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VIVEKA - CHUDAMANI
OF

SRI

SANKARACHARYA

HKEHY

iRARY
I

OF
^LffORNIA/
VERSITY

Himalayan

Scries So.

XL!II.

VIYEKAGHUDAMANI
OF

SRI

SANKARACHARYA

Text with English Translation, Notes

and an Index,

BY

SWAMI MADHAVANANDA.

.;.^. A

THE ADVAITA A5HRAMA, MAYAVATI,

Dt. Almora, Himalayas.

1921
All righlb received,

i'lice Rs. T>vo,

Published by

Swaml Madhavaoaada, Presldeatf

Advaita Ashrama, Mayavati.

Printed by
at the

Mohan

Lai Sah Chowdhary

Prabuddha Bharata

Press,

Dt. Almora.

Mayavati,

133

S39I/53

nil
FOREWORD
Scarcely any introductiou

needed for

is

a book that professes to be, as

'Crest-jewel of Discrimination

masterpiece

on

Advaita

cardinal tenet of which

is:

'

its

title-7~

shows, a

V^edanta,

Wp

the

"if^^fi^^^JT

'Brahman alone is real, tlie

unreal and the individual soul

Sftfr ar|r^ ^TTT^:

universe

is

no other than the Universal Soul.'

Being an original production of Sankara's
genius, the book combines with a searching analysis of our experience an authoritativencss and a depth of sincerity that
at once carry conviction into the heart of
its readers.
The whole book is instinct
with the prophetic vision of a Seer, a
is

man
too,

new

of Realisation,
is

so lucid

life

bones

and the expression,

and poetical that quite a

has been breathed into the dry

of

philosophical

discussion,

and

on the most abstruse subject

ever known.
that,

too,

In preparing this edition, which

reprint in book -form

r.

803

ti

om

is

the Piabuddh'i

Bhaiata,

the

ii

translator

gratefully

ac-

knowledges his indebtedness to the admirable Sanskrit commentary of Swami

Kesavacharya of the Munimandal, Kan-

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

For

facility of reference

an Index has

been added, and the book, it is hoped,

will in its present form be a vade-mecum
to. all

students of Advaita: Philosophy^

M.

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

r^

bow to Govinda, whose nature is Bliss

Supreme, who is the Sadguru, who can be
known only from the import of all Vedanta,
and who is beyond the reach of speech and
I.

mind.
['Viveka' means

and

crest,
*

Man

i,"

Hence

jewel.

Crest-jewel of discrimination.'

on the

crest of a

diadem

is

the

masterpiece

'

the

'

Just as the jewel

most conspicuous

ornament on a person's body,

treatise is a

Chuda is
title means

discrimination,

so

the

among works

present

treating

of

discrimination between the Real and the unreal.

In

opening stanza salutation

this

God

Govinda), or to the Guru,

may be

in

made

is

his

to

absolute

aspect.

It

name

Guru was Govindapada, and the

ingeniously composed so as to admit of

Sloka

note

interesting to

that

the

of Sankara's
is

both interpretations.
Sadgiirii

may

lit.

the highly qualified preceptor,

refer either to Sankara's

Himself,

who

is

the

Guru

own Guru

of Gurus.

or to

and

God

VIVEKACHUDAMAWI

bemgs a huma?!!i birth is di&

so is- a ma^ie body,,
cult to obtain, more
rarer thai5 that is Brahmmhood, rarer still is
2.

Foff all

the attaGhment! to

tfee

path of edic religion

higher than

eruditioft in the Scriptures

thiis is

discrimination between the Self

and notSelf, Realisation, and co-ntia'oing in a state o

identity with Brahm^n^ these come next ini
to be
order.
( This kind of ) Mukts m not

attained

except

throisgh

the

weU-earnecS

merits of a hundred crore of births,

There are three things whkh are ra? e in^

deed and are de to the grace of God namely^
3.

human

birth^ the longjng

for

Liberation^

and the protecting care of a perfected sage,

The man who having by some mear^

obtained a human birth, with a male body
4.

'

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

foolish

verily

the

of

mastery

and

Vcdas

3-

boot,

to

is

enough not to exert for self-liberation,

commits suicide, for he kills himself by

clinging to things unreal.

5.

What

man who
and

greater

fool

is

there

having obtained a rare

body

masculine

human body,
neglects

too,

achieve the real end of this life.

Liberation.
[ The real end &c.v\z.

^^
6.
fice

than the

*r^^ ^^^-

'inmiir

Let people quote scriptures and

to the gods, let

worship the

deities, there is

Lifetime &c.

One day

of

i.

Brahma

e.,
(

an

sacri-

rituals

and

no Liberation

for

them perform

anyone without the realisation of one's

with the Atman, no, not even in the
of a hundred Brahmas put together.
[

to

identity
lifetime

indefinite length of time.

the Creator

is

equivalent to

432 million years of human computation, which

supposed to be the duration of the world. ]
*^

^Tfar m^T^t

^cT

TfT

g%t^^ ^z

?m:

iivsii

is

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

4
7.

There

means of

no hope of Immortah'ty by

is

riches

such indeed

tion of the Vedas.

Hence

it is

the declara-

is

clear that

works

cannot be the cause of Liberation.

[The

reference

is

to Yajnavalkya's

wife Maitreyi, Brihadaranyaka Il.iv.

dictum,

2.

words to his
Cf. the

Vedic

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

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

some

by- renunciation alone

8.

strive

Therefore the
best

his

nounced

for

man

attained immortality. }

of learning should

Liberation,

having

re-

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

inculcated by him.

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

i.

^rnT^5"c^^TOT^

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

115.11

Having attained the Yogarudha state,

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

to right discrimination.


VIVEKACHUDAMANI
[

Vogdrudha

'''When one

state

Described

nor to actions, and has given up

he

is

Yogdrudha or

said to be

the Yoga-path."

^^cTT

Gita VI.

in

attached neither to

is

all

4.

sense-objects
desires, then

have ascended

to

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

II? oil

Let the wise and erudite man, having

10.

commenced the practice of the reah'sation

the Atman, give up all works and try

of
to

cut loose the bonds of birth and death.

S^All

works

only Sakdma-Karma or works

formed with a view

ment

gaining

more sense-enjoy-

are meant, not selfless work.

''

*i(il"

Work

mind, not

The

to

is

for

for

per-

^^

the purification

of the

the perception of the reality.

Truth
discrimination and not
realisation of

brought about by

is

in

the least

by ten

millions of acts.
r
-s

[The idea

mind

of

C itself. ]

its

vX

is,

that

works properly done cleanse the

impurities, /when

the Truth flashes of

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

f
By

adequate reasoning the convictin

of the reality about the rope is gained, which
puts an end to the great fear and misery
12.

caused by the snake worked up in the deluded

mind.
Reality of the rope

not a snake, for which

The

13.

it

i.

e. that it

is

was mistaken.

a rope and
]

conviction of the Truth

proceed from reasoning upon the

is

seen to
salutary

counsel of the wise, and not by bathing in

sacred

the

waters,

nor by

gifts,

nor

by

hundreds of Pranayamas,
\_The wise

14.

men of

15.

the

and time, place and such other

are but auxiliaries in this regard.

[The
stanzas

Success depends essentially on a quali-

fied aspirant,

means

realisation.

qualifications
1

will

be

enumerated

in

6 and 17.]

Hence

Atman

the seeker after the Reality of

should take to reasoning, after

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
approaching the Guru

dtjly

who

should be

the best of the kiKJwers of Brahman, aod an

ocean of inercy

16.

The

intelligent

and

man

learned

skilled in arguing in favour of the Scriptures

and

refutirjg

the

fit

one who

-counter-arguments against them,

has got the above characteristics is
of the knowledge

recipient

of the

Atman.

17.

The man of

discrimination

the Real and the unreal, whose

away from
and the

the unreal,

allied

Liberation,

is

who

virtues,

is

turned

possesses calmness

and

Is

longing

for

alone cosidered qualified to

inquire after

Brahman.

^ ^c^^

^ftcgr ^T^^r%

18.

mind

between

Regarding

this,

n %3?ri%

M?^il

sages have spoken of

means of attainment, which alone being

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

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

enumerated the discrimination

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

*2_

J
t^

First

is

for Liberation.

Sim

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

20

firm conviction of the

effect that

Brahman

unreal,

designated

is

is

(Viveka) between the

real

as
real

mind

to the

and the universe

the

discrimination

and the

unreal.

Vairagya or renunciation is the desire

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

forth.

[From

those

,Brahmdhoed.'^'^i2,\imi

is

the

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
highest beinjr in the

The

seeker after

scale

of

Freedom has

relative

to

existence.

transcend this

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

Knowledge-Bliss Absolute.

Having already known etc. ^i^^ST^xiirf^f^J may

*'
(the giving up being effected)
also be rendered as,
through all the enjoying organs and faculties." ]

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

22.

The

resting of the

5151*

mind steadfastly

on its Goal ( viz. Brahman ) after having

detached itselfCfrom the manifold of senseobjects by continually observing their defects,
is

called

Sama

or c almne ss.

Turning both kinds of sense-organs

away from sense-objects and placing them in
23.

their

respective

self-control.

The

drawal consists
to act
[

centres

in

is

called

Dama

or

Uparati or self-withthe mind-function ceasing

best

by means of external

objects.

Bofh kinds of organs \\z.

knoNvledge and those of action.

The

organs oi

LV^

--

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

10

24.

The

bearing of

all

afflictions

without

them, being free ( at the

same time ) from anxiety or lament on their
score, is called Titiksha or forbearance.
caring

to redress

Acceptance by firm judgment of the

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

>-^

or

by means of which the Reality

faith,

is

perceived.

Acceptance by firin judgment etc.

Not to be
confused with what is generally called blind accep[

tance.

The whole mind must

state of

assured reliance on the truth of instruc-

attain to that perfect

tions received, without

which a whole-hearted, one-

pointed

those

possible.

26.

( in

practice

of

instructions

not

is

Not the mere indulgence of thought

cujjosity

of the intellect

but the constant concentration

(

or the affirming faculty

ou

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
what

the ever-pure

Brahman

Saraadhdna or

self-settledness.

is

^7j
called

is

Not the mere indulgence etc-^hat is, not the

mere intellectual or philosophical satisfaction in
thinking of or studying the Truth. jj The intellect
[

must be sought

to

be

activity of concentration

27.

Mumukshuta

r esolve d

the

into

on the Truth.

or yearning

higher

for

freedom

the desire to free oneself, by realising one's

true nature, from all bondages from that of
is

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

5y^5f 3d:
28.

Even though

yearning

Guru,

means
(

for

may
),

^^% ^i:

torpid or

ii^'==ii

mediocre, this

freedom, through the grace of the

bear fruit ( being developed ) by

of Vairagya

calmness

29.

^5!f sTf ;8rT

and so

renunciation

),

Sama

on.

In his case verily whose renunciation

and yearning

for

freedom are intense, calm-

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

I?

ness and the other practices have

their

meaning and bear

Where

really

fruit.

however ) this renunciation

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

appearances, like water in a desert

[

any

Mere

appeaf-ances

^ox

e.

they

are without

like

the

mirage any

i.

without burning renunciation and desire

Freedom, the other practices may be swept

for

by a strong impulse

^\\

and may vanish

stability

time,

etc.

of fg^ or

off

some strong bhnd

attachment.

] )

^N

31.

Among things conducive to

Devotion (Bhakti
place.

^,

Liberation,

alone holds the supreme

The seeking

after one's real

nature

is

designated as Devotion.
[

The seeking

etc.

Advaita standpoint.

This

definition

is

from the

who substitute Isvara,

the Atman or Supreme Self

Dualists

Supreme Lord, for

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

the

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

the nature of extreme

Sandilya, another

love

authority

VIVEKAOnUDAMANI

13

on the subject, puts it as

qTT^^FFO^ "
extreme attachment to Isvara, ihe Lord."
reflection

it

will

appear that there

is

not

It

is

On

much

dif-

ference between the definitions of the two schools.]

Others maintain that the inquiry into

32-.

own

the truth of one's

The
who

Self

inquirer about the truth

is

Devotion.

Atman

of the

above-mentioned
means of attainment should approach a wise
possessed

is

preceptor,

bondage

who

of

the

confers

emancipation

Truth of one's own self ^c.

putting the

statement of the

we

another way, for

are

the

This

is

Atman

Ahove-vie7itioned

i.

e. in

simply

Sloka in

previous

in

though ignorance has veiled the truth from

from

reality,

us.

Slokas 19 and 31.

rv

33.

Who

is

versed in the Vedas, sinless,

unsmitten by desire and a knower of Brahman

par excellence,

who has withdrawn

himself

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

sumed

its

fueMwho

is

a boundless reservoir of

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

14

mercy that knows no reason, and a friend of

all good people who prostrate themselves before him
;

{Fire.....fuel.

of

mergence

in

Cf. Svetasvatara, VI.

19.

Srutis.

is

state

Brahman, and( the perfect cessa-

tion of all activity of the relative plane

The Sloka

The

is

meant.^

an adaptation of the language of

34.

Worshipping that Guru with devotion,

and approaching him, when he is pleased

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

3$.

Master,

friend of those that

to thee, thou ocean of mercy,

save me, fallen as

am

bow

into this

bow

to thee

sea of birth

and death, with a straightforward glance of

nectar-like grace
thine eye, which sheds
supreme.
[

The

expression,

abounding

characteristically Oriental.
plain. ]

in

hyperbole,

The meaning

is

is

quite

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

Save me from death, afflicted as I am

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

with
[

whom

to seek shelter.

&c.

Forest-fire

The

commonly compared

world

to a wilderness

Samsdra

on

fire.

\%

The

physical and mental torments are referred to.

Untoward

the aggregate of bad deeds

lot

in one's past incarnations,

of the present

which bring on the

done
evils

life. ]

There are good souls,

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

motive whatsoever.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

l6

Do good

spring

heart's bounty, as the

i.

e.

unasked, out of their

spring infuses

new

life

into

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

sT^rrnTcTHm^RT
It

38.

mous

to

the

tarily

ll^^ll

the very nature of the magnani-

move

removing
is

is

f^m Rf^

of their

own accord towards

others' troubles.

moon who,

Here, for instance,

everybody knows, volunsaves the earth parched by the flaming

as

rays of the sun.

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

'jl':

^^fr^t^-

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

with

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

Lord,

elixir-like bliss of

Brahman, pure, cooling

to a degree, issuing in streams

from thy

from a pitcher, and delightful to the

ear,
do thou sprinkle me who am tormented by worldly afflictions as by the

lips as


VIVEKACHUDAMANI
tongues of a

on

forest-fire.

17

Blessed are those

whom

even a passing glance of thine

eye lights, accepting them as thine own.
[

Stripped of metaphor the Sloka would

Take

on

pity

world and
s

me and

me

the

way ont

of

rv

How

"^

to cross this

ocean of phe-

nomenal existence, what is to be my fate,

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

Which of the means'.

often conflicting

which

41.

am

I to

Among

means prescribed

adopt

the various
in the

and

Shastras,

As he thus speaks, tormented by

the afflictions of the world

which

is

this

its afflictions. ]

40.

teach

mean

like

iS

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

a forest on

fire

and

tion, the saint eyes

seeking his protec--

him with

glance

softened with pity and spontaneously bidj.

him

give up

all fear,

To him who has sought

42.

tection, thirsting for liberation,

obeys the injunctions of

who

is

his pr De-

who

duly

the scriptures,,

mind, and endowed

(to such a one) the sage

of a pacified

v/ith calmness,

proceeds to inculcate the truth

out

of

sheer grace:
[

This verse

ii.

is

an adaptation of Mundaka

13.

To him who &.

he

is

ITT

Upa.

The

a qualified aspirant.

^^ f^t^^^

43.

Fear not,

no death

adjectives

imply that

?rr^^TT^'.

for thee;

learned one, there

is

means

of

there

is

crossing this sea of relative existence that

;

VIVE'KACHUDAMANI

19

very way by which sages have gone beyond

it, I

shall inculcate to thee.

There is a sovereign means which

puts an end to the fear of relative existence
through that thou wilt cross the sea of
Samsara and attain bliss supreme.
44.

Reasoning on the meaning of the

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

existence.
[

Efficient

the

hiowledge

highest

which consists of the realisation of the

the individual soul with

46.

Brahman.

these

identity

of

Yoga

of

Faith, devotion and the

meditation

knowledge,

are mentioned by

the

Sruti as the immediate factors of Libera'tion

VlVEKACmJDAMANI

20

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

in
of
of

Ignorance.
[

The

reference

is

to Kaivalya

Upanishad i. 2.
Bhakti. These have

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

in

31, 32.

i.

the Self with the body, which

Ignorance or Avidya.

identification of

e.

is

solely

due

to

through the touch of

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

It

48.

The

listen,

is

verily

disciple said;

Condescend to

Master, to the question

am

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
putting (to thee)

shall

l)e

2*1

gratified to

hear a reply to the same from thy

lips.

Bondage, forsooth? How

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

What

is

50.

thou!

The Guru replied: Blessed art

Thou hast achieved thy life's end

and hast

sanctified thy family,

wishest to attain
free

Brahmanhood by

from the bondage

51.

of

him from

getting

Ignorance

and
debts, but he

father has got his

others to free

that thou

his

sons

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

22

got none but himself to remove his

bondage.

l;as

In this and the next few Slokas the necessity

of direct realisation

means

of

52.

is

emphasised

removing Ignorance.

The

as

the only

trouble such as that caused by

on the head can be removed by

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

53.
diet

The patient who

and medicine

completely,

not

is

takes (the proper)

alone seen to recover

through work done by

others.

54.

known

The

true nature of things

is

to be

personally^ through the eye of clear

illumination,

and not through

what the moon exactly

is, is

to be

sage:

known

VIVEKACKUDAMANI

know

hi SI

own

one's

with

can

others

own

self

make

it?

Who

55.

eyes;

23

but one's

can get

bondage caused by the fetters of

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

of our

JgnoraJise

Self leads to desire,

actio?i,

real

which

in

nature as the blissful

its

turn impels us to

entailing countless sufferings.

Cycle

Kalpa, the entire duration of the evolved

See note on Sloka

universe.

6. ]

Vv

56.

nor

.by

Neither by Yoga, nor by Sankhya,

work, nor by learning., but by the

realisation of one's

identity

with Brah-

man

possible,

and by no

Liberation

is

ether means.
[

None

bring

of these,

practised mecliankaUy, will

the absolute
which alone,

knowledge
of the }iva and Brahman

on the

identity

if

highest

according to Advaita Vedanta,

is

the

supreme way

to liberation.
*

Yoga may mean Hathayoga which s^engthens

'

die body.

According

to the

Sankhya philosophy

liberation

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

24

achieved by the discrimination botween Parnsha

is

and
and

The Purusha

Frakriti.

activity

all

belongs

is

to

sentient but inactive,

Frakriti,

which

is

The

non-sentient, yet independent of the Purusha.

Sankh.yas also believe in a plurality of Purushas,

These are the main differences betvyeen

Sankhya and Vedanta philosophies.

Work

heaven and so

to
\y^

V J/L.

Work for material ends,

Compare

forth, is

Svetasvatara Upa. III. 8.

The beauty

57.

the

skill

such as getting

meant.

alone one transcends death, there

is

its

Seeing

no other

of a guitar's

playing on

of

the

Him

way.']

form and

chords

serve

merely to please same persons, they do not

suffice to

confer sovereignty.

Loud speech consisting

58.

of a

shower

words, the skill in expounding Scriptures

and Kkewise erudition these merely bring,
of

on a

schol'ar
[

enjoyment to the
but are no good for Liberation.
personal

little

Book-learning to the exclusion of realisation

is-

deprecated in this and the following Slokas.

Loud speech.
according to

Speech

its

is

divided into four kinds

degree of subtlety.

Vaikhari

is.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
the lowest class,

and represents

Hence, dabbling

59.

articulate speech.

mere terminology

in

The study

of Scriptures

as long as the highest

25

Truth

is

is

meant.]

is

unknown,

and it is equally useless when the

Truth has already been known.
[

Prior to realisation,

useless

high^est

mere book-learning with-

and Renunciation is useless

cannot give us Freedom, and to the man of

out Discrimination
as

it

realisation,

is all

it

achieved his

life's

the

end.

60.

The

more

so, as

he has already

rv

Scriptures consisting of

many

words are a dense forest which causes the

mind to ramble merely. Hence the man of
wisdom should earnestly set about knowing
the true nature of the Self.

For one who has been bitten by the

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

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

26

62.

disease does not leave

simply utter the

without taking

name
it;

of

off

if

one

the medicine,

without

(similarly)

direct realisation one cannot be liberated

by the mere utterance

of the

word Brah-

man.

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

truth- of (the self,

how

is

one to achieve

by the mere utterance of the

word Brahman?-it would result merely
in an effort of speech.
liberation

Without causing... vanish.

By

realising one's

Brahman, the one without a second^

in Samadhi, one becomes the pure Chit (knowledge
absolute), and the duality of subject and object
vanishes altogether.
Short of this, ignorance which
identity with

is

the cause of

64.

all evil is

Without

not destroyed.

killing one's enemies,

and

possessing oneself of the splendour of the

entire surrounding region one cannot claim

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

2/

to be an emperor by merely saying,

'I

am

an emperor.'

65.

As

knower

of

a treasure hidden

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

Brahman, followed by reflexion,

meditation and so forth, but not through
perverted argumentations.
[

Nikshepah

idea

is

something remaining hidden.

one must undergo the necessary

66.

The

practice.]

Therefore the wise should, as in

the case of disease and the like, personally

by all the means in their power te

be free from the bondage of repeated births
and deaths.
strive

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

23

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

67.

to-day

The question
is

excellent,

gg^nr:

\K^\\

that you have asked

approved

by

those

versed in the Shastras, aphoristic, preg-

nant with meaning and

fit

to be

known by

the seekers after Liberation.

Aphoristic

68.

and

terse

pithy.]

Listen attentively,

what I am going to say.

to it you shall be instantly
bondage of Samsara.

to

69.

The

first

learned one,

By
free

listening

from the

step to Liberation

is

the

extreme aversion to all perishable things,

then follow calmness, self-control, forbearance, and the utter relinquishment of
all
[

work enjoined

in the Scriptures.

Aversion, calmness ^/r. These four have been

definecf in

Slokas 2024..

Cf.

Srmi HTF^ ^RT


VIVEKAGHU'DAMANI
All work

all

work done with

good ones prescribed

the
that

are evil

own

nature.

which

moti-ve,

including

in the Shastras

and those

men do prompted by

their

Then come

70.

29

hearing, reflection on

and long, constant and unbroken

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

in this
[

life.

Compare

Bri.

Meditation
Hearing

Upa.

of the

II. iv. 5.

Truth from the

lips of the

mind

the flowing of the

Guru.

one un-

in

broken stream towards one object.

the man of
Nirvikalpa

Mjmi

state

there
fall

no

is

and the aspirant

-

reflection.

that state of the

distinction

mental

the

mind

in

which

between subject and object

activiti es
is

are held in

suspension,/

one with his Atman.)

s uperco nscious _state,

bej^ond

all

relatjvity,

It is

which

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

described in words.)
of

it

is

that

it

Consciousness.
'

blown

out,' is

is

The utmost
inexpressible

Nirvana,

another

which

name

that can
Bliss,

and Pure

literally

for this.

be said

means

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

30

Now

am

going to tell you fully

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

Listen to

it

and decide about

it

in your

mind.

72.

Composed

of the

seven ingredients

marrow, bones, fat, flesh, blood, skin,

and cuticle, and consisting of the following limbs and their parts legs., thighs
the chest, arms, the back, and the head
viz.,

73.

abode

rs

rs

rv_

This

body,

reputed to be

of the infatuation of

'

the

and mine,'

designated by sages as the gross body.

The sky, air, fire, water and earth are

is

subtle elements.
[

The

sky^ air etc,

They

These

are the

materials out

VIVEKACHUDAMANr

JC

of which the gross

body has been formed.

have got two slates, one subtle and the other

They
gross.]

Being united with parts of one

another and becoming gross (they) form
74.

And

the gross body.

their subtle essences

form sense-objects the groups of five

such as sound and the rest which conduce
to the

happiness of the experiencer, the

individual soul.

Being united ^c, The process is as follows

Each of the five elements is divided into two parts,
one of the two halves is further divided into four
[

parts.

Then each

gross

the union of one-half of

element
itself

is

formed by

with one-eighth of

each of the other four.

Subtle essences

Form

Tanmdtrds.
by being

sense-ohjects

received

by the

sense-organs.

Soimd and
and

ike

r^j/ sound, touch, smell,

taste

sight.

Happiness &c.
misery also. ]

Happiness includes

its

opposite,

V'lVEKACHUDAMANI

32

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

75.

Those

fools

who

llvsv^ll

are tied to these

sense-objects by the stout cord of attach-

ment, so very difficult to snap, come and

depart, up and down, carried amain by the
powerful emissary of one's own action.
and depart &c. Become sabject
[ Come

t>irth

to

and death and assume various bodies from

those of angels to those of brutes, according t the

merits of their work.

Powerful emissary &c. Just as culprit seizing

things not belonging to him is put in fetters and
sentenced by the royal affair in various ways, so
the Jiva, oblivious of his real

attachment to sense-object
kinds of misery.

^c^rf^nr:

76.

is

nature, through his

subjected to various

q^w:^ q^

The

deer, the elephant, the

the fish and the black-bee

these

moth,'

five

have

one or other of the five

senses viz., sound etc., through their own
attachment. What then is in store for
died, being tied to

man who

attached to

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

all

'

in

'


VIVEKACHUDAMAM

33

r r-

11

Sense-objects are

more

virulent in

their evil effects than the poison of the

cobra even. Poison kills one who takes it,

but those others kill one vvho even looks
at them through the eyes.
\Looksat them

eyes.

The

mention of the

only typical, and implies the other

sense-organs also contact with the external world
eyes here

is

by any organ,

o;^
78.

fetters

is

intended.

3^^ g^^ ^T?^: ^^T^^fk

He who

from the
the hankering for the

of

is

free

llvs'^^ll

terrible

sense-

objects so very difficult to get rid of,

alone

fit

for liberation,

and none

even though he be versed in

all

is

else.

the six

Shastras.
[

Six Shastras.

