My Research Notes on VC – Part 14
Date uploaded in London – 17 July 2024
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Some men shed streams of tears because sons are not born to them, others eat away their hearts in sorrow because they cannot get riches. But alas! How many are there who sorrow and weep for not having seen the Lord. Very few indeed! Verily who he seeks the Lord, who weeps for Him, attain Him.
— Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa
If you weep for the God, you will get Him said Manikkavasagar, one of the greatest Tamil Saivite saints,
யானே பொய் என் நெஞ்சும்
பொய் என் அன்பும் பொய்
யானால் வினையேன் அழுதால்
உன்னைப் பெறலாமே
தேனே அமுதே கரும்பின்
தெளிவே தித்திக்கும்
மானே அருளாய் அடியேன்
உனைவந்துறுமாறே – Tiruvasagam
Slokas 17,18,19, 20 of Viveka Chudamani (VC)
विवेकिनो विरक्तस्य शमादिगुणशालिनः ।
मुमुक्षोरेव हि ब्रह्मजिज्ञासायोग्यता मता ॥ १७ ॥
vivekino viraktasya śamādiguṇaśālinaḥ |
mumukṣoreva hi brahmajijñāsāyogyatā matā || 17 ||
17. The man who discriminates between the Real and the unreal, whose mind is turned away from the unreal, who possesses calmness and the allied virtues, and who is longing for Liberation, is alone considered qualified to inquire after Brahman.
साधनान्यत्र चत्वारि कथितानि मनीषिभिः ।
येषु सत्स्वेव सन्निष्ठा यदभावे न सिध्यति ॥ १८ ॥
sādhanānyatra catvāri kathitāni manīṣibhiḥ |
yeṣu satsveva sanniṣṭhā yadabhāve na sidhyati || 18 ||
18. Regarding this, sages have spoken of four means of attainment, which alone being present, the devotion to Brahman succeeds, and in the absence of which, it fails.
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आदौ नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः परिगम्यते ।
इहामुत्रफलभोगविरागस्तदनन्तरम्
शमादिषट्कसम्पत्तिर्मुमुक्षुत्वमिति स्फुटम् ॥ १९ ॥
ādau nityānityavastuvivekaḥ parigamyate |
ihāmutraphalabhogavirāgastadanantaram
śamādiṣaṭkasampattirmumukṣutvamiti sphuṭam || 19 ||
19. First is enumerated discrimination between the Real and the unreal; next comes aversion to the enjoyment of fruits (of one’s actions) here and hereafter; (next is) the group of six attributes, viz. calmness and the rest; and (last) is clearly the yearning for Liberation.
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ब्रह्म सत्यं जगन्मिथ्येत्येवंरूपो विनिश्चयः ।
सोऽयं नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः समुदाहृतः ॥ २0 ॥
brahma satyaṃ jaganmithyetyevaṃrūpo viniścayaḥ |
so’yaṃ nityānityavastuvivekaḥ samudāhṛtaḥ || 20 ||
20. A firm conviction of the mind to the effect that Brahman is real and the universe unreal, is designated as discrimination (Viveka) between the Real and the unreal.
Taken from wisdomlib.com
https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/vivekachudamani/d/doc144465.html
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Swami Vivekananda gives some relevant quotations:-
We pass from this valley of life and death to that ONE, where death and life do not exist and we know the Real and become the Real.
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The Real is one and it is the mind which makes it appear as many.
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The more a man advances towards oneness, the more ideas of I and You subside
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Tamil Poet Valluvar also sings about Ahamkara (I-ness) and Mamakara (My-ness)
யான்எனது என்னும்செருக்கு அறுப்பான் வானோர்க்கு
உயர்ந்த உலகம் புகும்- Kural 346
Who curbs the pride of I and mine
Gets a world rare for gods to gain.
Or
Who kills conceit that utters ‘I’ and ‘mine’,
Shall enter realms above the powers divine.
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First let us compare sloka 20 with poems of other great poets or composers
Upanishad says.
