Surendran

तत्त्वभोधः By Sri Adi Shankaracariyah

वसुदेवेन्द्रयोगीन्द्रं नत्वा ज्ञानप्रदं गुरुम् मुम्क्क्षुण हितार्थाय तत्त्वबोधोपिधियते । १ Having saluted Sri Vasudevendra, the king of Yogis, the Guru who is the bestow er of knowledge; Tattva Bodhah is expounded for the benefit of the seekers. साधनचतुष्टय संपन्नधिकरिणां मोक्षसाधनभूतं तत्त्वविवेकप्रकारं वक्ष्यामः । २ We shall explain to those who are endowed with the four fold qualifications,the mode of discrimination which is the means of liberation .

The Four - Fold Qualification

साधनचतुष्टयं किम् ?

नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः । इहामुत्रर्थफलबोगविरगः । समदिष्द्कसंपत्तिः। मुमुक्षुत्वं चेति ।

What are the four - fold qualifications? The capacity to discriminate between the permanent and the impermanent, dispassion to the enjoyment of the fruits of one's actions here and hereafter, the group of six accomplishments (inner wealth) beginning with sama and the yearning for liberation.

Discrimination :

नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः कः ?

नित्यंवस्त्वेकं ब्रह्म तद्व्यतिरिक्तं सर्वमनित्यम् । अयमेव नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः। what is meant by discrimination between the permanent and the impermanent ? The Reality alone is eternal; everything else is ephemeral. This conviction alone is the discrimination between the permanent and the impermanent.

Dispassion : विरागः कः ? इहस्वर्गभोगेषु इछारहित्यम्। What is dispassion?The absence of the desire for the enjoyment (of the fruits of one's action) in this world and in heaven. The Six-Fold Wealth शमदिषत्कसंपत्तिः का ? शमो दम उपरतिस्तितिक्षा श्रद्धा समाधानं च इति । what is the inner starting with sama? They are sama, dama, uparatih, thtikasha,sraddha and samadhanam . शमः कः ? मनोनिग्रहः । What is sama? it is control or mastery over the mind. दमः कः ? चाक्षुरदिबह्येन्द्रियनिग्रहः । What is dama? It is the control of the external sense organs such as the eyes etc. उपरमः कः? स्वधर्मानुष्दनमेव । प्रपन्जेभ्यः उपरमणं । What is uparama or uparati(as it is also known)? It is the stirct observance of one own's dharma (duty). तितिक्ष का ? सितोष्णाति द्वन्द्व सहिश्नत्वम् । What is titiksa? श्रद्धा किद्र्शि ? गुरुवेदन्तवाक्येषु विश्वासः .।

What is the nature of sradda? Faith in the words etc। of the Guru and vedanta(scriptures) is sraddha । समाधानं किम्  ? What is samadanam ? It is the single-pointedness of the mind. मुमुक्षुत्वं किम् ? मोक्षो मे भूयात् इति द्र्देच्छ । What is mumukshutvam? 'Let me attain liberation' this intense desire is mumuksutvam. एतत् साधनचतुष्टयम् । ततस्तत्वविवेकस्याधिकरिणो भवन्ति । This is the four-fold qualification. Thereafter, they become fit for the inquiry into the Truth.