August 22, 2010: Verse 2 (Coming to Vedānta)

जन्तूनां नरजन्म दुर्लभमतः पुंस्त्वं ततो विप्रता
तस्माद्वैदिकधर्ममार्गपरता विद्वत्त्वमस्मात्परम् ।

अात्मानात्मविवेचनं स्वनुभवो ब्रह्मात्मसंस्थितिः
मुक्तिर्नो शतजन्मकोटिसुकृतैः पुण्यैर्विना लभ्यते ॥ २ ॥

जन्तूनाम् दुर्लभम् नर-जन्म, अतः पुंस्त्वम्, ततः विप्रता, तस्मात् वैदिक-धर्म-मार्ग-परता, अस्मात् परम् विद्वत्त्वम् । अात्म-अनात्म-विवेचनम् स्वनुभवः ब्रह्म-अात्म-संस्थितिः मुक्तिः शत-जन्म-कोटि-सुकृतैः पुण्यैः विना न उ लभ्यते ।

---

As a whole, this verse outlines the process of gaining the adhikāritva, or preparedness required to understand brahma-vidyā. This process will be explained more thoroughly later on. More importantly here, however, the phrase 'śata-janma-koṭi-sukṛtaiḥ puṇyaiḥ vinā na u labhyate' declares the exclusiveness of mokṣa-puruṣārtha. By saying this, Śrī Śaṅkarācārya indicates that this pursuit is to be taken very seriously. Each step of the process requires a lot of puṇya, and even if we do not have all of the qualifications, we should consider the nara-janma that we all share a unique opportunity for seeking mokṣa, called brahma-ātma-saṃsthiti here.

• नर-जन्म : Human birth
• पुंस्त्वम् : Masculinity
• विप्रता : Learnedness of śāstra
• वैदिक-धर्म-मार्ग-परता : Commitment to living life as enjoined by veda (i.e. in keeping with varṇa, āśrama, etc.)
• विद्वत्त्वम् : Study of vedānta
• अात्म-अनात्म-विवेचनम् : A clear discernment of one's goal
• स्वनुभवः : Clear understanding of brahma-vidyā

Just as reaching each step requires puṇya, being able to see the limitations of each one in order to progress further is also very rare. One can get caught up in a scholarly study of śāstra or being a dharma-kuśala. In the coming verses, Śrī Śaṅkarācārya will address the absence of this adhikāritva.