1. Manishapanchaka of Shankracharya Swami Chinmayananda CIF.epub

MANĪȘĀ-PAÑCAKAM

Swami Chinmayananda

Preface

Aadi Shankaraachaarya's hymns (stotras) contain pearls of wisdom for practical guidance of humanity like those of other eminent and enlightened saints and seers. Their significance goes a long way towards quicker spiritual evolution of the seekers. The word 'maneeshaa' in Sanskrit means conviction and panchakam means a collection of five shlokas. Maneeshaa-Panchakam is thus a short stotra by Aadi Shankaraachaarya - a five-fold declaration of faith and conviction.

The traditional story behind this Panchakam is detailed in the Introduction. The import of this stotra lies in its revelation that our identification with the body and mind is so strong that sometimes, in careless moments, even a Man of perfection like Aachaarya Sankara, unwittingly comes to live mechanically the existing customs and values of his times. We are pleased to bring out the revised edition of this book to meet the constant demand of serious students and sincere seekers. Our heartfelt thanks to Brni. Nivedita, Ramona Singh and Anjali Singh for the Cover design.

Publishers.

Introduction

The saddest pages in the history of a nation are those that describe the cultural break-up in its community. Generally the decadent culture dissipates itself to extinction. However, a culture that has an intrinsic vitality is sure to throw up a Master who has both the wisdom and the dexterous enthusiasm to halt the rupture, and gather and drive back the community into an era of cultural revival and national resurrection. Hinduism was at a very critical juncture in the middle of the 7th century. Orthodox Hinduism, with its elaborate and confusing ritualism could no longer inspire the masses; even the rich who could conduct these expensive yagnyas and yaagas, did not feel any sense of participation. Buddhism had broken down into endless groups, each fighting with the others, and the enchantment of direct thought and simple ideals got lost in the confusing medley of their involved dialectics and noisy argumentations.

It was at such a smouldering era of total decadence and endless confusions, that we had the timely rise of a fresh national hope in a young Kerala braahmana, Aadi Shankara. And soon this hope of giving Hindus a clear philosophy, beaconing them back to the Upanishads and raising the general consciousness of the entire nation was fulfilled. With the advaita philosophy, stemming forth from the gushing 'sources of knowledge', the Upanishads, Shankara could reclaim the hopes of the community from the cobwebs of ritualism and give to the Hindus, a peep into the wholesome beauty of their own ancient culture.

Perfected masters are the sacred instruments through which the Lord functions to maintain the universal rhythm and keep the world a healthy field for the onward march of evolution. The Infinite Will can readily play itself through such man of total identification with the Lord, and they alone are, therefore, the most competent instruments for the Universal Law to accomplish its divine purpose.

To artists, their instruments are the most precious possessions. They are always well cared for, trimmed, sharpened, cleaned and kept ever tuned-up with diligent attention and soothing love. Lord Jagadeeshvara also never spares his chosen workers. Aadi Shankara too was not to be spared from this Cosmic-law ! He too has to be re- strung and re-tuned from time to time. The traditional story behind this Panchakam is rather skeletonal. One day Aadi Shankara along with his disciples, Padmapaada and others, after a cool and refreshing bath in the Gangaa at Kashi, was on his way to the sacred temple of

Shree Vishvanaatha. Everyone is a creature of the powerful social values of his age. Shankara saw a dirty sweeper, with his professional instrument under his arms, coming along. The braahmana in the Aachaarya, coloured by the traditional custom, prevalent at that time, cried 'go go' - 'move move'.

Even in a Man of prefection, there are careless moments when he gets thrown out, and comes to function identifying with his body and mind. With his individualistic ego, he experiences and asserts the plurality, and at such moments he may unwittingly come to live mechanically, the exisiting customs and general values of his times-be they good or bad, be they right or wrong.

The refreshing waters s of the Gangaa intensifies the body- consciousness in the bather, and perhaps in that mood when the master was marching out towards the temple-the mere external symbol of the inexhaustive springs of Consciousness within-for no fault of his, unwittingly he happend to step, for the moment, into a lower state of Consciousness. In the eyes of the Lord, even this slip is inexcusable in His chosen messenger !

