Tuesday, June 4, 2024

Vivekachudamani - Post 25

  Verse 19    



आदौ नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः परिगम्यते
इहामुत्रफलभोगविरागस्तदनन्तरम्
शमादिषट्कसम्पत्तिर्मुमुक्षुत्वमिति स्फुटम् १९

 

ādau nityānityavastuvivekaḥ parigamyate |
ihāmutraphalabhogavirāgastadanantaram
śamādiṣaṭkasampattirmumukṣutvamiti sphuṭam || 19 ||

 

(While enumerating the qualifications , first we count the ability to discriminate between the Real and the unreal; next comes a spirit  of detachment from the enjoyment of the fruits of actions here and  hereafter, after that is the group of six essentials such as sama and last  is undoubtedly a burning desire for Liberation.)

 

Here, in sequence, Sankara repeats the necessary attributes for a student who wants sure success on the spiritual path. While giving a rough outline of these, he elaborates upon the theme of viveka and vairagya. 

 

However much actually intelligent the generation might be, it is the special privilege of a few to have the subtlety of intellect to delve deep into things and happenings and discriminate between the true and the false. 

 

Those who are sufficiently evolved, exhibit a greater keenness of intellect but those who do not have it, should not despair. For, it is not a God given bonus which comes to us from the heavens but it is the aroma of a well-developed and integrated mind and intellect. Where there is a large amount of viveka, it is safe to presume that the individual has a fairly well integrated personality. 

 

As a result of one's discriminative capacity when one differentiates between the Real and the unreal in the world outside or in the world within, all false values automatically drop off. When once a thing is understood to be full of bitterness, pain and imperfection, rare is the man who will continue to court it. 

 

Invariably, we run after a thing only when we hope to get out of it a greater fulfilment of joy or peace. Once we come to the intellectual appreciation that the object is riddled with sorrow, our immediate attempt would be to get rid of it. 

 

Nitya vastu is GOD who is your TRUE SELF. Now there is a longing to get one's TRUE SELF. So far one was happy with the crumbs of happiness given out by life.

 

Now, one understands it is anitya - temporary…. and the interest in gaining anitya happiness and security etc simply drops.

 

Discrimination or Viveka is the 100 percent conviction that the Self alone is real and that objects are apparently real.

 

Discrimination is the sense of right judgement and understanding to differentiate between the permanent and the impermanent.

 

The Anitya or impermanence comes in the form of various situations, opportunities and pleasures while the permanence is the VERY SELF, the TRUE nature of One's SELF.

 

Thus, vairagya born out of viveka is what is meant by 'detachment'. In fact, vairagya is the fulfilment of viveka and wherever the former is strong, the latter gains in essence and efficiency. 

 

The other two requisites mentioned in verse 17 are repeated here - the six qualifications such as sama and a passion to redeem oneself (mumukshutvam).

 

In the next upcoming verses, Sankara takes us through the 4 qualifications in much detail. These 4 qualifications are the foundation, base, on which the edifice of Sadhana is built.

 

No spiritual aspirant with a week base of these qualifications can ever hope to reach to higher level in Sadhana, in the path of wisdom.

 

Love.



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