Saundarya Lahari शिवः शक्त्या युक्तो यदि भवति शक्तः प्रभवितुंन चेदेवं देवो न खलु कुशलः स्पन्दितुमपि ।अतस्त्वामाराध्यां हरिहरविरिञ्चादिभिरपिप्रणन्तुं स्तोतुं वा कथमकृतपुण्यः प्रभवति ॥ १॥ śivaḥ śaktyā yukto yadi bhavati śaktaḥ prabhavituṃna cedevaṃ devo na khalu kuśalaḥ spanditumapi .atastvāmārādhyāṃ hariharaviriñcādibhirapipraṇantuṃ stotuṃ vā kathamakṛtapuṇyaḥ prabhavati .. 1.. United with Śakti, Śiva is endowed with the power to create the universe. Otherwise, He is incapable even of movement. Therefore, who except those endowed with great merits acquired in the past can be fortunate enough to salute or praise Thee, Mother Divine, who art the adored of even Hari, Hara and Viriñci? 1. तनीयांसं पांसुं तव चरणपङ्केरुहभवंविरिञ्चिस्सञ्चिन्वन् विरचयति लोकानविकलम् ।वहत्येनं शौरिः कथमपि सहस्रेण शिरसांहरस्संक्षुद्यैनं भजति भसितोद्धूलनविधिम् ॥ २॥ tanīyāṃsaṃ pāṃsuṃ tava caraṇapaṅkeruhabhavaṃviriñcissañcinvan viracayati lokānavikalam .vahatyenaṃ śauriḥ kathamapi sahasreṇa śirasāṃharassaṃkṣudyainaṃ bhajati bhasitoddhūlanavidhim .. 2.. Gathering a minute particle of dust from Thy lotus feet, Brahmā the creator brings into being this universe (limitless and mysterious) without any imperfection. The sustentator Viṣṇu as Ādiśeṣa somehow supports this universe (made out of that dust) with His thousand hoods. And Hara, the destroyer, crushing it into powder, rubs the ashes all over His body (at the time of dissolution). 2. अविद्यानामन्त-स्तिमिर-मिहिरद्वीपनगरीजडानां चैतन्य-स्तबक-मकरन्द-स्रुतिझरी ।दरिद्राणां चिन्तामणिगुणनिका जन्मजलधौनिमग्नानां दंष्ट्रा मुररिपु-वराहस्य भवति ॥ ३॥ avidyānāmanta-stimira-mihiradvīpanagarījaḍānāṃ caitanya-stabaka-makaranda-srutijharī .daridrāṇāṃ cintāmaṇiguṇanikā janmajaladhaunimagnānāṃ daṃṣṭrā muraripu-varāhasya bhavati .. 3.. The dust of Thy feet is the Island City, wherefrom takes place the luminous sun-rise of spiritual illumination driving away the over-casting darkness of ignorance in the hearts of devotees. It forms the cluster of flower buds, from which gushes forth the nectar of intelligence, enlivening the dull-witted. It is a veritable necklace of wish-yielding gems for the poverty-stricken. And for those immersed in the ocean of Samsara, it becomes their up-lifter like the Tusk of Viṣṇu (which raised the earth from submergence in Pralaya waters when He incarnated as the Cosmic Boar). 3. त्वदन्यः पाणिभ्यामभयवरदो दैवतगणःत्वमेका नैवासि प्रकटितवराभीत्यभिनया ।भयात् त्रातुं दातुं फलमपि च वाञ्छासमधिकंशरण्ये लोकानां तव हि चरणावेव निपुणौ ॥ ४॥ tvadanyaḥ pāṇibhyāmabhayavarado daivatagaṇaḥtvamekā naivāsi prakaṭitavarābhītyabhinayā .bhayāt trātuṃ dātuṃ phalamapi ca vāñchāsamadhikaṃśaraṇye lokānāṃ tava hi caraṇāveva nipuṇau .. 4.. All Deities other than Thee bestow boons and give shelter from fear by the pose of their hands. Thou alone art not given to any such external demonstration of giving boons and shelter. For, O Refuge of All, Thy very feet (without any demonstration) are themselves inherently capable of sheltering devotees from the great fear of Samsāra and of giving them much more than what they pray for! 4. हरिस्त्वामाराध्य प्रणतजनसौभाग्यजननींपुरा नारी भूत्वा पुररिपुमपि क्षोभमनयत् ।स्मरोऽपि त्वां नत्वा रतिनयनलेह्येन वपुषामुनीनामप्यन्तः प्रभवति हि मोहाय महताम् ॥ ५॥ haristvāmārādhya praṇatajanasaubhāgyajananīṃpurā nārī bhūtvā puraripumapi kṣobhamanayat .smaro’pi tvāṃ natvā ratinayanalehyena vapuṣāmunīnāmapyantaḥ prabhavati hi mohāya mahatām .. 5.. Adoring Thee, who art the bestower of prosperity on all Thy votaries, Hari (Viṣṇu) was able to become a charming female and stir waves of passion in the minds of no less a Deity than Hara, the Destroyer of the Three Cities. And Smara (Cupid, the god of love), through Thy adoration, got a form—a veritable feast for the eyes of his consort Rati—, with which he has become capable of causing deep infatuation even in the minds of sages. 5. धनुः पौष्पं मौर्वी मधुकरमयी पञ्च विशिखाःवसन्तः सामन्तो मलयमरुदायोधनरथः ।तथाप्येकः सर्वं हिमगिरिसुते कामपि कृपाम्अपाङ्गात्ते लब्ध्वा जगदिद-मनङ्गो विजयते ॥ ६॥ dhanuḥ pauṣpaṃ maurvī madhukaramayī pañca viśikhāḥvasantaḥ sāmanto malayamarudāyodhanarathaḥ .tathāpyekaḥ sarvaṃ himagirisute kāmapi kṛpāmapāṅgātte labdhvā jagadida-manaṅgo vijayate .. 6.. (Look at Kāma Deva [Cupid] and his equipments—how ineffective they are in themselves!) His bow is made only of flowers; its bow-string is a line of honey-bees; he has only five arrows, and these are made of flowers; his minister is the (periodical and undependable) spring season; his battle-chariot is the (shifting and formless) Malaya breeze; and above all he is Ananga, the bodiless one. Yet, O daughter of the Mountain! blessed by Thy gracious side-glance, he, by himself alone, is victorious over the whole world. 6. क्वणत्काञ्चीदामा करिकलभकुम्भस्तननतापरिक्षीणा मध्ये परिणतशरच्चन्द्रवदना ।धनुर्बाणान् पाशं सृणिमपि दधाना करतलैःपुरस्तादास्तां नः पुरमथितुराहोपुरुषिका ॥ ७॥ kvaṇatkāñcīdāmā karikalabhakumbhastananatāparikṣīṇā madhye pariṇataśaraccandravadanā .dhanurbāṇān pāśaṃ sṛṇimapi dadhānā karatalaiḥpurastādāstāṃ naḥ puramathiturāhopuruṣikā .. 7.. May the Divine Mother Tripurasundarī, the Pride (Ahanta or I-sense) of Siva the Destroyer of the Three Cities., vouchsafe Her presence before us—the Mother with Her slender waist girdled with jingling mini-bells, with Her frame slightly bent in the middle by the weight of Her breasts that bulge like the frontal globes of the forehead of a young elephant, with her face resembling the autumnal moon, and with her hand sporting a bow, arrows, a noose and a goad! 7. सुधासिन्धोर्मध्ये सुरविटपिवाटीपरिवृतेमणिद्वीपे नीपोपवनवति चिन्तामणिगृहे ।शिवाकारे मञ्चे परमशिवपर्यङ्कनिलयांभजन्ति त्वां धन्याः कतिचन चिदानन्दलहरीम् ॥ ८॥ sudhāsindhormadhye suraviṭapivāṭīparivṛtemaṇidvīpe nīpopavanavati cintāmaṇigṛhe .śivākāre mañce paramaśivaparyaṅkanilayāṃbhajanti tvāṃ dhanyāḥ katicana cidānandalaharīm .. 8.. Fortunate indeed are the few who adore Thee, the Inundation of Bliss-Consciousness, as abiding on a mattress, that is Paramaśiva (the Supreme Śiva or Sadāśiva) spread on a couch, which too is an aspect of Śiva, placed in a chamber of wish-yielding gems (Cintāmaṇi), amidst a Nipa pleasure garden, in Maṇidvīpa (Isle of Gems), which is situated in the Nectar-Ocean and fringed by rows of celestial Kalpaka trees. 8. महीं मूलाधारे कमपि मणिपूरे हुतवहंस्थितं स्वाधिष्ठाने हृदि मरुतमाकाशमुपरि ।