Section 2 84
आत्मा का निरन्तर ध्यान करते रहना चाहिए | One must continuously meditate on the Self
Summary (in English)
In this series of slokas, the necessity of unwavering meditation on the Self is emphasized. It begins by asserting that negligence in the pursuit of spiritual practices like brahma-niṣṭhā (devotion to Brahman) is tantamount to death, since it leads to delusion, attachment, and suffering. The slokas describe how even the wise can be distracted by sensory allurements and that vigilance is crucial to avoid these distractions, likening negligence to a ball rolling down stairs once it loses balance. The mind, when not properly focused, can lead to desires and ultimately, actions dictated by those desires. Therefore, the highest risk to spiritual pursuit is negligence which results in a deviation from one's true nature and potentially exhaustive downfalls. The slokas also highlight the importance of renouncing thoughts that produce the illusion of duality, as the perception of separateness leads to fear. Liberation and freedom are achieved by realizing and remaining steadfast in the non-dual nature of Brahman.
सारांश
इस श्लोक समूह में आत्मा का निरंतर ध्यान करने की आवश्यकता को रेखांकित किया गया है। यह इस बात का प्रतिपादन करता है कि ब्रह्मनिष्ठता जैसे आध्यात्मिक अभ्यासों में प्रमाद मृत्यु के समान है, क्योंकि यह मोह, लगाव और दुख की ओर ले जाता है। श्लोक समझाते हैं कि बुद्धिजीवी भी इंद्रियों के आकर्षण से विचलित हो सकते हैं और इन विचलनों से बचाव के लिए सावधानी अत्यंत महत्वपूर्ण है, प्रमाद को सीढ़ियों से लुढ़कती गेंद के समान बताया गया है। जब मन सही तरह से ध्यान केंद्रित नहीं होता है, तो यह इच्छाओं की ओर जाता है जो अंततः उन इच्छाओं द्वारा निर्देशित क्रियाओं को जन्म देती हैं। इस प्रकार, आध्यात्मिक साधना के लिए सबसे बड़ा खतरा प्रमाद है, जो किसी के असली स्वरूप से विचलन की ओर ले जाते हैं और संभावित विनाशकारी पतनों का कारण बनते हैं। श्लोक यह भी बताते हैं कि विचारों का त्याग करना कितना महत्वपूर्ण है जो द्वैत का भ्रम पैदा करते हैं, क्योंकि भेदभाव की धारणा से भय उत्पन्न होता है। मुक्त आंतरिक स्थिति और वास्तविक स्वतन्त्रता ब्रह्म के अद्वैत स्वरूप को समझकर और उसमें स्थिर रहकर प्राप्त होती है।
Important Concepts (महत्वपूर्ण अवधारणाएँ)
- pramāda (प्रमाद)
- brahma-niṣṭhā (ब्रह्मनिष्ठा)
- mṛtyu (मृत्यु)
- dhīdoṣa (धीदोष)
- saṅkalpa (संकल्प)
- bandha (बन्ध)
- vyathā (व्यथा)
- samādhi (समाधि)
Topics
- The consequences of negligence in spiritual practices
- The causal chain from negligence to suffering
- Influence of sensory distractions on the wise
- Importance of vigilance and awareness
- Impact of duality perception on fear
Categories (वर्गीकरण)
- Teaching the significance of steadfast spiritual practice
- Highlighting the pitfalls of negligence
- Explaining the effects of sensory distractions on mindfulness
- Visualization of the journey from desire to action
- Understanding duality and its impact on fear
S-V-O Tuples or Propositions as Text
| Subject | Verb | Object |
|---|---|---|
| Negligence | is | akin to death |
| Negligence | leads to | delusion, egoism, bondage, suffering |
| Mind | engages with | objects |
| Mind | imagines | qualities of objects |
| Proper imagination | causes | desire |
| Desire | leads to | action |
| Illusion | enshrouds | the wise when they turn away |
| True nature deviation | causes | fall |
| Thoughts | cause | distress |
| Perception of difference | leads to | fear |
Slokas & Translations
Sloka 321
प्रमादो ब्रह्मनिष्ठायां न कर्तव्यः कदाचन । प्रमादो मृत्युरित्याह भगवान्ब्रह्मणः सुतः ॥ ३२१ ॥
Translation: Negligence in the practice of steadfastness in the Absolute should never be indulged in, for negligence is akin to death, says the venerable son of Brahmā.
