Vivekachudamani

by Shankara | 1921 | 49,785 words | ISBN-13: 9788175051065

The Vivekachudamani is a collection of poetical couplets authored by Shankara around the eighth century. The philosophical school this compilation attempts to expose is called ‘Advaita Vedanta’, or non-dualism, one of the classical orthodox philosophies of Hinduism. The book teaches Viveka: discrimination between the real and the unreal. Shankara d...

देहादिसर्वविषये परिकल्प्य रागं
बध्नाति तेन पुरुषं पशुवद्गुणेन ।
वैरस्यमत्र विषवत्सुवुधाय पश्चाद्
एनं विमोचयति तन्मन एव बन्धात् ॥ १७३ ॥

dehādisarvaviṣaye parikalpya rāgaṃ
badhnāti tena puruṣaṃ paśuvadguṇena |
vairasyamatra viṣavatsuvudhāya paścād
enaṃ vimocayati tanmana eva bandhāt || 173 ||

173. It (first) creates an attachment in man for the body and all other sense-objects, and binds him through that attachment like a beast by means of ropes. Afterwards, the selfsame mind creates in the individual an utter distaste for these sense-objects as if they were poison, and frees him from the bondage.

 

Notes:

[For the double meaning of the word Guna, see note on Sloka 76. ]

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: