Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Sloka 49 and 50

SLOKA 49:

ahaM brahmetivaakyaarthabodho yaavaddR^iDhiibhavet.h .
shamaadisahitastaavadabhyasechchhravaNaadikam.h .. 49..


Pada artha:
Abhyaset: one should practice
Shravana-aadikam: listening to the shrutis and thinking over their meanings etc.
Tavat: while
Shama aadi shitaha: practicing control of the internal organ, and other virtues
Yaavat: for so long a period as is necessary in order that
Aham brahma iti vakya artha bodha: the understanding of the meaning of the sentence ‘I am Brahman’
Drudhi bahavet: becomes firm.

One should go on studying the shrutis and thinking over their meanings as well as practicing the control of the internal organ and other virtues, until the right understanding of the meaning of the sentence ‘I am Brahman’ becomes quite firm.

The Guru after explaining in detail the meaning of Mahavakya, instructs the student in this sloka to contemplate on the truth constantly. Here the Guru is explaining to the student that an earnest seeker must constantly practice listening to the shruti and contemplate on their meaning continuously. Till the meaning of the Mahavakyas such as ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ becomes clear, one should listen, understand and contemplate on the truth propounded in the shrutis. The importance and necessity of sadhana chatushtayam is also stressed here by the Guru. Only when the inner organs are controlled and the modifications of the mind, i.e. thoughts are controlled that once can clearly grasp the meaning of the Mahavakyas.
By such spiritual discipline and practice of the teachings of the Guru and shruti alone can the conviction about the reality become strong.

Thus the guru is here instructing the student to take refuge in the shruti and to practice shravana manana nidhidyasana along with the sadhana chatushtayam.

SLOKA 50:

shrutyaachaaryaprasaadena dR^iDho bodho yathaa bhavet.h .
nirastaasheShasaMsaaranidaanaH puruShastadaa .. 50..


Pada artha:
Yadaa: when
Bodhaha: knowledge
Bhavet: becomes
Drudhaha: firm
Shrutihi-aacharya-prasadena: by the grace of the shruti and the teacher
Tadaa: then
Purushaha: a man
Nirastha-ashesha-samsaara-nidaanaha: has the cause of his transmigratory existence absolutely removed for ever

When this knowledge becomes firm by the grace of shruti and the teacher one has the cause of the whole of this transmigratory existence absolutely negated forever.

In this sloka, the Guru is explaining the benefits of practicing constant contemplation of the reality along with the virtues as explained in the previous sloka. The teacher is explaining here that when the knowledge of the Mahavakyas becomes firm, i.e. the conviction about the reality of the Self and the illusory nature of the world become strong, then the ignorance is negated forever and one becomes free from the vivacious cycle of birth and death. By the Grace of Guru and Shruti, when one attains this knowledge of Self, the ignorance is negated completely forever.

The Sadguru and the shrutis are that which are verily the embodiment of Brahman. The very words of a Sadguru itself are the Shruti. The guru hence is explaining in these two slokas that by practicing the words of Guru with all the virtues, one definitely gets liberated from not just from the momentary miseries of the world but from the cause of all the miseries, ignorance itself. The words of Guru and the scriptures, are that which propound only the Reality and hence will surely lead a seeker to the ultimate goal.

Thus, without doubt, one gets liberated from the illusory ignorance which is the cause of all the miseries by taking resort to such a Sadguru who is always immersed in the reality and by following the teachings of the Guru which are the same as the shruti. The only way hence to get rid of all the miseries is the knowledge that arises by the grace of the Guru, from the Mahavakyas such as ‘Tat Tvam Asi’.

Hari OM.

With regards,
Mallika R
What you have is God's gift to you and what you do with what you have is your gift to God

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