Vivekachudamani - 1 - of Adi Sankara Bhagavatpada

[Guest guest]

This Friday is the auspicious day of Sri Sanakara Jayanthi. Here are

the first few shlokas from the book Vivekachudamani written by Sri

Sri Adi Sankara Bhagavatpada.

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janthUnAm narajanma dhurlaBham-atha: punsthvam thatho viprathA

thasmAdh-vaidhika-Dharma-mArga-parathA vidhvaththvam-asmAth-param |

AthmAnAthma-vivechanam svanuBhavo brahmAthmanA sansThithir

mukthirno shatha-janma-koti-sukruthai: puNyairvinA laBhyathe || 2 ||

 

For all beings a human birth is difficult to obtain, more so a male

body; rarer than that is Brahmanahood; rare still is the attachment

to the part of Vedic religion; higher than this is erudition in the

scriptures; discrimination between the Self and not-Self,

Realization, and continuing in a state of identity with Brahman --

these come next in order. (This kind of) mukti (liberation) is not

to be attained except through the well-earned merits of a hundred

crore of births.

 

dhurlaBham thrayamevaithat-dhevAnugrahahethukam |

manuShyathvam mumukshathvam mahApuruShasanshraya: || 3 ||

 

These are three things which are rare indeed and are due to the

grace of God -- namely a human birth, the longing for liberation,

and the protecting care of a perfected sage.

 

labDhvA kaThachin-nara-janma dhurlaBham

thathrApi punsthvam shurthipAradharshanam |

yasthvAthmamukthau na yathetha mUdaDhI:

sa hyAthmahA svam vinihanthyasadhgrahAth || 4 ||

 

The man who, having by some means obtained a human birth, with a

male body and mastery of the Vedas to boot, is foolish enough not to

exert himself for self-liberation, verily commits suicide, for he

kills himself by clinging to things unreal.

[A male body -- Because men, in addition to their physical

advantages, have always enjoyed certain social advantages as well

over women.]

 

itha: ko nvasthi mUdAthmA yasthu svArThe pramADhyathi |

dhurlaBham mAnuSham dheham prApya thathrApi pauruSham || 5 ||

 

What greater fool is there than the man who having obtained a rare

human boy, and a masculine body too, neglects to achieve the real

end of this life?

[The real end etc. - viz. Liberation.]

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Vivekachudamani of Sri Sankaracharya, Text with English

Translation, Notes and Index by Swami Madhavananda, © Advaita

Ashrama, 5 Dehi Entally Road, Calcutta - 700 014.

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