VIVEKA CHUDAMANI
Swami Madhavananda
Part 2
11. Work leads to purification of the mind, not to perception of the Reality. Therealisation of Truth is brought about by discrimination and not in the least by ten million of acts.
12. By adequate reasoning the conviction of the reality about the rope is gained, whichputs an end to the great fear and misery caused by the snake worked up in the deluded mind.
13. The conviction of the Truth is seen to proceed from reasoning upon the salutarycounsel of the wise, and not by bathing in the sacred waters, nor by gifts, nor by a hundred Pranayamas (control of the vital force).
14. Success depends essentially on a qualified aspirant; time, place and other suchmeans are but auxiliaries in this regard.
15. Hence the seeker after the Reality of the Atman should take to reasoning, after dulyapproaching the Guru – who should be the best of the knowers of Brahman, and an ocean of mercy.
16. An intelligent and learned man skilled in arguing in favour of the Scriptures and inrefuting counter-arguments against them – one who has got the above characteristics is the fit recipient of the knowledge of the Atman.
17. The man who discriminates between the Real and the unreal, whose mind is turnedaway from the unreal, who possesses calmness and the allied virtues, and who is longing for Liberation, is alone considered qualified to enquire after Brahman.
18. Regarding this, sages have spoken of four means of attainment, which alone beingpresent, the devotion to Brahman succeeds, and in the absence of which, it fails.
19. First is enumerated discrimination between the Real and the unreal; next comesaversion to the enjoyment of fruits (of one’s actions) here and hereafter; (next is) the group of six attributes, viz. calmness and the rest; and (last) is clearly the yearning for Liberation.
20. A firm conviction of the mind to the effect that Brahman is real and the universeunreal, is designated as discrimination (Viveka) between the Real and the unreal.
