Durvasana-pratikara-dasakam 1
(adapted from a talk
by Swami Paramarthananda)
“Durvasana prathikara
dasakam” is a work of ten verses by Sri Vidhyaranya Swami, 12th Jagadguru
of Sringeri Saradha Peetam. Sri
Vidhyaranya Swami is a prolific author of many Vedantic texts, one of them
being the famous Panchadasi. Dasakam
means a work of ten verses. Vasana means a habit, a tendency, an
inclination. Durvasana means unhealthy inclination, negative habit. These durvasanas are the hurdles to
overcome for a sadhaka seeking Athma jnanam. Even if one manages to complete Sravanam and
Mananam successfully, one cannot get established in Athma Jnanam
and gain Jnana nishta without overcoming these durvasanas. Prathikara
means remedy and this work lists various types of durvasanas along with
the remedy and cure for each durvasana.
The durvasanas and remedies as stated in the work are easy to
understand and do not need any elaborate explanation. Swami Paramarthananda has
delivered a talk on this work under the
heading “Self- Reorientation”. Based on
this talk I wrote an article for the magazine of Sydney Sanskrit School,
Medha. This blog is an adaptation from
that article without the slokas in Sanskrit.
Verse 1
pratarvaidikakarmatastadanusatvedantasanchintaya
paschatbharata moksha dharma mananaathvasishtharamayanatI
sayambhagavatarthadivyakathayaratrounidhidhyasanat
kalogacchatunassharirabharanamprarabdhakantarpitam II1II
May your time be spent (thus), offering your life to
prarabhdha for maintenance of body etc.; in the morning by discharging the
duties ordained as per Vedas;thereafter by reflecting on noble (teachings of)
Vedanta; after that by (reading / listening to) the Moksha dharma in
Mahabharatha and Yogavasishtam in Ramayana and in the evening by (reading /
listening to) the divine story of Bhagavatam and in the night by meditation.
In this verse a
general and comprehensive list of activities for a grihastha seeker and sanyasi
seeker is given. The routine for sanyasi seeker is study of scriptures
including Ithihasa and puranas and Nitidyasanam. For the grihastha seeker the
prescribed routine is, performance of the nithya naimithika karmas,
listening to Bhagavathapurana and study of selected portions like Moksha
dharma in Mahabharatha and Yogavasishtam in Ramayana,
engaging in activities for maintenance of body-mind complex and worldly
transactions with the understanding that these are governed by one’s prarabhdha
and with an attitude of surrender to God.
Verse 2
ajnanamtyaja heymano mama sadabrahmatmasambhavanat
sankalpansakalanapityajajaganmithyatvasambhavanat
kamam sadhana sadhyadukhanivahadhyanatajasramtyaja
krodhamtukshamayasadajahibalatlobhamtusantoshataha
II2II
Oh! My mind! Give up Self-ignorance through proper understanding
of Brahman and Jivatma. Get rid of all fancies and actions (to satisfy desires)
also by the realization of the unreal nature of this world. By considering the
fact that procuring worldly objects is a difficult and endless effort, get rid
of desire always. Overcome anger through forgiving, (and) greed by conscious
effort through adopting an attitude of
contentment in life always.
By understanding one’s Real
nature as Brahman one should give up identification with the finite, mortal
body-mind-complex due to Self-ignorance.
Sankalpas are the fanciful thoughts for future, not only for
themselves but also for the entire family, which the author advises to give up
through the understanding of the mithyatvam of the world. One should give up all binding desires with
the understanding of the three doshas they all suffer from, namely
dukhamisritatvam, atriptikaratvam and
bandhakathvam i.e mixed with suffering, not fully satisfying and acting as a
bondage. As anger has the potential for
disastrous consequences to one, it should be given up through patience and tolerance. Through
cultivating a feeling of contentment and self-satisfaction one should overcome
the greed.
