||om tat sat||

Viveka Chudamani Slokas 343-345 

One of the key points understood in the study of Viveka Chudamani may be stated as follows. One who thinks of body as the Self lacks the ability to distinguish between right and wrong or Self and on-Self. This ignorance or lack of knowledge makes him move away from the Self. Knowledge is required to destroy this ignorance.

The same point is conveyed using the concealing power of ignorance which masquerades in the form of ego ( Ahamkara), projecting power of the mind , which runs after many things.
 

Sloka 343:

आरूढशकक्तेः अहमो विनाशः
कर्तुं न शक्यः सहसापि पण्डितैः ।
ये निर्विकल्पाख्य समाधि निश्चलाः
तानन्तरानन्तभवा हि वासनाः॥343॥

1 आरूढशकक्तेः अहमो विनाशः -
destruction of Ego once it has become strong;

2 कर्तुं न शक्यः सहसापि पण्डितैः -
difficult even for wise ones !

To destroy Ego once it becomes powerful , is difficult even for wise ones.
This has been reiterated in many Slokas by Guru. It is possible only for a man who is able to hold the mind steady in meditation or samadhi. Similar thought comes in the following lines.

3 ये निर्विकल्पाख्य समाधि निश्चलाः-
those who are steady and unmoving in Nirvikalpa samadhi

Only those who are steady and unmoving in Nirvikalpa samadhi, can destroy the powerful Ego.

A word about  samadi. It is of two types namely Nirvikalpa samadhi, Savikalpa Samadhi. Nirvikalpa samadhi is a state of deep concentration which only sees Brahman and nothing else. Nirvikalpa samadhi is being established in only Brahman, seeing Brahman in every thing. The resting of mental activity on Brahman alone (as before) without merging the distinctions of the known( Brahman), the knower ( Self) and the knowledge is Savikalpa samadhi.

Clearly Advaita implies Nirvilapa Samadhi in the final stage. Dvaita which retains the distinction of knower and the known, stay in Savikalpa samadhi in the final stages.


4 तानन्तरानन्तभवा हि वासनाः -
  तान् अन्तरा अनन्तभवा हि वासनाः-
  तान् अन्तरा - except them ;
  अनन्तभवा हि वासनाः - Vasanas indeed have long roots


Sloka summary 343:

The destruction of Ego once it has become strong, is difficult even for wise ones; Only those who are steady and unmoving in Nirvikalpa samadhi, can destroy the powerful Ego. Vasanas ( leading to ego)  indeed have long roots.

Sloka 344:

अहं बुद्ध्येव मोहिन्या
योजयित्वा वृतेर्बलात्।
विक्षेप शक्तिः पुरुषं
विक्षेपयति तद्गुणैः॥344॥

अहं बुद्ध्येव मोहिन्या  -
deluded only by the idea of ego( I am the body)

योजयित्वावृतेर्बलात्-  योजयित्वा आवृतेः बलात्-
with the aid of the veiling power of ( maya)

विक्षेप शक्तिः पुरुषं -
the projecting power;
 
पुरुषं विक्षेपयति तद्गुणैः -
distracts the man with its Gunas;

The projecting power of mind (Maya) distracts the Jiva with variety of allurements. Thus distancing one from Self.


Sloka summary 344: 

With the aid of the veiling power of ( maya), deluded  by the idea of ego (I am the body), the projecting power of Maya, distracts the man with its Gunas

The man deluded by the power of ego (Ahankara), with the intent (संकल्प) to please the himself( the body) runs after many things. Thus  pursuing non-Self things, he distances himself from Self. That this happens is known and is even seen. Guru restated the same in this Sloka as though he is reminding us.

The reminder is to say that Viveka , that ability to distinguish between right and wrong or Self and non-self is the key to destruction of ignorance.
 

Sloka 345:

विक्षेपशक्तिविजयो विषमो विधातुं
निश्शेषं आवरणशक्तिनिवृत्यभाव॥
दृक् दृश्ययोः स्फुटपयोजलवद्विभागे
नस्येत्तदावरणं आत्मनि च स्वभावात्।
निस्संशयेन भवति प्रतिबन्धशून्यो
विक्षेपणं न हि तदा यदि चेत् मृषार्थे॥

1 निश्शेषं आवरणशक्तिनिवृत्यभाव -
   without the total removal of concealing power;

2 विक्षेपशक्तिविजयो विषमो विधातुं -   
   विक्षेपशक्ति विजयः विधातुं विषमः
   difficult to overcome the victory of projecting power;


Guru is straight away making the main point - without the total removal of concealing power it is difficult to overcome the projecting power; That is cryptic statement. Concealing power is that which conceals your true Self - With true Self concealed , the mind is deluded to think that body is the Self ; The power that is dragging the mind all over is the projecting power or Maya. To overcome this Maya or the projecting power one needs to effect the total removal of the concealing power. This concept is simple and has been repeated many times buy the guru.

How to remove the concealing power would be the next question.

Guru elaborates the solution with an example.

3 दृक् दृश्ययोः स्फुटपयोजलवद्विभागे -
दृक् दृश्ययोः स्फुटपयोजलवत् विभागे-
if the seer, the one who sees and the seen are separated, like the milk and water are separated;

Here Guru is bringing back the ability to see with perfect discrimination, the seer and seen. By saying "Seer" and the "Seen" - Guru is referring to Self and non-Self. Clarity in Self and non-Self immediately results in knowing the Self, because it is no longer covered/distracted by nonSelf. The example is like milk and water , when they are separated, one could reject water and accept milk without hesitation. So that distinguishing power (Viveka) will destroy the concealing power of maya.  Guru concludes this in the last two lines.

In the classical Hindu philosophy , a 'Hansa' has that ability top seperate the milk and water in its beak. The philosophical argument is that like Hansa  separates milk and water, you should seperate the Self from non Self, then you realize the Brahman.

4 नश्येत्तदावरणं आत्मनि च स्वभावात् -
नश्येत् तदा आवरणं आत्मनि च स्वभावात् -
तदा आत्मनि च स्वभावात् आवरणं नश्येत् -
then the covering power is destroyed revealing true nature of self;

5 निस्संशयेन भवति प्रतिबन्धशून्यो-
happens without doubt and without any obstruction;


So when self and non-Self are clearly seen , the maya or the concealing power loses its ability to delude the mind, then self is seen without any obstruction. There is no doubt in that.
 
Guru concludes the message in the last  line,


6 विक्षेपणं न हि तदा यदि चेत् मृषार्थे॥
then there is no projecting power due to delusion

With the concealing power of Maya destroyed , there is no projecting power of false objects deluding the mind.


Sloka summary 345 :

Without the total removal of concealing power it is difficult to overcome the projecting power; if the seer, the one who sees and the seen are separated, like the milk and water are separated; then the covering power is destroyed revealing true nature of self; This happens without doubt, and without any obstruction; then there is no projecting power due to delusion.

 ॥ओं तत् सत्॥




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