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అకృత్వా శత్రుసంహారమగత్వాఖిలభూశ్రియమ్ । రాజాహమితి శబ్దాన్నో రాజా భవితుమర్హతి ॥ 66 ॥
శత్రుసంహారం = శత్రుసంహారమును, అకృత్వా - చేయకుండగా, అఖిలభూ శ్రియం = సమస్త మైన భూలోకముయొక్క లక్ష్మిని, అగత్వా = పొందకుండగా, "రాజా ఆహమ్” - నేను రాజును, ఇతి = అను, శబ్దత్ - శబ్దమువలన, రాజా - రాజుగా, భవితుం - అగుటకు, నార్హతి-తగదు.
తన రాజ్యభోగమునకు అడ్డు తగులుతున్న శత్రువులను నాశమును చేయకుండ, అఖిలభూశ్రియం - సమస్త పృథ్వీసంపదను, పొందకుండగా 'నేను రాజును' అని చెప్పుకొనినంతమాత్రమున రాజు కాజాలడు అని అన్వయము.
సకలశత్రువులను లయింపజేసి, సమస్త భూమియొక్క సంపదను పొందుట రాజత్వమునకు ఎట్లు కారణమో, అట్లే ముక్తికి గూడ సకల దృశ్య జగత్తును విలీనముచేసి ఆత్మ తత్త్వమును తెలిసికొనుట కారణము అని భావము.
అప. 'కేవల బాహ్య శబ్దములచే ముక్తి లభింపదు, అందుచే తత్త్వవేత్తయగు గురువునుండి ప్రయత్నపూర్వకముగ ఆత్మ తత్త్వమును తెలిసికొనవలెను అని దృష్టాంతముతో సవిస్తరముగ చెప్పుచున్నాడు
akṛtvā śatrusaṃhāramagatvākhilabhūśriyam । rājāhamiti śabdānnō rājā bhavitumarhati ॥ 66॥
Sankara drives home once more that repetition of a mantra will by no means make one a brahma gnani with a yet another example. An emperor must conquer his enemies and rule over his empire without opposition and impediment, to be called as such. Merely claiming emperorship, either by lineage or by delusion, without paying attention to rivals and the subjects will be ludicrous.
The emperor among the devatas is called Indra. He was described as the one who tested the severity of penance of Sage Viswamitra, that was misconstrued by some as due to jealousy or fear of losing his power, by sending the divine damsels Rambha, Urvasi, etc. Even though the sage failed the test in the beginning, he redoubled his efforts eventually attaining his objective as brahmarshi, the only kshatriya to do so.
In Ramayana, Indra's lust was perceived to be the reason Sage Goutama cursed his wife Ahalya to be a stone, until Lord Rama released her from the curse. These are just two of many instances where Indra was portrayed negatively.
There are many interpretations of the name Indra
- ind-u, or "spirit", based on the Vedic mythology that he conquered rain (droplet is called "dru") and brought it down to earth
- ind, or "equipped with great power".
- idh or "spirit", and ina or "strong".
- indha, or "igniter", for his ability to bring light and power (indriya) that ignites the vital forces of life (prana).
- idam-dra, or "It seeing" which is a reference to the one who first perceived the self-sufficient metaphysical Brahman.
Taking what is incontrovertible by hamsa ksheera nyayam, like a divine swan that can separate milk from water, Indra as the emperor of devatas, de facto mortals, lives true to his name--the conqueror of indriyas or senses--by testing the penance of rishis so that the meritorious ones who conquered their senses alone raise to the top. Thus, sadhaka should strive to overcome the temptations of indriyas.
It is not like Indra always won against his arch-rivals asuras. But every time he had lost, he prayed to Lords Vishnu, Siva, and Brahma who suggested penance and remedies to regain the strength. To kill Vritrasura, says Bhagavata, Indra asked for Sage Dadeechi's sacrifice, upon being prodded by Lord Vishnu, to make the formidable weapon vajrayudha. However he acquired brahma hatya pataka for killing a brahmin and ended up doing penance under a lake.
The indriyas are like asuras. A sadhaka will face many obstacles because of them and having faith in the guru, who can clear his doubts and remove his delusions, is considered a virtue.
An astute reader will notice that Sankara is repeating the same concept sloka after sloka just as one repeats a mantra. When we survey his prakarana granthas we find many overlapping passages. However, in Viveka Choodamani, which is written as an interlocution between guru-sishya, it is apt that Sankara reinforces the same concept with various examples.