Vivekacuḍāmaṇi
From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
By Swami Harshananda
Vivekacuḍāmaṇi literally means ‘crest jewel of discrimination’.
Significance of Vivekacuḍāmaṇi[edit]
Vivekacuḍāmaṇi is one of the prakaraṇa-granthas or elementary treatises of Advaita Vedānta by Śaṅkara (A. D. 788- 820). It is in verses of various metres, the total number being 579. There is a balanced combination of philosophical acumen and literary grace in this work.
Content of Vivekacuḍāmaṇi[edit]
Vivekacuḍāmaṇi includes discussions on the following topics:
- Importance of attaining mukti or liberation
- Means of attaining it
- Place of bhakti or devotion in the path of liberation
- Importance of self-effort
- Liberation can be attained only by the knowledge of the identity of jīvātman (the individual soul) and Paramātman (the Supreme Soul)
- Māyā and its two powers
- Nature of the ātman
- Means of destroying the bondage of sansāra or transmigratory existence
- Nature of Brahman, the Absolute
- Explanation of the mahāvākya tat-tvam-asi
- Fruit of ātmajñāna or realization of the ātman, the Self
- Characteristics of the jīvanmukta, the liberated soul
- Prārabdhakarma, karma that has started giving its results
- Conclusion of the treatise
Commentaries on Vivekacuḍāmaṇi[edit]
- By Keśavācāryasvāmin of Muni-maṇḍala
- By Candraśekharabhāratī (A. D. 1892-1954), a former pontiff of the Sāradāpīṭha of Srñgerī
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore