Muni's PlayVivekachudamani: Strategies for Overcoming Superimposition
These verses (270–458) provide various methods—both practical and metaphorical—for Svādhyāsāpanaya—the removal of the superimposition of the non-Self (body, mind, and world) upon the Self.
1. Relinquishing the Three Tendencies (Vāsanā-traya)
The “three tendencies” (Vāsanā-traya) are social conformity, scriptural pedantry, and bodily attachment. These are described as iron fetters that bind the seeker.
Verse 270: The Three Observances to Relinquish
Sanskrit
लोकानुवर्तनं त्यक्त्वा त्यक्त्वा देहानुवर्तनम् ।
शास्त्रानुवर्तनं त्यक्त्वा स्वाध्यासापनयं कुरु ॥ २७० ॥
Transliteration
lokānuvartanaṃ tyaktvā tyaktvā dehānuvartanam | śāstrānuvartanaṃ tyaktvā svādhyāsāpanayaṃ kuru || 270 ||
Translation
Relinquishing the observance of social formalities, giving up all ideas of trimming up the body, and avoiding too much engrossment with the Scriptures, do away with the superimposition that has come upon thyself.
Verse 271: Obstacles to Realization
Sanskrit
लोकवासनया जन्तोः शास्त्रवासनयापि च ।
देहवासनया ज्ञानं यथावन्नैव जायते ॥ २७१ ॥
Transliteration
lokavāsanayā jantoḥ śāstravāsanayāpi ca | dehavāsanayā jñānaṃ yathāvannaiva jāyate || 271 ||
Translation
Owing to the desire to run after society, the passion for too much study of the Scriptures and the desire to keep the body in good trim, people cannot attain to proper Realisation.
Verse 272: The Iron Fetters
Sanskrit
संसारकारागृहमोक्षमिच्छोर् अयोमायां पादनिबन्धशृङ्खलम् ।
वदन्ति तज्ज्ञाः पटु वासनात्रयं योऽस्स्माद्विमुक्तः समुपैति मुक्तिम् ॥ २७२ ॥
Transliteration
saṃsārakārāgṛhamokṣamicchor ayomāyāṃ pādanibandhaśṛṅkhalam | vadanti tajjñāḥ paṭu vāsanātrayaṃ yo’smādvimuktaḥ samupaiti muktim || 272 ||
Translation
For one who seeks deliverance from the prison of this world (Samsara), those three desires have been designated by the wise as strong iron fetters to shackle one’s feet. He who is free from them truly attains to Liberation.
2. Practical Methods for Removal
Verse 278: Relying on Sattva
Sanskrit
तमो द्वाभ्यां रजः सत्त्वात्सत्त्वं शुद्धेन नश्यति ।
तस्मात्सत्त्वमवष्टभ्य स्वाध्यासापनयं कुरु ॥ २७८ ॥
Transliteration
tamo dvābhyāṃ rajaḥ sattvātsattvaṃ śuddhena naśyati | tasmātsattvamavaṣṭabhya svādhyāsāpanayaṃ kuru || 278 ||
Translation
Tamas is destroyed by both Sattva and Rajas, Rajas by Sattva, and Sattva dies when purified. Therefore do way with thy superimposition through the help of Sattva.
Verse 284: Persistent Watchfulness
Sanskrit
अहंभावस्य देहेऽस्मिन्निःशेषविलयावधि ।
सावधानेन युक्तात्मा स्वाध्यासापनयं कुरु ॥ २८४ ॥
Transliteration
ahaṃbhāvasya dehe’sminniḥśeṣavilayāvadhi | sāvadhānena yuktātmā svādhyāsāpanayaṃ kuru || 284 ||
Translation
Until the identification with this body is completely rooted out, do away with thy superimposition with watchfulness and a concentrated mind.