अन्नमयादन्नमयमथवा चैतन्यमेव चैतन्यात् । द्विजवर दूरीकर्तु वाञ्छसि किं ब्रूहि गच्छ गच्छेति ।।१।।

Oh ! the best among the twice born, by saying 'move away-move away', do you wish to move matter from matter, or you mean to separate Spirit from the Spirit?

These unexpected lashing words of the divine sweeper, are couched in a rough and unpolished verse. Certainly the Lord has his tongue in his cheek, as he slaps the Aachaarya with his poignant question! Shankara had been maligned much. His peculiar stand and the work he had to accomplish, created for him more enemies than friends even in his own times. In no country can the wise man have a large following. Generally the masses can understand and acclaim only those who champion their own weaknesses, and also give them a cheap look of respectability with false arguments and temporary social premissiveness. Shankara had to fight against all low tendencies, stamp out many vested interests when he condemned elaborate ritualism of the Vedas pursued as the goal in themselves. Shankara insisted that ritualism is a means for inner purification, while to the ritualists it is the very goal of religion. Not only the orthodox Hindus were against the advaita Aachaarya, but even the then best philosophers, and the numberless sectarian leaders of thought, must have felt the crushing strain of Truth as it gushed forth from the wisdom of the advaita philosopher. The lashing question of the apparent 'sweeper' shocked Aadi Shankara, and deep within him, he must have moved away from his identification with matter (body, mind and intellect), and must have glided into the Infinite state of the pure Self.

The divine sweeper's simple words could tear down the false values and hypocrisies of the age, with their corroding satire, though it is carefully well concealed. The five great elements constitute the material cause for the entire world of names and forms. The specific bundle of some 180 pounds of matter, shaped as the 'sweeper' can certainly move away from the packet that encases the Aachaarya. But how can the Shankara-bundle keep away from the five great elements that constitute the very world around and about him? Can matter move away from matter? Where can it go?

The Smriti is clear when it declares-by birth all are born as dull (shuudra), and only by nobility of action is born the smart (dvijah). By studing Veda he becomes learned (viprah), and only when one realises Brahman, does he become a braahmana. The divine sweeper wants to know what does the Aachaarya really want? 'What the mind intends, that the mind generally expresses in its speech'2. By the hasty words 'go-go', what does the advaita philosopher and saint want the sweeper to do? This is the dire import of the outcaste's humble but brutal question.

In his Vishnu Sahasranaama commentary Shankara has himself stated. जन्मना जायते शूद्रः कर्मणा जायते द्विजः । वेदाध्यायी भवेद्विप्रो ब्रह्म जानाति ब्राह्मणः ।। First mind determines and then the words mould the thoughts into sounds for the purpose of communicating to others.

Is it then that the philosopher wants the Spirit to move away from the Spirit? Consciousness that lends sentiency to the inert matter, being the very cause of matter, is all-pervading. How can the Spirit then move away from the Spirit?

The attitude of humble submission is maintained all through by the divine sweeper, but the poignancy of the question lances through the heart of the Aachaarya.

Physically Aachaarya Shankara stands in the middle of the road, as though transfixed in wonder and amazement. To the all-seeing Lord in the sweeper, it is clear that Shankara's mind is gliding away from his temporary extrovertedness into the incandescent Essence, the One- without-a-second. The benevolent Lord in the following verse elucidates the sweeper's question in the light of our immortal Upanishadic lore. It should be also noted here that the first verse with its clamorous metre is appropriate in the mouth of an illiterate sweeper form while this chiselled verse is arising from the Divine Vishvanatha in the apparent sweeper-form.

According to Vedaanta, there are two accepted theories to explain how the Infinite Consciousness comes to play as individualised limited ego.'The Light of Consciousness reflected in the pools of thought in the mind-intellect is the individualised sentient ego in each one of us', this is called the 'theory of reflection' (pratibimbavaada). Other Rishis declare in the very Upanishads, an equally efficient explanation, with their theory of 'Consciousness conditioned by, and therefore,

expressing through the body, mind, intellect equipment is the individualised ego'. This is called 'conditioning theory' (avacchedavaada). Employing both these theories Shree Vishvanaath expounds the question of the sweeper.

This loving exposition, though used as an annotation upon the significance of the previous verse, must have served for Shankara's mind, as a helpful current to help him glide comfortably into the Yonder, the Self within.

