mahAvAkyaratnAvaliH- Translation No. 16

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*Translation of mahAvAkyas- No.16- Sentences censuring the unenlightened. *

 

31. mRtyoH sa mRtyum Apnoti ya iha nana iva paSyati—bRhad. up. 4.4.19—He who

sees as though there is difference here goes from death to death.

 

As long as one has not realized that all this is in reality brahman alone

and sees differences, one continues in the state of transmigration.

 

32. anubhUtim vinA mUDho vRthA brahmaNi modate,

pratibimbitaSAkhAgraphalAsvAdanamodavat—The deluded person, without

attaining realization, rejoices in brahman in vain, like a person enjoying

the eating of the reflection of a fruit at the tip of a branch of a tree.

 

Pratibimbita- reflected, SakhAgraphala- the fruit at the tip of a branch of

a tree, AsvAdana- eating, modavat- like the joy.

 

The idea is that merely acquiring intellectual knowledge about brahman and

remaining satisfied with it is fruitless. Unless this knowledge translates

into the actual realization that one is brahman, the person continues to be

under delusion.

 

33. ativarNASramam rUpam saccidAnandalakshaNam, yo na jAnAti so avidvAn kadA

mukto bhavishyati—The unenlightened person who does not know the

Existence-Consciousness-Bliss which is beyond varNas and ASramas, when will

he ever be liberated!

 

34. kuSalA brahmavArtAyAm vRttihInAH surAgiNah, te api ajnAnatayA nUnam

punarAyAnti yAnti ca—Those who are adept as speaking about brahman, who,

though not engaged in any particular activity, are full of desires, they

too, because of ignorance, return to this earth and go back again.

 

Those who have studied the scriptures and can give discourses on them, but

are full of various desires are still ignorant because they have not

attained realization. They are therefore subject to repeated births and

deaths. Merely giving up activity (karma) is of no use unless one attains

total detachment. Mere scholarship is also of no use.

 

35. advitIyabrahmatattvam na jAnanti yadA tadA, bhrAntA eva akhilAh, teshAm

kva muktiH kveha vA sukham—As long as they do not know the non-dual brahman

they are all deluded indeed. How can they have liberation or even happiness

here (in this world)?

 

36. ajnAnopahato bAlye yauvane vanitAhataH, Seshe kalatracintArtaH, kim

karoti narAdhamaH—In childhood he is overwhelmed by ignorance. As a young

man he is captivated by women. During the rest of his life he is tormented

by worries about his wife. What can such a despicable man do?

 

37. icchAdveshasamutthena dvandvamohena jantavaH, dharAvivara-magnAnAm

kITAnAm samatAm gatAH—

 

dharA- earth, vivara-hole. magna- immersed in, kITAH- worms. -

 

Because of the illusion of duality arising from likes and dislikes men have

become like worms living inside holes in the earth.

 

End of the sentences censuring the unenlightened.