Verse 286: Avoiding Oblivion
Sanskrit
निद्राया लोकवार्तायाः शब्दादेरपि विस्मृतेः ।
क्वचिन्नावसरं दत्त्वा चिन्तयात्मानमात्मनि ॥ २८६ ॥
Transliteration
nidrāyā lokavārtāyāḥ śabdāderapi vismृteḥ | kvacinnāvasaraṃ dattvā cintayātmānamātmani || 286 ||
Translation
Without giving the slightest chance to oblivion on account of sleep, concern in secular matters or the sense-objects, reflect on the Self in thy mind.
Verse 288: Merging the Finite into the Infinite
Sanskrit
घटाकाशं महाकाश इवात्मानं परात्मनि ।
विलाप्याखण्डभावेन तूष्णी भव सदा मुने ॥ २८८ ॥
Transliteration
ghaṭākāśaṃ mahākāśa ivātmānaṃ parātmani | vilāpyākhaṇḍabhāvena tūṣṇī bhava sadā mune || 288 ||
Translation
Merging the finite soul in the Supreme Self, like the space enclosed by a jar in the infinite space, by means of meditation on their identity, always keep quiet, O sage.
Verse 292: Shedding the False Identity
Sanskrit
यत्सत्यभूतं निजरूपमाद्यं
चिदद्वयानन्दमरूपमक्रियम् ।
तदेत्य मिथ्यावपुरुत्सृजेत
शैलूषवद्वेषमुपात्तमात्मनः ॥ २९२ ॥
Transliteration
yatsatyabhūtaṃ nijarūpamādyaṃ cidadvayānandamarūpamakriyam | tadetya mithyāvapurutsṛjeta śailūṣavadveṣamupāttamātmanaḥ || 292 ||
Translation
That which is real and one’s own primeval Essence, that Knowledge and Bliss Absolute, the One without a second, which is beyond form and activity – attaining That one should cease to identify oneself with one’s false bodies, like an actor giving up his assumed mask.
Verse 297: Renouncing Physical and Subtle Tags
Sanskrit
त्यजाभिमानं कुलगोत्रनाम
रूपाश्रमेष्वार्द्रशवाश्रितेषु ।
लिङ्गस्य धर्मानपि कर्तृतादिंस्
त्यक्ता भवाखण्डसुखस्वरूपः ॥ २९७ ॥
Transliteration
tyajābhimānaṃ kulagotranāma rūpāśrameṣvārdraśavāśriteṣu | liṅgasya dharmānapi kartṛtādiṃs tyaktā bhavākhaṇḍasukhasvarūpaḥ || 297 ||
Translation
Cease to identify thyself with the family, lineage, name, form and the order of life, which pertain to the body that is like a rotten corpse (to a man of realisation). Similarly, giving up ideas of agency and so forth, which are attributes of the subtle body, be the Essence of Bliss Absolute.
3. Metaphors for Destroying Egoism
Verse 302: The Metaphor of the Serpent
Sanskrit
ब्रह्मानन्दनिधिर्महाबलवताहंकारघोराहिना
संवेष्ट्यात्मनि रक्ष्यते गुणमायाइश्चण्डेस्त्रिभिर्मस्तकैः ।
विज्ञानाख्यमहासिना श्रुतिमता विच्छिद्य शीर्षत्रयं
निर्मूल्याहिमिमं निधिं सुखकरं धीरोऽनुभोक्तुंक्षमः ॥ ३०२ ॥
Transliteration
brahmānandanidhirmahābalavatāhaṃkāraghorāhinā
saṃveṣṭyātmani rakṣyate guṇamāyāiścaṇḍestribhirmastakaiḥ |
vijñānākhyamahāsinā śrutimatā vicchidya śīrṣatrayaṃ
nirmūlyāhimimaṃ nidhiṃ sukhakaraṃ dhīro’nubhoktuṃkṣamaḥ || 302 ||
Translation
The treasure of the Bliss of Brahman is coiled round by the mighty and dreadful serpent of egoism, and guarded for its own use by means of its three fierce hoods consisting of the three Guṇas. Only the wise man, destroying it by severing its three hoods with the great sword of realisation in accordance with the teachings of the Śrutis, can enjoy this treasure which confers bliss.