किं गङ्गाम्बुनि बिम्बितेऽम्बरमणौ चण्डालवाटीपय: पूरे चान्तरमस्ति काञ्चनघटीमृत्कुम्भयोर्वाम्बरे । प्रत्यग्वस्तुनि निस्तरङ्गसहजानन्दावबोधाम्बुधौ विप्रोऽयंश्वपचोऽयमित्यपिमहान्कोऽयं विभेदभ्रमः ॥२।।

Is there any difference in the 'jewel of the sky' when it is reflected in the waters of the Gangaa or in a ditch in the way-side of a slum? Is there any difference in the space as such, be it in a golden pot or in a mud-pot? In the ocean of the self-exisiting Blissful Consciousness, in the inner Self, devoid of thought ripples, how can there be this delusory distinction: 'this is a braahmana and this is a dog-eater?

Does it make any difference to the Sun in the sky whether he gets reflected in the pure holy waters of the Gangaa or in the filthy stagnant waters of the roadside pool in the slums? The one Consciousness reflects in all hearts. The reflections surely will be different according to the reflecting surfaces. If the thoughts in a bosom are impure and vulgar, the individualised ego will also be dirty and filthy, as the reflection of the Sun in the cesspool of the slum. If the thoughts are serene and loving, the Consciousness reflected therein, as an individualised ego, should be bright and brilliant as the reflection of the Sun in the clean holy waters of the Gangaa. The difference here is in the reflections, not in the one Sun that is reflected. Similarly, the one effulgent Self, playing in a saattvic mind is the brilliant braahmana-individual, and the same Consciousness functioning in a taamasic mind is the dull shuudra-individual. In the individuality, there are certainly endless differences. But how can there be any difference in the one Consciousness that shines through all hearts ?

Based upon the 'conditioning-theory' the divine sweeper asks, 'Is there any difference in space whether it is in a golden-pot or it is in a mud- pot?' The difference is only in the material, size, shape, colour, etc. of the pots, but the space is one and the same within the pots and without the pots. Space can never be conditioned really by anything that exists in space. Similarly, the one Self is ever Immaculate, be it in a braahmana, or be it in a shuudra.

In this inner-core Essence, the Self, where there are no ripples of thoughts, a shoreless Bliss-state, how can there be any distinction that

this is a braahmana or that this is a dog-eater. If at all such a distinction is felt, it can only be an illusion or a delusion (brahmam).

With these two verses, the Sweeper-Divine has tickled the Aachaarya with His intelligently concealed piercing satire. As a Master of advaita, preaching and propagating the one Infinite Self (Brahman) of the Upanishads, Shankara must have felt a poignant pain at the social ulcer that was prevalent at his time, which had no justification in the light of the universality of our Hindu philosophy. In the following five verses, Shankara replies the Divine critic at the Benaras street-corner, carefully treasuring therein a secret message for all his immediate followers and all deep students for all times, that the distinctions based upon social, moral, ethical and such other considerations have no sanction or sanctity in the light of the Upanishadic Truth.

In the following five verses, Shankara reveals the wisdom of the Vedas, as lived and experienced by him in his direct insight. He fashions the verses in the style of the four great commandments (mahaavaakya) declared in our four Vedas. In the Rig-veda is the mahaavaakya that defines Reality: 'Consciousness is Brahman' (prajnyaaanam brahma)(1). Enshrined in Yajur-veda we have the roar of realisation: 'I am Brahman' (aham brahmaasmi)(2). Set among the songful mantras of the Saama-veda we have the commandment that represents the advice of the masters, 'That thou art' (tat tvam asi)(3). And roaring from the Atharvana-veda, we have the deafeningly silent experience of the student at his meditation-seat, couched in the commandment, 'This Consciousness in me, the Self, is Brahman' (ayamaatmaa brahma)(4).

1. Rig-veda ...... Aitreya-upanishad -3-3 2. Yajur-veda ..... Brih .- upanishad -1-4-10 3. Saama-veda ..... Chaandogya-upanishad -6-14-3 4. Atharvana-veda ..... Maanduukyopanishad -1-2

जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुप्तिषु स्फुटतरा या संविदुज्जम्भते या ब्रह्मादिपिपीलिकान्ततनुषु प्रोता जगत्साक्षिणी। सैवाहं न च दृश्यवस्त्विति दृढप्रज्ञापि यस्यास्ति चेत् चण्डालोऽस्तु स तु द्विजोऽस्तु गुरुरित्येषा मनीषा मम ।।१।।

This indeed is my deep conviction: he who has realised that he is not the seen, but that he is the one Consciousness that illumines all experiences during the waking, dream and deep-sleep states, the one Consciousness that is the sole witness of the entire play of the universe, the one Consciousness which is the very Life Spark in all forms from the Creator down to the ant, he alone is my Guru, be he a sweeper, be he a braahmana.

