Sivanandalahari's 45th Verse

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chhandaHshaakhishikhaanvitairdvijavaraiH saMsevite shaashvate

saukhyaapaadini khedabhedini sudhaasaaraiH phalairdiipite |

chetaHpakshishikhaamaNe tyaja vR^ithaasaMchaaramanyairalaM

nityaM shaMkarapaadapadmayugaliiniiDe vihaaraM kuru || 45||

 

 

This is one of Sivanandalahari's greatest verses. Shankara,

completely understood the Upanishads (which during those days), were

extremely difficult to read and understand because of their

complicated and confused position with respect to the overall Vedic

system. He not only understood them, but also brought out the

essential thought process of the Upanishads by picking 10 principle

Upanishads and worked on them. It is not to be-little the other

Upanishads, but he chose these to show the world that one can

understand the rest if they assimilate these principle Upanishads.

 

Keeping this background in mind is extremely important when

understanding the above verse of Sivanandalahari.Here, Shankara,

comparing the mind with a bird, asks the bird (mind) to look for

that nest where it can stay forever in peace and where it can get

whatever it desires. He exhorts to the bird to stop flying

relentlessely and rest at its nest in peace. Shankara says that this

nest is nothing but Shiva's feet.

 

There are some very important things that Shankara talks about which

tell us about the Advaitin he is. First is the great analogy drawn

between the bird and the mind in both Brihadaranyaka and the

Svetasvatara Upanishads. In the Bhridaranyaka Upanishad, Yagnavalkya

talks about two birds sitting on a tree branch, one eternally

searching for either food, happiness or peace outside of its home

and the other bird finding everything where he is at. He then

compares the first bird to the mind before realisation and the

latter the mind and the self after realisation. Svetasvatara

Upanishad also talks of a similar analogy where the bird (mind)

seeks its permanant home at the lord's abode.

 

The beautiful inner meaning of the 45th shlokam draws these two

great examples. Shankara initially says 'Chandas' which means vedas.

here, he compares the tree where he desires the bird (mind) to

settle down to the Vedas. He says, Oh! Mind, settle down on that

Vedic tree in whose branch (or the Vedanta, as the Vedanta or

Upanishad is the end or the subtler meaning of that Vedic branch)

resides the lord himself in the form of a nest (denoting compassion)

which is always being taken care by (dvijavare meaning two people.

Two people because, a Bhramharishi or a true Vedic Scholar has two

lives; one befor he became a yogi and one after. So, in essense to

say that, the nest which this mind should seek is always sought

after by everyone, even before they become yogis though, without

their knowledge and after they become complete yogis) Vedic

scholars, because, that is where you and they will get whatever you

really desire. Just like a bird never enters the nest with its wings

open signifying that it needs rest or sees peace, the mind will also

learn not to waver anymore because, it has seen its abode. Unlike

things in life, which are ephemeral, this is true and complete bliss

because, unlike a normal nest, this is complete and forever filled

with compassion.