2023-02-20 14:33:10 by ambuda-bot
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20
VIVEKACŪDĀMAŅI
54. The true nature of things is to be known personally,
through the eye of clear illumination, and not through a
sage; what the moon exactly is, is to be known with one's
own eyes; can others make him know it?
अविद्याकामकर्मादिपाशवन्धं विमोचितुम् ।
कः शक्नुयाद्विनात्मानं कल्पकोटिशतैरपि ॥ ५५ ॥
55. Who but one's own self can get rid of the bondage
caused by the fetters of ignorance, desire, action and the
like, aye, even in a hundred crore of cycles??
[¹Ignorance etc.-Ignorance of our real nature as the blissful Self
leads to desire which in its turn impels us to action, entailing countless
sufferings.
2Cycles-Kalpa, the entire duration of the evolved universe. See
note on śloka 6.]
न योगेन न सांख्येन कर्मणा नो न विद्यया ।
ब्रह्मात्मैकत्ववोधेन मोक्षः सिध्यति नान्यथा ॥ ५६ ॥
56. Neither¹ by Yoga,² nor by Sankhya,3 nor by work,4
nor by learning, but by the realization of one's identity
with Brahman is liberation possible, and by no other
means.
[¹Neither etc.-None of these, if practised mechanically, will bring
on the highest knowledge, the absolute identity of the Jiva and Brahman,
which alone, according to Advaita
vaita Vedanta, is the supreme way to
. liberation.
Yoga-It may mean Hatha Yoga which strengthens the body.
3 Sankhya-According to the Sankhya philosophy, liberation is
achieved through discrimination between the Puruşa (Soul) and the
Prakrti (Nature). The Puruşa is sentient but inactive, and all activity
belongs to the Prakrti, which is non-sentient, yet independent of the
VIVEKACŪDĀMAŅI
54. The true nature of things is to be known personally,
through the eye of clear illumination, and not through a
sage; what the moon exactly is, is to be known with one's
own eyes; can others make him know it?
अविद्याकामकर्मादिपाशवन्धं विमोचितुम् ।
कः शक्नुयाद्विनात्मानं कल्पकोटिशतैरपि ॥ ५५ ॥
55. Who but one's own self can get rid of the bondage
caused by the fetters of ignorance, desire, action and the
like, aye, even in a hundred crore of cycles??
[¹Ignorance etc.-Ignorance of our real nature as the blissful Self
leads to desire which in its turn impels us to action, entailing countless
sufferings.
2Cycles-Kalpa, the entire duration of the evolved universe. See
note on śloka 6.]
न योगेन न सांख्येन कर्मणा नो न विद्यया ।
ब्रह्मात्मैकत्ववोधेन मोक्षः सिध्यति नान्यथा ॥ ५६ ॥
56. Neither¹ by Yoga,² nor by Sankhya,3 nor by work,4
nor by learning, but by the realization of one's identity
with Brahman is liberation possible, and by no other
means.
[¹Neither etc.-None of these, if practised mechanically, will bring
on the highest knowledge, the absolute identity of the Jiva and Brahman,
which alone, according to Advaita
vaita Vedanta, is the supreme way to
. liberation.
Yoga-It may mean Hatha Yoga which strengthens the body.
3 Sankhya-According to the Sankhya philosophy, liberation is
achieved through discrimination between the Puruşa (Soul) and the
Prakrti (Nature). The Puruşa is sentient but inactive, and all activity
belongs to the Prakrti, which is non-sentient, yet independent of the