Drg Drsya Viveka 6 Trans/Notes

DDV6

Because of the reflection of consciousness within, the intellect appears to be conscious. This understanding is of two kinds. One is called ego and the other, the inner instrument of mind.

~A

Cicchāyā’’veśato buddhau bhānaṁ dhīstu dvidhā sthitā, ekāhaṅkṛtiranyā syāt antaḥkaraṇa-rūpiṇī.

चित्-छाया – the reflection of Consciousness; आवेशतः – on account of entering; बुद्धौ – in the intellect; भानम् – there is awareness; धीः तु – and the intellect; द्विधास्थिता – is of two kinds; एका अहंकृतिः – one is the ego; अन्या – the other; स्यात् अन्तःकरणरूपिणी – is of the nature of inner instrument (mind, intellect, memory)

The intellect (thoughts) appears to be conscious on account of the reflection of Consciousness present in it. The intellect (thoughts) is of two kinds. One is the ego and the other is the inner instrument (mind, intellect, memory).

~T

बुद्धौ in the buddhi (intelligence) चिच्छाया reflection of Consciousness आवेशत: on account of entering भानं appearance (of specific knowledge) भवति happens धी: intelligence (understanding) तु and द्विधा of two kinds स्थिता is एका one अहंकृति: egoity स्यात् is अन्या other अन्त:करणरूपिणी of the nature of mind (mental faculties).

Buddhi appears to possess luminosity (1) on account of the reflection of Consciousness in it. Intelligence (buddhi) (2) is of two kinds. (3) One is designated egoity (अहंकृति, the other as mind (अन्त:करण).

~N

The reflection of Consciousness enters into the intellect,

and energises the whole “inner equipment”, Indeed, this has a twofold structure:

One part is the Ego; the other is

Of the form of the “inner instrument” (Antahkarana).

~S

Notes

The Self is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness. All objects are known to exist because of this alone. The objects, however, differ in their subtlety. Generally, subtlety is measured by its pervasiveness. The subtler an entity, the greater is its pervasiveness. Inert objects, including the body, pervade their own form. The mind’s pervasiveness extends beyond objects. The mind, being subtler than the body which houses it, is part of the subtle body. The gross body manifests the Existence aspect of the Self only. The subtle body is capable of reflecting both the Existence and Consciousness aspects, thus appearing sentient.

The mind which reflects Consciousness is of two kinds, the ahaṅkāra (ego) and the antaḥkaraṇa (inner equipment). Here, the ego does not mean pride but refers to the ‘I’ notion. The inner equipment has three types of thoughts – the mind, intellect and the faculty of memory.

~T

The Conscious Self (चिदात्मा), though self-luminous, has no manifestation, because from the absolute standpoint there is no other object which can be manifested by Consciousness. But on account of the superimposition of ignorance (अविद्या) a modification appears known as mind (अन्त:करण) which, though insentient (जड), (being the product of अविद्या) appears as conscious on account of the association of Consciousness or Ātman with it. The Ātman appears as buddhi when associated with antaḥkaraṇa. The buddhi, on account of its association with Consciousness, appears to be endowed with agency, will, etc.

~N

I don’t use the word reflection of consciousness. If you use the word, understand in this way: sūkṣma-śarīra becomes conscious, means mind becomes conscious. The consciousness obtaining in the mind is as good as consciousness. That consciousness is in the form of vṛtti.

...

Ahaṅkāra is not a bad thing. Ahaṅkāra is the inner dynamics. This is how it works. Some people say “Remove ahaṅkāra, remove ego”. I ask, but you are talking now. Have you removed ahaṅkāra? If yes, then how do you talk? How do you get up? How do you decide? This is vyāvahārika. This ahaṅkāra is Īśvara manifesting in this form. Ahaṅkāra is not a bad thing or a good thing. That has to be understood. If you are trying to remove ahaṅkāra, in the name of removing ahaṅkāra, ahaṅkāra will be sitting there! If you have the delusion of having removed ahaṅkāra, ahaṅkāra will get stronger.

