Viveka Sloka 22 Tel Eng

విరజ్య విషయవ్రాతాద్దోషదృష్ట్యా ముహుర్ముహుః ।
స్వలక్ష్యే నియతావస్థా మనసః శమ ఉచ్యతే ॥ 22॥

ముహుర్ముహుః - మాటిమాటికి, దోషదృష్ట్యా = దోషములను చూచుటచే, విషయవ్రాతాత్ = విషయముల సముదాయమునుండి, విరజ్య - వైరాగ్యమును పొంది, మనసః - మనస్సు యొక్క, స్వలక్ష్యే - తన లక్ష్యము నందు, వియతావస్థా= స్థిరమగు స్థితి, శమః ఇతి - శమము అని, ఉచ్యతే = చెప్పబడుచున్నది.

విషయములకు ఆది, అంతము అనునవి ఉన్నవి. వాటిని సంపాదించుటకు ఎంతో ధనవ్యయము, ఆయాసము ఆవశ్యకములు. చివరకు అవి విరసములగును. విషయములందు ఇట్టి దోషములున్నవని తెలిసికొనిన పురుషునకు వాటిపై తప్పక వైరాగ్యము కలుగును గాన విషయ దోష దర్శనము వైరాగ్య హేతువు.

అట్టి వైరాగ్యము కలుగగనే మనస్సు, సగుణముగాని, నిర్గుణముగాని యగు తన లక్ష్యము నందు స్థిరముగ నిలిచి, నిశ్చలముగను, నిర్వికారముగను ఉండును.

ఈ విధముగ మనోనైశ్చల్యరూపమగు శమము వైరాగ్యము వలన కలుగునని 'విరజ్య' ఇత్యాదికముచే చెప్పుచున్నాడు.

అవ.. దమమును విశదీకరించుచున్నాడు.

virajya viṣayavrātāddōṣadṛṣṭyā muhurmuhuḥ ।
svalakṣyē niyatāvasthā manasaḥ śama uchyatē ॥ 22॥

Deriving sensory pleasure from external objects is quite common. Yet, more fascinating is magic which titillates the mind. It seems there is no godman who hasn't performed magic or miracles. Sri Rama, although human in all aspects, used miraculous weapons like brahmastra, and built setu to Lanka with floating rocks. Shirdi Sai Baba was known to have lighted wicks with water and cured the sick without the application of medicine. Sankara was credited with parakaya pravesa, a magical feat where a yogi transmigrates into another body. There is no telling of the magic of Lord Krishna that conjures unlimited pleasure and bliss to the devotees.

We ideally want to worship that which is eternal, fulfills our wishes or provides limitless bliss. However, all divine personalities are shrouded with maya and it is neigh impossible to find one who doesn't titillate our minds with metaphysical powers. It is all but certain that our minds won't accept one as a god unless he performs miracles.

Brittanica describes maya as: "a fundamental concept in Hindu philosophy, notably in the Advaita (Nondualist) school of Vedanta. Maya originally denoted the magic power with which a god can make human beings believe in what turns out to be an illusion. By extension, it later came to mean the powerful force that creates the cosmic illusion that the phenomenal world is real. For the Nondualists, maya is thus that cosmic force that presents the infinite brahman (the supreme being) as the finite phenomenal world. Maya is reflected on the individual level by human ignorance (ajnana) of the real nature of the self, which is mistaken for the empirical ego but which is in reality identical with brahman."

We have to accept that divinity and maya go together and divinity is inseparable from maya. How can we hold steadfastly to something that constantly changes and tricks us into submission? In other words, how can we transcend maya?

In Bhagavad Gita (7.14) the Gitacharya said: My divine energy Maya, consisting of the three modes of nature (sattva, rajas, tamas), is very difficult to overcome. But those who surrender unto Me cross over it easily.

Maya can be thought of as afflicting the antahkarana (manas, chitta, budhi, ahamkara) hindering our spiritual development in three ways. These are Mala, Vikshepa and Avarana. Mala means impurity, physical as well as mental; Vikshepa are the internal and external disturbances that plague us; Avarana is the curtain of “not knowing” that clouds our consciousness.

There is an allegory for this: a coin lies on the bottom of a bowl filled with water. If the water is dirty (Mala), also turbulent (Vikshepa) and, on top of that, is covered by a cloth (Avarana) we cannot see the coin at the bottom of the vessel. Steps taken in isolation do not help. If we only remove the cloth our vision will still be obstructed by the waves. And even if the waves subside we are still unable to discern the coin because the water is polluted and cloudy. Then what to do? All three obstacles must be removed. Firstly we must take the cloth away, then filter and purify the water, and lastly quieten the waves. Then the coin can be seen clearly and raised to the surface.

Bhagavata lists the ashta sidhis (anima, garima, etc., Skandha 11 ), that magically transform a sidha yogi small or big, travel without effort and so on, and describes instances where the devotees of Lord Krishna beseech him to not grant them the sidhis and instead pure love towards him (Skandha 10). Therefore, the mark of a true devotee is transcending the tricks that delude the mind.

As long as we are seeking sensory pleasures we can't progress in spirituality. The control of senses is called sama. Ordinarily our minds are soaked with sensory stimuli. The godmen tell us that mind has to be elevated to a higher plane through spirituality. We have to do sravana, manana, nidhidhyasana, etc. and focus our minds on the eternal paramatma, thereby releasing them from the hold of senses.

Sometimes our minds hallucinate which is different from the spiritual visions. Sama means overcoming even hallucinations and surreal thoughts by constantly reminding oneself about his goal to attain Truth that is eternal, unchanging and resplendent.