मनोऽपि भ्रूमध्ये सकलमपि भित्वा कुलपथंसहस्रारे पद्मे सह रहसि पत्या विहरसे ॥ ९॥ mahīṃ mūlādhāre kamapi maṇipūre hutavahaṃsthitaṃ svādhiṣṭhāne hṛdi marutamākāśamupari .mano’pi bhrūmadhye sakalamapi bhitvā kulapathaṃsahasrāre padme saha rahasi patyā viharase .. 9.. Having penetrated the Prithvi (Earth) element situated in the Mulādhāra, the Jala (Water) element in the Manipūra, the Agni (Fire) element in the Svādhiṣthāna, the Vāyu (Air) element in the Heart or Anāhata, the Ākāśa (Sky) element above the former in the Visuddhi, and Manas (mind) in the Ājñā between the eye-brows, Thou, ascending through the Suṣumnā or the Kula Path, sportest with Thy Consort in the solitude of Sahasrāra the Thousand-Petalled Lotus (above in the head). 9. सुधाधारासारैश्चरणयुगलान्तर्विगलितैःप्रपञ्चं सिञ्चन्ती पुनरपि रसाम्नायमहसः ।अवाप्य स्वां भूमिं भुजगनिभमध्युष्टवलयंस्वमात्मानं कृत्वा स्वपिषि कुलकुण्डे कुहरिणि ॥ १०॥ sudhā-dhārā-sāraiś caraṇa-yugalāntar vigalitaiḥprapañcaṃ siñcantī punarapi rasāmnāyamahasaḥ .avāpya svāṃ bhūmiṃ bhujaganibhamadhyuṣṭavalayaṃsvamātmānaṃ kṛtvā svapiṣi kulakuṇḍe kuhariṇi .. 10.. Drenching the

Vākya Vritti ।श्रीः।।।।वाक्यवृत्तिः।।सर्गस्थितिप्रलयहेतुमचिन्त्यशक्तिंविश्वेश्वरं विदितविश्वमनन्तमूर्तिम्।निर्मुक्तबन्धनमपारसुखाम्बुराशिंश्रीवल्लभं विमलबोधघनं नमामि।।1।। ..Śrīḥ….Vākyavṛttiḥ..SargasthitipralayahetumacintyaśaktiṃViśveśvaraṃ viditaviśvamanantamūrtim.NirmuktabandhanamapārasukhāmburāśiṃŚrīvallabhaṃ vimalabodhaghanaṃ namāmi..1.. 1. I bow down to that Pure Consciousness Divine – a shoreless ocean of happiness, which is All-pervading (Vishnu), the Beloved of Shri, the all-knowing Lord of the Universe, assuming endless forms and yet ever-free, having an inscrutable power to become (apparently) the Cause of creation, maintenance, and dissolution of the universe. यस्य प्रसादादहमेव विष्णुर्मय्येव सर्वं परिकल्पितं च।इत्थं विजानामि सदात्मरूपंतस्याङ्घ्रिपद्मं प्रणतोऽस्मि नित्यम्।।2।। Yasya prasādādahameva viṣṇuRmayyeva sarvaṃ parikalpitaṃ ca.Itthaṃ vijānāmi sadātmarūpaṃTasyāṅghripadmaṃ praṇato’smi nityam..2.. 2. Again and again I Prostrate at the feet of my Guru, by whose grace I have come to realise, “I alone am the All-pervading Essence (Vishnu)”, and that “the world of multiplicity is all a super-imposition upon myself.” अनायासेन येनास्मान्मुच्येय भवबन्धनात्।तन्मे संक्षिप्य भगवन्केवलं कृपया वद।।4।। Anāyāsena yenāsmānmucyeya bhavabandhanāt.Tanme saṃkṣipya bhagavankevalaṃ kṛpayā vada..4.. 4. “Merely out of your grace and mercy, holy Teacher, please explain to me briefly the means by which I may easily get liberated from the sorrows of this bondage-to-change”. साध्वी ते वचनव्यक्तिः प्रतिभाति वदामि ते।इदं तदिति विस्पष्टं सावधानमनाः श्रृणु।।5।। Sādhvī te vacanavyaktiḥ pratibhāti vadāmi te.Idaṃ taditi vispaṣṭaṃ sāvadhānamanāḥ śrṛṇu..5.. 5. The teacher said: “Your question is valid, and so very clearly expressed, I shall answer it exhaustively to make it as vivid to you as though you are seeing it near”. तत्त्वमस्यादिवाक्योत्थं यज्जीवपरमात्मनोः।तादात्म्यविषयं ज्ञानं तदिदं मुक्तिसाधनम्।।6।। Tattvamasyādivākyotthaṃ yajjīvaparamātmanoḥ.Tādātmyaviṣayaṃ jñānaṃ tadidaṃ muktisādhanam..6.. 