Shankara's Crest-jewel of discrimination (Viveka-chudamani): with A garland of questions and answers (Prasnottara malika)

Shankara's Crest-Jewel of Discrimination (Viveka-Chudamani), with A Garland of Questions and Answers (Prasnottara Malika). Translated by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood. The Vivekachudamani (Sanskrit: विवेकचूडामणि) is a famous Sanskrit poem ascribed to Adi Shankara in the eighth century. It expounds the Advaita Vedanta philosophy and is in the form of 580 verses in the Shardula Vikridita metre. The Vivekachudamani describes developing Viveka — the human faculty of discrimination — as the central task in the spiritual life and calls it the crown jewel among the essentials for Moksha. The title Vivekachudamani translates to Crest Jewel of Discrimination. Through the centuries, the Vivekachudamani has been translated into several languages and has been the topic of many commentaries and expositions. I. Shankara II. Introduction to Shankara's Philosophy III. Shankara's Crest-Jewel of Discrimination IV. A Hymn V. A Garland of Questions and Answers