Samyagdarshanam

स य दशनम्
Paper presented by Sonali Ambasankar on the occasion of Shankara Jayanti
and at the Global Festival of Oneness by Advaita Academy

ओं सदा शव समारंभाम् शंकराचाय म यमाम् ।

असम आचाय पय ताम् व दे गु परंपराम् ।।

Namaste, I am Sonali Ambasankar, a shishya of Swamini Brahmaprajnananda

Saraswatiji and Swami Brahmavidananda Saraswatiji, who are direct disciples of
Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati ji of the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam. I am very
thankful to Indic Academy and Advaita Academy for providing this platform for
all us shishyas of Bhagavatpada Adi Shankaracharya and celebrating the glorious
tradition of Advaita Vedanta.

I seek the blessings of Bhagavan Dakshinamurty, Bhagavatpada Adi Shankara and

the entire Guru parampara along with the immediate Shankaras in my life, my
gurus Swamini Brahmaprajnananda Saraswatiji and Swami Brahmavidananda
Saraswatiji. I present my paper as an offering to Bhagavatpada Shankara and to the
glorious guru shishya parampara, of which we are an integral part. As I present my
paper, pls do forgive my flaws, as they would be there due a lack in my
understanding and all credits to my gurus if there is anything I have understood
well.

It all started when I was doing a parayanam of the Shankara bhasya of the
Bhagavad Gita. It came to my notice, that Bhagavan Shankara was using a
particular word repeatedly, deliberately and purposefully.

This presentation is my attempt to share with you all, my understanding of the

word which Bhagavan Shankara has repeated in his Bhagavad Gita Bhasya in

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many many verses. He uses this particular word in his bhasya for explaing 60
verses out of the total 700 verses of the Gita. Chapter 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13,
14, 15 and 18. In 13 chapters out of the total 18 chapters, Shankara has used this
word.

Knowing the brilliance of Shankara and his bhasya, we all know that not a single
word is unnecessary and out of context or out of place. Then why does he
repeatedly use this particular word so many number of times?

Swamini Brahmaprajnanandaji has taught us that in order to fully understand any

text, one needs to get in tune with the author of the text. Getting in tune is when
you have your wavelength matched with the author's and when your understanding
of the subject matter of the text matches exactly with what the author wants to
convey. In short, when you are in tune with the author's mind, you have a
स य ानम् crystal clear understanding of the subject matter of what the author
wants to convey.

It has been a wonder as to how ones shrotriyam brahmanishtha guru is able to

convey his/her vision, which is actually the vision of the shastra, to the shishya and
make the shishya see exactly and clearly what he/she sees? Here, we bow down to
the glorious guru parampara and especially Bhagavan Shankara, the shining link in
the parampara, for passing down the vision of the shastra exactly as it is. स यक्
ानम् crystal clear understanding and vision of the self me, as Atma, as Sat Chit
Ananda Brahman.

And coincidentally, the word that Bhagavan Shankara keeps repeating in his
bhasya on the Bhagavad Gita in 13 chapters our of 18 is स य दशनम्।

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स यक् means सह यु त उ चत यथो चत् शु द यथाथ पूणतासे प ट पसे जैसाहै
वैसा, without any distortions, crystal clear.

दशनम् stands for seeing, the vision of the absolute truth. Our shastra gives a huge

importance to दशनम्। In fact throughout our culture, darshanam is very very

important. When we visit any temple we are all looking forward to getting a
complete and clear darshanam of the Lord. We also come out and say, Bhagavan
ke bahut acche darshan hue aaj. Having a complete and clear darshanam without
any obstacles and doubts is very important to us. This is possibly a trickle down of
having the clarity of the vision of the shastra.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavan Krsna also talks of

एकं सा यं च योगं च यः प य त स प य त।।५.५।।
The one who sees that that which is accomplished by a sanyasi and that which is
accomplished by a karma yogi as the same, that person alone sees the clear समयक्
truth and
वन य व वन य तं यः प य त स प य त ॥१३.२७ ॥
The one who is not being destroyed in the things that are perishing, he alone sees.

