Vivekachudamani-Post 42

Durvarasamsara davagnitaptam

dodhuyamanam duradrstavataih, 

bhltam prapannam paripahi mrtyoh

saranyamanyadyadaham na jane. (36) 

I am being roasted in the blazing infernal fire of change; I am being  tossed by the cruel storms of misfortune; I am terrified (within and without). O Lord! Save me from death; I seek refuge in thee, for I do not know of any other harbour wherein to seek shelter. 

A comparison of the rhyme and rhythm of this verse with those of  the previous one gives us an idea of the mastery of Sankara's pen  in poetry. If the former is a melodious flow of peaceful tranquility,  a flow that removes all the clogs of the heart and allows it to move  freely into molten love and liquid surrender, this verse, in its brisk trot, exhibits in its very rhythm and sound an irresistible impatience and pressing urgency. 

The first line in the verse explains the dangers to which the  seeker is exposed, while in the second line we have an indication of the dangers that he realises are besetting him from within. 

So ahaṁ durvārasaṁsāradavāgnitaptaṁ. So I am roasted by the forest fire of saṁsāra; So here saṁsāra is compared to forest fire or bush-fire and all they say. 

So forest fire means that it is so wide; and it is so huge; and it spreads also very fast; and therefore in our scriptures saṁsāra is often compared to davā analaḥ; davā analaḥ means forest fire. And why saying forest fire what does he indicate; durvāraḥ; durvāraḥ means unstoppable; unquenchable; non-removable; cannot be put out that easily; 

In the outer world of contact with things he is overwhelmed by sorrows of an ever-changing pattern, while in himself he recognizes an endless storm caused by his likes and dislikes, his loves and hatreds, his hopes and disappointments. 

These two lines beautifully summaries the experience of finitude which is the lot of every seeker before he enters the hall of wisdom. 

It is only when an individual develops his sensibility, subtle enough to recognize these weaknesses in life that he comes to  feel such a pressing urgency for Liberation. 

When he experiences this, he comes to demand of the Guru, safety and shelter from the threatening cries of death with their poisoning evil experiences in life. 

Prapannam; I have surrendered to you; that is the only one good thing; knowingly or unknowingly, because of puṇyam or pāpam (not pāpam!) because of some puṇyam, I have surrendered to you and therefore paripāhi; you alone have to rescue me. 

Not a temporary rescuing effort; paritaḥ pāhi; totally protect me from me mr̥ tyōḥ; from mr̥ tyu; mr̥ tyu literally means death and in this context, it means saṁsāra; constant change. Janma, mr̥ tyu, jarā, vyādi, duḥkhaṁ, are all indicated by the word mr̥ tyōḥ, and from mr̥ tyu, may you protect me.

We should not construe death to mean only the experience  of dying which is the lot of all beings, but it is to be understood in its broadest sense as the poison of finitude. Every moment there is  death, as each experience dies away, and out of its ashes springs  the next circumstances to be experienced.

The disciple is asking for  guidance to the realms beyond death, a state of living in which the  experience of life is the continuous, homogenous. Bliss Absolute. 

And why should you protect me? Because yathu, yathu  means because, ahaṁ na jaane, I do not know anyad śaraṇyam, any other refuge; I do not know any other protector.

This verse again is a prayer addressed to the Guru coming  from the bottom of the student's heart, thereby making his  attunement with the Guru perfect and complete.

Love