Ekamevādvitīyam
एकमेवाद्वितीयम्
[one without a second]. [Chānd. 6.2.1]
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Brahmam okate, Telugu composition of Annamachaya, also gives the same message.
brahmamokaTE para brahmamokaTE brahmamokaTE para brahmamokaTE
Meaning of full song (It is available on Youtube and other music channels)
pallavi: “Tandanana” is a word giving the punch of rhythm in the song. Ahi, Pure, Bhala are the words expressing the excitement or ecstasy or appreciation. The absolute spirit is one & only one.
caraNam 1: There are no differences of low & high. “Srihari” is the indwelling Spirit to one and all. All the beings in creation are one because the indwelling spirit in every creature is one and the same.
caraNam 2: Sleep is same to all, be it a king or a servant. Be it a “Brahmin” or “Chandala, the earth they live on is the one and the same.
caraNam 3: The sensual pleasure is one and the same either for angels or for the insects and animals. The day and night are equal to the rich as well as to the poor.
caraNam 4: One could afford to eat tasty food and the other the condemned food. But the tongues that taste the food are alike. An object of fragrance or an object of foul smell, the air that carries the smell is one and the same.
caraNam 5: Be it an elephant or a dog, the sun shines alike on both of them. For the good and the bad, Lord Venkateshwara alone is “The Savior”.
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In Tamil Avvaiyar gives the same message
ஒன்றாகக் காண்பதே காட்சி; புலனைந்தும்
வென்றான்தன் வீரமே வீரம் – என்றானும்
சாவாமற் கற்பதே கல்வி; தனைப்பிறர்
ஏவாமல் உண்பதே ஊண்–(ஒளவையார்-தனிப்பாடல்)
Real vision
is that which sees
the One only
beyond the many;
Real valour
is that of the person
who has conquered for good
the senses five;
Real learning
is that which places
you in the state
of Deathlessness;
And real food
is what you consume
when you are totally
Liberated
and where you are not
under any command
and where you are neither
slave nor servant… Avvaiyar, Tamil Poetess of Middle Period of Tamil Literature.
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Other three Slokas talk about the qualifications and fitness of the seeker of God/Brahman
Sloka 17 says one should have
Discrimination/ viveka
Detachment / vairagya
Calmness/ sama
Mumukshutva / burning desire for liberation
Sloka 18 mentions four qualifications mentioned in the previous sloka.
Sloka 19 mentioned six qualifications– Calmness etc (No commentator listed the six essential things; but one can easily guess.
For instance, Bhagavad Gita 16-1,2,3 says
1: Fearlessness (abhayam), 2: Purification of one’s existence (sattva samshuddhi), 3: Steadfastness (jnanayogavyavasthithi), 4: Alms-giving (dana), 5: Self-restraint (dama),6: Performance of sacrifice (yajnas ), 7: Right study of the scriptures (swadhyaya), 8: Self- discipline (tapas), 9: Straightforwardness (arjavam), 10: Non-injury (ahimsa), 11: Truth (satya), 12: Absense of wrath (akrodha), 13: Renunciation (tyaga), 14: Peace (shanthi) , 15: Absence of fault-finding and calumny (apaishunam), 16: Compassion toward all beings (daya), 17: Non-covetousness, absence of greed(aloluptvam), 18: Gentleness (mardavam), 19: Modesty (hri), 20: Absence of restlessness (achapalam), 21: Radiance of character (tejas), 22: Forgiveness (kshama), 23: Patience or fortitude (dhriti), 24: Cleanness of body and purity of mind (shaucha), 25: Non-hatred (adroha) 26: Lack of conceit (na atimanita).
These are the sattvic or good qualities that lead Spiritual seekers (sadhaks)devotees to Self-realization.
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Ramakrishna Paramahamsa explains what is burning desire for God/ Brahman
Be Mad for God
If you must be mad, be it not for the things of the world. Be mad with the love of God.
As the drowning man pants hard for breath, so must one’s heat yearn for the Lord, before one can find Him .
Story from Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa
A devotee asked the Master,
By what means He can be seen? And the Master replied,
Can you weep for Him with intense longing?
Men weep jug full of tears for children, wife, money etc. but who weeps for God? So long as a child is engrossed in play with its toys, the mother engages herself in cooking and other household works. But when the little one finds no more satisfaction in toys, throws them aside and loudly cries for its mother, she can no longer remain in the kitchen. She perhaps drops down the rice pot from the hearth and runs in hot haste to the child and takes it up in her arms.
In this Kali Yuga three days ardent yearning to see god is enough for a man to obtain Divine grace .
(Ramakrishna is right. According to Tamil Periya Purana, hunter Kannappa Nayanar saw Lord Shiva in a few days’ time; he lived 1500 years ago in Tamil Nadu forest.)
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The Child said, Mother dear, wake me up when I shall be hungry.
The mother replied, Darling the hunger itself will awaken you.
(Please read Teachings of Sri Ramakrishna for more quotations and anecdotes under this topic)
To be continued………………………………….
Tags- Brahma Sathyam Jagan mithya, Weep to see god, Qualifications, Devotees, Truth seekers, Brahman, Ekamevaadvitiyam, Avvai, Oneness, Manikkavasagar, My Research Notes on VC – Part 14
Tamil and Vedas 