Wendy Doniger Rig Veda on Incantations and Spells

Table Of Contents

CREATION
DEATH
THE ELEMENTS OF SACRIFICE
THE HORSE SACRIFICE
GODS OF THE SACRIFICE: AGNI AND SOMA
SOMA
INDRA
GODS OF THE STORM
SOLAR GODS
SKY AND EARTH
VARUNA
RUDRA AND VISNU
REALIA
WOMEN
INCANTATIONS AND SPELLS

INCANTATIONS AND SPELLS

The Atharva Veda is the locus classions for magic spells, but the later parts of the Rig Veda also contain many imprecations and chants. Some deal with white magic or medicine (10.97), some with bad dreams (10.164) or sleep (7.5 5), and some with the problem of black magic or sorcery (7.104). Many deal with the rites de passage: the wife hopes to overcome her rivals (10.145), succeeds in overcoming her rivals (10.159), wishes to become pregnant (10.184) and to have a healthy child (10.162). These life-affirming spells culminate in the wish that underlies so much of the Rig Veda – the wish that death will go elsewhere, at least for a little while longer (10.165).

10.97   The Healing Plants

A doctor praises the healing herbs that supply his medicines and blesses the man whose illness he hopes to cure.

1 The tawny plants were born in the ancient times, three ages before the gods; now I will meditate upon their hundred and seven forms.¹

2 Mothers, you have a hundred forms and a thousand growths. You who have a hundred ways of working, make this man whole for me.

3 Be joyful, you plants that bear flowers and those that bear fruit. Like mares that win the race together, the growing plants will carry us across.

4 You mothers who are called plants, I say to you who are goddesses : let me win a horse, a cow, a robe – and your very life, O man.²

5 In the sacred fig-tree is your home ; in the tree of leaves³ your dwelling-place has been made. You will surely win a cow as your share if you win a man.⁴

6 He in whom the plants gather like kings in the assembly, that priest is called a healer, a slayer of demons,⁵ an expeller of disease.

7 The one that brings horses, the one that brings Soma, the one that gives strength, the heightener of strength – all these plants I have found to stretch out the health of this man.

8 Like cows from the cow-pen, out stream the powers of the plants that will win wealth – and your life, O man.

9 Your mother’s name is Reviver, and so you are the Restorers.6 You are streams that y on wings. Restore whatever has been injured.

10 They have stepped over all barriers like a thief into a cow-pen. The plants have driven out whatever wound was in the body.

11 When I take these plants in my hand, yearning for the victory prize, the life of the disease⁷ vanishes as if before a hunter grasping at his life.

12 He through whom you plants creep limb by limb, joint by joint, you banish disease from him like a huge man coming between fighters.⁸

13 Fly away, disease, along with the blue jay and the jay; disappear with the howl of the wind, with the rain storm.

14 Let one of you help the other; let one stand by the other. All of you working together, help this speech of mine to succeed.

15 Those that bear fruit and those without fruit, those without flower and those that bear flowers, sent by Brhaspati⁹ let them free us from anguish.

16 Let them free me from the effects of a curse, and also from what comes from Varuna,¹⁰ and from the fetter sent by Yama and from every o ence of the gods.¹¹

17 Flying down from the sky, the plants spoke: that man shall not be harmed whose life we join.

18 Of all the many plants in hundreds of forms, whose king is Soma, you¹² are supreme, a remedy for need and a blessing for the heart.

19 You plants whose king is Soma, spread out over the earth as you were sent by Brhaspati: unite your power in this plant.

20 Do not harm the man who digs you up, nor him for whom I dig you up; let all our two-footed and four- footed creatures be without sickness.

21 You growing plants who hear this, and those who have gone far away, all coming together unite your power in this plant.

22 The plants speak together with King Soma: ‘Whom ever the Brahmin priest treats, we will carry him across, O king.’

23 Plant, you are supreme; the trees are your subjects. Let the man who seeks to injure us be our subjects.

NOTES

1. That is, the 107 types or species of healing herbs.

2. This, as in verse 8, is a direct address to the patient whose life is in danger.

3. The sacred fig is the Asvattha; the tree of leaves is the Parna.

4. That is, if you win back the life of this man.

5. Raksases, local demons, not the grand Asuras of heaven.

6. A pun on Iskrti and Niskiti.

7. The curer is depicted as killing the disease to save the patient. The particular disease named here (yaksa) is a kind of consumption.

8. The ‘mediator’ is a powerful king who remains neutral and intervenes between two warring kings.

9. Brhaspati is the deity who presides over spells.

10. Varuna sends a noose that consists in the disease of dropsy or other diseases.

11. Offences committed by men against the gods, bringing diseases down upon the offender, and offences committed by the gods against men, offences themselves consisting in diseases. Cf. 10.109.1.

12. The particular plant about to be used in the healing of the patient.

10.164   Against Bad Dreams and Sins

The evil thoughts that ruin waking life, that ruin the work of the poet, and that ruin peaceful sleep are all to be banished by an otherwise unknown god, the Master of Thought.

1 Go away, Master of Thought, get out and wander in the far distance. In the far distance say to Destruction,¹‘The thought of a living creature is of many kinds.’²

2 ‘They choose the boon that makes them happy; they yoke the lead horse that makes them happy; the eye of the son of Vivasvan³ makes them happy. The thought of a living creature is of many kinds.’

3 If we have done something bad on purpose or not on purpose, or with the wrong purpose, wake or asleep, let Agni place fat away from us all these misdeeds that are displeasing.

4 If we commit an offence, O Indra, O Brahmanaspati, let the prophet descended from Angiras⁴ protect us from oppression by those who hate us.

5 We have conquered today, and we have won; we have become free of sin. The waking dream, the evil intent -let it fall upon the one we hate; let it fall upon the one who hates us.

NOTES

1. The goddess Nirrti, chaos and death.

2. Cf. C.I 12.1.

3. Yama, king of the dead.

4. Probably Agni or Brhaspati.

7.55   Sleeping Spell

Several different suggestions have been made for the context of this hymn. Sayana relates it to Vasistha’s hymns to Varuna:¹ Vasistha, having fasted for three days, entered Varuna’s house to get food; he spoke this hymn to quiet the watchdog. The hymn is also said to have been used by thieves and housebreakers, by lovers on secret nocturnal rendezvous in their mistresses’ houses,² by mothers singing it as a lullaby to their children, or by the domestic priest (Purohita) praying for a peaceful slumber for the inhabitants of the house.

