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 ||