Based upon the Rig-veda command 'Consciousness is Brahman' (prajnyaaanam brahma), Shankara carves out of the polished beauty of this verse. Consciousness is that 'Light of Awareness' in which we apprehend and appreciate all our experiences in all the three states- the waking, the dream and the deep sleep. By themselves neither the body can perceive objects, nor the mind feel its emotions, nor the intellect entertain its thoughts, beacuse these equipments (BMI) are made up of matter, and matter is inert and insentient. Yet, in our lives, so long as we are alive, we experience the world outside with our BMI and this consciousness is actually loaned out to them by the Self. This enlivening principle of Consciousness is prajnyaaanam.

The same Consciousness is the divine Spark of life, the Flame of existence that shines in and through all living creatures, from the Creator down to the ant, meaning all creatures including plant, animal and human, down to the most rudimentary life in a uni-cellular organism.

This Consciousness alone am I, not the preceived world (consisting of my own subjective equipment, the body, mind and intellect, and the fields of my experiences, constituted by the objects, emotions and thoughts), the 'seen'.

This is the final awakening. He who has gained this true vision in his direct spiritual experience is a Man of Realisation. Such a Master is unique, and cannot be measured by the social and wordly yardsticks. 'Be he a sweeper or be he a braahmana, such an individual is my guide and light', so declares fearlessly Aadi Shankara and asserts emphatically, 'this is my firm conviction' (maneeshaa mama).

ब्रह्मैवाहमिदं जगच्च सकलं चिन्मात्रविस्तारितं सर्वं चैतदविद्यया त्रिगुणयाऽशेषं मया कल्पितम्। इत्थं यस्य दृढा मतिः सुखतरे नित्ये परे निर्मले चण्डालोऽस्तु सतु द्विजोऽस्तु गुरुरित्येषा मनीषा मम ।।२।

He who, in his direct experience of the Immaculate Supreme-Bliss-Eternal, has come to the firm understanding that the entire universe is but an extensive play of Pure Consciousness, all projected by his 'ignorance' expressed in the three moods of his mind, while he himself is but that Brahman-he alone is my Guru, be he a sweeper, be he a braahmana.

It is a famous assertion in Vedaanta which the sages unanimously roar in their final experience: 'Brahman alone is the only truth, the world of plurality is a myth' (brahma satyam, jagat mithyaa). The world is not unreal; but the world as it is now misinterpreted by our mind and intellect, is not real. The Infinite Consciousness, disturbed by the dance of thoughts is the apparent world of multiplicity that pours all the sorrows and pains into our life. Vedaanta Aachaaryas have provided for all diligent and vigilant students, a scientific explanation of this delusory misconception that arises in all of us. When a post is not apprehended as a post, from this non-apprehension arises many misapprehensions that it is a man standing; nay, a ghost grinning! It is this 'ghost' that provides the fears and sorrows for the one who is experiencing this delusion. At this non-apprehension of the intellect, the mind projects endless misapprehensions. The non-apprehension and the misapprehension together is called 'ignorance' (avidyaa), a technical term in the subjective science of Vedaanta. The 'ignorance' of the post can be removed only by the 'knowledge' of the post gained by a direct apprehension of it. When the post is apprehended, the non- apprehension of it naturally ends, and therefore, all misapprehensions, that rose from the non-apprehensions, also get dispelled. In the spiritual ignorance of the true nature of Reality, arise the misapprehensions of our equipments (BMI) and world of plurality (OET-objects, emotions, thoughts). When therefore, this Braahmic state is realised; in that divine state of Consciousness, the sages assert that we shall experience that the world we perceived till then, was but a delusory misconception projected by our mind, according to its varying moods.

To one who has awakened from the dream, it is not difficult to realise that the entire dream-world that one lived till then, was nothing but an extension of one's own waking-mind. One who has realised

Brahman, in that Divine state of Awareness, this seer shall realise that the entire cosmos was but a tiny disturbance, in an insignificant corner of his Infinite nature. They were all projected (kalpitam) by the deluded individuality (PFT-perceiver, feeler, thinker) under the play of its three distinct mental moods-the sattva, rajas and tamas.

