Meditation

(Based on Swami Paramarthananda’s Sivarathri talk 2019)

Meditation is a mental conditioning programme. The primary purpose of meditation is to develop the skill to control the mind which is a powerful instrument. An instrument is an instrument only when it is under one’s command. The capacity to control the mind is called manonigraha. All forms of spiritual practices require that mind functions as one’s instrument under one’s control.  We can classify all forms of meditation into five types as follows:

1. Relaxation meditation. – This is for relaxing the mind in particular and relaxing all the other parts of the body as well.  This can be also called as de-stressing meditation.

2. Focussing meditation – This is for developing mind’s ability to focus on any subject, material or spiritual, for a length of time

3. Expansion meditation - in this meditation one learns to expand the mind to visualize the totality of creation.  This can be called also as Viswarupa dhyanam, as the Universe is meditated upon as the form of the Lord.

4. Value meditation – In this meditation one tries to bring about a total inner transformation by changing the thought pattern.  This is also called Transformation meditation

5. Vedantic meditation –  This is for for internalizing the acquired Athma Jnanam, removing the viparitha bhavana. This meditation is called Nitidyasanam and is practiced after acquiring doubt-free Jnanam through Sravanam and Mananam.

Whatever be the form of meditation, success in meditation is dependant on mind management. Mind being a subtle organ it is not easy to control it.  Arjuna in chapter 6 of Gita which deals with Vedantic meditation complains to Lord Krishna with these words

“Chanchalam hi manah krishna pramaathi balavad dridham I

Tasyaaham nigraham manye vaayoriva sudushkaram.II 34II

The mind is restless, turbulent, strong and obstinate. O Krishna! I consider it as difficult to control as to control the wind.

Lord Krishna while replying agreed with him and added “Abhyaasena tu kaunteya vairaagyena cha grihyate.( Arjuna, it is brought under control through practice and dispassion)”. Through the practice of karma yoga one acquires dispassion. To practice mind management one should understand the mind. Mind is flow of thoughts and mind management can be interpreted as thought management.   One’s thoughts can be classified in two groups

1.     Voluntary thoughts – thoughts which are deliberate and will-backed

2.     Involuntary thoughts – thoughts that occur without one’s intention, which are not will-backed

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The process of meditation involves two steps

1.     Displacement of involuntary thoughts at will

2.     Maintenanace of voluntary thoughts for a considerable length of time of our choice.

Sri Ramana Maharishi in his Upadesa saar (verse 9) says that wandering thoughts of mind can be controlled through pranayama.

Vaayurodhanaath leeyathe manahI

Jaala pakshivad rodhasaadhanamII

By control of breath, the thoughts in the wandering mind subside. This is like a fluttering bird being trapped in a cage.

By regulating the breath, the mind becomes like a caged bird – it cannot wander.  According to scriptures prana is born out of the rajo guna of panchabhuthas and mind is born out of the satva guna of panchabhuthas. So they are linked together like the branches of a tree.  Sri Ramana Maharishi says that since both are connected to each other, if you regulate one the other automatically gets regulated. So through pranayama one regulates the breath directly and the mind indirectly. And In Ashtanga yoga of Patanjali maharishi, pranayama is given as one of the eight limbs and this step is before Dhyana, which is another name for meditation.

All forms of spiritual practice require that a sadhaka should develop manonigraha and keep the mind under one’s control and this is achieved through meditation.  All such meditations entertain thoughts centering on Bhagawan to the exclusion of all other thoughts. Manasa puja, manasa parayanam and manasa japa are all various forms of meditation only.  While in Puja, the whole routine is meditated upon, a sthuthi and a mantra are meditated upon in parayanam and Japa respectively. 