Sloka 322
न प्रमादादनर्थोऽन्यो ज्ञानिनः स्वस्वरूपतः । ततो मोहस्ततोऽहंधीस्ततो बन्धस्ततो व्यथा ॥ ३२२ ॥
Translation: For the wise, there is no misfortune other than carelessness; from it comes delusion, egoism, bondage, and then suffering.
Sloka 323
विषयाभिमुखं दृष्ट्वा विद्वांसमपि विस्मृतिः । विक्षेपयति धीदोषैर्योषा जारमिव प्रियम् ॥ ३२३ ॥
Translation: Even the wise, upon seeing the allure of the senses, are distracted by forgetfulness, just as a woman might distract her beloved paramour.
Sloka 324
यथापकृष्टं शैवालं क्षणमात्रं न तिष्ठति । आवृणोति तथा माया प्राज्ञं वापि पराङ्मुखम् ॥ ३२४ ॥
Translation: Just as algae, once removed, do not stay for even a moment, so does illusion soon envelop even the wise turned away.
Sloka 325
लक्ष्यच्युतं चेद्यदि चित्तमीषद् बहिर्मुखं सन्निपतेत्ततस्ततः । प्रमादतः प्रच्युतकेलिकन्दुकः सोपानपङ्क्तौ पतितो यथा तथा ॥ ३२५ ॥
Translation: If the mind deviates slightly from its goal, like a ball on a staircase due to negligence, it will keep tumbling here and there.
Sloka 326
विषयेऽष्वाविशच्चेतः संकल्पयति तद्गुणान् । सम्यक्संकल्पनात्कामः कामात्पुंसः प्रवर्तनम् ॥ ३२६ ॥
Translation: When the mind engages with objects, it imagines their qualities; from proper imagination arises desire, and from desire, arises action in people.
Sloka 327
अतः प्रमादान्न परोऽस्ति मृत्युः विवेकिनो ब्रह्मविदः समाधौ । समाहितः सिद्धिमुपैति सम्यक् समाहितात्मा भव सावधानः ॥ ३२७ ॥
Translation: There is no death worse than negligence; in the state of meditation, a wise knower of Brahman attains success completely. Therefore, one should be composed and cautious.
Sloka 328
ततः स्वरूपविभ्रंशो विभ्रष्टस्तु पतत्यधः । पतितस्य विना नाशं पुनर्नारोह ईक्ष्यते ॥ ३२८ ॥
Translation: Thereafter, the fallen one deviates from his true nature and descends downward. For the fallen, without complete destruction, rising again is not observed.
Sloka 329
संकल्पं वर्जयेत्तस्मात्सर्वानर्थस्य कारणम् । जीवतो यस्य कैवल्यं विदेहे स च केवलः यत्किंचित्पश्यतो भेदं भयं ब्रूते यजुःश्रुतिः ॥ ३२९ ॥
Translation: Therefore, one should renounce thoughts, the cause of all distress. The liberation achieved by the living belongs to him alone in the disembodied state. The Yajur Veda states that fear arises as soon as there is the perception of duality.
Sloka 330
यदा कदा वापि विपश्चिदेष<br />ब्रह्मण्यनन्तेऽप्यणुमात्रभेदम् । <br />पश्यत्यथामुष्य भयं तदैव<br />यद्वीक्षितं भिन्नतया प्रमादात् ॥ ३३ ॥
Translation: If the wise one perceives even the slightest difference in the infinite Brahman, immediately that perception creates fear because it was viewed with error as separate.