punya (merit). - 30 -- If only there is body, without effort, it would make one experience bliss.

ananda pratibimba chumbitanurvrutti stamojrumbhitaa

syaadananda mayah priyadi gunakah sweshthartha laabhodayah punyasyanubhave vibhaati krutinaamaanandaroopah swayam

bhootva nandati yatra saadhu tanubhrunmatrah prayatnam vinaa 209

This kosha would be felt most in deep sleep state. In the other two states there would be some joy. This kosha too is not atman. This is not so since this has for its upadhi, (base) tamoguna. This is a variant ofprakriti. This accrues because of meritorious deeds. This comes because of various mutations. Thus considered with the support of several vedantic statements, none of the koshas can be atman. If all these are thus gone, only that which remains as a witness with the form and shape of jnaana can only be considered atman. This is self-effulgence. It is different from the five koshas. This is witness to the three states. It is free from the six mutations, vikaras like birth, growth etc., it is niranjan, pure and worth knowing by the learned ones as being ever blissful. The Disciple - Shishya's question Asks the shishya thus: Crown of gurus! if I am to reject the five sheaths as the result of illusion or mithya, everything etc. too would appear as non-existent. If it so is there anything in him that the learned one has to know? The preceptor's answer Explains thus the guru, "O! Learned one! You spoke the truth: you have become skilled in thinking of atman. Realise now with your sharp buddhi that paramatma is one who sees egosense and of mutations. He is the one who knows all. He is one who cannot be seen by anybody too. If something is seen by anybody he would be a witness to that. It is not possible to be a witness to something not seen. In that case there could be no witness. Paramatma is he or that which is seen by Paramatma alone. So he is witness to himself or itself. That is parambrahmam. That is Pratyagaatma. Nothing other than that. It is not different from Pratyagaatma. What appears as very clean in all the three states. and the one which appears as 'I' inside, the one who sees all vikaras (mutations) and egosense always remains in the form of bliss. Then realize that it is your form and shape in your heart. jagrat swapna sushuptishu sphutataram yo sau samujhrumbhate pratyagroopataya sadaaham- a31h --a mityantah sphurannekathaa nanaakaara vikara bhajina imaan pashyannaham dheemukhaan nityananda chidamatnaa sphurati tam viddhi swametam hrudi 219

The stupid sees the reflection of the sun in the pot and thinks that it is the sun. In

the same way an ajnaani sees the jeeva in upadhi called buddhi and thinks that he (chidaabhas) is atman. The learned one capable of discriminating what is atman and what is anatman, leaves both the reflection and the pot and looks at the sun in the sky. He realizes that the sun above is neutral and making both the pot and the image in it shine. But the sun alone is self-shining. In the same way, the learned one gives up both the body and the buddhi along with the jeeva, the reflection of chaitanya and sees the Pratyagaatma in the cave of buddhi, buddhiguha. In the same way he realises is that he is of the form of atman and the seer of atman and the solid, undivided form of jnana. He knows what is atman and what is not atman. He knows that sat makes everything shine and that it is all pervading. Thus he becomes solid bliss one who has no death and the one who is without sin and rajoguna. He sheds all grief. He is not afraid of anything. For the one who aspires to get liberation, there is no other way of getting liberation except realizing his self. Experiencing the sameness (abhinnatva - quality of not being different)-that capacity - is the cause for liberation from sansara. The learned ones attain brahman, the second to none experience of the form of solid bliss. The one who realises and experiences the abhinnatva or sameness would never get into sansara again. So it should be learnt he himself is brahman and is in no way different from brahman.

The form of brahman

Brahman is true: it is the form of jnaana, endless, eternal, pure, and transcending all. It is self-born; ever living, form of bliss absolute, nor different from pratyagaatma; ever shining and the form of sat. There is nothing from it separately. It is non-dual. When paratattwa is known, there would be nothing else in the mind or memory. Only brahman is seen all round, everywhere. The entire world in different forms and shapes is seen only because of ajnaana. But even that is brahman that is without imagination. What is made of clay is only clay. It is not different from clay. Pot is always in the form of clay. There could be no pot different from clay. The name 'pot' is a creation of 'mithya' illusion. Can anyone show a pot removing the clay from it! This is impossible. So only ignorance, ajnaana creates pot. In fact what there is only clay. In the same way wherever that comes from the form of sat, brahman is sat, that is brahman only there is nothing that is different from it. If there is anyone who says there is something different from it, it means that he is an ajnaani. It is like talk in a delirium. A uniquely best declaration in the Atharvana Veda says very clearly that the

"Universe is brahman. Brahmai vedam vis-h 32w -- amidamsarvam”. So this entire universe is only brahman. In rope-serpent illusion, rope is adhisthana-serpent is the ascribe. The two are not different there are no two things. In the same way brahman is adhisthna. The universe is only an ascription something that is not real. So the universe and brahman are not different. They are the same (ashishthara is the thing, the ignorance of which causes

bhranti, illusion) If the universe were sat what is said about brahman "satyam jnaanam anantam brahma” in the Veda would go waste. The Veda is valid for all time. Secondly, the declaration would become non-standard. Thirdly, Parameshwar who gave vedas would be faulted with an allegation of being untruthful. Great minds do not accept any of these. Eshwar who knows and is brahmatattwa declared that He is not in the beings and He is not among them. The Gita 9-45 asserts: ‘matisthaani sarvabhootaani na chaahamteshwva sthitah na cha matsthaani bhootaani’. According to this too the all- pervading brahman is second to none. There is nothing that is different from it. If this universe were real or true in the deep sleep state it should be obtained. But it is not obtained. So the universe is asat (not true, not real). It is only illusion. It is like the rope appearing as a serpent. Is it possible for the non-existent thing to have being? So, there is no universe different from brahman. To appear different is illusion. Only brahma which is adhishthana appears as universe only awing to illusion. For the one in illusion that which he sees in illusion is only brahman. The shell of the pearl which appears as silver is only a shell-not silver. So what is shown as the universe is only brahman, the form if sat. The universe ascribed in brahma is only there in name. Thus brahman is sat, second to none, pure. Brahman is called jnaana, flawless (niranjan), without beginning or end, calm and peaceful, without action and the form of perpetual bliss absolute. It does not have any differences created by maya. It is permanent, everlasting, certain and without any dependence or relation to anything. It is aprameya, immeasurable, incomprehensible, inconceivable, beyond human understanding. It has no form or shape. It is without a name, it is inexhaustible self- effulgent. It is beyond the triputi of the knower, and thing to be known and knowingness, jnaata, jneyam and Jnana. It is purely indivisible chit. It is paratattwa. Only the most learned know or realize this. It is impossible either to have or leave it or leave it. It cannot be obtained through either manas or vak (speech). It has no beginning and no and. It is only the perfect effulgence par excellence.

Justification of the declaration tattwamasi

'Tat' and 'twam' are explained by 'abhidavritti' as the forms of brahma - as jeevatma and paramatma. Chandhogya upanishad clearly posits that they are one. It teaches that you are the parabrahman. The glow-worm-the sun the king-the servant, the well-the sea, the atom-the-all have differen- 3t3 -d- harmas. So too jeevatma and paramatma. In the actual word meaning they are not a union but in substance their unity is possible. The incompatibility or inconsistency (virodha) is created because of upadhi (base). In fact they are not different. For Eshwar upadhi is maya. For the jeeva the five sheaths which are responsible for avidya are the upadhi. If the upadhis are removed, there

is no difference between the two. If the Kingdom of the king and the weapon of the soldier are removed they are the same. ‘Athadita a adesho netineti’ says the veda. By this and by logic the 'difference' between Eshwar and brahman is rejectable. The difference is created and not true. It is like the serpentine quality in the rope, or, like the world obtained in a dream. Jeeva in Eshwar too is not real. The most important thing is to realise that the universe is a creation of illusion and infact it is not different from brahman. The unity of jeeva and Eshwar is obtained only because of the quality. To obtain the form of absolute bliss the difference of jahad and ajahad lakshanas alone is needed. Looking at a man seen somewhere at sometime and saying that the he is Devadutta can be established only when the time, place difference is removed. Than only can he be taken as Devadatta. In the same way only when the chaitanya alone in jeeva and parameshwar is taken then unity becomes clear. The learned ones take only chaitnya to establish that the two are only one. Many mahavakyas, grand declarations, in the Vedas teach the oneness or unity of jeeva and brahmatma. When we prohibit the asat as per the statement in Brihadarayaka Upanishad “asthoola manmahraswa madeerghama lohita masneham", it becomes clear that atman is self obtained and like the sky unimaginable. So, the seen body etc., are only illusion. One has to leave the feeling that that is me. With a pure buddhi, one should realize that he is brahman, the indivisible form of jnana. A pot made of clay etc. are not different from the clay. In the same way the body etc. that have come from sat or the world too are part of it. There is nothing apart or different from sat. That sat are you and by yourself you are brahman. So, disciple! You are brahman; tat twam asi. You are the brahman, second to none.

mrutkaryam sakalam ghataadi satatam mrinmaatrevabhi tah tadvat sajjanatam sadaatmakamidam sanmaatramevaakhilam yasmannasthi satah param kimapi tat satyam sa aatmaa swayam tasmaat tatwamasi prashantamamalam brahmaadvayam yatparam 253 That the country, place time, matter, the seer one who sees are all mithya, illusion is clear. In the same way the body, the senses, prana, ahankara etc. are all asat mithya, illusion. So you are parabrahman, peaceful, flawless, and brahman with none second.

