Ethical and Spiritual Values in Vivekachoodamani:Loving Advice of Guru

Loving Advice of  Guru(41-47)

To him,who, inhis  anxiety  for  libration,  has sought protection of  theTeacher,who abides by(scriptural) injuctions,who has a serene mind and who is endowed with  tranquility the  Master  should pour out the knowledge with  utmost  kindness.The Wise One instils the truth in him who has approached him longing for Freedom, who is following the true path, calming the tumult of his mind and bringing Restfulness. (42) Ø "Fear not, wise one, there is no danger for you. There is a way to cross over the ocean of the world, and by this path the sages have reached the shore. "This same path I point out to you, for it is the way to destroy the world's fear. Crossing the ocean of [14} world by this path, you shalt win the perfect joy." (43) Ø By discerning the aim of the wisdom-teaching (Vedanta) is born that most excellent knowledge. There  is  a supreme means by  whichyoucan  put an end  to  thefear  of  relative existence;  by  that  you will cross the seaofsansara  and  attain  supreme Bliss.(44) The highest    knowledge arises  from  the  sincere contemplation upon the meaning  of Upanishad  mantras. By  this knowledge immediately a total annihilation of  sorrows. born  of the "perception  of change" takesplace(45)  Then comes the final ending of the world's pain. The voice of the teaching plainly declares that faith, devotion, meditation, and the search for union are the means of Freedom for him who would be free. He who is perfect in these wins Freedom (moksha) from the bodily bondage woven bu unwisdom.(46) Ø When the Self is veiled by unwisdom there arises a binding to the not-self, and from this comes the pain of world-life. The fire of wisdom lit by discernment between these two—Self and not-Self—will wither up the source of unwisdom, root and all. (47)  The  Question  of theDisciple (48-49) The Pupil Asks :"Hear with selfless kindness, Master. I ask this question: receiving the answer from your lips I shall gain my end.(48)  "What is, then, a bond? And how has this bond come? What cause has it? And how can one be free? "What is not-Self and what the Higher Self? And how can one discern between them?" (49 ) Intelligent Disciple - Appreciated(50) The Master Answers:"Blessed you  For  you  wish to attain the  absolute Brahman  by freeing  yourself from the bondage of   ignorance . Indeed  you  have fulfilled your life and have  glorified your clan . For you seekest to become the Eternal by freeing thyself from the bond of unwisdom(50)  "Sons and kin can pay a father's debts, but none but a man's self can set him free,  "If a heavy burden presses on the head others can remove it, but none but a man's self can quench his hunger and thirst. "Health is gained by the sick who follow the path of healing: health does not come through the acts of others. "The knowledge of the real by the eye of clear insight is to be gained by one's own sight and not by the teacher's. "The moon's form must be seen by one's own eyes; it can never be known through the eyes of another. " Whoelse,but  oneself canhelp ridhimselfof thebondage caused bythe chains  of  ignorance, desire,action,etc.... evenin hundred  crores  of  kalpas? Indeed,None but a man's self is able to untie the knots of unwisdom, desire, and former acts, even in a myriad of ages. (51-55)  Knowledge  of Self Anad Its Beauty(56-61)  Neither by  Yoga nor by Sankhya, nor by  ritual, nor by  learning is liberation  possible .Only  by  the  realisation  of one's identity   with Brahman is liberation  possible,  not by  any other means.(56)  The  beauty  of the  Veena and the proficiency  of one  playing  on its chords serve but to please an audience;  they donot by  themselves ever prove sufficient  toconfer full sovereignity.. An eloquent voice, a stream of words, skill in explaining the teaching, and the learning of the learned; these bring enjoyment but not freedom/liberation.(57-58) Ø   When the Supreme Reality is not known the study of the scriptures(sastras) is futile. Having known the Supreme Reality the study of the sastras is again fuitless. Commentaries on philosophies constitutea thick jungle in  which a  roaming mind may  easily ge lost,  in its own delusion.Ttherefore,  the  true  seekers of Brahman should,  through  right  efforts,   come to  experience  the  Real Naturey of the Self.(59-60).  For whom who has been  stung  upon by  the cobra of ignorance,the  only  remedy  is the knowledge of  Brahman. Of what  use are the Vedas and  the  scriptures,mantras and medicines  to  such  a victim of poisonl? (61) Direct  Experience: Liberation(62-66) Ø   A disease  is not cured by merely  repeating the name o f the medicine,and without taking it (similarly);without direct realisation ,  by  a mere  utterance of the  word "Brahman" ,  none can  be  liberated .(62) Ø Without  disappearance  of  the  entire  pluralistic world and  without  realising  the  RealNature of  the Self,  how can  one achieve full lliberation  by  a mere repetition  of the word"Brahman".Without piercing through the visible, without knowing the reality of the Self, how can men gain Freedom by mere outward words that end with utterances? (63) Ø   Can a man be king by saying, 'I am king,' without destroying his enemies, without gaining power over the whole land? (64) "Through information, digging, and casting aside the stones, a treasure may be found, but not by calling it to come forth.  Similarly, the  Pure  Truth  ofthe Self which  lies hidden beneath   our delusionanditseffectscanbeattained throughthe  instructionsofone  who is knower  of Brahman, followed byr eflection,medittation, etc..Butnever can   the Self emerge and manifest itself a sa result of  repeating  perverted arguments(65) Therefore, an  intelligent seeker should,as  in the case  of illness, etc.strive hard by  all the means   at his disposal  to be free  from the  bondage  of   births  and  deaths(66)   Discussion on Questions  Raised (69-71) For liberation,first  comes extreme detachment from finite  objects of  sensual satisfaction. Then  follow calmness,self-control, forbearance and   complete renunciation  of  all selfish actions.(69)