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The importance of Japa can be seen from Lord Krishna’s words in Gita (10-25) “Yajnaanaam japayajno’smi (Among Yajnas I am Japa Yajna)”.  In Japa dhyana a Mantra on Ishta Devata is chosen for chanting.  Sandilya states in Sandilya Upanishad, "The Vaikhari Japa (loud pronunciation) gives the reward as stated in the Vedas; while the Upamsu Japa (whispering or humming which cannot be heard by any one) gives a reward a thousand times more than the Vaikhari; the Manasic Japa gives a reward a crore of times more than the Vaikhari".  Sri Ramana Maharishi also observes in Upadesa Saar(verse 6) that Japa Dhyanam is superior to the other two in achieving manonigraha; “Chittajam japa dhyaanam uttamam (best of all is silent, mental japa).  Nama and Rupa are inseparable. So when one thinks of the name of Lord in Japa, His form comes before the mental eye and vice versa, when the chanting is done mindfully and not mechanically.  So when one does Japa of Om Namasivaya or Om namo Narayana, or Hare Rama etc., the form of Siva or Vishnu or Rama will come before one’s mind. One focusses on the form at start and shifts the focus to Mantra itself slowly.  Mantra by itself is powerful as it represents Divine power manifesting in sound body.  So the chanting itself is beneficial and doing it as Manasa Japa empowers one with manonigraha and also endows one with Divine Grace, thus helping one in receiving the Jnanam, retaining the Jnanam and reaping the benefit of Jnanam. Japa Dhyanam is done after Pranayama as thoughts get displaced in Pranayama and they can be replaced with the Mantra of one’s choice in Japa Dhyanam.  With the mind control skills developed in Japa Dhyanam one can achieve manonigraha effortlessly and stay absorbed in the Mantra, and this will lead to Samadhi state, the climax of meditation.

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Jivan Mukthi

(Based on Swami Paramarthananda’s Gurupurnima talk 2019)

Jivanmukthi  is a concept unique to Advaita Vedanta.  The person who has realized through Athma Jnanam the oneness of his Self with Brahman and shed his dehathma buddhi is considered a liberated person, while living and his state is called Jivanmukthi.   Liiberation as per Advaita Vedanta is not the attainment of some new state in some other world after the end of the present life, but it is the realisation, through Athma Jnanam in this life itself, of what one has always been, namely Brahman, by the removal of the wrong notion that one is the body-mind complex,  So in the state of Jivanmukthi, a Jivanmuktha lives enjoying infinite happiness and peace at all times with the wrong identification, as self with the body, mind and senses, removed and freed from the mistaken notion of bondage, until his prarabhdha karma is exhausted.

Prarabhdha karma is one of the three karmas, agami, sanchita and prarabhdha, that is generated by one’s actions with the sense of doership.   Agami karmas  are the unfructified karmas of present birth;  sanchita karma, the accumulated karmas over previous births and  prarabhdha karma, that part of the sanchita karma that comes to fruition at the time of one's birth.  Prarabhdha Karma determines जातिः (Jathihi),  environments of birth,आयुः (aayuh), lifespan, भोगाः (bhoghah),  experiences of life as per sutra 13 of Sadhana pada of Patanjali Yoga Sutra.  For a Jivanmuktha, on giving up the Ahamkara ‘I’ and shedding the sense of doership (karthrutva bhava) and enjoyership (bhokthruthva bhava), agami karma is annihilated, sanchita karma is liquidated and no further karma accrues as he acts thereafter without sense of doership.  As Lord Krishna observes in Gita (4-37) “Jnanaagnih sarvakarmaani bhasmasaat kurute”.( The fire of Jnanam reduces all karmas to ashes). 

But this does not apply to the prarabdha karma which is like the arrow that has left the bow shot at a target that cannot be got back or arrested in its movement but has to exhaust itself, by reaching the target. So a Jivanmuktha stays in the body and continues living in the world until the prarabhdha karma is exhausted. This we can say is a good and a bad news. It is good news because a Jivanmuktha stays alive as Jnani, blessing people with his knowledge and service and inspiring sadhakas through his teaching and personal example.  The bad news is his body has to suffer out the bad prarabhdha. I say his body because he does not view the body as himself any longer.  The balance of prarabdha karma does not affect Jivanmuktha mentally, as he does not identify himself with his body/mind.  He has internalised the knowledge “Brahma Satyam, Jagan Mithya, Jiva Brahmaiva na para” (Brahman is Sathyam, the world is mithya and Jiva is none other than Brahman)” and has the perspective that this world of variety other than his Real Self is only an appearance supported by Brahman and his Real Self is not different from Brahman. This we can see from the lives of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Sri Ramana Maharishi who viewed their body afflictions in a detached manner as something affecting the body only and not themselves. The assimilation of Brahma jnanam and attaining such a perspective is called Mithyatva darsanam.  The Jivanmukthas who continue to stay in society and interact with people have the Mithyatva darsanam that dilutes the impact of prarabhdha rendering it insignificant like the aerial view of mountains.