The explanation of the vakya - tattwamasi

- 34 -- Brahman is far and different from sea, race, caste, clay etc. It has no name, no form or shape, no guna (attribute) or flaw (dosha). It transcends time and place. Such brahman are you. Keep thinking we that you are that brahman. It in the wakeful state too the world is there owing to ajnaana. Above all it is not

to be seen or felt-it can be seen by the eye of jnaana alone. You are that. Pure, solid, chit, without beginning or end. You keep thinking, contemplating that. It, the brahman, is free from the six oormis like hunger and thirst, grief and attraction and birth and death. It is contemplated in the heart by the yogis. It can not be imagined or felt by the senses. It is to be 'known' only through buddhi. It is flawless. You are that brahman. You are that brahma, the resort and refuge of the illusion-created world and the deeds there in, it is different from sat and asat. With no limbs or organs, incomparable, and perfect. You are the brahma with neither birth nor death, no mutations or vikaras. It is stable like a huge water body without waves and unattached and unbounded. Contemplate on that brahman. It is above karya and karana, cause and effect; it is totally independent, autonomus. Contemplate this in your heart. You are that parabrahma, with no alternatives, it is no small thing; it is ever living; unique; it transcends everything. It is ever lasting. It would not get diminished. It is unexpendable and the form of comfort. It can not be measured. You contemplate on that brahman. You are that. Just as gold is called a bracelet ring etc. by different names for different shapes it is just gold. Sat also appears different with various names (gunas) owing to bhrama illusion. It is actionless by itself. That is brahman and contemplate that: you are that. It is one and only thing and it excels, transcends all; it ispratyagaatma, and it has only one sat that is bliss. It has the quality of atman: it is sat, truth, and the comfort of chit. Contemplate on that: you are that. Brahman, thus described, is to be contemplated by you. By that you would get jnaana immediately accessible like the water in the cup of you palm. Realize the pure tattva as jnaana. This shines like a monarch both in the public and the army. You seek refuge in that paratattwa. You coalesce every thing in the atman. Your own form, in you. In buddhi guha (the cave of buddhi) there is a unique brahman for sat and asat. That is TRUTH; the transcendent,param and second to none. Shishya! ... to be continued

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Crown Jewel of Sagacity Adi Shankara’s Viveka Chudamani Exegesis of Some Slokas

V The Three Tendencies - vasanatriyam

Even though one experiences brahman, the effort of the tendencies (vasanas) acquired down the births is very strong. This is without beginning, anadi. The tendency that 'I' am the doer 'I am the one who experiences', if it is there, that would be the cause of the person's bond to sansara. With a deep commitment, withdrawing the powers of senses inside, one has to feel that he is pratyagaatma, and try to get rid of the tendencies. The munis, accomplished ones, declare that mukti is to be rid of vasanas. The feeling that the body etc. is mine is adhyasa. The body etc., are anatma. The learned one with dedication, staying in his form of atman should be rid of this adhyasa. aham mameti yo bhaavo dehaadavanatmani adhyasoyam nirstavyo vidusha swatmanishtaya 269

Realising that pratyagaatma that is witness to buddhi and its nature, is your own form and staying in the realization that that is the very brahman, give up the feeling of atman in anatma. There are three kinds of vasanas, tendencies, lokavasana, dehavasana and shastra vasana. Leave the adhyaasa that results from these. As long as these tendencies are there, there could be no jnaana. Philosophers tell us that these are iron shackles to our feet. The one who frees himself from these would obtain mukti liberation. If a piece of sandal wood remains in water for long bad smell would cover it. It loses its fragrance. But if it is to be ground on a grinding stone, the extermal bad smell would disappear. It smells fine as earlier. In the same way the difficult-to-shed vasanas spoil the perfume of the tendency or fragrance of the atman. With the friction of prajna (the feeling that jeeva and Eshwara are one and the same) the bad smells would be lost. The fragrance of atman becoming once again pure manifests.

yadha yadha pratyagavasthitam manah tadhatadha munchati bahyavasanah

nissesha mo- 3k6 s-- he sati vasanaanaa maatmanubhutih pratibandha shoonya 277

The manas of Yogis is always steady in the atman. For that reason destroy your vasanas. Remove adhyaasa. With satwarajogunas tamoguna would be destroyed. Rajo

gunam would be destroyed by satwaguna. Misratatwas would be destroyed by shuddha satvam. Determined that the body would sustain prarabda karma, be steady. Courageously try to get rid of adhyaasa. You drive away adhyaasa, by constantly contemplating the fact that you are not jeeva but parabrahma. The speed of vasanas creates adhyaasa. By the knowledge of vedas yor own experience and your skill, realize that you are all in all and get rid of adhyaasa caused by the vasanas. For the one dedicated to atman either taking or leaving a thing even to a small extent would make his deed unfruitful. Stay undeviatingly steady in your atman always. Reject your adhyaasa. By declarations like taattwamasi the knowledge of the unity of jeeva andparamatmawould get reinforced. To make youjeevatma live strongly in brahman destroy your adhyaasa. You have to restrain you manas till the feeling that you are your body is completely destroyed and your adhyaasa is given up totally. O! Learned one! jeevatma andjagat are both created like things seen in deep sleep. They are not real. Till this feeling is destroyed, consciously restraining your manas, you get rid of your adhyaasa. Contemplate on the atman without any laxity in your approach. Won't allow any word relating to the unreal world enter your mind. With your father's sperm and the mother's ovum, your body is made. It is full of faeces and flesh. Leaving at afar, be brahman and make your life worthy. O, muni! As you coalesce the sky in the pot with the sky in the firmament let your jeevatma lose itself in the paramatma. Be neutral and unconcerned with your form and contemplating nature of brahman. Paramatma is self-effulgent. It is the base of all. Obtain that in your manas leave both the pindanda (your body) and brahmanda (comprising the four worlds) considering them both as pots filed with excreta. The 'I' feeling of the body be kept in the ever conscious sadanand, in brahman and leave the linga sareera, or the physical body. Become parabrahma. Like the reflection of the palace in the mirror, this world (jagat) is abhas. But the parabrahma is yourself. This realized, you would be successful. Your real form is sat It is shapeless; unacting; jnaana, the ultimate bliss. Get into that condition leaving the body. That is like the costume worn by the actor. All that we see is only mithya, that would be destroyed in a trice. That is not truth. Saying that that is 'me' is meaningless. Ego is momentary. If one thinks that he knows all, how can be attain jnaana? For things like ahankara, ego sense, pratyagaatma is witness. That is seen clearly in deepsleep state. The Vedic statement "ajonityam" clearly states that pratyagaatma is

without beginning and that is uniquely di- s3t7i --n ct from sat and asat. This pratyagaatma knows all the six vikaras, mutations, like birth upto death. For that reason if it is eligible to know that it is without change. vikara rahit. In desires, in dream, in deep sleep ahankara mentioned earlier is being seen as really noexistent. For this reason, shed the feeling that the body is you for it is made up of

blood, flesh etc. Leave that egosense that all that is you. Realize that the solid jnaana form is not affected by the three time as past, present and future (trikaalas). That form of jnaana is your pratyagaatma. Note that it is your form and attain peace. Leave your affection for the body and things like caste, race, clan etc. that depend upon it. Leave also the doership, experiencership etc. that belong to the body. Become the form of solid undivided sukha, comfort. Ahankara-Ego sense There are several hurdles for man to be the reason for getting entangled in the bonds of sansara. The main reason among these is ego-sense or ahankara. That is the first mutation, or, vikara. As long as atman has a relation with the evil egosense there would not be even the slightest desire for salvation. Only the one who frees himself from ahankara would be able to attain his original form of pratyagaatma. That is pure like the moon; perfect and full, self illuminating and everlasting, absolute bliss. This body is obtained from buddhi which lost viveka owing to the pervading tamoguna. When the feeling that the body is nine is totally destroyed the idea would dawn that one is the bondless, shackleless brahman. Brahmananda, Absolute Bliss is a treasure. That is guarded by a powerful serpent called ahankara, egosense, entwining it. For this serpent the three gunas are the most dangerous hoods. These have to be chopped off with jnaana as laid down by the Veda. Only the one who does that is capable of getting the treasure of great comfort.

