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VIVEKACUDAMANI
327
grief after grief due to thinking that what is not real, merely material and source of sorrow is the atman.
333
This is made clearer:
acunferecangzeit faganì ngramıentayġfa facum 1 मिथ्याभिसंधानरतस्तु नश्येद् दृष्टं तदेतद्यदचोर-चोरयोः ॥ ३३३ ॥
satyābhisandhanarato vimukto
mahattvamatmiyam upaiti nityam | mithyabhisandhanaratastu naśyet
dṛṣṭam tadetad yad acora-corayoḥ 11
He who is intensely established in truth is liberated. He attains the eternal greatness of the atman. He, however, who is addicted to falsehood perishes. This is seen in the case of a thief and of one who is not a thief.
satyabhisandhanarataḥ:
one who is completely constant to
truth.
ātmiyam mahattvam: the state of mind which is not subject to any change and the state of being adored by all.
upaiti: attains.
mithyābhisandhanarataḥ: He who is inclined to falsehood will come to ruin; for his support is falsehood only. How will he be said to exist? He will come to ruin only. That is seen in the story narrated in the sixth chapter of the Chandogyopaniṣad which employed the illustration of the heated axe. The palm of the man of truth who is accused of theft and who clasps the heated axe in the court is not burnt as he is constant to truth. Hence, he is acquitted. The real thief says: 'I am not a thief.' He does not give up the falsehood and he is burnt up by the heated axe which is placed in his hand and is convicted. That is the meaning of the reference to the thief. Stealing itself is prohibited. To it are added a series of prohibited actions like speaking a lie etc. To one who does like this and is given to falsehood, how will there be compliance with truth? Hence, it is said, that he is subject to a series of sorrows as he suffers a downfall in both worlds (in this world while alive and in the other world after death).
334
Therefore:
यतिरसदनुसन्धि बन्धहेतुं बिहाय स्वयम यमहमस्मीत्यात्मदृष्ट्यैव तिष्ठेत् ।