Drgdrsyaviveka

SANKARA invites us to discern (viveka) between Real and non-real, between atman (Self) and non-atman (non-Self), between Infinite and finite, between Life and death. Man's greatest conflicts stem from his attachment to and his identification with the non-atman, with the finite. Knowledge on the other hand, leads to the unveiling of sat, of True Existence. A star is born, grows, matures, ages and dies, and these events are an uninterrupted flow of change. There is never a moment when the physical world undergoes no change or atomic or molecular transformation. If we are in agreement that the Absolute must be eternally "constant", "unvarying" then we cannot look for it in the world of phenomena, whether objective or subjective. Thus the Drgdrsyaviveka expounds a detailed description of the different kinds of concentration (samadhi), of the three theories empirically concerning jiva, and other questions of vital importance to the Vedanta teaching.In Svami Nikhilananda's words: This work, which contains only forty-six sloka is an excellent vade mecum (handbook) for students of advanced courses in Advaita philosophy.