brahmananda nidhirmahaa balvantaahankaara ghoraahinaa samveshtyaatmani rakshyate gunamayaischandai stribhirmastakaih vijnaanakhya mahaasinaa shrutimataa vichchidya seershatrayam nirmoolyahimimam nidhim sukhakaram dheeronubhoktum kshamah 303 Even if there is a little poison in the body, there would be no complete good health. In the same way even if there is a wee little bit of ahankara, the yogi would not get salvation. Only when the yogi gets rid of ahankara totally along with its various alernatives, he would atttain to the state of 'aham brahmasmi” You have to shed the idea of 'I' and 'me' -feeling 'I' am seeing, 'I' am doing etc. This would be in several various variation several shapes. It would just cover or cloud your atmaswaroopa You are pratyagaatma, the form of sukha, joy, you have acquired sansara birth, grief, old age etc. only because you have ahankara and attraction and attachment to anatma forms like the body etc. You are the form of sat; second to none, full of chit, master and lord if all. You are the embodiment of bliss; endless fame;- 3o8 -n- e without mutation or vikara. For one like you sansara is only adhyasa. Nothing else. Ahankara is like a thorn in the throat for the one eating. That is like an enemy. You have to slay it with the sword of your jnaana. You enjoy the bliss of ruling the empire of atman which appears very clearly to you. Divert your manas from things like anatma and ahankara. Be without any reaction,

without any action in the feeling of the bliss of the atman shedding all affection for vishayas. The Power and Sway of vasanas Even though ahankara is chopped off, if the manas merely touches it, it would became powerful again. Just as the cloud in the rainy season is spread in many directions, ahankara rouses many intentions sankalpas. For this reason ahankara has to be reined in. Don't ever leave a chance for attraction towards vishayas. Just as water makes the lemon tree break into bud, vishayas and thoughts about them, would become a reason for the sprouting of ahankara again. The one who thinks the body is he would be one with several desires. The one who believes that he is not his body would never be one with desires. Bedhabuddhi, the feeling of discrimination, is fostered by attachment and attraction to vishayas. It becomes the cause for sansara. If karya activity grows, the seed grows. By destroying activity the seed would be destroyed. So activity needs to be restrained. Karya means the desire for vishayas. This karya, activity, has to be destroyed. With desire removed vasanas would be removed. If vasanas grow vishaya chintana, desire for things and attraction grows. If there is increase of karya, increase of desire for vishayas, man cannot find liberation from sansara. Yati has to sever the bonds of sansara and for that destroy vasana and karya too which increase desires and attachments. Thinking about things, experiencing things would increase vasana. For this reason, in all the three states, of wakefulness, of dreams and of deep sleep, efforts must be made to nip, cut off vasana, vishaya chintana and bodily, external experience. In every thing, everywhere one should be able to see only brahman. If the feeling that everything is brahman is strong all the three mentioned above would be destroyed. When the experience of Vishaya is destroyed chinta would be destroyed. By that vasana would be destroyed. Moksha is a state where all vasanas are destroyed. That is liberation. kriyaanaashe bhave chchintaa naashosma dwaasanaa kshayah vaasanaa prakshayo mokshah sa jeevanmukti rishyate 318

Though there is a dense darkness, when the sun rises it is totally dispelled. If the inspiration relating to sat grows, the darkness of ahankara and vasana would be destroyed. The group of untoward things done in darkness too would disappear. When the feeling of absolute bliss is attained there would be no bondage to sansara. There

would not be a whit of grief also. Both wou- l3d9 -- be destroyed. Even though there is the bond of karma, destroy the visible world totally. perfectly. Have faith that you are brahman. Solid bliss. Both externally and internally attain restraint and pass your time. Unforceseen mischance Pramaad

While one is in brahman one should not nap. Sanat Kumar the mahatma, son of Brahma said that pramad is mrityu, death. For ajnaani while experiencing absolute bliss there could be no great untoward thing than this pramad or mischance. From this mischance there would emerge moha, from moha ahankara and because of that sansara and finally grief. One may be a learned person. If he sits facing vishayas because of weakness in buddhi, as a loose woman draws a lecher, he would be drawn into the experience of vishayas. Thick moss would not be stable. It would soon spread. In the same way ifprajna is away from facing parabrahma, maya would engulf man. When the manas is away from the ultimate object or goal, like bull rolling down the stairs, it would fall down at great speed. Manas, when gets into vishayas, would meet with a free fall. It goes on thinking of experiences and because of this man would be drawn into sansara. He would fall very low and would never try again to attain brahman. For one who knows brahman and one having the discrimination of atman and anatman there could be no greater death than pramada. The one who in samadhi, a state of trance, restrains all senses and manas, attains siddhi, fulfillment, soon. For that reason, O, Learned one! Concentrate your manas on atman and be ever alert. The one who while alive attains brahmatva, would attain the state of brahman even after death. He would be scared by seeing anything other than brahman. Yajur Veda says: jeevato yasya kaivalyam videhe cha sakevalah yat kinchit pashyato bhedam bhayam bhrooteyajuh shrutih 330

If a learned man ever sees even a whit of change in parabrahma he would be scared. He is afraid of seeing anything other than brahman. Hundred of declarations in the Veda prohibited in several ways the body and the related things. The one who feels that he is the body is the one who has performed prohibited deeds. His antahkarana is blemished, flawed and stained. He would experience a series of griefs. The one who is interested to apply all his manas to paramatma would be free from the bonds of sansara. He would constantly get the experience of his own form, brahmatattwa. Those who are interested in applying the mind to the body etc. which is asat would be destroyed. This difference is seen readily between the thief and a gentleman. The one who has restraint of his senses should shed the idea that 'he' is the body, which is the reason for all bondage and sansara. He must experience the oneness of jeeva and brahman, the condition of sameness between him and parabrahman. It would make him enjoy the bliss supreme since he himself is brahman. The commitment and - 40 -- dedication to brahman relieves him of the grief of the visible world. Taking the manas to visible external things would lead to the growth of foul smell. With the vivek of atman and anatman, external attractions, vishayas should be given up. One should connect the manas with the Supreme Being. Then he would be able to see

Him. By seeing Him worldly bonds would be snapped. None who accepts the declarations of the Vedas and has viveka of sat and asat would not care for the body etc. which are anatman! The ignorant one does that but not the jnaani. There is mukti or salvation for one who identifies himself with deha and related things. For the liberated ones there would be no feeling that the 'body' is the person. For the one in sleep, there would be no wakefulness. For the one wakeful there would be no dream state. The reason is that the two, wakefulness and sleep relate to two different gunas. The one who sees himself in all and everything (that is the brahman) and leaves everything else and stays in the indivisible, perfect and full parabrahma, would be the one liberated from the bonds of sansara.

antarbahih svam sthira jangameshu jnaanaatmanaadhaaratayaa vilokya tyaktva khilopaadhir akhandaroopah poornaatmana yah sthita yesha muktah 339 There could be no other way for liberation from sansara than the experience of the person that he is himselfparabrahmam in every way. The implication is that svatma bhava is the only way. This bhava would be obtained when nothing is seen and the feeling of deha is not accepted or felt. This leads to the thinking that all is brahman. The manas coalesced in the atman, always and ever, would make this feeling possible. If one indulges in experiencing the external, visible world and goes on acting accordingly it is not possible for the person to resist taking these in. The implication is that for the ajnaani it is not possible to leave the feeling that the body is he and he is the body. Only those, who have given up all and everything relating to karma and dharma and are devoted to atman and those who know atman and desire only the bliss of atman, would be able give up the. Only for such, bliss is possible. Samadhi For the one who recapitulates and contemplates, for the samnyasi, the Veda prescribes samadhi. "shanto daanta uparati sthitishu samaahito bhootvaa aatmanyevaatmaa nam pashyet". The idea is the one who has shama, dama, uparati and titiksha and who stays in samadhi, would visualize and see paramatma in himself. Even for the learned ones the destruction of the feeling that the body is atman is not easy. This is not possible for anybody except those in nirvikalpa samadhi. This is so because vasanas are attached since many births. The power of shifting called vikshepa shakthi takes man and joins him with moha which is a form if ahankara which is related to avaranashakti, the power of enveloping or covering. Later with their gunas he is th- r4o1 -w- n into sansara. It is difficult to overthrow this power. This is possible only when the power of covering, avaranashakti is overthrown, without leaving even a bit of it. Only when the sight (drishthi) and the scene (drishya) are clearly divided, the avaranashakti around the atman would be destroyed by itself. Drik is sight. It is pratyagaatma.