6. Direct knowledge of that total identity between the individual-Self and the Universal-Self, stemming forth from the Vedic statements such as “Thou art that”, etc., is the immediate means to liberation. को जीवः कः परश्चात्मा तादात्म्यं वा कथं तयोः।तत्त्वमस्यादिवाक्यं वा कथं तत्प्रतिपादयेत्।।7।। Ko jīvaḥ kaḥ paraścātmā tādātmyaṃ vā kathaṃ tayoḥ.Tattvamasyādivākyaṃ vā kathaṃ tatpratipādayet..7.. 7. The disciple said: “What is the individualised Self ? What, then, is the Universal Self ? How can they both be identical ? And, how can statements like “That thou art” discuss and prove this identity ?” अत्र ब्रूमः समाधानं कोऽन्यो जीवस्त्वमेव हि।यस्त्वं पृच्छसि मां कोऽहं ब्रह्मैवासि न संशयः।।8।। Atra brūmaḥ samādhānaṃ ko’nyo jīvastvameva hi.Yastvaṃ pṛcchasi māṃ ko’haṃ brahmaivāsi na saṃśayaḥ..8.. 8. The teacher said: “I shall answer your question. Who else can be the individual Self (Jiva) other than yourself, that asks me this question, “Who am I ?”. There is no doubt about it. You alone are the Brahman. पदार्थमेव जानामि नाद्यापि भगवन्स्फुटम्।अहं ब्रह्मेति वाक्यार्थं प्रतिपद्ये कथं वद।।9।। Padārthameva jānāmi nādyāpi bhagavansphuṭam.Ahaṃ brahmeti vākyārthaṃ pratipadye kathaṃ vada..9.. 9. The disciple said: Not even the word meaning do I fully grasp clearly; how can I then comprehend the significance of the sentence, “I am Brahman” ? सत्यमाह भवानत्र विगानं नैव विद्यते।हेतुः पदार्थबोधो हि वाक्यार्थावगतेरिह।।10।। Satyamāha bhavānatra vigānaṃ naiva vidyate.Hetuḥ padārthabodho hi vākyārthāvagateriha..10.. 10. The teacher said: “You have said the truth when you complained that the knowledge and understanding of the meaning of the words employed in a sentence are indeed the cause of the understanding of the full significance of the sentence. And there are no two opinions about it.” अन्तःकरणतद्वृत्तिसाक्षी चैतन्यविग्रहः।आनन्दरूपः सत्यः सन्किं नात्मानं प्रपद्यसे।।11।। Antaḥkaraṇatadvṛttisākṣī caitanyavigrahaḥ.Ānandarūpaḥ satyaḥ sankiṃ nātmānaṃ prapadyase..11.. 11. “Why do you not recognise your own Self, which is an embodiment of Eternal Bliss-Essence, the Witnessing Light that illumines the inner equipments and their functions ?” सत्यानन्दस्वरूपं धीसाक्षिणं ज्ञानविग्रहम्।चिन्तयात्मतया नित्यं त्यक्त्वा देहादिगां धियम्।।12।। Satyānandasvarūpaṃ dhīsākṣiṇaṃ jñānavigraham.Cintayātmatayā nityaṃ tyaktvā dehādigāṃ dhiyam..12.. 12. “Give up the intellectual misconception that the Self is the body, etc., and always meditate upon and think yourself to be the eternal Knowledge-Bliss – the Witness of the intellect – a sheer mass of Pure Knowledge”. रूपादिमान्यतः पिण्डस्ततो नात्मा घटादिवत्।वियदादिमहाभूतविकारत्वाच्च कुम्भवत्।।13।। Rūpādimānyataḥ piṇḍastato nātmā ghaṭādivat.Viyadādimahābhūtavikāratvācca kumbhavat..13.. 13. “The body is not the Self, as like the pot, etc., the body also has form, etc., and again, the body is a modification of the great elements such as Akash, just like the pot”. अनात्मा यदि पिण्डोऽयमुक्तहेतुबलान्मतः।करामलकवत्साक्षादात्मानं प्रतिपादय।।14।। Anātmā yadi piṇḍo’yamuktahetubalānmataḥ.Karāmalakavatsākṣādātmānaṃ pratipādaya..14.. 14. The disciple said: “If, by the strength of these arguments, the gross-body is considered as “not-Self”, then please exhaustively explain and directly indicate the Self – as clearly as a fruit in hand”. घटद्रष्टा घटाद्भिन्नः सर्वथा न घटो यथा।