Page Text
________________
VIVEKACŪDĀMAŅI
Let a person who is endowed with aforesaid qualification and who wants to realise the truth about the ātman humbly approach the guru who has achieved ātmajñāna, and fron, whom alone can accrue release from bondage.
uktasādhanasampannah refers to the sādhanas for vicāra, namely viveka etc.; 'a person so endowed' is to be understood after this.
ātmanaḥ tattvajijñāsuh means one who desites to know one's self essentially. He should approach; whom? A guru who will instruct. Of what kind? One who is a prājña: prajñā means peerless knowledge; prakrstā niratiśayā jñā avagatiḥ prajñā; Brahmasākşātkāra. For, as will be said in śloka 428 infra: brahmātmanośśodhitayor ekabhāvāvagāhini nirvikalpā ca cinmātrā vrttiḥ prajñeti kathyate 1: "The modification (of the antahkarana) which is of form of apprehension of the oneness of Brahman and ātman after analysing them, and which is of the nature of pure cit is said to be prajñā”.
One who has this prajñā is a prājña. Prājñam means brahmaniștham, one who is firmly established in Brahman.
yasmāt: by nearness to such a guru. The benefit of approaching a guru is stated. By proximity to such a guru the bonds imagined by ajñāna commencing from ahamkāra to the body are completely given up. By approaching him, by knowledge of one's true self arising from his upadeśa, mokşa which is freedom from bond-. age is accomplished.
341 The characteristics of such a guru are explained in this śloka:
श्रोत्रियोऽवजिनोऽकामहतो यो ब्रह्मविदुत्तमः। ब्रह्मण्युपरतश्शान्तो निरिन्धन इवानलः ॥३४१/२॥ śrotriyo'vrjino'kāmahato yo brahmaviduttamah brahmanyuparataśśānto nirindhana ivānalah 11
The guru is well-versed in the Vedas; he is sinless; he is not smitten by desire; he is a knower of Brahman; he is super-eminent; withdrawing himself into Brahman, he is ever at peace; he is like a smouldering fire unfed by fuel.
śrotriyaḥ: one who has studied the Upanişads. Vide the Pāṇini-sutra: śrotriyaśchando'dhīte. For, it is only he who has in
| SR No. | 007022 |
| Book Title | Vivek Chudamani |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Chandrashekhar Bharti Swami, P Sankaranarayan |
| Publisher | Bharatiya Vidyabhavan |
| Publication Year | 1988 |
| Total Pages | 552 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 14 MB |