The

philosophy are meant.

six

schools

Indian

of

Mere book-learning

with-

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

produce any

effect.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

34

Those seekers after liberation wlicfhave got only an apparent dispassiont

(Vairagya) and are trying to cross the
ocean of Samsara (relative existence), the
79.

shark of hankering catches by the throat

and violently snatching away drowns-them.
half-way.
Snatching away

]nana.

from the pursuit of Brahma-

He who

has killed the shark known,

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

from

free
[

all

Dispassion

obstacles.

Vairagya.

rv r-

the

Know that death quickly overtakes^

stupid man who walks along the dread-

ful

ways

81

who

of

sense-pleasure, whereas one

accordance with the instructions of a well-wishing and worthy

vt^alks

in

Guru, as also his

his

endknow

own

reasoning, achieyas.

this to be true.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

82.

If

35

indeed thou hast a craving for

shun sense-objects from a good

distance as thou wouldst do poison and always cultivate carefully the nectar-like
virtues of contentment, compassion, forliberation

giveness,

and

straight-forwardness,

calmness

self-control.

83.

Whoever

leaves aside

always be attempted,

viz.,

what should

the emancipa-

tion from the

bondage of Ignorance without beginning, and passionately seeks to

nourish this body which is an object for
others to enjoy commits suicide thereby.

For othtrs to enjoy : to be eaten perchance by

dogs ^nd jackals after death. ]
[

8j4-.

Whoever seeks

to realise the

Self

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

36

by devoting himself to the nourishment

the body, proceeds to cross a

of

by

river

catching hold of a crocodile, mistaking

it

for a log.

85.

So

for a seeker after liberation the

infatuation over things like the body

is

He who

has thoroughly conquered this deserves the state of freedom.

dire death.

Infatuation.

body

etc. are

That

mine.

am

the

body or

that the

^ rar^T g^T'jft ^w^ crm^wt- ^^^ ^5:r ii^e

Conquer the infatuation over things
like the body, one's wife and children,
conquering which the sages reach that
Supreme State of Vishnu.
of Vishnu. From Rig- Veda,
[ Supreme State
86.

1.

Xxii.

20-2I.

This gross body

87.
for

it

is

to be deprecated

consists of the skin, flesh, blod,

arteries

and

and veins,

full of

fat,

marrow and bones

other offensive things.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
^

*s

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

This gross body

88.

3/

is

'j^^i^WT

produced by

one's past actions out of the gross ele-

ments subdividing and combining with the

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

Subdividing

Sloka 74.

etc.

Paiichikarana

see

note

on

Identifying

89.

itself

with this form the

though separate, enjoys

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

nrT%

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

II6.0H

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

world.

this gross

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

38

decay and death are the

various characteristics of the gross body,
Birth,

91.

as also stoutness etc.

childhood

conditions;

different

it

has got various

restrictions regarding caste

life;

it

is

etc. are its

and order

subject to various diseases,

of

and

meets with different kinds of treatment,

such as worship, insult and high honours.
Caste

charya

Brahmana

etc.

92.

&c.

The

help us to
action,

life

Brahma-

ears,

tongue are organs

organs,

Order of

skin,
of

cognise

eyes,

knowledge, for they

objects;

hands, legs etc.

owing

are

the

fV

vocal

organs

to their tendency for

*S

and

nose

of

work.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

93
is

94.

called

39

The inner organ (Antahkarana)

Manas, Biiddhi, Ego or Chitta,

^.ccording to their respective functionvS

the Manas, from its considering the pros

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

the Ego,

from

its

identification

with this body as one's own self; and the

Chitta, from its function of seeking for
pleasurable objects.

The same Prana becomes Prana,

Apana, Vyana, Udana and Saniana accord95.

ing to

tlaeir

diversity

of

functions

and

modifications, like gold and water etc.

[Like gold

etc.

Just as the same gold

ornaments,

into

various

form

of foam, waves, etc.]

is

fashioned

and as water takes the

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

40

The

organs of action such as

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

five

'cities'

make up what

is

called the

subtle

body.
j

Nescience &'c.

See note on Sloka

55,

rs

Listen,

97.
also

this

Linga body,

elements

before

is

subtle

body, called

produced out

their

of the

subdividing

and

combining with each other, is possessed, of

desires and causes the soul to experience
the fruits of
less

its

actions. It

is

a beginning-

superimposition on the soul brought

on by

its

own
"K ^

ignorance.

4I

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI

98

99.

Dream

is

a state of the soul

from the waking state, where it

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

while the Supreme At man

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

waking

state,

work that the Buddhi

wholly- unattacli,ed,

any work that

its

does.

As

is

it

not touched by
superimpositions niay
it

is

perform.

[Buddhi here
*'

stands for the Antahkarana

the

inner organ " or mind.

By z/jf^ independently
Takes

OTi

of the objective world.

the role fe-V. The

Atman

is

the

one

and whatever Buddhi does

does borrowing the light ot the Atman. ]

intelligent principle,

^r^^ir^^fif^ c[^5iTi^WK?iT

it

^^^'^#s^^ H

42

vivekachuDamani

This subtle body is the instrument

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

101.

Blindness, weakness, and sharpness

are conditions of the eye, due to

or defectiveness

and

dumbness

forth,

but

merely;
etc.

never

so are deafness

of the
of

its fitness

the

ear

and so

Atman, the

Knower.

102.

Inhalation and exhalation, yawn-

ing, sneezing, secretion,

and leaving

this

body etc. are called by experts functions

of Prana and the rest, while hunger and
thirst are characteristics of

Prana proper.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

43

The inner organ (mind) has

103.

its

seat in the organs such as the eye etc., as

well as in the body, identifying itself with

them and endued with a

At man.

jeflection

of:

the

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

Know

104.

[Gunas

that

it

is

the three component factors of

Prakriti.

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

When

105.
able

it

the sense-objects are favoiir-

becomes
So
contrary.

becomes happy, and

miserable

when

the case

is

it

happiness and misery are the characteristics

the ever-blissful
of egoism, and not of

Atman.

106.

Sense-objects are pleasurable only

VIYEKACHUDAMANI

44

on the Atman manifesting

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

Vide Bri. Upa.

wife Maitreyi.

107.

Yajnavalkya's teachings

That

in profound

of sense-objects,

is

we

sleep

ex-

Atman independent

perience the bliss of

clearly attested

by Sruti,

and inference.

direct perception, tradition,

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

to his

Sruti

Kausi-

taki

verb.

is

Avidya (Nescience) or Ma}^^ called

also the Undifferentiated, is the power of
108.

Lord.

the
is

It

made up

of

without

is

the

three

Gunas

superior to the effects (as

She

is

to

be inferred by

intellect only

from the

beginning,

effects

and

is

their cause)

one of

clear

She produces.

VIVEKAGHUDAMANI
It

is

She who brings forth

universe.
[

The

45
this

whole

Undifferentiated

the

balanced

perfectly

stale of the three

Gunas, where there

is

no mani-

fested universe.

When

is

disturbed,

balance

this

then evolution begins.

Power of

the

Lord.

This

Vedantic conception of

Maya from

view of Prakriti which they

the

same time independent.

he

distinguishes

the

Sankhya
insentient and at

call

the

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

neither existent

is

w^ords.
rv

This Maya can be destroyed by

the realisation of the pure Brahman, the
110.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

46

one without a second, just as the mistaken

idea of a snake is removed by the discrimination of the rope.
She has Jier
Gunas known as Rajas, Tanias and Sattva,

named

1J.1.

after their respective iunctions.

Rajas has

projecting power
of

an.

its

which
and

activity,

Vikshepa-Shakti or
is

of the nature

from,

which

this

primeval flow of activity has emanated.

From this also, the mentalmodifications
such as attachment and the rest and gtief
a,nd the like are continually produced.
[

Vikshepa-shakiith2it

power which

at

once

new form when once the real nature of a

thing has been veiled by the dvarana-shakti, rhen-

projects a

tioned later in Sloka 113,

Primeval flow

etc.\,

alternately evolving
state. Cf.

Gita xv.

e.

the

phenomenal world,

and going back

4.]

into an involved

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
112.

Lust,

aii^er,

O^J

arrogance

avarice,

egoism, envy and jealousy etc. these

are the dire attributes of Rajas, from which
spite,

this worlflly

tendency

Therefore Rajas

113,

power

^z'rzV?

of

is

man

produced.
a cause of bondage.
of

is

or the veiling power

Tamas which makes

is

the

things

ap.-

what they are. It is this

that causes man's repeated transmigrations, and starts the action of the projectpear other thaa

ing power (Vikshepa)

^

r^

ST^r^mR <TTOf cfTSPT ^g^Hi SC?r^eH^^3TTf5T1"-

114-,

Even wise

men who

and. learned

men

and

and adepts in the

vision of the exceedingly subtle Atman, are
overpowered by Tamas and do not understand the Atman even though clearly
are clever

explained in various Ways.

Wtatis simply

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

48

superimposed by delusion, they consider

as true, and attach themselves to its
effects. Alas! How powerful is the great
Avrzlz Shakti of dreadful Tamast

115.'

Absence

right

of

judgment,

or

contrary judgment, want of definite belief

and doubt
one

certainly never

desert

who has any connection with

"veiling

power"
[

these

this

power" and then the "projecting

gives ceaseless trouble.

in the existence of a thing

Wan/ of definite

even though there

belief-

may be

a vague notion of

it.

116. Ignorance, lassitude, dulness, sleep,

inadvertence and stupidity etc. are attri-

One

butes of Tarn as.

tied to

these does

not comprehend anything but remains like

one asleep or
[

Stock or

like a stock or stone.

stojie

lit.

pillar,

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

Pure Sattva

117.

is

(clear)

yet in conjunction with Rajas

makes

49

for transmigration.

like

water,

and Tamas

glimpse of
reflected
in
the

Atman

becomes
Sattva and like the sun reveals the entire

the

world of matter.

m^^ ^T^^^ Rf?cT

The

118.
Titter

and

mixed Sattva are an

pride etc. and Niyamas

traits of

absence of

Yama

VTITT

etc., as well as faith,

devotion,

yearning for liberation, the divine tendencies and turning away from the unreal.
[

Absence of pride

etc.

The

reference

is

to

the

higher attributes enumerated in the Bhagavad-Gita

XIII. 8-12.

Yama
Purity,

Non-killing,

contentment

Aphorisms
Divine

III.

30

&

tendencies

Niyama
Vide Patanjali's Yoga

truthfulness etc.

etc.

32.

The

reference

opening Slokas of Gita, Ch. XVI.

is

to

the

TIVEKACHUDAMANl

50

The

119,

traits

of

pure

cheerfIllness, the realisation,

ate
of one'S' owix
Sattva

supreme peace, contentment, bliss,,

and steady devotion for the At man, by
which the aspirant enjoys bliss ev^erlasting-...
Self,

Pure Sattva

Tamas

r^

120.

the

Sattva unraixed

elements.

with Rajas-

aji<l

'N

This Undifferentiated spoken of

compound

of

the three Gunas

is-

a^

the

Profound sleep is*

causal body of the soul.
its special state, in which the functions of
the
[

mind and

all its

organs are suspended.

Undifferentiated Avyakt'amyWiQn\!\QnQ6. in

Sloka:^

io8 and following.

0/tke x/ identifying
>^ith thi& or the

itself

thTOugh ignorance-

other two bodies.

suspended' not in perfect

The functions.
knowledge as in Samadhi, but in ignorance. Tfeis^
is the differentia between tbes two states. ]

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

51

^^sr^r^fiTrdy HTi fNrr^

121.

r^

"^

Profound sleep

is

the cessation of

kinds of perception, in which the mind

remains in a subtle, seed-like form. The

all

the universal verdict that

did not know anything then.
[Ail kifids of perception including remem-

test of this is
I

brance and delusion

The universal
memhrance proves

verdict

negative re-

mind even

the continuity of the

in the sushupti state.

also.

&c. This

f^^fKT

f^^:

5[yT<^:

The body and the organs, the

Pranas, Manas and Egoism etc., all forms
122.

pleasures

of function,

the sense-objects,

and the

the gross elements such

rest,

as

the ether and so forth, in fact, the whole

universe, up to the Undifferentiated all

this is Not-self.
[

This and the next Sloka

set forth

to avoid identifying ourselves with.

Pure

Self, eternally free

from

all

what we are

We

duality.

are the

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

52

From Mahat down

123.

the

to

]3ody everything is the effect

of

gross

Maya

These and Maya Herself know thou to be

Non-self and therefore unreal like the
mirage in a desert,
^[Mahat

Cosmic

proceed from

to

Intelligence.
Prakriti

hierarchy vide Katha Upa.

Now I am

124.

or

I. iii.

going to

It

is

Maya.
lo-ii.

tell

the

first

For the

thee of the

Paramatman, realising
freed from bondage and at-

real nature of the

man

which

is

tains liberation.
[

Liberation

aloofness.

'

'

literally

means extreme

There

125.

Kaivalya

is

some

Absolute

Entity,

the eternal substratum of the perception

Egoism, the witness of three states, and

distinct from the five sheaths or coverof

ings.
l^Five

Anna

sheaths

matter

),

&c.

Consisting

Prana

force

),

respectively

Mana

mind

of
),


VIVEKACHUDAMANt

5^

Vijnina (knowledge) and Ananda (Bliss). The first

two comprise this body of ours, the third and

make up

fourth

and the

Atman

last

the

beyond them all.

be dealt with later on in the

referred to in this Sloka

These Kosas
book.

body (Sukshma Sarira)

causal body (Karana Sarira).
The
the subtle

will

is

126.

Who knows

everything that hap-

pens in the waking state, in dream and in

profound sleep, is aware of the presence
or absence of the mind and its functions,

and is the background

Here I am.'

of

the

notion,

'

This Sloka gives the purport of such Sruti

passages as

Kena Up.

127.

Who

128.

By whom

I.

6,

and

Himself sees

Bri. III.

iv.

2. ]

whom

no
one beholds, who illumines the Buddhi
etc., but whom they cannot illumine.
This is He.

whom

all,

this universe

nothing pervades,

is

who

pervaded,

shining

all

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

54

this (universe) shines as His reflection.

This

is

He.

[By ivhom etc.

and Gita x. 42.

Who

shining

Compare Chhandogya

etc.

reproduction of the sense

of the celebrated verse occurring in

V. 15,

Mundaka

II.

ii.

III. xi. 6,

10,

Katha Upa.

and Swetaswatara

vi.

II.

14.]

By whose very presence the body,

the organs, mind and intellect keep to
129.

their

respective

spheres of

action,

like

servants
rv

130.

down

"v.

By whom everything from Egoism

to the body,

pleasure etc.
jar,

for

He

Knowledge
[

is

Compare

is

the sense-objects and

known
the

as palpably as a

essence of

Eternal

Bri.

IV.

iii.

23.]

This is the innermost Self, the

primeval Purtisha (Being) whose essence
131.

V.1VEKACHUDAMANI

55

is tlhe constaiit realisation of infinite Bliss,

same, yet reflecting

through the different mental modifications,
^nd commanded by whom the organs and
Pranas perform their functions.
T\'ho

ever

is

the

Vide

iKfiermost Self

Bri. III.

Compare Kena
by whom ^c. See

II. 12.

Jiifleciitig etc.

Commanded

4 and elsewhere.

the

opening

Sloka of the same Upanishad and the reply givea

to

it

later on.

^^RTH^T
132.

f^^^ftr^:

\\\\\^

In this very body, in the mind

Sattva^ in the

-of

!T^m^

secret

chamber

fnll

of the

Akasa known as the Unmanifested, the Atman, of charming

splendour, shines like the sun aloft, manifesting this universe through Its own efful-

intellect, in the

gence.
This Sloka gives t^e hint wh-ere to look in for
the Atmen.
First of all there i the gross body
[

within this there

of

which

is

the

Buddhi or

mind

or " inner organ,"

intelligence,

characterised

hy determination^ is the most developed form

^vithin Buddhi again, pervading it, is the causal
body known as the Unmanifested.
We must
seek ti) Aiman iofeide this.
The idea is that
;

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

5$

Atman

transcends

the three bodies

all

in fact

the

The
whole sphere of duality and materiality.
word Akasa often occurs in the Sruti in the
sense of Atman or Brahman. The Vedanta Sutras
*

(I.

'

22)

i.

discuss

favour of this meaning.

and

decide

of the modifications

mind and egoism, and

of the body, the organs,

of

the activities

and Pranas, ap-

parently taking their forms, like the

a

ball

iron;

of

in

The knower

133.
of

question

this

fire

in

neither acts nor is

It

subject to change in the least.

iron
Just as fire has no form
[Like the fire
of its own, but seems to take on the form of the

iron

which

ball

turns red-hot, so the

it

Atmao

though without form seems to appear as Buddhi

and so

forth.

Compare Katha

r\

rv

II.

r^

ii.

9. ]

/^

<v

nor dies, It
neither grows nor decays, nor does It
134.

It

is

neither

born

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

57

It
undergo any change, being eternal.
does not cease to exist even when this

body

destroyed, like the sky in a jar

is

(after

it is

broken)

for It is independent.

This Sloka refers to the six states enumerated

by Yaska, which overtake every being, such as
The Atman is above all
birth, existence etc.
[

change.

The Supreme

135.

the Prakriti and

its

different

Self,

modifications,

from

of the

essence of Pure Knowledge, and Absolute,

directly manifests this entire gross and
subtle universe, in the waking and other
states, as the

substratum

sense of egoism

of the persistent

and manifests

Itself

as

the Witness of Buddhi, the determinative

faculty.
\

PrakrifiihQ Mother of the entire manifested

universe.

Gross and subile universe \.\iQ world

and thought.

of

matter

The Witness of Buddhi all actions that we

seem to be doing are really done by Buddhi,
while the
Entity.

Self ever stands aloof

the only Absolute

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

5S

p^^JT^nrm ^r^rfkfe

136.

By means

sf^sr^r^rrri

of a regulated

mind and

the purified intellect (Buddhi) realise thou

directly

to

thy

own

the body, so as

Self, in

with

identify .jthyself

It,

the

cross

boundless ocean of Samsara whose waves

are birth and death, and firmly estalished

Brahman

in

thy

as

own

essence be

blessed.
\^

instead

//

Identity

of with the gross,

subtle and causal bodies.

Established

nature

By

our very nature we

Brahman, but
ignorance we think we are limited and so
ever

are

137.
self
is

identified

with

through
forth.

Identifying the Self with this

this

is

Non-

the bondage of man, which

due to his ignorance, and brings in

its

and death.

It

train the miseries of birth

through this that one considers this

evanescent body as real, and identifying
is

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
with

oneself

59

bathes, and

nourishes,

it,

by means of ( agreeable
sense-objects, by which latter he becomes
bound as the caterpillar by the threads of
preserves

it

cocoon.

its
[

^izM<f^ keeps

Sense-objects

it

clean and tidy.

after sense-pleasures

&c.l^ runs

thinking that will conduce to the well-being of

body, but these

in

its

cocoon.

One who

138.

to

freedom, as the caterpillar has to cut

his

through

him into a terrible

abjure them wholly to

turn throw

bondage, and he has

attain

the

is

overpowered by igno-

xance mistakes a thing for what it is not

It is the absence of discrimination that
causes one to mistake a snake for a rope
and great dangers overtake him when he
seizes

it

Hence,

through

listen,

my

wTong

that
friend,

it is

notion.

the mistak-

ing of transitory things as real that constitutes bondage.

[

Self

Discrimination
)

and what

world).

is

between what
not real

(viz.

is

real

the

(viz. the

phenomenal

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

60
r^

This veiling power {Avriti) which

preponderates in ignorance, covers the
139.

whose

and which
manifests Itself through the power of
knowledge, indivisible, eternal, and one
Self,

glories are infinite

without a second,

as Rahu does

the orb

of the stin.
[

As Rdhu &c.

reference

is

In Indian mythology the sun

eclipse.
to

The

to the
is

solar

supposed

be periodically overpowered by a demon named

Rahu.

^ f^^rr^^T ^5T^ T55^r%3^5i?TRT

140.

When

one's

own

with the purest splendour,

view,

man through

identifies himself

non-self.

And

ii?oii

endowed
hidden from

Self,
is

ignorance

falsely

with this body, which

is

then the great power of

Rajas called Vikshepa^ the projecting

power, sorely afflicts him through the
binding fetters of lust, anger etc.
[

Projecting power^^StQ note on Sloka

1 1 1

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

141.

The man

of

6l

perverted

intellect,

having his self-knowledge swallowed up by

shark of

the

ignorance,

utter

himself

imitates the various states of the Intellect

(Buddhi) as that

and

is its

superimposed attri-

up and down
boundless ocean of Samsara full

bute

drifts

now

poison of sense-enjoyment,

now
[

rising,

Himself

in

this

of

the

sinking,

a miserable fate indeed

imitates

fe'c. The

Self

is

the

real

nature of every being, but a mistaken identification

with the Buddhi causes

were

active.

Sarnsdra

him

to

appear as if he

See note on Sloka 135.

the entire

Up and down

relative existence.

sinking and

mz>/^. Acquiring

different bodies such as the angelic

according to the good and bad

and enjoying or suffering

or the animal,

deeds performed,

therein.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

6^;

As layers of clouds generated by the

sun's rays, cover the sun and appear solely
142

(in the sky), so Egoism, generated by

the Self, covers the Reality of the Self and

appears solely by

itself.

no Atman at
But the clouds vanish subsequently, and so
all.
does egoism too. ]
[

Solely by itself-^2^.^

there were

Just as, on a cloudy day,

143.

sun

if

is

swallowed up

by

when the

dense

violent cold blasts trouble them, so

Atman

clouds

when

hidden by intense ignorance,

the dreadful Vikshepa Shakti (projecting
power) afflicts the foolish man with
the

numerous

is

griefs.

[Blasts trouble them

The

root s^PT has .also a

secondary meaning, namely to cause to wander,

which

is

also implied here.

last line of this verse

The

foolish

low bodies

man

is

The

verb^qeiirf in the

has also a similar meaning.

made

that is the

to take

meaning.

sometimes very

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

6$

from these two powers that

man's bondage has proceeded, beguiled
by which he mistakes the body for the
Self and wanders (from body to body)
144.

It

is

Tzvo powers

powers

viz.,

the veiling and

Avarana and Vikshepa.

v

Tm

q-^^TTT5 ^^3^5:

Of the tree

145.

of

projecting
tp

^^?^nfR ^TT%^r
*.

Samsara ignorance
with the

the seed, the identification

is

body

is its

sprout, attachment its tender

work

leaves,

its

water, the body

the vital forces

its

the

twigs,

its

trunk,

branches, the organs

its

sense-objects

flowers,

its

various miseries due to diverse works are

and the individual soul

its fruits,

bird on
[

In

stanza Samsara or

likened to a

vrill

the

it.

tliis

detail.

is

tree,

The

relative

and the simile

is

existence is

brought out in

appropriateness of the comparisons

be patent on

reflection.

It

is

this

kind

of

Composition which shows Sankara not only to be

a great philosopher but a

true poet also.

Slokas. as the reader will perceive,

masterpiece of Vedantic

S&ul

is

tht

bird

And such

abound

in

this

literature.

&'c.

Compare

the beautiful


64

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

Slokas of the

Mundaka Upanishad

III.

i.

1-2

^m^

" &c. With the ripening of

"ST ^'irr ^i^r
Knowledge the two birds coalesce into one, the
Self alone remains, and life is known to be a

dream.

146.

Friend, this bondage of non-Self

springs from ignorance,

is

self-caused,

and

without beginning and end.

It subjects one to the long train of miseries
such as birth and death, disease and

is described as

decrepitude and so forth.

[

Self-caused

not

depending upon

any other

cause.

Relatively

Wiihout end

the Realisation of the Self

rN

speaking, that
it

disappears.

is.

On

This bondage can be destroyed

neither by weapons nor by wind, nor by
fire, nor by millions of acts
by nothing
except the grea^ sword of the Knowledge
147.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

65

of discrimination, sharpened by the grace

Paramatman.

of the Lord.
L

Acts

enjoined

by the Scriptures,

and

done

with motives.

Paratnatmait

Grace

20.

The

L'pa.

ing

I. ii.

'^TT^sraTH^r^'

of

the

mind

echo

Kaiha

of

Sruti has also a different

read-

which means 'through the purity

and organs etc' This meaning

is

also suggested here,

One who

148.

An

is

passionately devoted to

the authority of the Srutis acquires steadiness in his Swadharma, which alone con-

duces to the purity of his

man

of

Self,

and by

root
[

for
all

is

pure mind realises

this alone

The
the Supreme
mind.

Samsara with

its

destroyed.

Swadharma

which we are

lit.

fit,

own

duty,

or the duly

which the Gita enjoins on us

to perform, as the

J is root

one's

way

Ignorance.

to perfection.

ViVEKACHUDAMANr

Covered by the sheaths like the'

material one and the rest, which are the'
products of Its own power, the Self ceases
to appear, like the water of a tank by its^
149.

acctimulation of sedge.
\^The sheaths &'c.

They
the

See

on

note

Sloka

i?5.

are called sheaths as they are coverings over

Atraan which manifests

Itself

through them.

Anandainaya the'
Knowledge
sheaths are gradually finer and finer.
consists in going beyond them all by means of
regulated practiceand coming face to face, as it
were, with the Atman. ]

From

the

Afinamaya

to

the

-V

150.

On

i)erfectly

the removal of that sedge the

-

pure water, that allays the pangs-

and gives immediate

unobstructed before the man.
of thirst

The

water

is

not something that

cured from anywhere

else,

it

is

joy,

is

151

When all

the essence

So

only
in the-

the

five

eliminated, the Self of

of

be pro-

to

already there

the obstructions have to be removed.

case of 'Atman also.

appears-

of

sheaths have been

man

appears

everlasting

pure,

and

un-

VIVEKAGHUDAMANI
alloyed

(if

indwelling,

supreme, and

Discriminated

as being other than

bliss,

self -effulgent.
\

Eliminated

the Self.

Indwelling

dwelling within the

152.

To remove

153.

He

heart of

all.

bondage the wise

man should discriminate between the Self
and non-Self. By that alone he comes to
know his own Self as Existence-Knowledge-Bliss x\bsolute, and becomes happy.

is

free

his

who

discriminates

be-

tween all sense-objects and the indwelling,

unattached and inactive Self, as one separates a stalk of grass from its enveloping
sheath, and merging everything in It
remains in a state of identity with That.
\_All

se?ise-ol)jects

specially

the

body and

its

D'gans.

the Witness of
of grass &c. Compare Katha Upanishad,

Inactive

A stalk
IL

iii.

all activity

17.

Merging &.

Knowing

manifests Itself through

that

only the

name and form.

