Vivekachudamani - 3 - Sri Adi Sankara Bhagavatpada

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Here are a few more shlokas from the book Vivekachudamani

written by Sri Sri Adi Sankara Bhagavatpada.

 

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udhDharedhAthmanAthmAnam magnam sansAravAriDhau |

yogArUdathvamAsADhya samyagdharshananiShTayA || 9 ||

 

Having attained the yogarudha state, one should recover

oneself, immersed in the sea of birth and death, by means

of devotion to right discrimination.

 

[Yogarudha state -- Described in Gita, VI.4 -- 'When one

is attached neither to sense-objects nor to actions, and

has given up all desires, then he is said to be yogarudha

or to have ascended the yoga-path.']

 

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sanyasya sarvakarmANi BhavabanDhavimukthaye |

yathyathAm paNdithairDhIrairAthmABhyAsa upasThithai: || 10 ||

 

Let the wise and erudite man, having commenced the practice

of the realization of the Atman give up all works and try

to cut loose the bonds of birth and death.

[All works -- All works done with motive, including the

good ones prescribed in the scriptures and those that are

evil, which men do, prompted by their own nature.]

 

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chiththasya shudhDhaye karma na thu vasthUpalabDhaye |

vasthusidhDhirvichAreNa na kinchitkarmakotiBhi: || 11 ||

 

Work leads to purification of the mind, not to perception of

the Reality. The realization of Truth is brought about by

discrimination and not in the least by ten millions of acts.

[The idea is: That works prescribed by the scriptures, when

properly done, cleanse the mind of impurities. Then the

Truth flashes of itself.]

 

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samyagvichAratha: sidhDhA rajjuthaththvAvaDhAraNA |

BhrAnthodhithamahAsarpaBhayadhu:KhavinAshinI || 12 ||

 

By adequate reasoning the conviction of the reality is gained,

which puts an end to the great fear and misery caused by the

snake worked up in the deluded mind.

[Reality etc. -- That is, that it is a rope and not a snake,

for which it was mistaken.]

 

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arThasya nischayo dhruShto vichAreNa hithokthitha: |

na snAnena na dhAnena prANAyAmashathena vA || 13 ||

 

The conviction of the Truth is seen to proceed from reasoning

upon the salutary counsel of the wise, and not by bathing in

the sacred waters, nor by gifts, nor by a hundred Pranayamas

(control of the vital force).

[The wise -- Men of realization.]

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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.