Vivekachudamani - Post 13

 Verse 7 

अमृतत्वस्य नाशास्ति वित्तेनेत्येव हि श्रुतिः ।
ब्रवीति कर्मणो मुक्तेरहेतुत्वं स्फुटं यतः ॥ ७ ॥

 

Amrtatvasya nasasti vittenetyeva hi srutih, 

Bravlti karmano mukterahetutvam sphutam yatah. 

 

(It is clear that Liberation cannot be the effect of good works, for Sruti herself declares that there is no hope for immortality by means of wealth.)

 

Moksha cannot be attained through wealth, If moksha cannot be attained through karma, what is accomplished through wealth? Shruti refers to karma as not a means of giving liberation, as being capable of giving liberation. 

 

One line in the verse says no moksha through money. Another line says there is no mokṣha through karma.  All the karma phalams are the end product of a process or a series of processes whether it is physical process or mental process; it is an end product. If it is an end product, it has got a beginning. If it has got a beginning it will certainly have an end. 

 

And that is why word phalam is split as phalgutaya dhiyate iti phalam. That which rots and perishes is called phalam. From that very derivation it is very clear that whatever karma phalam you acquire, they will get rotten. 

 

A sage says,

“Amrtattvam is the goal indicated in all the Upanisads. When it is translated as merely immortality, readers are apt to misunderstand it to be a profit that can accrue to a man only after his death. 

This misunderstanding then must take away the edge from religion and dry up all enthusiasm for spiritual living, especially from the modern man who wants immediate gains. He is not ready to invest even a thought in a proposition that will yield to him a great profit only at a future time. 

 

Correctly interpreted, the 'immortality' promised  by the Srutis is not a state or condition that comes to us after our  departure from this world. It is a perfection that can be lived here and now. By the term 'immortality' the rishis indicate a state of continuous existence, which has in it no experience of finitude. 

 

All Acharyas, irrespective of their philosophical beliefs accept the declaration of the scriptures as absolute and as having unquestionable authority. This attitude is not acceptable to the modern youth, who, in his colossal ignorance thinks himself daring enough to question even the rishis. 

 

The Acharyas accepted the declarations of the Srutis because of the bonafide character and temperament of the rishis who declared them. They lived in complete contentment and happiness in their self-discovery and it was for the seekers to make a footpath and reach them with their questions and doubts upon life and its meaning, the goal and the path.

 

To those seekers, out of sheer kindness, these Men of Realisation declared the Truth of their own experiences, in a burning spirit of inspiration and love. They had no intentions to misguide these precious young hearts of the generation.”

Immortality is impossible with any action. Avidya, Kama Karma - Actions are born necessarily out of ignorance of one's real divine identity and hence, when the source of actions is ignorance, such acts can never get immortality or liberation, says Sankara in Atma Bodha.

Immortality is possible only when there is death of "Avidya", when one's ignorance or Ego is transcended. Ignorance has to die, for one to exist as Immortal SELF.

 

Love.