Atman

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

68

This body of ours is the product o\

food and comprises the material sheath
and dies without it
it lives on food,
it is a mass of skin, flesh, blood, bones
and lots of other filthy things, and can
154.

never be the eternally pure, seif-existent

Atman.
[

Product of food

parent-body.

that

went

to

build up

the

does not exist prior to birth or

posterior to death, but lasts only for a
155.

It

short (intervening) period its virtues are

transient, audit is changeful by nature;
;

it is

manifold, inert, and

is

a sense-object

how can
any other thing)
Witness of
it be one's own Self, the
changes in all things ?
(or

like a jar

not a simple, and subject to constant

{^Manifold

transformations.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

The body,

156.

69

consisting of arms and

cannot be the Atman, for one continues to live even when particular limbs

legs,

and the different functions of

the organism also remain intact. The
body which is subject to another's rule
cannot be the Self which is the Ruler of all.

are gone,

Different functions

interfered with.

the body,

its

witness,

is

directly

is

different

from

characteristics, its activities,

which It is the
self-evident, and needs no

states etc.,

its

than those

That the Atman

157.

and

other

of

demonstration.
[

Characteristics

States

such as stoutness or leanness

boyhood, youth

How

etc.

etc.

can the body, being a pack

of bones, covered with flesh, and full of
filth, and highly impure,
be the selfexlstent Atman, the Knower, which is ever
distinct from it ?
158.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

70

^ffRr i:^^^: ^dRT

159.

man who

the foolish

It is

identi-

himself with a mass of skin, flesh, fat,

bones and filth, while the man of disfies

crimination knows his

Reality that there

is,

own

Self,

the only

as distinct from the

body.
v

rv

*^

*v

160.

The

stupid

man

thinks he

is

the

book-learned man identifies

himself with the mixture of body and soul,
while the great man possessed of Realisabody, the

tion due

to

discrimination,

looks iipon

the eternal Atman as his Self, and thinks,

" I am Brahman."
[Three
this

Sloka,

classes

of

of people are distinguished

whom

the Advaitist

is

of

in

course

given the highest place.

Mixture of body a?id soul The average man

thinks he is both body and soul acting in unison.]

VlVEKACMUDAMANi

^^^^ ^n*=?T
161
O foolish
self

^^ ^^^^

H?^?!!

one, cease to identify thy-

with this bundle of skin,

flesh, fat,

bones ahd filth, and identify thy<;elf instead

with the Absolute Brahman, the Self of all,
2in(\ thus attain to supreme Peace.

As long as the book-learned man

does not give up his mistaken identification with the body and organs etc.-,
which are unreal, there is no talk of
162.

emancipation even for him, be he ever so

erudite in the Vedanta and morals.
'

Body and organs

etc.

Jn

fact,

the wiioie ob-

jective world.

Erudite &.
less

Mere book-learning

he has realised the

a mere talker, that

state of

is all. J

is

meant. Un-

oneness he

will

be

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

72

Just as thou dost not identify tliy

163.

with the shadow-body, the imagebody, the dream -body, or the body thou
self

hast in the imaginations of thy heart, cease

thou to do Hkewise with the

living-

body

also.
[

Shadoiv-hody

Jmage-body

The shadow of thv body.

the image or reflection of thy body,

cast in water etc.

Dream-body
in

the

body

that

thou mayst assume

dreams.

Living-body

The

164.

alone

is

the gross body, with the Pranas

identification with

which

the root

the body

produces

mi.sery of birth etc., of people

etc.]

who

the

are at-

tached to the unreal ; therefore destroy

Whea
thoii this with the utmost care.

by the mind is
no more chance for

this identification caiised

given up,

there

is

rebirth.
[

Compare Chhandogya Upa. VIII.

xii. i. ]

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

73

The Prana, with which we

165.

coupled with the

faniiiiar,

five

are

all

organs of

action, forms the Vital Sheath, permeated

by which the Material Sheath enga^^es

self in all activities as if it
[

Orga7is

acfio?i

The

speech, manual

control
cretion

of

were

brain

in

which

locomotion, ex-

activity,

described

living.

centres

and reproduction. See Sloka

Material Sheath

it-

92.

Slokas

154 and

following.

This
said

to

appear

activity

which the Vital

impart

is

Sheath

is

here

again a borrowed one, as will

tVon^ the last line of the next Sloka.

For a description of the Five Kosas (Sheaths)

the reader

is

referred to the Taittiriya Upa., second

Valli or chapter.

166.
Self

and
out

Neither

because

it is

like the air

of

is

it

the Vital

Sheath the

a modification of

Vayu

enters into and comes

the body, and because

it

never


VIVEKACHUDAMANl

74

knows in the least either its 'own weal and

woe or those of others, being eternally
-dependent on the Self.
Vdyu
The Prana-Vayu or life-force is
meant here. The word commonly means air, wiiich
4)rings in the comparison with the air in the next line.
[

Enters into &.

gross manifestation.

i.

e.

which

breath,

as

is

its

The organs of knowledge together

with the mind form the Mental Sheath,
167

the cause of the diversity of things, such

as

and 'mine.'

It

endued wdth the faculty

ferences of

name

etc.

It

is

of

and

powerful
creating

manifests

as permeating the preceding,

i.

e.

difitself

Vital

Sheath.
[

Organs of

W'liich

knowledge

The

brain

centres

control sight, hearings smell, taste and ioucIl

See Sloka 92.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

The Mental Sheath

168.

is

75

the (sacri-

which, fed with the

desires by the five sense-organs
ficial)

fuel

fire

of

which
ablaze by the

and set
sense-objects which act as the stream of
oblations, brings about this phenomenal
serve

as priests,

universe.
[

the

The sacrificial fire confers on the Yajamana, or

man who performs the sacrifice, the enjoyments
So

of the heavenly spheres.

mind

the

also confers

on the Jiva or individual soul the pleasures

of the

objective world.
It is

the

mind

that projects the objective universe

this is the plain

meaning. See Sloka 170, below.]

There is no Ignorance (Avidya)

outside the mind.
The mind is Avidya,'
the cause of the bondage of transmigra169.

tion.

When

that

destroyed, and

destroyed,

is

when

all else

is

manifests, every-

it

thing else manifests.

[According
in the Self,
It

is

vision,

to

Vedanla, there

which

is

by nature

Ignorance or Avidya
so

to

say and

subject to change.

It

Now,

is

no actual change

pore

ihat

and

perfect.

has covered

Jts

appears as limited and

this

ignorance

is

imbeds

VIVEKACHUDAMANt

^6
ded

in the

mind.

purified through

of the

Atman

When

Sadhana or

manifests

mind

the

is

thoroughly
the

discipline,

itself.

This

is

glory

said to

be

liberation.

Destroyed m the highest or Nirvikalpa Samadhi.]

In dreams, wlien there is no actual

contact with the external world, the mind
alone creates the whole universe consisting
170.

And

of the enjoyer etc.

waking

there

similarly in the

no difference.
Therefore all this ( phenomenal universe )
is the projection of the mind.
state also,

The enjoyei- etc.

able
and enjoyment
coming into relation. ]
[

i.

e.,

is

the enjoyer,

subject,

r^

the enjoy-

object

and

their

In dreamless sleep, when the mind

is reduced to its causal state, there exists
nothing ( for the person asleep ) as is
171.

evident from universal experience.

Hence

VlVEKACHUDAMANl
man's

Tf

relative existence is simply the crea-

the mind, and has no objective

tion of
reality.

'^Universal

experience

The

subject

has been

touched on already. See Sloka 121, ante.

Clouds are brought in by the wind

and again driven away by the same agency.
Similarly, man's bondage is caused by the
172.

mind and Liberation too

is

caused by that

alone.

It (first) creates

173.

man

for the

an attachment in

body and

all

other

sense-

and binds him through that attachment like a beast b}^ means of ropes.
objects,

Afterwards, the

self -same

mind

creates in

the individual an utter distaste for these

sense-objects

and

frees

him from

the

bondage.
[For the double meaning of the word Guna,
note on Sioka 76.

see

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

78

Therefore the mind is the only

cause that brings about man's bondage
174.

or liberation

Rajas

of

when

pure and divested of

it

conduces to Liberation.

[A reminiscence
bindu Upa.

and when
the Rajas and Tamas

leads to bondage,

it

elements

tainted bv the effects

of the second Sloka of

Amrita-

^^^cfr ifejT^r gg^TAttaining purity through the preponderance of Discrimination and Renun175.

ciation,

the

mind makes

for Liberation.

Hence the wise seeker after Liberation

must first strengthen these two.
[

Discriminaiion

Rernmciation

between Self and

of the Non-self.
*^

rv

Non-Self.

nVKKACHUDAMANf
176.

Ill

the

forest-tract

pleasures there prowls a hug^e

mind.

Let o^ood people

/^
sense

of

tiger calle^i

who have

a long

ing for Hberation never go there.

The mind

177.

the experiencer

continually produces for

all

sense-objects without

exception, whether perceived as gross or

fine;

of

the differences of bodv, caste, order

life,

and

tribe, as

well as the varieties

of qualification, action,
f

Gross or fine

means and

in the waking-

results.

and dream slates

respectively.

Action

Means

to obtain desired results.

for these actions.

Results

such as enjoyment or

liberation.

Deluding the Jiva who is unattached Pure Intelligence, and binding himr
by the ties of body, organs and Prauas,
the mind causes him to wander, with.
178.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

3o
ideas Gi

'

enjoyment

'

and

mine,' amidst the vaned

'

of results
Prafias

{^Binding

achieved by himself.

strictly

speaking,

our attachment for these that binds

us.

it

is

Man's transmigration is due to the

siiperimposition, and the bondage

179.
evil of

of superimposition

and none

created by himself
that causes

It is this

else.

misery of birth
discrimination

is

etc.

who

for the

man

of

tainted by

is

the

nonRajas

and Tamas.
[

Superimpositio7i

of the

says,

is

Vedanta Philosophy,

ever-free Self

thing

This

is

came

mistaken

to

identit}^,
it

theme

how the
The whole

to explain

be bound

and the way out of

ourselves.

the favourite

at all.

a self-hypnotism,

lies

in

it

de-hypnotising

Hence sages who have fathomed

its secret have designated the mind alone
as Avidya or Ignorance, by which alone
the universe is moved to and fro, like
180.

masses

of clouds

by the wind.

VIVEKACHUDAMANT

Si

Therefore the seeker after Liberation must carefully purify the mind. When
-this is purified, Liberation is as easy of
access as a fruit on the palm of one's hand.
181.

182.

He who by means

of

one-pointed

devotion for Liberation roots out the attachment for sense- objects, renounces all
actions,

and with

faith in the Real

Brah-

hearing etc.,
succeeds in purging the Rajasic nature of

man

practises

regularly

the intellect.
motives.
are done with
of the
hearing (from the
Hearittg
and meditation, of the highest
Guru),
of the Jiva and BrahVedantic truth the
r

AU

actions

etc.

selfish

that
i.

lips

e.

reflection

identity

man.

VIVEKACHUDAISTANF

Si

Neither cam the Mental Sheath Be

the Supreme Seif^ because it has a begin183

nings and
is

an end

is

subject to modifications^

characterised by pain and suffering, and

an

is

object.

Whereas the

subject

can

never be identified with the objects of

knowledge.
[

Is

an

cognisable by the Self which

object

eternal subject.

is

the

Buddhi with its modifications and.

the organs of knowledge^ having thecharacteristics of the agent, forms the
Vijnanamaya Koshaor Knowledge Sheath^,
which is the cause oi man's transmigration..
184.

Buddhi

the determinative faculty.

such as Egoisnr^
am the
agent thinking

Modifications

Having

etc.

*I

agents*

This Knowledge Sheath, which

seems to be followed by a reflection of the
power of the Chit, is a modification of the
Prakriti, is endowed with the functiQU oi
185.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

B$

knowledge, and always wholly identifies

self with the body and the organs etc.
Followed

Chi/

in reality material

and

of ihe C/ii/ or

insentient,

Atman makes

Modification ^c.

profit

The Knowledge Sheath

it

it-

is

but a reflection

appear as

intelligent.

and therefore insentient.

^wiW^ 15^wr:

frprrflr f^r^ferar g;;^?^^:

186-7.

without beginning, characterised by egoism, is called the Jiva, and

carries

It is

on

all

the activities on the relative

Through previous desires

forms good and evil actions, and
plane.

it

per-

experi-

Being born in various

bodies it comes and goes, up and down.
It is this Knowledge Sheath that has the
waking, dream and other states and experiences joy and grief.
ences their results.

Comes and goes,

in

desires of previous
up and down born and

Previous desires

higher or lower bodies,

births.

is

dies,


VIVEKACHUDAMANI

84

188.

It

always

mistakes

the

dutie*
ts,

functions and attributes of the orders of

which belong to the body, as its own.

The Knowledge Sheath is exceedingly
effulgent, owing to its close proximity to
the Supreme Self, which identifying Itself
life

with

suffers

it

delusion.

It is

transmigration through
therefore a superimposi-

tion on the Self.

[

Ashramas.

Orders of life

^vi Tk^^^^\ anr%5 eft ^Src^rt s^iM^:

The

189.

Atman which

self-effulgent

is

Pure Knowledge, shines in the midst of

the Pranas, within the heart. Though immutable. It becomes the agent and experiencer owing to

Its

superimposition

the Knowledge Sheath.

[

The

first

part of this Sloka

Brihadaranyaka Upa. IV.

In

the midst

iii.

is

a quotation from

7.

of the Pranas

great

neari^ess is

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
meant.

Prana means

force, here the physiological

And mental forces are referred

is

8$

to.

Wiihin the heart \vi Buddhi, the seat of which

supposed to be the heart. ]

190.
exists,

Though the Self of everything that

this Atman, Itself assuming the

limitations of the

Buddhi and

wrongly

identifying Itself with this totally unreal

entity, looks

upon

earthen jars
of which they are made.

terent,

like

Buddhi

here

something diffrom the earth

Itself as

stands

for

the

Knowledge-

Sheath.

As something different as conditioned and bound,

just an ignorant man may consider earthen pots as
something

made.

distinct

The

of the mind.

man knows that the difference is

name and form, which are creations

wise

simply due to
]

from the earth of which they are

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

86
191.

Owing

to its connection with the

Supreme Self, even

though naturally perfect and eternally un-

superimpositions the

changing, assumes the qualities of the

superimpositions and appears to act just
as they do ^like the changeless fire assuming the modifications of the iron which it
turns red-hot.

Naturally perfect Ox the phrase

may mean

*'

PTfT^nr^

transcending Nature."

Mcdificatiom

192.

qi;:

The

such as

size,

shape

etc. ]

disciple questioned,

*'

Be

it

through delusion or otherwise that the

Supreme Self has come to consider Itself
as the Jiva, this superimposition

is

with-

and that which has no

beginning cannot be supposed to have an
end either.
out beginning,

Jiva individual soul, or the

imposed limitations. ]
[

Self

under

self-

Therefore the Jivahood of the

Soul also must have no end, and its transmit
193.

'*

VrVEKACHUDAMANl

iy

^ration continue for ever.

How then can
there be liberation for tht soul ?
Kindly

me on

enlighten

point,

this

revered

Teacher.'*
[

free

Jwahood the

A tin an.

194.

self-hypnotised state of the

cv<?i-

The Teacher

Tightly questioned,

replied:

Thou

learned one

hast

Listen

thou therefore attentively: The imagination which has been conjured up by delu*
i;ion can never be accepted as a fact,
^rf^cf f^nr r^riaiF^^

Ht**i^ l^^i^:

But lor delusion there can be no

connection of the Self which is unattached, beyond activity and formless with
195-

the objective world,

as

in

the

case

of

blueness etc. with reference to the sky.

[

own
The

Blueness

etc.

The

sky has no colour of

but we mentally associate blueness with

blueness

is

in

our mind^ and not

its
it.

in the sky.

Similarly, limitation exists not in the Absolute Self,

bill in

our own minds.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

88

196.

The Jivahood

Witness, which

of the

Atman, the
qualities and

beyond
beyond activity, and which is realised within as Knowledge and Bliss Absolute has
been superimposed by the delusion of the
Buddhi, and is not ral. And because it
is by nature an unreality, it ceases to exist
is

when the
[

delusion

is

gone.

As Knowledge and Bliss

Absolute

These

and therefore can never depart from

heat from fire. ]

Its essence,

as

are

197.

It exists

only so long as the

It>

delu--

sion lasts, being caused by indiscrimitiar

tion due to delusion.

The

supposed
to be the snake only so long as the mistake lasts, and there is no more snake when

the delusion has vanished.

case here.

rope

is

Similar

is

the

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

effects are likewise considered as

less.

But with the

and

Nescience

Avidya or

198-9.

$g

its

beginning-

Vidya or Realiof Avidya, even

rise of

sation, the entire effects

though begin ningless, are destroyed together with their root like dreams on
waking up from sleep. It is clear that the
phenomenal universe, even though begin-

ningless,

not eternal,

is

previous

like

non-existence.
\

Their root

i.

Avidya.

e.

Previous non-existence

Hindu

logic.

Prdgabhdva a term

When we

say

a thing

l)eing at a definite point of lime,

there

was non-existence of

prior to the
exi!^tence

'

moment

is

of

its

we imply

that

birth.

comes

obviously beginningless.

this

But

comes into being.

AviJya which means absence of Vidya
as soon as the thing

edge, even though

realisation

comes.

\\.

thing
'

non-

ceases

Similarly,

or knowl-

beginningless, disappears
]

into

also that

particular

And

of

when

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

90

200-1.

previous non-existence, even

though beginningless, is observed to have

an end.
So the Jivahood which is
imagined to be in the Atman through its
relation with superimposed attributes such
as the Buddhi, is not real; whereas the

Atman) is essentially different

The relation between the Atman

other (the

from it.
and Buddhi
[

due to a

is

Superimposed

placed near

false

knowledge.

Just

attributes'.

as

crystal

red flower seems to appear as red.

a,

Or when we

look

a thing behind a curtain

at

through an aperture, as the aperture becomes bigger

and bigger we see more and more of the thing

behind

but

,*

we erroneously think

growing, whereas,
place

in

the

which

the

change takes

Similarly

etc. are

we

see the

manifestations, and Nature

continually changing,

Atman back

a mistake.

202.

all

is

the covering of Prakriti or Nature,

Buddhi

is

that the

reality

curtain only.

Atman through
ot which

in

the thing

that

of

it is

leads us to

changing

too,

think

which

is

The

cessation of that superimposi-

tion takes place through perfect knowl-

edge, and by no other means.

Perfect

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

9I

knowledge, according to the Srutis, conthe realisation of the identity of

sists in

the individual soul and

203.

Brahman.

This realisation

is

attained

by a

between the Self

and non-Self. Therefore one must strive
for the discrimination between the indiviperfect discrimination

dual soul

204.

and the eternal

Self.

Just as the water which

is

very

muddy again appears as transparent water

when the mud is removed, so the Atman
also manifests Its undimmed lustre when
the taint has been removed.
[

Water

is

naturally pure, but

it

is

polluted by

These impurities
So
can be removed bv filtration, distillation etc.
the apparent impurity of the soul can be removed
by discrimination, which shows that it is Nescience
foreign substances mixing with

it.

thai hides the real nature of the Self.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

9:2

When

205.
this

very

individual

as

realised

the unreal ceases to exists

soul

definitely

is

the eternal Self.

one must make

remove things

it

like

Therefore

a point to completely

egoism

from the

etc.

eternal Self.
[

Things

which are

in reality superimpositions.]

This Knowledge Sheath (Vijnanamaya) that we have been speaking of,

cannot be the Supreme Self for the following reasons because it is subject to
change, because it is insentient, is a
limited thing, an object of the senses, and
206.

not

is

constantly

present:

An

unreal

thing cannot indeed be taken for the real

Atman.
[

Subject to change.

changeless,

the

Atman

Knowledge Absolute, unlimited,

eternal Subject,
things.

Whereas

and the universal substratum of

Just as the rope

is

is

the
all

the only reality witbi

regard to the mistaken snake-idea

etc,

^^r^TR^^JT^: nr5rTfe?nir^: jir^rwrm^^:!

VTVEKACHUDAMANI

The

93

Sheath (Anandamaya)
is that modification of Nescience which
manifests itself catching a reflection of the
Atman which is Bliss absolute; whose
attiibutes are pleasure and the rest which
appears in view when some object agree207.

Blissful

able to oneself presents

It

itself.

makes

spontaneously felt to the fortunate

during the fruition of their virtuous deeds
from which every corporeal being derives

itself

great joy without the least effort.

Modification of Nescience The experience of

the Sushupti state will be spoken of in the next Sloka
[

be the typical enjoyment of the Anandamaya

Kosha. And deep sleep is always a state of intense

to

ignorance.

Hence

this

Sheath must be a modifica-

tion of Nescience.

Pleasure and the rest

Upa.

Taittiriya

Pramoda
to

II.

v.,

The

reference

is

to the

Moda and

where Friya,

various degrees of enjoyment

are

be the attributes of the Anandamaya Kosha.

The

said
]

Sheath has its fullest

play during profound sleep, while in the
dreaming and wakeful states it has only a
partial manifestation, occasioned by the
sight of agreeable objects and so forth.
208.

Blissful

Sight... so fortk

actual sense perception

waking state), or memory-impressions

(in

(in the

dream).]

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

94

^^f'WT'tjpwt: ^TT^T^

Nor

Sheath the Supreme Self, because it is endowed with

changeful attributes, because it is a modi209.

fication

of

is

the

Blissftil

Prakriti, is the effect of past

good deeds, and imbedded in the other

Sheaths which are modifications.
Sheaths The reference
[ Imbedded in the other

is

again to the Taittiriya Upa., 2nd Chapter, where

Koshas are spoken of as being similar in

shape and one inside the other, the Annamaya or
Material Sheath being the outermost and Anandathe five

maya

the innermost.

210.

When

all

the five Sheaths have

been eliminated by the reasoning upon

Sruti passages, what remains as the culminating point of the process, is the Witness,
the Knowledge Absolute,
[

Sruti passages

negatively, by

the

those

the Atman.

that describe the

Neti neii

not

this,

Atman

not

this

,)

method.

beyond which the process of

Culmuiating point

reasoning or analysis cannot be carried any farther.

VTVEKACHUDAMANI
What

then

takes place

termed the

is

nubhuii. Realisation, and the

be

in the

Samadhi

state.

mind

Aparokshdthen said

to

This self-efhilgent
distinct from the five

211.
IS

is

99

Atman

which

Sheaths,

the

Witness of the three states, the Real, the

Changeless, the Untainted, the everlasting
Bliss,is to be realised by the wise one as
one's own Self.
Nescience
[ Untainted \>y

ftiu.^<(^^^

212.

mf^#S

The

hence Absolute. }

*)?iMd!g;

^^r^

questioned, "After
have been eliminated

disciple

these five Sheaths

as unreal, I find nothing,

Teacher, in
absence of
this universe but a Void, the
everything. What entity does there at all
remain with which the wise man should
realise his identity?*'

The position of the Shunyavddins or Nihilists

after
who deny that there remains anything positive
[

Ihe ullimsite analysis,

is

set forth ia this

Sloka as a

VIVEKACHUDAMANl

prima facie

next few Slokas.

213-4.

and the refutation

view,

The

tightly said,

is

given in the

Gum answered
O learned one

Thou hast
Thou art

clever indeed in discrimination.

That by

which all those modifications such as egoism

etc. and their absence as well which follows
(during deep sleep)

which
that

Itself is

Atman

are

not perceived,

the

but

perceived,

Knower

know thou

^through- the

sharpest intellect.
[

The argument

is this

The Atman

as the

eter-

must remain always. Otherwise there

being no Subject, knowledge itself will be imEven in the Sushupti state there must
possible.
be the eternal Subject behind to record the blissful
memory of that state. To take a familiar example
In a bioscope there must be the screen to allow
moving pictures to coalesce and form a
the
connected whole. Motion presupposes rest. So
nal Subject

the ever-changing Prakriti must have behind

immutable Atman.
Through the sharpest

Upanishad

I.

Hi. 12. ]

intellect

it

ibc

An echo of Hatha

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI

That which

215.

thing else has for

When
thing,

there

is

97

perceived by some-

is

witness the latter.

no agent to perceive a
its

we cannot speak

ing been perceived at

of that

thing hav-

all.

This Atman is a self-cognised

entity, because It is cognised by Itself.
Hence the individual soul is itself and
216.

directly the

ing

else.

217.
self

Supreme Brahman, and noth-

That which

clearly manifests

in the states of wakefidness,

and profound

sleep;

perceived in the

mind

which

is

It'

dream

inwardly

in various forms, as

an unbroken series of egoistic impressions

which witnesses the egoism, the Buddhi
etc, which are of diverse forms and modi-

VIVEKACHUDAMANT

9S

and which makes

fications;

Itself felt

as-

the Ex'.sieiice-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute;;,

know thou this Atman, thy own Self within thy heart.
[

Accor(.rnyg

Sankhya

lUe

to

w1k)1c uiivf r-se, as

it

Plvilosopliy,

appears to us,

is

a mixture

the

of

Puiusha ami Pjakiiii. ot soaieihii>g wliicli impinges on or gives the suggestion to our minds,,
and of liie Hiind \vi>Tch reacts, and covers it, as it
^ere,

wiili

cu.iiing

ot

eveiuhing we perceive
plus

i!ie

niinti,

Veiiania

own.

this

or to put

suUsiitutes

postulates- a

is

its

lu other words^

unknowii something
briefly,

it

Brahman

for

X + mind.

Purusiia and*

Nescience as the inscrutable power oi

traiiuj.iM, wliicii ci>v^rs the real nature of Brahtnan-

ami nake>

it liiink

as

if It

of change and Inniiation.

were subject

Atman

is

to

all sorts.

only another

we perceive a
thin<:, iroMi any mental impression,
it must
be
the Alnian aniP nothing else tiiat we perceive. Only
151 our ignorance we fail to grasp the real nature of
the thing exjierienced (the Atman). and call it
under various names and forms. l50, our egoism,
joame

of'

oar iHieWect, and

ttons of

So, whenever

i'lriilwuaM.

tie

all

AtfKrtu

mental slates are manifesU'-

and Atmaa

altxie. ]

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

99

Seeing the reflection of the sun

mirrored in the water of a jar the fool
Similarly the
thinks it is the sun itself.
218.

stupid

man, through

himself with

the

delusion,
of

reflection

caught in the Buddhi which

identifies

the

Chit

super-

is Its

imposition.
[^;j//_il,e

Aiman

Knowledge Absolute]

\v]icli is

219.