One who is thus revelling in the 'immaculate supreme eternal Bliss' is a Man of Realisation. Just as a waker is not at all contaminated by anything that happened in his dream, so too in the higher plane of Consciousness, there cannot be even a trace of the world of matter (BMT, PFT, OET or the vaasanaas). It is beyond time, and therefore Eternal (nitya). And it transcends the BMI, and therefore, is Supreme (para).

All sorrows are arising through, and are due to, our equipments (BMI), and when these are transcended, in terms of the mind and our present parcel of experiences, the Upanishad Rishis indicate that the unique Supreme state is a shoreless state of Bliss.

'One who has thus ended his spiritual ignorance (avidyaa) in the blinding experience of illumination (vidyaa), and is constantly living in that state of voiceless Bliss, he alone is my guide and light', declares Aadi Shankara, and he fearlessly condemns a social vulgarity of his age, when he adds, 'be he a sweeper, be he a braahmana'.

This verse brings forth forcefully the deep significance of the Yajur- veda Upanishad commandment, 'I am Brahman' (aham brahma asmi). One who has thus 'awakened' from his limited sense of ego (PFT) to the amplitude of this dimensionless Supreme Self (Brahman) is the fulfilled Mahaapurusha, the Realised saint, the Perfect Master.

शश्वन्नश्वरमेव विश्वमखिलं निश्चित्य वाचा गुरो: नित्यं ब्रह्म निरन्तरं विमृशता निर्व्याजशान्तात्मना । भूतं भावि च दुष्कृतं प्रदहता संविन्मये पावके प्रारब्धाय समर्पितं स्ववपुरित्येषा मनीषा मम ॥।३॥

He who has done long reflections upon his teacher's words that this world of change is permanently in a state of flux; he who has tamed his mind to a true state of quiet and poise; he who has brought his mind, devoid of all dissimilar thoughts, constantly to contemplate upon Brahman; he who has burnt up all his past and future residual-vaasanaas in the fire of Pure Consciousness; he who has offered his body to live through and exhaust its

present destiny-he alone is my Guru, 'be he a sweeper, be he a braahmana.'

Here is a verse where Shankara overloads it with his magnificent instructions for the seeker (saadhaka) and his fabulous praises for the perfected (siddha). A student first hears from the teacher, many illumining discourses upon the ephemerality of the objective world around. Conditioned as it is by time and space, the world outside has to be necessarily in a constant state of flux. That everything changes is the only changeless law that functions all around us, all through our life. When the seeker has thoroughly and exhaustively reflected upon all the implications of this statement, his mind will fold back from its pursuits among the sense objects to settle down peacefully in his own bosom-no more dashing into the outer world (OET)-hoping for and striving to discover a permanent state of happiness, a fulfilling state of contentment. This effective withdrawal of the mind from its yearnings for sense gratifications is true 'renunciation' (vairaagya), and this is to be based upon his firm knowledge (viveka), so that the renunciation be truly spiritual and dynamic. In such a student, his mind attains to a true state of deep quiet and of unshakable poise.

With this quietened mind, through whole-hearted and single-minded contemplations, the seeker meditates upon the very spring of Consciousness in his bosom. This Essence in him is the very Universal Reality upon which the whole universe apparently plays its game. 'Renunciation' (vairaagya) based upon 'true understanding' (viveka) alone can make the mind dynamically quiet. In the impulse of the moment, in a rising tide of disgust, at some specific failure, people often in a hurry, renounce and run away from life. Such people, without exception, come to live in regret, suffering endless mental agony arising out of their physical privations. Shankara wants to save his students from all such mental tortures, brought about by their hasty impulsive actions. Hence the special importance of these significant words, deliberately employed by the Aachaarya.

