Narayanasramam

[Guest guest]

Vairaagyabodhau purusasya paksivat

Paksau vijaaneehi vicaksana tvam /

Vimuktisaudhaagratalaadhirohanam

Taabhyaam vinaa naanyatarena sidhyati //

Vivekachoodamanihi 374

 

Translation:

O' learned one! Like the two wings in the case of a bird, so are dispassion and

discrimination in the case of a seeker of Truth. Know this. In order to ascend

to the top of the mansion of liberation, both dispassion and discrimination are

required and not either one.

 

Points for Introspection:

In this shloka it is mentioned how for a saadhaka both viveka and vairagya

together are most important. They are like the two wings of a bird. As for a

bird it is impossible to fly if it has only one wing, so is the case for the

saadhaka. The saadhaka will not be able to progress in the path of liberation

and will not be able to climb to the peak called moksha, if he has only viveka

or only vairagya. He must have both of these in ample measure. If he does not

have these two qualities, by no other means he can attain Supreme Reality. On

the other hand, if both these qualities are there, the progress towards the

supreme goal of liberation will be very fast because both together cultivate

strong mumuksha – yearning for liberation in the mind.

 

What is viveka? This is actually nityaanitya-vastu-viveka – the discrimination

between what is Real and what is unreal, what is Eternal and what is transitory,

what is Imperishable and what is perishable, and what is Immortal and what is

mortal.

 

The saadhaka who wants to achieve the Supreme Truth should use his

discrimination in all his thoughts, words and actions. He should associate with

those which lead him to Supreme Reality and dissociate from those which take him

away from that goal. Constant discrimination is necessary every moment so that

the mind withdraws from the perishables and focuses on the Imperishable Soul.

 

The discrimination power will become deeper and subtler as and when the saadhaka

is graced in the mind by dispassion for the world. When dispassion graces the

mind, the saadhaka feels absolute disinterestedness towards any enjoyment in

this world here and is also not interested in anything hereafter. This

dispassion on the other hand helps to strengthen viveka. The saadhaka is able to

see the futility of life and is able to choose what is supremely good for

him. Similarly when viveka is strong, vairagya also gets strengthened because

the real nature of life is understood and the saadhaka looses interest in

worldly affairs.

 

Chanting of this shloka again and again gives a resolve to the mind that we must

try to reach the Supreme goal which has been compared to climbing to the top of

a mansion. It also makes the mind see the importance of cultivating both viveka

and vairagya.