Just as the wise

man

leaves aside

and the reflection

of the sun in that water, and sees the selfluminous sun which illuminates these three
and is independent of them

the

jar,

the water in

hideptndent crV.

it

iliese

being merely

its

tions, wli:cb serve to sugj^e^l ine leal bun. ]

reflec-

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

100

%m^ xk^j^vij

220-2.

jkT^T

f^'j^i'. wv^.V^

Similarly, discarding the bod;-

the

Buddhi, and the reflection oi the Ghi^ oi it,

and realising the Witness, the Self, the

Knowledge Absolute, the cause of the manifestation of everything, which is hidden in

the recesses of the Buddhi and is ^stinct
from the gross and subtle, elernal, omniall-pervading,

present,

extremely subtle,

which has neither interiot nor ex-erlor,

and is identical with oneself, fully realis-

ing this true nature of oneself, one becomes free from sin, and taint, and death

and

grief,

and becomes the embodiment

Illumined himself, he

of Bliss.

For a seeker

none.

:s

afraid of

after liberation there

no other way to the breaking

bonds of transmigration than the

is

tion of the truth of one's

[

Bidden

Bu(Idhili

is llie

ivhich catclies a glimpse of ihe

The
import

./

own

of the
realisa-

Self.

purified Buddhi

Atman,

sense of various Sruii p;<ssages (A Advailifc

is

reproiluced in 'these StokftS.

The t^adw

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
is ync>cix\ny

referred to

ty

The

N/itli

Brihadaranyaka

and Sveta-^vatara

&, 'laiuiriya II. 2.

223.

tlie

realisation

f;lie

lOI

Brahman

III. 8.]

one's identi-

of
is

III. viii.

cause

the

of

liberation from the bonds of Samsara, by

man

mea.ns of which the wise

Brahman, the One without

attains

a second, the

Bliss Absolute.

224.

Once having

realised the

Brahman

one no longer returns to the realm of

transmigration. Therefore, one must fully
realise one's identity with the Brahman.

225.

Brahman

is

Existence, Knowledge^

the Absolute, pure, supreme,

eternal

and

(in reality)

indivisible Bliss,

self -existent,

not different

from the individual

devoid of interior or exterior,

reigns tiiumphant.

soul,

and

there

It

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

102
226.

Supreme Oneness which

It is this

nothing else
but the Self. Verily, there remains no
other independent entity in the state of

alone

real,

is

since there

is

realisation of the highest Truth.

Nothing else Evenlhing but the Self

\^

appearance merely.

TiT^TT^^ irarcf^irrfrn[

All this universe

else

free

but

from

Brahman
all

which appears as

diverse forms through ignorance,

ing

an

^\KA H^t?t \^yk

227.

is

v/hich

of

noth-

is

absolutely

is

the limitations

of

human

thought.
\^P''reefrom

thought

We

of tilings ilirougli ignoiiince, imt

be\oiid lliem, and

is liie

imagine
Hraliman

only Reality.

sorts

all

ever

is

though a modification of
earth, is not different from the earth;
everywhere the jar is essentially the same
It is
as the earth. Why then call it a jar ?
228.

jar,

fancied name merely.

Fictitious
name merely Quoted
from the Chhandogya Upa., Ch. VI. ]
fictitious, a
l^

in

SQum

IO3

VTVEKACHUDAMANI
^fTPCljk ^sf^^^l'^nTT

^^^^

t r-

None can demonstrate that the

229.

essence of a jar

is

some'ching other than

Hence
made)
the jar is merely imagined through delualone is the
rsion, and the component earth
the earth (of which

it

is

abiding reality in respect of

it.

Similarly, the whole universe being

reality
effect of the real Brahman, is in

230.

the
nothing but Brahman.

does not exist apart from

and

it

who

says

'it is,' is still

he babbles
[

Its essence is

like

e. incolierently.

fy^?n^?Tf 5iir^T^ ft

It.

He

under delusion,

one asleep.

Likg one asleep \.

That,

f^^

"|


VIVEKACHUDAMANI

104

Th:s universe is verily Brahman

such is the august pronouncement of the
-^J
Atharva Veda. Therefore this universe is
nothing but Brahman, for that which i&
superimposed (on something) has no separate existence from its substratum.
231.

IS

The

one

Veda.

reference

of ihe

is

to

Mundaka

(II.

Upanishads belonging

ii.

ii),

to the

which

Atharva

232.

If

the universe were real as

it is,

there would be no cessation of the dualistic

element, the Scriptures would be

falsified,

and the Lord Himself would become guilty

of an untruth
None of these three is considered either desirable or wholesome by
:

the noble-minded.
S^

No

cessation...... clement

would become
iroyed.

would

Hence

real,

The

world as

it

and as such could never be des-

the duality wjih

all its

ugly features

persist.

Scriptures......falsified

According

to

staoDch

AdvaJtins the numerous Advakic texts of the

inculcating

the highest

Sniiss*,

philosophic thought,

are

alone considered as bearing out the true im)>OTt o

10$

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI
rest of the

iheSmlis. to winch the

Vedas must be

subfuiliiialed.

The Lord
of

etc.- beinp:

Or

Sniiis.

ti.e

Krishna's words
verse.

ll.e

the

in the

Revealer of the truths

i.lUisieii

be

nay

Gna quoted

Sri

to

in the

next

The Lord, who knows

233.

the secret

has supported this view in

them/*
the words "But I am not in
" And the beings are not in Me."
of all things,

Whoknoivs fo^f. Because He

"

But

and

5lh

am

not ^/f." The reference

SU.kas of the

declare thai

A^'liicli

Brahman which

jx^

Omniscient.

is

all

is its

9iii

is

chapter of

existence owes

its

to the 4th

Gita

the

being to

subsiratum, yet Absolute.

^^ ^>? ni^^ ^iHTiw^^mi?:

the universe be true, let it then

sleep also.
be perceived in the state of deep
As it is not at all perceived in that state,
234.

it

If

must be unreal and

false, like

dreams.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

I06
235.

Therefore the universe does not

apart from the Supreme Self

-exist

the perception of

separateness

its

is

like the qualities (of blueness etc. in

and
false

the

Has a superimposed attribute any

meaning apart from its substratum ? It
sky)

is

the substratum that appears like that

thro dgh delusion

[

//

is

the substratum

This idea

the snake.

few Slokas.

^FcT^'qr

See Sloka
&" The rope

Qualilles of bhieneas

etc.

is

made

185.
ai)[)ears

as

clear iu the next

^^f i^r:^:

iTcfr^

Whatever a deluded man perceives

through mistake, is Brahman and Brahman alone: The silver is nothing but the
mother-of-pearl. It is Brahman which is
236.

always considered as this universe, whereas that which is superimposed on the Brahman, viz. the universe, is merely a name.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

IO7

Hence whatever there manifests.

this universe, is the Supreme Brah-

237.
viz.

man

Itself,

the Real, the

One without

second, Pure, the Essence of Knowledge,

the Taintless, Pacified, devoid of begin-

ning and end, beyond activity, the Essence

of Bliss Absolute.

238.

Transcending

created by

Maya

diversities

or Nescience, eternal, ever

beyond the reach

conditioned,

the

all

of pain, indivisible,

formless,

un-

undifferentiated,

nameless, immutable, self-luminous.

239

Sages realise the Supreme Principle

in which there

tiation of

no differenknower, knowledge and known,

infinite,

transcendent,

Brahman,

Knowledge Absolute.

is

the Essence

of


VIVEKACHUDAMANr

io8
^

240..

which can be

nor taken

tip,

which

neither thrown
is

away

beyond the reach

mind and speech, immeasurable, without beginning and end, the Whole, one^s
very Self, and of surpassing glory.
of

Neither thrown

taken /> Because

a material thing but one's Real Self.

It is not)

thus the Sruti, in the dictum

''Thou art That" {Tat-Tzvam-Asi), xg:peatedly establishes the absolute identity
of Brahman (or Isvara) and Jiva, denoted
by the terms That {Tat) and Thou (Tvani)
241-2.

If

respectively, divesting these terms of their

relative associations,

then

of their implied, not literal,

it is

the identity

meanings which

sought to be inculcated, for they are of

contradictory attributes to each other
like the sun and a glow-worm, the king

is

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
and

a servant,

IO9

the ocean and a well, or

Mount Meru and an atom.

Jf

sixih

ihtts the

Sruli elc.T\\Q reference

Chapter of
the

various ways.

the

to

Chhandogya

llie

where Uddalaka Aruni

Sveiaketu,

is

tries to

Upanishad,
impress on ins son,

of Jiva

identity

and Brahman

in

This contradiction between them

is created by superimposition, and is not
something real. This superimposition, in
the case of Isvara (the Lord) is Maya or
243.

Nescience, which

the cause of

Mahat

and in the case of the

individual soul),
the

and the
(the

is

rest,

listen,

Jiva
five

Sheaths, which are the effects of Maya,

stand for
Mahat
\_

And

it.

See note on Sloka

the

the

rest

123.

grosser manifestations

proceed from Mahat.

Five Sheaihs'^^SQQ note on Sloka 125.]

that

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI

no

These two are the superim positions

the Is vara and the Jiva, and when these

244.
of

are perfectly eliminated there

Isvara nor Jiva.

signia of a king,

kingdom

and a

is

neither

is

the in-

shield of the soldier,

and when these are taken away, there

is

neither king nor soldier.

[

JS'either

then.

king nor soldier

Similailj,

if

we

laive

omnipotence etc. from

knowledge and power

Brahman remains

as

he

llie

only a

man

away the omniscience

Isvara,
etc.

is

and deficiencies of

from

tlie

Jiva,

substance of bolh.

on!y

S3
1^

r^

r^

T'T'^'ar^ ^iiT?ir

245.

"Now

^r^q^

se^ro:

The Vedas themselves

then

is

in the

the injunction"

diates the duality

words

etc., repu-

imagined in the Brah-

One must needs eliminate those

man.
two stiperimpositions by dint of realisation
supported by the aiilhority of the Vedas.
\'lhe

edas

aranyaka Upa.

f?^ rsii

etc,

The

reference

II. iii. 6. ]

'^r^j

%^^j ^^^m

is

lo the Biihad-

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI

III

Neither this gross nor this subtle

universe (is the Atman)
Being imagined
246.

snake seen in
the rope, and like dreams.
Perfectly
eliminating the objective world in this way
by means of reasoning, one should next
underlies the
realise the oneness that
Isvara and the Jiva.
they are not

real,

like the

Jiva)

Hence those two terms (Isvara and

must be carefully considered through

their

^?;2^/z><^

lute

identity

247.

method

meanings, so that their abso-

may

The

be established.

of wholesale rejection will not do,

nor will the method of retaining in toio

do either. One must reason out through
the process which combines the two.
[There are

liiree

Lakshana.

The
The

terms

lo

nieaTiing^.

lias

example,
that a

tlie

vill;is;e

the G;mges.

kinds of Lakshana or implied

first

give

up

plirase

is

that

its

in

primary meaning.

inTT^ir

of cowherils

is /// ilie

is

is

Ganges,

For

mean

^T^* <ioes not

'Ihe second kind

primal y meaning

and the Bh^ga

which one of the

J^hati, the Ajahaii

but on

that in wliich the

retained but souiething

is

sup-

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

112
plied to

make

means

a white (horse)

'

it

clear, as the
is

sentence

running."

m^FT

5[%?n"

In the third

kind of Lakshna each of the terms has to give up

a part of

its

248-9.

connotation, see the next Sloka.

Just as in the sentence,

that Devadatta,' the identity

eliminating

the

is

This is
spoken of,

contradictory

'

portions,

'Thou art That,' the

wise man must give up the contradictory

so in the sentence

elements on both sides and recognise the

identity of Isvara
fully

and

Jiva, noticing care-

the essence of both, which

Knowledge Absolute.

is

Chzl,

Thus hundreds

Scriptural texts inculcate the oneness

identity of
[

Brahman and

Coniradictory portions

of time

and place
rs

etc. ]

of

and

Jiva.

Such as the differences


VIVEKACnUDAMANI

'

II3

Eliminating the objective world,

the not-self, by such arguments as It is
not gross' etc., (one realises the Atman),
250.

'

which

unattached like
the sky, and beyond the range of thought.
Therefore, dismiss this mere phantom of an
objective w^orld which thou perceivest and
which thou hast accepted as thy own self.
By means of the purified understanding
that thou art Brahman, realise thy own
Self,

is

self-established,

the Knowledge Absolute.

^mJ^ ^^^

251.

^zjjk ^cT^ ^-^r^&^rr%<t

All modifications of earth, such as

the jar etc., which are always accepted by

the

mind

as real, are (in reality)

but earth.

nothing

Similarly this entire universe

which is produced from the Real Brahman, is Brahman Itself and nothing but

VIVEKACHUDAMANf

114

Brahman.

Because there

nothing else
whatever but Brahman, and That is the
Reality,

self -existent

only

is

our very

Self,.

therefore thou art that Pacified, Pure, Su-^

Brahman,

preme

One

the

without a

second.
Os

As the

252.

place, time, objects,

etc. called up- in.

is

dream are

all

knower,

unreal,

so

also the world experienced here in the

w^aking state, for

own

it

is-

all

an

effect of

one's

Because this body, the

organs, and egoism etc. are also thus unreal, therefore thou art the Pacified,. Pure^.
Supreme Brahman., the One without at
ignorance.

-econd.
Stv

5X^

^T'^T

253.
exist

about

^flw ^fk^^

(What
in
it

i&)

erroneously supposed

to^

something, is when the truth

has been known, nothing; but

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
that substratum, and not at

The

I15

all

different

dream universe
(appears and) passes away in the dream
itself.
Does it appear on waking as somefrom

it

diversified

own

thing distinct from one's

self?

That which is beyond caste ancj

creed, family and lineage devoid of name
and form, merit and demerit
transcending space, time and sense-objects;
that
254.

Brahman

art

thou, meditate on this in

thy mind.

255.

That Supreme Brahman which

beyond the range

of all speech, but ac-

cessible to the eye of pure illumination

which
edge,

is

pure, the

the

Brahman
thy mind.

is

Embodiment

beginningless
art thou,

of

Knowl-

entity;

that

meditate on this in

VIVEKACHUDAMANJ

16

That which i^ untouched by the

six-fold wave
meditated upon by the
256.

by the
which the Buddhi cannot
sense organs
know; and which is unimpeachable;
that Brahman art thou, meditate on this
in thy mind.
but not grasped

Yogi's heart,
;

and

Sixfold wave
thirst, grief

body and mind.

257.

viz.

and delusion, which overtake the

]

That which

the universe with

which are
Itself

decay and death, hunger

all

its

is

the substratum of

various subdivisions,

creations of delusion

has no other support; which

which
is

dis-^

from the gross and subtle; which

has no parts; and has verily no exemplar;

tinct

that

Brahman

in thy mind.

art thou, meditate

on

this

VrVEtCACnUDAM ANt

258.

That which

is

! 1

from

free

birth,'

growth, development, waste, disease and

death; which
the cause of

which is
the projection, maintenance
is

and dissolution

Brahman

indestructible;

of

the

universe;

art thou, meditate

on

that

this in thy

mind.

That which is free from differentiation; whose essence is never non-existent; which is unmoved like the ocean
259.

without waves; the ever-free

sible

Form;

that

Brahman

meditate on this in thy mind.

of indivi-

art

thou,


VIVEKACHUDAMANI

Il8

260/ That which, though One only, is

the cause of the many; which refutes all
other causes; which is Itself without
cause; distinct from Maya and its effect,
the universe; and independent ; that
Brahman art thou, meditate on this in thy
mind.

That which is free from duality;

which is infinite and indestructible; distinct from the universe and Maya,
supreme, eternal; which is undying Bliss;
261,

taintless;

tate

on

that Brahman art thou,

this in thy

medi-

mind.

rs rv

That Reality which (though One)

appears variously owing to delusion,
taking on names and forms, attributes
and changes. Itself always unchanged,
262.

like gold in its modifications,

that

Biah-

VIVEKACHUDAMANl

man

on

thou, meditate

art

this in

19

thy

mind.

That bevond which there is nothing; which shines above Maya even, which
263.

again

superior to

is

effects,

its

verse; the inmost-Self of

all.

free

the uni-

from

dif-

ferentiation; the Real Self; the Existence-

Knowledge-Bliss Absolute; Infinite and

immutable; that Brahman art thou,
meditate on this in thy mind.

264.

On

the Truth

inculcated

one must oneself meditate

above,,

mind, by
means of the recognised arguments. By
that means one will realise the Truth free
from doubt etc., like water in the palm ol
one's hand.
[

Inculcated above

in the ten

Recognised arguments
the Vedas.

in one's

preceding Slokas.

that are

in

harmony with

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

120

f^m^ ^^^ ^^^^

It?^

bodv the Knowledg^e

Absohite free from Nescience and its
effects, like the king in an ariny^ and
being ever established in thy own Self, by
resting on that Knowledge, merge the
265

Realising: in this

universe in the Brahman.

In the recesses of the Bnddhi there

266.

Brahman,

the

is

and

subtle,

distinct

from the gross

the Existence Absolute, Su-

preme, the One without a second.

Ke
who lives in this cave as Brah7Jian^ for
him, O beloved, there is no more entrance
into the mother's v/omb.
[

Cave

He who
self as

iirm

The

lives etc.

Buddhi

is

often

He who always

Brahman has no more

^^3?^^

spoken of thus.
thinks of him-

rebirth.

]
r- 'v

^^f^cTT ^TO^TT yrn^':^

ViVEKACITUDAMANr

Even

267.

the Truth

after

tHi

been

has

remains that strong beginningless, obstinate imprcssioti that one i5

the agent and experiencer, which is the"
realised, there

cause

of

That
removed by

transmigration.

one's

impression has to be carefully

living in the Brahman with a constant
identification with the SujDreme Self.
sao:es

call

the
Vasanas or impressions here

that

attenuation of

which

The'

liberation

is

and now.
[

no

Atienuatio7t

<?/<:. Because

selfish desires easily attains

^

the

man

v/ho

has^

Mukti. }

r^

The

268.

idea of

'

me and mine'

in

the

body and organs, which are non-self, this*

superimposition the wise one must put a
stop to, by indentifying oneself with the

Atman.

269.

Realising thy

own Inmost

Self,

the

Witness of the Buddhi and its modifica-'

tions, and constantly revolving on the

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

122

positive thought, *I

am

He,' conquer this

identification with the non-Self.

270.

Relinquishing the

observance of

up all ideas of
trimming up the body, and avoiding too

social formalities, giving

much engrossment

with the Scriptures,

do away with the superimposition that
kas come upon thyself.

271.

Owing

to the desire to

society, the passion

for too

walk after

much

study

keep
the body comfortable, people cannot attain to proper Realisation.

of the Scriptures

and the

^Ts^rfkg^*. 'ETg^m
272.

For one

from the prison

desire to

gT%n

irns^ii

who

seeks

deliverance

of this

world

(Samsara),

those three desires have been designated

t>y

the wise as the strong iron fetters to

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
shackle one's

them

He who

feet.

I23

is free

from

truly attains to Liberation.

odour of the Agaru

(agallochum) which is hidden by a powerful stench due to its contact with water

The

273.

etc.,

lovely

manifests

(again)

when

itself

foreign smell has been fully

the

removed by

mere rubbine.

Like the fragrance of the sandalwood, the perfume of the Supreme Sglf,
-which is covered with the dust of endless,
virulent desires imbedded in the mind, w^heu
274.

by the constant friction of

Knowledge, is (again) clearly perceived.

purified

Sandalwood

Sloka

is

'

Agaru

'

of

the

prey|io,iji

meant.

VasaTid
desire.

the

in

Sanskrit

means both

'

odo.ux

'

.9Jti4

tlVEKACHUDAK^Al^f

i^4

275.

The

obsctired

by

desire for Self-realisation

the

countless

desires

is

foT

things other thaii the Self. When they

have been destroyed by the constant at-

tachment

for the

manifests

Itself of Its

276.

the

Atman

own

accord.

Self,-

As the mind becomes

established in the Inmost Self,

tionately gives

up the

And when

clearly

gradually
it

propor-

desires for external

such desires have

been eliminated^ there takes place the unobjects.

all

obstructed Realisation of the At man.

The Yogi's mind dies, being constantly fixed on his own (Real) Self. Thence
277

follows the cessation of desires.

fore do

There-

away with thy superimposition.

VIVEKACnUDAMANI

Tamas

278.

12$

destroyed by both Sattva

is

and Rajas, Rajas by Sattva, and Sattva

Therefore do away
superimposiLion, through the

when

dies

purified.

with thy

help of Sattva.

STR^
279.

5^^rcT

^jftm f^rfk^

Knowing

rabdha work
remain quiet

f?rajqr:

for certain that the

Pra-

maintain this body,

and do away with thy
superimposition carefully and with fortitude
{

will

Prdrahdha

the resultant

has led to the present birth.

out, the

body

"

falls,

of past

When

this

and Videhamukti

am

Karma
is

is

that

worked

the result.]

not the individual soul, but

Supreme Brahman," eliminating
the
thus all that is not-Self, do away with thy
superimposition, which has come through
280.

the

momentum

281.

of (past) desires.

Realising thyself as the Self of

by meai;s

of Scripture,

all

reasoning and thy

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

126

away with thy supefimposition, even when a trace of it seems

own

Realisation, do

to appear.

The

282.

sage has no connection what-

ever with action, as he has no

idea of

accepting or giving up. Therefore, through

engrossment on the Brahman

alone, do away wdth thy superimposition.
constant

Through the realisation

identity of Brahman and the soul,
283.

of

the

result-

ing from such great dicta as Thou art

That' and so forth, do away with thy
'

superimposition, with a view to strengthen

thv identification with Brahman.

Until the identification with this

284.

body

is

completely rooted out, do away with

with
and concentrated mind.

thy

superimposition

watchfulness

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

12/

So long as even a dream-like perception of the universe and souls persists^

do away with, thy superiinpo&itioii, O
285.

learned one, without the least break.

[

The

u?iiverse

and

souls

i.

e. plurality.

Without giving the slightest chance

oblivion on accoiint of sleep, concern

286.
to

matters or the sense-objects,,

on the Self in thy mind,

secular

in

reflect

Shunning from a safe distance the

the body, which has come from parents
and itself consists of flesh and impurities^
be thou Brahas one does an outcast,
man and realise the consummation of thy
287.

life.

Shunning
the body which
[

giving

up

i.

e.

is

very impure.

^ro"^T5d JTIT^T^

all

identification

of

^^T?m5T q^Trm%

Merging the finite soul in the Supreme Self, hke the space enclosed by a
jar in the infinite space, by means of medi288.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

12^

tation on their identity, always keep quiet,

O sage.

Becoming thyself the

Brahman, the substratum of

self -effulgent

289.

ena,

all

phenom-

as that Reality, give tip both the

macrocosm and the microcosm,

two

like

filthy receptacles.
[Giz'^e

up

vikrocosm

whole universe, which

is

ceasing

to care for the

other than the Self,

and

which pales into insignificance before the majesty

of the Self.]

Transferring the identification

now

rooted in the body, to the Atman,

the

290.

Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute, and

discarding the subtle body, be thou ever
alone, independent.
[

Discardi7ig

291.

ceasing to identify oneself

That in which there

is

tion of the universe, as a city

in

mirror,

that

with.]

this reflecis

reflected

Brahman am

VIVEKACnUDAMANI
knowing this thou wilt
summation of thy life.

That which

attain

29

con-

the

and thy own

primeval Essence, that Knowledge, and
292.

is

real

One without

Bliss Absolute, the

a second,

beyond form and activity attaining That one should cease to identify

which

is

with

oneself

one's

bodies, like an

false

actor giving up his assumed mask.

[

liaise

bodies

the

gross,

bodies, which are superimpositions

Like

a?t

actor

his part, he

sation

is

is

etc.

When

Atman.

the actor has

played

So the man of

simply a man.

one with Brahman, his

real

is

neither

observed to

Essence.

reali]

This objective universe

ly unreal
it

upon

causal

the

f^

293.

and

subtle

is

absolute-

Egoism a reality, for

be momentary.
How

is

cau the perception that

know

all,

be

1^

130

VIVEIvACHUDAffTANr

Egoism

true of
\

The

pei-GCption.

the omHiseience

5% H^T

witnesses- the

less,

the

ml4rent belief'

Atman

mea^nt.

is

real

The

which,

that

is

rest.

It exists-

in.

etc..

different

is

'I'

the state of profound

Sniti herself says, " It is birth-

eternal"'

atman

of.

Man's

Ego and the

even

always,
sleep.

.all

R^ CRT ^fir: 5^^4

But the

294.

which are momentary?

etc.

Therefore the Paramfrom, the

and

gro>ss

subtle bodies.
\

as

Exists ahvays

sleep-

the

witness- of

all-

experience.

The Sruii
Upanlshad,

295.

&'c.

I.

It is

ii.

The reference

is-

ta the

Katha>

l8.]

the knower of

things, subject

to

all

change,

changes
therefore

should be eternal and chan:eless.

unreality of the gross

and

'in

It

The

subtle bodies

is^

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

I3I

and again clearly noticed in imagination, dream and profound sleep.

ao^aln

[The

unreaiity

not perceived

body

in

Because the subtle

Sushupti state and

dream and Sushupti

ilie

296.

in the

sleep:

the gross

states. ]

Therefore give np thy identifica-

tions with

this

lump

of

body, as well as with the

flesh

Ego

the

gross

or the subtle

body, which are both imagined by

Buddhi.

is

Realising thy

own

Self,

the

which

Knowledge Absolute and not to be denied

in past, present and future,
attain to

is

Peace,

Imagined by Buddhi Because they are not in

Annan and our ignorance conjures them up through
the Buddhi or determinative faculty.
[

Denied
time,

&'c,

Because

the

f^l^w '^^\^\^ ^t^r^r-

Atman

transcends

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

132

Cease

297.

>(

to

family, lineage,

with

thyself

identify

name and form which

tain to the body, which

corpse (to a Jnanin)

a rotten

like

is

per-

Similarly giving

up

the ideas that thon art the agent and so

forth, which are attributes of the subtle

body, be thou the Essence of Bliss Absolute.

[

Rotten corpse

The body appears as

living only

through the erroneous identification of the Buddhi^

and when that ceases on

realisation,

the

body

is

nothing but a putrid corpse, to be shunned.