1 Lord of the House,³ you who drive away diseases and permeate all forms,⁴ be a gentle friend to us.

2 White and tawny son of Sarama,⁵ when you bare your teeth they gleam like spears in your snapping jaws. Fall fast asleep !

3 Bark at the thief or at the marauder, as you run up and back again, O son of Saramä. But you are barking at those who sing Indra’s praises; why do you threaten us? Fall fast asleep!

4 Tear apart the wild boar, for he would tear you apart. But you are barking at those who sing Indra’s praises; why do you threaten us? Fall fast asleep!

5 Let the mother sleep; let the father sleep; let the dog sleep; let the master of the house sleep. Let all the kinsmen sleep; let our people all around sleep.

6 The one who rests and the one who moves, and whoever sees us – we close their eyes tightly as we close up this house.

7 The bull with a thousand horns,⁶ who rises up out of the sea – with the help of that powerful one we put the people to sleep.

8 The women lying on benches or lying in chairs or lying in beds, the wives who smell good – we put all of them to sleep.

NOTES

1. Cf. 7.86, 7.89, and 7.88.5.

2. This Rig Vedic hymn is specifically adapted to use by lovers in the Atharva Veda (4.5).

3. Vastospati, the Lord of the House, is a god to whom the pre vious hymn (7.54) is dedicated.

4. This is usually an epithet of Soma, sometimes of Agni.

5. Sarama is the eponymous ancestor of all brindled dogs. Cf. 10.108 and 10.14.10-11.

6. The moon, ‘horned’ both in the sense of resembling (when crescent) the horns of a bull and of having the rays of moonlight shooting away from him like horns from the head of an animal.

10.145   Against Rival Wives

This hymn is appropriately dedicated to Indrani, wife of the notoriously womanizing Indra.

1 I dig up this plant,¹ the most powerful thing that grows, with which one drives out the rival wife and wins the husband entirely for oneself.

2 Broad-leaved plant sent by the gods to bring happiness and the power to triumph, blow my rival wife away and make my husband mine alone.

3 O highest one, I am the highest one, higher than all the highest women, and my rival wife is lower than the lowest women.

4 I will not even take her name into my mouth ; he takes no pleasure in this person.² Far, far into the distance we make the rival wife go.

5 I have emerged triumphant, and you also³ have triumphed. The two of us, full of the power to triumph, will triumph over my rival wife.

6 I have placed the plant of triumph on you,⁴ and grasped you with my power to triumph. Let your heart run after me like a cow after a calf, like water running in its own bed.

NOTES

1. The magic plant used in many Vedic spells.

2. That is, the husband does not really love the rival wife or co- wife (or other woman competing for the husband’s love), who is not even worthy of being mentioned.

3. The magic plant is here directly addressed as an ally.

4. This verse is said to the husband, on whose head the plant is placed.

10.159   The Triumphant Wife

This hymn, which is connected with a dawn sacrifice (vv. 1 and 4), expresses a woman’s triumphant conquest of her husband and banishing of her rival wives. Tradition associates it with Indrani, though she is never mentioned in the hymn.

1 There the sun has risen, and here my good fortune¹ has risen. Being a clever woman, and able to triumph,² I have triumphed over my husband.

2 I am the banner; I am the head. I am the formidable one who has the deciding word. My husband will obey my will alone, as I emerge triumphant.

3 My sons kill their enemies and my daughter is an empress, and I am completely victorious. My voice is supreme in my husband’s ears.

4 The oblation that Indra made and so became glorious and supreme, this is what I have made for you, O gods. I have become truly without rival wives.

5 Without rival wives, killer of rival wives, victorious and pre-eminent, I have grabbed for myself the attraction of the other women as if it were the wealth of mighty women.

6 I have conquered and become pre-eminent over these rival wives, so that I may rule as empress over this hero and over the people.

NOTES

1. Bhaga, the happiness that consists in being loved by one’s husband.

2. That is, to win out against all the other women, as well as to win over the husband. Cf. 10.145.

10.184   For a Safe Pregnancy and Birth

1 Let Visnu¹ prepare the womb; let Tvastr shape the forms. Let Prajapati shed the seed; let Dhatr place the embryo in you.

2 Place the embryo, Sinivali;² place the embryo, Sarasvati. Let the twin Asvins, the lotus- garlanded gods, place the embryo in you.

3 With golden kindling woods the Asvins churn out fire.³ We invoke that embryo for you to bring forth in the tenth month.

NOTES

1. The gods of this verse are all associated with various forms of begetting.

2. These are goddesses who assist at birth.

3. The churning of the fire-sticks is a sexual metaphor, resulting in the birth of a child, who is fire, born out of water (the fluids of the ocean or the sky) as the child is born out of the fluids of the womb.

10.162   To Protect the Embryo

1 Let Agni the killer of demons¹ unite with this prayer and expel from here the one whose name is evil, who lies with disease upon your embryo, your womb.

2 The one whose name is evil, who lies with disease upon your embryo, your womb, the flesh-eater – Agni has driven him away with prayer.

3 The one who kills the embryo as it settles,² as it rests, as it stirs, who wishes to kill it when it is born – we will drive him away from here.

4 The one who spreads apart your two thighs, who lies between the married pair, who licks the inside of your womb – we will drive him away from here.

5 The one who by changing into your brother, or your husband, or your lover lies with you, who wishes to kill your off spring – we will drive him away from here.

6 The one who bewitches³ you with sleep or darkness and lies with you – we will drive him away from here.

NOTES

1. Raksases, earthly demons.

2. The three stages of the embryo: just conceived, unmoving, and, in the third month, moving.

3. Literally, deludes.

7.104   The Demons in Hell

In banishing all evil spirits to a dark hole (a place that may prefigure the post-Vedic hell of the demons), the poet also takes the opportunity to wish evils upon the head of his rival priest, a ‘sorcerer’ who apparently accuses the author of the hymn of being a sorcerer.

