Tuesday 1 December 2020

Vivekachoodamani Sri Shankaracharya Virachitham - Shabdha, Sparsha, Rasa, Roopa and Gandha/Vishayavisha - The five types of toxic poison

 


Chapter 8 – Vivekachoodamani  71 – 80

 

The preceptor speaks “ Oh! Fortunate one, ‘Athma Anusandhana’/contemplation upon the supreme Bhramam/Athma and ‘Ananthmathyaga’/abandonment of worldly matters and bondage is possible only with the knowledge of the impermanent nature of Prakrithi/material things, richness, people, fame, wealth, money, etc. and the permanent nature of Purusha/Paramathma Parambhramam resides as a soul in the Jeeva. I shall describe them in detail, listen to me carefully. The Sthoolashareera/human body comprises elements such as Majja, Asthi, Medhass, Mamsa, Raktham, Thvak, and it has   feet, knee, calves, thigh, chest, hands, the back portion of the body and head as Anga and Upanga. None of the Jeeva is free from the pride of the Sthoolashareera/body and its appearance. The five essential elements known as Air, Earth, Water, Fire, and wind are Sooksha/subtle body; these essential elements constitute the Sthoolashareera.  As a result, the Jeeva experiences Shabda/sound, Sparsha/touch, Roopa/appearance, Rasa/taste, and Gandha/smell, are the components to add pleasure to the sense and the Jeeva takes extreme pleasure in it. The ignorant Jeeva gets fastened with these  Shabdhadhi Vishayarasa/material matters and attachment to wealth, money, richness, fame, people, etc. continues to perform deeds that augment pleasure to the sense, and constantly chases after worldly matters, get fastened with their own Karma, undergoes constant miseries and sorrows, perform various deeds to please the sense, Alas! finally, hurl them into the vicious cycles of rebirths. The ignorance, performance of Karma to fulfill one’s own desires, and Vishayarasa/interest in worldly matters and attachments, becomes the cause for the rebirths. It is extremely difficult to save the ignorant Jeeva who is completely drenched in the five types of Vishayarasa/Shabdha, Roopa, Rasa, Sparsha, and Gandha.  The increased interest in the Shabdha, Rasa, Sparsha, Gandha, and Roopa causes the destruction, I shall explain them in detail   1) deer 2) elephants, 3) flies 4) fish 5) bees,  the deer are fond of music, hence the hunter traps the deer with the melodious music, thus the ‘Shabdha’ causes ruin of deer. The male elephants are too fond of’ touch’ of female elephants, often fall in the elephant trap, thus the ‘Sparsha’ causes destruction of the male elephant. The flies chase the fire and burn them alive, the ‘Roopa’ of the fire attracts the flies by giving the wrong idea of a meal. The fishes get caught with their chase for the worm connected to the hook, thus the ‘Rasa’ causes the ruin of fishes. The bees easily get attracted to the ‘fragrances’/Gandham, take shelter in the thorny flowers and get killed with the thorns. Therefore, it is difficult to explain the pathetic state of the human who takes extreme pleasure in these Shabdha, Roopa, Rasa, Gandha, and Sparsha. The interest in the Vishayarasa  is malicious than the poison in the serpent, the person who got bitten by the serpent get killed, the Vishayarasa ruins the Jeeva through the Panchendhriya/Roopa –eyes, Rasa – tongue, Sparsha – skin, Gandha –nose, Shabdha -ears, thus the  interest worldly matters and attachments cause Mahapasha/ tie the Jeeva with the wealth, possession, richness, fame, and people which is extremely difficult to unfasten. Whoever practices to get rid of the interest in worldly matters and bondage deserves to achieve Mokshaprapthi, not that learned, wise, intellectuals with deep knowledge in Shatshasthra. The learned with the interest in worldly matters and bondage cannot achieve Moksha. The Sadhaka, who yearn to get liberated from the attachments and miseries of the ocean of worldly existence, if not a Vairagin/sense of renunciation, sink in the middle of the ocean while making an effort to cross the ocean of worldly existence. The Theevravairagin/liberated souls, free from the interest in worldly matters and attachments to money, wealth, richness, fame, people, etc. deserves to achieve Mukthi, these Virakthas with the austerities and Vairagya like powerful sword chop off the Vishayavisha/toxic poison like the Roopa, Rasa, Sparsha, Gandha, and Shabdha and effortlessly cross the ocean of worldly existence, eventually, get freed from the vicious cycles of rebirths.”

 

Yath Bodhavyam Thavedhaneemathmanam Athmavivechanam | Thadhuchyathe Maya Samyak Shruthvathmanyavadharaya ||

 

Majjasthimedha: Palaraktha Charma  Thvagahvair Dhathubirebhiranvitham | Padhoruvakshobhuja Prishtamasthakairangair Upangairupayukthamethath ||

 

Aham Mamethi Prathitham Shareeram Mohaspadham Sthoolamitheeryathe Budhai:  Nabhonabhasva Dhahanambu Bhoomaya: |Sookshmani Bhoothani  Bhavanthi Thani ||

 

Parasparamshair  Milithani Bhoothva  Sthoolani Cha Sthoola Shreerahethava: | Mathrasthadheeya  Vishaya Bhavanthi Shabdhadhaya: Panchasukhaya  Bhokthu: ||

 

Ya Yeshu Mooda  Vishayeshu Badhdha: Ragorupashena Sudhurdhdhamena | Ayanthi Niryathyadha Urdhdhamucchai:  Swakarmadhuthena Javena Neetha: ||

 

Shabdhadhibhi: Panchabhireva  Pancha Panchathvamapu: Swagunenabadhdha: | Kuranga Mathanga Pathangameena Bhringa Nara: Panchabhiranchitha: Kim?

 

Dhoshena Theevro Vishaya: Krishnasarppa Vishadhapi | Visham Nihanthi Bhoktharam Dhrashtaram Chakshushapyayam ||

 

Vishaya Shamahapashadhyo Vimuktha:  Sudhusthyajath | Sa Yeva  Kalpathe  Mukthai Nanya:  Shatshasthravedhyapi ||

 

Apatha Vairagyavatho Mumukshun Bhavabdhiparam Prathiyathumudhyathan | Ashagraho Majjayatheantharale  Nigrihyakande Vinivarththya Vegath ||

 

Vishayashagraho Yena  Suvirakthyasina  Hatha: | Sagacchathi Bhavambhodhe: Param Prathyuhavarjjitha: ||