It must become our deep understanding that the world is an ever- changing phenomena, and therefore no permanent happiness can ever be gained from the world, through the worldly things. Our own equipments (BMI) are constantly changing, and the world outside (OET) and their arrangements are also constantly changing. In this state of flux, the poor individuality (PFT), the ego, is helplessly buffeted, and gets mercilessly thrown up and dashed down. The exhaustion and fatigue suffered by the individual in this subjective storm is the source of all worldly sorrows. This the student understands, and therefore the gushing of the mind into the fields of sense-gratifications gets reversed, and his meditation naturally gains

an extra dynamic poignancy. True, all these facts we accept but what about the tendencies (vaasanaas) gathered in the past, throbbing from within us, which are the very sources from which our present personality stems forth? Shankara anticipates this question in the minds of the students, and so we have an exhaustive answer in the second half of the verse.

Thoughts and actions leave their footprints upon our personality, and they, in their turn, colour our future thoughts and order the direction of our subsequent actions. In short, there is an incorrigible continuity in time; 'the present is a product of the past', and 'the future is the past modified in the present'. The vaasanaas of the past accumulated during our evolutionary march (sanchita), when mature to fructify, we take the present life. During this life we exhaust many of them and also gather some more and these become the total residual vaasanaas for the future (aagaamee). Vedaanta accepts this wisdom of ancients in toto.

All actions, physical and mental, performed with ego and egocentric desires create fresh vaasanaas for our personality-a tendency to repeat similar actions or thoughts is natural in man. Such vaasanaas of the past bring pressure on our mind (BMI) and drive its attention to dissipate itself in the endless world of sense objects (OET). Vaasanaas that create enormous mental agitations are called 'sins' (dushkritam). All these accumulated vaasanaas of the entire past (sanchita) and what is in store for us for the future (aagaamee) are all burnt up 'in the fire of Pure Consciousness'. As one awakens to the Higher State of Pure Consciousness, his ego (PFT) disappears into the vision of the Reality, the Self-as the dreamer disappears into the waker. It is the ego that does the actions, good or bad, and therefore, the ego alone deserves to suffer or enjoy the fruits of its actions. If a murderer dies just before the police apprehend him, what can the warrant of arrest do to the deceased criminal ? Thus, on realising the Self, 'in the fire of Knowledge' all the accumulated vaasanaas get burnt up. Since the residual vaasanaas (aagaamee), are from the accumulated (sanchita), when the latter is blasted away, the former also get exhausted.

From the total accumulated vaasanaas of the past (sanchita), a few become matured to deliver their fruits, and they (praarabdha) have caused this present equipment of an environment for each one of us. This body shot out from the mother's womb, going through its specific vicissitudes, is praarabdha in action. An arrow that has left the bow, a bullet that has sped from the barrel, cannot be recalled; they have to exhaust themselves, spend away their forces in their flight and then only can they fall down.

A vedaantic Seer having thus burnt the past and the future, he graciously lets his body to run on the forces of its (praarabdha) and himself, uninvolved, continues to live the joyous experience of the Blissful Self. He is the sacred one who has realised that the body lives in him, he does not live in the body!

Such a Master is my sole guide and light-be he a sweeper, be he a braahmana-is the deepest conviction (maneeshaa) of mine, declares Aadi Shankara.

In this verse, Shankara builds up his thoughts upon the Saamavedic Upanishad mahaavaakya, 'That Thou Art' (tat-tvam-asi) found in the Chaandogya-upanishad.

या तिर्यङ्नरदेवताभिरहमित्यन्तः स्फुटा गृह्यते यद्भासा हृदयाक्षदेहविषया भान्ति स्वतोऽचेतनाः। तां भास्यैः पिहितार्कमण्डलनिभां स्फूर्ति सदा भावयन् योगी निर्वृतमानसो हि गुरुरित्येषा मनीषा मम ॥४॥

A yogee with his hushed mind lives, meditating upon That, which expresses as 'I -- I' the subjective individuality in all creatures: plant, animal, human and angels; That, by whose Light, mind and senses and body are all enlivened to activity, even though they are all made up of inert and insentient matter; That, which illumines everything as Sun from behind a bank of clouds-He alone is my Guru : this is my firm conviction.

The temple of ideas in this verse are based upon the Atharvanavedic Upanishad commandment, 'this Self in me is the Infinite Reality' (ayam aatmaa brahma). This mahaavaakya is found in the Maanduukya-upanishad.

