Vivekachudamani of Sri Sankaracharya

he Vivekachudamani means ‘Crest-jewel of discrimination’ is a famous work by Adi Shankara that expounds Advaita Vedanta philosophy. In Vivekachudamani Shankara describes developing Viveka–the human faculty of discrimination–as the central task in the spiritual life. Vivekachudamani consists of 580 verses in Sanskrit. It has the form of dialogue between the master and the disciple where the master explains to the disciple the nature of the Atman and the ways to research and know the Atman. The book takes the disciple on a step by step instructions to reach Brahman. The present book is a translation by Swami Turiyananda disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. It was transcribed from notes taken by Ida Ansell an American devotee who attended Swami Turiyananda’s classes at the turn of the century. Text in Sanskrit transliteration and English translation. A verse index in Sanskrit is included.