Everything else that appears like the body etc. and the whole world is drishya, appearing because of superimposition or adhyaasa. When the two-fold division is experienced, the enveloping cover dies. When it is dead the manas would not stray into the illusory anaatma. Then without hurdles, the atman vastu, would be experienced without doubt. Clear and difinite knowingness, jnaana, the specific, exact discriminating power, nityanitya vastuvivek divides the nature ofpadarthas, things or matters. Along with that it severs the connection of moha created by maya. Thus through viveka when one gets liberation, the sansara would be destroyed along with the seed (beeja). samyagvivekah sphutabodha janyo vibajya drig drishya padarthatattwam chinatti mayaakrita mohabandham yasmaadimuktasya punarna sanskrutih 346 para (Eshwara) and apara (jeeva) are not different. The fire of jnaana teaches this and burns the entire forest. For the one who has advaitanubhava (the experience if feeling that jeevatma and paramata are not two but only one advaita-monism there would be no seed of sansara- no more birth or death and thus total liberation, mukti, is obtained. With atmadarshan, the realization of atman. 1. The enveloping, covering power is destroyed 2. mithyajnaan, the idea that the body etc. is everlasting, nitya is destroyed 3. grief from the expansive power is destroyed. The one who feels that the rope is a snake realizes that there is no snake and what there is, is only a rope. By this the three cited above become possible. moha, mithyajnaana and bhaya (fear) all are gone. Owing to the combination (samyoga) with fire the lifeless iron gets several forms and is referred to by several names. In the same way with the combination of buddhisat (pratyagatma), it expands in the forms of roopa, rasa etc. of sense perceptions. Avaran shakti is the function of buddhi. Mithyajnaan and vikshepashakti are its functions as well. All the three are asat, mithya, illusion. They are like seeing the serpent in the rope; like those experiences in a dream; like feeling various sankalpas in the manas. For that reason beginning from ahankara up to deha, the body, all vishayas are the mutations, vikaras of the prakriti with the three gunas, satva, rajas and tamo. They would be changeful and cannot be considered as atman, which is not changeful. Ataman is nitya, permanent and true. It is second to none; indivisible and the form of chit. It is witness to buddhi etc. It is unique transcending both sat and asat. It is to be known only through jnaana. It is worth realizing. It is the form of pratyagatma. Even

solid bliss. The learned one realizes that it - i4s2 --h is form of atman, his own. Liberated from deha etc. which are anatma, he would get peace that surpasses all understanding. When in stable samaadhi and when the feeling of non-duality is obtained the heart cord of ignorance or ajnaana is severed. Parmatma is second to none. It has no unique qualities. The idea of 'you' and 'I' comes only because of the flaw in buddhi. For

the one in samadhi, all alternatives would be destroyed. The yati with shama and the other fine qualities of shamadi shatkam, while in samaadhi feels that he is all - since he is experiencing the feel of all atmas, all alternatives that occur because of the darkness of ajnaana would be burnt. Thus he would be deedless, and without any alternatives. So he is joy and comfort only. shantodaantah paramuparatah kshaantiyuktah samadhim kurvannityam kalayati yatih swaswa sarvatma bhavam tenaa vidyaatimira janitaan saadhu dagdhva vikalpaan brahmakrityaa nivasati sukham nishkriyo nirvikalpah 356 Those in samadhi and coalescing all senses and chitta alone with the idea of 'my' in the pratyagaatma, alone are 'liberated' ones from sansara. Listening to the statement aham brahmasmi and thinking that one is brahman is useless. Such can not get liberated. Though paramatma is only one, in different upadhis it obtains differences. When upadhis are removed it remains one. Then it would be experienced as an indivisible one. So the learned one should be in nirvikalpa samadhi to destroy the upadhis. The one in brahma with dedication becomes brahman. The insect always contemplating becomes the bee. In the same way, the yogi contemplating the parmatma, with concentration and dedication would obtain paramatma tattwa.

... to be continued

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Crown Jewel of Sagacity Adi Shankara’s Viveka Chudamani Exegesis of Some Slokas

6 Paramaatma is very small and it cannot be obtained through learning. It can be obtained by the learned one who has no raga or dvesha and who is in nirvikalpa samadhi only. Gold refined would lose all impurities. In the same manas with dhyana cleanses itself from all impurities and obtains the true nature, yadardha tatwa. With intense practice, contemplating aham brahmasmi and experiencing the same one can attain nirvikalpa samadhi. His manas would lose itself in brahman. The samadhi state would enable one to experience absolute bliss. Samadhi severs the cord relating to the vasanas. All karmas would be destroyed. Without effort bliss is experienced. Hundred times efficacious is manan than shravan and nidhi dhyasa a hundred thousand times more useful than that. Beyond all these the most unique is nirvikalpa samadhi. shruteh shatagunam vidyaanmananam mananaadapi nidhidhyasam lakshagunamanantam nirvikalpakam 365 With nirvikalpa samadhi, brahmatva is obtained clearly and fully. This is the only way for obtaining brahmatva. The movements of manas are unpredictable. Jnaana mixes easily with all things which we call anatma. Be one with restrained senses and keep your manas streadily on pratyagaatma with all vishayas quietened. Seeing brahman, destroy the darkness caused by avidya, which is without beginning. Yoga sadhanas Maunam(silence), aparigraham, not accepting any thing offered, freedom from desire and greed staying alone-all these need to be made a habit. This would be the first gate to Yoga, chitta vritti nirodha, restraint of the ways of chitta. By being alone one would be preventing the senses straying in all directions. Dama is the way for restraining chitta. With shama, vasana, the form of ahankara, would be destroyed. With vasana gone, one can feel absolute bliss. So the Yogi or muni must try and restrain chitta. Yekantasthitirindriyoparamane heturdamaschetasah samrodhe karanam shamena vilayam yaayaadaham vasanaa tenaananda rasaanubho-o 44ti --r achala brahmee sadaa yoginah tasmat chitta nirodha eva satatam karyam prayatnaan muneh 369

Let your vak, Speech, coalesce in manas and manas in buddhi and buddhi in chaitanya. Then let it be absorbed in paramatma and obtain the absolute bliss. When the

senses, pranas and buddhi, which are upadhis, are combined with manas, the Yogi gets the feelings associated with those upadhis. For this reason the muni has to take care that the manas does not combine with those upadhis. With such a nivrutti, detachment, one gets comfort relating to upasanti, a kind of relief. Then one would be immersed in experiencing absolute bliss. Only for the one with pure vairagya would it be possible to give up the activity of the internal and external senses. He would leave these for the sake of obtaining moksha. Only one steady in brahman can sever all connection with these senses, internal and external. O! Discriminating one! Viveki! To get to the top of the palace of moksha, there are two wings as for a bird to fly; one is vyragya and the other is jnaana. Without these things one cannot fly so high. For one who has total vairagya, nirvikalpa samadhi is possible. With that only sturdy jnaana comes. Only for the one who knows atmatatwa, liberation from the bonds of sansara is possible. Only for such, permanent joy and comfort come along with the experience of the brahman, brahmanubhuti. There is nothing more comforting than vairagya for a yogi. When this is joined with jnaana of the atma, one would be able to experience the empire of bliss. This is the gateway for permanent, true liberation. For that reason do not have an idea of attaining only moksha but always be conscious of the highest goal, of obtaining parabrahma. Sever or snap desire and greed for poisonous vishayas. Those bring only death. Shed the affection that this is my caste, my race, my 'ashram' etc. Keep away karmas relating to them. Show prajna in pratyagatma. Don't be under the delusion that body etc., are atman. You are a visionary. You are pure. By nature you areparabrahma, second to none. ashaam chindi vishopameshu vishaye shveshvaiva mrutyoh smrutih tyaktvaa jaati kulaashrameshvabhimatim munchati duratkriyah dehaadaavasathi tyajatma dhishanam prajnaam kurushvaatmani twam drashtasyamalo si nirdvaya param brahmaasi yadvastutah 378 Keep the manas steady on your goal, the parabrahman. Keep steady the senses in their proper places. Keep your body stable. Don't pay attention to the condition of your body. Get union with brahman. Full of brahman, with manas undivided, in your manas enjoy absolute bliss to your heart's content. What good are the empty illusions!

lakshye brahmani manasam drudhataram sansthapya bahyendriyam swasthaane vinivesya nischala tanuschopeksha deha sthitam brahmatmaikya mupetya tan- 4m5 -a- yatayaa chakhanda vrittyannisham brahmaananda rasam pibaatmani mudaa shoonyaih kimanyairbhramaih 379

