[Advaita-l] Recent posts

[Anand Hudli]

Reading some of the recent messages, one is reminded of Bhartrihari's
nItishataka verse. I learned this many years ago during my college days,
but it still rings in my ears, once in a while!
I am also posting the commentary on the nItishataka verse by the Jaina
scholar, dhanasAragaNi.

In modern terms, Bhartrihari is making the well-known point that it is
difficult to learn anything without *unlearning* the wrong stuff that forms
the "baggage" brought along. Unless such a person has unlearned the wrong
stuff, it would be futile to teach him/her anything.

If you notice, a pun on the word BrahmApi can be formed! It could mean, as
intended in the verse, the Creator, the four faced BrahmA or the (saguNa)
Brahma/Ishvara in our case.

अज्ञः सुखमाराध्यः सुखतरमाराध्यते विशेषज्ञः।
ज्ञानलवदुर्विदग्धं ब्रह्मापि नरं न रञ्जयति ॥ भर्तृहरिकृतनीतिशतकम् २ ॥

धनसारगणिविरचितव्याख्या-
न जानातीत्यज्ञः। अज्ञो मूर्खः सुखं आराध्यो भवति सुखेनाराध्यः स्यात्। सुखेन
प्रतिबोध्यत इत्यर्थः। विशेषज्ञो विद्वान् सुखतरमाराध्यते अवबोध्यते। अत्यन्तं
सुखेन सुखतरम्। "प्रकृष्टे तरतमौ" तरप्रत्ययः। ज्ञानलवदुर्विदग्धं नरं
ब्रह्मापि न रञ्जयति नावबोधयति। कोऽर्थः? ज्ञानस्य लवः ज्ञानलवः, ज्ञानलवेन
ज्ञानलेशेन खण्डखण्डपाण्डित्येन दुर्विदग्धं कदाग्रहग्रहग्रस्तं विश्वसृष्टापि
प्रतिबोधयितुं न शक्नोतीत्यर्थः।

गाथा पथ्या छन्दः। यतः प्रोक्तम्- "त्रिष्वंशकेषु पादो दलयोराद्येषु दृश्यते
यस्याः। पथ्येति नाम तस्याश्छन्दोविद्भिः समाख्यातम्"। विषमालंकारः।

Anand