Laghu Vakya Vritti

of Shri Adi Shankaracharya

(with meaning in Hindi and English)

Published by
International Vedanta Mission
www.vmission.org.in / vmission@gmail.com
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1- LFkwyks ekale;ks nsg%
lw{e% L;k}kluke;%A
KkudesZfUnz;S% lk/kZa
/khizk.kks rPNjhjxksSAA

;g LFkwy'kjhj ekal dk cuk gqvk gS] rFkk

lw{e'kjhj tks fd KkusfUnz;] desZfUnz;] izk.k ,oa
cqf) ls ;qDr gS&og okluke; gSA

The fleshy body is the gross adjunct of

the Atman and the one made up of desires
together with the organs of perception and
action, the pranas , the intellect and the mind
constitutes the subtle adjunct.

2- vKkua dkj.ka lk{kh

cks/kLrs"kka foHkkld%A
cks/kkHkklks cqf)xr%
drkZL;kRiq.;iki;ks%AA

vKku gekjs bu nks 'kjhjksa dk dkj.k gS]

lk{kh budk izdk'kd gSA cqf) esa izfrfcfEcr
psrurk gh iki&iq.; Qyksa dk drkZ tho gSA

Ignorance makes the causal adjunct. Pure

consciousness stands behind them all the three
adjuncts as the witness and the illuminator. The
reflection of the pure Consciousness on the
intellect (acquiring the sense of individuality
due to ignorance) becomes the Jiva, the agent
of good and evil.

Laghu Vakya Vritti 3

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3- l ,o laljsRdeZ
o'kkYyksd};s lnkA
cks/kkHkklkPNq)cks/ka
fofoP;knfr;Rur%AA

og gh tho vius deZo'kkr~ bg vkSj

ijyksd esa lalj.k dks izkIr gksrk gSA vr% foosd&cqf)
ls bl fpnkHkkl rFkk psrurk dks iz;RuiwoZd
i`Fkd~ ns[kuk pkfg,A

It is the jeeva that is incessantly migrating

in the two worlds (here and thereafter) due to
the resultant force of its own actions (in the
form of good and evil). Therefore the supreme
problem of life lies in the effort to discriminate
the pure Consciousness from its reflection.

4- tkxjLoIu;ksjsoa
cks / kkHkklfoMEcukA
lqIrkS rq rYy;s 'kq)
&cks/kks tkM~;a izdk'k;sr~AA

tkxzr vkSj LoIu voLFkk esa gh cks/kkHkkl

dk [ksy gksrk gSA lq"kqfIr esa cks/kkHkkl ds y; gks
tkus ij 'kq) psrurk vKku dks izdkf'kr djrh gSA

The relational activities of the reflected

consciousness-the jeeva are restricted to the
two states of waking and dreaming; whereas in
deep sleep the reflected consciousness itself
together with the reflector, the intellect, being
absorbed in ignorance, the pure consciousness
shines upon ignorance only.

Laghu Vakya Vritti 4

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5- tkxjs·fi f/k;Lrw".kha
Hkko% 'kq)su Hkkl;sr~A
/khO;kikjk'p rn~HkkL;k%
fpnkHkklsu la;qrk%AA

tkxzr esa Hkh 'kkUr cqf) dks ;g psrurk

izdkf'kr djrh gS] fpnkHkkl ds lkjs O;kikj 'kq)
psrurk ds }kjk gh izdkf'kr gksrs gSA

Even in the wakefulness, the calm of the

intellect is lit up by the pure Consciousness. So
also the activities of the intellect together with
the reflected-consciousness are subject to
manifestation by the pure consciousness.

6- ofg~urIrtya rki
;qDra nsgL; rkide~A
fpn~HkkL;k /khLrnkHkkl
;qDrkU;a Hkkl;sr~ rFkkAA

tSls vfXu ds la;ksx ls xje gqvk ty

'kjhj dks tykus esa l{ke gks tkrk gS] oSls gh
psru rRo ls izdkf'kr gqbZ cqf) Hkh lc o`fRr;ksa
dks izdkf'kr djus esa l{ke gks tkrh gSA

Water heated on fire acquires heat and so

becomes capable of heating the body; in like
manner, the intellect illumined by pure
consciousness acquires its luster and thereby
illumines all other external objects.