1 Indra and Soma, burn the demon and crush him; bulls, hurl down those who thrive on darkness. Shatter those who lack good thoughts; scorch them, kill, drive out, cut down the devourers.

2 Indra and Soma, let evil heat boil up around him who plots evil, like a pot set on a fire. Set unrelenting hatred against the end,¹ the flesh-eating Brahmin-hater with the evil eye.

3 Indra and Soma, pierce the evil-doers and hurl them into the pit, the bottomless darkness, so that not a single one will come up from there again. Let this furious rage of yours overpower them.

4 Indra and Soma, together roll the shattering weapon from the sky, from the earth, upon the one who plots evil. Carve out of the mountains the hissing thing² with which you burn down the demon who thrives.

5 Indra and Soma, roll it from the sky. With unageing weapons of heat that burn like fire and strike like stone pierce the devourers and hurl them into the abyss. Let them go into silence.

6 Indra and Soma, let this prayer embrace you all around like the girth around two prize- winning horses. Like a pair of princes,³ urge on these prayers, this invocation that I send to you by meditation.

7 Plot against them. Swooping down swiftly, kill the demons who hate us and would break us to bits. Indra and Soma, let nothing good happen to the evil-doer who has ever

tried to injure me with his hatred.

8 Whoever has spoken against me with false words when I was acting with a pure heart, O Indra, let him become nothing even as he talks about nothing, like water grasped in one’s fist.

9 Those who casually seduce the man of pure heart or who wilfully make the good man bad, let Soma deliver them over to the serpent,⁴ or let him set them in the lap of Destruction.⁵

10 Agni, whoever wants to injure the sap of our drink, of our horses, of our cows, of our own bodies, he is our enemy, a thief and a robber; let him fall upon hard times; let him perish with his own body and his o spring.

11 Let him with his own body and his off spring be beyond, let him be below all three earths. Gods, dry up the glory of the one who wants to injure us by day or by night.

12 For the clever man it is easy to distinguish: true and false words fight against one another. Soma favours the one of them that is true, that is straight; he kills the false.

13 Surely Soma does not push forward the one who is dishonest, nor the ruler who holds power falsely. He kills the demon, he kills the one who speaks lies.⁶ Both of these lie in Indra’s snare.

14 As if I worshipped false gods, or considered the gods useless – why, Agni knower of creatures, why are you angry with us?⁷ Gather into your destruction those who speak hateful words.

15 Let me die at once if I am a sorcerer, or if I have burnt up a man’s span of life. Let the one who falsely calls me a sorcerer be cut off from ten heroes.⁸

16 The one who calls me a sorcerer, though I am not a sorcerer, or the one who says he is pure, though he is demonic – let Indra strike him with his great weapon. Let him fall to the lowest depths under all creation.

17 She⁹ who ranges about at night like an owl, hiding her body in a hateful disguise, let her fall into the endless pits. Let the pressing-stones slay the demons with their rumblings.

18 Maruts, scatter yourselves among all the peoples. Seek out, grab, and crush the demons who become birds and fly about at night, the ones who have injured the sacrifice of the gods.

19 Roll the stone from the sky, generous Indra. Sharpen it completely when Soma has sharpened it. From in front, from behind, from below, from above, strike the demons with the mountain.

20 There they go ! The dog-sorcerers¹⁰ are flying away. Viciously they wish to harm Indra, who cannot be harmed. Indra sharpens his weapon against the slanderers. Now let him loose his bolt at the sorcerers.

21 Indra shattered the sorcerers who snatched away the oblation and waylaid him. Indra splits them as an axe splits a tree, bursting apart the demons as if they were clay pots.

22 Kill the owl-sorcerer, the owlet-sorcerer, the dog-sorcerer, the cuckoo-sorcerer, the eagle-sorcerer, the vulture-sorcerer.¹¹ Indra, crush the demon to powder as if with a millstone.

23 Do not let the demon of the sorcerers get close to us. Let the light¹² blot out the ends who work in couples. Let the earth protect us from earthly anguish, and the middle realm of space protect us from the anguish of the sky.

24 Indra, kill the male sorcerer and the female who deceives by her power of illusion. Let the idol-worshippers sink down with broken necks; let them never see the rising sun.

25 Look here, look there, Indra and Soma; stay awake! Hurl the weapon at the demons; hurl the thunderbolt at the sorcerers!

NOTES

1. A creature called Kimidin, who, according to the commentator, goes about saying, ‘What now?’ (kim-idinim). The other demons in this hymn are generally identified as Raksases.

2. The thunderbolt. Cf. 8.14.14.

3. Probably charioteers, like the Asvins.

4. To death by serpents’ bite, perhaps, or to the great serpent Vrtra.

5. Nirrti.

6. Or the one who speaks spells of black magic.

7. That is, I don’t worship false gods, so why do you punish me as if I did?

8. Perhaps from ten generations of heroic sons, or from the assistance that ten heroes could render him in defence against the speaker.

9. A witch or sorceress.

10. Sorcerers who take the form of dogs, or werewolves.

11. Sorcerers in the forms of various animals.

12. The light of dawn, that will end the power of the night-roaming demons.

10.165   The Dove of Death

The dove, the messenger of the god of death, is driven from the house. ¹ Gods, a dove has come here seeking someone, sent as a messenger by Destruction.¹ We will sing against him; we will perform an expiation. Let all be well with our two-footed creatures, all be well with our four-footed creatures.

2 Let the dove that has been sent to us be kind; gods, let the bird be harmless in our houses. Let the inspired Agni relish our oblation. Let the winged spear² spare us.

3 Do not let the winged spear attack us; it settles by the fireplace in the kitchen. Let all be well with our cows and with our men; gods, do not let the dove harm us here.

4 What the owl screeches is in vain; vain, too, the settling of the dove by the fire.³ I bow low before Yama, before death, who sent this dove as a messenger.

5 Drive the dove out, pushing him with a verse. Rejoicing in food, lead the cow around and wipe out all the evil traces. Let it⁴ fly forth, flying its best, and leave us strength to live.

