Shata-shlokI of Shankara - 39,40 of 101

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Namaste

 

39

madhya-prANaM sushhuptau

svajanim-anuvishanty-agni-sUryAdayo’mI

vAgAdyAH prANa-vAyuM tad-iha nigaditA glAnir-eshhAM na

vAyoH /

tebhyo dRshyA-vabhAso bhrama iti viditaH

shuktikA-raupya-kalpaH

prANAyAma-vrataM tacchruti-shirasi mataM svAtma-labdhau na

cAnyat //

 

sushhuptau : In deep sleep

agni-sUryAdayaH amI : Fire, the Sun and others (presiding

deities of the senses)

anuvishanti : get merged

madhya-prANaM : in the medial life

svajaniM : which is their source

vAgadyAH : and speech, etc.

prANa-vAyuM : in the life-breath.

Tat iha nigaditA : Therefore it has been declared that

glAniH eshhAM : the cessation is (only) of these (senses)

na vAyoH : and not of the breath.

dRshya-avabhAsaH : The appearance of the universe (in the

waking state)

tebhyaH : through those senses

bhrama iti viditaH : is known to be an illusion,

shuktikA-raupya-kalpaH : like that of silver in the mother

of pearl.

Shruti-shirasi : In the Upanishads

prANAyAma-vrataM tat mataM : where is enunciated the

regimen of control of prANa

svAtma-labdhau : it is for realising one’s Self

na cAnyat : and not for any other (mundane) purpose.

 

40

no’kasmAd-Ardra-meghaH spRshati ca dahanaH kintu shushhkaM

nidAghAt

ArdraM ceto’nubandhaiH kRta-sukRtam-api

svokta-karma-prajArthaiH /

tadvat jnAnAgni-retaH spRshati na sahatA kintu

vairAgya-shushhkaM

tasmAt shuddho virAgaH prathamam-abhihitas-tena

vijnAna-siddhiH //

 

dahanaH : Fire

na spRshati : does not touch

Ardra-meghaH : wet fuel

akasmAt : even exceptionally

kintu: but only

nidAghAt sushhkaM : (fuel) that has been dried in the sun.

tadvat : So also

jnAnAgniH : the fire of knowledge

no spRshati : does not touch

cetaH : the mind

anubandaiH ArdraM : that is wet with attachments

kRta-sukRtam-api : although it has acquired merit

svokta-karma-prajArthaiH : by the performance of prescribed

duties for progeny and wealth,

kintu vairAgya-sushhkaM (cetaH) : but only the mind that is

dried by dispassion.

tasmAt : Therefore

shuddhaH virAgaH : pure dispassion

prathamam abhihitaH : is taught foremost;

tena vijnAna-siddhiH : only by that is the success of

realisation.

 

Note: Here, in this shloka, lies a subtle point which is

usually missed, particularly when one is exposed for the

first time to shloka #4-37 – “yathaidhAmsi samiddho’gniH

....” - of the Bhagavad-Gita. There the Lord says: As a

blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, so does the fire of

knowledge burn to ashes all actions. And here Shankara

says, such ‘burning’ by the fire of knowledge will happen

only to those actions which are ‘not wet with attachments’.

In fact, actions ‘wet with attachments’ and ‘fire of

knowledge’ cannot be simultaneously associated with the

same individual!

 

 

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