Aatmabodh - I

[Ashish Chandra]

                            || Aatmabodh.h ||

Namaste Everyone,


I have tried to become an active contributor to this list besides being the
perpetual questioner. This is my first attempt and I hope that learned
members here will excuse any mistakes that I make due to my inadequate grasp
of Sanskrit, as well as any errors of interpretation. Aatmabodh, was
composed by Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya for those who, being desirous of
liberation, were limited in their understanding of the esoteric message of
the Upanishads and the Vedanta-Sutras, either by birth or state in life.

This work is composed of 68 shlokas and I hope I can translate one shloka a
week.

The following is a write-up in introduction of Aatmabodh at the Sanskrit
jaguar site

__begin quote

Commenting on the first verse of Atma Bodha, the sanskrit commentator, Swami
kRishhNaanandaashramii, remarks that Sri Shankaracharya composed the three
great bhashyas (of the upanishhads, gItA, and brahma suutra) for the
guidance of people qualified by birth, environment, circumstances, and
mental, moral and spiritual development . Out of great compassion for the
rest of the masses, Shankara composed aatmabodha for explaining the
knowledge of the Self.

      The treatise of the knowledge of self, aatmabodha, is meant for
those whose sins have been destroyed by religious austerities, who are
calm, devoid of attachment and are persons desirous of liberation (i.e .
mumukshu-s desirous of moksha).

The qualified are those who have the four fold requisities,

1. discrimination between real and unreal (viveka)
2. non-attachment (i.e indifferent to the results of one's action)
3. desire for emancipation (mumukshu-s) and
4. the six fold qualities,

a . saama (restraint of internal senses)

b . daama (restraint of external senses)

c . uparati (control of senses, without jumping from one object to another)

d . samaadhaana (mind constantly on the Self)

e . titiikshaa (indifferent endurance)

f . shraddhaa (faith)

__end quote

namaH shriisha.nkara gurupadaambujanmane |
savilasamahamohagraahagraasekakarmaNe ||

I bow to the lotus feet of guru Shri Shankara, who is the eliminator of the
alligator of all delusions(moha). [modified version of a shloka from
Panchadasi]



|| Aatmabodh.h ||

tapobhiH kshiiNapaapaanaaM shaantaanaaM viitaraagiNaam.h |
mumukshuuNaamapekshyo.ayamaatmabodho vidhiiyate ||

tapobhih - by serious penances
kshiiNa - sins, weakened state
paapaanaaM - Amongst sins (plural)
shaantaanaaM - in happiness (plural)
viitaraagiNaam.h - of the sannyaas ashram
mumukshuuNaam - desirous of Moksha
apekshyo - expectation
ayam - this one
aatmabodho - self knowledge
vidhiiyate - does take place

By serious penances does the happiness of sannyaas ashram come to those
desirous of Moksha, whose state is weakened by sins.

Note - Please note that the word by word translation and the final
translation is my own effort and I expect there to be mistakes. I hope these
are pointed out so that I may correct myself.

sincerely
ashish

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