||om tat sat ||

Viveka Chudamani Slokas 258-261

Sloka 258:

భ్రాన్తికల్పిత జగత్కలాశ్రయమ్
స్వాశ్రయం చ సదసద్విలక్షణమ్।
నిష్కలమ్ నిరుపమాన సమృద్ధిమత్
బ్రహ్మ తత్ త్వం అసి భావయాత్మని॥258॥

1 భ్రాన్తికల్పిత జగత్కలాశ్రయమ్ -
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. 'బ్రహ్మార్పణం బ్రహ్మ హవిః బ్రహ్మణౌ బ్రహ్మణాహృతమ్..' 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 స్వాశ్రయం చ సద్ అసద్ విలక్షణమ్।

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  ,'స్వే మహిమ్న' - '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 నిష్కలమ్ నిరుపమాన సమృద్ధిమత్

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

బ్రహ్మ తత్ త్వం అసి భావయాత్మని -
'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

జన్మవృద్ధి పరిణత్యపక్షయ
వ్యాధినాశనవిహీనమవ్యయమ్।
విశ్వసృష్ట్యవన ఘాత కారణమ్
బ్రహ్మ తత్ త్వం అసి భావయాత్మని॥259॥

1 జన్మవృద్ధి పరిణత్యపక్షయ
  వ్యాధినాశనవిహీనమవ్యయమ్।

జన్మ వృద్ధి పరిణతః అపక్షయ వ్యాధి నాశనమ్ అవ్యయమ్ విహీనమ్ -
that which is free from birth, growth, decay, discease, death ;

2 (i) అవ్యయమ్ - that which is eternal;

3(ii) విశ్వసృష్ట్యవన ఘాత కారణమ్
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- "యతో వా ఇమాని భూతాని జాయన్తే" - from which all beings are created; "యేన జాతాని జీవన్తీ" - by which they are sustained ; "యత్ ప్రయంత్యభిసంవిశంతి" - 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) బ్రహ్మ తత్ త్వం అసి భావయాత్మని-
'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

అస్తభేదమనపాస్తలక్షణం
నిస్తరంగజలరాశి నిశ్చలమ్।
నిత్యముక్తమ్ అవిభక్తమూర్తియత్
బ్రహ్మ తత్ త్వం అసి భావయాత్మని॥260॥

1(i) అస్తభేదం -
that which is free from all differences or distinctions
1(ii) అనపాస్త లక్షణమ్ -
never of the nature of non - existence

2 నిస్తరంగజలరాశి నిశ్చలమ్ -
నిః తరంగ జలరాశి నిశ్చలం-
that which is always calm like the ocean without waves

3(i) నిత్యముక్తమ్ - that which is ever free;
3(ii) అవిభక్తమూర్తియత్ - that which is of indivisible form;

4 బ్రహ్మ తత్ త్వం అసి భావయాత్మని -
'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:

ఏకమేవసత్ అనేక కారణమ్
కారణాన్తర నిరాస కారణమ్।
కార్య కారణ విలక్షణ స్వయమ్
బ్రహ్మ తత్ త్వం అసి భావయాత్మని॥

1 ఏకమేవసత్ - That which is only one
అనేక కారణమ్ - being the cause of many

2 కారణాన్తర నిరాస కారణమ్ -
That which refutes all other causes

3 కార్య కారణ విలక్షణ స్వయమ్-
that it self which is distinct from cause and effects

బ్రహ్మ తత్ త్వం అసి భావయాత్మని -
'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||