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152
VIVEKACODAMAŅI
is no water on the spot. So too before the dawn of Brahmajñāna, māyā and its effects are found to function. Immediately upon Brahman realisation, everything disappears without a trace like a dream on waking. Hence is their character of disappearing before enlightened perception. Hence, the world is mithyā like a mirage.
126
Having thus completely spoken about the anātman, Śrī Bhagavatpāda proceeds to give the answer to the śişya's question: "What is the supreme ātmā?” (vide śl. 51 supra).
अथ ते संप्रवक्ष्यामि स्वरूपं परमात्मनः।
यद्विज्ञाय नरो बन्धान्मुक्तः कैवल्यमश्नुते ॥ १२६ ॥ atha te sampravaksyāmi svarūpam paramātmanaḥ 1 yadvijñāya naro bandhānmuktaḥ kaivalyamaśnute 11
I shall now tell you clearly the nature of the Paramātman by knowing which a man attains kaivalya (liberation) freed from bonds (of samsāra).
atha: then: indicates consecution to the explanation of the anātman.
yat paramātmanaḥ svarūpam vijiñaya naro bandhāt muktaḥ kaivalyam aśnute: knowing (realising) which Paramātman's svarūpa; naraḥ i.e., the person who is qualified for Brahmavidyā becomes freed from the bonds beginning from ahamkāra and ending with the body, i.e., becomes one who has renounced the false identification of the anātman with the atman, is freed from association with all upādhis and attains to the state of being the lone seer (without the object - kevaladrgrupa), the differenceless nature of the sat, cit and ananda. I shall teach you clearly and fully the nature of that Paramātman.
127
The Guru proceeds to speak about the ātmā: अस्ति कश्चित् स्वयं नित्यमहंप्रत्ययलम्बनः।
अवस्थान यसाक्षी.सन् पञ्चकोशविलक्षणः ॥ १२७ ॥ asti kaścit svayam nityam ahampratyayalambanah 1 avasthātrayasākṣī san pañcakośavilakṣaṇaḥ 11
There is something which exists by itself as the substratum of the consciousness of 'I'. Being the witness of the