Verse 3
jihvopasthasukhabhramamtyajamanahparyantaduhkhekshanat
parushyammrudubhashanattyajavruthalapasramammounataha
dussangamtyaja sadhu
sangamabalatgarvamtubhangekshanat
nindaduhkhamanindyadevamunidurnindakathasamsruteh
II3II
O mind! By realizing (that)
ultimately (it will only lead to) misery, give up the illusory pleasure (that)
the tongue (and) the genitals provide. Give up talking harsh by speaking softly
and soothingly. Practising silence, avoid wasteful effort in indulging in
useless talk. Give up bad company by deriving strength from the company of the
good and righteous people. Give up arrogant pride by realizing that someone
could humble you too! By recalling the
stories (you have heard) of criticism of venerable gods (and) sages,give up
unhappiness arising out of others criticizing you.
In this verse the author
entreats the mind to give up indulgence in sense pleasures be it of tongue or
genitals or any other sense organ by perceiving the possible misery to
follow. He advises one to employ sweet
and pleasurable language on all occasions, giving up harsh language in any
occasion; to avoid needless prattle by practicing mounam regularly; to give up
pride and arrogance with the understanding that fall follows the pride; and not
to lose one’s cool when insulted or criticized remembering that avatarapurushas
like Sri Rama and Sri Krishna were also subjected to insults and criticism.
Verse 4
nidramsatvikavastusevakatayaswapnamsadajagarat
roganjirnamitasanatjahisadadainyammahadhairyataha
arthanarthaparigrahamtyajavruthasamsargasantyagataha
strivanchantyajadoshadarshanabalatduhkhamsukhatmekshanat
II4II
By taking to Satvic pursuits, avoid sleeping (for
long hours). By being alert always (and
practical and realistic), avoid day dreaming fantasies in life! By taking proper medicines overcome diseases.
Always overcome the feeling of helplessness by mustering mental strength. Get
over the desire for hoarding and accumulating property by giving up all
unnecessary interactions and transactions.
Get over temptation for women by thinking of the possible ill effects of
excessive sex or over- attachment. By
realizing that Athma or Self is by nature always in Bliss, get over grief (that
affects body)
Tamoguna manifests in
excessive sleep. It is to be countered
with Satvic practices like satsangh and religious rituals. While
planning for future, avoid brooding and daydreaming. While care for the body is
necessary, guard against pampering the body or being obsessively attached to
it. At the same time don’t neglect health
and take proper medicines in required doses to overcome sickness. Whenever a feeling of depression or
inferiority complex, grief or sorrow affects you, get over it quickly through
reminding yourself that you are not the finite mortal body that is subject to
grief, sorrow and depression but the eternal, blissful Athma, untouched by the
fleeting experiences of the world. Don’t
hoard money or possessions by regularly reviewing and discarding the excessive
ones and by not associating with people having such tendencies. Avoid
developing illegitimate desires and attachments with the members of opposite
sex keeping in mind the fate of such characters in the scriptures.
Verse 5
darasaktimanadarattyajasuthadhanasaktimtvaniyataha
snehammohavisarjanatkarunayanaishturyamantastyaja।
audasinyasamasrayattyajasuhrunmitradhidurvasanaha
sarvanarthakarandasendriyaripunekantavasatjahi॥5॥
Give up (over) attachment towards the spouse. Give up
(over) attachment (towards) children and wealth (by realizing) their transient
nature. Get over attachment (towards anything / anybody) by getting rid of
delusion. By compassion get over harsh feelings. By an attitude of equality and
non-involvement avoid the evil propensities (towards) friends or enemies. Give
up all evil-causing (internal) enemies (i.e.,) ten sense and action organs by
retiring to solitary place.
While having affection for
wife and children and taking care of them don’t lean on them for security or
happiness and don’t let the affection grow into deep attachment. Let it be what
Lord Krishna calls “asakthir anabhishvangaha putradaragrihathishu i.e.
absence of attachment and the feeling of mineness in respect of son, wife, home
etc.”(Gita13-9). Cultivate compassion to
curb unhealthy tendencies like harshness and cruelty to others. By not judging people as good or bad, friend
or enemy, develop an attitude of equality and non-involvement., Exercise
control over the sense organs by retiring to solitude frequently or staying in
an ashram without camera, cell phone etc.
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