~D

How does the mind become the seer? A good example here is the moon. How does the moon illumine the earth on a full moon night? The moon borrows the light from the sun. A reflection of the sunlight is formed on the moon’s surface. When the reflection is formed, the moon gets illumined and the moon becomes the illuminator of the earth. The author says that the same phenomenon takes place with regard to the mind. Sākṣī can be compared to the sun and the mind can be compared to the moon. The caitanyam of the sākṣī is formed on the mind called chāyā praveśa. Chāyāmeans the pratibimba caitanyam or ābhāsacaitanyam is formed on the mind. The moment the reflected consciousness is formed, two things happen. First, the mind becomes known, experienced and shines. Not only does the mind gets illumined, the mind also becomes the seer or the illuminator of the sense-organs. This is how the mind becomes seer 2. Because of the formation of the reflected consciousness (RC) in the mind, the mind becomes sentient as though it has its own light or sentency.

~P

Reflections of Consciousness

Call the central nervous system, the subtle body. Call this subtle body, organic chemicals and functional compounds. Call its amplification of intelligence, a reflection of pure consciousness. Call this mind and ego complex, a superimposition of ignorance upon the self.

Do not mistake the mind’s synthesis of data for a means of knowing reality. At best, the mind can lead you to the water. For the mind is an instrument of avidya, using all the wrong ways to drink in truth.

Pure consciousness may be indescribable, no matter what kind of mathematics are being used, but truth is not unknowable. Only to the mind is reality unknown. To nonconceptual being, that’s all that’s known. 

~A

Translators / Commentators Legend

A: Aumdada

D: Dayananda

N: Nikhilananda

P: Paramarthananda

S: Sandeepany

T: Tejomayananda

On Drg Drsya Viveka 4-5: Self-shining Witness

Pure consciousness witnesses the modifications of the mind in all its thoughts and emotions, including the tangled knot of ego.

The witness can’t be seen by the mind but is always the seer seeing all. The sea can’t be seen by an island.

Big science of the mind mistakes reflected consciousness for pure consciousness. Neuroscience will never get water from a stone.

Beginning with ego, drop the ‘e’, and add a ‘d’ at the end. Eka jiva. Remove avidya and I am God. Remove Maya and I am Brahman.

Self-shining consciousness does not rise nor set. That's the point of view on earth. Make your point of view the sun instead.

a. The Outer Banks

On Kitty Hawk, there’s wind and the windswept dunes of high seclusion. No wonder the Wright brothers took off there. They were lighting out for the territory.

Going further south on North Carolina Highway 12 one comes to Hatteras Island where 21st century east coast beach boys surfer girls are coexisting with summer mid-atlantic bon jovi vacationers.

At Hatteras Village, NC 12 takes a time out and Walt Whitman is crossing Ocracoke Ferry—shrimp boats on the sound and wild horses waiting for me on the island at the end of the world. Aum.

b. pure nonconceptual consciousness

The body sees the world. The mind sees the body. Consciousness sees the mind. And the buck stops here—self-shining consciousness.

What is consciousness? Pure consciousness is attention minus thought.

Pure nonconceptual consciousness is that which is aware of the mind even when the mind is turned off during deep sleep.

Drg Drsya Viveka 5 Trans/Notes

DDV5

Neither rising nor setting, this Consciousness does not increase nor disintegrate, but is self-shining, illuminating all without support.

~A

Nodeti nāstametyeṣā na vṛddhiṁ yāti na kṣayam, svayaṁ vibhātyathānyāni bhāsayet sādhanaṁ vinā.

न उदेति – does not rise; नास्तमेति – does not set; एषा – This (Consciousness); न वृद्धिम् याति – does not increase; न क्षयम् याति – does not decay; स्वयम् – itself; विभाति – shines; अथ – and then; अन्यानि – others; भासयेत् – illumines; साधनम् – aid; विना – without

This (Consciousness) does not rise (is unborn) and does not set (is immortal). It does not increase or decay (is immutable). It shines by Itself and It illumines others without any aid.

