Vivekachudamani - Post 6

 

vaidika dharma margaparata 

 

Even after gaining all these rare chances, to have steadfastness on the path of spiritual activity as explained in Vaidika literature is yet rarer; 

 

When one has a human body along with the serener qualities of the heart and the sattvika attitude of the intellect, one is indeed blessed with all the preliminaries for his evolution. 

 

But all these can run to waste if not properly harnessed and intelligently applied. So Sankara declares that even after gaining all the above qualifications, rarer still are those who will find the energy to apply themselves faithfully to the methods of integration as suggested in the literature of the Vedas. 

 

A person can become an academic scholar; he might know what is dharma; what is adharma; but is utterly useless, if a person does not follow the lifestyle prescribed in the sastras. 

 

Parata means commitment for pursuit of dharma margaḥ; righteous way of life; In Brahmacharya asrama a person studies the vedas and in grahastha asrama and vanaprastha asrama he is supposed to practice the veda purva bhagaḥ or dharma sastram. 

 

If a person follows that he becomes fit for veda anthaha. In short, he will attain jnana yogyata. Till that he has to follow. Study maybe over in 10 years or 15 years. But there afterwards he has to practice the religious life for a length of time until he gets sadhana catuṣṭaya sampatti. 

 

Selfless karma, rituals and practices of devotion, japa, puja and so on, alone can purify the inner personality and bring more and more integration to it. Concentration increases through desireless actions and a person who has greater concentration (ekagrata), has necessarily a finer antahkarana. 

 

So, a steady      concentration must be the initial attempt of all seekers, especially those on the path of knowledge. Steadfastness on the path of spiritual activity is the culmination/ final fructification of Sadhana Catushtaya Sampatti, which is “Mumukshatva”!! 

 

 

Love.