The sishya said , "Kindly listen , O Master! to the questions that I now raise. Hearing their answer from your lips , I shall feel entirely satisfied." (48)
The entire Vivekacudamani has, by now, changed from being a textbook into an outstanding poem, a literary masterpiece because, while writing this great work, Sankara often excels the philosopher in him and becomes a poet to splash the entire power with brilliant colors of pure literary genius.
He has a special niche in the 'poet's corner' and will perhaps be remembered as the noblest poet who ever wielded a pen to bring about a cultural revival.
Questions of the Disciple
The very conversational style of this verse relieves the monotony of the philosophy and brings into its arid fields the touch of the human hearts and the thrills of a warm, pulsating life. Here, an ignorant student reaches a seer, who is the fountain of knowledge and through a process of discussion, tries to attune himself to his Teacher for walking out of dark ignorance into the Master's brilliant domain.
He says: Hey Svamin, Oh Lord, the Sishya is no more looking at the guru as even a person; he has raised the guru to the status of Bhagavan; therefore he is addressing Hey Svamin;
Moksha gita starts with the sishya addressing his Guru thus:-
The disciple said: O Merciful Master! I bow to thee. I have fallen into the dreadful ocean of birth and death. I am afflicted with the three kinds of Taapas. Save me, O Lord. Teach me, how I should cross this ocean of Samsara.
Oh Lord; ayam prasna maya criyate; a group of questions is presented by me to you.
And for what purpose I am giving the question? You should not just give me prasādam and send me away. Questions are for answers. Therefore, he says yat uttaram aham srutva; I would like to get answers to these basic questions.
So yat uttaram prasnanam uttaram; sapta prasnanam uttaram aham srutva; I would like to hear. In fact, the entire Vedanta sastra is sapta prasna uttaram only.
And I want to listen from whom? Bhavan mukhat. So do not say that the reply is in that book; go and read, do not say go to this person and that person; do not send me away; bhavan mukhat srutva; I want to hear from you only.
And by listening to the answers, aham kr̥tarthaḥ syam. kr̥tarthah means fortunate, blessed, fulfilled; that is best translation; fulfilled I will become.
kritaarta means moksha purushartah prapti. Philosophical fulfilment, which includes intellectual fulfillment, which includes emotional fulfilment, which includes even physical fulfillment.
Rare are such disciple existing in present day world, sincerely treating their Guru (Essence ) as Swamin/ Lord, wanting/craving for getting all their spiritual doubts clarified only from their Guru- Bhavan Mukhat Srutva.
Such verses elevate a sincere Spiritual aspirant to an inexplicable level.
Love
