Verses from Vivekachudamani

Beautiful verses from Vivekachudamani of Adi Shankara 

Translation of Swami Madhavananda 

 Verse 5 

वदन्तु शास्त्राणि यज्ञन्तु देवान 

कुर्वन्तु कर्माणि भजन्तु देवताः 

अत्मैक्यबोधेना विनापि 

मुक्ति र्न सिध्यते ब्रह्मशातान्तारेपी 

vadantu shAstrANi yagyantu devAn kurvantu karmANi bhajantu devatAhA 

Atmaikyabodhen vinApi Muktirna sidhyate brahmashatAntarEpi 

Let people quote the scriptures and sacrifice to the gods, 

Let them perform rituals and worship the dieties, 

(Yet) there is no Liberation for anyone without the realization of one's identity with the Atma. 

No, not even in the lifetime of a hundred Brahmas* put together. 

* Lifetime of a Brahma - is an extremely long period of time. One day of Brahma is equivalent to 432 million human years. 

Another Verse: Verse 26 

sarvadA sthApanam buddheha shuddhe brahmANi sarvadA tat samAdhAna mityuktam na tu chitasya lAlanam 

Not** the mere indulgence of thought in curiosity, but the constant concentration of the intellect on the ever pure Brahman is what is called samAdhAna or self-settledness. 

** Not the... - That is, not the mere thinking or intellectual or philosophical satisfaction in thinking of or studying the Truth. The intellect must be sought to be resolved into the higher activity of concentration on the Truth