Shata-shlokI of Shankara - 7,8 of 101

[Guest guest]

Namaste

 

7.

svIkurvan vyAghra-veshhaM sva-jaThara-bhRtaye

bhIshhayan-yashca mugdhAn

matyA vyAghro’ham-ithaM sa nara-pashu-mukhAn bAdhate kim nu

satvAn /

matvA strI-veshha-dhArI stry-aham-iti kurute kim naTo

bhartur-ichhAM

tadvac-charIra AtmA pRthag-anubhavato dehato yas-sa-sAkshhI

//

 

yaH : A person

svIkurvan : assuming

vyAghra-veshhaM : the mask of a tiger

sva-jaThara-bhRtaye : for his own livelihood

bhIshhayan ca : and frightening

mugdhAn : the innocent ones –

sa bAdhate kim nu : does he ever injure

nara-pashu-mukhAn satvAn : any person, beast or living

thing

vyAghro’haM ithaM matyA : by the impression “I am a tiger”

?

(Or, )

naraH : the actor

strIveshha-dhArI : donning the role of a woman --

ichhAM kurute kim : does he pant for

bhartuH : a husband

strI ahaM iti matvA : thinking “I am a woman”?

tadvat : So also (is)

AtmA : the Self

shArIraH : living in the body

pRthak : but being different

dehataH : from the body

anubhavataH : (as well as) from experience;

saH sAkshhI : he is only the witness.

 

Note: The lesson therefore is the same as the punchline

teaching of the Gita: “ Act, act, in the living present,

with a total detachment to everything that ‘comes and goes’

(AgamApAyI). Everything associated with this body, mind and

intellect, comes and goes!

 

 

8.

svaM bAlaM rodamAnaM cira-tara-samayaM shAntim-Anetum-agre

drAkshhaM khArjUram-AmraM sukadalam-athavA

yojayaty-ambikA’sya /

tadvac-ceto’ti-mUDhaM bahu-janana-bhavAn

mouDhya-samskAra-yogAt

bodho-pAyair-anekaiH avasham-upanishhad-bodhayAmAsa samyak

//

 

ambikA : A mother

shAntiM AnetuM : in order to pacify

svaM bAlaM : her child

rodamAnaM : who has been crying

cira-tara-samayaM : for a very long time

yojayati : offers (or) places

asya agre : before the child

drAkshhaM : grape,

khArjUraM : date,

AmraM : mango,

sukadalaM : good banana,

athavA : and the like.

tadvat : So also

Upanishhat : The Upanishad

Samyak bodhayAmAsa : has well taught (i.e., enlightened)

anekaiH bodhopAyaiH : by various teaching strategies

ati-mUDhaM cetaH : the utterly foolish mind

avashaM : which is not in control of itself

mouDhya-samskAra-yogAt : because of the acquired dilution

of faculties

bahu-janana-bhAvAt : consequent to the numerous lives (that

it has gone through).

 

Note: So when the scriptures show you a carrot at the end

of the stick, even if it be a heavenly carrot, that is

only a “bodhopAya”, ‘a teaching strategy’.

 

Note 2: Compare shloka XI – 3 – 44 from Shrimad Bhagavatam:

 

Parokshha-vAdo vedo’yaM bAlAnAm anushAsanaM /

Karma-mokshhAya karmANi vidhatte hy-agadaM yathA //

 

meaning, The Vedas always tell you only indirectly, they

hide their real intent. It is like getting things done by

children. The Vedas prescribe actions/rituals for you so

that in due time you may be relieved of all actions.

 

PraNAms to all students of Adi Shankaracharya

profvk

 

 

 

 

 

 

=====

Prof. V. Krishnamurthy

My website on Science and Spirituality is http://www.geocities.com/profvk/

You can access my book on Gems from the Ocean of Hindu Thought Vision and

Practice, and my father R. Visvanatha Sastri's manuscripts from the site.

Also see my webpages on Live Happily, the Gita Way at

http://www.geocities.com/profvk/gohitvip/contentsbeach11.html