 Ø   Thereafter comes "hearing" the divine Word, then  relection  on  what hasbeen  heard,and  lastly, long,constantand continuous  meditation  on the Truth, for the Muni. Ultimately,the  learned one attains  the Supreme Nirvikalpa state  and realises  the  Bliss  of Nirvana  in  this  very  life.(70) Tidding himself altogether of doubt, and reaching wisdom, even here he enjoys the bliss of Nirvana. Then the discerning between Self and not-Self that you must now awaken to, that I now declare, hearing it, lay hold on it within yourself.

 Gross  Body(72-75) 

• Composed  of the seven  ingredients...  marrow, bones, fat, flesh, blood, dermis and epidermis, and consisting  of  following  parts...legs,thighschest, arms, back andthe head  this body , the  seat  of  delusion, expressingin  terms  of"I"and "me"  is called as the gross body or physical vesture by the wise. Sky,air,fire,water and earth  are  the subtle or refined elements  (72-73)

Ø   These when mingled one with another become the physical elements, that are the causes of the physical vesture. The materials of them become the five sensuous things that are for the delight of the enjoyer—sounds and other things of sense. (74)

Ø Those  thoughtless  ones who are  bound  to thse  sense  objectsby  the  stout ropes of attachment  so very difficult to cut asunder come and go,up and downn,carriedbythe compelling force of the envy of the  reactionsof, their  own  past actions. (75)

ØSense  Objects Trap:Man Bound(76-82)
Through the five sensuous things five creatures find dissolution to the five elements, each one bound by his own character: the deer, the elephant, the moth, the fish, the bee; what then of man, who is snared by all the five? Sensuous things are keener to injure than the black snake's venom; poison slays only him who eats it, but these things slay only him who beholds them with his eyes. He who is free from the great snare, so hard to be rid of, of longing after sensuous things, he indeed builds for Freedom/liberation, and not another, even though knowing the six philosophies. (76-78)
Those who, only for a little while rid of lust, long to be free, and struggle to reach the shore of the world-ocean—the toothed beast of longing lust makes them sink half way, seizing them by the throat, and swiftly carrying them away. (79)

• He who has destroyed the shark called 'sense-objects' with the sword of mature dispassion crosses the ocean  of sansar unobstructed.(80)
•    The  foolishman  wh  treads the  path of sensuous pleasures,mortality is his reward.  But one who sticks to   the  path  of  divinity,  according  to the  instructions   of well-meaning   and  noble Gurus  constantly  walks the  divine   path helped  by  his  own  reasoning  faculty , and achieves the  end and  and his reward is the Real. (81)
• If the love of Freedom/liberation is yours, then put sensuous things far away from you, like poison;  and  with respectful  reverence,  duly  cultivate the nectarian  virtues-  contentment,forgiveness,straightforwardness, calmnessandself-control. . (82)
• Fascination  of  Body Criticised(83-86)
•  This  body  is  essentiallyan  instrument for  realising  the Parmatmam He, who,  does not  constantly  use  it for  liberating  himself fromthe  bondage born  of  beginningless  ignorance but  struggles to nourish  it is  destroying  himself. (83)
• Whoever seeks to rediscover the Self,  by  devoting  himself to  the  care of  his body, is  like  one  who proceeds to cross a river, holding  on to a   shark, which  one  has mistaken for  a  log of wood. (84)
• For  a  student  seeking  liberation, infatuation with  the  bodt etc. is  a 'tragic  death'; Hw, who has totally conquered  this  attachment deserves  the  state ofliberation.(85)
•   Conquer this great infatuation  for  your  body, wife,children etc. ;by  conquering, these, sages  reach the  Supreme state  of  Lord    Vishnu. (86) 
• Hence, the Self itself is perpetual bliss—not for it are happiness and unhappiness; as in dreamless life, where are no sensuous things, the Self that is bliss—is enjoyed, so in waking-life it is enjoyed through the word, through intuition, teaching and deduction.

Ved  Prakash