Viveka Sloka 55 Tel Eng

పథ్యమౌషధసేవా చ క్రియతే యేన రోగిణా ।
ఆరోగ్యసిద్ధిర్దృష్టాఽస్య నాన్యానుష్ఠితకర్మణా ॥ 55 ॥

యేన = ఏ, రోగిణా - రోగిచేత, పథ్యం - పథ్యము, ఔషధ సేవా చ - ఔషధ సేవయు, 'క్రియతే - చేయబడునో, అస్య = వీనికే, ఆరోగ్య సిద్ధిః = ఆరోగ్యప్రాప్తి, దృష్టా - చూడబడుచున్నది, అన్యానుష్ఠిత కర్మణా - ఇతరులచే చేయబడిన కర్మచే, న = కాదు,

పథ్యమును, ఔషధసేవను ఏ రోగి చేయునో అతనికి ఆరోగ్య సిద్ధి కనబడుచున్నది. పథ్యాదులను ఒకరు చేసినచో మరొకరి రోగము శాంతించుట కానరాదని యర్థము.

పథ్యము, ఔషధ సేవ అను రెండింటిని చెప్పుటచే ధృఢతరమును, సాధనచతుష్టయ సంపత్తియు, వేదాన్తశ్రవణమును జ్ఞానమునకు హేతువు అని సూచింపబడినది.

pathyamauṣadhasēvā cha kriyatē yēna rōgiṇā ।
ārōgyasiddhirdṛṣṭā'sya nānyānuṣṭhitakarmaṇā ॥ 55॥

Sankara provides another illustration for the relief from bondage. A diseased person has to take medicine by himself for cure. His wife or son can't consume the medicine on his behalf. The caveat is, sometimes there could be co-morbidity for the incidence of a disease, such as of viral nature, wherein the entire household is asked to take medicine.

There is the question about the efficacy of medicine in curing the root cause. The allopathic or western medicine is often criticized as good for symptomatic relief only and it does very little for a complete cure. A person suffering from knee pain can take pain-killers, but if the root cause is the erosion of cartilage in the knee joints, then surgery is warranted. After the surgery, there is the chronic pain, although mitigated in comparison with pre-surgery, induced by the implants. Thus, the complete cure is far from achieved.

Similarly scripture suggests a number of prakriyas or spiritual methods. A number of us discover bhakti or devotion when confronted with difficulties. We visit temples and holy places in an effort to appease the gods and receive their help. If the problems still persist, we might approach a spiritual guru for advice. After meeting with disappointment there also, we turn to scripture and so on.

Gurus that are trained in guruparampara or succession of gurus, such as Adi Sankara, recommend brahma vidya to be free from bondage. But it is not easily attainable with karma or action. The karmakanda in the vedas provides an elaborate list of yagnas, homas, etc. that one can perform to obtain favors from the gods.

For instance, putra kameshta yaga is recommended for one wanting a son. Similarly Varuna, the god for climate, is prayed for rains. Such acts may result in a windfall of wealth and prosperity. The scripture says the merit accumulated from karmakanda can even elevate one to heaven. But it is impermanent. The gods ruling the heaven like Indra, Varuna, et al. would see to it that mortals are sent back to their lokas after a period of enjoyment.

Hence the gurus don't recommend karma as the panacea for bondage. Instead they recommend gnana or knowledge. Only gnana can make us realize the complex web of relationships we have built around us called life causing bondage. Once we understand bondage, we are free to either come out of it by way of renunciation or stay in it with complete awareness, thus free from despair. A complete gnani is one who attains liberation or moksha.

What is brahma vidya? Chandogya Upanishat says once Sage Narada, who is well versed in all the vidyas or branches of vedas, approaches the celestial Sage Sanatkumara in despair. He lists all of the vidyas he has excelled and says melancholy has taken over his mind despite all the knowledge he possesses. Sage Sanatkumara counsels him and gives him a discourse on brahma vidya that eventually relieves Narada's grief.

Sankara is poised to give us his version of brahma vidya in subsequent slokas. But the ability of the disciple to receive such knowledge is yet to be decided. A uttama adhikari like Sage Narada doesn't require a complete enumeration of technical language used by a guru. Here Sankara assumes we are madhyama adhikaris who have the intellect for enlightenment and most importantly commitment to follow his teaching.