~T

एषा this (Consciousness) न उदेति does not rise न अस्तम् एति does not set वृद्धिं increase न याति does not undergo क्षयं decay न (याति) does not undergo स्वयं of itself विभाति shines अथ on the other hand विना without साधनं aid (of other means) अन्यानि other objects भासयेत् illumines.

This Consciousness (1) does neither rise (2) nor set. (3) It does (4) not increase; nor does it suffer decay. Being self-luminous, it illumines everything (5) else without any other aid.

~N

This (Witness) does not rise, nor does It set;

It does not increase, nor does It decrease;

It shines by itself and then others

Does It illumine, without any external aid.

~S

Notes

The pronoun ‘this’ refers to the Consciousness indicated in verse 1 as Sākṣī and in verse 4 as Cit. The very same Consciousness is called Sākṣī (masculine noun), Cit (feminine) and Caitanya (neuter). This means that Consciousness is neither masculine, feminine nor neuter. It is beyond classification.

~T

‘Rising’ means birth, i.e., coming into existence of an entity previously non-existent. This cannot be predicated of Consciousness as it is the Witness of even previous non-existence. Otherwise no one will be aware of such non-existence. All entities from the empirical ego to the gross object perceived have a previous non-existing state, because their appearance and disappearance are cognized by Consciousness.

~N

This Consciousness, seer 3, does not rise nor is it born. It does not have origination or creation. Therefore it does not end. It is never destroyed. Thus consciousness is not limited by time. This is a very important teaching because according to Science, consciousness is generated in matter at a particular time. For Science, matter is fundamental and as matter evolves and combines in a particular form, life originates. Science says that life or consciousness originated in time. But Vedānta says that what Science talks of as origination of life is the origination of cidābhāsa. When matter forms in an ideal configuration, the reflected consciousness originates. When the reflecting medium originates, the reflected consciousness originates. Science talks about the origination of RC (reflected consciousness), whereas Vedānta talks about the eternity of OC, the original consciousness.

~P

On Drg Drsya Viveka 4-5: Self-shining Witness

Pure consciousness witnesses the modifications of the mind in all its thoughts and emotions, including the tangled knot of ego.

The witness can’t be seen by the mind but is always the seer seeing all. The sea can’t be seen by an island.

Big science of the mind mistakes reflected consciousness for pure consciousness. Neuroscience will never get water from a stone.

Beginning with ego, drop the ‘e’, and add a ‘d’ at the end. Eka jiva. Remove avidya and I am God. Remove Maya and I am Brahman.

Self-shining consciousness does not rise nor set. That's the point of view on earth. Make your point of view the sun instead.

~A

Translators / Commentators Legend

A: Aumdada

D: Dayananda

N: Nikhilananda

P: Paramarthananda

S: Sandeepany

T: Tejomayananda 

Drg Drsya Viveka 4 Trans/Notes

DDV4

Desire, determination and doubt, faith and faithlessness, perseverance and its opposite, humility, understanding, fear. and more is illuminated by unchanging consciousness.

~A

Kāmaḥ saṅkalpa-sandehau śraddhā’śraddhe dhṛtītare, hrīr-dhīr-bhīr-ityevam-ādīn bhāsayatyekadhā citiḥ.

कामः – desire; संकल्प-संदेहौ – thought of willing and doubt; श्रद्धा-अश्रद्धे – belief and disbelief; धृतीतरे – fortitude and its opposite; ह्री – modesty; धीः – understanding; भीः – fear; इति एवम् आदीन् – and such others; भासयति – illumines; एकधा – remaining the same; चितिः – Consciousness

Consciousness remaining the same, illumines the thoughts of desire, willingness, doubt, belief, disbelief, fortitude, and its lack thereof, modesty, understanding, fear and such others.

~T

चिति: Consciousness काम: desire संकल्पसन्देहौ determination and doubt श्रद्धाश्रद्धे faith and want of faith धृतीतरे steadiness and its opposite ह्री: modesty धी: understanding भी: fear इत्येवमादीन् and such others एकधा unified भासयति illumines.