Acharyas who came after Adhi sankara highlight a second method of countering Prarabhdha which is discussed in Swami Vidyaranya’s work “Jivanmukthiviveka”. A Jivanmuktha Jnani who prefers to live in solitude with minimum contact with the world for body’s basic needs only, has this approach to neutralise the impact of prarabhdha in the mind.  Normally Nitidyasanam, Vedantic meditation, is practiced for removing viparitha bhavana, wrong notions and misconceptions regarding self in the mind.  But In this second method it is also used as a source of happiness, Nitidyasana sukham.  In Nitidyasanam one meditates on the teaching of Vedanta that focusses on Jiva Brahma Ikyam to internalise the teaching that one is not a samsari jiva subject to limitations but the infinite Brahman which is Sat,Chit, Aananda. This new understanding of one’s own Self is portrayed in Kaivalya Upanishad(1-1-14) as follows;

Puratraye kridati yasca jivaḥ tatasthu jatam sakalam vicitram I

Aadharamanandamakhandabodham, yasmin layam yati puratrayam ca II 14 II

All this diversity is born out of jiva alone which sports in the three worlds of experience (waking, dream and deep sleep).  Moreover, these three worlds resolve into the jiva which is indivisible consciousness and aananda, the substratum (of all).

When this Jivanmuktha Jnani contemplates on his Aananda swarupa in Nitidyasanam, his mind is filled with experiential happiness, which is far, far superior to vishayananda, that comes from contact with anathma.  The Prathibimba Aananda he enjoys is from contact with Bimba Aananda itself as he is, as described in Gita (2-55), “Aatmanyevaatmanaa tushtah” (happy in the Self by the Self).  From this happy state no worldly problem or sorrow can shake him or move him to grief as pointed out in Gita (6-22), “Yasmin sthito na duhkhena gurunaapi vichaalyate” (wherein established, he is not moved even by heavy sorrow).  This Nithidyasana sukham, the Jnani uses to dilute the impact of prarabhda.  Rather he feels thankful to prarabhda for this life as a Jeevanmuktha Jnani that he is enjoying, with the reflection as described in the Kaivalya Upanishad (1-1-19):

Mayyeva sakalaṁ jataṁ, mayi sarvaṁ pratisthitam I

Mayi sarvaṁ layam yati, tad brahmadvayamasmyaham II

Everything is born in me alone; everything is based on me alone; everything resolves into me alone. I am that nondual Brahman.

This Nitidyasana sukham is also called by various other names such as Jivanmukthi sukham, Jnananda, Yogananda and Athmananda.

So while a Jivanmuktha Jnani serving the world staying in public life dilutes the impact of prarabhdha through mithyatva darsanam, the withdrawn Jivanmuktha Jnani dilutes it through Jivanmukthi sukham.  When prarabhdha is exhausted, the Jivanmuktha of either type attains Videhamukthi.  In Videhamukthi freed from the earthly existence in the body, a Jivanmuktha becomes one with Brahman, like the space in the pot becoming one with the open space, when the pot is broken. As the subtle body is also dissolved at that time, he is freed from the cycle of birth and death as well.

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Jiva Yatra 2

The Path

(Swami Jnananda Bharathi)

Verse 5

Aastikyam drudda moolam eva manujah sampaadayatv aaditah
Karma achaarayutas tatascha bhavatu svargaadi bhogechchayaa |
Svargaadaav api cha kramena gamitho nairaasyam eva asthire
Nitya anitya vichaarane svadhikrutas tatvam samanvichchatu ||
First one should develop strong faith in Iswara. Then let him perform karma (as per Dharma) with desire for pleasure here and hereafter (Swarga etc.). Then realizing the impermanence of these pleasures, he attains gradually a state without such desires. As he develops sufficient maturity to discriminate between eternal and ephemeral, he develops keen desire for Brahma jnanam.