And in verse 15.10 he talks of

वमूढा नानुप यि त प यि त ानचु सः।
Those who have the eye of wisdom, see.

Hence seeing the truth i.e. understanding the truth and having the exact vision of
the shastra is very important for us.

Thus Bhagavan Shankara has also again and again talked of स य दशनम्।

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In the bhasya, Bhagavan Shankara mentions स य दशनम् right from having a
clear priority of the pursuit of moksha, up to having a crystal clear doubtless
understanding of the shastric vision.

Bhagavan Shankara first mentions स यक् माणज नत वात् in verse 2.41 in the
context of having clarity of pursuit, single pointed eka nischayatmika
vayavasayatmika buddhih. Once the priorities are clear, then I am clear about what
I have to get involved in and what I need to withdraw from. The withdrawal is not
due to my aversion but due to vairagya objectivity towards different non priority
objects and thoughts. Hence Bhagavan Shankara mentions about स यक् उपसंहरते
in verse 2.58
यदा संहरते चायं कूम गानीव सवशः।
इि याणीि याथ य त य ा ति ठता। and

वषया व नवत ते नराहार य दे हनः ।

रसवज रसोऽ य य परं वा नवतते ॥२.५९ ॥

For a sthitaprajnah, upon having a clear vision of the truth, स य दशनम्, even
longing behind the senses goes away.

A person who is आ म येव च संतु ट: or आ म येवा मनातु ट: is purnah,

completely full and so has सवतः सं लुतोदक थानीये I.e. a small reservoir is of not
much use for him when there is flood everywhere, he has स य दशनम्।
But he continues to perform action as mentioned in 3.20 eg.like Janaka, for
लोकसं हम् for the benefit of people, but he has given up the fruits of karma

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through knowledge. The ानाि न has burnt up all his karma. That is, he has

understood that he was never the karta or the bhokta and has understood कम य
कम यः प ये अकम ण च कम यः।

मापणं म हव मा नौ मणा हुतम् ।

मैव तेन ग त यं मकमसमा धना ॥ ४.२४ ॥

Bhagavan Shankara has used स य दशनम् 7 times in his bhasya to explain this
verse. The one who has this vision through the ानय ः sees each and everything
as Brahman. No exceptions. He has the vision of Oneness. Due to this vision, he is
released from samsara as mentioned in verse 4.32

त व ध णपातेन प र नेन सेवया ।

उपदे यि त ते ानं ा नन त वद शनः ॥ ४.३४ ॥

In verse 4.34, Bhagavan Shankara highlights the importance of having a स य दश

गु । Only the knowledge imparted by a त वद शन: स य द शन: who himself has
the vision of the Shastra, is effective and makes a student see the vision himself not
that imparted by anyone else. Hence the importance of a guru being a मन ठ
ो यम्।

यथैधां स स म धोऽि नभ मसा कु तेऽजुन ।

ानाि नः सवकमा ण भ मसा कु ते तथा ॥ 4.३७ ॥
स य दशनम् takes away the power to generate all effects of karma. Just like a
roasted seed can no longer germinate.

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In the sangati bhasya between verse 4.39 and 4.40, Shankara tells what follows
from the gain of knowledge. स यदशनात् मेव मो ः भव त। This has been

established firmly by the Shastra. The word important here is म् immediate.

No gaps, no delays. All texts of our Shastra talk of moksha being here and now,
not there and then.

त माद ानस भूतं थं ाना सना मनः ।

छ वैनं संशयं योगमा त ठो ठ भारत ॥ ४.४२ ॥
Bhagavan Krsna says that slaying all doubts about the self, with the sword of clear
vision of the Shastra, स य दशनम्, knowledge of the self, practise karma yoga.