देहद्रष्टा तथा देहो नाहमित्यवधारय।।15।। Ghaṭadraṣṭā ghaṭādbhinnaḥ sarvathā na ghaṭo yathā.Dehadraṣṭā tathā deho nāhamityavadhāraya..15.. 15. The teacher said: “Just as the perceiver of a pot is ever distinctly different from the pot and can never be the pot – so too, you, the perceiver of your body, are distinct from your body and can never be the body – this you firmly ascertain in yourself.” एवमिन्द्रियदृङ् नाहमिन्द्रियाणीति निश्चिनु।मनो बुद्धिस्तथा प्राणो नाहमित्यवधारय।।16।। Evamindriyadṛṅ nāhamindriyāṇīti niścinu.Mano buddhistathā prāṇo nāhamityavadhāraya..16.. 16. “Similarly be sure in yourself that you, the seer of the senses, are not the senses themselves, and ascertain that you are neither the mind, not the intellect, not the vital air (Prana).” संघातोऽपि तथा नाहमिति दृश्यविलक्षणम्।द्रष्टारमनुमानेन निपुणं संप्रधारय।।17।। Saṃghāto’pi tathā nāhamiti dṛśyavilakṣaṇam.Draṣṭāramanumānena nipuṇaṃ saṃpradhāraya..17.. 17. “Similarly be sure that you are not the complex of the gross and the subtle-bodies, and intelligently determine, by inference, that you, the ‘seer’, are entirely distinct from the ‘seen’.” देहेन्द्रियादयो भावा हानादिव्यापृतिक्षमाः।यस्य संनिधिमात्रेण सोऽहमित्यवधारय।।18।। Dehendriyādayo bhāvā hānādivyāpṛtikṣamāḥ.Yasya saṃnidhimātreṇa so’hamityavadhāraya..18.. 18. “’I am He’, the One because of whose presence alone the inert entities like the body and the senses, are able to function through acceptance and rejection”. अनापन्नविकारः सन्नयस्कान्तवदेव यः।बुद्ध्यादींश्चालयेत्प्रत्यक्सोऽहमित्यवधारय।।19।। Anāpannavikāraḥ sannayaskāntavadeva yaḥ.Buddhyādīṃścālayetpratyakso’hamityavadhāraya..19.. 19. “’I am He’, the One changeless, Innermost Self that moves the intellect, etc., as a magnet does the iron filings.” अजडात्मवदाभान्ति यत्सांनिध्याज्जडा अपि।देहेन्द्रियमनःप्राणाः सोऽहमित्यवधारय।।20।। Ajaḍātmavadābhānti yatsāṃnidhyājjaḍā api.Dehendriyamanaḥprāṇāḥ so’hamityavadhāraya..20.. 20. “’I am He’, the One Entity in whose vital presence the body, senses, mind, and Pranas, though inert in themselves, appear to be conscious and dynamic, as though they are the Self.” अगमन्मे मनोऽन्यत्र सांप्रतं च स्थिरीकृतम्।एवं यो वेद धीवृत्तिं सोऽहमित्यवधारय।।21।। Agamanme mano’nyatra sāṃprataṃ ca sthirīkṛtam.Evaṃ yo veda dhīvṛttiṃ so’hamityavadhāraya..21.. 21. “‘He am I’, the One Consciousness, which is the Self that illumines the modifications in my mind such as ‘my mind went elsewhere, however, it has been brought to rest now’, – ‘He am I’ (So’ham).” स्वप्नजागरिते सुप्ति भावाभावौ धियां तथा।यो वेत्त्यविक्रियः साक्षात्सोऽहमित्यवधारय।।22।।

Vivekachudāmani सर्ववेदान्तसिद्धान्तगोचरं तमगोचरम् ।गोविन्दं परमानन्दं सद्गुरुं प्रणतोऽस्म्यहम् ॥ १ ॥ sarvavedāntasiddhāntagocaraṃ tamagocaram |govindaṃ paramānandaṃ sadguruṃ praṇato’smyaham || 1 || 1. I bow to Govinda, whose nature is Bliss Supreme, who is the Satguru, who can be known only from the import of all Vedanta, and who is beyond the reach of speech and mind. Notes: Viveka means discrimination, cūda is crest, and maņi, jewel. Hence the title means ‘Crest-jewel of discrimination’. Just as the jewel on the crest of a diadem is the most conspicuous ornament on a person’s body, so the present treatise is a masterpiece among works treating of discrimination between the Real and the unreal. In this opening stanza, salutation is made to God (Govinda), or to the Guru, in his absolute aspect. It may be interesting to note that the name of Sankara’s Guru was Govindapāda, and the śloka is ingeniously composed so as to admit of both interpretations. Sadguru-literally, the highly qualified preceptor (teacher), and may refer either to Sankara’s own guru or to God Himself, who is the Guru of gurus. जन्तूनां नरजन्म दुर्लभमतः पुंस्त्वं ततो विप्रतातस्माद्वैदिकधर्ममार्गपरता विद्वत्त्वमस्मात्परम् ।आत्मानात्मविवेचनं स्वनुभवो ब्रह्मात्मना संस्थितिःमुक्तिर्नो शतजन्मकोटिसुकृतैः पुण्यैर्विना लभ्यते ॥ २ ॥ jantūnāṃ narajanma durlabhamataḥ puṃstvaṃ tato vipratātasmādvaidikadharmamārgaparatā vidvattvamasmātparam |ātmānātmavivecanaṃ svanubhavo brahmātmanā saṃsthitiḥmuktirno śatajanmakoṭisukṛtaiḥ puṇyairvinā labhyate || 2 || 2. For all beings a human birth is difficult to obtain, more so is a male body; rarer than that is Brahmin-hood; rarer still is the attachment to the path of Vedic religion; higher than this is erudition in the scriptures; discrimination between the Self and not-Self, Realisation, and continuing in a state of identity with Brahman – these come next in order. (This kind of) Mukti (Liberation) is not to be attained except through the well-earned merits of a hundred crore of births. दुर्लभं त्रयमेवैतद्देवानुग्रहहेतुकम् ।मनुष्यत्वं मुमुक्षुत्वं महापुरुषसंश्रयः ॥ ३ ॥ durlabhaṃ trayamevaitaddevānugrahahetukam |manuṣyatvaṃ mumukṣutvaṃ mahāpuruṣasaṃśrayaḥ || 3 || 3. There are three things which are rare indeed and are due to the grace of God –namely, a human birth, the longing for Liberation, and the protecting care of a perfected sage. लब्ध्वा कथंचिन्नरजन्म दुर्लभंतत्रापि पुंस्त्वं श्रुतिपारदर्शनम् ।यस्त्वात्ममुक्तौ न यतेत मूढधीःस ह्यात्महा स्वं विनिहन्त्यसद्ग्रहात् ॥ ४ ॥ labdhvā kathaṃcinnarajanma durlabhaṃtatrāpi puṃstvaṃ śrutipāradarśanam |yastvātmamuktau na yateta mūḍhadhīḥsa hyātmahā svaṃ vinihantyasadgrahāt || 4 || 4. The man who, having by some means obtained a human birth, with a male body and mastery of the Vedas to boot, is foolish enough not to exert himself for self-liberation, verily commits suicide, for he kills himself by clinging to things unreal. इतः को न्वस्ति मूढात्मा यस्तु स्वार्थे प्रमाद्यति ।दुर्लभं मानुषं देहं प्राप्य तत्रापि पौरुषम् ॥ ५ ॥ itaḥ ko nvasti mūḍhātmā yastu svārthe pramādyati |durlabhaṃ mānuṣaṃ dehaṃ prāpya tatrāpi pauruṣam || 5 || 5. What greater fool is there than the man who having obtained a rare human body, and a masculine body too, neglects to achieve the real end of this life? Notes: The real end .—viz. Liberation. वदन्तु शास्त्राणि यजन्तु देवान्कुर्वन्तु कर्माणि भजन्तु देवताः ।आत्मैक्यबोधेन विनापि मुक्तिःन सिध्यति ब्रह्मशतान्तरेऽपि ॥ ६ ॥ vadantu śāstrāṇi yajantu devānkurvantu karmāṇi bhajantu devatāḥ |ātmaikyabodhena vināpi muktiḥna sidhyati brahmaśatāntare’pi || 6 || 6. Let people quote the Scriptures and sacrifice to the gods, let them perform rituals and worship the deities, but there is no Liberation without the realisation of one’s identity with the Ātman, no, not even in the lifetime of a hundred Brahmas put together. Notes: Lifetime .