One of the first requirements for a person to start on path of acquiring Athma Jnanam is to develop aasthikya buddhi.  Aasthikya buddhi is having strong faith in Iswara and in scriptures.  With aasthikya buddhi one must lead a dharmic life performing all nithya, naimithika, prayaschitha karmas as stated in the earlier part of Vedas avoiding nishiddha, papa karmas listed in the Vedas.  These can be done in the beginning for worldly pleasures and for enjoyments in other world after death.  This will lead to a stage where he realizes the transient nature of these pleasures and reaches a state where he frees himself of such desires, developing vairagyam towards them.  As vairagyam grows, his vivekam and desire for Brahma Jnanam also also grows. 

Verse 6

Gnaanaapteh paripanthinou kila malo vikshepa doshas tathaa
Chethonishta mahaaripoo prathamatasch onmoolaneeyou yatah |
Kaamam dooram apaasya karmanirato maalinyariktas tatah
Chiththaikaagrya susidhdhaye cha bhajataam nishkaamanopaasanam ||
Malam and Vikshepam are the two obstacles in the way of attaining Jnanam. First, these two have to be uprooted as they are obstacles in mind. He who performs action without having any expectations [concerning fruits of action] is freed from Malam. Then for attaining good mental concentration, he should perform Nishkama upasana.

Malam and Vikshepam are the two obstacles a mumukshu has to overcome for attaining Jnana Yogyatha, fitness for assimilating the Jnanam.   The six qualities; kama, krodha, lobha, moha, madha and matsarya constitute Malam.  Karma yoga is the sadhana for getting rid of Malam and attaining chitha suddhi, purity of mind.  Vikshepa is the result of extrovertedness and nishkama upasana is the sadhana for disciplining the restless mind and acquiring chitha ekagratha, single pointed focus of mind.  The pure, focused mind makes one Jnana yogyaha.

Verse 7

Karmopaasanatho vishuddha hrudayas tatvaartha samsiddhaye
Svaachaaryam paricharya saastravidhinaa tasmaach cha vidhyaam paraam |
Srutvaa samsayanuttaye cha mananam sthaamne nididhyaasanam
Abhyasya kramasah samaadhi nilayah praapnotu shaantim dhruvaam || 7 II
After gaining a pure mind through Karma (yoga) and Upasana (yoga), one has to follow the scriptural injunctions and serve a perfect guru to attain self-knowledge. Then from him, he should listen about higher knowledge and reflect on it for removing all doubts. Practice meditation on the clear (doubt-free) knowledge and when established  and steady in the Jnanam will attain eternal peace.

With chitha suddhi and chitha ekagratha the sadhaka has now a mature mind fit for engaging in Vedanta vichara.  He should then approach a guru who is strotriya, well-versed in sastras, and Brahma nishta, one who is established in the knowledge “Aham Brahmasmi”.  The sadhaka should serve the guru and seek Brahma Vidya from him. Sastras are the pramana for the knowledge of Brahman which knowledge will transport one to the goal of Nithyananda sukham.  Serving the guru with sraddha  helps to get rid of one's Ahamkara, which step is necessary to get established in the knowledge when he acquires it.   Vedantic study consists of three levels: sravanam, mananam, nidhidhyäsanam, in that order. One has to go through all of them one by one gradually.  Sravanam Implies continuous, systematic listening with sraddha to the exposition of the Upanishads by the guru to arrive at the central teaching of the Upanishads.  During listening many doubts will arise.  Mananam is the doubt removal process and this is done through questions to the Guru, discussion with fellow sadhakas and self-contemplation.  When sravanam and mananam are successfully completed one has doubt free knowledge of Self as given in Upanishads but this knowledge has to be assimilated and internalised to reap fully the benefit of this knowledge.  The process of assimilation and internalisation is achieved through Vedantic meditation and is called Nitidyasanam.  When the doubt free correct knowledge is internalised one will be established in the advaitic  Jnanam described in verse 4 and enjoy the eternal peace and joy, the goal of nithyananda sukham.

Verse 8

Brahmanjjo api sa vaasanaa kshaya mano naasou vidhaaya kramaat
Svaatmaa raamaparo anisham sukhaghano muktah sa jeevann api |
Praarabdhe kshapite cha dehavilaye muktim videhaan gatah
Sachchit soukhyamaye hyupaadhi rahite manjjatv apaare pare ||
Even after gaining knowledge about Brahman, one has to attain vasana kshaya and mano-nasa gradually.  After this, even though he lives in the world he will always be happy with himself, as jivan muktha. When prarabdha karma is exhausted, and his physical body is dead, he attains liberation. He merges with the attribute-less, limitless and highest satchithananda Brahman.

