Saturday 28 November 2020

Vivekachoodamani Sri Shankaracharya Virachitham - Janthoonam Narajanma Dhurllabham

 


Chapter 1 – Vivekachoodamani  1 - 10

 

Vivekachoodamani is one of the principal scripture/Prakarana Grantha of Sri Adhishankaracharya. It is one of the finest spiritual guides, provide immense benefit to Sadhaka with the knowledge of ‘Athmasakshathkara’/the knowledge of self; the all-pervasive supreme Bhramam resides as a soul in the Jeeva.

 

“I shall reverentially prostrate before the Preceptor who is none other than Supreme Lord Govinda who is eternal bliss/Paramanandham, he represents Sarvavedhantha and Sidhdhantha/highest philosophies, which remains highly confidential, and unreachable to the Jeeva who is wielded in the darkness of ignorance. It is extremely difficult to achieve the birth of ‘human’, and it is considered as superior among the creatures. The Jeeva takes several births in different Yonis/as a bird, animal, reptiles, trees, etc. and undergoes constant miseries and sorrows of worldly existence of unfathomable ocean.   The fortunate Jeeva achieves the birth as ‘human’ that too in the clan of ‘Vipra’/twice-born, Bhramin, even after achieving the body of a ‘human’ it is extremely rare to achieve the devotion to the supreme Lord, belief in scriptures and Veda, good health, wisdom and knowledge, knowledge in Veda, Vedantha, and Upanishads.   The highly fortunate Jeevas achieves the birth as a male in the illustrious clan of Vipra earns an abundance of knowledge in the Shastra, and Puranas. The woman is born with impurities, have to undergo difficulties to achieve ‘Samsaranivriththi’/Athmajjana, and same with the Chandala/Shudra too, even after with the practice of Bhakti, Gnana, Vairagya, it is difficult to achieve the fruitfulness of birth. Hence, the fortunate ones are 1)  who have achieved the birth as human 2) that too as a Vipra 3) achieved knowledge in Veda, Shastra, Purana, Ithihasa 4) sincerely follow the duties prescribed in the Veda/performance of daily rite and spiritual rite 5) achieved the knowledge of ‘Self’, Paramathma Parambhramam 6) knowledge of ‘Athma/indestructible Purusha resides as soul,  and ‘Anathma’/destructible Prakrithi such as possessions, wealth, richness, fame, money, people, etc. 7) achieves the superior state of ‘Transcendental’ with the constant practice of meditation and contemplation upon the supreme Lord and  8) finally, achieve ‘Athmarathi’/ attain union with the supreme Bhramam. These can be attained only with the performance of pious deeds in several births.”

 