Thinking of things anatma as filthy; only a cause for grief: think only ofpratyagatma, the reason for mukti in the form of bliss. That pratyagaatma is self-

effulgent. It is witness to indriyas etc. It is always brightly shining in vijnanamaya kosha contemplating paramatma. Without having the idea that there is something other than brahman, clearly know that that is your form. Making this feeling strong, shed ahankara and relating it to atman in the wrong way. Ego sense is like a ghatam, pot, or cloth. Don't be interested in them, ignore them. You have to experience the undivided, whole parabrahma gradually absorbing all jnaana in pure antah karana. The body, senses, prana, manas and ahankara are created by ajnaana when they are separated from their upadhis, you can see the undivided full sky of paramatma. In a pot, vessel, needle-and hundred other upadhis stays the sky. But then away from these, the sky, remains second to none. It is in no position to be in different ways. Like that sky is pratyagaatma. It is pure, absolute and different from 'my' etc. Right from brahman down to a blade of grass all upadhis are unreal. So you have to see paramatma, which is one, undivided and your own form without fail. This universe is created only by a bhranti, an illusion. With viveka, bhranti is destroyed. Then the universe would appear as brahman. It is only because of bhranti that a rope appears as a serpent, When bhramti is removed the "serpentness" would disappear. It remains a rope that it is. When one has nityaanitya viveka everything is revealed as brahman. When illusion is removed, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and this whole universe would be You only. That is- you are parabrahma. There is nothing that is not parabrahma. All is that. In this whole universe, above, below in the East and West North and South what is is yourself. Paramatma it is. The waves, foam and bubbles are all water. In the same way, starting from the body upto ahankara all is chit. It is brahman that is pure and second to none. What speech and manas reveals is all sat. Everything in creation that is in the form of maya is sat. There is nothing different from sat. The vessel, the pot and the huge pot are all clay. Is any of those different from clay? Intoxicated by maya one says 'I'. While arranging kriyas the shruti tells us that there is no duality and it asks us to get-rid of adhyasa caused by illusion, bhranti. The implication is that there is nothing that is different from paramatma. Parabrahma is pure like the sky. It has no alternatives. It has no limits. It has no movement at all. It does not undergo any change. It is empty within and without. It is second to none. Such parabrahman are you. Is there anything else worth knowing? - 46 -- Where else is more that is to be said about paramatma? Jeeva is in itself parabrahman. Right from the atom upto this universe it is parabrahman only. Brahman is second to none, says the shruti or Veda. Those jnanis who declare aham brahmasmi left everything that is bahya outside, when they attain brahmatwa they would be in the form of absolute bliss. This is definite, absolutely certain.

vaktavyam kimuvidyate atra bahudhaa brahmaiva jeevah swayam brahmai tajjagadaa paraanu sakalam brahmaadwiteeyam shruteh brahmaivaahamiti prabhuddhamatayah santykta bahyaah sphutam brahmeebhooya vasanti santata chidaanandaa tmanaiva dhruvam 395 The sthoola deha is full of excreta and then pranamaya - full of praanas is linga deha- in both greed is fostered by ahankara, egosense, leave that; shed that. Be brahman knowing that you are the pratyagatma which is everlasting true, and one with the form of bliss, as describe d by Veda. So long as one feels that this corpse-like body is 'him', he is impure. He would obtain or suffer grief from others. He would have birth, disease and death. Later he suffers in hell also. The one who feels that he is pure, stable, and the form ofparameshwar, would be liberated from sansara. This is what shruti, the veda, told us. By rejecting the thing ascribed in him, the conviction comes that he himself is full, second to none, actless parabrahma. When the body and the workings of chitta are lost in parabrahma, the body and universe, nothing appears. Everything shines as brahman. Then any alternative remains only as a word. To say that the one and second to none brahman has the universe is an untrue, artificial statement. How can there be any difference in the parmatma which is without change, without form and without any uniqueness. There is nothing like drashtha, darshan and drisyam in parabrahman. How can there be any difference in paramatma which is full, complete, like the ocean in the end of the kalpa (a great length of time comprising many yugas) Everything loses itself in paratattwa. In that how can there be difference? Difference is impossible in paratatwa. Does any one see difference in the deep sleep state where there is only sukha (comfort). When brahmajnaana is obtained in nirvikalpa brahma there is no universe at all. Is it not that the serpent is visible in the rope during all the tree kaalas, (past, present and future time). Would there be a single drop of water in a mirage? The duality or difference is only maya. The Veda tells us that what the ultimate is only non-duality, advaita. In the deep sleep state only advaita is being experienced. Only scholars in sciences (shastras) say that brahman is different from the universe etc. ascribed to superimposed brahman. But this is not true. Serpent in the rope, water in the mirage and silver in the pearl shell are all caused by bhranti. This alternative is only because of chitta. If there is no chitta this would not arise. So keep your chitta steady in pratyagaatma. The learned one sees in his heart the paripoorna, complete, parabrahma. This is always the form of jnaana. It is just the form of absolute bliss. It has no limits. It is

always open. This has no desire, it is nireeh- 4a7 -.- It is pure like the sky. This has no prakriti or vikruti, nature or abnormality. It transcends imagination. It is absolutely neutral (samarasa). It is a detail of an experience relating to the inner understanding. It is far removed from all bonds. It is obtained from the declarations in the shruti (the Vedas). It has no old age or death. It is the form of things when all the alternatives remove

themselves. It could be stated that it is the stable water body. It has no name; it appears when all mutations and all the gunas are subsided. This is permanent, peaceful and second to none. See the resplendent, magnificent paramatma keeping your antahkarana on him. Paramatma is your own form. Try and snap bonds with sansara which has foul smells. Make your masculine birth meaningful. Contemplate on the absolute bliss in your own heart. If you do so you would not be drawn into sansara again. The body follows man like his own shadow. That is only appearance. It is not true. The body is formed for experiencing karma. The learned man keeps that body aloof, as he would a corpse. He would not accept the body again. Obtain the form of the true, pure jnaana. Keep aloof this body which is made up of filth. It is revolting, disgusting. The knowing one, jnaani would rout it out along with the vasanas of the earlier births is the fire of nirvikalpa parabrahman, the absolute reality with no alternative. After that he would be in his own Natural form of jnaananda-the bliss of knowingness. He would obtain unity with the brahman. The cow can not see whether the garland in her neck is following her. In the same way, the knower of tattwa, who is the form of bliss with all the wanderings of his chitta coalesced in brahman would not turn around to see if the body tied to his form is following him or not. When once realizing the brahman, who would want a body! The fruit of an accomplished and fulfilled yogi is to just experience bliss in the manas and outside. The fruit of vairagya is jnaana. the fruit of jnaana is uparati, withdrawing the senses from their pursuits. The fruit of uparati is to experience his own form of bliss. One after another these should fellow, otherwise the earlier ones would be useless. If jnaana is not obtained vairagya, if uparati is not obtained jnaana, if shanti is not obtained, uparati are futile. When there is escape from the experience of vishayas, absolute contentment comes. That is one's own self: incomparable bliss. The present, ready, fruit of the knowingness of atman, atmatatmajnana is to be unaffected by the grief being experienced. When ajnaana (ignorance) envelopes, many types of disgusting deeds are done. Once enlightened, how can a jnaani perform any such deeds! The fruit of jnaana is to be freed from asat. The fruit of ajnaana is getting into pravritti, the nature of the senses and the trigunas. One can clearly see the difference between a jnaani and ajnaani in the way each looks at the mirage. Jnaani knows it as unreal. What more could be a fruit for his jnaana? The ajnaani believes that the mirage is real and gets enlarged. When the ajnaana grandhi is destroyed, when there are no desires, what does anyone desire! Nothing would draw him into sansara. The ultimate goal of jnaana is not to have a liking for a thing that could be - 48 -- experienced. For Yogi's uparati the goal is the non-repetition or, cessation of chitta vrittis (the wanderings of chitta). Brahmajnaani -The one who knows atman Brahmajnaani is rare. Such a one experiences endless fruit of his merit (punya).

He gives up the knowledge of the external things. He experiences brahman and nothing else. He believes that the world around is what he has seen, like one who is always asleep or a like boy. Such a great person is highly revered in this world. brahmaakaaratayaa sadaa sthitatayaa nirmukta baahyarddhadhee ranyavedita bhogya bhogakalano nidraaluvadbaalavat swapnaa lokita lokavajjagadidam pasyan kvachilladdhdhee raaste kaschidamanta punya phalabhugdhanyah sa maanyo bhuvih 426 Yati is a sthitaprajna who would experience only bliss all the time without deeds and without change keeping his manas coalesced in brahman.