Attributes of the subtle
realise his identity with the

The Jnani must

body.

Atman

alone.

Other obstacles are also observed

to exist for men, which lead to transmigraThe root of them, for the above
tion.
reasons, is the first modification of Nescience they call Egoism.
298.

Other obstacles~s\iq\\ as desires

For
which

the above reasojis

is

be any
.

cJf^vT

because but

for

Egoism,

a product of nescience, there would

false identification,

trouble.

etc.

not

and therefore no serious

^^m^THT gf^^rTlT

f^gWT IR^S.11

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI

33

So long as one has any relation

with this wicked Ego, there should not be
299.

least talk

tlie

about Liberation, which

is

unique.

Freed from the clutches of Egoism,

300.

man

moon
He be-

attains to his real nature, as the

from those
comes pure,

of

the planet Rahu.

and

infinite, eternally blissful

self-luminous.
[

Graha

in

Sanskrit

The

means both

planet

'

and

and moon are

popularly ascribed by Hindu mythology to the
periodical attacks by their enemy Rahu, a demon
whom they prevented from drinking the nectar. ]
*

seizure.'

^r

301.

eclipses of the sun

f^

r^.

5?: ^TSlTJTTrT STrfTcTT

That which has been created by

the Buddhi extremely deluded by Nescience,

and which is perceived in this body as 'I

am such and such,' when that Egoism is
totally destroyed, one
attains an unobstructed identity with the Brahman.
[lam such and such I am strong or weak,

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

134

learned or ignorant, happy

or miserable and so

fortii. ]

f^r^^ m^^^^

f^^r5ir^^JT^m?Tr ^rt^ctt

The

302.

man

treasure of the Bliss of Brah-

round by the mighty deadly

serpent of Egoism, and guarded for its
own use by means of its three fierce hoods
Only the
consisting of the three Gunas.
wise man destroying it by severing its
three hoods with the great sword of Realisation in accordance with the teachings
of the Srutis can enjoy this treasure which
is

coiled

confers bliss.
[In

this

Sloka Egoism

compared to a threeRajas and Tamas balance,

i

headed snake. Sattva,

are spoken of as
activity and inertia
its three
hoods. The way to destroy it is through Realisation.

When Egoism
real nature as

the

metaphors

303.

is

gone, one

Brahman.
is

obvious.

As long

poisoning

left in

as

is

The

conscious of his

appropriateness of

there

the body,

is

trace

how can

of

one


tivekaciiudama:ni
h'ojfc for

recovery?

Similar

is

135

the effect of

Egoism on the Yogi's Liberation.

304.

Through the complete cessation

ol

Egoism, through the stoppage of the diverse

mental waves due to it, and through the
discrimination of the inner Reality, one
realises that Reality as 'I am This.'
[A/en/al waves

such as doubt, wrong notion

etc.]

Give up immediately thy identification with the Egoism

the agent
which is by its nature a modification,
which is endued with a reflection of the
Self, and which diverts one from being
305.

identifying

thy-

which thou hast come by

this

established in the Self,

self

with

relative existence,
birth, decay

full

and death,

of

the miseries of

though thou

art

the Witness, the Essence of Knowledge

and Bliss Absolute.

VIVEKACHUDAMANi

136
[

Modificatioji

of Nescience, and therefore noo-

peimanent.

This makes look

Relative existence Samsara or transmigration.]
Endued

elc.

But

306.

intellio^ent.

it

for th)- identification with that

Egoism there can never be any transmigration

for

thee

who

art

eternally

the

same, the Knowledge Absolute, omnipresent, the Bliss Absolute, and of untarnished
glory.
[

Untarnished

Vi.19.

glory

compare

Swelaswatara

]i

Therefore, destroying this Egoism,

thy enemy, which appears like a thorn
307.

sticking in the throat of one taking his

meal

through the great

sation, enjoy directly

thy

own

and

sword

of

Reali-

freely the bliss of

empire, the majesty of the Alaian.

'

VrVKKACIIUDAMANi
Great sword

,[

Mnhdsi.

applicable to only

namely,

'

which

should be

it

one

the enemy,'

tj^

Tlie phrase, as

side

but not to

interpreted

to

is.

ig

comparison,

the

of

it

the

for

tliorn,'

mean

'

a sharp

knif

308.

Therefore, checking the activities

Egoism

of

etc.,

and giving np

all

attach-

uient through the realisation of the Su-

preme Reality, be free from all duality

through tlie enjoyment of the Bliss of Self,
and remain qniet in the Brahman, for
thou hast attained thy
[

Egois7n

and

'

etc.

Egoism

infinite nature.

\Yith

its

two forms,

'

mine.']
rv

"^

r^

309.
this

mind

Even thongh completely rooted

terrible
for

Egoism,

moment

and creates hundreds

if

revolved in

only,
of

returns to

out,

the
life

mischiefs, like a

"f*

VIVEKACHUDAMANl

138

cloud itskered in by the wind during

rainy season.

sr^m^TCR^^Tnr^TTg

tlie

II?? oil

enemy, Egoism,
not a moment's respite should b& given to
That is
it by thinking on sense-objects.
verily the cause of its coming back to life,
like water to a citron tree that has almost dried up.
310.

Overpowering

311.

He

alone

this

who has

identified

him-

with the bodv is o^reedv after senses

pleasures. How can one devoid of body-idea
self

be greedy (like him) ? Hence the tendency

to think on sense-objectsis verily the cause
of the bondage of transmigration, giving
rise to

an idea

of distinction or duality.

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI
312.

seed

is

When

also observed to be such,

seen to be destroyed.

subdue the
Effects

desire

and when

the seed

also

is

Therefore one must

effects.

actions

Seed

39

the effects are developed, the

the efiects are destroyed

done

with

selfish

motives.

for sense-pleasures.

Tlie next Sloka explains this.

Through the increase of desires

selfish work increases, and when there is an
increase of selfish work there is alwavs an
And man's transincrease of desire also.
313.

migration

is

never at an end.

r^

314.

For the sake

of

breaking the chain

of

transmio^ration the Sannvasin

of

sense-objects

should
burn to ashes those two for by thinking

and

doing

lead to an increase of desires.

selfish

acts

VlVEKACPIUftAMANf

i40

Augmented by

315-6.

these two, desires

produce one's transmigration. The way

to destroy these three, however, lies in
looking upon everything, under all circumstances, always, everywhere and in all
respects, as

Brahman and Brahman

alone.

Through the strengthening of the longing

to be one with Brahman those three are
annihilated.
[

I'hese three

selfish

work, dwelling on sense-

objects and sense-hankering for ihem.

Sloka gives the steps to realisation.

317.

With the cessation

desires.

is

next

of selfish action

the brooding on sense-objects

which

The

is

stopped,

followed by the destruction of

The

Liberation,

destruction

and

this

is

of

desires

considered

is

as

Liberation-in-life.

318.

When

Brahman has

the desire for realising the

a

egoistic desires

marked manifestation the

readily vanish, as the most

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI

14I

intense darkness effectively vanishes before the

glow

of the rising sun.

Darkness and the numerons evils

that attend on it are not noticed when
the sun rises.
Similarly on the realisa319.

tion of the Bliss Absolute there

bondage nor the

320.

is

neither

least trace of misery.

Causing the external and internal

which are now perceived to

vanish and meditating on the Reality, the
Bliss Embodied, one should pass one's time
watchfully, if there be any residue of
Prarabdha work left.

universes

of

Exiertial atid

internal

The former

maUer and thought.

man, whereas the

the power of thought.
of

Causing

to

universes

latter

vanish

the

worlds

exists outside

he himself creates by

through

the

eliminating

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

142
process,

'

Neti, Neti

'Brahman

is

not

this,

not

this, etc. ]

321.

one's

One should never be careless in

steadfastness to Brahman. Bhagavan

Sanatkumara, who

is

Brahma's son, has

called inadvertence to be death itself.

[

Sa7mtkumara &c.

In

the

celebrated

Sanat-

sujata-Samvada (chapters 40-45, Udyoga Parva,

Mahabharata) the conversation between Sanat-

kumara and King Dhritarashtra

like the following

inadvertence

itself

Brahmd's son

as death,"

^^^Tt
'

^CfR "

I call

&c.

and therefore a high authority on

spiritual matters.

5T

^^xK

there occur words

srRT^r^^^rs??fr ^Tf?r?r: ^'^^^^Tct:

There is no greater danger for the

J7ta7itn than carelessness about his own
From this comes delusion,
real natiire.
thence egoism, this is followed by bondage,
and then comes misery.
322.

323.

Finding even a wise

man hanker-

ing after sense-objects, oblivion torments

VIVEKACHUDAMANr
him tlirough the
as

Biiddhi,

propensities oi the

evil

woman

143

does

her

doting"

paramour.
[The memory
and he

man

miserable.]

is

As

324.

of his sweetheart haunts the

sedge,

even

if

removed, does V

moment but covers

the water again, so Maya or Nescience also
coders even a wise man if he is averse to
not stay

away

for a

meditation on the Self.

closing in>
[ The sedge has to be prevented from
by means of a bamboo or some other thing.
Meditation also
away.

necessary to keep Nescience

is

*s

^^r^ r^TfiTT^f
^r^g^ ^f^^cT^^^cTct:

Qr^?T^g;?T
*-

<>

Simmer: sr^3^

r-

^rm^^j^:

mind ever so slightly strays

from the Ideal, and becomes outgoing,
then it goes down and down, jiisl: as a
325.

If

the

dropped on the
staircase bounds down from one step to

play-ball

inadvertently

another.
[Ideal

Brahman.

Cf,

IMundaka

II.

ii.

3-4.

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI

144

What

and graphic warning

a terrible

go-lucky aspirants

326.

from mature

happy-

The mind

sense-objects

to

that

reflects

is

attached to the

on their

qtiahties;

reflection arises desire,

after desiring a

man

sets

and

about having that

thing.
[

An

echo of Gita,
s

62-63.

r^

Hence to the discriminating knower

Brahman there is no worse death than

327
of

11.

inadvertence with regard to

concentra-

But the man who is concentrated

attains complete success.
(Therefore)
carefully concentrate thy mind (on Brahtion.

man)

328.

Through

inadvertence

deviates from his real nature, and the

who

has thus deviated

falls.

The

man
man

fallen

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

man

I45

invariably comes to ruin, but

never

is

seen to rise up ag^ain.

m^^F^rq^^?fr ir^

'4jif

3%

7T^: ^r>:

iiBv5l

Therefore one shoujd give up re-

329.
flecting

on sense-objects, which

root

all

of

He who

is

com-

even while living,

is

alone

mischief.

pletely aloof

the

is

aloof after the

dissolution

the

of

body.

The Vajurveda declares that there is fear

for one who sees the least bit of distinction.
]

vii.)

Yajurveda

jV.

The

Taiiiiriya

Upanishad

which belongs to the Vajurveda.

(II.

^^r ^rr ^rft f^rrfW^'r

^^rf^cT
330.
least

nT^crfTj-T iTJTr^R?^ \\\\^\\

Whenever the wise man sees the

difference in the infinite Brahman,

which he sees as different

through mistake, becomes a source 01
at once that

terror to him.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

146
ft* r-s

He who

with the
objective universe which has been, denied
by the Vedas, Smritis and hundreds of
331.

identifies himself

inferences, experiences misery after misery,,

a thief, for he does

like

something for-

bidden.
[

The

thfef

prisonment
self

rs

etc.,

pmiisiied

and the

for

with im-

stealing

man who

idenlifees

with the not-Self^ suffers infinite miseries.

332.

himJj

He whohas devoted himself to medi(Brahman)

tation on the Reality

and

is

from Nescience attains to the eternal

But he who dwells^
glory of the Atman.
free

on the unreal (the undverse) is destroyed..

That this is so is evidenced in the case of
one who is not a thief and one who is a
,

thief.

[One who

is

not a thief

the hot-axe test applied

charged with

theft etc.

etc.

m
An

The

allusion

ancknt limes
axe would be

i<y

is

to-

persons

made

hot and the accused would be asked to hold

redit

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
his

hand.

If

his

hand was not burnt,

proof that he was

innocent, but

if

it

he would be convicted and subjected

punishments.
xvi.

makes use

The

dwelling on

it

was a

was burnt,

to

the

usual

The Chhandogya Upanishad

of

present Sloka refers.

333.

I47

such a parable, to which the

]

Sannyasin
the

VI.

should

unreal

which

give

up

causes

and should always fix his

thoughts on the Atman as I myself am
This.'
For the steadfastness in Brahman
through the realisatioil of one's identity
with It, gives rise to bliss and thoroughly
removes the misery born of Nescience,
which one experiences (in the ignorant
bondage,

'

state)

irrc^r

f%%^: mi:r?T ^r^

334

The dwelling on

will only intensify its

evil

external objects

fruits,

propensities which

viz.

further

grow worse and


VIVEKACHUDAAIANI

148

Knowing

worse.

this

through discrimi-

nation one should avoid the external objects and constantly apply oneself to meditation on the

Atman.

^m f?fftr^ ^^W'

When

335.

ar^^^TT

the external world

is

shut

mind is cheerful; cheerfulness of

the mind brings on the vision of the
Paramatman. When He is perfectly realised the chain of birth and death is broken.
Hence the shutting out of the external
out, the

world

is

the stepping-stone

to

Libera-

tion.
<v

rv

336.

Where

is

the

rs

man

who

being

learned, able to discriminate the real from

the unreal, believing the Vedas as authority, realising

lity,

the

and being

Atman, the Supreme Rea-

a seeker after Liberation,

will, like a child,

consciously have recourse

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI
to the

unreal (the iiniverse)

cause his
[

I49

which

will

fall ?

Like a child

i,

e,

foolishly.

There is no Liberation for one who

has attachment for the body etc., and the
liberated man has no identification with
the body etc.
The sleeping man is not
awake, nor is the waking man asleep, for
these two states are of contradictory
Zlil

nature.

338.

He

is

free

who knowing through

mind the Self in moving and iinmoving objects and observing It as their substratum, gives up all superim positions and
his

remains as the Absolute and the

Self.

infinite

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

150

To

339.

realise

oneself as the Self of

the whole universe

is

ting rid of bondage.

the means of get-

There

higher than the identity of

the whole universe.

One

nothing
oneself with
is

realises this state

by excluding the objective world through

steadfastness in the eternal

How

340.
jective

is

Atman.

the exclusion of the ob-

world possible for one who has an

identification with the body,

is

whose mind

attached to the perception of external

and who performs various acts

This exclusion of sensefor that end?
objects from the mind should be carefully
practised by the sages who have renounced
all kinds of duties and actions and objects,
objects,

who

are

passionately

eternal Atman,

undying
[

Duties

Aeiions

devoted

and who wish

to

to possess

the

an

bliss.

belonging

i.e.

to various

selfish actions.

stations in

life.

O^yVr/j sense -objects.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

3A1.

To

151

who has gone

the Sannyasin

through the act of hearing, the

Sniti

passage, ''Calm, self-controlled'^ etc., prescribes

Samadhi,

universe as his
Hearing
after

own

of the

self.

ihe truth

from the
the prescribed manner.

"'Calm,
to

for his realisation

self-cmitrolled'^

Brihadaranyaka Upa. IV.

=fr.
iv.

lips

of the Guru,

The reference
23.

is

Even wise men cannot suddenly

destroy egoism after it has once become
342.

strong, barring those

calm through the

who

are perfectly

Nirvikalpa

Desires are verily the effect of

Samadhi.
innumer-

able births.
[

.Xifvikalpa

Samadhi

the

highest

kind

of

Samadhi in which all relative ideas are transcendeci

and the Atman is realised as It is. The term has
been already explained.

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI

152

The

343.^

Projecting Power, throtigh the

aid of strong Veiling Power, connects a

man
and

with the syren of the egoistic idea

distracts

him through the

attributes

of that.

The Veiling and Projecting Powers

or Maya have been aheady dealt wills,
xM tributes of that such ideas as that

doer

'

and so

344.

of

'I

Prakiiti

am

the

It is

fortli. ]

extremely

difficult to

conquer

the Projecting Power iinless the Veiling

Power

is

perfectly rooted out.

ing over the

when

Atman

the subject

is

And

naturally

cover-

vanishes

perfectly distinguished

from the objects, like milk from water.

But the victory is undoubtedly (complete
and) free from obstacles when there is no
oscillation of the
objects.

mind due

to unreal sense-

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI

1S3

r^

345.

Perfect cliscriniinatioii brought

by direct

distinguishes

realisation

on
the

true nature of the subject from that

of

the object, and breaks the bond of dehiand there is no

sion created by IMaya
;

more transmigration
been freed from

one who

for

had

this.

The knowledoe of the identity of

Brnhman and Jiva entirely consumes the
346.

inipenelrable forest of Avidya or Nescience.

For one who has realised their state of

Oneness, is there any seed left for future
transmigration

The
only when
347.

(Thence

veil

that hides Truth vanishes

the Reality

fully realised.

folio v.'s) the destriiction

kno\vled2:e

and the

broiU{ht about bv

by that.

is

cessation

of

of

false

nriserv

the distraction caused

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

154

These three are observed

348.

rope

case

of

fully

known.

when

its

real

the

in

nature

Therefore the wise

is

man

should know the real nature of things for

the breaking of his bonds.

^'FrTHrmrJTT

349-50.

through

g ^^rr^

^t^^^j

ii?Xi

Like iron manifesting as sparks

contact with fire the Buddhi

knower and kncv.'n

through the inherence of Brahman. As this

manifests

secondary

itself

as

manifestation

the

effects

of

Buddhi are observed to be unreal in the

case of delusion, dream and imagination,
similarly the modifications of Prakriti, from
Egoism down to tlie body and all senseobjects are also unreal.

Their unreality

verily due to their being subject to

is

change

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI
everv

55

But the Atman never

moment.

changes.
&c.

[Li/ct' iron

cent.

it

is

fire

Iron,

that

the intcllif^ence of

The
viz.

\v(ir(i

never incande*;-

makes it ap)pear so.

Brahman is imparted

us the meaning of

'

i.

to Buddtii.

asjn^-!-^nf% the

sparks

knower and known,

Similarly

two wavs

Jrr^rf? can be disjoined in

as i^f^r f-^rf? or

The

itself, is

"

first

and the second

gives

tiial

of

subject and object.

e,

are also unreal

viodificaiions

because

and derivatives of Prakriii and

perception by the Buddhi. ]

they, too, are effects

depend on

351.

tlieir

The Paramatman

is

ever of the na-

ture of eternal, indivisible knowledge one

Buddhi
and the rest, distinct from the real and
unreal, the implied meaning of the term
and idea 'I,' the embodiment of inward,
withoiit a second, the Witness

of

eternal bliss.
[

divesting

The implied meaning

it

of

its

dental condili<;ns of time and circumstances.

Notes on Slokas 248-9.

acci-

See

VIVEKACHUDAMAN!

156

^Y^r ftrgr^: ^^^Jr^ JaT^^frT li^H^II

352.
The wise man, d'scriniinating thus
the real and the unreal, ascertaining the

Truth through his eye of illumination,

and realising his own Self which is Knowledge Absolute, gets rid of the obstructions

and
r

directlv attains Peace.

Truth

I'he

Obstructions

Z^o.

ideniitv of jiva

-meiuioned

When

out a second

the

is

in

Atman
realised

and T3riihman-

Sloka 347.]

che

One withby means of the

NirvikalpavSamadhi, then the heart's knot

viz., ignorance
is totally destroyed.

354.

or

'

Such imaginations as 'Thou,'

'I'

This' take place through the defects

But when the Param atman,

the Absolute, one without a second, manifests Itself in vSamadhi, all such imaginations are dissolved for him, through the
of

Buddhi.

VIVEKACMUDAMANI
of

realisation
jorr-'d'r

3[r??T:

355.

Truth

the

Atman.

of

q^'g'T^^r: ^^rr^^^T^Tf::

^mra^

The Sannyasins, cahn,

troiled, perfectly retiring;

57

self-con-

from the sense-

world, forbearing, and devoting himself to

the practice of Samadhi, always reflects

on his own self being the Self of the whole

Destroying completely by this

means the imaginations which are due to
the gloom of ignorance, he lives blissfully

universe

Brahman,

in

free

from action and

oscil-

lation of the mind.

\

Forbearing

having forbeararce or fortitude.

Free from aciionx.

e. selfish

action.

from the
bondage of transmigration who, attainmg
Samadhi, have merged the objective world,
very
the sense-organs, the mind, nay, his
Absoego, in the Atman, the Knowledge
356.

Those alone

are

free

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

158
lute,

and none

who

else,

but dabble in

second-hand talks.
talks.

\_dabble

Reading them from books

etc.]

s v

Following the diversity of the

supervening conditions (Upadhis) a man
is apt to think of himself as also full of
diversity; but with the removal of these
he is again his own self, the Immutable.
Therefore the wise man should ever devote
357.

the

himself to

Samadhi,
[When

the

transparent.

358.

Nirvikalpa

of

for the dissolution of the

rose

looks red, but when

is

practice

is

before

it is

the

Upadhis

crystal,

removed, the

it

also

crystal again

The man who

is

attached to the

Real becomes the Real, through his onepointed devotion.

Just as the cockroach

thinking intently on the bhrainara

transformed into a bhra,nara.
reference is to the popular belief that
[ The
cockroach, through

fright,

is

the

does actually turn green

VIVKKACHUDAMANI
when

caiifjhl

359.

by the

worm known

59

as Bhramarakita.J

Just as the cockroach, giving up

the attachment foraU other actions, thinks

intently on the bhraniara

and becomes

transformed into that worm, exactly in

the same manner the Yogin meditating on
tne Truth of the Paramatman, attains to
It, through his one-pointed devotion to

That.

360.

The Truth

of the

Paramatman

is

extremely subtle, and cannot be reached

by the gross outgoing tendency of the
mind. It is only accessible to the nobie
souls with perfectly pure minds, by means
of Samadhi brought on by an extraordinary fineness of the mental state.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

l60

361.

As gold

ing on the

fire

attains

own

its

purified

gives

up

by thorough heatits

impurities and

histre, so the

mind, through

up its impurities of
Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, and reaches the
Reality of Brahman.
meditation,

362.

gives

When

the mind, purified" thus by

constant practice,

is

merged

in

Brahman,

then the Samadhi passes on from tJie

Savikalpa to the Nirvikalpa stage, and
leads directly to the realisation of the Bliss
of

Brahman, the One without

363.

By

this

Samadhi

a second.

are destroyed

all

which are like knots, all (selfish)

work is at an end, and inside and out
there takes place everywhere and always
desires


VIVKKAC1IUDAMAI

J6l

lihe manifestation of one's real nature,

withoat any

364.

Reflection should be considered a

'^"hundred

cffor!:.

times superior to hearing, and

meditation a hundred thousand times supcrior to reflect-ou even, but the Nirvikalpa Samadhi is simply infinite in its
results.
[

Innnife

etc.

Aiu!

JTF^m ^^cT'Tr

ilier^fore

bears no

com-

5T5fin%:

By the Nirvikalpa Samadhi the

Truth of Brahman is clearly and definitely
365.

realised, but not

otherwise, for then the

mind, being unstable by nature, is apt to

be mixed up with other perceptions.

^IVEKACHUDAMAKr

I^'

mind calm ant^^

the senses controlled alm^ays drown the/
mind, in the Paramatman who is within^,
and through the realisation of your identity,
with Brahman destroy the darknes-s created-^
Hence

366.

witii yatir

Nesciencie which

by.

irv

The

J67.

ot speech,

without beginning'^

fN

<>.

is

first

steps to

Yoga

non-receiving of

are control'

gifts, enter-

taining no hope, freedom from activity,,

and always living in a

;

Gifts

i.

1*^

e,

superfluous

retired place,
''

gifts.

f*^ f^N

^3^^^ ^^10^

^ir?r

m^^ 57r^r^t^^5TT

n
.Too...

Living in a retired place serves to>

control the sense-organs, control of the

[i^ense^

helps to control the mind, through

control of the mijid, egoism

and

is

destroyed,^

Yogin an uu
the Bliss of Brahman.

this again, gives the

Broken, realisation of
T,herefore the

man

of reflection should air-

ways strive only to 'Control the mind,

n

tlVEKACHUDAMANf

5^T r^^

^=55 =^

f^^r^^ mf^r{

165

ffe^Tf^mr

^Tm k^^^^

ii^^^il

>

Restrain speech in the Manas, and

369.
restrain

Manas

in the Buddhi; this again;

restrain in the Witness of Buddhi, andj

merging that

also in the Infinite Absohite

Self, attain to

snpreme

Peace.-

This includes the sense-organs as

Witness
the Jivatman or individual aspect

[Speech

weli

all

i.

c.

of the Self.

In this Sloka which

Upa. L

iii,

13,

one

is

reproduces in part Katha*

asked to ascend higher and

higher, restraining successively the sense-activities,

and mental
at last

370.

one

activities,
is lost

in

from the gross to the

Samadhi.

fine, tiif

The body, Pranas, organs, Manas^

Buddhi and the rest, with wl^ichsoever of

these Upadhis the mind is associated, the
Yogin is transformed, a& it were into that,
,

371.

When

teftectioB

is

this

is

stopped,, the

man

of;

foxiud to be easily detached

VIVEKACHUPAMANI

164

from everyth'tiof and gets the experience 0}

^n abiinctance of everlailing Blss,
CT?^^tJTrrT

^rV^^mr
*

372.

BirxWi^^^

5^^^

the niau oi d spass on (Vai^a-

It IS

frygun) aipiie

who

:s

tit

ioy

Ms ijilein^l

as well cs e?:lernai reuinio^iaiion, ipr tli^

man, out

desne tp be
free, relnqu shes both lulernal an^ external attachment.
dispass onale

373.

It

is

of the

only the dispassionate

man

being thoroughly grounded iq Brahman, can give up the external at! achinent
sense-objects and the internal
for the
attachment for egovsm etc.
-vyho,

[ t.'goism

374.

^.V. i,

c.

Know, O

fiil

inotiificfiiioiis

pf

llic

i>MMd.]

wise one, dlspasslon and

Realisation to be like the two wings of a

bird in the case of a
/ire

there,

man.