What happens when a yogi uses karma yoga as a means to attain self-knowledge?
योगयु तो वशु धा मा विजता मा िजतेि यः ।
सवभूता मभूता मा कुव न प न ल यते ॥ ५.७ ॥
He who is a yogi, a yogayuktah, he is a vijitatma and a jitendriyah, one who has
mastery over his mind. He through self knowledge is able to see himself as all.
सवभूता मभूता मा means सवषां माद नां त बपय तानां भूतानाम् आ मभूतः
आ मा य चेतनः य य सः सवभूता मभूता मा स य दश इ यथ: i.e. who

knows oneself to be the self in all beings ranging from Brahmaji to त ब: blades
of grass. He is समद शनः who sees the same truth in the Brahmana, the cow, the
elephant, the dog and the dog eater.
व या वनयस प ने ा मणे ग व हि त न ।
शु न चैव वपाके च पि डताः समद शनः ॥ ५.१८ ॥

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In verse 5.8 and 5.9, Bhagavan Shankara says that the त व वदः are the
सवकायकरणचे टासु कमसु अकम एव, प यतः स यगद शन: i.e. the knowers of

truth who see only non work in all works I.e. कम यकम यः प ये have the right
vision.

लभ ते म नवाणमृषयः ीणक मषाः ।

छ न वैधा यता मानः सवभूत हते रताः ॥ ५.२५ ॥
काम ोध वयु तानां यतीनां यतचेतसाम् ।
अ भतो म नवाणं वतते व दता मनाम् ॥ ५.२६ ॥
व दता मनां व दतः ातः आ मा येषां ते व दता मानः तेषां व दता मनां
स य द शना म यथः। The ones who have known the self clearly are the ones with
the clear vision.

स य दशनम् is the phalam of मैक वदशनं and आ मैक वदशनं। What is this
clear vision?
सवभूत थमा मानं सवभूता न चा म न ।
ई ते योगयु ता मा सव समदशनः ॥ ६.२९ ॥
यो मां प य त सव सव च म य प य त ।
त याहं न ण या म स च मे न ण य त ॥ ६.३० ॥
One who has the vision of sameness, oneness everywhere, and sees the self abiding
in all beings and all beings in the self has स य दशनं।
The स य दश recognises the oneness in all beings and abides in Isvara
irrespective of any actions he does.

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आ मौप येन सव समं प य त योऽजुन ।
सुखं वा य द वा दुःखं स योगी परमो मतः ॥ ६.३२ ॥

When the स य दश sees the Oneness in all clearly, he sees that just as I like
pleasure and I am averse to pain, so do all others. He sees himself in all and so
does not act against anyone, does not injure anyone nor is jealous of anyone nor
rejects nor despises or hurts anyone. Thus he abides in the value of ahimsa towards
himself and all others as he cannot hurt, reject or despise Himself. And surely,
while abiding in and understanding ahimsa clearly, he definitely abides in dharma
(universal values and doing what needs to be done in accordance with desha kala)
towards himself and all others.

Who attains स य दशनम्?

य ना यतमान तु योगी संशु ध कि बषः ।
अनेकज मसं स ध ततो या त परां ग तम् ॥ ६.४५ ॥
A yogi who makes an effort by his will and is cleansed of all impurities of all gross
and subtle raaga dvesas gathered across many births, he gains ल धस य दशनः
सन् या त परां ग तम्। Hence he who makes the effort to take care of his raaga
dvesas by working on himself, he gains parangatim.

इदं तु ते गु यतमं व या यनसूयवे ।

ानं व ानस हतं य ा वा मो यसेऽशुभात् ॥ ९.१ ॥

In the 9th chapter Bhagavan Krsna reveals this स य ानं knowing which one in
released from all that is inauspicious. In verses 9.4 and 9.5 Bhagavan reveals the
truth of म था न सवभूता न All beings having their being in Me.

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एतां वभू तं योगं च मम यो वे त वतः ।
सोऽ वक पेन योगेन यु यते ना संशयः ॥ १०.७ ॥
Knowing the connection between the glories of Isvara i.e. the jagat which includes
my mind body sense complex, and the Me the atma, is understanding satyam and
mithya clearly. He who has this understanding, gains an unshaken vision
स य दशन थैयल ण. He has understood the clear vision that Atma darshanam is

Isvara darshanam. There is no doubt about this. The स य दशनम् is

as told by Bhagawan in verse 10.8 that
अहं सव य भवो म ः सव वतते ।
इ त म वा भज ते मां बुधा भावसमि वताः ॥ १०.८ ॥
All has manifested from Me and because of Me everything is sustained and all
resolves into Me.