Verse 307: The Thorn in the Throat
Sanskrit
तस्मादहंकारमिमं स्वशत्रुं
भोक्तुर्गले कण्टकवत्प्रतीतम् ।
विच्छिद्य विज्ञानमहासिना स्फुटं
भुङ्क्ष्वात्मसाम्राज्यसुखं यथेष्टम् ॥ ३०७ ॥
Transliteration
tasmādahaṃkāramimaṃ svaśatruṃ bhokturgale kaṇṭakavatpratītam | vicchidya vijñānamahāsinā sphuṭaṃ bhuṅkṣvātmasāmrājyasukhaṃ yatheṣṭam || 307 ||
Translation
Therefore destroying this egoism, thy enemy - which appears like a thorn sticking in the throat of a man taking meal – with the great sword of realisation, enjoy directly and freely the bliss of thy own empire, the majesty of the Ātman.
4. The Mechanism of Bondage and Liberation
These verses explain how identification with the body and the pursuit of sense-pleasures create a self-reinforcing cycle of bondage, and how this cycle is reversed to attain Liberation.
Verse 311: The Cause of Greed
Sanskrit
देहात्मना संस्थित एव कामी
विलक्षणः कामयिता कथं स्यात् ।
अतोऽर्थसन्धानपरत्वमेव
भेदप्रसक्त्या भवबन्धहेतुः ॥ ३११ ॥
Transliteration
dehātmanā saṃsthita eva kāmī vilakṣaṇaḥ kāmayitā kathaṃ syāt | ato’rthasandhānaparatvameva bhedaprasaktyā bhavabandhahetuḥ || 311 ||
Translation
He alone who has identified himself with the body is greedy after sense-pleasures. How can one, devoid of the body-idea, be greedy (like him)? Hence the tendency to think on the sense-objects is verily the cause of the bondage of transmigration, giving rise to an idea of distinction or duality.
Verse 313: The Cycle of Desire and Action
Sanskrit
वासनावृद्धितः कार्यं कार्यवृद्ध्या च वासना ।
वर्धते सर्वथा पुंसः संसारो न निवर्तते ॥ ३१३ ॥
Transliteration
vāsanāvṛddhitaḥ kāryaṃ kāryavṛddhyā ca vāsanā | vardhate sarvathā puṃsaḥ saṃsāro na nivartate || 313 ||
Translation
Through the increase of desires selfish work increases, and when there is an increase of selfish work, there is an increase of desire also. And man’s transmigration is never at an end.
Verse 317: The Process of Liberation
Sanskrit
क्रियानाशे भवेच्चिन्तानाशोऽस्माद्वासनाक्षयः ।
वासनाप्रक्षयो मोक्षः सा जीवन्मुक्तिरिष्यते ॥ ३१७ ॥
Transliteration
kriyānāśe bhaveccintānāśo’smādvāsanākṣayaḥ | vāsanāprakṣayo mokṣaḥ sā jīvanmuktiriṣyate || 317 ||
Translation
With the cessation of selfish action the brooding on the sense-objects is stopped, which is followed by the destruction of desires. The destruction of desires is Liberation, and this is considered as Liberation-in-life.
5. Avoiding Inadvertence (Pramāda)
Inadvertence, or falling away from steadfastness in Brahman, is considered “death” for the seeker.
Verse 321: Inadvertence is Death
Sanskrit
प्रमादो ब्रह्मनिष्ठायां न कर्तव्यः कदाचन ।
प्रमादो मृत्युरित्याह भगवान्ब्रह्मणः सुतः ॥ ३२१ ॥
Transliteration
pramādo brahmaniṣṭhāyāṃ na kartavyaḥ kadācana | pramādo mṛtyurityāha bhagavānbrahmaṇaḥ sutaḥ || 321 ||
Translation
One should never be careless in one’s steadfastness to Brahman. Bhagavan Sanatkumāra, who is Brahma’s son, has called inadvertence to be death itself.