Unless both

none can, with the

help

cfi

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI

16$

cither one, reach the creeper of Libera*

grows on the top

tion that
as

i\u'.

mp

ff

a lufiy ImiMini^.

is iiiacce!<sil>le

ii

mail alone there

"'s

Samadhi alone
free

tentple

for in-

man.

dispassionate

Sainadhi, and the

man

gets si^eady Realisation;

man who has

alone

to llie ordinary

For the extremely

375.

the

edifice,

has been compared to a creeper growing

stance, as

of

an

were.

it

[]NTukii

on

of

realised

the Truth

from bondage, and the

is

free

soul only experiences eternal Bliss.

For the man of self-control I do

not find any better instrument of happiness than dispassion, and if that is coupled
376.

with a

highly

Self,

conduces to

it

pure

absolute Independence;

realisation

the

of

the

suzerainty of

and since

this

is-

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

l66

the gateway to the damsel of everlasting

Liberation, therefore for thy welfare, be

dispassionate both internally and externally,

and always

fix

thy mind on the eternal

Self.
I

Suzerainty

the Self, ihe

One

pendence, for

nobody

etc,

it

to dispute

Because

the Realisation

without a second,
is
it.

is

of

the real inde-

everlasting Bliss and there

is

*^

Zn

Sever thy craving for sense-objects

which are like poison, for it is the very
image of death, and giving up thy pride
of caste, family and order of life, fling
actions to a distance give up thy identification with such unreal things as the
body and the rest, and fix thy mind on the
.

Atman. For thou art really the Witness,

the Brahman, unshackled by the rnind,
the One without a second, and Supreme.

^^ vmm ^TTO ^^fut ^^p:^ ^rirF?"^

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

mind finaly on the

Brahman, and restraining the exthe

Fixino^

378.
Ideal,

56;

ternal oro-ans in their respective centres;

with the body held steady, and taking no
thoii<rht

for its

main^-enance;

attainin|:

heinj?
the identity wHh Brahman; and
one with It, always drink joyfully of the
wiHiof Brahman in thy own Self,
Bliss

What

ont a break.

is

the nse of other

things which are entirely hollow

centres \.

{Resiraini^t^
to

e.

not allowing them

go outward.
happiness.
Other MrV/.<^j pursued as means of

^nrrirf^T^^

379.
Self

^^^^ittt^

-r-.^^^frmiT^

np the thonght of the not^

evil and productive of misery,

Giving:

which

is

think of the Self, the Bliss 1^bsclnte,whici:'

conduces to Liberation.
'^ r-

.380.

Here shines eternally the Atman,

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

l6$

Witness of everyt&ing'i,
which has the Buddhi for Its seat. Makr
lug this Atmaa which is distinct from
the unreat> tke Ideal, meditate on It as
thy own Self,,, excluding all other thought.
tile

Self-efftilgent

381.

Reflecting on this

Atman

conti-

nuously aad without any foie:gn thought

intervening, one must distinctly realise It
to be one's

own

real Self.

Strengthening one's identification

with This, and giving that up with egoism
and the rest^ one must live without any
concern for them, as if they were trifling":
things, like a cracked jar or the like*
3S2.

Fixing the purified mind in th&

Self,. the Witness, the Knowledge Absolute, and slowly making it still, one mugt.
then realise one's own Infinite SeH^.
383.

VIVEKACIIUDAMANTT

384.

One

Indivisible

tliould behold the^

and

Infinite,

l6<3p

Atman,the

free

from

all

Upadhis (s'lpervenlng conditions) of the

body, organs, Pranas, Manas and egoism
etc. which are creatiens of one'^s own>
ignorance,'like the infinite sky.

385.
of

The sky

divested of the hundreds

Upadhis such as a

a receptacle

jar,

for grains, a needle,

pitcher^

and so

and not diverse; exactly

in a similar way, the pure Brahman, when
divcsled of egoism etc., is verily One.

forth, is one,

386.
to a

The Upadhis from Brahnid down

clump

of grass are all simply unreal.

Therefore one should realise one*s owrii

VIVEKACHUDAMANl

^7

ever identified with his

as

Self

Infinite

being.
[

From Brahmd

Creator

c^c.

greater than

all Its

That

in

e-'c'st

position

itself,

from

it.

sfone, the reality

When

becomes the rope.

-exists

W?rf

is

similarly the universe also

Self is

all

is

Brahma, the

Indra, the Self

this

universe.

except the Self.

^^t

act'ially
is

Vishnu, the Self

the Self

vSimi-

Atman.

always the rope and never

turns into a snake

The

the delu-

about the snake

larly the universe is in reality the

Brahnrjan, ahvays.

ima-

that thing

falsely perceived,

388.

is

when

d'stinct

is

is

throtio^h delusion, is,

and not

[Tlie rope

of

the Self which

which somethino^

d'scriminated,

is

the

fff^sr^

rightly

sion

of

conditions.

^^ ^F^r ^r%T^

gined to

^^Even

a pas^^ing- phase

is

387.

^^ ^T%: ^^ ^

Self

is

is

Shiva

Nothing

VIVEKACHUDAMAMI

I7I

and the vSelf is

without; the Self is before and the Self
is behind; the Self is on ihe south and
389.

the Self
is

The

is

Self is within,

on the north

the Self likewise

above as well as below.

[

An echo

of ^Iiindak;i

11.

ii.

11.]

^'^ ^^^^^iT ^of ^5ir ^^r

As the wave, the foam, the whirlpool and bubble etc. are all in essence
but water, similarly the Chit (Knowledge
Absohite) is all this, from the body up to
390.

Everything is
homogeneous and pure.

egoism.

\_From the body

verily

egoism.

See

the

Chit,

Sloka 384.

391.

All

this

speech and mind

universe
is

cognised

nothii?g but

by

Brahman;

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI

1/2

nothing besides Brahman which

exists beyond the utmost range of Prakriti.
Are the pitcher, jug, or jar etc. ktuov'/n to
be distinct from the earth of wiv'ch they
there

is

are

composed

who

talks of 'Thou*

and

'I,'

the wine of Maya.

The difference,
[ Pitcher etc.

name and form.

392.

The

man

deluded

the

is

It

if

as an effect of
any,

is

only

in

Sruti, in the passage,

"Where

one sees nothing else etc.,'* declares by

an accumulation of verbs the absence of
duality, in order to remove the false superimpositions.
[

Where one

Chhandogya

sees

&'c.

VII. xxiv.i,

The

*'Wliere

reference
op^e sees

knows noliiiug
That is, the Brahman

else, hears nothing- else,

is

the Infinite."

Reality there
J^aise

is

to

nothing

else

that

is tlie

only

consiJerin<2^

the-

is.

superitfipositions

Knower, Knowledge and

i.

e.

Known

a^ distinct en-

tities. ]

^^^ ^t sTi? Rfiif^ ^r^K

\\\^\\\

VIVLKACHUDAMANI

The Supreme Brahman

393.

pure, absohite,

sky,

and

One

tlie

second, and

any olher

Brahman)
man

i.^

buiti

like the

motionless

without a
one's own EcH.
is there

is

Jix'slcnce,

oL;ject

of

Knowledge (than

other

[ .-Ikv

is,

devoid of interior or ex-

clian|,cless,

terior,

iiifniile,

I73

nhjtct

hiilij*

v.<

fec.-lu

anii tjhjcci.

oil

er f\oids, Drab'-

m.?T 55:5 ^?i^: ^^Tfi^ngn: ^jpt

394.

What
The

is

the use of dilating on thij

no olher than Brahth*s whole extended universe is

subject t

Jiva

is

man;
Brahman Itself; the Sruti inculcates the
Brahman without a second; and it is an
indubitable fact that people of enlightened

minds who know their identity with Brahman, and have given up their connection
with the objective world, live palpably
unified with Brahman, and with Eternal

Knowledge and

Bliss.

VrVEKACHUDAMAN^'

1/4

^^mm ^n:=^r^ siit^^w mg w^^m

hopes raised by
egoism in this filthy gross body, then do
the same forcibly with the air-like subtle
body; and realising Brahman, the embodiment of eternal Bliss, whose gloriesthe scriptures proclaim, as thy own Self
395.

live as
[

(First) destroy the

Brahman.

Destroy

&'c.

Both the gross and subtle bodies-

Atman, the ExistenceKnowledge-BUss Absolute, and freedom consists iu'

going beyond thetn. ]
are the coverings over the

^^ &^^r g^> vr^RT i^ cr^r^ :^f^?:fqn^ee^|i

So long

396.

as

man

this corpse-like body,

has any regard for

he

is

impure, and

from enemies as well as from birth

death and disease; but when he thinks of

suffers

himself as pure, as the essence of the Good^

and immovable, he assuredly becomes

from them; the Sruti also says this.

sees

II. iv.

them

as

&c. Compare Brihada" The Brahmanas oust him who>

[ Suffers from enemies

ranyaka

free

diSerent from

himself"

&c., aiii^

VIVEKACHUDAMANr
Brihadaranyaka
second, there

is

is

v^97.

So long

as there

is

4'

fear."

Srulis also ^c.

'This body

''

I. iv.

r;^^

Ghhandogja

e, g.

mortal,

Indra," &c.

VIII.

xii.

r^

By the elimination

apparentf

of all

existences superimposed on the Sonl, the

supreme Brahman Infinite,

the
One
without a second, and beyond action
remains as

Itself.

[Jpparen/ exis/ences Such as egoism

As Itsdf in Its own essence. ]

etc.

fi^S.

When

the

mind-fuuctions

are-

merged in the Supreme Atman, the Brahman, the x\bsolute none of this pheiio-;
menal world is seen, whence it is reduced
to mere talk.

through

Merged-

the Nirvikalpa Samadhi.

Phenomenal ivorld

created by name

and form,

hence unreal.

Mere
uanfe-

talk

on the

Compare

lips of others,

Chhandogya

who

VI.

i.

are

igno

4,

'

AU'


VIVEKACflUDAMANI

176
Jinodificaiinns

f^ilVi^ir

speecli,"

cfforis of

M^Tj^RK nf^ill [l^^j ^^:

In the

399.

mere

are

etc.]

li^^.!.!

One Entity (Brahman)

.hc

concept ;oa oi the nuiveise Is a mere

phan.oii).
W hence ca.ii there be diversity
iii

that wu:cli

is

^haii^riess, foi.nless,

and

Ahsoiiler'

fsTT^-^iK

i^rran:

f5if5(i> VvT-^v ?:^i: iivjodi

In ihe Oue Entity devoid of the

sconce p's of Seer, Seeing and Seen, .vhieh
is changeless, formless aiid ALsohite,
wkence can there be dTverslty ?
400.

6Vt7'

con&isi.s

^c ot

wliicii

l44e

piNeiiorntrtul

^H^K Uin^k h%h^ r*TTf

401.

worl<i

the

hi

and motionless
solution

of

changeless,

One Entity
Jiikc

the

n^o?!

perfectly

hill

the ocean after disuniverse,

formless,

whence can there be

5r<r.

which

and Absolntc,

diversity?

is

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
402.

Where

177

the root of dehision

is

dis-

darkness in light, in the

Supreme Truth, the One without a second
and Absolute, whence can there be
solved like

diversity?
{Root 0/ delusion

403.

How can

i.

e.

Ignorance.]

the talk of diversity apply

Supreme Truth which is one and

homogeneous? Who has ever noticed
diversity in the unmixed bliss of the state
to the

of

profound sleep?

404.

Even

before the realisation of the

highest Truth the universe does not exist

in the Absolute Brahman, the Essence of

In none of the three states of

time the snake is ever observed in the rope,
Existence.

nor a drop of water in the mirage.

[

Three

1^^

states

^%*.

0/ time

past, present

and

^^cggHT^a^^f^

future. ]

ll^o^ii

vrVEKACHUDAMANE

l/S

The S nit is themselves

405.

declare that

this dualist ie universe is but

deliision;.

from the standpoint of absolute truths

This is also experienced in the state o
dreamless sleep.
[

^c e. g.

S?'u^is

ranyaka,

dogya,

II.

VI

iv.

Katha Upa. IV. i*i, Brihad^a^

Mundaka, 11. ii. i-i, Chhan^

14.,

xiv., &c.,

&c.

That which is superimposed upon

something dse is observed; by the wise to
406.

be identical with the substratum, as in

the case of the rope appearing as the
snake..
solely

The apparent

difference depends

on delusion.

Apparent
Depends
[

difference

delusion

the delusion persists.

noticed by the

i.

e. lasts

igiiorant.

only so

long

as^

^'5q;^r f^^^qrs^T f^rrmr^ jt^^jt

has itsroot in the mind, and' never persists after

the mind is annihilated'. Therefore dis407,.

ThiS' apparent universe

solve the

Supreme
Hssence.-

mind by concentrating
Selfj.

which

is

it

thy

in the

inmost

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

f^m^

^cTct^t4
r^

408.

*-

179

^^r?^7^

r^

The wise one

r^.

cn

realises in his heart,

through Samadhi, the Infinite Brahman

which is something of the nature of
eternal Knowledge and absolute Bliss,
which has no exemplar, which transcends
all limitations, is ever free and without
activity,
which is like the limitless sky,
indivisible and absolute.

Heart stands for the Buddhi.

Something which is inexpressible
[

speech or thought.

409.

The

in

terms of

wise one realises in his heart,

through Samadhi, the Infinite Brahman

which
effect,

devoid of the ideas of cause and

which is the Reality beyond all

is

imaginations, homogeneous, matchless, be-

yond the range of proofs, established by

the pronouncements of the Vedas, and
ever familiar to us as the sense of the ego.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

l80
[

Proofs

other than Revelation,

viz.,

direct per-

ception and inference. Revelation also merely hints

at It.

Established &c.

Vedas speak
Ever familiar

the

that he
refer

is

to

Sutras

We cannot deny

of

It.

^'c.

Nobody

can

the Self for

ever conceive

For a discussion on the subject

the Sariraka Bhashya on the Brahmanot.

I. i. 2.]

The

410.

wise one realises in his heart,

through Samadhi, the Infinite Brahman

which is undecaying and immortal, the
positive Entity which precludes all negations, which resembles the placid ocean
and is without a name, where there are
which is
neither merits nor demerits,
eternal, pacified and One.

Entity which precludes &c.

lute Reality there

Abh^va,
existence,

such
as

dhwams^bh^va
the jar

is

is

as
of

no room

Being

the

Abso-

any kind of
(previous nonwas made), Pra-

in It for

Pragabhava

a jar before

it

by destruction, as when
broken to pieces) and the like. ]
(

cessation

l8l

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

With the mind

411.

behold in thy Self

dhi,

Samathe Atman, of
bondage
thy

restrained in

glory, cut off

strengthened by the impressions of previous births, and carefully attain the con-

infinite

summation
[

of

thy birth as a

Consummation &c.\.

only possible in a

birth.

Meditate on the

412.
sides

human

in

thee,

e.

which

human

being.'

Moksha, which
]

Atman which
is

is

devoid

re-

of

^11

limiting adjuncts, the Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute, the One without a

and

thou shalt no more come

under the round of birth and death.
thy own Being. ]
[ Resides in thee'^s
second,

413.

The sage never more

self to this

body which

appearance merely,

man, owing

is

like the

attaches himvisible

as

shadow

an

of

to the experience of the effects

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

l82
of past
off to

deeds, after

it

has once been cast

a distance like a corpse.

[ Visible as

perceived at

all

but for

would not be
the effects of Prarabdha

an appearance

etc.

It

work which are experienced through the body.

it is, it is

just

The man

As

an appearance.

of realisation never identifies himself

with the body, not even during his return to the

normal plane

after

Samadhi. ]

Atman, the eternal,

pure Knowledge and Bliss, throw far
away this limitation of a body which is
Then no more
inert and filthy by nature.
remember it, for something that has been
vomited excites but disgust when called to
memory.
414.

Realising the

rs

Burning all this, with its very root,'

in the fire of Brahman, the Eternal and
415.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

1^3

the truly ^ise man thereAtman, the eternal,

aitei remains alone, as
\lDSolnte

Self,

pure Knowledge and

[

All

M/s the

Root\.

e.

Bliss.

objective -universe the not-Self.

Nescience.

Truth does no mere

spun out by the
care whether thi^ body,
falls or rethreads of Piarabdha work,
416.

The knowei

of

mainslike the garland on a cow fcr

mind-functions are at^ rest in the
Erahman, the Essence of Bliss.
imC0W2.S, a cow is supremely
^Garland

his

on her neck by
concerned about t^e garland put
somebody, so the man of
nothtng to do with the body.

f^m^^^ ^^

realisation

has got

^T \^\kt iwrfir ^x^f^^

Atman, the Infinite

what object,
.Bliss, as his very Self, with
knower of Truth
or for whom, should the
417.

Realising the

cherish the body?

the
With what object &c.^kTt^^o^^c\:\on of
^nse of Brihadaranyaka IV. iv. 12. He never
[

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

l84

thinks of himself as the Bhoktd,

the enjoyer, or

]iva.

Cherish

men

like

of the world.

]
v

The Yogin who has

418.
fection
result

and

is

free-in-life

he enjoys eternal

rv

attained pergets

tkis as

Bliss in his mind,,

internally as well as externally.

419.

The

result

of dispassion is Reali-

sation, that of Realisation is

withdrawal

from sense-pleasures, which leads to the

experience of the Bliss of Self, whence
follows Peace.

absence of the succeeding stages, the preceding ones are meaningless. ( When the series is perfect ) the
420.

If

there

is

cessation of the objective world, extreme

satisfaction,

and matchless

a matter of course.
v

bliss follow

as

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

85

by earthly troubles
is the result in question of Knowledge.
How can a man who did various loathsome
deeds during the state of delusion, commit
the same afterwards, having discrimina-

Being

421.

iinrtiflled

tion?
[

Earthly

this life, as

which are

lit.

visible,

opposed

to

i.

e.

those experienced in

to the invisible ones,

be experienced hereafter.

e.

those

r-

*s

The

i.

Knowledge should be
the turning away from unreal things, and
422.

result of

attachment

This

ignorance.

one

of

these

to

the

is

result

of

observed in the case

is

who knows

mirage and things

and one who does not.

Otherwise, what other tangible result da
the knowers of Brahman obtain?
that sort,

of

One who knows

knows the mirage laughs
{^

b)% but the ignorant

it

for water.

To

doubt, but he

by

it.

Not so

The

at the illusion

runs

after

man who
and passes
mistaking-

it,

sage the world appears

the

knows
the

man

does not

it

man

to

be unreal and

of the world.

is

no

not lured


VIVEKACHXTDAMANl

l86

423.

the heart's knot

If

what natural cause

destroyed,

totally

is

ignorance

can there be for inducing such a man to

selfish action, for he is averse to sensepleasures

424.

When

desire,

then

passion.

edge

is

sense-objects excite no
is

culmination of

the

The extreme

more
dis-

perfection of knowl-

the absence of any impulsion of

And

the egoistic idea.

the limit of

self-

reached when the mindfunctions that have been merged no pi ore

withdrawal

is

appear.
[Compare

-285-6

**

Fanchadasi,

The

acme

of

naught even the joys

highest heaven

one

'Chitradipa'

dispassion
of

Realisation

the
is

identifies oneself with the

iirmly as the ordinary

man

is

Chapter,
setting at

Brahmaloka, the

when
Supreme Atman as

at

its

identifies

highest

himself with

body; and the perfection of self-withdrawal is

jeached when one forgets the dualistic universe as
his

ompletelj as in dreamless sleep."

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI

187

r^

>

rv

Freed from any sense of reality of

425.

external sense-objects, only seeming to

enjoy such sense-objects as are offered by

others like one sleepy, or like a child, be-

holding

dreams,

world
and having
this

chance moments

man, the enjoyer

one

like

cognition of

rare

indeed,

of the fruits

merit, and he alone

seen

is

is

it

in
at

such a

of endless

blessed

and

es-

teemed on earth.
[

0?ily

see?7iing

others

&.

When

him food

his atten-

some such
thing he takes it but half-consciously, his mind
being deeply absorbed in Brahman.
dants

The
man. ]

or

friends

enjoyer

offer

merit

i.

e.

or

most fortunate

That Sannyasin has got a steady

illumination who, having his soul wholly
merged in Brahman, enjoys eternal bliss,
is changeless and free from activity.
426.


VIVEKACHUDAMANI

l88

The

cliaracteristics of a

set forth in this

pare Gita

II.

man

of realisation are

and the next few Slokas.

55-68.

Com-

That

kind of mental function

which cognises only the identity of Brah427.

man and
which

Self, purified of

all

adjuncts,

from duality, and concerns

only with Pure Intelligence, is called

itself

free

is

He who has
called the man of

illumination.

this perfectly

steady

steady illumi-

is

nation.
[Purified

adjuncts

eliminating

dental adjuncts and meditating on

substratum

Brahman, the Absolute.

Sloka 241 andj"^^.

the

the

common

See note on

mm vr^csr^ ^^^R?r r^^ct^:

5qr^^
^

428.

acci-

rs

He whose

illumination

is

who

steady,

has constant bliss, who has almost

forgot the phenomenal universe, is accepted
as a

man

liberated in this very

life.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

He who, even having

429.

merged

in

Brahman,

is

89

mind

his

nevertheless quite

but free at the same time from the

and
characteristics of the waking state,

alert,

whose Realisation
accepted as a
[

life

/$

aleri

is

man

from

desires,

is

liberated-in-life.
never deviates from the ideal

e.

i.

free

of a Jnani.

waking

Characteristics

state

that

is,

nising the objective world through the senses,

being attached to

it,

like the ignorant

He whose

430.

man.

cog-

and

cares about the pheno-

menal state have been appeased, who,

though possessed of a body consisting of
parts, is yet devoid of parts, and whose
mind is free from anxiety, is accepted as
a

man
[

liberated-in-life.

Cares

cease,

state

i.

e.

how

his

bondage

will

and so on.

Devoid of parts

431.

as Brahman.

The absence

of the ideas of

'I

and

mine' in this existing body which follows

as a shadow, is a characteristic of one
liberated-in-life.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

190
[

'

/ and mine

'

that

stout &c., or that this

Shadoiv

body

'

is

am
'

or

'

'

am

mine.'

See Sloka 413.]

Not dwelling on the

432.

fair

past,

taking
looking

no thought for the future and

with indifference upon the present, are
characteristics of one liberated-in-life.

Looking everywhere with an eye

433.

world full of elements

possessing merits and demerits, and disis a
tinct by nature from one another,
characteristic of one liberated-in-life.
The world is so full of diversity,
[ Looki?ig &.
yet the man of Realisation looks behind, and sees
the one Brahman in everything.
of equality in this

Nature

preponderance

three Gunas.

434.

of

one or other of the

When

things pleasant or painful

present themselves, to remain unruffled in

mind

both cases, through sameness of

attitude, is a characteristic of one liberated-

in-life.

in

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

The absence

435.

191

of all ideas of interior

or exterior in the case of a

Sannyasin,
to his mind being engrossed in

owing

tasting the elixir of the Bliss of

one liberated-in-life.

a characteristic of

is
[

Interior &c.

tence

Since

Brahman.

Brahman,

there

is

but

One

Exis*

He who

unconcerned, devoid
of all ideas of 'I and mine^ with regard to
the body and the organs etc., as well as to
436.

his duties, is

lives

known

as

man

liberated-

in-life.
[

The

Jnani

is

free

from egoism or Abhimana,

though he may be intensely

hinted at in this Sloka.

active.

This

state

is

He who

has realised his Brahmanhood aided by the Scriptures, and is free

from the bondage of transmigration, is^
know^n as a man liberated-in-life.
437.

[Aided

(^c.

By

discriminating the

culcated by the Scriptures.

Truth

in-

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

1^2
,

rv

>-

He who

under no circumstances the idea of 'I' with regard to the

body and the organs etc., nor that of
'mine' in respect of things other than
438.

these,

439.

is

has

accepted as one liberated-in-life.

He who through

his ilhimination

always knows the identity of the Jiva and

and Brahman,
the universe,

as well as of

is

known

as a

Brahman and

man liberated-

in-life.

440.

He who

feels just

the same

when

body is either worshipped by the good

or tormented by the wicked, is known as
a man liberated-in-life.
his

^^ srf^

f^^^r: ^^iTcTT


VIVEKACHUDAMANI

The Sannyasin

441.

in

objects directed by others

like flowing rivers

193

whom
are

sense-

engulfed

the sea, and pro-

in

duce no change, owing to his identity

with the Existence Absolute, is indeed
liberated.
[

Directed by others

upon him.

i.

which others thrust

e.

Whatever comes within

edge but strengthens

Compare

Gita

his identity with

his

knowl-

Brahman.

II. 70. ]

For one who has realised the Truth

of Brahman there is no more transmigra442.

tion as before: If there

is,

that

man

has

not realised his identity with Brahman,

but is one whose senses are outgoing in
their tendency.
[

Is

0716

whose senses &'c.

bound man.

443.
ject

mentum

is

an ordinary sense-

If it

to

be urged that he

is still

sub-

transmigration through the moof his old desires,

the reply

is

no, for desires get weakened through the

realisation of one's identity with

Brahman.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

194

The

444.

propensities of even

a con-

j5rmed libertine are checked in the pre-

sence

mother;

his

of

Brahman, the
realised,

the

so,

just

when

has been
of realisation has na..
Absolute,

Bliss

man

longer any worldly tendency.

One who

445.

meditation

is

is

observed to have external

The

perceptions.

constantly practising
Srutis mention

Pra-

rabdha work in the case of such a man,,

and we can infer this from results actually seen.
[

External perceptions

such

as satisfying

the

physical needs or teaching enquirers etc.

Srutis &c,

Up. VI.
case

is

The

xiv. 2, "

reference

The delay

in his

only so long as hrs body

Chhandogya

to

is
(

i.

e.

lasts^

a Jnanin's )
after

which

he becomes one with Brahman."

Prdrabdha work is the work done ia past lives

which has engendered the present body (referred
to in Sloka 451).
The other two kinds of work are
the

Sanchita

or

accumulated

mentioned

Sloka 447) and the 'A'gami' or forthcoming

ioned in Sloka 449 )

\u

(m.ei>-

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI
Results &*.
realisation,

can only

the continuance of the

and

its

in the

WT^:^:

by assuming

explained

be

body

after

experiences during; that period

Prirabdha continues
plained

I95

to work.

next Sloka.

fe^ii;^'?

This

is

that

the

further ex-

RT^^^r ^nk

i^^nrci:

ii

Prarabdha work is acknowledged to

persist so long as there is the perception
of happiness and the like.
Every result
is preceded by an action, and nowhere is
446.

it

seen to accrue independently of action.

Through the realisation that I am

the Brahman, all the accumulated actions
of a hundred crore of cycles
come to
A-4-7

nought,
state

448.

like

the actions of

the dream-

on awakening.