NOTES

1. Nirrti.

2. The dove is likened to a missile flying on wings.

3. The bad omen of the owl’s screech and of the dove’s entrance into the house are both made naught.

4. The dove, who is to leave behind it the strength of those in the house as well as, perhaps, of the dove.

Viveka Sloka 68 Tel Eng

తస్మాత్సర్వప్రయత్నేన భవబంధవిముక్తయే ।
స్వైరేవ యత్నః కర్తవ్యో రోగాదావివ పండితైః ॥ 68 ॥ (పాఠభేదః - రోగాదేరివ)

తస్మాత్ – ఆ కారణమువలన, పండితైః - పండితులచే, రోగాదావివ = రోగాదికము తొలగిపోవుటకు వలె, భవబన్ధవిముక్త యే - సంసార బంధము తొలగిపోవుటకై, సర్వప్రయత్నేన - సర్వవిధములైన ప్రయత్నముచే, స్వేనైవ = స్వయముగనే, యత్నః - ప్రయత్నము, కర్తవ్యః = చేయతగినది.

తస్మాత్ - తనబంధము ఇతరులచే తొలగింప శక్యము కానిదగుట వలనను, సాధనచతుష్టయ సంపన్నుడగు తాను గూడ గురువును చేరి, అతని ముఖము నుండి వేదాన్తములను విని వాటి యర్థములను మననము చేసి, నిదిధ్యాసనము చేసి, నిర్వికల్పక నిష్ఠచే బ్రహ్మతత్త్వమును స్పష్టముగ తెలిసికొని, మోక్షమును పొందవలెనే గాని, కేవల బ్రహ్మాది శబ్దములవలన మోక్షము లభింపదు కావునను అని యర్ధము.

సర్వ ప్రయత్నేన = వెనుక చెప్పిన శ్రవణాది రూప ప్రయత్నము చేత, భవ బన్ధవిముక్త యే = అవిద్య మొదలు దేహము వరకును గల సాంసారిక బంధనివృత్తి కొరకు, స్వేన ఏవ - ఎవరు బంధమును అనుభవించుచున్నారో వారిచేతనే, పండితైః - బుద్ధిమంతులగు వారి చేత, రోగాదేశి - రోగము, ఆకలి, దాహము మొదలగు వాటి యొక్క, విముక్తి కొరకు ఏ విధముగ ఔషధసేవ, భోజనము, జలపానము మొదలగునవి స్వయముగనే చేయబడునో, అట్లే ప్రయత్నము చేయదగినది.

బాగుగ స్థిరమైన వివేకాది సాధన చతుష్టయమును సంపాదించుకొని సద్గురువును చేరవలెనని భావము.

ఈ శ్లోకమున 'సర్వ ప్రయత్నేన' అనియు, "భవబన్ధవిముక్త యే యత్నః కర్తవ్యః" అనియు రెండుసార్లు యత్నశబ్దమును ప్రయోగించి చెప్పుటచే "యత్నః కర్తవ్యః " అను దానికి సద్గురూపనదనము చేయవలెను అను నర్థము చెప్పిన బాగుండునని తోచుచున్నది అని శ్రీ చంద్రశేఖర భారతీంద్రులు వ్రాసియున్నారు.

అవ. తీవ్ర ముముక్ష గలిగిన శిష్యుని ఈ విధముగ అభినందించి అతని ప్రశ్నను శ్లాఘించుచున్నాడు.

tasmātsarvaprayatnēna bhavabandhavimuktayē ।
svairēva yatnaḥ kartavyō rōgādāviva paṇḍitaiḥ ॥ 68॥ (pāṭhabhēdaḥ - rōgādēriva)

Why vedantins in general, Sankara in particular, are goading us to put an end to the cycle of birth and death? Are they merely asking us to think outside the box when almost every religion promises heaven in return for submission to their idealogy? Is it like a rebellion against the established order?

Vedas decree us to perform recitation of mantras and homas with all the i's dotted and t's crossed punctiliously. When we can't rise to the level of perfection demanded by the veda gurus, it seems, we are denied the blessing of devatas. Some veda gurus jumped on the bandwagon of quantum computing to claim that only when the mantras are recited with correct udatta or anudattta swaras, as they can only teach, the gates to devatas will open by the mechanism of quantum tunneling!

To understand Sankara, one has to visualize the rise of Budhism and Jainism in the subcontinent with their idol worship and sunyavada, prior to his arrival. Their high priests offered heaven on earth or utopia in return for total submission to them. The priest class in the varna system, who had traditionally carried out fire rituals (yagna, yaga, etc.) were understandably unhappy with the proliferation of idol worship and sutras replacing their cherished mantras.

One can see similarities with modern democracies: the resurgence of nationalism due to the dysfunctional pseudo-secularism, the resentment toward upper classes because of perceived oppression by oligarchs, etc. The over-bearing central authority that collects taxes on every pot and pan sold by street vendors the same way as a store owner, the stifling federal authority that threatens to withhold largesse when a satrap with opposing views gets elected, etc. can be seen. Generally power concentrated in the hands of a few, as signified by the saying "All roads lead to Rome", though can distribute scarce resources fairly among the contenders, is also seen as the oppressor by those served marginally or not rewarded for lack of fecundity when predicated on per capita.

Therefore, the establishment of Sankara maths was a move undertaken to consolidate the faith of the believers and form a united front against non-vedic religions. It worked for as long as non-violence was practiced. Needless to say it didn't work against the invading armies that used sword before which the tridandam had no chance.

Despite the occupation by the invaders, the vedas, traditionally memorized and passed down via guruparampara, remained intact, hence their endurance signifying as the only way to practice our faith. This means submission to the vedic injunctions, most of which are neither practical in the industrial world nor proven as rigorously as scientific inventions, even though vedic scholars would like to claim that all innovations were possible because of vedas and the practice of vedic rituals. So from smart phones to quantum computers, the vedas had it all, for they are apourasha, meaning rishis were able to receive them directly from paramatma wirelessly and encrypted in chandas!

