||om tat sat ||

Viveka Chudamani Slokas 198-199

Guru starts his reply with the statement that 'which was seen or felt  in delusion, cannot be a fact'.  Having said that, Jivahood which has no beginning also has no end is a conclusion in delusion, Guru then elaborates on delusion.

In philosophical discussions the protagonist uses an example of Rope mistaken for a serpent. One sees rope from a distance and mistakes the same for a serpent. Having felt it is a serpent, he immediately gathers a stick and a lamp , and as he proceeds nearer,  he realizes that is only a rope. The impression of snake disappears. This is quoted often to show that under a mistaken impression ( delusion) one may see something and forms a metal frame work. Once that delusion ( mistaken impression) disappears , the original impression formed is no longer there. Guru uses that example here. 

 

Sloka 198

स्वस्य द्रष्टुर्निर्गुणस्य अक्रियस्य

प्रत्यग्भोधनानन्दरूपस्य बुद्धेः।

भ्रान्त्याप्राप्तो जीवभावो न सत्यो

मोहात्पाये नास्त्यवस्तुस्वभावात्॥198||

स्वस्य द्रष्टुः निर्गुणस्य अक्रियस्य

witness-ship of the Self is beyond all qualities and also actionless

प्रत्यग् भोधनानन्दरूपस्य

it is of the nature of inner bliss and knowledge

बुद्धेः भ्रान्त्या प्राप्तः जीवभावः न सत्यः

Jivahood seen through delusion is not the reality ( truth)

मोहात् अपाये न अस्ति  अवस्तुस्वभावात्

when delusion is lifted , it is not there, because of its nature of unreality

Guru says, 'Atman , the inner witness, which is beyond all qualities and beyond all activity , which is realized within as inner bliss  and knowledge, is super imposed with Jivahood  - by the delusion of buddhi, and thus is not real. And because it is by nature an unreality, it ceases to exist when delusion is gone'.

यावत्भ्रान्तिस्तावदेवास्य सत्ता

मिथ्याज्ञानो ज्जृम्भितस्य प्रमादात्।

रज्ज्वां सर्पो भ्रान्तिकालीन एव 

भ्रान्तेर्नाशे  नैव सर्पोऽपि तद्वत्॥ 199||

यावत् भ्रान्तिः तावत् एव अस्य सत्ता

it is there only so long as delusion lasts

( Only as long as the delusion lasts  Jivahood exists)

मिथ्याज्ञानः  ज्जृम्भितः अस्य प्रमादात्

it is caused by error of judgement, propagated by inadvertence

रज्ज्वां सर्पो भ्रान्तिकालीन एव 

rope is mistaken to be a serpent , only when there is an illusion present

भ्रान्तेः नाशे  न एव सर्पः अपि तद्वत्

once illusion is destroyed, there can be no serpent, so too is it in this case.

Guru says, 'Only as long as the delusion lasts  Jivahood exists; it is caused by error of judgement, propagated by inadvertence ; A rope is mistaken to be a serpent , only when there is an illusion present; once illusion is destroyed, there can be no serpent'.  Similarly, the import is that,  the Jivahood of Atma persists as long as the illusion of eternal Jivahood is there. When the illusion is lifted , there is no Jivahood of Atma. 

Swami Chinmayananda explains as follows. Delusion gives rise to the misapprehension that "I am the body", "I am the mind", "I am the intellect". There is also the feeling "I am the enjoyer"" I am the doer"; These constitute the Jivahood; This is there as long as the delusion lasts.  Just as nature of or Knowledge of rope is not understood , until the delusion that it may be snake is removed. Once reality of rope is realized , the snake vanishes.  Once reality of Atman is realized all the "I"s or Jivahood disappears. 

||om tat sat||

||Om tat sat||