Verse 322: The Downward Spiral
Sanskrit
न प्रमादादनर्थोऽन्यो ज्ञानिनः स्वस्वरूपतः ।
ततो मोहस्ततोऽहंधीस्ततो बन्धस्ततो व्यथा ॥ ३२२ ॥
Transliteration
na pramādādanartho’nyo jñāninaḥ svasvarūpataḥ | tato mohastato’haṃdhīstato bandhastato vyathā || 322 ||
Translation
There is no greater danger for the Jñānin than carelessness about his own real nature. From this comes delusion, thence egoism, this is followed by bondage, and then comes misery.
6. Hierarchy of Spiritual Practice
The path of realization involves a progression from listening to the truth, reflecting upon it, and finally deep, unwavering meditation.
Verse 364: The Relative Efficacy of Practices
Sanskrit
श्रुतेः शतगुणं विद्यान्मननं मननादपि ।
निदिंध्यासं लक्षगुणमनन्तं निर्विकल्पकम् ॥ ३६४ ॥
Transliteration
śruteḥ śataguṇaṃ vidyānmananaṃ mananādapi | nidiṃdhyāsaṃ lakṣaguṇamanantaṃ nirvikalpakam || 364 ||
Translation
Reflection should be considered a hundred times superior to hearing, and meditation a hundred thousand times superior even to reflection, but the Nirvikalpa Samadhi is infinite in its results.
7. Preliminary Steps of Yoga
A disciplined life and isolation from worldly distractions are the initial doors to Yoga, leading to the control of the mind and the destruction of ego.
Verse 367: The First Doors to Yoga
Sanskrit
योगस्य प्रथमद्वारं वाङ्निरोधोऽपरिग्रहः ।
निराशा च निरीहा च नित्यमेकान्तशीलता ॥ ३६७ ॥
Transliteration
yogasya prathamadvāraṃ vāṅnirodho’parigrahaḥ | nirāśā ca nirīhā ca nityamekāntaśīlatā || 367 ||
Translation
The first steps to Yoga are control of speech, non-receiving of gifts, entertaining of no expectations, freedom from activity, and always living in a retired place.
Verse 368: The Chain of Restraint
Sanskrit
एकान्तस्थितिरिन्द्रियोपरमणे हेनुर्दमश्चेतसः
संरोधे करणं शमेन विलयं यायादहंवासना ।
तेनानन्दरसानुभूतिरचला ब्राह्मी सदा योगिनः
तस्माच्चित्तनिरोध eva सततं कार्यः प्रयत्नो मुनेः ॥ ३६८ ॥
Transliteration
ekāntasthitirindriyoparamaṇe henurdamaścetasaḥ saṃrodhe karaṇam śamena vilayaṃ yāyādahaṃvāsanā | tenānandarasānubhūtiracalā brāhmī sadā yoginaḥ tasmāccittanirodha eva satataṃ kāryaḥ prayatno muneḥ || 368 ||
Translation
Living in a retired place serves to control the sense-organs, control of the senses helps to control the mind, through control of the mind egoism is destroyed; and this again gives the Yogi an unbroken realisation of the Bliss of Brahman. Therefore the man of reflection should always strive only to control the mind.
8. The Internal Sequence of Restraint
The process of meditation involves a systematic withdrawal of the outer functions into the inner witness and finally into the Absolute.
Verse 369: Merging into Peace
Sanskrit
वाचं नियच्छात्मनि तं नियच्छ
बुद्धौ धियं यच्छ च बुद्धिसाक्षिणि ।
तं चापि पूर्णात्मनि निर्विकल्पे
विलाप्य शान्तिं परमां भजस्व ॥ ३६९ ॥
Transliteration
vācaṃ niyacchātmani taṃ niyaccha buddhau dhiyaṃ yaccha ca buddhisākṣiṇi | taṃ cāपि pūrṇātmani nirvikalpe vilāpya śāntiṃ paramāṃ bhajasva || 369 ||
Translation
Restrain speech in the Manas, and restrain Manas in the Buddhi; this again restrain in the witness of Buddhi, and merging that also in the Infinite Absolute Self, attain to supreme Peace.
9. The Two Wings: Dispassion and Discrimination
Liberation requires both the detachment from the world (Vairāgya) and the clear knowledge of the Self (Bodha).