Thus far, Sankara provided various methods to escape from the punarapi-jananam-punarapi-maranam as espoused in his famous bhaja govindam composition. If one is quite happy with the quarters in his life and would like to be born again, then he has to do satkarma so as to receive karma phala, what ever it may be as nara janma is not assured, in the next life. On the otherhand, for one who has experienced everything there is to the fullest extent and contentment, extinguishing the karma phala in this life without the possibility of rebirth is the way to go.

Viveka Sloka 67 Tel Eng

ఆప్తోక్తిం ఖననం తథోపరిశిలాద్యుత్కర్షణం స్వీకృతిం (పాఠభేదః - పరిశిలాపాకర్షణం)
నిక్షేపః సమపేక్షతే న హి బహిఃశబ్దైస్తు నిర్గచ్ఛతి ।
తద్వద్బ్రహ్మవిదోపదేశమననధ్యానాదిభిర్లభ్యతే
మాయాకార్యతిరోహితం స్వమమలం తత్త్వం న దుర్యుక్తిభిః ॥ 67॥

నిక్షేపః=భూమిలో దాచి ఉంచిన ధనము, ఆప్తోక్తిం - ఆప్తులమాటను, ఖననం = త్రవ్వుటను, శిలాపాకర్షణం - రాళ్లను తొలగించుటను, స్వీకృ తిం = స్వీకరించుటను, సమపేక్షతే - అపేక్షించును, తు - కాని, శబ్దైః = మాటలమాత్రముచే, బహిః- బైటకు, న నిర్గచ్ఛతి = రాదుకదా? తద్వత్ - అట్లే, మాయాకార్యతిరోహితం = మాయచేతను, దాని కార్యములగు దేహాదుల చేతను కప్పివేయబడిన, అమలం - నిర్మలమైన, స్వం= స్వకీయమైన, తత్త్వం=తత్త్వము, బ్రహ్మవిదా= బ్రహ్మవేత్త చేత చేయబడిన, ఉపదేశ మనన ధ్యానాదిభిః = ఉపదేశము, మననము, ధ్యానము మొదలగువాటిచే, లభ్యతే=పొందబడును, దుర్యుక్తిభిః - చెడ్డ యుక్తులచేత, న = పొందబడదు.

లోకమున భూమిలోపల దాచియుంచిన బంగారము మొదలగు నిధిని పొందవలెనన్నచో, దానిని చూచినవారి యొక్క మాటలు గాని, లేదా అంజనవిశేషాదుల సహాయముతో దానిని తెలిసికొని సత్యమును చెప్పెడు ఆప్తుల యొక్క మాటలుగాని విని, భూమిని త్రవ్వి, ఆ నిధిపై కప్పిన రాయి తీసివేసి, దానిని పొందవలెను.

అంతియే కాని ' నిక్షేపము’, ‘నిక్షేపము’ అనుమాటలచే అది బయటకురాదు.

ఈ విషయము ఏ విధముగ లోక ప్రసిద్ధమో, తద్వత్ = శిలచేతను, భూమిచేతను కప్పబడిన నిధివలె, స్వం= స్వకీయమైన, అమలం= స్వతః పరిశుద్ధమైన, తత్త్వం - తత్త్వము, అనగా బ్రహ్మ, మాయా కార్యతిరోహితం = అజ్ఞానముచేతను, దాని కార్యములగు అహంకారాది దేహాంతకోశముల చేతను అడ్డుకొనబడిన స్ఫుటప్రకాశము కలదై, బ్రహ్మవిదోపదేశ మనన ధ్యానాదిభిః అ=అంతట, ఉపదేశః = ఉపదేశము, ఓపదేశము. బ్రహ్మవిదుని ఓపదేశము బ్రహ్మవిదోపదేశము. లేదా 'బ్రహ్మవిదా' అనునది తృతీయాంతమగు వ్యస్తపదము కావున “ఆ బ్రహ్మవిదా" ఉపదేశమున కర్తయను నర్థము లభించును. బ్రహ్మవేత్త చేసిన ఉపదేశము, శ్రవణము, మననం = యుక్తులచే చింతనము చేయుట, ధ్యానం-నిదిధ్యాసనము. 'ఆది' పదముచే నిర్వికల్పకసమాధి గ్రహింపబడును.

వాటిచే, లభ్యతే - సాక్షాత్క రింపబడును, బ్రహ్మ తనకంటె భిన్నము కాదు కావున మరియొక విధమగు లాభము ఇచట చెప్పుటకు వీలు లేదు.

అందుచే బ్రహ్మ లాభమనగా బ్రహ్మసాక్షాత్కారము. కంఠస్థచామీకరాది లాభము మొదలగు స్థలములలో గూడ నిట్లే చెప్పవలెను కదా ?

"నైషా తర్కేణ మతిరాపనేయా" ఈ జ్ఞానము తర్కముచే లభించునది కాదు అను శ్రుతి ననుసరించి, ఇది దుర్యుక్తులచే లభించునది కాదు.

శ్రుతి విరుద్ధములు కాని యుక్తులు మాత్రము అంగీకార్యములే.

"పండితో మేధావీ గాంధా రానేవో పసంపద్యతే - దొంగలుపట్టుకొని నట్టడవిలో విడిచి పెట్టగా తెలివిగలవాడు ಬುద్ధిచే ఊహించుకొని, ఏ విధముగా తన స్వస్థానమగు గాంధారదేశము చేరునో, అ యుక్తులచేత గూడ ఆత్మ తత్త్వమును తెలిసికొనవలెను అను శ్రుతియే సత్కర్మమును అంగీకరించుచున్నది.

మహామత్స్యాది దృష్టాంతముచే ఆత్మ అసంగమను విషయమును, సుషుప్తియందు (జీవుడు) ప్రపంచము నుండి పూర్తిగ దూరమై సదాత్మతో కలిసిపోవుటచే, నాతడు నిష్ప్రపంచన ఆత్మ స్వరూపుడను విషయమును, కార్యకారణములకు భేదము లేదను న్యాయముచేతను, మట్టి ముద్ద మొదలగు దృష్టాంతముల చేతను, ఒక వస్తువును తెలిసికొనినచో అన్నియు తెలియును, ప్రపంచము బ్రహ్మకంటె వేరుకాదు అను విషయమును, సాలెపురుగు మొదలగు దృష్టాంతములచే బ్రహ్మ జగత్తుకు ఉపాదాన కారణము, నిమిత్త కారణము గూడ అను విషయమును, తస్కర దృష్టాంతముచే సత్యాభి సంధి కలవాడు ముక్తి పొందును.