Jeevan mukta -The one liberated alive Prajna is said to be the chitta vritti that is immersed in the feeling of unity of the jeeva and brahman. The one who obtains that always is the one liberated while being alive. brahmaatmano shoditayoreka bhaavaavagaahinee nirvikalpa cha chinmatraa vrittih prajneti kathayate saa sarvadaa bhavedyasya sa jeevanmukta ishyate 428 The one in whom prajna is stable and steady and the one who always enjoys absolute bliss and for whom world is worth forgetting is called jeevanmukta. Leaving all experience of the sense in the wakeful state coalescing buddhi in pratvyagatma and being ever wakeful is a jeevammukta. His jnaana is free from all vasanas. He is the one whose sansara, the bond with the external world is cooled down. Though learned, he is without learning: though he has chitta, he is free from it. His chitta would not go about its usual wonderings. Though he has body that fellows him like a shadow, the jeevana mukta has no egosense or myness. Sthitaprajna is one who steadily establishes buddhi in aatman with vyragya. He lives ever in atmananda, the absolute bliss of this atman.

vartamanepi dehesmin chaayaavadanuvartini ahantaa mamataa bhaavo jeevanmuktasya lakshanam 432 A jeevanmukta gives up all connection with whatever has happened earlier. He would not think of the future. He does not care for what is happenning to him: he ignores all. He sees everywhere, all around, paramatma alone. He has no likes or dislikes for anything or - 49 -- anybody. He is neither excited nor depressed. His manas constantly stays coalesced in experiencing absolute bliss. He does not have the awareness of either the external or internal. This is the nature of a jeevan mukta. He is neutral (udaseen) unaffected by the body, the senses and all karma, deeds.

He is the one who knows by the statement of the Veda that jeeva is brahma. He is released from all bonds. He is jeevan mukta. He does not have the feeling that he is his body or his senses. With prajna he is aware of the fact that there is no difference between pratyagatma and brahman and brahman and the universe. He keeps total equanimity either when being honoured or hurt. Like the flow of rivers ecoalesce in the sea, things and feelings get into him with no trace of effort. They do not cause any change in him. Such yati is a jeevan mukta. For the one who knows brahma, brahmavetta, there is no sansara, worldly bond. If he were to have it, he is no brahma vetta. The vetta would not be attached to anything external. He is in the world simply because of the vasanas of the earlier birth. His vasana (tendency) is weakened by the awareness of brahman. Though a lecher, just as one does not have such a feeling for his mother, when once brahman (bliss) is experienced, the vasana in him becomes ineffectual, for one in nirvikalpa samadhi the awareness of the external may be there. In such the experience of prarabda karma is there. As long as comfort joy etc. are experienced prarabda karma is believed to exist. If a fruit is obtained, it means that 'deeds' are performed. There would be none who has not performed any deed when one is awake and, all the deeds in the dream state are destroyed. In the same way, with the jnaana that 'I' am brahman, the sanchita karma all the deeds done in all the previous births would be destroyed. The acts done in the dream, good or bad, would not give heaven or hell. The yogi is un attached, asanga. He would not have any relation to the acts in the future. He is like the sky, unattached to anything. Though the sky has the upadhi of the pot it does not have the foul smell of the liquor. For the pot of liquor, pot is the upadhi. In the same way for atman, the body is upadhi. But the properties of the body do not touch the atman. When an arrow is shot at a target, the arrow has to give some fruit or result. It would hit the target. In the same way acts done before jnaanodaya, the attainment of jnaana, would not die without yielding fruit. If one shoots an arrow at a cow thinking that it is a tiger, it hits the cow. It does not stop midway even if it were to realize that it is a cow. Prarabda karma, karma in the earlier birth is very powerful. Its fruit has to be experienced. Even for jnaani experiencing it alone would make if weak and get extinct. With samyag jnaana, sanchita and agaami karmas would be destroyed for those who live in unison with brahman always. None of the three karmas would touch them. Such people become nirguna parabrahma.

praarabdhambalavattaram khaluvidaam bhogena tasya kshayah

samyag jnaana hutaashanen- 5a0 --v ilayah praak sanchitaagaaminaam brahmatmaikamaavekshya tanmayatayaa ye sarvada sansthitaah steshaam tattritayam na hi kwachidapi brahmaivate nirgunam 454 Without identifying one's self with upadhi (without the feeling that the deha is 'I')

when feeling aham brahmasmi would be in the experience of the non-dual, one becomes a muni. For him, there would be no experience of prarabdakarma as there would be no dream state in the wakeful state. The one who wakes up from sleep would not get the feeling of having experienced the things with his body. In the wakeful state he would be as himself only. He would not have the desire to justify that what he had seen or experienced is real. He would not keep those things seen in the dream safe; he would not see that world again. If he were to behave in favour of those he had seen in the dream, it means that he is not wakeful. In the same way one experiencing brahman would stay as brahman always. He would not see other things. Like the thing seen in the dream, for the one who knows brahman, taking or leaving food is only a memory. This body is made by karma. Prarabda is created for that. There is no relation between prarabda and karma. Atma is not built of karma. "Ajonityah" says the shruti meaning atman is true, everlasting and without birth. That is a wonderful declaration, statement. For the jnaani who feels that he is brahman, there would be no prarabda karma. As long as one feels that he is the body, there is this prarabda karma. Jnaani does not like the state of thinking that he is the body. So one must stop saying that a jnaana has it. Prarabda karma for his body is also an illusion since the body itself is an illusion. It is untrue; how can it, the body, be born? When it is not born how would it decay? In that case how can there be prarabda karma for the body which is asat? With jnaana, ajnaana and its action too are destroyed. When this is said, how did body come? For those who doubt like this the answer is: with external attitude shruti talks about prarabda karma but not to say that the body etc. are true for the learned ones. The purport of the statement in the Veda is to show paramardha. If there were to be no prarabda karma there should be no body for jeevan mukta. But he has body. The answer for this doubt is that though he has body he has no illusion of the body. For the sleeping one, we think that is body but he does not have that illusion.

... to be continued

- 51 --

Crown Jewel of Sagacity Adi Shankara’s Viveka Chudamani Exegesis of Some Slokas

7 The proof of adviteeya brahma Brahman is paripoorna, full, complete. It has no beginning, no end, it cannot be measured, it is indivisible, it is one, it is solid sat, solid chit, ever solid bliss ananda. It is pratyagatma, it is all around, without upadhi, without guna, micro, with such atternative, ever peaceful and has a form that can not be proved. It is beyond the comprehension of manas or speech. It is full of sat. It is self-born; pure, peaceful and invisible. The world seen in many ways is not at all different from brahman. Those who give up affection for vishayas, those who renounced the experience of vishayas, those with shama and dama are all yatis. They learn paratatwa very well and acquire unity with brahman and obtain parama sukha, absolute bliss or comfort. Upadesha - Teaching or message O, Shishya! you too think about this paratatwa, about the atman your form of solid bliss, dispel the ajnaana in you caused by manas and get fulfilled by getting liberation form sansara by attaining brahmajnaana. See the atmatatwa with the eye of jnaana with a stable and pure manas while being in nirvikalpa samadhi. The brahmatatwa you have listened about would not change. It is experienced. By getting liberation from the bonds of ajnaana you would attain brahman which is the form of truth and jnaana, knowingness. In this matter the upadesha of guru is a standard. Besides this the experience you will have in you innermost feeling, antahkarana is a standard too. Bonds of sansara and liberation contentment, worry, health and hunger are all known by experiencing personally. The jnaana about these can only be imagined by others. Gurus too like the declarations and statements in the Vedas would be neutral white teaching brahma tatwa the nature of brahman. The learned one must cross sansara with the prajna, blessings from Eshwar's grace. The learned one must realize that he is the form of the indivisible pratyagaatma and stay in the atman in great comfort and joy. This is the essence of the statement of the Veda. The entire creation and jeeva too are brahman. Salvation or mukti is staying in the indivisible parabrahman. The statements in the Veda are proof to determine that brahma is second to none.