—i. e., an indefinite length of time. One day of Brahmâ (the Creator) is equivalent to 432 million years of human computation, which is supposed to be the duration of the world. अमृतत्वस्य नाशास्ति वित्तेनेत्येव हि श्रुतिः ।ब्रवीति कर्मणो मुक्तेरहेतुत्वं स्फुटं यतः ॥ ७ ॥ amṛtatvasya nāśāsti vittenetyeva hi śrutiḥ |bravīti karmaṇo mukterahetutvaṃ sphuṭaṃ yataḥ || 7 || 7. There is no hope of immortality by means of riches – such indeed is the declaration of the Vedas. Hence it is clear that works cannot be the cause of Liberation. Notes: The reference is to Yâjnavalkya’s words to his wife Maitreyi, Brihadáranyaka II. iv. 2. Cf. the Vedic dictum, “na karmaṇā na prajayā dhanena tyāgenaike amṛtatvamānaśuḥ”:—‘Neither by rituals, nor progeny, nor by riches, but by-renunciation alone some attained immortality. अतो विमुक्त्यै प्रयतेत्विद्वान्संन्यस्तबाह्यार्थसुखस्पृहः सन् ।सन्तं महान्तं समुपेत्य देशिकंतेनोपदिष्टार्थसमाहितात्मा ॥ ८ ॥ ato vimuktyai prayatetvidvānsaṃnyastabāhyārthasukhaspṛhaḥ san |santaṃ mahāntaṃ samupetya deśikaṃtenopadiṣṭārthasamāhitātmā || 8 || 8. Therefore the man of learning should strive his best for Liberation, having renounced his desire for pleasures from external objects, duly approaching a good and generous preceptor, and fixing his mind on the truth inculcated by him. Notes: Duly—i. e. according to the prescribed mode. (Vide Mundaka 1. ii. 12). The characteristics of a qualified Guru are given later on in sloka 33. उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं मग्नं संसारवारिधौ ।योगारूढत्वमासाद्य सम्यग्दर्शननिष्ठया ॥ ९ ॥ uddharedātmanātmānaṃ magnaṃ saṃsāravāridhau |yogārūḍhatvamāsādya samyagdarśananiṣṭhayā || 9 || 9. Having attained the Yogārūḍha state, one should recover oneself, immersed in the sea of birth and death by means of devotion to right discrimination. Notes: Yogárudha 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 Yogárudha or to have ascended the Yoga-path.” संन्यस्य सर्वकर्माणि भवबन्धविमुक्तये ।यत्यतां पण्डितैर्धीरैरात्माभ्यास उपस्थितैः ॥ १0 ॥ saṃnyasya sarvakarmāṇi bhavabandhavimuktaye |yatyatāṃ paṇḍitairdhīrairātmābhyāsa upasthitaiḥ || 10 || 10. Let the wise and erudite man, having commenced the practice of the realisation of the Ātman give up all works and try to cut loose the bonds of birth and death. Notes: All works—only Sakáma-Karma or works performed with a view to gaining more sense-enjoyment are meant, not selfless work. चित्तस्य शुद्धये कर्म न तु वस्तूपलब्धये ।वस्तुसिद्धिर्विचारेण न किंचित्कर्मकोटिभिः ॥ ११ ॥ cittasya śuddhaye karma na tu vastūpalabdhaye |vastusiddhirvicāreṇa na kiṃcitkarmakoṭibhiḥ || 11 || 11. Work leads to purification of the mind, not to perception of the Reality. The realisation of Truth is brought about by discrimination and not in the least by ten million of acts. Notes: The idea is, that works properly done cleanse the mind of its impurities, when the Truth flashes of itself. सम्यग्विचारतः सिद्धा रज्जुतत्त्वावधारणा ।भ्रान्तोदितमहासर्पभयदुःखविनाशिनी ॥ १२ ॥ samyagvicārataḥ siddhā rajjutattvāvadhāraṇā |bhrāntoditamahāsarpabhayaduḥkhavināśinī || 12 || 12.