Consciousness illumines (such other mental states as) desire, (1) determination (2) and doubt, faith (3) and want of faith, steadiness (4) and its opposite, modesty, understanding, fear and others, (5) because it (Consciousness) is a unity.

~N

The thoughts of desire, willingness or doubt,

belief or disbelief, fortitude or its lack,

modesty, understanding, fear, and such others –

Consciousness, remaining the same, illumines them all.

~S

Notes

These thoughts may be of different degrees of intensity. For instance, desire may be just a wish, a need, a longing, a panting hunger or an overwhelming obsession. All dramas on the stage of life are a complicated intermingling of different thoughts. These are all witnessed by the same Consciousness. The seen is limited, changing, inert, perishable and sorrow giving. The Seer is free from the nature of the seen. I am the infinite, immutable, eternal Consciousness and of the nature of Bliss.

~T

The list of the states or functions of the mind have been adopted from the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (1.5.3).

~N

This seer 3 is unlike the other two seers. It is ever the seer and never the seen. It is ever the experiencer and never the experienced. One should never look for the experience of ātmā. When we say that we do not have the experience of the ātmā, we make the blunder of thinking that one day we will get that experience in future and this indicates that we think that ātmā is an object of our experience. The author says that there is no such thing as the experience of ātmā because ātmā is ever the experiencer.

~P

Translators / Commentators Legend

A: Aumdada

D: Dayananda

N: Nikhilananda

P: Paramarthananda

S: Sandeepany

T: Tejomayananda

On Drg Drsya Viveka 2: The Seeing

Objects in the world vary but different eyes aren’t required to see various objects.

Objects in the world transform every second but my eyes aren’t changed by what they see.

Objects in the world are seen as countless yet my eyes are but one seer.

Thus Brahman is formless, changeless, and nondual.

a. The Loneliest Road

They say US 50 in Nevada is the loneliest road in America. That's a bit anthropomorphic, isn't it? I never heard it complain.

Topographically speaking, US 50 in Nevada is all basin and range. The landscape is quite flat until it isn't.

In one of those long flat sections, I stopped and turned off the car. It was absolute silence as far as the eye could see.

In that desert, nothing is superimposed upon pure existence but this mirage. God help me but sometimes I take it personally.

b. Vidyaranya's Genius

The eyes are the first seer. The mind is the second seer. Atman is the only seer.

That brahman is formless, changeless, and nondual is not a metaphysical statement, but one of both the physical and subtle bodies.

This is Vidyaranya's genius. Right here, right now, even your eyes are brahman. See?

c. On Gurdjieff, Vedanta, and Knowledge

Gurdjieff says one should read written expositions thrice. The first is a mechanical reading. The second is as one heart listening to another. And the third is fathoming the subject.

Vedanta says sravana, manana, and nididhyasana.

Sravana is like listening externally. Manana is like listening internally. And nididhyasana is like abidance in the subject.

Or hearing, contemplating, and knowing.

d. Drg Drsya Bibliographically Speaking

I first read Vidyaranya's DDV early last year. It was love at first sight. I went to the woods of Vedanta to get closer to Nisargadatta.

DDV is like 200 proof distilled Vedanta. These Drg Drsya Viveka translators and commentators deserve commendation.

Nikhilananda, founder of the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York. Clear, concise, and kensho-inducing at times.

Sarvapriyananda, Minister of the Vedanta Society of New York. Youtube, storyteller, helpful.

Tejomayananda, head of Chinmaya Mission from 1994 to 2017. Comprehensive and noteworthy.

Dayananda, given Sannyasa in 1963 by Swami Chinmayananda & named Dayananda in 1963, founder of Arsha Vidya 1986, and spiritual Guru of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Sanskrit-dominant, released post-mahasamadhi without Dayananda's brilliant editing, but there's gold in them hills.