When a sadhaka goes through sravanam and mananam diligently he acquires clearly Athma Jnanam, no doubt.  If as a sadhana chathushtaya sampanna adhikari  he had gone through sravanam and mananam he would be ego-free and it is easy for him to assimilate that he is Brahman only with the upadhi of body-mind complex.  If one has not imbibed sadhana chathushtaya sampathi before acquiring the Athma Jnanam, one has a two-fold task to accomplish as he engages in Nitidyasanam to internalize the Athma Jnanam and attain purnatvam. They are as given here, Vasana kshaya and Mano nasa. Vasana kshaya here means Durvasana kshaya as not all vasanas can be destroyed while still alive. Asuri sampath, described in the 16^th chapter of Gita constitutes durvasana.  All those durvasanas, he should weaken and destroy by leading an alert life. Mano nasa is total understanding of the mithyathvam of the mind.  Thus he will be able to get rid of dehatma buddhi and be immersed in Brahma jnanam and interacting with the outside world with the sense of purnatvam.  He continues to live in the body as a jivan muktha until the exhaustion of prarabhda karma and attains videha mukthi on exhausting prarabhda karma. At the time of Videha mukthi casting all the three bodies, the jivan muktha merges in Brahman totally liberated. 

Verse 9

Ittham vedavachobhir eva niyate maarge vayam yaatrikaah
Dharmaakhye cha sanaatane krutapadaa varnaashrama achaarinah |
Gachchaamah kramashas cha mokshapadaveem aananda roopaam yathaa
Sraddhaa bhaktimatas tatha dhrutiyutaan asmaan vidadhyaad Guruh ||
Thus as laid down by the  Vedas, called eternal Dharma, we have commenced our journey following Varnashrama (Varna Dharma and Ashrama Dharma) lifestyle.  We are moving gradually. Let Guru bless us to have the same dedication and devotion with determination until we reach the Blissful State of Moksha (Nithyananda sukham).

Acharya starts the concluding verse with the remark that all those who have got the Vedic guidemap and have chosen to follow the instructions given in the Veda should count themselves as fortunate people.  Vedas are eternal and valid for all time.  The instruction based on Vedic teaching or Vedic statement called Dharma is also eternal and valid for all time.  Those who have started in Vaidhika marga adopting the lifestyle prescribed therein i.e. Varna dharma and Ashrama Dharma, must pursue in the path patiently and firmly until the goal of Moksha revealing Svarupa Ananda is reached.  Acharya concludes this work seeking the blessings of Guru and through him of Iswara for these travellers, for sraddha, bhakthi and strength of resolve in their journey to reach the goal of Nithyananda sukham i.e. Moksha.

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Jiva Yatra 1

The Goal

(Swami Jnananda Bharathi)

Jiva Yatra is a prakarana Grantha of 9 verses written by Swami Jnananda Bharathi, who was closely associated with Sringeri Mutt.  Like Sadhana Panchakam in this work also the sadhanas are given in a serial order.  But they are not given as mere instructions but as part of a narrative.  This work describes the life of a Jiva as a journey where Jiva the traveller does not have a clear idea of the goal (destination) or has a mistaken idea of the goal.  It starts with defining the goal and then goes on to outline the path, giving the sadhanas.  With this brief introduction we will enter into the text.

Verse 1

Nityaananda sukham padam suvimalam praaptum sameehaayuthaah
Sarve janmabhrutah sadaa vyasaninas tat sthaana sammaargane |
Evam satyapi saadhya saadhanayugam samyangh na jaananti te
Na praaptaa adhunaapi soukhya padaveem swaabheeshtta roopaam yatah || 1 II
Every being born in this world is very eager to attain the state of eternal happiness (Nithyananda sukham). They strive hard in the good path for reaching this state all the time. Even if this is so, as they do not have a clear idea of both the goal and the sadhana, they have not yet reached that state of permanent happiness which is really desired by them.

