SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
SlOkam – Original
yathEndhriyamanObudhdhir munir mOkshaparAyaNa: |
vigathEchchAbhayakrOdhO ya: sadhA muktha Eva sa: ||
word-by-word meaning
yathEndhriya manObudhdhi: – having controlled senses, mind and intelligence (to stay away from anything other than AthmA related)
vigathEchchAbhayakrOdha: – free from desire (on those other matters), from fear (of not being fulfilled of such desire) and from anger (on those who stop such desires from being fulfilled)
mOksha parAyaNa: – having liberation i.e. self-realisation as the ultimate goal
muni: – one who is naturally having the vision of AthmA
ya: – one who lives in this manner
sa: – he
sadhA muktha Eva: – always remains liberated.
Simple Translation
One who lives having controlled senses, mind and intelligence (to stay away from anything other than AthmA related), being free from desire (on those other matters), from fear (of not being fulfilled of such desire) and from anger (on those who stop such desires from being fulfilled), having liberation i.e. self-realisation as the ultimate goal, naturally having the vision of AthmA, always remains liberated.
Rendering based on ALkoNdavilli gOvindhAchArya swAmy’s English translation of gIthA bhAshyam
‘Governing the senses, manas[2. Manas is generally translated as mind, but mind in English Psychology is a general term denoting Intellect (or Thought), Will (or Volition) & Feelings (or Emotions); but in Indian Psychology, manas is substance, the 11th organ, the internal organ of perception and action. Manas, the mind that functions in the world is the instrument of objective consciousness; whereas buddhi may be considered as the subjective or spiritual consciousness. Manas or the worldy mind constitutes the personality of an entity conterminous with a single incarnation on the material plane; and constitutes also the individuality of the entity as well in its various transmigrations from incarnation to incarnation; the personality being distinguished in the sthūla or gross visible bodily manifestation, and the individuality being distinguished in the sūkshma, linga, or subtle invisible bodily manifestation, and experiences thereof in dream, Svarga, etc. Whereas buddhi is consciousness pure, exempt from all material conditions, and is an inseparable adjunct of the soul. It is spiritual consciousness which eternally adjectivally co-exists with soul (ātmā). In the Yudhishṭhira-Ajagara-Samvāda (vide, Mahābhārata, Aranya Parva, 181st Adhyaya) Ajagara (or the dragon) gives a short and clear definition of buddhi, and manas, worth quoting here:- ‘Buddher ātmānug-ātīva, utpāte na vidhīyate, Tadāśritā hi sā jñeyā, Buddhis tasya-ishiṇi bhavet (25)’. ‘Buddher utpadyate kāryān, manas t-ūtpannam eva hi. Buddher guṇa-vishir nāsti, manas tad-guṇavad bhavet (26)’. Meaning: Buddhi (or intelligence) is the ever indissoluble attribute of the soul (ātmā), and is to be known as dependent on the soul, and ministering to it. Buddhi is the evolvent of effects (or cause) whereas manas is the evolute (or effect). Buddhi is not circumscribed by the guṇas (or properties of matter, whereas manas changes according to the guṇas).] and buddhi[3. Buddhi is generally translated as understanding, will and so on. Indian philosophy understands by it, the judging, discerning, ascertaining or deciding faculty of the mind. Vide, note 1, above, on ‘Manas‘.], whoso is thus exempt from desire, dread and ire, the muni[4. See BG 2.56 for a commentary on muni.], the sole moksha-desirer, is verily, ever the liberated.’
‘Shutting out all (sense-)contacts’ with objects, means: stopping all the activities of the outer senses. (Then), he shall enter into a state fit for practicing meditation (yoga) and there assuming an erect posture, fixing the eyes on the tip of the nose between the eye-brows[5. The several postures are described in Hatḥa-Yoga-pradīpika, and elsewhere. See Gīta. VI-10 to 15. The tip of the nose is mentioned in VI-13.], and equalizing the inspiring (prāṇa) and expiring (apāna) life-breaths, current in the nostrils, render the senses, manas[6. Manas is generally translated as mind, but mind in English Psychology is a general term denoting Intellect (or Thought), Will (or Volition) & Feelings (or Emotions); but in Indian Psychology, manas is substance, the 11th organ, the internal organ of perception and action. Manas, the mind that functions in the world is the instrument of objective consciousness; whereas buddhi may be considered as the subjective or spiritual consciousness. Manas or the worldy mind constitutes the personality of an entity conterminous with a single incarnation on the material plane; and constitutes also the individuality of the entity as well in its various transmigrations from incarnation to incarnation; the personality being distinguished in the sthūla or gross visible bodily manifestation, and the individuality being distinguished in the sūkshma, linga, or subtle invisible bodily manifestation, and experiences thereof in dream, Svarga, etc. Whereas buddhi is consciousness pure, exempt from all material conditions, and is an inseparable adjunct of the soul. It is spiritual consciousness which eternally adjectivally co-exists with soul (ātmā). In the Yudhishṭhira-Ajagara-Samvāda (vide, Mahābhārata, Aranya Parva, 181st Adhyaya) Ajagara (or the dragon) gives a short and clear definition of buddhi, and manas, worth quoting here:- ‘Buddher ātmānug-ātīva, utpāte na vidhīyate, Tadāśritā hi sā jñeyā, Buddhis tasya-ishiṇi bhavet (25)’. ‘Buddher utpadyate kāryān, manas t-ūtpannam eva hi. Buddher guṇa-vishir nāsti, manas tad-guṇavad bhavet (26)’. Meaning: Buddhi (or intelligence) is the ever indissoluble attribute of the soul (ātmā), and is to be known as dependent on the soul, and ministering to it. Buddhi is the evolvent of effects (or cause) whereas manas is the evolute (or effect). Buddhi is not circumscribed by the guṇas (or properties of matter, whereas manas changes according to the guṇas).] and buddhi[7. Buddhi is generally translated as understanding, will and so on. Indian philosophy understands by it, the judging, discerning, ascertaining or deciding faculty of the mind. Vide, note 1, above, on ‘Manas‘.] incapable of moving out to any other subject save ātma.
And then by reason of the above procedure, he shall be exempt from longings, fear and hatred.
He is moksha-parāyaṇa, or he whose sole aim is moksha (emancipation).
He is muni, or ever intent on the desire to sight ātma. Whoso is (all) this, is indeed the liberated (mukta). That is to say, he is to be considered as liberated, even before reaching the goal as after it (i.e., during the journey itself on the Path of Spirituality).
The easy mode of accomplishing Karma-yoga with its auxiliaries made up of the described nitya, naimittika[7. The daily duties (nitya) are Snāna, Sandhyā, Vaiśvadeva-brahma-yajña, Deva-ṛshi-pitṛi-tarpaṇa, and Aupāsana. The occassioned (naimittika) are the Śrāddhās, Tarpaṇas, etc., performed on the Eclipse-day, Saṇkranti, Mahālaya, etc., Pūrva-Mīmāmsa says: ‘nitya naimittika karmācharaṇe phalam nāsti; akaraṇe pratyavāyaḥ’.] etc., duties, —and having yoga (meditation) for its aim, is now shown:—
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