Viveka Chudamani Slokas 421- 423

Guru talks about the fruits of the knowledge of Self.

Sloka summary  421

निवृत्तिः परमातृप्तिः
आनन्दो अनुपमःस्वतः।
दृष्टदुःखेष्वनुद्वेगः
विद्यायाः प्रस्तुतं फलम्॥421॥

1निवृत्तिः परमातृप्तिः -
cessation results in Supreme satisfaction;

'Nivrutti', means turning away from or cessation of activities related to unreal. Activities related to unreal results in a creation of more entanglements, building expectations, disappointments etc.,. Turning away form those activities results in peace.

2 आनन्दो अनुपमः स्वतः -
unequalled Bliss (too) automatically;

3 दृष्टदुःखेष्वनुद्वेगः - दृष्ट दुःखेषु अनुद्वेगः-
experience indifference towards worldly sorrows;
 
4 विद्यायाः प्रस्तुतं फलम् -
(that) is the fruit of Knowledge;

विद्य means knowledge. Knowledge of the futility of bondages and knowledge of the need to be free from all forms of bonds in order to experience the Self. Here, Vidya can be truly equated to the un-experienced theoretical knowledge. But this knowledge drives one towards the path of seeking to experience that knowledge of Self. The first step in that direction is the control of Senses which indulge the sense objects that abound in the object world. Stopping the activities of senses in the sense objects is cessation or Nivrutti. Thus, Nivrutti is the result of Knowledge that it cessatiin is the path towards actually experiencing the Self ;

Thus, it is easily understandable that Knowledge results in cessation

There are long commentaries highlighting subtle issues of explaining विद्य as Self Knowledge, which is also fine, if Self knowledge is that Knowledge about Self, and means of attaining Self, then it is still falls in line with the argument above. 

Cessation does immediately result in peace, because the soul is unburdened by all sorts of bonds into which man traps himself in pursuing the unreal. 

Sloka summary 421:

Cessation, which is the fruit of Knowledge, results in Supreme satisfaction. Unequalled Bliss (too) follows automatically, with indifference towards worldly sorrows. 

Guru then takes us into the after effects of knowledge. Before that "state of knowing" the reality, the mumukshu is in state of delusion , believing that the world is real etc. What is the difference between the two states namely (1) the state before the state of knowing or being delusion and (2) the state of knowing; simplest is that the following things done in the state of delusion will not be repeated in the "state of Knowing"

Sloka  422

यत्कृतं भ्रान्तिवेळायां
नानाकर्म जुगिप्सितम् ।
पश्चान्नरो विवेकेन
तत् कथं कर्तुमर्हति॥422॥

1 नानाकर्म जुगिप्सितम् -
those loathsome actions;

2 यत्कृतं भ्रान्तिवेळायां -
which were done during the period of delusion;

3 पश्चान्नरो विवेकेन- 
there after man with discrimination 

4 तत् कथं कर्तुमर्हति -
how can he do ?


Guru is putting the question in front of us - " how can a man with discrimination do those loathsome actions which were done during the period of delusion?

The Guru is wanting us to confirm, that we understand that a man with discrimination would not do those deeds that were done in a state of delusion. If he does then what is the fruit of Knowing? Guru asks that question the next Sloka.

Sloka summary 422  

"How can a man with discrimination do those loathsome actions, which were done during the period of delusion."

Result of the state of knowing is that the one (with discrimination) will not resort to those loathsome actions.


Sloka 423

विद्याफलं स्यात् असतो निवृत्तिः
प्रवृत्तिः अज्ञान फलम् यदीक्षितम्।
तत् ज्ञाज्ञयोः मृगतृष्णिकादौ
नोचेत् विदो दृष्टफलं किम् अस्मात्॥

1 विद्याफलं स्यात् असतो निवृत्तिः -
 result of knowledge is the turning away from the unreal;

Result of the knowledge is the realization that this Universe is Maya. Turning away from the Unreal means, turning mind from away from the external world and focussing on the internal Self - that is Nivrutti.

2 प्रवृत्तिः अज्ञान फलम् यत् ईक्षितम् । -
pursuit of unreal is the fruit of ignorance; that is seen;

The Result of ignorance is that mind is focussed on the Unreal. That is seen easily in the world.

3 तत् ज्ञाज्ञयोः मृगतृष्णिकादौ-
that one sees in how the one who knows and one who does not know view mirage etc ;

One who knows does not get disheartened by the water seen in a mirage; He knows it is a mirage. The one who does not know sees the mirage and get ready for the drink only to be disappointed.

4 नोचेत् विदो दृष्टफलं किम् अस्मात् -
If not so, for the one who knows what is the what is the difference of being a knower?;

With his rhetorical question, Guru is making the point clear, the fruit of being a knower is that he knows.

Sloka summary  423 : Turning away from unreal is the fruit of Knowledge. Attachment to the unreal is the fruit of ignorance. That is seen in the case of one who knows a mirage etc and the one who does not. If not so what is the difference of being a knower?

||om tat sat||

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||om tat sat||