Verse 372: Fitness for Renunciation
Sanskrit
अन्तस्त्यागो बहिस्त्यागो विरक्तस्यैव युज्यते ।
त्यजत्यन्तर्बहिःसङ्गं विरक्तस्तु मुमुक्षया ॥ ३७२ ॥
Transliteration
antastyāgo bahistyāgo viraktasyaiva yujyate | tyajatyantarbahiḥsaṅgaṃ viraktastu mumukṣayā || 372 ||
Translation
It is the man of dispassion (Vairāgya) who is fit for this internal as well as external renunciation; for the dispassionate man, out of the desire to be free, relinquishes both internal and external attachment.
Verse 374: The Two Wings of the Aspirant
Sanskrit
वैराग्यबोधौ पुरुषस्य पक्षिवत्
पक्षौ विजानीहि विचक्षण त्वम् ।
विमुक्तिसौधाग्रलताधिरोहणम्
ताभ्यां विना नान्यतरेण सिध्यति ॥ ३७४ ॥
Transliteration
vairāgyabodhau puruṣasya pakṣivat pakṣau vijānīhi vicakṣaṇa tvam | vimuktisaudhāgralatādhirohaṇaṃ tābhyāṃ vinā nānyatareṇa sidhyati || 374 ||
Translation
Know, O wise man, dispassion and discrimination to be like the two wings of a bird in the case of an aspirant. Unless both are there, none can, with the help of either one, reach the creeper of Liberation that grows, as it were, on the top of an edifice.
Verse 376: The Gateway to Liberation
Sanskrit
वैराग्यान्न परं सुखस्य जनकं पश्यामि वश्यात्मनः
तच्चेच्छुद्धतरात्मबोधसहितं स्वाराज्यसाम्राज्यधुक् ।
एतद्द्वारमजस्रमुक्तियुवतेर्यस्मात्त्वमस्मात्परं
सर्वत्रास्पृहया सदात्मनि सदा प्रज्ञां कुरु श्रेयसे ॥ ३७६ ॥
Transliteration
vairāgyānna paraṃ sukhasya janakaṃ paśyāmi vaśyātmanaḥ taccecchuddhatarātmabodhasahitaṃ svārājyasāmrājyadhuk | etaddvāramajasramuktiyuvateryasmāttvamasmātparaṃ sarvatrāspṛhayā sadātmani sadā prajñāṃ kuru śreyase || 376 ||
Translation
For the man of self-control I do not find any better instrument of happiness than dispassion, and if that is coupled with a highly pure realisation of the Self, it conduces to the suzerainty of absolute Independence; and since this is the gateway to the damsel of everlasting liberation, therefore for thy welfare, be dispassionate both internally and externally, and always fix thy mind on the eternal Self.
10. Absorption in Brahman
Once dispassion and discrimination are established, the seeker must fix the mind firmly on the Ideal to realize identity with the Absolute.
Verse 378: Drinking the Bliss of Brahman
Sanskrit
लक्ष्ये ब्रह्मणि मानसं दृढतरं संस्थाप्य बाह्येन्द्रियं
स्वस्थाने विनिवेश्य निश्चलतनुश्चोपेक्ष्य देहस्थितिम् ।
ब्रह्मात्मैक्यमुपेत्य तन्मायातया चाखण्डवृत्त्यानिशं
ब्रह्मानन्दरसं पिबात्मनि मुदा शून्यैः किमन्यैर्भृशम् ॥ ३७८ ॥
Transliteration
lakṣye brahmaṇi mānasaṃ dṛḍhataraṃ saṃsthāpya bāhyendriyaṃ svasthāne viniveśya niścalatanuścopekṣya dehasthitim | brahmātmaikyamupetya tanmāyatayā cākhaṇḍavṛttyāniśaṃ brahmānandarasaṃ pibātmani mudā śūnyaiḥ kimanyairbhृśam || 378 ||
Translation
Fixing the mind firmly on the Ideal, Brahman, and restraining the external organs in their respective centres; with the body held steady and taking no thought for its maintenance; attaining identity with Brahman and being one with It – always drink joyfully of the Bliss of Brahman in thy own Self, without a break. What is the use of other things which are entirely hollow?