- 52 -- vedanta siddhanta niruktireshaa brahmaiva jeevah sakalam jagachcha akhandha roopasthitireva mokshah

brahmadviteeye shrutayah pramanam 479 With this kind of the guru's teaching, with the proof in the declaration of the Vedas the sishya has calmed down his senses, obtained atma tatwa and dedicated himself to atman. Having stayed thus in the atman for some time in bliss, he said to the guru: "Gurudev! Attaining unity with brahman, my buddhi, born of vishayas, got extinct. The senses have lost their use. I am now not seeing the evident or the non- evident, pratyaksha or paroksha I experienced absolute bliss. I am not able to describe how I feel. "It is impossible to describe or consider the magnificence of this ocean of parabrahman which has been filled with the streams of the nectar of bliss my own. Like hail absorbed in the sea, my manas lost itself and got submerged in parabrahma. My manas being thus transported is full of bliss and comfort therefrom. "Where did the world go? Who is taking it away? Where is it merging? It was visible in moment ago; now it is not to be seen! what a miracle! "In the ocean of parabrahman full of the indivisible whole nectar of bliss, there is everything that is to be taken, grasped and held and nothing to be left out. In the same way there is nothing different from it, nothing unique than that. I am not able to see anything here. I am not able to hear anything. I am not learning anything. I have become the ever living form of bliss. I have become unique. "My salutations to the preceptor, the gurudev whose compassion flowed down to me as cool and thick moonlight removing all my hardship, and whose grace it was that in a trice gave me the experience of the magnificent grandeur of my own form of bliss. My salutation to the form of parabrahman in my guru, who is a constant ocean of compassion, the embodiment of absolute bliss and a mahatma, a noble soul. "Guroottama! Best of preceptors! With your grace I am fulfilled. I am accomplished. I have been liberated from sansara. I could become the form of the ever blissful one. Now I am un attached, without body - with no signs of either a male or a female. I am one without decay or destruction. I am the form of peace, I am endless and without any fatigue. I am the deedless form of pure jnaana, just sadashiva. I am different from the seer, the listener, the speaker, the one who eats or the doer. I am of the form of true, endless, limitless, unattached and the full shape of bliss. I have no discrimination between the macro and micro worlds. But it illumines all. I am brahman, the ultimate, the pure, the complete, the empty and second to none. I am incomparable, beginningless atmatatwa. I am above all imagination and division of you and me, this or that. I am the second to none, brahman, the only everlasting nectar of TRUTH. - 53 -- "I am Srimannarayana, Srikrishna who slew Naraka the demon, Paramashiva who killed the demons of Tripura and pusashottama too. I am the form and shape of solid, indivisible jnaana. I am witness to all. I am one who has none above me to order me about. I am devoid of myness and egosense. I am in all living beings. I am the refuge, resort as one known both inside and outside. I am the eater and the thing eaten, What appeared different earlier is me only.

"From me many words emerge as waves with extraordinary movements of the air of maya the indivisible ocean of bliss. Many of these waves rise and fall again from me into me. I am without any form any activities. It is only with the super imposition of illusion there are feelings like micro and micro. That is something like creating time length liker year, eon season in endless continuous TIME. Ajnaanis (ignorant ones) condemnable for the flawed mati, attribute deha and the worldly supperimposing it on parmatman. By such an act of attributing, brahman is not demeaned. The water flow in the mirage cannot irrigate the dry land. I am one far from these creations or imginations like the sky. I am different from irradiating other things like the sun. I am stable, unmoving like a mountain. I am endless like the ocean. I have no connection with body just as there is no connection between the cloud and the sky. How can the states of wakefulness etc. be mine? The body is upadhi; it comes and goes. That performs deeds and that enjoys or suffers the fruit as consequence. That lives and that dies but I am ever like the great mountains always stable. "I have no pravriti, changeful nature. Since I have no organs and I have no liberation too since I am not bound. The paramatma, which like the sky is single, everlasting and pervading, does not perform any deeds. How can it? I have no senses and so no changes of the six types. I have endless, everlasting bliss. For me how can there be paap, sin or punya (merit)? Even the Veda says this: "ananvaagatam punyena, ananvaagatam paapena teerno hi tadaa sarvaan shokaan hridayasya bhavati" (Brihadavanyaka Upanishad). It crosses all griefs relating to the heart without having any connection with paap or punya. When cool or hot water is touched they are not felt by the 'purusha' since it is the shadow that feels them. The properties, qualities of witness do not touch the person who is a witness. The witness is without change, avikari; he is neutral. While the lamp shines the affairs in the house take place. The deeds or the affairs do not touch the lamp. In the same way the body functions are dipressed by atman. It is unique. They do not touch the atman. "The sun is witness to all. But the karmas, deeds, do not touch him. When iron meets with fire, it becomes bright owing to its quality of shining when heated to a particular extent. The probates (dharmas) of the inactive (jad) iron do not touch fire. (agni). when the serpent is superimposed on the rope, the properties or qualities of the serpent do not touch the rope. "I am not the doer not even the inspirer or motivator. I am not the eater: not even the person who makes one eat. I am not the seen, not even the one who shows. I am self effulgent. I am atman which can not be described or directed that it is like this. Ajnaanis - 54 -- seeing the image of the sun in the moving water say that the sun is moving. While in upadhi, in the deha, one feels that he is doing, experiencing etc. but the atma does not feel it. Many mistake the body for atman. "The deha which is jad (lifeless) though immersed in water does not get wet. The

property of water or earth does not touch me. Wetting or staining would never attain me, the form of atma. Doership, eatership etc. are all alternatives of buddhi only. I am not dual. In me, parabrahman, there are none of these. There may be a hundred or thousand changes (vikaras) of prakriti. What have I, one the form of chit and with no attachement, have to do with changes at all. The clamour of the cloud does not touch the sky. Does it? "I am the advaita brahman non-dual brahman. From the unmanifest to the gross body what appears as a result of abhaasa is me. I am without beginning or end. I am equal to the sky. I am th at which is the base for all the universe, the one who irradiates all, present in all shapes and all and empty of all, true, everlasting, pure, stable and one without alternative. I am that advaita parabrahman. In me all and everything made of maya would coalesce. I am the form of pratyagaatma. I am that advaita parabrahma. I am not to be obtained with the jnaana of the senses. "I am deedless, changeless, without organs or limbs, without shape, everlasting permanent-with no base, nondual, one with all atmas, and all forms and shapes. I am the everlasting, absolute bliss, the form of undivided total jnaana. "This is the grandeur of the empire of the self effulgent parabrahman, with the affluence of your wealth of compassion I could obtain this. O great soul! My salutations to you! Salutations again and again! Noble preceptors! You have awakened me from deep sleep; saved me from the cruel tiger of ahankara, egosense and this sansara, the wilderness through which I have been roaring about suffering all tribulations and enduring all kind of "heats" taapaas and worries, gurudev! My pranams again and again. Your effulgence is form of sat. Solid chaitanya, second to none. that itself is shining in the universe." Seeing the disciple thus bent offering obeisance on obtaining the bliss of self- realization, the moon of the guru, extremely pleased spoke to him again. Guru's words "All this world is the flow of jnaana from the form of brahman: so it is brahman. You see everywhere with you manas in all states only the sat. For the one who has the eye of jnaana there could be nothing else to see except brahman. What is there for one who knows brahman to promenade in except sat. Which man would learn that blissful experience for the empty things? Who would look at the picture of the moon, when the moon shines overhead in glorious radiance. There could be no contentment in experiencing something which is asat. Grief too coud not be driven away by that. Be always in great comfort experiencing the bliss of sat which has nothing as second. "O, great mind! Be ever having t-h 55e - - joy of the audience of joy own form of parabrahman and thinking of that and enjoying the bliss therefrom spend your time. Creating or imagining the world in the indivisible form of jnaana, the nirvikalpa parabrahma is imagining a city in the sky. So be the form of absolute bliss and always experience absolute bliss in maintaining silence.

"The state where the buddhi is neutral is considered absolute peace, paramopashanti (Buddhi) is the reason for creation of asat and all kinds of alternatives. Great men who have known brahman would always obtain the comfort of ananda, bliss. There is nothing better than the best of experiencing ones own nectar of bliss obtained from the jnaana of atmananda, the knowingness of the abs olute bliss. The learned muni takes it everywhere he goes and lives happily even in the experience of bliss all the time. "Restraining the chitta and knowing the tatwa, for the one who has been fulfilled, the great man would not have any interest in place, time, seat or the rules of yama etc. When once one knows himself why any rules or niyamas? To know a pot seeing it, why would one need rules? None would care for them when so accomplished. To know paramatman the strength of pramana, standard, is necessary and nothing else. "Rules regarding place and time are not desirable. Shruti, the Veda says the atman is self-effulgent. This is not related to place, time and pure of the body etc. The conciousness that "I am Devadatta" does not require anything. Without any consideration, the knowledge of atman would be available to the one seeking it. "The sun irradiates all. In the same way only the atman irradiates it. Anatma or asat. How can it irradiate the filthy body etc.? Vedas, Shastras and Puranas, all are becoming meaningful and accomplished because of the paramatma. Can these give radiance to the allknowing parabrahman?" The state of the one who knows brahman Paramatma is self-effulgent. It has limitless strength and power. It is immeasurable. It is the form of all experience. Among those in the brahmavettas (those who know Brahman) the best is liberated from the bond of sansara only after knowing the atman. He shines effulgently. Brahmavetta, always drinking deep at the springs of absolute bliss would never be in grief owing to vishayas. He would not feel joy either. He would neither be attached nor unattached. He would ever be playing in the form of his own atman. He would even he contented and happy. The little kid would forget even hunger and be playing with his favourite plaything. In the same way the knowing one of the atman would be above egosense and myness. He would always be enjoying comfort. Brahmavetta without wretchedness or worry would eat what he gets by way of biksha charity. He drinks off the river. He would be independent and without any limits of power. He would never be afflicted with fear. He would sleep in a graveyard or a garden. He wears a cloth which is neither washed nor dried. He would go about naked. The earth is his bed. He would be ever wandering in the streets of metaphysics. He would be ever playing in the parabrahman. - 56 --