మిథ్యాభి సంధి కలవాడు బంధము పొందును అను విషయమును, ఈ విధముగ అనేక యుక్తుల సాహాయ్యముచే శ్రుతియే అనేక విషయములను బోధించుచున్నది గాన, మంచి యుక్తులు అంగీకార్యములే. దుర్యుక్తులు మాత్రమే అంగీకార్యములు కావు అని చెప్పుటకై 'దుర్యుక్తిభిః' అని చెప్పబడినది.

āptōktiṃ khananaṃ tathōpariśilādyutkarṣaṇaṃ svīkṛtiṃ (pāṭhabhēdaḥ - pariśilāpākarṣaṇaṃ)
nikṣēpaḥ samapēkṣatē na hi bahiḥśabdaistu nirgachChati ।
tadvadbrahmavidōpadēśamananadhyānādibhirlabhyatē
māyākāryatirōhitaṃ svamamalaṃ tattvaṃ na duryuktibhiḥ ॥ 67॥

For many treasure hunting is alluring so much so that there is a wiki page devoted to it. There we find the mention of treasure hunters using metal detectors and armed with conventional tools like pickaxe and spade in search of valuable objects. The modern day treasure hunters use submarines to seek out valuables from ship-wrecks.

When Sankara makes a reference to treasure hunting, he is talking about buried treasure that has to be brought to light by peeling layers of sand and stones arduously. Half the struggle is finding the spot to dig. But once the treasure is found, the hunter is amply rewarded for the rest of his life.

The discovery of self, similarly, requires that one remove the avidya (nescience), for example, by reasoning about the pancha kosas (annamaya, pranamaya, manomaya, vignanamaya and anandamaya). The sthoola sareera (gross body) being the annamaya kosa, the innermost kosa is anandamaya or bliss which is experienced as one finds the self.

Vedantis had conventionally sought treasures of wisdom from srutis. The mahavakyas were derived when rishis contemplated over veda mantras. This has led some like Maharshi Dayananda Saraswati, many centuries after Sankara who gave us panchayatana pooja using idols of Sun, Ganesha, etc., to give a clarion call for sanatana dharma meaning not worshiping idols and conducting rituals that don't have a basis in vedas.

It is believed by the strict followers of sanatana dharma that only fire rituals like yagnas, agni hotras, homas etc. have vedic sanction, thereby, everything else is just a concoction by vested interests. Typically in a yagna, one recites veda mantras to invite vedic gods like Indra, Varuna, Saraswati, et al. and offers oblations, called havis, that are carried by Agni deva to them.

When one is faced with an impending natural calamity, like a cyclone or a hurricane, what one to do other than pray or perform agni hotra to pacify the devatas who have the ultimate power to mitigate the impact? Some vedantis would like to perform fire rituals even in peaceful times with the anticipation that the smoke rising from the ghee and herbs offered in the fire linger in the atmosphere for long enough to lessen the impact of pollution.

Hindus are not alone in conducting fire rituals. Fire is held by Zoroastrians to be particularly sacred, serving as a focal point of many ceremonies and rituals, and serving as the basis for Zoroastrian places of worship, which are known as fire temples.

In the world-wide web, viewed as a treasure of knowledge, one finds many valuables that find resonance with Vishnu Sahasranama "sarvagno gnanamuttamam". It goes without saying that Sankara, himself, is a treasure trove of advaita that predates his arrival and for that he is believed to be an avatar. As we dig more into his upcoming slokas, we will be further enlightened and enlivened.

Viveka Sloka 66 Tel Eng

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.

Viveka Sloka 65 Tel Eng

అకృత్వా దృశ్యవిలయమజ్ఞాత్వా తత్త్వమాత్మనః ।
బ్రహ్మశబ్దైః కుతో ముక్తిరుక్తిమాత్రఫలైర్నృణామ్ ॥ 65 ॥ (పాఠభేదః - బాహ్యశబ్దైః)

దృశ్యవిలయం - దృశ్యమగు ప్రపంచముయొక్క విలయమును, అకృత్వా=చేయక, ఆత్మని - ఆత్మయొక్క, తత్త్వం - తత్త్వమును, అజ్ఞాత్వా=తెలిసికొనక, ఉక్తిమాత్రఫలైః = ఉచ్చారణ మాత్రమే ఫలముగా గల, బాహ్యశబ్దైః = బాహ్యశబ్దములనే, మృణాం- మానవులకు, ముక్తిః = మోక్షము, కుత = ఎట్లు లభించును ?

దృశ్యవిలయం = దృశ్యమనగా శబ్దేతరములగు చక్క్షురాదులు వలన కల్గిన మనోవృత్తికి విషయమైనది లేదా చిత్తుకు విషయమైనది. ఇట్లు చెప్పుటచే శబ్దమును వినగనే కలిగిన మనోవృత్తికి విషయమగు శశశృంగాదికము (కుందేలుకు కొమ్ము ఉండదు కదా) కంటెను, బ్రహ్మకంటెను భిన్నమైనది అను అర్థము వచ్చును;

అట్టి అజ్ఞానము వరకును ఉన్నదియు, బ్రహ్మవ్యతిరిక్తమును అగు సకల దృశ్య జగత్తు యొక్క విలయమును అనగా బ్రహ్మయందు ప్రవిలాపనమును – అణగిపోవుటను - చేయకుండగను, ఆత్మనః తన యొక్క తత్త్వం సజాతీయ - విజాతీయ - స్వగతి భేదరహితము, సర్వాదిష్ఠానము, సత్యము, స్వయం ప్రకాశము అగు ఆనంద స్వరూపత్వమును తెలిసికొనక, ఉక్తిమాగ్రఫలై : ఉచ్చారణమాత్రమే ప్రయోజనముగా గలిగిన, బాహ్యశబ్దైః: అంతరమగు అనుభవము లేకుండగనే ఉచ్చరింపబడుచున్న “అహం బ్రహ్మాస్మి” ఇత్యాది శబ్దముల చేత, నృణాం = మానవులకు ముక్తి ఎట్లువచ్చును? అసంభావ్యమని యర్థము. “కుతః” అనుశబ్దము నిషేధార్థకము.