Can the good

actions or dreadful

one fancies to do in the dreamstate, lead him to heaven or hell after he

has awakened from sleep?
sins that

rr--

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

196

r<v

Realising the

449.

Atman which

is

un-

attached and indifferent like the sky, the

aspirant

never touched in the least by

is

actions yet to be done.

v v

The sky

not affected by the

smell of liquor merely through its connection with the jar; similarly the Atman is
not, through Its connection with the
450.

is

limiting adjuncts, affected by the properties thereof.

[

The Atman,

like the sky, is

always unattached,

though the ignorant man superimposes connection

with external things on It. ]

^r^r
451.

^^^^

The work which has fashioned

to the

out yielding
at

this

dawning of Knowledge,
not destroyed by that Knowledge with-

body prior
is

^^'Tgf^5:5?Ttr55^rw^^ii^H?

an

object.

its fruits, like

the arrow shot

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

The arrow which

452.

does not,

when

that object

be a cow, check
object with

itself,

shot

Is

with the idea that

object

it

an

at

a tiger,

is

perceived to

is

but

the

pierces

full force.
*v

The Prarabdha work

453.

I97

too strong for the

man

certainly

is

of realisation,

and

spent only by the actual experience of

is

w^hile

fruit;

its

the actions

previously

accumulated and those yet to come are

destroyed by the fire of perfect Knowledge.
But none of the three at all affects those
who realising their identity with Brahman are always living absorbed in that
They are verily the transcendent
idea.

Brahman.
[

27te

Prdrahdha

Knowledge

in the Srutis in support of

ing
half

Prarabdha being bind-

on even the Jnani(as

of this

451-2)

is

only a re-statement

self is

Strictly

it is

its

in the first

445 and

in Slokas.
(

speaking,

not even aware of

truth about

forth

set

Sloka as well as

popular view.

The argument

anuvada
the

existence.

of the

Jnani him-

The

given in the last half of this

real

Sloka

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

198

Sloka 463, and reasons for

We
set forth in Sloka 454 et seq.

and

in

this

view are

may add

in

passing that we have here the boldest pronounce-

ment

who

exahed

of the

is

status of a

man

of realisation,

affected by nothing whatsoever in creation.]

454.

For the sage who

Self as the

own

lives in his

Brahman devoid

of the identi-

with the limiting adjuncts the

One without a second, the question of the
existence of Prarabdha work is meaningfication

man who

has
awakened from sleep having any connection with the objects seen in the dreamless, like

the question of a

state.

*.

rv

455.

^m^

^^^ f^^RT
The man who

fifing

ii^^^li

has awakened from

any idea of ^I' or 'mine*

with regard to his dream-body and the
sleep never has

dream-objects that ministered to that body,

but lives quite awake, as his

own

Self*

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

199

rT^^ m^^r5H44V4H'dT

rT^rrjf f^^iT ^f^'TT^

456.

He has no

desire to

the unreal objects, nor

that dream-world.

is

seen to maintain

he

If

substantiate

those nnrcal objects, he

still

is

clings to

emphatically

declared to be not yet free from sleep.

wsirMK

^mm ^irnr:

457.

Similarly he

Brahman

who

absorbed in

with the eternal

nothing else. As

lives identified

Atman, and beholds

one has a memory of the
dream, so the

memory

is

man

objects seen in a

of realisation has a

such as

of the everyday actions

eating and so forth.

458.

Karma,

The body has been fashioned by

so one

may imagine

labdha with reference to

it.

the

But

it is

Pra-

not

VIVEKACHUDAMANr

20a

reasonable to attribute the same to

Atman

for the

is

Atmaui

never the outcome of

work.

The

459.

Srutis,

declare the

fallible,

man who

Atman

lives identified

in-

to be ^'birth-

and undecaying.'^

eternal

less,

whose words are

So, to the

with That,

how

can the Prarabdha be attributed?

["Birthless"

etc.

The

reference

^# R^:

The Atman
^^^in ^KR
Up.

i8.

I. ii.

j^pg^rs^

"

undecaying, and ever new

destroyed

460.

when

the

body

is

is

^r%

birthless,

ancient

),

Katha

to

is

w^m

eternal,

and

is

not

destroyed."]

The Prarabdha can be maintained

only so long as one lives identified with

the body.

man

But no one admits that the

of realisation ever identifies himself

with the body.

Hence the
should be rejected in his case.

Prarabdha

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI
461.

20I

attributing of Prarabdha

The

the body even

certainly

is

to

delusion.

How

can something that is superimposed

(on another) have any existence, and how
can that which is unreal have a birth?
And how can that which has not been
born at all, die ? So how can the Pra-

rabdha exist
[

something that

for

The body being an

absurd

and

it is

this

unreal body.

effect of

If

is

unreal,

i:rt

^^^^"r ^^r^ n ^^^n

^?Trarg; ^mr^^^^ir t^jtp-^

"

Maya

speak of Prarabdha as affecting

to

msr^^ ^^ k^

462-3.

unreal?

is

^3[% ^rt*.

the effects of ignorance are

destroyed with their root by Knowledge,

then how does the body live?" it is to

convince those fools who entertain a
doubt like this, that the Srutis from a rePralative standpoint hypothesise the
rabdha, but not for proving the reality of.
the bodv etc. of the man of realisation.

464.

There

is

only

without a second,

Brahman, the One

infinite,

without begin-

V'lVEKACHUDAMANI

302
laing

-or

end, transcendent, and change-

less; there is

no duality whatsoever

in It.

There is only Brahman, the One

without a second, the Essence of Existence, Knowledge and Eternal Bliss, and
devoid of activity; there is no duality
whatsoever in It.
465.

2T^n^^^
466.

Tj^g^TT^^cT

There

is

^rfrg^??:

One

only Brahman, the

without a second, which is inside all,

liomogeneous, infinite, endless, and allpervading; there is no duality whatsoever
in

It.
[ /-homogeneous

467.

There

admiuing of no variation.

is

One

only Brahman, the

without a second, which is neither to be

shimn^d nor to be taken up or accepted,
and is without any support; there is no
"duality whatsoever in It.

because
Without any support

Shunned

etc.

the Self of

It is

Self-existent,

the supporx of everything

else.

all.

being

Itself

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

There

468.

is

203

only Brahman,

the

One

without a second, beyond attributes, without parts, subtle, absolute, and taintless;
there

469.

is

no duality whatsoever in

There

is

It.

only Brahman, the

Une

without a second, whose real nature is incomprehensible, and which is beyond the
there is no
range of mind and speech
duality whatsoever in It.
;

470.

There

is

only Brahman, the

One

without a second, the Reality, effulgent,

and unlike
no duality what-

self -existent, pure, intelligent,

anything

finite

soever in

It.

Absolute.
Unlike ^c.
[

Intelligent

repetition

there

strictly

It

The

is

speaking,

Intelligence

has got no exemplar.

is

for

emphasising the Absolute,

Unconditioned aspect of Brahman.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

204

High-souled Sannyasins who have

got rid of all attachment, and discarded
ail sense-enjoyments, who are purified and
471.

Supreme
the end attain the Supreme

perfectly restrained, realise this

Truth and at
Bliss through their
[

Safifi}'asins

Self-realisation.

who

those

lit.

struggle

after

Realisation.

Pacified

trained

End

to

refers

control

mind. Res-

to control of the senses.

&c,

They

Videhamukti

attain

embodied, absolute Freedom

body.

of the

or

dis-

after the fall of

their

472.

Thou,

discriminate this Su-

too,

preme Truth, the real nature of the Self,

which is. Bliss undiluted, and shaking off
thy delusion created by thy

own mind,

be
free, and illumined, and attain the con-

summation
[

Thou,

too,

of

thy

&c.

'

life.

The

Guru

is

addressing the*

disciple.

unmixed,

Undiluted

i.

e.

absolute.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

Illuviined

dream

lit.

of duality.

473.

awakened,

i.

from

e.

unreal

this

Through Samadhi

mind has been

205

in

which

perfectly stilled,

the

visualise

the Truth of the Self with the eye of clear

Realisation.
If
the meaning of the

words heard from the Guru

is perfectly and
indubitably discerned,
then it can lead to no more doubt.
(scriptural)

Samadhi

\.

e.

the

highest

or

Nirvikalpa

Samadhi.
Scriptural words

such

as

"Thou

art

That,"

and so on.
Discerned

realised

in

Samadhi.

In the realisation of the Atman,

the Bxistence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute,
474.

through the breaking of one's connection

with the bondage of Avidya or Ignorance,
scriptures, reasoning,

and the words

of

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

206

the Giini are the tests, while one^s

own

experience earned by concentrating the

mind
[

another proof.
Texts The word Pramana can be
is

'

'

also as 'proofs

Scriptures

'

or 'authority.'

which

of one's eternal identity

tell

with Brahman, and declare

Reaso?iing

translated

upon those

all

duality to be unreal.

scriptural statements

as to be convinced of their

so

For instance,

truth.

one can argue that bondage being a creation of

one's mind must be unreal and that Knowledge
of Brahman dispels it, and so on.

Guru: The Guru is a man of RealiWords

sation and perfectly unselfish and all-loving.
He
is therefore an Apta, and as such his words are
authority.

One's

own

experience &'c.

For otherwise one

test.

Concefitrating &'c.

in

is

This

is

the ultimate

not perfectly satisfied.

Samadhi.

Bondage, liberation, satisfaction,

anxiety, recovery from illness, hunger and
such other things arc known only to the
man concerned, and knowledge of these
475.

to others
[

is

a mere inference.

hiference: Others merely guess at them through

signs.

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI
476.

The

207

Gtinis, as well as the

Srntis,

instruct the disciple, standing: aloof; while

man

the

of

realisation crosses

(Avidya)'

thronoh Illumination alone, backed by the

grace of God.
[The Gurus &c. This instructron is parohha
or indirect, while the aspirant's own experience in
Samadhi is aparoksha or direct. The former is

the

means

Ml

to the latter. ]

Himself knowing his own indivisible Self through his own realisation,
and thus becoming perfect, a man should
stand face to face with the Atman, with
his

mind

[Face

free

to fact

from

i.

e.

dualistic ideas.

must

live in

a^ #T^: ^^qr 5T^ir

Atman.

rvN

478.

The

Vedanta

is

verdict of

all

discussions

on

that the Jiva and the whole uni-

Brahman, and that

liberation means abiding in Brahman, the
indivisible Entity. While the Srutis themverse are nothing but

selves are authority

(for the statement)

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

20Z

Brahman

that
[

Abiding

iti

is

One without

Brahman

as

a second.

opposed

to daalistic

ideas.

The
here.

teacher's address

begun

in

Sloka 213 ends

479.

Supreme Truth

at

moment, through the above

in-

Realising the

a blessed

structions of the Guru, the authority of

the

scriptures

and

his

own

reasoning,

and the mind

concentrated, (the disciple) became immovable in form and perfectly established

with his senses pacified

in the

Atman.

Concentrating the mind for some

time in the Supreme Brahman he rose,
and out of supreme bliss spoke as follows
came down to the ordinary sense-plane.]
[ Rose
480.

VIYEKACIIUDAMANI

209

My mind

has vanished, and all

activities have melted, by realising the

481.
its

identitv of the

Brahman and

the

self;

know either this or not- this; nor

what or how much the boundless Bliss
do not

Samadhi)

(of

is!

This or not-this2\\ relative ideas, that is.

The Bliss experienced
\Vhat or hoiv much &c.

in

Samadhi

is

inexpressible

The majesty

and immeasurable.

ocean of Supreme Brahman, replete with the current

482.

of

the

nectar-like

of the

Bliss

of

the

Self,

verily impossible to express in speech,

can

it

be conceived by the mind,

in

is

nor

an

which mv mind
melted like a hailstone getting merged in
the ocean, and is now satisfied by that

infinitesimal fraction of

Essence of

Bliss.

whose
The Avyaktam or Unmanifest is a
part's part.
part of Brahman (through Upadhi or superimposed
limitations ); the Sutratman or the Cosmic Mind
[

is,

Infinitesivial fr action

again,

Being

part

who

of

that;

considers

Lit. a particle of

while the Virat

himself

as

the

or

the

Cosmic
N

^^

VTVEKACHUBAMAM^I

210.

a fraction of this last. Thee^'en is enough to melt the

JBody,. is

bliss

Virat

finite

Compare Sri Ramakrishna's

story

out,

so that

it

mind:

of a ship- that

came near a magnetie Fock and had

drawn

of thi>

bolts'

all its

was rediKed to

its priatine-

condition.

Haihtone &-c. The hailstones that accompany

a shower of rain on the ocean quickly melt and'
become one with it.
:

Now- after
sciousness.

f^

483'..

%5r

^ fr# ^% ^T^ff&t ^'Tcf

Where

is

was

xust

the universe gone^ by

v/hont removed, and whers^

It

con-

return to the normal plane of

mei^ed?
now seen by me, and has it

ceased to exist?

is'

It is parsing*

it

strange!

*v

TWf

f^ T^g^^ T^^^ir^

484. In the ocean f

the nectar of Absolute

r^r^^ipc

Brahman

filled

with

what is to>
be shtmaaed and what ajccepted, what is^
other (than^ oneself and what different?
BIi&&,.

)<

the

What shunned &^c. There is nothing besidesOne Atman^ and the aspirant is identified with

That.

^Smi^^

H^t^?S[i:qi3|TTW K^tt^ii:

\w^%


VIVEKACHUDAMANI
485.

do not

anything
thing

exist

distinct

as

the

from

Self,

every-

else.

See &'c.

In

know

or hear, or

see,

this.

Eternal Bliss

the

in

211

ihis

All

finite

ideas have ceased.

state of Realisation.

Distinct from everything else

whereas

all

else are objects.

being the Subject,

Repeated salutations to thee, O

noble-minded Teacher, who art devoid of
attachment, the best among the good
486.

embodiment of the essence of

Eternal Bliss the One without a second,
who art infinite, and ever the boundle.ss

souls, the

ocean of mercy;

487.

Whose

glance, like the showier of

concentrated moonbeams, has

my exhaustion brought on by the

removed
aflaiction.'^

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

212

and in a moment admitted

me to the nndecaying status of the Atman,
of the world,

the BHss of infinite majesty!

those

world

[Afflictions

from other creatures

body,

phenomena.

arising

and

from

from physical

^?^rs^ ^^^^Tst f^gT?7tst ^^^^Fci;

488.

Blessed

am

I, I

consummation of
from the clutches

am

489.
I

am

all

am

through thy mercy!

from the subtle body, and nn-

free

am

and

taintless,

[^Disembodied

my

of transmigration,

am unattached, I am disembodied,

decaying.

am

my

have attained the

life, and am
free

the Essence of Eternal Bliss,

infinite,

the

pacified, I

am

infinite,

eternal.
subtle

body. I have realised

Atman, and no longer cona body or mind. ]

identity with the

sider myself as

490.

enjoyer,

am not the doer, I am

I am changeless,
and

nor the
beyoud_

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
activity;

edge,

am

am

213

the Essence of Pure KnowlAbsolute, and indentified with

Eternal Good.
[

Not

the doer

&c,

It is

\vho thinks himself as these.

man under delusion

But I am Illumined.]

the

am

indeed different from the seer,

listener, speaker, and enjoyer; I am the
Atnian eternal, without any break, beyond activity, limitless, unattached, and
491.

infinite
I"

Knowledge.

Different

from

myself with any

for

am no

492.

seer

&c.~\

activity f the

longer

am

the

never identify

organs or the mind,

finite. ]

neither this nor that, but the

am

indeed Brahman,
the One without a second, pure, devoid of
Illuminer of both;

interior or exterior,
[

and

infinite.

Neither this nor //^a/ things that

direct or indirect perception.

It is

makes

or

possible.

ideas
]

of

nearness

come under

the

body \Yhich

remoteness

etc.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

214

am

indeed Brahman, the One

without a second, matchless, the Reality
that has no beginning, beyond such imaginations as thou or I, or this or that, the
493.

Essence of Eternal

494.

am

Bliss, the

Truth.

Narayana,

the slayer of
the destroyer of Tripura,

Naraka, I am
the Witness of everything; I have no
other Ruler but myself, I am devoid of
the ideas of 'I' and 'mine.'
[

Naraka

demon, son

Earth,

of

killed

by

Vishnu.

Tripura

the

demon

destroyed by Shiva.

of

" three

the

cities,'*

**

495.

alone reside in

all

beings

as

Knowledge, being their internal and external support.

and

all

that

is

myself

am

enjoyable,

the enjoyer

whatever

VIVEKACHUDAMANl
looked upon as

'

this'

or

215

the

not-Self

previously.
[

Support

being

the substratum

of all

super-

impositJone.

Previously

496.

before

Realisatioti.

In me, the ocean of Infinite Bliss,

the waves of the universe are created and

destroyed by the playing of the wind of

Maya.

497.

Such

ideas

as gross

are erroneously imagined in

and so forth

me

by people

through the manifestation of things

superimposed, just as in the indivisible
and absolute time cycles, years, half-years

and seasons
[Cj'cles
v /^

rsf

etc. are

imagined.

The pericxi of duration of the Universe.]

m6

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
That which

superimposed by th.e
grossly ignorant fools can never taint the
substratnra The great rush of waters observed in a mirage never wets the desert
49S.

is

tracts.

<^

499.

the sky;

mined

r^

am beyond contamination
I am distinct from things

like the

less like the

sun;

mountain;

am always
I

am

like
ilhi-

motion-

limitless like

the ocean.
"^

"s s

"N

^ v

have no connection, with the

body, as the sky with the clouds; so how
can states of wakefulness^ dream and profound sleep, which are attributes of the.
500.

body, affect

me?

^ a:^ ^mn?T rnxxm g^

^ n:^ ^T^rC ra^ ^2rrt

'

VIVEKACHUDAMANF
501.

It is

217

the Upadhi (superimposed at-

and

tribute) that comes,

is

it

that alone

which goes; that again performs actions

that alone
and enjoys ( their fruits )
decays and dies, whereas I ever remain
firm like the Kula mountain.
,

A'ula moufi/diu mQiMion^d \n

being svonderfully stable.

502.

There

the

Puranas as

neither engaging in

is

nor cessation from

it

for

work

me who am

al-

ways :he same and devoid of parts. How

can that which is One, concentrated,
without break, and infinite Hke the sky^
ever exert?
[

Cvncenlrated

sists

like a

of nothing but

503.

How

demerits for

lump

of

sak which con-

salt.]

can there

be

merits

me who am without

and;

orgaus^y

VrV^EKACHUDAMANI

2t8

withoiit mind, changeless, and formless,

who am

the Realisation of Bliss Absolute?

The

Sruti also mentions this in the passage, " Not touched &c."
[

Sru^i &c.

Brihadaranyaka Upa., IV.

iii.

22

man becomes)
" Untouched by merits and untouched by demerits,
for he is then beyond all the afflictions of the
heart."
It may be added here that the experience
{In the state of profound sleep a

of the Sushupta

state

is

cited

as an illustration of the

the

real

state

in

the Sruti

liberated

state,

of the Atman, beyond

which

all

Vide Sankara's commentary on the chapter.

504.

If

merely
is

misery.
]

heat or cold, good or evil hap-

pens to touch the shadow of a man's body,

it affects not in the least the man himself, who is distinct from the shadow.

^rf^nf Hr^^wr:

505.

^^?s[rf?cr f^^^iirq:

The properties of things manifested

do not affect the Witness which is distinct

from them, changeless, and indifferent,
as the properties of a room (do not affect)
the lamp (that illumines

it)

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
s

219

^ ^ ^ ^^

As the sun

506.

is

a witness with re-

gard to men's actions, and fire burns

everything without distinction, and as the
rope is related to a thing superimposed
on it, so am I, the unchangeable, intel-

ligent Self.

[Sun

actions

people

do

bad

good and

deeds with the help ot sunlight, but the sun

is

un-

affected by their results.

the
the rope
wholly
snake
unconcerned with the
So am I
Rope

relation

etc.

of

fictitious.

is

activities

etc.

the Buddhi.

507.

make

of

am

neither the doer nor do

others do any action;

am

neither

neither see

make
nor do I make

others see;

am

Self -effulgent,

Transcendent

the enjoyer nor do

I

the

to

that

others enjoy;

Atman.
[

I am

neither

&c.

am

free

from

all

activity,

direct or indirect.

Transcendent

beyond the range of sense.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

220

sRcTTOT

wg^rfer Wcfrsfer kr^

When

508.

supervening

the

iiv^o^t;

adjunct

moving, the movement of the

reflection which is due to the Upadhi is
ascribed by fools to the object reflected,
such as the snn, which is free from activity,
(Upadhi)

is

(and they think)

am
[

am the doer," "I

"I am killed, oh alas!"

the enjoyer,"

"I

Supervening adjunct

sun

is

with

it

reflected.

the

It

is

reflection,

ignorant people

may

Similarly,

all activity

under the

reflection

e. g.

water, in which the

moves and

the water that

but never the sun,

think the sun

is

also

though
moving.

which belongs to the Buddhi

of the

Atman,

is

erroneously

attributed to the latter.

1 am
rant man
'-

the doer,''

&c.

This

thinks and wails.

is

how

the igno-

Let this inert body drop down in

water or on land, I am not touched by its
properties, like the sky by the properties
509.

of the jar.
[

Not touched

enclosed

in a jar is

Jar Just as the sky seemingly

one with the infinite sky, and

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
IS

always the same whether the jar

not, similarly
Its

is

the

Atman always

apparent relation to the body.

the

221

is

broken or

same despite

510.

The passing

states of the

Buddhi

such as agentship, enjoyment, cunning,

drunkenness, dullness, bondage, freedom

and so on, are never, in reality, in the Self,

the Supreme Brahman, the Absolute, the

One without
[

a second.

The Atman

admits of

Knowledge Absolute, which

no change, while the Buddhi or determiis

native faculty, being inert,

So the confusion of the

\vith those of Buddhi
imposition.

is

subject to change.

characteristics of the Self

solely

is

due

to

super-

Let there be changes in Prakriti in

ten, hundred, or a thousand ways, what
have I the unattached Knowledge Abso511.

lute

got to do with them? Never do the

clouds touch the sky

[Prakri/i

the

Undifferentiated,

Slokas io8 and following.

described

in

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

222

am

Brahman, the One

without a second, which is like the sky,
subtle, without beginning or end, in which
512.

verily that

the whole universe from the Undifferentiated down to the gross body, appears merely
as a shadow.

shadow

[Appears

am

to the ignorant,

Brahman, the
One without a second, which is the support of all, which illumines all things,
which has infinite forms, is omnipresent,
513.

verily that

devoid of multiplicity, eternal, pure, un-

moved, and absolute.

[

all

Support of all

phenomena,

being

the one

substratum of

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

514.

am

without a

223

Brahman^ the One

second, which transcends the
verily that

endless differentiations of Maya,

most essence

is

the in-

beyond the range of

which is Truth, Knowl'
and Bliss Absolute.

of all^

consciousness,

edge^ Infinitude,

Maya Same as Prakriti or Avyakta.

Trtith may be translated as Existence.

Thi

Szuarnpa Lakshana or essentia!

characteristics of Brahman, as distinct from It*
Tatastha Lakshana or indirect attributes, such a*

line sets forth the

creatorship of the universe and so on.

515.

am

withoait activity, changeless^

without parts, formless, absolute, eternal,,

wdthout any other support, the One without a second.
[

own

support: Brahman

Without
support.

is Itself

Its-

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

224
516.

am

the Universal, I

transcendent, the

second.
edge,

am

am

the All,

-One without a

am Absolute and Infinite Knowlam Bliss, and indivisible.

I

{^Indivisible

without break.

This splendour of the sovereignty

of Self-effulgence I have received by virtue
of the supreme majesty of thy grace. Salu517.

tation to thee,

Teacher,
[

The

glorious, noble-minded

salutations again and again!

Sel/-effulgenc
disciple

is

hence, absolute independence.

beside himself with joy, and hence

the highly rhetorical language.

518.

Teacher, thou hast out of sheer

me from sleep and comme, who was wandering, in

grace awakened
pletely saved

an interminable dream, in a forest of

birth, decay and death created by illusion,

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

225

being tormented day after day by countless afflictions, and sorely troubled by the

Egoism.

tiger of
[
*

Sleep

of

Nescience,

which also creates

the

dream,' two lines further on.

Forest

Day

i.

diHicult to

e.

after

day

It is

even a short dream may,

come

well-known

Salutation

Prince of

thou

Greatness

Brahman

thee,

thyself as this universe,

[

Itself

&c.

The

thee

Guru

by the grateful

the use of epithets applicable to

is

is

the

rable

is

Shiva, the

God

of

Supreme Brahman.
Guru!"]

Gods.

salute!

addressed

disciple.

Brahman.

pare the salutation IMantram of the

" The Guru is Brahma, the Guru is

Guru

mmd,

unnamable Greatness,
ever the same, and dost manifest

Teachers,
that art

to

that

fact

dreamer's

the

to

appear as extending over years.

519.

through.

as

Hence

Com-

Guru-Gita
Vishnu, the

The Guru

verilv

Salutations to that ado-

VIVEKACHUDAMANT

226

Seeing- the

520.

attained the Bliss

worthy disciple who had

of the Self, realised the

Truth, and was glad at heart, thus prostrating himself, that noble, ideal Teacher

again addressed

the following excellent

words:

The

an unbroken
series of perceptions of Brahman,, hence
it is in- all respects nothing but Brahman,
See this- with the eye of illr&mination and
a serene mind, under all circumstances.
Is one who- has eyes ever found to see
around anything else but forms?
all
Similarly, what is there except Brahman
to engage the intellect of a man of reali521.

nniverse

is

sation?
[

Existence^.

Sei'ies ......Brahman-

KncHvIedge,

and Bliss which are the Essence of Brahman can

be found, upon analysis, as underlying, every per-

By another way of reasoning,,

simply Brahman seen through a veil

ception of ours.
the world
of

is

name and

mind.
put

it.

It is

form, which are contFibuted by

X +miQdy

as

th

Swami Vivekananda has

VIVEKACHUDAMAM

-suggests

One who has eyes

man whose view of life
of

the

will

'

implies 'colour,' which also

'

Rupa.'

enjoyment

of

wise

Supreme

charming moon

would wish to look

Bliss

From

things there
cessation

of the

When
is

of

the
is

discard that

and

revel

at a painted

perception

in

the exceed-

who

shining,

g^ mg ^^rcm%^r

^h:
523,

a meaning

man would

things unsubstantial?
ingly

is

What

522.

from that

be difTerent

'

the objective world as

word

discriminaling

Hence he can generalise

Form
so m^ny/orms.

man.

ordinary

22/

moon?

