Thursday 3 December 2020

Vivekachoodamani Sri Shankaracharya Virachitham - The nature of Paramathma/Athman - Thamasik and Rajasik nature causes grief

 


Chapter 13 – Vivekachoodamani  131 – 140

 

The Preceptor speaks “Oh! Fortunate one, the Antharathma/Athman, is indestructible Purusha/supreme Bhramam resides as a soul in living beings; it is all-pervasive and primordial. It symbolizes eternal bliss, he is eternal Purusha, Saththvaswaroopa can be perceivable through austerities, intense devotion, and faith. The supreme Purusha is the source of the functioning of Mana, Indhriya, Prana, Panchakosha, etc. The Paramathma Parambhramam resides as a soul in the heart of Jeeva, illuminates the Karma, Gnana Indriya, Mana, Prana, Buddhi, etc. like the sun spread the brilliance of its rays and lighten the whole Universe. The Athmaswaroopa/Paramathma resides as a soul in the Jeeva, causes the functioning of Ahamkara, Buddhi, Prana, Panchakosha, Karma, and Gnanendhriya, etc. but remains unaffected/Nishcheshta, Nissanga and Nirvikara, like the solid iron, heaved to the blazing fire to soften them. The Athman/Paramathma/soul remains a sole witness of the functioning of the mind, intellect, and Ahamkara, in the Jeeva. The Paramathma Parambhramam has no birth or death, growth or destruction, increase or decrease, it is eternal and changeless. It is the sole source of functioning in the Jeeva, but remains unaffected by any of the activities of the body, like the mud pot created out of mud, even though the mud is the base of it, remains unhurt. The Paramathma/Athman is pure, does not get affected by the feelings, or emotions, or activities of the Jeeva, it is supreme consciousness, unblemished, free from afflictions. It illuminates the Karyakaranaroopa, Sthoola Sookshma Swaroopa, it illuminates the whole Universe with its radiant nature. It is the sole witness in the three states of Jagrath/awakening, Swapna/dream, and Shushupthi/sleep of the Jeeva. The fortunate Jeeva achieves the knowledge of Paramathma Parambhramam resides as soul, is indestructible Purusha, pure, free from affliction, and eternal bliss. The knowledge of ‘self’/Paramathma, can be achieved only with the grace of that Bhramam,  the fortunate Jeeva achieve Paramasakshathkara, cross the unfathomable ocean of powerful waves of miseries and sorrows of worldly existence and get liberated from the vicious cycles of rebirth. Oh! Fortunate one, strive to perceive that Paramathma Parambhramam which is the source of the functioning of Universe and its living beings, and get rid of interest in worldly matters and bondage, and achieve union with the supreme Bhramam.”

 

The preceptor continues “The “I’ consciousness/mine, myself and me, and the attachment on the material things/Anathmavasthu, such as wealth, richness, money, fame, possession, attachment to wife, children, relatives, companion, have fleeting nature, caused due to ignorance and it is the cause for Janana Marana Klesha/repeated births and sufferings. The ignorance in the Jeeva causes attachment to the body consciousness, people, and matters, thereby chase after material pleasure to appease the sense. The over-influence of Thamasik nature/lethargy, dullness, sleepiness, etc. causes to fall victim to Indhriya, it enhances false ideas and drives the Jeeva afar from the knowledge of ‘self’/Paramathma. The false idea can get removed with the knowledge supreme consciousness/Paramathma resides as soul, like the person who mistakes the rope as a snake gets alarmed, once the doubt gets cleared the fear also disappears. In this way, the ‘Athmabodha’/knowledge of ‘self’ removes the wrong idea of ‘I’ and body consciousness, the excessive pride in the ‘body’ and material possessions, and attachment to richness, wealth, fame, money, people, etc. that are the cause of miseries and grief. The knowledge in the supreme Bhramam/Paramathma/Athman is Akhand/indestructible, Nithya/permanent, Adhvaya/lack of duality, resides as the soul has supreme brilliance is covered by ignorance, lethargy, sleepiness, the dullness of the Jeeva, it is one of the huge obstacles in achieving ‘Athma Sakshathkara’. The supreme Bhramam obstructed by the ignorance/Thamasik nature, causes ‘body consciousness/misinterpret body as Athman and the ‘ I’ consciousness/me, myself and mine’, it multiplies with the Rajasik nature/Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Madha, and Mathshcharya.  I shall describe how did the ignorant Jeeva get fastened with the material matters and bondage, the Thamasik/ignorance and Rajasik/Ragadhvesha natures  in the Jeeva fasten them with the increased interest  in material matters and bondages, and become helpless to get rid of the miseries and sorrows of worldly existence.”

 

Yeshantharathma Purusha: Purano Nirantharakanda Sukhanubhoothi : | Sadhaikaroopa: Prathibodhamathro Yeneshitha Vagasavashcharanthi ||

 

Athraiva  Sathrathmani Dhiguhayamavyakrithakasha Ushath Prakasha: | Akasha Ucchai Ravivath Prakashathe | Swathejasa Vishwamidham Prakashayan ||

 

Jjatha Mano Ahankrithi Vikriyanam Dhenedhriya Prana Krithakriyanam | Ayoagnivaththananuvarththamano| Na  Cheshtathe No Vikarothi Kinchna ||

 

Na Jayathe  No Mriyathe Na Vardhdhathe | Na Ksheeyathe No Vikarothi Nithyam | Vileeyamaneapi Vapushyamushmin | Na Leeyathe  Kumbha  Ivambharam Swayam ||

 

Prakrithi Vikrithibinna: Shudhdhabodha Swabhava: | Sadhasadhidhamashesham Bhasayannirveshsha: | Vilasathi Paramathma Jagradhadhishvavastha | Swahamahamithi Sakshath Sakshiroopena Buddhe: ||

 

Niyamitha Manasamum Thvam Swamathmanamathmanyayahamithi Sakshathvidhdhibudhdhi Prasadhath | Janimarana Tharangapara Samsarasindhum  Prathara  Bhava  Kritharththo Bhramaroopena Samsatha: ||

 

Athranathmanyahamithi Mathirbadhdha  Yeshoasyapumsa: | Prapthoajjana Jananamarana Klesha Sampatha Hethu: | Yenaivayam Vapuridhamasthasathyanithyathma Budhdhya | Pushyathyukshathyavathi Vishayaisthanthubhi: Koshakridhvath ||

 

Atha Smimthadhbudhdhi: Prabhavathi Vimoodasya  Thamasa | Vivekabhava  Dhvai Spurathi Bujagerajjudhishana | Thatho Anarththavathro Nipathathi Samadhathuradhikasthatho Yoasadhgraha: Sa Hi Bhavathi Bandha: Shrunu Sakhe ||

 

Akhanda  Nithyadhvaya Bodhashakthya | Spurantham Athmanam Anantha Vaibhavam | Samavrunothyavrithi Shakthiresha | Thamomayi Rahurivarkka Bimbam ||

 

Thirobhoothe Swathmanyamalathara Thejovathi Pumanamathmanam Mohadhayamithi Shareeram Kalayathi | Thatha: Kamakrodha Prabhrithibhiramum Bandhakagunai: | Param Vikshepakhya  Rajasa  Urushakthir Vyathayathi ||