Laghu Vakya Vritti 5

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7- :iknkS xq.knks"kkfn
fodYik cqf)xk% fØ;k%A
rk% fØ;k fo"k;S% lk/kZa
Hkkl;Urh fpfreZrkAA

:ikfn esa xq.k&nks"kkfn ds fodYiksa dh dYiuk

cqf) ds }kjk gh gksrh gSA :ikfn fo"k;ks ds lkFk
cqf) ds bu leLr O;ogkj dks 'kq) psrurk gh
izdkf'kr djrh jgrh gSA

Notions of the good and evil in respect of

the senses-objects are the creations of the
intellect. The pure Consciousness, however
simply reveals those activities of the intellect
together with the external objects.

8- :ikPp xq.knks"kkH;ka
fofoDrk dsoyk fpfr%A
lSokuqorZrs :i&
jlknhuka fodYiusAA

:ikfn fo"k; ,oa tho }kjk mu ij dfYir

xq.k nks"k :ih v/;kjksi dks vf/k"Bku :ih psrurk
ls foosd }kjk i`Fkd~ dj ns[kksaA ;g psrurk lc
:ikfn dks vkReoku djus ds dkj.k lHkh fodYiksa
dk vuqorZu djrh lh nh[krh gSA

The absolute pure consciousness is

distinct from the objects of senses as well as
from the notions of good and evil attributed to
them by the intellect, yet she ( pure conscious-
ness) is that stands behind the cognition of them
all is the sole illuminator.

Laghu Vakya Vritti 6

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9- {k.ks {k.ks·U;FkkHkwrk
/khfodYikf'pfruZ rqA
eqDrklq lw=on~cqf)
fodYis"kq fpfr% fLFkrkAA

cqf) dh o`fRr;ka izfr{k.k cnyrh jgrh gS]

fdUrq mudh lk{kh psrurk ughaA tSls eksfr;ksa dh
ekyk ds izR;sd eksfr;ksa esa lw= vuqL;wr gS] oSls
gh ;g psrurk leLr cqf)o`fRrdks O;kr djrh gSA

The modifications of the intellect are

changing from moment to moment, never so
the pure consciousness though it permeates
through all those modifications like the thread
in a string of pearls.

10- eqDrkfHkjko`ra lw=a

eqDr;kseZ/; bZ{krsA
rFkko`rk fodYiS&f'pr~
Li"Vk e/;s fodYi;ks%AA

tSls eksfr;ksa ls vko`Rr lw= nks eksfr;ksa ds

chp esa fujko`Rr nh[krk gS] oSls gh cqf) dh
leLr o`fRr;ksa ls O;kIr psrurk nks o`fRr ds e/
; esa fufoZ?u nh[kkbZ nsrh gSA

The thread covered over by the pearls in

a string can be seen in between the two pearls.
Similarly the pure consciousness also though
hidden by the modifications of the intellect can
be clearly perceived in between any two
modifications.

Laghu Vakya Vritti 7

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11- u"Vs iwoZfodYis rq

;konU;L; uksn;%A
fufoZdYid pSrU;a
Li"Va rkof}HkklrsAA

tc iwoZ o`fRr u"V gks pwdh gks] rFkk nwljh

o`fRr vHkh mRiUu ugha gqbZ gks] ml le; bu
nksuksa o`fRr;ksa ds e/; esa fufoZdYi pSrU; Li"V:i
ls Hkkflr gksrk gSA

The pure undifferentiated Consciousness

shines forth clearly by itself in the interval of
two modifications of the intellect, when the
preceding one has died down and another is yet
to appear.

12- ,df}f=&{k.ksuSoa
fodYiL; fujks/kue~A
Øes.kkH;L;rka ;Rukn~
czãkuqHkodkaf{kfHk%AA

czãkuqHko ds bPNqd yksxksa dks cgqr lko/

kkuhiwoZd igys ,d] nks] rhu {k.kksa rd vFkkZr~
dze'k% vof/k dks c<krs gq, cqf) o`fRr;ksa ds
fujks/k dk vH;kl djuk pkfg,A

Persons aspiring to the experience of

Brahman should, therefore practice by slow
degrees this restraint of modifications starting
with one moment and then extending it to two,
three and so on.

