||om tat sat ||

Viveka Chudamani Slokas 258-261

Sloka 258:

भ्रान्तिकल्पित जगत्कलाश्रयम्
स्वाश्रयं च सदसद्विलक्षणम्।
निष्कलम् निरुपमान समृद्धिमत्
ब्रह्म तत् त्वं असि भावयात्मनि॥258॥

1 भ्रान्तिकल्पित जगत्कलाश्रयम् -
the substratum of all delusions seen as Universe;

The various beings and forms are only different forms of Brahman, just as the all the various pots are nothing but clay; Thus Brahman forms the substratum of all universe seen in delusion. This has been heard many times in many texts. We hear in Gita. 'ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविः ब्रह्मणौ ब्रह्मणाहृतम्..' etc. In Vedas too we hear that Universe is but one part of his form. Guru is restating the same here , saying that it is the ssubstratum of the delusion about Universe.

2 स्वाश्रयं च सद् असद् विलक्षणम्।

that which is its own support, and it is that which is neithr gross nor subtle;

The answer for the question about what is teh support for Brahman it is said in Vedas  ,'स्वे महिम्न' - 'his own power'  Guru is stating the same using Vedas as his reference. Also Brahman, the Self  is beyond the five Sheaths as established by Guru.

3 निष्कलम् निरुपमान समृद्धिमत्

that which is without any parts and without any form to compare with;

Brahman has been described as one that cannot be grasped as well as one which cannot grasp. It is also seen as one with one without a second.

Guru is exhorting the disciple , to meditate on that Brhaman

ब्रह्म तत् त्वं असि भावयात्मनि -
'that Brahman you are' meditate on this in your mind

Summary of Sloka 258:

That which is the  substratum of all delusions seen as Universe, that which is its own support, and that which is neither gross nor subtle; that which is without any parts and without any form to compare with; that Brahman you are' meditate on this in yourt mind'.


Sloka 259

जन्मवृद्धि परिणत्यपक्षय
व्याधिनाशनविहीनमव्ययम्।
विश्वसृष्ट्यवन घात कारणम्
ब्रह्म तत् त्वं असि भावयात्मनि॥259॥

1 जन्मवृद्धि परिणत्यपक्षय
  व्याधिनाशनविहीनमव्ययम्।

जन्म वृद्धि परिणतः अपक्षय व्याधि नाशनम् अव्ययम् विहीनम् -
that which is free from birth, growth, decay, discease, death ;

2 (i) अव्ययम् - that which is eternal;

3(ii) विश्वसृष्ट्यवन घात कारणम्
that which is the cause for creation, maitenance and its eventual dissolution;

That Supreme being is the cause of creation , maintenance and dissolution of the universe has been told many times. The basis on which Guru is stating the same is the Vedas. Vedas say- "यतो वा इमानि भूतानि जायन्ते" - from which all beings are created; "येन जातानि जीवन्ती" - by which they are sustained ; "यत् प्रयंत्यभिसंविशंति" - into which they all merge, that Brahman is being referred to here;

In Bhagavatam too, the all encompassing Supreme being is referred to in similar terms in the Story of Gajendra's liberation.

4) ब्रह्म तत् त्वं असि भावयात्मनि-
'that Brahman you are' meditate on this in yourt mind

Summary of Sloka 259:

that which is free from birth , growth , decay , discease , death ; that which is eternal ; that which is the cause for creation , maitenance and its eventual dissolution ;'that Brahman you are' meditate on this in your mind.

Guru is exhorting the disciple to realise that he himself is none other than that Brahman.

Sloka 260

अस्तभेदमनपास्तलक्षणं
निस्तरंगजलराशि निश्चलम्।
नित्यमुक्तम् अविभक्तमूर्तियत्
ब्रह्म तत् त्वं असि भावयात्मनि॥260॥

1(i) अस्तभेदं -
that which is free from all differences or distinctions
1(ii) अनपास्त लक्षणम् -
never of the nature of non - existence

2 निस्तरंगजलराशि निश्चलम् -
निः तरंग जलराशि निश्चलं-
that which is always calm like the ocean without waves

3(i) नित्यमुक्तम् - that which is ever free;
3(ii) अविभक्तमूर्तियत् - that which is of indivisible form;

4 ब्रह्म तत् त्वं असि भावयात्मनि -
'that Brahman you are' meditate on this in your mind ;

Summary of Sloka 260:

That which is free from all differences or distinctions; that which is never of the nature of non - existence ; that which is always calm like the ocean without waves ; that which is ever free; that which is of indivisible form; that Brahman you are' meditate on this in yourt mind.

Sloka  261:

एकमेवसत् अनेक कारणम्
कारणान्तर निरास कारणम्।
कार्य कारण विलक्षण स्वयम्
ब्रह्म तत् त्वं असि भावयात्मनि॥

1 एकमेवसत् - That which is only one
अनेक कारणम् - being the cause of many

2 कारणान्तर निरास कारणम् -
That which refutes all other causes

3 कार्य कारण विलक्षण स्वयम्-
that it self which is distinct from cause and effects

ब्रह्म तत् त्वं असि भावयात्मनि -
'that Brahman you are' meditate on this in your mind ;

Summary of Sloka 261: That which is only one being the cause of many ; That which refutes all other causes ;That which refutes all other causes ; that it self which is distinct from cause and effects; that Brahman you are' meditate on this in your mind ;

Guru having established that Brahman is nothing but Self, exhorts the disciple to think of himself being that Brahman by restating the form of Brahman

॥om tat sat||