Vivekachudamani

• The Entire spiritual Discourse is in the form of a dialogue

• Vivekachudamani literally means 'Crest Jewel of Discrimination'
• It is a compendium of 580 verses on the ways to know, understand
and reach Brahman, the Reality in us.
• Who is being addressed here?- Devadutta, a very sincere spiritual
aspirant.
सर्ववेदान्तसिद्धान्तगोचरं तमगोचरम् |
गोविन्दं परमानन्दं सद्गुरुं प्रणतोऽस्म्यहम् || १ ||
Invocation of the Muse
• Why do we invoke the muse or certain Gods in Indian tradition?
Invocation of specific Gods/ power/ Muses
• In India, Lord Ganesh is invoked for removing all obstacles from the
path.
• In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses are the
inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were
considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric
songs, and myths that were related orally for centuries in ancient
Greek culture.
वक्रतुण्ड महाकाय सूर्य कोटी समप्रभा
निर्विघ्नं कु रु मे देव सर्व-कार्येशु सर्वदा॥
Shankara pays Obeisance and conveys his
gratitude to Guru
• What does the act of Bowing down signify?
• To whom is Adi Shankara expressing his gratitude?
• Can a Guru’s greatness ever be condensed in finite words?
• (He is the very essence of Vedanta itself)
• Why is the guru described in the state of param Ananda
• Why is Guru so significant in a spiritual path/ journey?
• A guru is like a GPS in the spiritual path!
• A Guru is already the one who has walked the path.
A Guru’s Grace is required in the spiritual
Path
• For correct guidance
• For sustenance of enquiry
Vedic age
• In early Vedic family affairs, women who enjoyed both their
autonomy and their role as wives were considered to be ardhangini
(better half) and sahadharmini (equal partner).
• Marriage was never forcibly imposed on women in Rig Vedic society.
• Right to Education
• Examples: ???
Shankara asks this Qs to Devadutta
How can you apply this to your life?
Manisha Panchakam
The Q &A Session in 5 verses
• Chandala - What is it that you want to move away? Do you want the
body made up of food to move away from another body made up of
food? Or do you want consciousness to move away from
consciousness?
Chandala Asks the Brahmin
• Chandala - Is there any difference between the reflection of the sun in
the waters of the Ganga and its reflection in the water in a ditch in the
quarters of the outcastes?
• Or between the space in a gold pot and in a mud pot?
• What is this illusion of difference in the form, “This is a Brahmana
and this is an outcaste” in the indwelling self which is the ripple-free
ocean of bliss and pure consciousness?
Shankara
• I am Brahman (pure consciousness). It is pure consciousness that
appears as this universe. All this is only something conjured up by me
because of avidya (nescience) which is composed of the three gunas
(sattva, rajas and tamas)”. One who has attained this definite
realization about Brahman which is bliss itself, eternal, supreme and
pure, is my Guru, whether he is an outcaste or a Brahmana.