Vivekachudamni-Post 65

Commentaries on philosophies constitute a thick jungle in which a roaming mind may easily get lost , in its own delusion. Therefore, true seekers of Brahman should , through right efforts , come to experience the  real nature of the Self  (60)

In this brilliant metaphor the Acharya woos both poetry and  philosophy with the ardor and fervor of a true and noble lover,  handling the philosophy and dandling the poetry, as it were. 

Here, he conveys to us the idea that mere philosophical  discussion is a dangerous jungle, dark and dreary, with luxuriously  growling poisonous weeds and prowling beasts lying in ambush,  ready to pounce upon innocent unsuspecting pilgrims. 

Upanishads  themselves are commented by many acharyas and eleven or more systems of philosophies have been derived from the Upanishads  themselves.

Vishista advaita; dvaita; advaita; sidda advaita; bheda advaita; for all what is the basis? Upanishad, Bhagwad  Gita; Brahma sutra. 

And if you take advaita itself, we have got countless number of original works; countless number of commentaries, countless number of sub-commentaries; countless number of sub- sub-commentaries; 

Now if we are not alert, and get into the trap, from which you may never come out. Therefore be very alert, Sankara  warns: Sabdajalam, the maze of Sastrik words, the layer of Sastric  words  is like maha aranyam; it is a like a deep forest

Into this jungle infested with dangerous flora and fauna, if  an unprepared or innocent mind, frail in strength, carelessly enters,  it might get attacked or destroyed by the lurking dangers. Even an intellectual Master, of great erudition and perfect scholarship can,  now and then, tumble down into unseen potholes and suffer mental  repercussions. So the warning given here by the benevolent Acharya  is of extreme service to initiates entering the portals of Vedanta. 

Therefore atah; therefore, prayatnat jnatavyam. Therefore, very alertly, concentrate on knowing the basic teachings; do not get lost in the frills of vedanta. 

Atmanaḥ tatvam, the essential free nature of oneself, jnatavyam, should be known; tattvajnaih; by the knowers of the truth, or by the seekers of the truth. 

A seeker should set about only after knowing the true  nature of the Self, through the method of Atma-vicara, when he has  fully acquired the necessary qualifications for it through upasanas and meditations.

Having imbibed the essence of scriptures, a sincere seeker should get into in depth meditation/ nidhidhyasana on the essence and strive to get the inner intuitive experience of SELF. He should not endlessly aim at merely learning  mroe and more scriptures and to become an erudite  scholor. 

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