అవ. ఈ విధముగ 'అకృత్వా ' ఇత్యాది పూర్వశ్లోకమున, సమస్త దృశ్య ప్రపంచమును అణచివేసి బ్రహ్మమాత్రమునే మిగుల్చుట అనునది ఆత్మతత్త్వమును తెలిసికొనుటకు పరమ కారణము అని వ్యతిరేక ముఖమున చెప్పబడినది.

అట్లే తత్త్వ జ్ఞానమును కలిగిననే ముక్తి కలుగును, మరియొక విధముగ కలుగదు అను విషయముగూడ వ్యతిరేక ముఖమున చెప్పబడినది.

akṛtvā dṛśyavilayamajñātvā tattvamātmanaḥ ।
brahmaśabdaiḥ kutō muktiruktimātraphalairnṛṇām ॥ 65॥ (pāṭhabhēdaḥ - bāhyaśabdaiḥ)

If the default state of atma is bliss, why aren't many men embracing it? To the contrary, men seek pleasure in a tumultuous world filled with sensuous distractions and unending wonders. Even Lord Siva who gave us Tripura Rahasyam (Three Secrets), originally as a discourse to his wife Parvati Devi, mentioned the vamachara system, where the siddhas can frolic in titillating activities, by indulging in wine, women and meat, still attain him. The conventional wisdom that sensory stimuli confine to body, emotions and thoughts are for the mind, and discrimination and search for truth are for intellect, seem to have gone with the wind. Lord Siva didn't contradict this, however, warned that anyone indulging in excesses has to face his ire.

Thus, only with atma gnana there is unending bliss where bliss is already an excessive form of pleasure. Add to that endlessness which makes it the most difficult to attain. In fact, as per Lord Siva in the dakshinachara system adopted by the sages, there are no limits to how much bliss they can receive. Most samsaris are living in the kaulachara by worshiping kula devata, kula stree and so on where kula is as defined by the sastra to obtain finite pleasure

When a melancholic Sage Narada approaches Sage Sanatkumara, as described in Chandogya Upanishad, he relates to him all the vidyas he knows, yet he feels dejected. The Sage Sanatkumara starts narrating the concepts he knows that give pleasure in increasing degree. The dissatisfied Sage Narada keeps asking "What's more pleasurable?". Exasperated, the Sage Sanatkumara explains to him about Bhooma, which is synonymous with brahma gnana, after which Sage Narada is satisfied.

People familiar with neurons tell us about their activation and saturation. When presented with a sensory stimulus, the neurons don't activate until the stimulus meets a certain threshold. Once activated, the neurons happily communicate with each other giving rise to pleasure. As the degree of intensity of the stimulus keeps increasing, the activation follows, with increasing pleasure. But this won't last for ever as the neurons get saturated and stop responding to further increase in the stimulus. One knows, in parlance, the mere act of eating sweets gives pleasure in the beginning, but eventually subsides after attaining satiation.

We know that intense physical exercise, similar to sensory stimuli, releases endorphins in the brain, increasing the dopamine activity that causes happiness. We also know that hatha yoga practitioners don't pound their shoes on the pavements nor lift heavy weights to attain the same pleasure. By merely stretching their bodies and assuming various shapes that were prescribed by the yogis they get the same effect. It may be hard in the beginning to contort the bodies to meet the yogic specifications, but it is considered the stepping stone for attaining atma gnana. For the yogi, the physical stretching and mental stimulation, or body and spirit, are the two sides of the same coin leading to liberation.

Therefore, Sankara is reiterating what we now know as the fundamental basis of pleasure, in the realm of meditation with mantras. He is saying one can recite all the mantras in the scripture and yet not attain the gnana. This can be the case even with those who receive the mantra upadesa from a guru. Only sadhana along the lines Sankara describes can release one from samsara.

Viveka Sloka 64 Tel Eng

న గచ్ఛతి వినా పానం వ్యాధిరౌషధశబ్దతః ।
వినాఽపరోక్షానుభవం బ్రహ్మశబ్దైర్న ముచ్యతే ॥ 64 ॥

వ్యాధి = రోగము, పానం వినా - ఔషధపానము చేయకుండగా, ఔషధశబ్ద - ఈ ' ఔషధము' అనుశబ్దము నుచ్చరించినంత మాత్రమున, న గచ్చతి = తొలగదు, అపరోక్షానుభవం వినా = ప్రత్యక్షానుభవము లేకుండగా, బ్రహ్మశబ్దైః = "బ్రహ్మ" అనుశబ్దము నుచ్చరించుటచే, న ముచ్యతే - మోక్షమును పొందజాలడు.

ఔషధసేవనము చేయకుండగా "ఔషధము", "ఔషధము" అని శబ్దమును ఉచ్చరించినంత మాత్రమున రోగము కుదురదు. అపరోక్షానుభవం వినా= ఆత్మసాక్షాత్కారము లేకుండగా, కేవలము ఉపనిషత్తులలోనున్న "బ్రహ్మ" శబ్దములచే, న ముచ్యతే = బంధ ముక్తుడు కాజాలడు.

అవ. తత్త్వజ్ఞానమునకు ప్రధాన కారణ మేదియో చెప్పుచు ఈ విషయమునే మరియొక విధముగ చెప్పుచున్నాడు.

na gachChati vinā pānaṃ vyādhirauṣadhaśabdataḥ ।
vinā'parōkṣānubhavaṃ brahmaśabdairna muchyatē ॥ 64॥

Doctors frequently change the criteria for a diagnosis. Once a 170/100 blood pressure was considered normal. Then it was changed to 120/80. Now it is 130/80. The medical guidelines say blood pressure in adults varies by age and so on. Similarly the thresholds for LDL cholesterol are being changed from time to time and the prescription of statins became common. Taking 'baby aspirin' and statins is the new norm as preventive care. The same can be said about diabetes and so-called 'diseases'.