Laghu Vakya Vritti 8

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13- lfodYidthoks·;a
czã L;kféfoZdYide~A
vga czãsfr okD;su
lks·;eFkksZ·fHk/kh;rsAA

tks tho bl le; lksikf/kd :i dh rjg fn[k

jgk gS] og gh oLrqr% fu:ikf/kd czg~e gS] ;g gh
jgL; ^vga czãkfLe* egkokD; ds }kjk izfrikfnr
fd;k x;k gSA

This individual self, which is now affected

by modifications of the intellect, will in time
become one with the undifferentiated Brahman
by realising the truth of the Vedantic teaching-
'Iam Brahman'. That is the idea sought to be
conveyed here, in the treatise.

14- lfodYidfp|ks·ga
czãSda fufoZdYide~AA
Lor% fl)k fodYikLrs
fujks)O;k iz;Rur%AA

tks ;g lfodYid psrurk gS] og vga in dk

okP;kFkZ tho gS] vkSj tks ;g fufoZdYid psrurk gS]
oks vga in dk y{;kFkZ czg~e gSA ml fufoZdYi czg~e
ds lk{kkRdkj gsrq bu Lor%fl) fodYiksa ds izokg dks
cyiwoZd jksduk pkfg,A

The reflected consciousness, though

involved in the modifications of the intellect,
that I am now, is really one with the
undifferentiated Brahman. The apparent
modifications, which are self-evident, have only
to be suppressed by all efforts.

Laghu Vakya Vritti 9

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15- 'kD;% loZfujks/k'psr~

lekf/kKkZfuuka fiz;%A
rn'kDrkS {k.ka #)~ok
J)s;k czãrkReu%AA
Kkfu;ksa dh fiz; lekf/k leLr fodYiksa ds
fujks/k ls gh gks ldrh gS] ;fn lc fodYiksa dk lnk
ds fy, fujks/k ugha dj ldrs rks {k.k Hkj ds fy, Hkh
J)kyq dks jksd dj viuh czãLo:irk dk fu'p;
vo'; dj ysuk pkfg,A

If one is able to effect complete

suppression of all modifications once for all,
then one becomes blessed with the concentration
(Samadhi) which is lovingly cherished by all
sages. If however, that is not possible, one
should pursue with faith the effort to realize his
own Brahmanhood by controlling the
modifications for a moment even.

16- J)kyqczZãrka LoL;

fpUr;sn~ cqf)o`fÙkfHk%A
okD;o`Ù;k ;Fkk'kfDr%
KkRok áH;L;rka lnkAA
J)kyq O;fDr viuh czãLo:irk ds ckjs esa
viuh cqf) }kjk fpUru djs] rFkk bl okD;o`fRr xzUFk
ds }kjk Kku izkIr djds ;Fkk'kfDr lnk vH;kl djsaA

Having comprehended the real implication

of the teaching ‘I am Brahman’, a person imbued
with faith should meditate unremittingly upon
his identity with Brahman to the fullest extent
of his capacity, by means of all the faculties of
the intellect attuned to that idea.

Laghu Vakya Vritti 10

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17- rfPpUrua rRdFkua

rRijLijcks / kue~ A
,rnsdijRoa p
czãkH;kla fonqcqZ/kkAA
czãkH;kl dk vfHkizk; ;g gS fd czã dk gh
fpUru gks] mlh dh ppkZ gks] vU;ksU; ppkZ ,oa fpUru
ls Kku esa fu"Bk esa je.k gksA

“Meditating upon that, talking on That,

enlightening on That and in a way getting
oneself absorbed in That-all these together have
been known and taught by the wise ones as
constituting the practice of Brahman.”

18- nsgkRe/khon~ czãkRe&

/kh nk<+;sZ ÑrÑR;rkAA
;nk rnk;a fez;rka
eqDrks·lkS uk= la'k;%AA

tc vKkudky dh nsgkRecqf) dh gh rjg

czãkRecqf) lgt gks tk,] rc ;g euq"; thoUeqDr
gks ÑrÑR; gks tkrk gSA tc Hkh mlds izkjC/k lekIr
gksrs gS] og fonsgeqDr gks czã esa yhu gks tkrk gSA

'Consummation of this practice lies in the

firm conviction of one’s identity with Brahman,
like what conviction is normally there in the
sense of identity of the Self with the body. Once,
who has realized this, is liberated, without a
doubt; his body may then drop off, any time,
anywhere'.

Laghu Vakya Vritti 11