Even though the goals people pursue seemingly vary, they all converge in one ultimately, namely eternal happiness untainted by even the shadow of sorrow.  This happiness can come only from the Knowledge of their own Self as Ananda Swarupa.  They are the happiness they seek as the ultimate goal and attaining the Athma jnanam that reveals this truth is called Moksha. But the jivas mistaking the goal as wealth, position, fame, position and relations are disappointed as the happiness these bring is temporary and not unmixed with pain.  As the goal and the path, sadhyam and sadhana, are not clear to them, this state of permanent happiness eludes them in spite of their best efforts, however good they may be.

Verse 2 & 3

Tat praaptyai prabhu sammitaapi krupayaa trayyanta saaraanvitaa
Valli kaattaka madhyagaa kavisamam protsaahayantee naraan |
Evam saadhana kalpanaam rachayate san maarga gaanaam sataam
Tad Vishnoh paramam padam cha sahasaa kantum maneeshaavataam || 2 II
The message given in the central part of the Katha Upanishad, at the end of Vedas (Krishna Yajur Veda), guides mankind to attain that state of happiness in a friendly way graciously. It shows for mankind who are eager, the noble path to practice for attaining that ultimate feet of Vishnu.
Aatmaanam rathinam braveeti nigamoo buddhim cha tat saarathim
Deham syandanam indriyaanni thuragaan sabdaadi tad gocharam |
Chetah pragraham aadarenna ya imaan vasyaams tanotya atmavaan
Tasyaiv aapyam idam padam sukhaghanam paaram param hyadhvanah || 3 II
Vedas describe Jivatma [individual soul] as the one who is sitting in the chariot, intelligence as the charioteer, body as chariot, sense organs as the horses, sense objects as the path and mind as the rein. Only for that seeker who with care and diligence controls all these with effort, the ultimate end of the path, this state [Brahman] of eternal happiness, is reachable.

 Upanishads that come in the end portion of the Vedas give the sadhana and sadhyam for the person seeking peace and happiness from worldly objects.  The author quotes here the example of chariot imagery that occurs in Kathopanishad to illustrate his point.  This comes as teaching of Yama to Nachiketas.  Earlier Nachiketas has chosen the Sreyo marga leading to nithya ananda rejecting Preyo marga leading to anithya ananda.  In the body-mind complex Consciousness is available as manifest Chaithanyam, Chidabhasa and this is called Jivathma.  In the chariot imagery, Jivathma is the traveller; body the chariot; intellect the driver; mind the reins; sense organs the horses; and the sense objects is the road. To reach the destination the chariot must be in good condition, the driver must know the destination, the way to destination and have control of the reins and through that of the horses so that they do not run amuck. Translated to the journey of life this reads as follows, the body must be fit physically, mentally and intellectually and one must have control of the mind and sense organs (sama and dama) and knowledge of the destination (Moksha) and of the correct path (Athma Jnanam) and the power of discrimination to choose the right path rejecting the wrong path (viveka) and the determination to stay in the right path keeping away from the tempting diversions (vairagyam).

Verse 4

Praapyam tat paramam sukham hi munayo moksham samaachakshate
Jeev esaana jagad visesha rahitam gnaanaika saadhyam dhruvam |
Yena atmany atirohitah svamahima ananda atmako bhaasate
Mithya adhyaasamatis cha yena galati gnaanam tad eva amalam || 4 II
Sages describe Moksha [liberation] appropriately as Eternal Happiness which can be attained only through Jnanam of  the oneness of Jiva, Iswara and Jagat. That pure Jnanam removes one's false illusory understanding and makes one realize one’s true nature as bliss (eternal and pain-free).

The fourth purushartha, Moksham, is the pain-free eternal happiness that one unknowingly seeks through one's various efforts. This nithyananda sukham that one mistakenly seeks from external sources is not external to one.  It is one's own Real Self as revealed to one through Athma Jnanam that removes one’s ignorance regarding the identity of one’s Self. Through this jnanam one acquires the advaitic jnanam that Jiva, Jagat and Iswara are not three separate independent entities but are essentially Brahman only with mithya upadhis.  So through Athma Jnanam only one attains anartha nivritti and Ananda prapthi.

