Viveka Chudamani Slokas 346-349

Sloka summary 346

सम्यग् विवेकः स्फुटबोध जन्यो
विभज्य दृग् दृश्यपदार्थ तत्त्वम्।
छिनत्ति माय कृत मोहबंधं
यस्मात् विमुक्तस्य पुनर्नसंसृतिः॥ 346॥

1 सम्यग् विवेकः स्फुटबोध जन्यो:
perfect discrimination arising out of clear understanding

Study of Vedas and Upanishads Shrutis results in the Seeker getting  an understanding which is free from doubts and brings in perfect discrimination. Perfect discrimination  allows the Seeker to realize the difference of real and unreal , Self and non-Self. Thus the perfect discrimination allows the seeker to understand the difference of Seer and seen too. 

2 विभज्य दृग् दृश्यपदार्थ तत्त्वम् -
separating the nature of seer and seen;
 
'separating the nature of seer and seen' , means understanding the difference between Self and non-Self.

3 छिनत्ति माय कृत मोहबंधं-
cuts the bond of delusion caused by Maya

That perfect understanding resulting in perfect discrimination, allows the seeker to understand the Self and non-self clearly. This clarity of Self and non-self enables him to shed the bonds created by Maya ( Maya is that ignorance which makes one follow the non-Self)

4 यस्मात् विमुक्तस्य पुनर्नसंसृतिः -
for that liberated seeker, and there is no entanglement in Samsara again;
 
Cutting those bonds of delusion, the liberated one will not have rebirth. That is rebirth into the whirlpool of bonds which is known as Samsara.


Sloka summary 346:  

Perfect discrimination arising out of clear understanding, separating the nature of seer and seen ( or Self and non-Self),  cuts the bonds of delusion caused by Maya. For the one thus liberated, and there is no entanglement in Samsara again.

Perfect knowledge acquired through the teachings of vedas and Upanishads , makes the Seeker see the difference of Self and non-Self, and results on the destruction of ignorance created by mis- understanding of non-Self as the Self. This in turn cuts all the bonds which hold one to non-Self. Freed of all bonds, one attains liberation with no return to the path of ignorance (Samsara). Thus, in effect perfectly understood knowledge destroys ignorance, and results in liberation

Sloka 347

परापरैकत्वविवेक वह्निः
दहेत् अविद्या गहनं ह्यशेषं।
किं स्यात् पुनः संसरणस्य बीजम्
अद्वैतभावं समुपेयुषोऽस्य॥347॥

1 पर अपर एकत्व विवेक वह्निः;
the knowledge of the one-ness of universal soul, Brahman and the individual soul or Jiva, which is like fire;

In spiritual discourses, the knowledge of the one-ness of universal soul, Brahman and the individual soul or Jiva, is referred to as fire, because it destroys the ignorance.

In Gita also we hear the same, namely that the fire of knowledge destroys the ignorance. Guru is saying the same thing.

2 दहेत् अविद्या गहनं ह्यशेषं  -
consumes the forest of ignorance without a trace;
 
That fire of knowledge, consumes the forest of ignorance without a trace. Implication is that like a wild fire consumes a dry forest, Knowledge consumes ignorance.

4 अद्वैतभावं समुपेयुषः अस्य -
to him who attained this sense of one-ness;

The unity of Para and Apara, or the Brahman and Jiva is the essence of Advaita. When one realizes that one-ness, he has attained liberation. Liberation is the final goal. After liberation there is no return to object world of Samsara.

3 किं स्यात् पुनः संसरणस्य बीजम्;
  where is the question of seed of Samsara?;

For one who attained that Advaita, the one-ness of Brahman and Jiva, where is the question of attachments (as he has already achieved the liberation).
 
Sloka summary 347 :

Fire of the knowledge of the one-ness of universal soul, Brahman and the individual soul or Jiva, consumes the forest of ignorance without a trace; To him who attained this sense of one-ness ( Advaita), where is the question of seed of Samsara?

For the one who realized the one ness of the Brahman, as he sees Brahman in everything,  the concealing power recedes , in effect the concealing power becomes powerless. The destruction of concealing power results in destruction of delusion too. The starting point of all this is perfect understanding of real and unreal. Guru re-states this point in the next Sloka

Sloka  348

अवरणस्य निवृत्तिः भवति च
सम्यक् पदार्थ दर्शनतः।
मिथ्याज्ञान विनाशः तद्वत्
विक्षेप जनित दुःखनिवृत्तिः॥348॥

1 सम्यक् पदार्थ दर्शनतः -
when the reality of the object is fully understood

'पदार्थ' or object is a word often used in philosophical enquiry. The enquiry is about understanding the reality of that object. In an objective world of many objects, the object 'seen' may only be a projection which is different from the reality of that object. So only when one sees the reality of the object, as opposed to its projection, true knowledge emerges.

Guru is trying to lead us towards that reality of that object.


2 अवरणस्य निवृत्तिः भवति च-
the veil that conceals is removed ;

When the reality of the object is fully understood, the veil that hides the truth is lifted and we see the reality.

That veil that conceals is the same veil that hides Self and projects non-Self. Once the veil that conceals self is lifted, the Seeker realizes the true Self and is freed from the bonds of non-Self. That also means that delusion or false understanding is destroyed.

3 मिथ्याज्ञान विनाशः तद्वत्-
then the destruction of false understanding;

4 विक्षेप जनित दुःखनिवृत्तिः-
   the sorrow created by the false knowledge too ends;

Once the reality is understood, the  destruction of false understanding and the the sorrow created by the false knowledge too ends

One who attained liberation, is no longer affected by the power of concealment, or the delusion of false understanding.

Sloka summary 348 :

When the reality is fully understood, the veil that conceals the truth is removed or the veil that hides the truth is lifted; With the destruction of false understanding, the sorrow created by the false knowledge too ends

So the beginning of this process is understanding the true reality of the object. Rest follows.

Guru summarizes issues relating to reality of the object.

Sloka  349

एतत्रियं दृष्टं
सम्यक् रज्जुस्वरूप विज्ञानात्।
तस्मात् वस्तु सतत्वं ज्ञातव्यं
बन्ध विमुक्तये विदुषा॥ 349॥

1 सम्यक् रज्जुस्वरूप विज्ञानात् -
by proper understanding of Rope;

2 एतत्रियं दृष्टं  -
three results are grasped fully;

Guru says that in the Rope-snake delusion scenario -  proper understanding of Rope, results in three things. We can easily see those three.

In the 'Rope - snake' delusion scenario, one sees an object as a snake from a distance, and having been scared, projecting more light and coming nearer, he realizes that the object is a rope only and not a snake. 

Here by proper understanding of object ( Rope) three results are grasped fully, namely (1) that object is not a snake (2) that object is only a rope (3) this realization results in the removal of the fear of snake;

With the realization of these three, we understand another profound truth. When we understand the reality of the object, understanding  results in removal of sorrow (bondage) caused my misapprehensions based on the false understanding of the object. Guru concludes the teaching on that note

4 तस्मात् वस्तु सतत्वं ज्ञातव्यं -
 therefore truth about a object must be known

3 बन्ध विमुक्तये विदुषा
by the wiseman for the liberation from bondage
 
Therefore truth about a thing must be known by the wiseman for the liberation from bondage

Sloka summary 349 :

By proper understanding of rope three results are grasped fully, namely (1)that it is not a snake (2) that it is only a Rope (3) the removal of the fear of snake; Therefore truth about a thing must be known by the wiseman for the liberation from bondage

॥ओं तत् सत्॥ 

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वि

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