In verse 10.10 Bhagavan Krsna says that those who are always committed to me
and seek me with bhakti love, I grant them that vision, स य दशनं म व वषयं to
reach Me. How does he grant this vision?

Bhagavan says: नाशया या मभाव थो ानद पेन भा वता ॥ १०.११ ॥ I destroy

the ignorance by the shining lamp of knowledge.
It helps a jignasu to note that nowhere Bhagavan Shankara mentions that Samyak
Darshanam is possible through rituals, mantras, tantra or meditation. All these are
important as sadhanas and have their place especially in antahkarana shuddhi,
preparation of the mind, but these are not the immediate cause of Darshanam.
Rather, samyagdarshanam is only possible with the destruction of ignorance
through self knowledge.

Although ch11 talks of Vishvaroopadarshanam, Bhagavan Shankara doesnot

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mention स य दशनम् at all in the entire ch11 thus indicating that the vision of
Vishwa roopa obtained through a special divya chakshu gifted by Bhagavan is not
the स य दशनम् that is the final goal of a jignasu. The स य दश is a vishwa
roopa darshi but the vishwa roopa darshi is not a स य दश ।

In verse 13.2, Bhagavan Shankara equates the knowledge of the kshetra and
kshetrajna, in other words drk and drishya, as being स यक् ानं। Understanding
this verse and the bhasyam on this verse, one is clear on his understanding of
स यक् ानं l

In verse 13.18, Bhagavan Shankara explains about who is the adhikari for
स य दशनम्। अि मन् स य दशने कः अ ध यते इ त उ यते — म भ तः म य
ई वरे सव े परमगुरौ वासुदेवे सम पतसवा मभावः, यत् प य त शृणो त पृश त वा
‘सवमेव भगवान् वासुदेवः’ इ येवं हा व टबु धः म भ तः स एतत् यथो तं
स य दशनं व ाय, म भावाय मम भावः म भावः परमा मभावः त मै म भावाय
उपप यते मो ं ग छ त ॥ १३.१८ ॥ My devotee, madbhaktah, who has
surrendered his self totally to Me, Vasudeva. He is the one who has given his entire
mind, senses, everything to the pursuit of the knowledge of Bhagavan is the
adhikari for स यगदशनं।

Bhagavan Shankara has used स य दशनं to explain each verse from verse 13.26 to
13.30. verse 13.26, explains the connection between kshetra and kshetrajna which
is actually not a connection in the sense of 2 things coming together but in the
sense of one being dependent on the other, one being a superimposition adhyaropa

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on the other. When this is understood, then one can see (यः प य त स प य त) the
vision of Oneness in all.

समं सवषु भूतेषु त ठ तं परमे वरम् ।

वन य व वन य तं यः प य त स प य त ॥ १३.२७ ॥
Since he sees the Oneness, himself in the variety of names and forms in the jagat,
he sees himself as the sat which is never destroyed hence gains param gatim.

समं प यि ह सव समवि थतमी वरम् ।

न हन या मना मानं ततो या त परां ग तम् ॥ २८ ॥

And so the one who sees आ मैव इदम् सवम् alone is a स य द शनः।

Bhagavan Shankara finally uses स य दशनं to explain verse 18.66 and explans
that only through the right perception by understanding the vision of the shastra,
that is, through the recognition of the atma as the svarupa of Isvara and the jiva,
one is released from samsara.

Thus स य दशनम् starts from having a clear priority of the pursuit of moksha,
right up to having a crystal clear doubtless understanding of the shastric vision. All
the way is स य दशनं।

Bhagavan Shankaracharya has repeated this word more than 75 times in the entire
Gita Bhasya. Thus स य दशनम् sums up the entire tatparya of the Bhagavad Gita
thus laying an emphasis on having a clear understanding of the Shastra and thus
having a clear vision of the jiva, Isvara and the Jagat as Brahman myself.

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जय जय शंकर जग गु हर हर शंकर आ द गु ।

ओं तत् सत् ।

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