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Sadhana Panchakam

Sadhana Panchakam is a short work of five verses written by Sri Adhi Sankara.  In these five verses Sri Sankara has listed 40 sadhanas.  The literal meaning of sadhana is “the means to sadhya”, sadhya meaning goal.  The sadhanas listed here are for achieving the highest sadhya, Moksha or Liberation. Each verse contains four lines and the sadhanas are listed  two per line. The sequence of sadhanas is like the ascending steps in the ladder, leading a sadhaka progressively to the goal of Moksha.  So this work is also called “Sopana Panchakam”.   The entire teaching of Advaita Vedanta is packed in these five verses as instructions and so the work is known as “Upadesa Pancha Rathnam” and also as “Upadesa Panchakam”.  The instructions were for the guidance of his disciples but they are valid even today with a little modification to fit the changed times, for all the mumukshu sadhakas.  For each verse the meaning is given in the list form of instructions for practice.

Verse 1

vedo nityamadhiyatam taduditam karma svanusthiyatam
tenesasya vidhiyatamapacitih kamye matistyajyatam |
papaughah paridhuyatam bhavasukhe doso nusandhiyatam
atmeccha vyavasiyatam nijagrhatturnam vinirgamyatam ||

01. Study the Vedas (scriptures) daily .
02. Perform diligently the karmas  prescribed by the scriptures .
03. Treat all those actions as worship unto GOD.
04. Gradually give up performance of kamya karmas
05. Filter from your mind sinful adharmic likes and dislikes .
06. Recognize the inherent defects of material pursuits and sensual pleasures.
07. Seek the knowledge of Self with constant and consistent effort.              .
08. Get out from the bondage of activity and attachments.

The scriptures are the ultimate Pramana (source of knowledge) regarding Dharma (righteous duties) and Moksha (Liberation) and they prescribe a wide range of duties to people based on their age, gender, class, station, and inner inclinations.  The performance of these duties will in turn help the performer attain purification of the mind (chitta-shuddhi) which is essential to absorb the Vedantic teachings at a later date.  They also must be performed as nishkamya karmas with Iswararpana buddhi.  The sadhaka should be alert to eschew adharmic thoughts as well because thoughts are the seeds for future actions.   The sadhaka should understand the inherent defects of worldly pursuits and sensual pleasures namely, dukha mistritatvam, mixed with pain; athriptikaratvam, not fully satisfactory; and bandhakatvam, enslaving one to addiction and turn his full attention to spiritual pursuits, namely the seeking of Athma Jnanam.  He should develop vairagyam and free himself of attachments and associated activities.

Verse 2

sangah satsu vidhiyatam bhagavato bhaktirdrḍha dhiyatam
santyadih pariciyatam drḍhataram karmasu santyajyatam |
sadvidvanupasrpyatam pratidinam tatpaduka sevyatam
brahmaikaksaramarthyatam srutisirovakyam samakarnyatam || 2 ||

09. Seek the company of wise and holy people.
10. Be established in firm devotion to GOD.
11. Gain qualities such as sama, dama etc.
12. Give up karmas that are desire ridden actions.
13. Seek Knowledge from a Sat Guru .
14. Serve The Guru .
15. Ask for Brahma Vidya .
16. Listen in depth to the Upanishadic declarations.

A Sadhaka must cultivate Satsangha as being in the company of holy and spiritual persons is conducive to spiritual growth.  In unswerving devotion to the Lord, one’s mind, intellect and the whole personality gets integrated and purified and one’s mind gets fit to absorb the knowledge of one’s True Self.  The qualities of sama,dama, uparama, titiksha, sraddha, and samadanam when acquired help to develop an equanimous mind that can endure the pairs of opposites; heat cold, likes dislikes, pleasure pain etc without complaints, a sadhana that will be prescribed later (in verse 4, no.29).  Mundaka Upanishad defines a Sat Guru as one who is both Strotriya (having Sastric Jnanam) and Brahma-Nishta (firmly established in Brahman).   Serving such a Guru helps remove one’s ego and acquire values in life.  Under this Guru’s guidance one should enquire into the Upanishadic statements

Verse 3

vakyarthasca vicaryatam srutisirah paksah samasriyatam
dustarkatsuviramyatam srutimatastarko nusandhiyatam |
brahmasmiti vibhavyatamaharahargarvah parityajyatam
dehe hammatirujhyatam budhajanairvadah parityajyatam || 3 ||

17 . Analyze the meaning of the main Upanishadic teachings  (Maha Vakhyas).
18 . Perform such analysis by sticking to scriptures.
19 . Keep away from vain arguments .
20 . Follow the reasoning of the scriptures .
21 . Always be absorbed in the attitude ( bhav ) " I AM BRAHMAN " .
22 . Renounce pride, vanity and arrogance.
23 . Give up the delusory misconception " I am the body " .
24 . Do not argue with wise ones.

