[Advaita-l] 'Bhasma Lepanam' in Chanakya Neeti

[V Subrahmanian]

'Bhasma Lepanam' in Chanakya Neeti

Chanakya 4 BCE,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya#cite_note-Miles1981-47, in his
'Chanakya Neeti', says this in the very first verse of the 15th chapter:


यस्य चित्तं द्रवीभूतं कृपया सर्वजन्तुषु l
तस्य ज्ञानेन मोक्षेण किं जटाभस्मलेपनैः ll – चाणक्य नीति

He whose heart melts and liquefies in compassion for all beings, for him,
what have matted hair and application of ashes, got to do with knowledge
and liberation?

The above reveals that even before two millennia there was the practice of
'bhasma lepanam' by those aspiring for Jnana, and through that, Moksha.

See image of the verse and Hindi commentary here:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2047616018585082&set=a.697484646931566.1073741827.100000101118270&type=3&theater



Om Tat Sat