vivekachUdAmani

[Vaidya Sundaram]

39)
 shaantaa mahaanto nivasanti santo
    vasantavallokahitaM charantaH .
tiirNaaH svayaM bhiimabhavaarNavaM janaa\-
    nahetunaanyaanapi taarayantaH ..

40)
ayaM svabhaavaH svata eva yatpara\-
    shramaapanodapravaNaM mahaatmanaam.h .
sudhaa.nshureshha svayamarkakarkasha\-
    prabhaabhitaptaamavati kshitiM kila ..

There exist great and good persons who, like the spring season, are ever
given to doing good to the world. Having themselves crossed the ocean of
samsAra, they help others to do so for no reason of their own. The
assuaging of the ills of others is natural to the great. Does not the moon
cool the surface of the earth scorched by the rays of the sun?

vasantavat lokahitam carantah: given to doing good to people like the
spring season. Among the six seasons of the year, only the vasantartu is
pleasant ALL the time, with fragrant flowers in abundance etc. As this rtu
gives joy and nothing else, so too the saanta purushas, those of unagitated
mind, give peace to all.

santah: According to the Sruti, "The knower of Brahman becomes Brahman".
Hence they live with an experience of non difference from Brahman. That is
why they are said to be santah:, those who have realised the sadvastu.

bhImabhavaarnavam: The ocean of samsara is frightful. tIrnAh: Those who
have crossed the ocean of samsaara, i.e., those unaffected by samsaara.

ahetunA: Such people have no desires for themselves; they have no wants.
Hence whatever they do is not for any personal gain. Without any motive
they lift up people from the ocean of samsAra. This is natural to them. No
reason can be saught for what is natural. The moon is given as an example
in this regard. By its ambrosial rays, the moon cools the earth that has
been scorched by the rays of the sun, without being told to do so by any
other.

kila: signifies what is well known.

--
from Sri Shankara's VivekachUdAmani, with comentary by HH Sri
Chandrasekara Bharati Mahaswamigal
--
               Vaidya N. Sundaram

~+=+~ ~+=+~ ~+=+~ ~+=+~ ~+=+~ ~+=+~ ~+=+~ ~+=+~ ~+=+~ ~+=+~
uddharedaatmanaatmaanaM naatmaanamavasaadayet.h |
aatmaiva hyaatmano bandhuraatmaiva ripuraatmanaH ||

Let a man raise himself by his own efforts. Let him not degrade himself.
Because a person's best friend or his worst enemy is, none other than
his own self. (BG 6.5)
~+=+~ ~+=+~ ~+=+~ ~+=+~ ~+=+~ ~+=+~ ~+=+~ ~+=+~ ~+=+~ ~+=+~

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