One should conduct enquiry (vichara) into Maha Vakhyas that reveal the the identity of one’s Self with Brahman.  While making this enquiry one should take care to follow the line of reasoning of the Upanishads and steer clear of distorted reasoning and wrong logic.  After the sravanam and mananam stage one should engage in nitidyasanam.  At that stage one should guard against developing Vidya garvam that he has acquired Jnanam;  give up completely identifying with his body; avoid arguments with wise persons trying to impress upon them with his knowledge; but only keep on contemplating with the attitude that he is Braman with the upadhi of body-mind complex.

Verse 4

ksudvyadhisca cikitsyatam pratidinam bhiksausadham bhujyatam
svadvannam na tu yacyatam vidhivasatpraptena santusyatam |
sitosnadi visahyatam na tu vrtha vakyam samuccaryatam
audasinyamabhipsyatam janakrpanaisthuryamutsrjyatam || 4 ||

25. Consider hunger as a disease.
26. Treat hunger, the disease, by taking bhiksha food as medicine.
27. Seek no delicious food.
28. Live contentedly with whatever comes your way as prasadam .
29. Endure the pairs of opposites; heat cold, likes dislikes, pleasure pain etc..
30. Avoid wasteful talk.
31. Be indifferent and avoid groupism.
32. Do not get attached to either someone's kindness or criticism.

When taking Bhiksha annam he should take it as if it is the medicine to treat his disease of hunger.  Since it is taken as a medicine there is no craving for variety or for pleasing taste in the food he gets.  Besides he should develop prasada buddhi in Biksha annam. As stated earlier he should accept opposite experiences of life unperturbed.  In mixing with others he should take care - to avoid wasteful time-passing talks or arguments; not to identify himself  with non-spiritual groups; not to be swayed by sympathy or praise and not to get annoyed with criticism.  These instructions are for getting stabilized in Athma Jnanam in nitidyasanam , attaining vasana kshaya.

Verse 5

ekante sukhamasyatam paratare cetah samadhiyatam
purnatma susamiksyatam jagadidam tadvadhitam drsyatam |
prakkarma pravilapyatam citibalannapyuttaraih slisyatam
prarabdham tviha bhujyatamatha parabrahmatmana sthiyatam || 5 ||

33. In solitude also, live happily.
34. Keep your mind focused on GOD.
35. Realize and see the Self in everything, everywhere.
36. Recognize the Universe as a finite projection of the Self.
37. Through Jnanam destroy the Sanchita karma.
38. Through giving up doership and enjoyership avoid Agami karma.
39. Experience and exhaust the Prarabdha karma.
40. Live absorbed in the bhava "I AM BRAHMAN " .

The first four instructions are for one who has attained Brahma Jnanam to mature into a Brahma Nishta, as in the previous verse.   He should be as much happy and joyous in solitude as in an agreeable company, preferring solitude to company.  As he becomes a Brahma Nishta there is no moment when in his subconscious mind he is free of the thought that he is not the body-mind complex but he is the all-pervading Brahman.   He gets the Sarvathma Bhava through which he sees everything and everyone as only an extension of his Self and even the world he views as a finite projection of his Infinite Self.  The instructions 37 to 40 describe what happens to one as a Brahma Jnani.  His accumulated karmas from countless previous births, Sanchitha karma, gets liquidated as the Ahamkara that accumulated the karmas is no more, being destroyed by Athma Jnanam.  Since he has no karthruthva bhava and bhokthruthva bhava (doership and enjoyership) Agami Karma also does not accrue.  Only balance of Prarabhdha karma that brought about his birth stays and at its exhaustion through living he attains Videha mukthi.   Until its exhaustion at Videha mukthi  he stays in the body with mind in Brahman only and  “I am Brahman” is the one Bhava that comes to govern thereafter in all his actions, feelings and thoughts. 

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