Paramarthananda, studied under Chinmayananda, took sannyasa from Dayananda, and is devoted to both sages. PDF but prescient.

e. The Rose of Advaita

If reality is formless, changeless, and nondual, then it follows that the world of form, transformation, and duality isn't real. 

According to Advaita Vedanta, this Maya isn't unreal though. Maya is like a movie. The television screen is like Plato's witness.

Your destiny is self-realization. DNA is like karma. There is no journey. A mirage is a mirage is a mirage.

f. To Bet Your Life

Why did the chicken cross the road? To let its karma runneth over.

People of the world, please accept my resignation.

Hello, I must be going. I cannot stay, I came to say, "I must be going."

Drg Drsya Viveka 3 Trans/Notes

DDV3

Blindness, dullness, sharpness are some characteristics of the eye. And the mind in its unity can recognize these. Also, in the case of ears, skin, etc., the same applies.

~A

Āndhya-māndya-paṭutveṣu netradharmeṣu caikadhā, saṅkalpayen-manaḥ śrotra-tvagādau yojyatām-idam.

आन्ध्य-मान्द्य-पटुत्वेषु – in blindness, dullness and sharpness; नेत्रधर्मेषु – in the characteristics of eye; च – also; एकधा – remaining the same; संकल्पयेत् – knows; मनः – the mind; श्रोत्र-त्वक्-आदौ – in (the case of) ear, skin, etc.; योज्यताम् – applies; इदम् – this

The mind, remaining the same, knows the different characteristics of the eye such as blindness, dullness and sharpness. This also applies in case of ears, skin etc.

~T

आन्ध्यमान्द्यपटुत्वेषु blindness, dullness, and sharpness नेत्रधर्मेषु characteristics of the eye मन: mind एकधा as a unity संकल्पयेत् cognizes इदं this श्रोत्रत्वगादौ to ears, skin, etc. च also योज्यतां applies.

Such characteristics of the eye as blindness, sharpness, or dullness, the mind is able to cognize because it is a unity. This also applies to (whatever is perceived through) the ear, skin, etc.

~N

Blindness, dullness and sharpness are the many

characteristics of the eye, but remaining the same

is the mind which knows (these differences). The ear,

The skin, etc, also have varying characteristics.

~S

Notes

The eye is subject to changes which are perceived by the mind; for it is the mind that thinks: ‘I am blind,’ etc. The mind knows the changes because it is a unity. This applies to the other sense-organs as well. Though the nose, the skin, the tongue, etc., are respectively perceivers with reference to their several objects, yet they themselves are perceived by the mind. Hence, the mind is perceiver and the sense-organs are objects of perception.

~N

The sense Inputs are received by the five sense organs and are all known to the same mind. The mind does not become blind, deaf or itchy due to the different conditions of the eye, ear or skin. The Seer remains unaffected by the characteristics of the seen.

~T

One seer, mind, and there are varied conditions of senses. What are they? Āndhya-māndya-paṭutvam Mind is one dṛk, and everything is dṛśya. That is eyes, etc are themselves dṛśyas to the mind, to the manomaya-ātmā.

~D

The mind remains the same and is not affected by the pluralities and the variety of the sense-organs. When the act of perception is changed from the eye to the ear, a different mind is not required. Here again, the principle of the observed being many but the observer is one applies. This principle can be extended to the other four sense-organs such as ear, skin, etc. Thus the seer 2, the mind, that was introduced in the first verse has been explained in this third verse. Next the absolute seer is explained.

~P

On DDV 3: Vidyaranya's Genius

The eyes are the first seer. The mind is the second seer. Atman is the only seer.

That brahman is formless, changeless, and nondual is not a metaphysical statement, but one of both the physical and subtle bodies.

This is Vidyaranya's genius. Right here, right now, even your eyes are brahman. See?

Translators / Commentators Legend

A: Aumdada

D: Dayananda

N: Nikhilananda

P: Paramarthananda

S: Sandeepany

T: Tejomayananda

Drg Drsya Viveka 2 Trans/Notes

DDV2

Blue, yellow, physical, subtle, short, long, and other such differences, forms are various and many. But the eye sees them all remaining as one and the same.

~A

Nīla-pīta-sthūla-sūkṣma-hrasva-dīrghādi bhedataḥ, nānāvidhāni rūpāṇi paśyellocanam-ekadhā.

नील-पीत-स्थूल-सूक्ष्म-ह्रस्व-दीर्घ-आदि – blue, yellow, gross, subtle, short, long etc.; भेदतः – differences; नानाविधानि – many and varied; रूपाणि – forms; पश्येत् – sees; लोचनम् – the eye; एकधा – remaining the same

The forms are many and varied on account of differences like blue, yellow, gross, subtle, short, long, etc. The eye remaining the same sees (them) all.

~T

नीलपीतस्थूलसूक्ष्मह्रस्वदीर्घादिभेदत: on account of such distinctions as blue, yellow, gross, subtle, short, long, etc. नानाविधानि various रूपाणि forms लोचनं the eye एकधा as one पश्येत् perceives.

The forms (objects of perception) appear as various on account of such distinctions as blue, yellow, gross, subtle, short, long, etc. The eye, on the other hand, sees them, itself remaining one and the same.

~N

Like blue, yellow, gross, subtle,

short, long, etc – on account of these differences

the forms are many and varied.

The eye remaining the same sees them all.

~S

Notes:

The forms, etc., are objects of perception which are varying. That which is constant and changeless is the perceiver. The different objects appear, no doubt, as distinct from one another. But they are perceived with their changes, because the eye, as perceiver, is a unity. They all belong to one category, namely, दृश्य or the seen. With reference to the objects, the eye is the perceiver.

~N

The eye Is unaffected by what it perceives. It remains untainted and untinted by the qualities and hues it sees in objects. It does not become red on seeing blood or round on seeing a ball. It maintains its own nature despite the differences it sees in objects. Thus the Seer is unaffected by the seen.

~T

The first quarter of the previous verse is explained now. The author says that the observed objects are many and the observing eye is only one. To see the green color one uses the same eye that would be used to see the red color. This shows that there is plurality in the dṛśyam and there is non-duality in the dṛk.

~P

Therefore, ekadhā paśyet; this ekadhā is very important. Ekadhā sat locanam paśyet, eyes remaining the same one sees different objects. So, nānā-vidhāni rūpāṇi paśyet locanam ekadhā. Therefore, understand that there is only one dṛk, remaining the same.

~D

On Drg Drsya Viveka 2: The Seeing

Objects in the world vary but different eyes aren’t required to see various objects.

Objects in the world transform every second but my eyes aren’t changed by what they see.

Objects in the world are seen as countless yet my eyes are but one seer.

Thus Brahman is formless, changeless, and nondual.

~A

Translators / Commentators Legend

A: Aumdada

D: Dayananda

N: Nikhilananda

P: Paramarthananda

S: Sandeepany

T: Tejomayananda

On Drg Drsya Viveka 1: The Seer

For every scene there is identification. Identifying with the eye is the materialist i. Identifying with the eye of the mind is the conceptual i. Beyond the mind is the real I.

The material eye consummates in scientific inquiry. The conceptual eye incubates theories and conceives belief. But the real I self-destructs in self-awareness.

Alas, the Big Bang Theory has become the latest religion. Henceforward, real scientific exploration shall be called self-inquiry. Or Seer Seen Viveka.

a. pure consciousness

The purity of pure consciousness is not a moral purity but a nonconceptual one.

Another name for impure consciousness is attention. Attention is reflected consciousness. Or pure consciousness upon which egoic thought is super-imposed.

Pure consciousness is nonconceptual knowing, self-luminous seeing, and nondual intelligence.

b. to my beloved mount desert island

They say kensho happens when you aren't looking but I am. For me, the seascapes, mountainviews, and hidden ponds of Acadia National Park shine behind every turn of the trail.

Although the Acadian mountains aren't that high relatively speaking, their base begins at sea level and beyond to the Laurentian Abyss. Such is their absolute altitude.

Cadillac Mountain is the highest at 1530 ft. It's also the first place to see the winter east coast sunrise.

I hiked it once on Earth Day when no cars were allowed upon the summit road. And I hiked it one summer day on its great eastern trail and met up with a wedding party.

One of my favorite spots on the mountain is Eagle Point where Sanford Robinson Gifford sketched his Mount Desert in 1865.

It's overlooking the 1850 Otter Creek of Frederic Edwin Church. And the anonymous Gulf of Maine beyond.

c. to one seer and its two or three eyes

There appear to be three seers. But two are actually insentient without the real one.

And some say there are four seers dividing parabrahman into the saguna and nirguna witnesses.

There is one seer. All other seers may be phenomenal but they are not that I beyond I am.

d. to the penobscot

an artful inukshuk looks upon

the long rose granite slope of dawnland

and beyond is the unbelievable bay of fundy

e. the walrus says

In avidya, I appear to be two eyes.

To seek me is regressus ad infinitum.

For I am you goo goo g'joob.

x. be the sea

Never wait for the next wave

but be the sea a la Li Po—

act three, scene Basho 

Drg Drsya Viveka 1 Trans/Notes

DDV 1

Form is the seen and the eye is the seer. As that in turn is seen, the seer is the mind. And as its thoughts are seen, the Witness is the one seer, and never the seen.

~A

Rūpaṁ dṛśyaṁ locanaṁ dṛkt

addṛśyaṁ dṛktu mānasam,

dṛśyā dhīvṛttayas-sākṣī

dṛgeva na tu dṛśyate.

(1) रूपम् – form; दृश्यम् – (is) the seen; लोचनम् – the eye; दृक् – (is) the seer; तत् – that (eye); दृश्यम् – (is) seen; दृक् – the seer; तु – indeed; मानसम् – the mind; दृश्याः – (are) seen; धीवृत्तयः – the thoughts of mind; साक्षी – the witness; दृक् – (is) the Seer; एव – alone; न तु – never; दृश्यते – the seen

The eye is the seer, and form (and colour) the seen. That (eye) is the seen and the mind Is (its) seer. The witness alone is the Seer of thoughts in the mind and never the seen.

~T

रूपं form दृश्यं (is) perceived लोचनं eye दृक् (is) perceiver तु तत् that दृश्यं (is) perceived मानसं mind दृक् (is) perceiver धीवृत्तय: mind’s modifications दृश्या: (are) perceived साक्षी witness दृक् एव (is) verily the perceiver तु but न (it) is not दृश्यते perceived.

The form (1) is perceived and the eye (2) is its perceiver. (3) It (eye) is perceived and the mind (4) is its perceiver. The mind with (5) its modifications is perceived and the Witness (the Self) is verily the perceiver. (6) But It (7) (the Witness) is not perceived (by any other).

~N

Form is the seen, the eye is the seer;

that eye is the seen, and mind is its seer;

thoughts in the mind are seen by the Witness

which alone is the Seer, but can never be the seen.

~S

Notes:

In analysing the Seer-seen relationship, the following principles should be clearly understood. The Seer and the seen are different from each other. The Seer can never become the seen and the seen can never become the Seer. The Seer cannot see itself and the seen cannot see itself. One and the same thing cannot become both the Seer and the seen. The Seer is aware and the seen is inert.

~T

The Ātman or the Innermost Self is the ultimate perceiver. If a perceiver of the Ātman is sought, the inquiry will end in what is known as a regressus ad infinitium. All entities from the gross objects to the mind are products of avidyā which itself is insentient (जड). Hence they also partake of the nature of insentiency. Therefore they are objects. The subjective character of some of these is only relative. But the Self is the ultimate Seer because no other seer is known to exist. The knowing nature of the Knower is never absent.

~N

The whole teaching has been presented in the very first verse, very beautiful. The last part of the first verse says sākṣī dṛg eva na tu dṛśyate. So you are not a doormat. Nobody can make you a doormat because you are not a dṛśya. You are not an object much less you are a subject. You are the svarūpa of the subject. Sākṣī, dṛg eva, na tu dṛśyate. Nobody can objectify you. You are the sākṣī. That is the teaching.

~D

In this verse, the author has introduced three observers, three illuminators: 1. sense organs, 2. mind, 3. sākṣī. 1 and 2 are relative illuminators and 3 is the absolute illuminator. Thus the two relative dṛk and the one absolute dṛk are the components of the individual. The author feels that this requires further clarification. The following 4 verses are the author’s commentary on the first verse. Each part of the first verse will be elaborated.

~P

On Drg Drsya Viveka 1: The Seer

For every scene there is identification. Identifying with the eye is the materialist i. Identifying with the eye of the mind is the conceptual i. Beyond the mind is the real I. 

The material eye consummates in scientific inquiry. The conceptual eye incubates theories and conceives belief. But the real I self-destructs in self-awareness.

Alas, the Big Bang Theory has become the latest religion. Henceforward, real scientific exploration shall be called self-inquiry. Or Seer Seen Viveka. 

~A

Translators / Commentators Legend

A: Aumdada

D: Dayananda

N: Nikhilananda

P: Paramarthananda

S: Sandeepany

T: Tejomayananda

These Drg Drsya Viveka translators and commentators deserve commendation: 

Nikhilananda, founder of the Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center of New York. Clear, concise, and kensho-inducing at times.

Tejomayananda, head of Chinmaya Mission from 1994 to 2017. Comprehensive and noteworthy.

Dayananda, given Sannyasa in 1963 by Swami Chinmayananda & named Dayananda in 1963, founder of Arsha Vidya 1986, and spiritual Guru of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sanskrit-dominant, released post-mahasamadhi without Dayananda's brilliant editing, but there's gold in them hills.

Paramarthananda, studied under Chinmayananda, took sannyasa from Dayananda, and is devoted to both sages. PDF but prescient.

Sarvapriyananda, Minister of the Vedanta Society of New York. Youtube, storyteller, helpful.

Instant Atman

Consciousness does not begin with the big bang nor blossom with the human nervous system into a fountain of awareness. Consciousness is unborn.

Reflected consciousness is born with and dies with the subtle body of the mind reflecting consciousness. But consciousness is not conceptual.

Pure consciousness is like the ocean and the waves of the mind are appearing within pure consciousness like the reflexive universe is appearing in pure consciousness.

Attention minus thought is pure awareness as the big bang minus wave-particle duality is satcitananda. Time stops when thought stops and there am I. Timelessness.

a.

Brahman is not conscious. Brahman is consciousness. Similarly, I am not conscious. The body-mind complex is conscious. I am consciousness.

The body-mind complex is conscious like a wildfire and I am fire.

Believing I am this and this is me, is like thinking that is this and this is the world. Such is the way a noumenal subject becomes lost in the phenomenal object. It's not just an imposition, it's a superimposition.

b.

From Glacier Point, Half Dome looks like a luminous hooded shaman.

Entering Yosemite Valley is like the Wizard of Oz suddenly turning technicolor.

Leaving the valley by Tioga Road is like going from the ridiculous to the sublime, the highest highway in all the High Sierras, in all of California.

c.

Saguna Brahman and Nirguna Brahman appear in Parabrahman. Remember, nonduality is a method. It's not the truth.

Is ananda of satcitananda some unworldly bliss or is it the real happiness of ordinary happiness?

Atman is not happy. Brahman is infinite holistic happiness. Atman is Brahman.

d.

Between the satisfaction of an old desire consummated and the dissatisfaction of a new desire conceived is that gap where original happiness breaks through. That's the tantric heart.

Truth is not black and white. Here, Ansel Adams comes quite close. But colorization only improves Casablanca so much.

Ultimately people are people. And you aren't people—no matter how much you think you should try to be.

e.

The cure for ignorance is knowledge.

The cure for nihilism is self-inquiry.

The cure for samsara is ananda, satcitananda