In the "moving goal posts" of medical 'advances', what should a common man do? Merely pooh-poohing the doctor's prescription won't alleviate his symptoms nor does it prevent the onset of symptoms. So not taking medicine, and merely thinking about it won't help. He has to take the medicine prescribed and leave the rest to the divine.

Sankara is reminding us that merely chanting "Om" or "Brahman" won't give self-realization. Similarly reading the prasthana trayam (vedas, itihasas, puranas, etc.) won't help as far as brahma gnana is concerned. So what gives?

Sankara says such experiences are aparoksha. One has to strive to realize Self as pratyaksha here and now. This requires sadhana or meditation beyond repetition of mantras. Some gurus suggest ashtanga yoga as a means to attain Self. While this may be undisputed, there is no guarantee that the yogi will reach samadhi and beyond without divine assistance.

In this context, it is to be noted that atma is propounded first by the ancient texts such as upanishads. The sadhana is all about realizing the truth of atma. This is like mathematical axioms where we accept some initial truths as valid. All mathematicians must agree on the number system, zero, the value of pi, etc. Without axioms, the facade of mathematical theorems and proofs will collapse.

One may ask if Newton didn't question why an apple from tree falls toward earth or if Einstein didn't question Newton's theories, then how could the truth about the phenomenal world be known? The answer lies, as the non-classical scientists say, in positing "consciousness" as a fundamental truth. The famous double-slit experiment, where an electron passes through both slits as a wave when there is no observer and chooses one of the two slits to pass through as a particle when an observer is present, shows that "consciousness" affects scientific observations. Indeed this is the basis of quantum physics. Incidentally, Einstein had Newton's equations to start from, but what about Newton? It seems he produced them from vacuum. Needless to say the intuition of those versed with vedas had a role to play. So what is "consciousness"?

Only a vedanti like Sankara can clarify once and for all. In his slokas he is proclaiming, many a time, atma as the ultimate doer and enjoyer. Everything else, including the antahkarana, is phenomenal and subordinate to it.

Viveka Sloka 63 Tel Eng

అజ్ఞానసర్పదష్టస్య బ్రహ్మజ్ఞానౌషధం వినా ।
కిము వేదైశ్చ శాస్త్రైశ్చ కిము మంత్రైః కిమౌషధైః ॥ 63 ॥

అజ్ఞాన సర్పదష్టస్య – అజ్ఞానమనెడు సర్పముచే కరవబడినవానికి, బ్రహ్మజ్ఞానౌషధం వినా - బ్రహ్మజ్ఞానమనెడి ఔషధముతప్ప, వేదైశ్చ - వేదములచేత, కిము - ఏమి ప్రయోజనము, శాస్త్రైశ్చ - శాస్త్రములచేత, కిము = ఏమి ప్రయోజనము, మంత్రైః - మంత్రములచేతను, ఔషదైః - ఔషధములచేతను, కిం - ఏమి ప్రయోజనము.

అత్యంతము అనర్థమునకు హేతువగుటచే, అజ్ఞానమే సర్పము. దానిచే, దష్టస్య = ఆవరణ విక్షేపములచే మోహితుడైనవానికి, బ్రహ్మ జ్ఞానమే ఔషధము.

అది లేనిచో, వేదైః = ఋగాది వేదముల చేతను, శాస్త్రైః = వ్యాకరణాది శాస్త్రముల చేతను, మంత్రైః = సప్త కోటి మహా మంత్రముల చేతను, ఔషధైః - సంజీవని మొదలగు ఓషధుల చేతను, ఏమి ప్రయోజనము?

వాటిలో ఏ ఒక్కటియు అజ్ఞాన సర్పము వేసిన కాటుచే కలిగిన మోహమును నివర్తింపజాలవు అని యర్థము.

అవ. కేవలము శబ్దము మోక్షము నీయజాలదు అను విషయమును దృష్టాంత ప్రదర్శన పూర్వకముగ చెప్పుచున్నాడు.

ajñānasarpadaṣṭasya brahmajñānauṣadhaṃ vinā ।
kimu vēdaiścha śāstraiścha kimu mantraiḥ kimauṣadhaiḥ ॥ 63॥

Sankara's guru Sri Gaudapada believed that the universe is neither created nor destroyed. This is called ajatavada. Sankara, however, believed that the universe is an apparent transformation of immutable brahman and only an illusion. The commonly quoted illusion is mistaking rope for a snake. So, according to him, we are under the avarana and vikshepana of avidya.

Incidentally, Darwin who came a decade after Sankara, essentially extended vivartavada by proposing Natural Selection or Theory of Evolution which is debunked by some vedantins. The ardent adherents of vedas believe the prototype humans emerged on earth in young forms, received gnana in the form of vedas and spread it by traveling in different directions on earth. They say, the adimanavas (earliest humans) originated on the Tibetan plateau of India. There are other believers of srisooktam who claim all humans emerged from the various body parts of a virat purusha during a yagna. And there are some who claim aliens brought humans to earth.

We see that on the important matter of human origination alone there are different camps pitted against one another, each claiming their version is the actual truth. Professional biologists must necessarily believe in Darwin's theory to obtain funds for livelihood by teaching and researching, while the religious camps embark on preaching.

If you ask Ramana Maharshi who is right, he would likely say, "First ask 'who am I'?". In other words, brahma gnanis don't engage themselves in trivial pursuits and make baseless arguments to score points. Their objective is to find the unifying factor among different races, castes and creeds.

On the other hand, when one is confronted with a terminal condition, vedantic debates don't make sense as is evident in the case of Pandava King Parikshit who was cursed by a rishi to die with the poisonous bite of Taksha. When the king tried to end his life by drowning in river Ganga, the rishis present there diverted his mind by reciting Vyasa bhagavata that offered peace and solace to the king before facing death.

Therefore, Sankara, who himself engaged in debates to promote advaita, is uniquely qualified to tell us about the various viewpoints because of avidya that act on the body and mind like the venom, and self-realization which alone is the appropriate anti-venom.