Talk On Vivek Chudamani

Author(s): Chinmayanand Swami
Publisher: Chinmay Publications Trust

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reach the Goal. The doubt expressed is this: that the student has already read a lot of the Science of Life as expounded in the literature on religion, and he finds therein different methods of self-perfection prescribed; therefore, he wants to know exactly as to what would be the path for him. Through a process of error and trial, one can, for himself, find the right path, but it is most convenient and, indeed, a sacred blessing if we can have a true teacher to explain to us the correct path of self-development. Therefore, the student is asking, "Which of the means should I follow"?
The expression that 'I know nothing' is not a dull-witted confusion of ignorance on the part of the student, but it is an expression of modesty and a confession of devotion and reverence for the teacher. तथा वदन्तं शरणागतं स्वं
संसारदावानलतापतप्तम् । निरीक्ष्य कारुण्यरसादृष्टया
दद्यादभीतिं सहसा महात्मा ॥४१ ॥ tathā vadantam saraṇāgatam svam
samsäradāvānalatāpataptam niri ksya kārunyarasärdradrstyā
dahyādabhītim sahasā mahātmā41..
getr - As, (thus ), 7474 - speaking, 199 - of one's own, शरणागतम् - the man seeking refuge, संसारदावानलतापतप्तम् - tormerted by the heat of the forest-fire of Samsar, TEOTTAISESTI - with a look showering pity and kindness, निरीक्ष्य - seeing ( the seeker), महात्मा - the great teacher, AEAT - spontaneously, spilay - protection from fear, FETE - would bestow.
The great teacher looks up in all pity and kindness on the one who has thus come to seek his protection from the conflagration of the fire of Samsar, and spontaneously bids him to give up all fears.
Just as the Šāstra lays its codes of behaviour of the student, it, with equal emphasis, formulates the law govern