chintaashoonya madainya bhaikshamashanam paanam saridvarishu swaatantrena nirankushaa sthitirabheernidra shmashane vane

vastram kshalana shoshanaadi rahitam digva astu shayya mahee sanchaaro nigamaanta veedhishu vidaam kreeda pare brahmani 539 Giving up or shedding moha, following the desire of everyone, he experiences all the vishayas like a little child. He would never reveal or show his feature of varna or ashrama. He would not share any interest in external matters. Sometime he wears a cloth, sometimes he is goes about naked. He would be wandering about like a little boy, a madman or a spirit.

digambaro vaapi cha saambaro vaa tuagambaro vaapi chidambarasthah unmattavadvaapi cha baalavadvaa pishacavadvaapi charatyavanyaam 541 The muni being in advaita paramatma would be experiencing desires without kama, desire. He would be content with his own experience of atman. He is in the feeling and belief that he is all in all by and in himself. He would be wandering or going about sometimes like an idiot, sometimes like a learned man, sometimes like a king in glory, sometimes like a madman, sometimes calm, sometimes like one taking the way of a python and sometimes like a very deserving man and sometimes like one insulted and sometimes like an unknown stranger. kvachinmoodho vidvan kwachidapi maharaja vibhavah kvachit bhraantah saumyah kwachidajagarachaara kalitah kvachitpratree bhootah kvachidavamatah kvaashyavidita scharatyevam prajnah satata paramaananda sukhitah 543 Even though without riches a brahmajnani would always be cheerful. Though aidless he would he very powerful. He would ever be egalitarian; though he is unique though performing deeds he is one unacting. Though experiencing the fruit of karma he is not the 'eater' - bhokta. Though he has body he is like one who does not mind it. Though limited to the upadhi, the base, of his body he is like one who is all in himself. Likes and dislikes, auspiciousness, and unauspiciousness, would never touch him. For those with sthoola sareera and feel that they are their bodies, there would be joys and griefs. For one who severs connection with body (ignores it) there is no fruit, either auspicious or inauspicious. Though the sun is not swallowed by Rahu, the ignorant, without knowing the nature of things, tell others that the sun is swallowed. A brahmajnaani is one who does not consider that the body is he. One who severs the connection with the body, like a snake skin would be slightly moving when the wind blows. The flow of water takes a piece of wood above and below. - 57 -- In the same way the body of a brahmavetta is swayed as per his deeds by God. The siddha, the accomplished one, who is freed from the bonds of body would behave like a house holder while experiencing the fruit of his deeds. While undergoing the experience of the fruit of his actions, he remains neutral. Though the wheel moves, the axle does not move. Like that the jnaani, is without any intention or non-intention; drunk with the bliss

of his own atman, he would just remain a witness without turning his senses towards vishayas, sense attractions. In the same way he wouldn't divert his attention from vishayas either. He does not have any concern or care for the fruit of his deeds. Shedding goals and non-goals, he who lives only as parabrahma is Shiva Himself. He is the best among brahmavettas, those who know brahman. He is the fulfilled one. One liberated from the bonds of body while alive, when the upadhi of body is destroyed, he becomes brahman and enjoys brahman which has none second. Though not donning the robes, just as he is a man, whether he has costume or not of an actor, he remains brahman only. The fall of the body of the brahmavetta The yellowed leaf of the tree falls somewhere. In the same way the body of ayati who has become brahman somewhere, sometime, falls down. His body has already been burnt in the fire of jnaana. There would no waiting for the muni to wait for time or place or auspicious moment since he is already filled with bliss. The body made of skin, flesh, excreta and urine is of no consequence at all. Leaving the body is not moksha or attaining salvation. It is not even throwing away the appurtenances like danda and kamandalu of the seeker. Moksha comes, when the hridaya grandhi, heart cord, of ajnaana is severed. dehasya moksho na moksho na dandasya kamandaloh avidya hridaya grandhi moksho moksho yatastatah 559 Would the tree get any fruit either auspicious or inauspicious if its leaf falls either in a drain, in a river at crossroads or on the seat of Shiva? In the same way the destruction of the body with senses, buddhi and prana is like the destruction of a tree's fruit or flowers Atman is everlasting. It is the form of bliss: it can not be destroyed. Atman is like a tree which lives even if the leaves etc. of a tree die. Prajnaanaghana is given as a description of atman in the Veda, indicating that it is true and everlasting. Though not stated, the upadhi of atman, like body, is destructible. The Veda, while saying "avinashee vaareyamaatma", declares that deha etc. die, while atman has no decay. Trees etc. come out of mud and finally mix in the mud. In the same way the body, senses, buddhi etc. are burnt in the fire of jnaana and become brahman again. Since it has come from brahman it coalesces in brahman again. As darkness coalesces in the sun's radiance, all visible things lose themselves fully in brahman. When the pot is broken into pieces, the sky becomes clearly sky. In the - 58 -- same way the body which is only an upadhi, after the body is gone, the brahmavetta becomes brahman himself. Milk in milk, oil in oil and water in water are all miscible. The one who knows atman loses himself in atman. He becomes atmans only. Thus, the body etc., the asat gone, the yati becomes the form of brahmajnaani and would never get into sansara.

With avidya burnt, with awareness and jnaana of the unity with paramatman and along with avidya, his body too, the yati becomes brahman. For such a one how can there be another birth? It is only maya which creates bondage and liberation. In fact they are not there in the atman. It is only bhranti that makes a rope a serpent and with that bhranti gone only the rope remains. The covering of ajnaana, avarana is bondage. That being gone what remains is only liberation or mukti. For that reason the elders said: avidyaastamaye mokshah saa cha bandha udahrutah. For parabrahma there is no avarana. The Veda does not accept any. Both bandha, (bondage) and moksha (liberation) are untrue. Only moodhas, unknowing ones, superimpose the feature of buddhi or atman. When the cloud covers the sun, it is like saying that the cloud has covered the sun. The atman is one- non-dual-unattached, everlasting! How can it have bondage or liberation! Seeing the bond of sansara or not seeing the bond both are the attributes (gunas) of buddhi. They do not touch atman, the everlasting. There could be no creation of such things to the sky like paramatma, the one which is second to none, endless, peaceful and so on as already described in several places. Deluge, creation, bondage sadhaka and mumukshu, none of these are there. That is the absolute truth. "O, disciple! This is the form of the entire theory of Vedanta. This is transcendental, most secret. I explained and taught you this. Constantly contemplate on this, with a desire for liberation with your buddhi without any desire, being free from all the defects of kali, this eon." Thus while the explained, the disciple with great humility offered him his salutations and obtaining his permission, took his leave. the guru too totally immersed in the ocean of everlasting bliss went about sanctifying the entire earth.

Thus with a view to preaching all seekers and aspirants the comfort giving jnaana, the quality of atman is described through the dialogue between the preceptor and the disciple. May all the yatis who have successfully washed off all the effects in chitta, those who have no desire for the comfort of sansara, those with peaceful minds who are interested in the declarations of the Veda grasp these. This preaching of the most exalted and the holy Bhagawatpada is an ocean of nectar for those being scorched in the way of sansara and suffering the pangs of thirst. This gives comfort. This reveals the non-dual state of brahman. It gives moksha. It shines

effulgently. - 59 -- sansaaraa dhvani taapabhaanukirana prodbhoota daahavyadhaa khinnaanaam jalakaankshayaa marubhuvi bhraantyaa paribrahmyataam aatyaasanna sudhaambhudhim sukhakaram brahmaadwayam darshayam

tyeshaa shankara bharatee vijayate nirvaana sandhaayinee 582

-0- Jagadguru Shree Shankara Bhavatpaada's Viveka chudamani was explained in Telugu by Acharya Saravabhauma Professor Vedula Subrahmanya Shastry in selective exegesis. This is the rough and reader rendering of Dr V.V.B.Rama Rao Concluded

- 60 --