The master and the shadow || On Vivekachudamani (2018)

छायया स्पृष्टमुष्णं वा शीतं वा सुष्ठु दुःष्ठु वा । न स्पृशत्येव यत्किंचित्पुरुषं तद्विलक्षणम् ॥

chāyayā spṛṣṭamuṣṇaṃ vā śītaṃ vā suṣṭhu duḥṣṭhu vā na spṛśatyeva yatkiṃcitpuruṣaṃ tadvilakṣaṇam

If the shadow of a man is touched by heat or cold, good or evil, it does not in the least affect the man, who is other than his shadow.

~ Verse 504

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Questioner: Verse 504 of Vivekachudamani says: “If the shadow of a man is touched by heat or cold, good or evil, it does not in the least affect the man, who is other than his shadow.” When I read this scripture and while listening to you, I understand very well that I am not the shadow, but I miss and forget this understanding in my daily living. What should I do?

Acharya Prashant: Why do you act contrary to your own understanding? You are saying that Adi Shankaracharya has told you that you are just the shadow, and now you are saying that you miss and forget the understanding. Does a shadow ever miss anything or forget anything? What is the job of the shadow? The job of the shadow is to shadow. The shadow is not supposed to