Ethical Values in Sankara's Crest Jewel of Wisdom: Atman and Anatman - Discrimination

Ethical  Values in Sankara's Crest Jewel of  Wisdom:

Atman  and Anatman - Discrimination 

• Neither by  weapons, nor by  wind, nor by  fire, nor by millions of  actions  can  this  bondage be  destroyed. By nothing save the  wonder-sword of knowledge which comes  from discrimination    and is sharpened by the purification  of mind and the intellect,  can  we end this bondage(147)
• He  who has deep devotion  to  the Srutis, and  who is established in his Swadharma..  for these alone contribute to the  purity  of  his mind...  and is of pure mind  realise sthe  supreme  Self .By this knowledge alone is   samsar  is  destroyed,  root and branch.(148)

The Freeing of the Self(Verses 148—154) Ø Covered by  five sheaths,  such as the food-sheath, which  are produced by  its own Divine Power,  the Self  ceases to appear,  just  as the water  in a tank ceases   to appear  due  to the   collection  of mass,  which  is born  out of itself(Water) (149)  When  the mass   is  removed,  absolutely  pure water ,  which   can  quench  the  pangs  of  thirst and  give  immediate joy, becomes  visible(150) When  the  fiive sheaths  have been  negated , the  Self is  apprehended as being the essence of  everlasting Bliss,  as the  indwelling , Self-effulgent  Spirit Supreme(151)  The  wise man   should  discriminate  between  the  Self and   t he not-Self,  in  order to remove  the bondage. Only  then  does heknowhis own  Self  to be Absolute  Existence-Knowledge-Bliss,  only then does he become happy(152)

• He who separates all sense-objects,perceived,felt and thought  of, from the subjective,unattached ,actionless  Self...like  the enveloping sheaths separated from the core of the Munja grass...  he is free,  for having  merged  everything  with  it, he  remains  ever identified  with  it (153) 

Ved  Prakash