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VIVEKACŪDAMAŅI
321
For, divine and omniscient Sanatsujāta, the son of Brahma and who was a realised soul from birth told Dhstarāştra: pramādam vai mrtyumahambravīmi: "I call negligence itself death.” Hence negligence is said to be death.
323 That is further explained: न प्रमादादनर्थोऽन्यो ज्ञानिनः स्वस्वरूपतः। ततो मोहस्ततोऽहंधीः ततो बन्धस्ततो व्यथा ॥३२३ ॥ na pramādās anartho'nyo jñāninaḥ svasvarūpataḥ, tato mohastato’hamdhīḥ tato bandhastato vyathā 11
There is no greater danger than negligence for a jñānin. From it arises delusion; from it, ahamkāra and from it, bondage and misery in succession.
There is no danger to the jñānin other than fall by negligence. For, when there is a fall from one's real nature, then forgetfulness arises. Then ensues the sense of the 'T' (the ātman) in the anātman (what is not the ātman). From it arises super-imposition of the ātman on the body etc. Thence arises the misery produced by old age, death etc.
324 To the question: "This may be so for the ajñānin; will it be also for the jñānin?" it is replied:
विषयाभिमुखं दृष्ट्वा विद्वांसमपि विस्मतिः। विक्षेपयति धीदोषैः योषा जारमिव प्रियम् ॥३२४ ॥ vişayābhimukham dựstvā vidvāmsam api vismrtiḥ viksepayati dhīdoşaiḥ yoșā jāram iva priyam 11. • Finding him inclined to sense-objects, forgetfulness confounds even a learned man through defects of the intellect like a damsel distracting a paramour.
yoșā priyam jāram iva: may be understood in two ways. Either as a damsel dotes on her beloved as she would on a paramour, or, as a damsel dotes on a paramour inclined to another as she would on her own husband.
vismrtiḥ: act of forgetting Brahman. vidvāmsamapi: even a man with discrimination.
vişayābhimukham drstvā: seeing that he is intent on external sense-objects. Vide the śruti: parāñci khāni (Katha.) (the sense organs perceiving outward).
V.C.-22