11. The Fruit of Realization: Universal Identity
The realization of the Self culminates in the understanding that the Self alone exists as everything in the universe.
Verse 388: The Self as the All
Sanskrit
स्वयं ब्रह्मा स्वयं विष्णुः स्वयमिन्द्रः स्वयं शिवः ।
स्वयं विश्वमिदं सर्वं स्वस्मादन्यन्न किंचन ॥ ३८८ ॥
Transliteration
svayaṃ brahmā svayaṃ viṣṇuḥ svayamindraḥ svayaṃ śivaḥ | svayaṃ viśvamidaṃ sarvaṃ svasmādanyanna kiṃcana || 388 ||
Translation
The Self is Brahma, the Self is Vishnu, the Self is Indra, the Self is Shiva; the Self is all this universe. Nothing exists except the Self.
Verse 393: The Nature of the Absolute Self
Sanskrit
आकाशवन्निर्मलनिर्विकल्पं
निःसीमनिःस्पन्दननिर्विकारम् ।
अन्तर्बहिःशून्यमनन्यमद्वयं
स्वयं परं ब्रह्म किमस्ति बोध्यम् ॥ ३९३ ॥
Transliteration
ākāśavannirmalanirvikalpaṃ
niḥsīmaniḥspandananirvikāram |
antarbahiḥśūnyamananyamadvayaṃ
svayaṃ paraṃ brahma kimasti bodhyam || 393 ||
Translation
The Supreme Brahman is, like the sky, pure, absolute, infinite, motionless and changeless, devoid of interior or exterior, the One Existence, without a second, and is one’s own Self. Is there any other object of knowledge?
12. Dissolving the Mind
The universe is rooted in the mind; therefore, the ultimate strategy is the dissolution of the mind in its source.
Verse 407: The Mind as the Root
Sanskrit
चित्तमूलो विकल्पोऽयं चित्ताभावे न कश्चन ।
अतश्चित्तं समाधेहि प्रत्यग्रूपे परात्मनि ॥ ४०७ ॥
Transliteration
cittamūlo vikalpo’yaṃ cittābhāve na kaścana | ataścittaṃ samādhehi pratyagrūpe parātmani || 407 ||
Translation
This apparent universe has its root in the mind, and never persists after the mind is annihilated. Therefore dissolve the mind by concentrating it on the Supreme Self, which is thy inmost Essence.
13. Understanding Prārabdha
Prārabdha (the portion of past karma currently bearing fruit) applies only to the physical body, not to the eternal Self. Understanding this allows the seeker to remain patient and detached.
Verse 279: Patience and Prārabdha
Sanskrit
प्रारब्धं पुष्यति वपुरिति निश्चित्य निश्चलः ।
धैर्यमालम्ब्य यत्नेन स्वाध्यासापनयं कुरु ॥ २७९ ॥
Transliteration
prārabdhaṃ puṣyati vapuriti niścitya niścalaḥ | dhairyamālambya yatnen svādhyāsāpanayaṃ kuru || 279 ||
Translation
Knowing for certain that the Prārabdha work will maintain this body, remain quiet and do away with thy superimposition carefully and with patience.
Verse 458: The Body as the Result of Karma
Sanskrit
कर्मणा निर्मितो देहः प्रारब्धं तस्य कल्प्यताम् ।
नानादेरात्मनो युक्तं नैवात्मा कर्मनिर्मितः ॥ ४५८ ॥
Transliteration
karmaṇā nirmito dehaḥ prārabdhaṃ tasya kalpyatām | nānāderātmano yuktaṃ naivātmā karmanirmitaḥ || 458 ||
Translation
The body has been fashioned by Karma, so one may imagine Prarabdha work with reference to it. But it is not reasonable to attribute the same to the Ātman, for the Ātman is never the outcome of work.
Index: Vivekachudamani