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VIVEKACŪDAMAŅI
Skill in fluent speech, the proficiency in explaining the śāstras, the scholarship of the learned, all make only for personal enjoyment but not for liberation. vāgvaikhari means speech made up of easy words.
sabdajhari means fluent speech. Skill in the use of words and flow of sound.
vyākhyāna-kausalam: proficiency in explaining the śāstras: explanation includes the five elements: padacchedaḥ: the splitting of words; padārthoktiḥ: giving the meaning of words; vigrahaḥ: splitting of compounds; vākyayojanā: giving the connection of sentences and ikṣepasya samadhānam: answering objections. This kind of scholarship of the learned too, like playing on the vīņā, serves only to bring about fame. It does not lead to mokşa. For mokşa, the direct realisation mentioned earlier is the only means.
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It may be objected that there is no comparison between the raomentary joy produced by playing on the vīņā and the happiness of the scholarship of the learned which enters into one's being after it is heard. It is replied, even though there is this difference, yet, it is affirmed that in the absence of the realisation of the ātman, the learning of the sästras and the skill which it gives are ineffective to produce the aforesaid result (of mokşa).
अविज्ञाते परे तत्त्वे शास्त्राधीतिस्तु निष्फला । विज्ञातेऽपि परे तत्त्वे शास्त्राधीतिस्तु निष्फला ॥६१ ॥ avijñāte pare tattve śāstrādhītistu nișphalā 1 vijñāte’pi pare tattve śāstrādhītistu nişphalā 11.
If the supreme Truth is not known (realised), learning the śāstras is of no use. If it is known (realised) (then too) learning the śāstras is of no use.
· pare tattve: If the superior or pre-eminent Truth or Reality which is the foundation of everything, which is incapable of being sublated in any of the three periods of time, which is self-effulgent and compacted of bliss, which is vastly superior to all effected things from the body onwards which are all inert and only make for misery which is known as nirguņa Brahman is not realised, study of the śāstras including inquiry into their meaning is futile. In the absence of the goal of the śāstra-vicāra being achieved, till it is attained, it is clear that the vicāra has not borne fruit.
