Contributed By Dr Thimappa Hegde
Introduction to Vivekachudamani
Dr. Thimappa Hegde
Sarvavedāntasiddhānta
Gocaraṃ tamagocaram |
Govindaṃ paramānandaṃ
Sadguruṃ praṇato'smyaham || 1 ||
'Prasthaana-Trayam'
Shruti Smriti Nyaaya
Upanishads Bhagavad Gita Brahmasutra
Glory of Being Human
Only in the human birth one can hope for liberation.
Mōkṣa should be the goal of our life.
Mōkṣa can be attained only through jñānaṁ..
Jñānaṁ can be attained only through śāstram;
Sastram is meaningful only through a Guru.
Qualified Guru and qualified disciple
Vivēkacūḍāmaṇi
In the form of a Dialogue between a Guru and a Disciple
7 Questions &Elaborate Answers
•Jeeva- Atma
•Jagat- Anatma
•Ishwara – Paramatma
•Bandha- Bondage
•Moksha- Liberation
•Sadhana- Means
7th Banda Prathiṣṭa
•What is the reinforcing factor of bondage; or what nourishes this bondage
•Every activity that I do, other than self-enquiry nourishes the bondage
•All the worldly activities nourishes the bondage
•Vicharah destroys the bondage
What is the cause of the bondage ?
Śhankarācārya says mistaking the body as myself is the cause of bondage.
This is due to Self Ignorance
What is mōkṣha ? What is the means of mōkṣaḥ
If I am not the body, who am I?
Only by enquiry.
Giving up of dēha abhīmāna is mōkṣaḥ.
Therefore jñānaṁ or discriminative
knowledge or Viveka is the only means of
liberation
Drk-DrśyaVivēka
•I am different from the world, the body and mind.
•This ātma-anātma vivēka is the mōkṣa kāraṇam.
Mahāvākyam is jīvātma-paramātmaaikyajñānaṁ
•Drk driśya saṁbanda is incomplete
•I am also the kāraṇam of drśya prapañcha.
•That kāraṇatvam alone is expressed by the word Brahman.
•Ahaṁ brahma asmi means ahaṁ kāraṇam asmi.
•The new relationship; kārya-kāraṇa saṁbanda.
•This is the function of mahā-vākyam
Kāryam cannot exist separate from the Kāraṇam.
Just as the observed dream does not exist separate from the observer
This world is also like a dream, it does not exist separate from the observer
It is like saying, clay and pot, two words are there and we conclude that there are two substances.
Yoga Vasishtha and Panchadasi -- Nidhidhyāsanam
•"Tat chintanam tat kathanam
•Anyonyam tat prabodhanam,
•Eta deka paratvam ca
•Brahmabhyasam vidur budhah."
254 to 417, Nidhidhyāsanam
•Repeated listening itself is a form of nidhidhyāsanam. Reading our own notes
•Writing is a form of nidhidhyāsanam.
•Discussing with equals is a form of nidhidhyāsanam.
•Teaching another person
The final version of nidhidhyāsanam in Vivēkacūḍāmaṇi as SamādhiAbhyāsaḥ
•Internalisation is a gradual process
•Liberation itself is of two types, jīvan muktiḥ and vidēha muktiḥ.
•So a Jnani’s standpoint, there is one liberation
•The disciple elaborately expresses his gratitude
•Guru gives the ashīrvādha
•For a traveller who is thirsting for peace, for him, the spring of peace is shown by this Vivekachudamani
Sadguruṃpraṇato'smyaham
Sadguru has 2 meanings
• A good, noble, well qualified spiritual teacher.
•
•One who teaches gṛṇāti about Sat Brahman.
•
•I offer namaskāra to my Guru, seeking his grace for the completion of this text
SarvaVedāntaSiddhāntaGocaraṃTamagocaram
GovindaṃParamānandaṃ
•The real nature of every living being and especially the Guru- is none other than Brahman or Atmā itself – Sat- Cit - Ananda.
•Brahman is revealed or knowable only through the teaching of the Upaniṣhads
•Gocaraṃ means revealed or knowable
•The Guru will reveal that nature in ourselves also!
Verse 2
Contributed By Dr. Sanjay Banakal
In the first place human birth is rare indeed. Still rarer is the commitment to the cause and inclination for the study of scriptures. Rarer is to follow the path of Dharma and according to Vedas; and much rarer is erudition and the study of scriptures. However, without the discrimination between the Self and not-Self and firm abidance in the infinite Brahman, liberation from the relative existence is not possible without the merits accumulated through innumerable lives.
नरजन्म - human birth
पुंस्त्वं - manliness, courage to be independent (emotionally)
विप्रता - scriptural learning
वैदिकधर्ममार्गपरता - following the lifestyle prescribed in scriptures
विद्वत्त्वम् - learning Vedanta under the guidance of a Guru
आत्मानात्म विवेचनं - contemplation (मननं)
स्वनुभव: - internalising the teaching (निधिद्यासनम्)
ब्रह्मात्मना संस्थिति - abiding in the knowledge that I am Brahman
मनुष्यत्वं - to be born as human
मुमुक्षुत्वं - intense desire for achieving liberation
महापुरुषसंश्रय: - taking refuge at the feet of wise people (Guru)
Verse 3
Contributed by Dr. Raksha
Verse 4
Contributed by Dr. Vishwanath Belliappa
Verse 5
Contributed by Smt. Indumathi
Verse 6
Contributed by Smt Vani Bhaskar
ato vicāraḥ kartavyo jijñāsorātmavastunaḥ |
samāsādya dayāsindhuṃ guruṃ brahmaviduttamam || 15 ||
Therefore ,The seeker of Liberation, should take to enquiry into self, after duly approaching the Guru – who is the best of the knowers of Brahman, and an ocean of mercy.
Story Message & Meditation
Dr. Thimappa Hegde
Om Puurnnam-Adah Puurnnam-Idam
Puurnnaat-Purnnam-Udacyate
PuurnnasyaPuurnnam-Aadaaya
Puurnnam-Eva-Avashissyate ||
Om ShaantihShaantihShaantih ||