Vivek Chudamani

Author(s): Chandrashekhar Bharti Swami, P Sankaranarayan
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidyabhavan

Page 76

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VIVEKACŪDAMAŅI
viction about what will remove all evil effects (of ajñāna). What has to be done in this behalf is stated subsequently in this sloka. The guru is called dayāsindhu, an ocean of compassion; because, by reason of himself having achieved his objective (of Brahmavidyā), he has nothing to gain. Yet, like an ocean filled with water, he is filled with compassion that others should not be subject to the pains (of samsāra). He is a reservoir of compassion as the ocean is of waters.
The etymological derivation of the word guru is in the following sloka in the Gurugītā: guśabdastvandhakārassyāt ruśabdastannirodhakaḥ | andhakāranirodhitvāt gururityabhidhīyate 11 The root gu stands for darkness; ru for its removal. The removal of the darkness of ajñāna in the heart is indicated by the word guru.11
Ajñāna is compared to darkness because even as physical darkness covering the world is an obstacle to its clear perception, so too ajñāna covers the ātman and prevents clear understanding of its nature. Hence the words tamas etc. and used synonymously with ajñāna, in tamo hyāsīt, tamasā gūlhamagre: (R. V.) 'verily darkness was'; 'at first it was concealed by darkness'.
Where these two qualities exist in a person (i.e., being a brahmavit and dayāsindhu), he is called brahmaviduttama. Such persons know (have realised) Brahman; hence they are called brahmavidaḥ. The best among them is uttama, i.e., one who is a sthitaprajña, the man of steadfast wisdom. The śrutis relating to this have been given earlier.
samāsādya gurum: samāsādana means duly approaching him as prescribed in the text: tamārādhya gurum bhaktyā prahvaḥ prasrayasevanaiḥ: (infra) "having shown reverence to him with devotion, humility and single-minded service". Vide also the Gītā injunction: tadviddhi praņipātena paripraśnena sevayā: “Know It by obeisance (to the guru), by repeated questionings and by service". samāsādanam therefore means so conducting oneself to gain the complete and gracious attention of the guru by sitting in front of him.
The word vimuktyai occurring earlier in śloka 8 has thus been explained in these slokas.
11 The meanings of gu and ru are again to be traced to the Panini-sútras gu samvarane and ru hinsane. gu indicates concealment and ru its annulment. By his upadeśa the guru annuls the concealment of truth by ajñāna.