The three superior things are easily attainable to the fortunate Jeeva with the grace of the supreme Lord 1) Manushyathvam/birth as ‘human’/birth as a male/ birth in the clan of Vipra/achieve knowledge in Shastra, Purana, and Upanishads 2) Mumukshuthvam/practice of austerities, spiritual and religious rites, contemplation and meditation upon supreme Lord 3) Mahapurusha Samshrayam/association with the Mahathma, noble souls, saintly men, intellectuals, and learned.  Therefore, the Jeeva should constantly strive for Mokshaprapthi to achieve the fruitfulness in life; otherwise it would hurl into the vicious cycles of repeated births and undergo miseries and sorrows of worldly existence. The Jeeva who has achieved the life of a Vipra, born in the illustrious clan with the knowledge of Veda, Vedanta, Shastra, Purana, after all these, if he does not strive for Mokshaprapthi, he is addressed as “MOODA”/dull-minded, ‘Athmahantha’/dead alive. These types of unfortunate Jeeva leaving the opportunity to achieve permanent bliss/Paramathma Parambhramam and chases after the impermanent material pleasures, material matters, and comforts that causes constant grief. Therefore, the Jeeva who has achieved birth as a male in the clan of Bhramin, does not strive to achieve liberation from repeated births is ‘Moodathma’. The performance of various austerities, vows, religious and spiritual deeds or knowledge in various Shastra, Purana, Veda, and Vedantha, will not bring ‘Jeevanmukthi’, until and unless the Jeeva perceives the all-pervasive Paramathma Parambhramam resides as a soul in it, and Oneness-in-all. Hence, the ‘Mukthihethu’ is the absence of duality/knowledge of Oneness-in-all, and perceive the supreme Lord in everything.  Abhedha Bhramamjjana/Oneness-in- all is the source of Mukthi/Jeevanmukthi. The Karma/performance of various austerities, deeds, religious and spiritual rites cannot bring Mukthi, Shruthi affirms that “ Na Karmana Na Prajaya Dhanena Thyagenaike Amrithathvamashnu:” It is impossible to achieve  Mukthi with the performance of righteous deeds, or virtuous children or wealth. The Bhrihadharanyaka Upanishads says “the abandonment of all those righteous deeds, virtuous children, wealth, material matters and bondage is Mukthi”. The performance of various Karma without the knowledge of it will not bring Mukthi, the supreme knowledge of Paramathma Parambhramam is the remover of ignorance is Mukthi, it liberates the Jeeva from the vicious cycles of rebirths. The fortunate and intelligent Jeeva abandons the interest in worldly matters and bondage, strive to get rid of the impurities like Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Madha, and Mathshcharya, with the strict austerities, and meditation, practice ‘Sarvasanga Parithyaga’/abandon  the interests in worldly matters approach the preceptor and sincerely follow them to attain ‘Moksha’. The practice to achieve the ‘Moksha’ is an individual effort; it is to elevate the soul from the vicious cycles of rebirth, thereby get rid of constant miseries and sorrows of the unfathomable ocean of worldly existence. It can be achieved only with the strict observance of austerities, Yoganishta, Samsaranivriththi/abandonment of the interest in the worldly matters and attachments to families, children, wife, companion, relatives, fame, richness, wealth, money, possession, etc. Athmajjanam/achieve the knowledge of Paramathma Parambhramam with the meditation and contemplation, and achieve Samyakdhrishti/Oneness-in-all, perceive that all-pervasive Bhramam. The intellectuals, learned, ascetics, who are fearless, easily abandon the interest in material matters and bondage, and practice ‘Athmanishta’ is deserved to achieve Moksha.  It is not that Jeeva who constantly engages in the various Karma/rites to achieve fruitful results, and thereby get fastened them to perform more Karma. Whoever abandons the interest in worldly matters and bondage, and Karma that causes bondage, courageously walks through the path of Mokshamarga achieves Athmajjana/supreme Bhramam resides as soul, and immerses in the Bhramanishta/Athmarathi.

 

 

Sarva Vedantha Sidhdhantha  Gocharam Thama Gocharam | Govindham Paramanandham Sadh Gurum Pranamamyaham ||

 

Janthoonam Narajanam Dhurllabhamatha: Pumsthvam Thatho Vipratha | Thasmath Adhvaidhika Dharmamarga Paratha Vidhvaththvamasmath Param | Athmangnana Vivechanam Swanubhavo Bhramathmana Samsthithi: | Mukthirno Shathakoti Janma Sukrithai:  Punyair Vina Labhyathe ||

 

Dhurllabham Thrayamevaitha Dhevanugraha Hethukam | Manushyathvam Mumukshvathvam Mahapurusha Samshraya: ||

 

Labdhva Kathanchin  Narajanma Dhurllabham | Thathrapi Pumsthvam Shruthiparadharshanam |Yasthvathmamukthau Na Yathetha Moodadhi: | Sa  Hyath Maha Swam Vinihanthyasadhgrahath ||

 

Itha: Ko Nvasthi Moodathma | Yasthu Swarththe Pramadhyathi | Dhurllabham Manusham Dheham Praprya Thathrapi Paurusham ||

 

Padanthu Shasthrani Yajanthu Devan | Kurvanthu Karmani  Bhajanthu Devatha: | Athmaikya Bhodhena Vina  Vimukthir Na Sidhdhyathi Bhrama  Shathananthareapi ||

 

Amrithathvasya  Nashasthi Viththenethyeva  Hishruthi| Bhraveethi Karmano Muktherahethuthvam Sputam Yatha: ||

 

Atho Vimukthyai Prayathetha Vidhvan | Sannyastha Bhahyarththa Sukha Spruha: San | Santham Mahantham Samupethya  Dheshikam | Thenopadhishtarththa Samahithathma ||

 

Udhdharethathmanathmanam Magnam Samsara Varidhau | Yogaroodathvamasadhya Samyak Dharshana Nishtaya ||

 

Sannyasya Sarvakarmani Bhavabhandha V imukthaye | Yathyatham Pandithair Dheerairathmabhyasa Upasthithai ||