\Wi\\\
of

unreal

neither satisfaction nor a

misery.

Therefore,

being

with the realisation of the Bliss

Absolute, the One without a second, live
happily in a state of identity with the
satisfied

Real Brahman.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

228
-

Neither satisfaction

brated verse

"

Never

&c.
is

Compare

desire

the cele-

appeased by the

enjoyment of sense-pleasures," &c.

Beholding the Self alone in all

circumstances, thinking of the Self, the One
without a second, and enjoying the Bliss
524.

of the Self, pass

525.

thy time,

O noble

soul!

Dualistic conceptions in the Atman,

the Infinite Knowledge, the Absolute, are

Therelike imagining castles in the air.
fore,

always identifying thyself with the

One without a second,

and thereby attaining Supreme Peace, remain quiet.
Quiet as the Witness.
How he is to live, is
Bliss Absolute, the

explained in the next verse.

ai^T^iT^r

3^%5fr ^^R^jfr


VIVEKACHUDAMANI
526.

which

The
is

restful

state

of

the

229

mind

the root of unreal imaii^inings

noble knower of Brahman, in a

state of identity with Brahman, is Supreme Quietude, in which there is conof the

stant enjoyment of the Bliss Absolute,

the

One without

To

a second.

man who

has realised his

own nature, and drinks the undiluted
Bliss of the Self, there is nothing more
exhilarating than the quietude that comes
527

the

of a state of desirelessness.

528.

The

pleasure

is

illumined sage whose

only

in the Self, ever lives at ease,

whether going or staying, sitting or lying,

or in any other condition.
[ He is perfectly independent. ]

529.

The noble

soul Avho has perfectly

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

230

Truth and whose mindfunctions meet with no obstruction, does

no more depend upon conditions of place,
time, posture, direction, moral disciplines,
objects of meditation and so forth. What
regulative
conditions can there be in
the

realised

knowing one's own

[

Place

self?

holy places are

meant.

Similarly with

time.

Posture:
beginners.

Which
'

an important

is

Asana may
'

also

mean

'

facing north or
Moral disciplines The Yama and
Direction

with

thing
seats.'

east.

Niyama

ob-

servances mentioned in Ashtanga Yoga.

Objects 0/ meditation

530.

To know

gross or

that this

condition, forsooth,

is

fine. ]

is

a jar,

what

necessary except

means of knowledge be free from

which alone ensures a cognition of

that the
defect,

the object ?
[ Means 0/ knowledge
of vision,- and so on,

531.
verity,

So

this

e. g.

the eye in the case

Atman, which

manifests

Itself

an eternal
as soon as the
is

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

means

2^1

knowledge are present, and

does not depend upon either place, or time,
of right

or (internal) purity.

[Means
direct
aids.

hwwledge

perception,

Realisation,

inference etc.

which

to

subordinate

are

rv

The consciousness that

532.

am Deva-

independent of circumstances;
similar is the case with the realisation of
this knower of Brahman that he is Brah-

datta

is

man.

533.

whose

What

indeed can

lustre,

like

sun, causes the

unsubstantial, unreal, in-

whole universe
significant

the

manifest That

to

appear at

[An echo of the famous

all ?
Sruti passage

shining, everything else shines, through

all this is

" He

His

light

manifest."]

What, forsooth, can illumine that

Eternal Subject by which the Vedas and
534.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

232

Poranas and other scriptures, as well as

all beings are endowed with a meaning ?
[ An echo of Brihadaranyaka II. iv. 14.
Other scriptures may mean the Six Systems of
.

Philosophy or anything

535.

Here

else. ]

the Self-effulgent

is

Atman,

power, beyond the range of

conditioned knowledge, 3-et the common
experience of all,
realising which alone
infinite

of

Knower

this incomparable

of

Brahman

from bondage.
among the best, j

lives his glorious life, freed

[

Incomparable

lit.

best

536.
Bliss,

Satisfied with

he

is

undiluted, constant

neither grieved, nor elated by

sense-objects,

averse to them,

nor
always disports with

neither

is

biit

attached

the Self and takes pleasure therein.

[

Undiluted &'c.

Neither attached

i.

e.

Absolute

&c Compare

Bliss.

Gita XIV. 22-25.]

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI

537.

233

child plays with his toys

getting hunger and bodily pains;

man

so the

is

exactly

of realisation takes pleasure in

the Reality, without ideas of

and

for-

'

I'

or 'mine,'

happy.

Men

have their food

without anxiety or humiliation, by begging, and their drink from the water of
rivers; they live freely and independently,
and sleep without fear in cremation
grounds or forests; their clothing may be
the quarters themselves, which need no
washing and drying, or any bark, etc. the
538.

of realisation

earth

nue

is

"

Vedanta;

of

in the

their bed; they

roam

in

the ave-

while their pastime

is

Supreme Brahman.

This

ot a true

is

a splendid setting forth of the free

Sannyasin.

life

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

234

Without fear

because

with Brahman, the

One

of

without a second.

He goes nude,
suggested

Quarters &.

Any

bark

etc.

identification

their

that

this is

is.

by the word

in the text.

Bark, or cloth, or anything

may be

their dress.

The knower of Atrnan, who wears

no outward mark and is unattached to
539.

body with-

external things, rests on this

and

out identification,
sorts

sense-objects

of

through others' wish,

[

No outward

experiences

they

as

all

come,

like a child.

mark\ Hence

it

so difficult to

is

know them.
^ense-objects

As

food

they come

etc.

in the working out

of

Pr^rabdha

work.

Through
or friends.

others''

wish

as asked by

his devotees

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
540.

235

Established in the ethereal plane

Knowledge Absolute, he wanders in the

world, sometimes like a mad man, sometimes like a child and at other times like

of

a ghoul, having no other clothes on his

person except the quarters, or sometimes

wearing clothes, or perhaps skins at other

times.

Ghoul

with

no sense of cleanliness.

be noted

that

avoid the

company

Skins

these

the word

are

some

of the

should

It

devices to

of vulgar people.
in the text also

means

bark."

^^riT^^ -^w g^: \^^ -^^ww mcT: \\^\

541.
The sage, living alone, enjoys
sense-objects, being the very embodiment
of

desirelessness,

his

own

Self,

always

satisfied

with

and himself present as the

All.
[

As

the

knowing

All

universe, as

Atman.

his identity with the

whole

Sometimes a fool, sometimes a

sage, sometimes possessed of regal splen542.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

236

sometimes wandering, sometimes

behaving like a motionless python, sometimes wearing a benignant expression;
sometimes honoured, sometimes insulted,
sometimes imknown; thus lives the man
dour;

of realisation, ever

happy with Supreme

Bliss.

These are some

phases of a
world.

of the impressions

produce upon the outside

saint's life

People judge

supremely indifferent

which the

to

him

diversely,

he

but

is

what others think of or do

towards him.
Pytho7i

which

food to come

543.

to

seldom moves but waits

it.

for

the

Though without

riches, yet

ever

content; though helpless, yet very power-

though not enjoying sense-objects,

yet eternally satisfied; though without an
exemplar, yet looking upon all with an
ful;

eye of equality.
\_

Powerful: The Atman

and everything.

544.

is

his wealth, power,

Though doing, yet inactive though

;

VIVEKACIIUDAMAM

037

experiencing fruits of pasL actions, yet

imtoiiched by them; though possessed of
a body, yet without identification witli it;

though limited, yet omnipresent

Neither pleasure nor

545.

good nor

evil,

pain,

ever touches this

Brahman who always

of

lives

is lie.

nor

Knower

without the

body-idea.

Vlil.

reproduction
xii.

of

or

Chhandogya

I. ]
^

546.

the sense of

^rs

Pleasure or pain, as

evil, affects

only

well

as

good

him who has connec-

tions with the gross body etc., and identi-

How

can sfood
or evil, or the effects thereof, touch the
sage who has identified himself with the
Reality and thereby shattered his bondage?
fies

himself with these.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

238

The sun

547.

but

is

which appears

not actually, swallowed by

be^

to

Rahu

is-

swallowed up by people, through

delusion, not knowing the real nature of
called as

the sun.
[

The

reference

Nature

sun

to the solar eclipse.

is

which

Similarly,

upon the
is

mass of

light.

fv

548.

is

ignorant

knower

perfect

people

look

Brahman, who

of

wholly rid of bondages of the body etc,

body, seeing but an

as possessed of the

appearance

of

it.

In reality, however, he rests discarding the body, like the snake its slough
549.

and the body is moved hither and thither

by the wind of Prana, just as it listeth.
[

self

Discarding the body

ceasing

to

identify

him-

with the body.

Like the snake

ranyaka IV.

Wind

etc.

A reminiscence

of Brihada-

iv. 7.

*Vayu/

which

strictly

speaking means

Horce.' in which sense Pranas can be called 'Vayu/

There

is

another reading to the

first line,

^iflH^^-

VIVEKACIIUDAMANI

239

'SrN'R f^^5T?frf ROTrT which should be rendered

thus " But the body of the liberated man remivinj
like the

550.

slough of a snake.

As

a piece of

wood

is

drifted

on to

ground by the current, so

is his body carried on by the momentum
of past actions to the enjoyment of their
fruits as they present themselves in due

a high or low

course.
[

Efijoyment

551.

includes

The man

of

'

suffering

'

also.

realisation, bereft

of

the body-idea, moves amid sense-enjoy-

ments like a man subject to transmigration, through desires engendered by Prarabdha work. He himself, however, lives
unmoved, in the body, like a witness, free
from mental oscillations, like the pivot of
the potter's wheel.

only apparently. The

[Like
transmigration
Prarabdha has no meaning
identified with the Self.

for the Jnani

who

See Slokas 453-465.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

240
Pivot

552.

which

He

on which the wheel

is fixed,

neither directs the sense-organs

to their objects, nor detaches

these,

turns.]

but stays

like

And he

spectator.

an

them from

unconcerned

has not the least

re-

gard for the fruits of actions, his mind

being thoroughly inebriated with drinking
the undiluted elixir of the Bliss of Atman.
[

}S

For

^r^^

in the last line of

the

Sloka.

there

another reading SEfR^ which should be trans-

lated as " including

minor joys."

all

fv

553.

He who,

giving up

siderations as this

tation and this

lute

he
[

is

Atman,

is

the best

is

fit

object of raedi

not, lives as the

among Knowers

and
is

such con

Abso

verily Shiva Himself,

Fit object

while the other

is

all

to

is

of

ane

Brahman

therefore to be welcomec

be shunned.

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

24

Through the destruction

the
supervening adjuncts, the perfect Knowcr
of Brahman merges himself in the One
554.

Brahman without
been

all

a second

which he had

along, becomes very

while living and attains the

tion of his

free

9^

life.

?T^ a^'^frT )-r-Quoiation

ran^aka IV.

even

consumma-

[Merges himself in Brahma7i which.

(

of

iv. 6.

all alon^

from

Brihadi-

agn%^^^: ^^T 9[#^ ^VlT\ HT^XH

As an actor, when he puts on the
555.
dress of his role or when he does not, is
always a man, so the perfect Knower 01
Brahman is always Brahman and nothing
<T^^

else.

Let the body of the Sannyasin

has realised his identity with Brah-

556.

who

man, become withered and

anywhere

fall

like the leaf of a tree, (it is of

little

con-

sequence to him, for) it has already been

burnt by the fire of Knowledge.
[

Bur fit

etc.

Hence

the creuiatit^n of the

lie

body

need not even care about

after death. ]

VIVEKACHUDAM ANS

24^

The sage who always

557.

Reality^Brabmanas

the
the

lives in

Infinite

Bliss,

One without a second, does not depend.

Mpou the customary considerations of
place, time etc. for giving up this mass of
skin, Sesh

[He may
tor

and
give

has cerved

558,.

filth.

up the body any Lime he pleases^

purpose

its

For, the giving up of the body i&

?iot L-iberatio-u,

nor that of the

staff

and

water-bcwly. but Liberation consists in the;

destruction of the heart's knot, which

is

Nescience.
\

Staff and water -bowl\}ci<s^ insignia ol a San-

Mere outward giving up

mast have no place in the mind.

nyasin.

Heart's,

knot

to

bind as

it

is Kotbii:\g

they

were the Chit of

Absolute Knowledge to the inert body.

VlVEKACnUDAMANl'
S$9.

If

a leaf

falls in

245

a small stream, or

a river, or a place consecrated by Shiva, or

in a crossing

or evil
[

is

of

roads,

that to the tree

what good

of

or

Places of varying purity are meant.

^^^ %^^^^ "^^^^ ^n^'

560.

The

destruction

of

organs, Pranas and Biiddhi

the

is like

body,-

that of

the leaf or llovver or fruit (of a tree).

It

does not affect the Atman, the Reality,

the

Embodiment

true nature.
[Pranas

Viial

of Bliss

That

,vliich is

survives, like the tree.

forces.

Buddhi

ihe

tive faculty, mviy slaiui here for the

561.

Tiie Srutis,

real nature of

the

one's

delermina-

mind

itself.

by setting forth the

Atman

in

the

words,

"the Embodiment of Knowledge" etc.,

which indicate Its Reality, speak of the
destruction of the

superve'iing adjuncts

merelv.
[" Kmdodimen/ of ftrtoia'edge"

^fc.

Brihadi-

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

244
ranyakalV.

v.

"As

13:

lump

interior or exterior, whole,

mass,

so

verily

is

Embodiment

of

of salt

without

is

one homogeneous

Alinan,

Maitreyi,

the

Knowledge which assumes

dif-

this

ferentiations through contact with the elements

ceases to have them

when

troyed (by liluinination

It

in the original is

After this dissolution

Then Yajnavalkya had

It

should be noted that the

so worded as

an ordinary enquirer, as

and

these elements are des-

).

has no distinct name."

passage

salt

confuse

did Maitreyi actually.

it

to

to

explain that he meant

only the destruction of the snpervetiing adjuncts,

and not

that of the

which ever

Atman the

Such

sun

is

Reality

is.

Supervening adjuncts
the

Eternal

reflected,

or

the

as water

in

which

rose which casts

its

on the crvsial, or the air which produces

When these
a bubble on the smfacc of water.
Upadhis are removed th<-' special differentiations
reflection

cease to exist, but the piimip.il thing remains as

it

was.

562.

The

Sruti passage,

Atman immortal,

'Verily is this

nry dear,*' uientioiis tb

immortality of the Atman in the midst of

perishable things that are subject to modi^cation.
[

^;j//zBiihad^ianyaka IV.

v.

14;

"Verily

\%

vivekaciiudamani
this

Alman immorul, my

Its very nature "

dear,

245

iiidestruciible

by

563.

Just as stone, tree, grass,

paddy,
and busk etc., when burnt, are
reduced to
to earth (ashes) only, even
so the

whole

objective universe comprising

the body,

organs, Pranas,

Manas and

so forth,

are!

when burnt by the fire of Realisation, reduced to the Paramatman (Supreme

Self).

{Hmk:
Kata

IS

cloth.

Another reading

for

g^y^

is

^j^^*^

a kind of straw, and the otner

word

means

564,

As

darkness which is distinct

(from sunshine) vanishes in the sun's
radiance, so the whole objective universe
is

merged

^r:

5j\j

in

v:m

Brahman.

o^>jt o^iTf^cr

'^^m ^z^i

As when a jar is broken, the space

enclosed by it becomes palpably the limit565.

VIVEKACHUDAMANf

246
Ifiss

when

Space, so

the superv^eaing ad-

Knower of Brah*
becomes Brahman Itself.

juncts are destroyed, the

man

verily

^rt

#^ ^m %H ^# ^^ ^^

566.
oil,

As

riiilk

pomed

into milk,

oil

into

and water into water, becomes united

and one with

realised the

it,

so the

sage

who has

Atman becomes one

in the

Atman.
[Compare Katha Upanishad IV.
Muudaka 111. ii. 8. ]

567.

comes

15,

Also,

Realising thus the isolation that

of

diseiubodiedness and becoming,

with the Absolute

Reality, Brahman, the sage no longer
snffeis iransmigration.
eternally

568.

identified

For

cience etc.,

his bodies, consisting of Nes-

having been burnt

by the

and
Brahman, he becomes Brahman Itself, and
how can the Brahman ever have rebirth?

realisation

of

the identity of Jiva

TlVEKACIIUDAMANl
[

Nescunce

Bodies

causal,

subtle

ami

etc.

gross.

^47

The three bodies a^e

The

first

consists of

Nescience; the second of seventeen things

-sensory organs, five motor organs, five Pranas
.according- to some, five

Manas and Buddhi

fine;

five

(01,

elements or Tauinllrasj,

and the last, consisting of the

Tliesc three
gross elements, is what we see.
bodies make up the five Koshas or sheaths ::om
the Anandamaya dov/n to the AanamayaThe
Atman is beyond them all. ]
;

Bondage and liberation, which are

vconjured up by Maya, d-o not really exist
in tlie Atman, one's Reality, as the ap569.

pearance arid exit of the snake do not

abide in the rope which suffers no change.

^^I^^I^^^FR: ^T^'trt ^x
570.

Bondage

.talked of

when

^%^

^frT:

lllit^G

and liberation may

there

is

bt

the presence or

absence of a cover ng veil. But there cai'

tb" Brahiriiin,
"be no covering veil for
M^l'hich is always uncovered for want of a
second thing bes'des Itself. If there oe,
|he Non-duality of Brahman will Le contra

VIVEKACHUDAMANI

24^
dieted,

and the Srutis can never brook

duality.
[

Sriiiis......dzmliiy

e. g.

"

One

only without a

second," (Chhdndogya VL ii. i), "There is nc

duality in Brahman " ( Katha IV. ii), and so on. ]

Bondage and liberation are attributes of the Buddhi which ignorant people
571.

snperimpose on the Reality, as the

covering of the eyes by a cloud is trans^falsely

For this Immutable

Brahman is Knowledge Absolute, the One
without a second, and unattached.
ierred to

the sun.

5%:\?r s^t^cTt
572.

The

^t

r^^ ^'^^'> iiX^^ii

idea that bondage exists,

the idea that

it

and

does not exist, with refer-

ence to the Reality, are both attributes of

the Buddhi merely, and never belong to
the eternal Reality

Brahman.

^^m m^m ^$\ ^^^m^x ^ ^rhr

VIVEKACHUDAMANI
Hence

249

bondage and liberation

are created by Maya, and are not in the
Atman. Hov/ can {here be any id^a ot
limitation with regard to the Supreme
Truth, which is without parts, without
activity, cahi:, unimpeachable, taintless,
and One without a second, as there can be
none with regard to the infinite sky?
573.

this

There is neither death nor birth,

neither bound nor striving for freedom,
574.

neither seeker after liberation nor liberated

this

the ultimate truth.

is

[This

a verbatim quotation from the

is

bindu Upanishad, Sloka

difftrence between

long as

there

but the

tinctiotis,

Avid V 4.
thee

is

575.

is

Hence
no

'

10.

Siiiihaka

There is not much

'and Mumukshu.' So
'

mind, there are

mind

Amrita-

itself

is

the highest truth

is

all

these
creation

that in

dis-

of

which

lelalivity. ]

ha\e to-day repeatedly revealed

to thee, as to

cue's

own

son, this excel*

VrVEKACMUDAMANI

SSQ

and profound secret, which k the inmost piirport of all Vedanta the crest of
the Vedas -considering thee an aspirant
lent

purged of the taints

liberation,

after

and

this Iron Age,

of a

mind

of

free Irora

desires.
[

Secret

The

discrimination

.and unreal, which

The

576.

is

between the Real

hidden from the vulgar man.

teacher's address

is

finished here.

Hearing these words of the Guru,

the disciple out of reverence

prostrated

and with his permisway, freed from bondage.

liimself before him,

vsiou

went his

And

Guru, with his mind

^steeped in the ocean of Existence and
Bliss Absolute, roamed, verily purifying
the whole world, ^all differentiating ideas
banished from his mind.
577.

the

578.
jthe

Thtis bv

wav

of a dialocnie

between

teacher and the disciple, has the na-

'VIVKKACHUDAMANI
ttire of

the

Atman been

-35!

ascertained ior

the easy comprehension of seekers

af;fcr

liberation.

May

Sannyasins who are

seekers after liberation, who have purged
themselves of all taints of the mind by the
observance of the prescribed methods, who
579.

those

are averse to worldly pleasures,

pacified minds,
Sruti,,
[

and take a delight

are of

in

the

appreciate this sahitary teaching

Sannyasins

The

mean one who

'

who

is

word

Yati

'

may simply

struggling for Realisaiion."

So

also in Siokas 556 and 567.

Prescribed methods
as, saoilices etc.)

Secondary or indirect (such

and primary or direct (such

control of the senses and

.530.

mind

For those who- are

as.

etc.). ]

afflicted, in

th^

VrVEKACHUDAMANI

252

way

by the burning pain due

of the world,

who

to the sunshine of threefold misery;

through delusion wander about in a desert

in search of water;

for

them here

is

the

trhimphant message of Sankara pointing

cut, within

easy reach, the comforting

ocean of nectar the Brahman, the One

without a second to lead them on to

liberation
[

Threefold misery

tau/Uig

to

anguish

etc.)

the ddhyd/mika

(those per-

body and mind, such as pain,

the ddhidaivika (those coming from

ti)e

divine visitations or scourges of Nature, such as.

earthquake

cyclone,
(those

due

etc.),

and the ddhibhauiiha

to other creatures

on

earth).

V/ander

water are lured by the prospect of

happiness from transitory things, which, as in the
case of a mirage, exhaust them the more.

Easy
ntttuie.

They

reach

is

for

tliis

Mine

of Bliss

no external thing

to

is

tkeir very

be acquired.

simply to realise that they are already

h;ve

That.

On

io liberation

Uy inducing them to take away

iihcir .'sell-JTnpo.sed ve').

The solemn cudcnce

of

the

Sirdulavikridiia

metre makes a fating termination to the prophetw

discouise.

INDEX.
The figures

indicate the Sloka number.

16-7

Aspirant's qualifications

questions 49
nature
Atman

106-7,

Its

124-36, 213-25, 531-5.

560-2

bondage apparent

Its

Avidyi, Avyakia, or

be

to

108-9

by the

destroyed

components, the Gunas

its

Blissful Sheath disci iminated

Bondage and

its

caused

is

niediialion on

how

It

to realise It

bt

Devotion

ing

upjooted
its

Projecting

237-40

must be constant 321-30

377-97, 407-Z2
22

120

Concentration
Desires

206-9

4 1-4

Calmness or Sama defined

Causal body

110

Veiling and

the

l)y

nature

lis

of

137-8

effects

Powers of Maya

Brahman

Realisalioa

no

Brahraan

M^i

194-202

its

means

the

367-71

cause of Samsara are to be

311-20
importance; new definitions 31-2

>f.t>

II

and

i>i5c'^ple realises

how he

instructed to live after this

is

Duahty

is

98-9

nowhere

398-404, 464-73, 478

F'goism described

ibeing

the

IG4-5
obstacle

chief

should be shunned

Kaith defined

Gross body and

its

attachment

73-4

24

objects described 72-4, 88, 90-

to these

condemned

sliunned

287-97

331-40

evil effects

-ceases after realisation

is

the root of

bondage

Slieath discritninated

Libetaiion a most rare thing

is

should

be

teacher
its

146

6-7,

147

284-206

self-realisation, not scriptural

ceretnouials

413-7

destroyed by discriuiination

Knowledge

75-87

with gross and subtle bodies 10 be

Idenlification

is

-Reaii^^-iioi*'

25

Forbearance defined

Ignorance

to

298-310

and subtle

f.lemenls, gross

its

521-5^

20

'Discrimination defined

I)ream-state

his experience ^yg-^ti^

s^lates

cradiuoa of

56-60

earnestly

through

soughts

8-iO

means

46, 82

to \)^felt inwardly by oneself

Liberation-in-iife

its

474-7

characteristics

526-9, 536-59

Material Sf>eiHH

t.kt>t'fimtnatec!

354-64

425-41,

Ill

MdjA sec under A vii^ yd

AHeirai Sheath disciiminaied

Mind or

inner organ

'

various fuiiclions

its

167-83

Aniarikarana

Ntrvikalpa SamSdhi

iCff-

93-4

the

is

way

to Realisation 34i-6(r*

Org^ans of knowledge and action

Tranas and their functions

does

an(t

103

seat

I'riirabdha

it

exist

92

95, 102

for

man

of Realisa

443-63

tion

Profound sleep

Sushupti )

121

Frojecling Power of Rajas and

its

offshoots

in-2,
140'

conges through

Realisation

work

discrimination;

not

1-5

its ineans

18-9, 69-70

its results

418, 421-24

leads to liberation 61-5

neglect in
suicide
4-5
is

it

no more rebirth
Djspassion

Vairigya

after
)

defined

its

culmination

424

its

impoi lance

29-30

leads to
to

419

Oispassion and

Realisation

conduce

to

libera^

374-6

Samsira compared

to a tree

how destroyed
Sattva, pure

21

renunciation 372-73 and ultiniatelj'

I'eace

tion

563-74

it

148

and mixed, and

.Seif-co<i(rol 01

DamA

145

defined

their

23

functiosis

1X7-9

I
IV

SeU-exertion

importance

its

51-5, 66

Samidbina defined

Self-settledness or

Self-witbdrawal or Uparati defined

its

Sheaths

culmination
(five) of

23

424.

Atman

the

26

125, 149-50

should be discriminated to reveal the

Atman

151-3, 210-1

Subtle body
is

96-7
merely an instrument of the

is

unaffected

99-101

Superimposilion and

Teacher:

Atman which

liovv to

remove

his qualifications

it

267-86

33

how he should be approached and questioned

34-40

how

he comforts and encourages the

41-7, 50, 67 8

ciple

''Thou

art

dis-

TIjat" explained

241-53

medilalion on advised 254-63

meditation
of
264-6

this

result

Three

rare

lliis

boons

Undifferenlialed See Avidyi.

Universe from Avyakia down to sense-objectS

Not-Self and iht;irfore unreal

is

Veiling:

not apart from

Power

of

Brahman

lamas and

Vital Sheath discrnninaied

'

V/aking

Work

slate

122-3

226-36, 405-6
effects

R65-6

88-9

but purifies ihe

Yearning

its

mind

is

lor iiberaiion defined

is

27

113-6, t:^g

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