vivekachUdAmani.

[Vaidya N. Sundaram]

17)
 vivekino viraktasya shamaadiguNashaalinaH .
 mumukshoreva hi brahmajiGYaasaayogyataa mataa

 The qualification of the desire to know Brahman accrues only to a man of
discrimination and detachment, who is endowed with the virtues of sama
etc., and who yearns for liberation.

 Summarising the said qualities for their clear understanding, Sri
Bhagavatpaada says in this sloka, vivekino viraktasya etc. In sloka 15 it
was said: ato vicaarah kartavyah jijn~aasoraatmavastunah. It is only the
jin~aasu who intensely desires to know and who is endowed with the virtues
of being a medhaavii etc., that can obtain the fruit of aatma vidyaa. The
question arises, who is qualified to be a jijn~aasu. The answer is: he who
possessesthe saadhana catustaya as indicated by the words of the eith
sloka: vidvaan, samnyastabaahyaartha-sukhasprhassan, upadistaartha -
samaahitaatmaa and the word dhiiraih in the tenth sloka.  The word
vivekina and the nature of viveka will be explained in the later slokas of
the text.
 jijn~aasaa means jn~aatumiccha, the desire to know. brahmano jijn~aasaa,
the desire to know Brahman is brahmajijn~aasaa. What is intended to be
brought out by such icchaa, (desire) is jn~aana terminating only with
complete comprehension (of Brahman).
 The fruit of the inquiry indicated by jijn~aasaa is the expansive or
unlimited consiousness reflected (akhandaakaaravrtti) in the manas,
because, even before inquiry one has a general (vagu) idea of Brahman. If
such a desired objective is to be secured, in accordance with the
injunction: dadyaannavasaram kincit kaamaadiinaam manaagapi | aa supteraa
mrteh kaalam nayet vedaantacintayaa || "one should not yield, all through
ones waing moments, even a little to the impulses of kaama etc. Till sleep
or death overpowers, one should spend ones time in Vedantic thought".
Also, it has been said (Saankara Bhaasya): He who attains in himself the
knowledge which will annihilate the delusion that his body is his Atman
and acquires it with the same conviction as that which in ordinary life
governs his identification of his aatman with his body, such a person is
released from bondage even though he does not wish for it." It is only a
person who engages thus in Vedaantavicaara as detailed above who is
competent to be a jijn~aasu and produce (arrive at) that knowledge.
 yogyataa: being qualified. This refers to the desire that stimulates this
kind of inquiry.



                      Vaidya N. Sundaram
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Kandavar Vindilar      : Those who have seen (Brahman) have not spoken
  Vindavar Kandilar     :   those who speak (about It) have not seen (It)
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    satyakAma, satyasaMkalpa, Apatsakha, kAkutsa, shrIman nArAyaNa
        puruShottaMa, shrI ranganAtha, mama nAtha, namostute.
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