Drg Drsya Viveka 23 Trans/Notes

DDV23

With thought and without thought: meditation is of these two kinds in the heart. With the seen and with words: meditation with thought is again of two kinds.

Savikalpo nirvikalpaḥ samādhir-dvividho hrdi,

Dṛśya-śabdānuviddhena savikalpaḥ punar- dvidhā.

Without सविकल्पः with duality; निर्विकल्पः duality; समाधिः – (the practice) of meditation; द्विविधः – is of two kinds; हृदि – within; दृश्य-शब्द- अनुविद्धेन – associated with the seen and with words; सविकल्पः – (meditation) with duality; पुनः – is again; द्विधा – of two kinds

The practice of meditation within is of two kinds: with duality and without duality. Meditation with duality is again of two kinds, that which is associated with the seen and with words.

~T

सविकल्प: in which ideas are present निविर्कल्पः in which ideas do not exist हृदि (to be practised) within the heart समाधिः concentration (इति) द्विविधः of two kinds सविकल्पः (समाधिः) concen- tration in which ideas are present दृश्यशब्दानुवेधेन according to its association with a cognizable object or with a sound (as an object) पुनः again द्विधा (are) two kinds.

Two kinds of samādhi to be practised in the heart (within one’s self) are known as savikalpa (1) and nirvikalpa. (2) Savikalpa samādhi is again divided into two classes, ac- cording to its association with a cognizable ob- ject or a sound (as an object).

~N

With duality and without duality – thus

the practice of meditation WITHIN is of two kinds.

Associated with the seen and with words – thus

The practice with duality is again of two kinds.

~S

Notes

Vikalpa here means duality that which remains with duality is savikalpa. The practice of meditation maintaining the duality of the meditator and the meditated upon is called savikalpa samādhi.

In savikalpa samādhi, the meditator is the empirical jīva the limited individual and the object of meditation is the attributeless Self. This duality of the meditator and the meditated upon exists in the practice stage. Once this duality disappears, the infinite Self alone remains. This is called nirvikalpa samādhi.

Strange is this practice! The meditator is a non-existing, superimposed entity. The object of meditation is the very ‘subject’ which illumines all objects, and the practice of meditation is a suicidal act on the part of the meditator! Would it not be strange if we were to meditate each morning ‘I am a man’ or ‘I am a woman?’ It is even more strange that I have to meditate that ‘I am the Self’, because there never was a time when I was not the infinite Self. Meditation has to be practised only because we have somehow come to believe ourselves to be contrary to what we are.

~T

[1] Savikalpa In this samādhi, the practi- tioner concentrates his mind on Brahman without completely losing such distinc- tions as the knower, knowledge, and the known. This is the initial step in the prac- tice of concentration.

[2] Nirvikalpa-In this samādhi the practi- tioner makes himself free from all thought of distinctions, as the knower, knowledge, and the known.

~N

Samādhi is divided into savikalpa and nirvikalpa. Savikalpa-samādhi itself can be divided into two, one associated with an object, and the other associated with the Vedāntic words, such as sākṣī, satyaṃ, nityam, adhiṣṭhānam, etc., which have been thoroughly studied and become personally meaningful during śravaṇaṃ and mananam.

~P

Translators / Commentators Legend

A: Aumdada

D: Dayananda

N: Nikhilananda

P: Paramarthananda

S: Sandeepany

T: Tejomayananda