It is but the common experience of all, that each one of us projects and perceives a world of our own created by our individual mind. Our thoughts, attitudes, values and past experiences colour and shape our private world and our individual experiences. Where the mind is not functioning-as in deep sleep or under chloroform-there is no world perceived either outside or within our bosom. Thus, each mind projects its own private world, and the 'total-mind', therefore, is the Creator that creates the entire macrocosmic universe. The individual mind gathers its harvest of experiences from its own microcosmic world. Neither the individual and his microcosm (vyashti), nor God and His macrocosm (samashti) can function without the grace and

play of the one Infinite Consciousness. In that Self, which is one sustaining Reality behind the universe, all these merge to disappear, as the dream disappears into the waking state. The 'dreamer-I', then realises that I alone am the 'waker-I'. This Self in me is the very Self which is the support of the entire universe; that which sustains the microcosm is the very Essence that supports the macrocosm.

The Spark of Existence that enlivens all the matter envelopments of an individual, is the individual Self, which is the same Consciousness in all living creatures. It manifests as the sense of individuality (PFT), the subjective entity, experienced as I, in all creatures. This same Consciousness, flaming in the core of the seeker, enlivens his body, senses, mind and intellect, although all these are made up of inert matter.

A meditator is one who has turned his mental attention from the world of objects, emotions and thoughts (OET), and with such a quiet mind, with all its conserved attention, he searches, with total vigilance and steady alertness, the spring of his Consciousness. A quiet, alert, vigilant mind, thus turned towards its own source, in a hushed state of total expectation, is a yogee. At his meditation-seat, the yogee realises the Self that shines behind all matter; as the Sun shines from behind a bank of clouds.

यत्सौख्याम्बुधिलेशलेशत इमे शक्रादयो निर्वृता यच्चित्ते नितरां प्रशान्तकलने लब्ध्वा मुनिर्निर्वृतः । यस्मिन्नित्यसुखाम्बुधौ गलितधीर्ब्रह्मैव न ब्रह्मविद् यः कश्चित्स सुरेन्द्रवन्दितपदो नूनं मनीषा मम ।५।

During its moments of utter quiet, a yogee's mind gains that Ocean of Bliss, a tiny droplet from which is sufficient to make Indra and others feel contented and happy. Such a one who has dissolved his individual intellect in this Eternal Ocean of Bliss, is verily Brahman, not a mere Knower of Brahman-That rare one, whose feet are worshipped even by the very King of Gods indeed, he alone is my Guru; this is my firm conviction.

Having thus summarised the entire Advaita Vedaanta in preceeding four verses based upon the great commandments of the Vedas, Shankara concludes his five-fold declaration of faith and conviction (Maneeshaa-panchakam) in this verse. Simultaneously, he is here revealing to his students the blissful reward of Self-Realisation. The entire universe constantly marches ahead, upon the unseen super-

highway of evolution. In one common irresistible direction, all creatures live unconsciously ever in revolt against pain, and are irrevocably whipped on to search for their greater happiness. This is common to all living creatures; plant, animal and human. Search for a larger satisfaction, a greater joy, an ampler fulfilment, is that which motivates everybody, at all times, all round the world, under every circumstance. Naturally, evolution must get fulfilled, if a creature can discover the state of Absolute Bliss.

This God-state, Infinite Bliss, is described here as the 'Ocean of Bliss'. In order to communicate to the students' limited mind, the vastness of the Infinite, to give a measure of the boundless Bliss, the Taittireeya- upanishad gives an interesting statistics of Bliss which is truly imitated here in this verse. A minutest particle of a tiny drop (lesha-lesha) of this Ocean of Bliss is that, which is distributed so liberally, as the heavenly joys of Indra the king of angels, of Brihaspati, the guru of the gods and of all others in heaven ! When the mind of a meditative master (muni) is supremely quiet, he comes to reach out and gain this very same Ocean of Bliss, the Brahman, the Reality.

Such a meditator, who has dissolved his intellect, and therefore has merged his individuality (PFT) in this throbbing state of Bliss, is according to Shankara, 'not merely a Knower of Brahman, but he is', asserts Aadi Shankara, 'Brahman Himself. A yogee in this state of Perfection is worshipped even by the king of gods.

Such a Master, as Godman upon earth, is to me my Guru, be he an outcaste, be he a braahmana. Indeed, this is my firm faith born out of my conviction.

भगवान् शंकराचार्य वाराणसी में

गंगाजी की धवलधारमें मज्जन कर एक साधु निकले काषायाम्बर से हैं शोभित दण्डकमण्डलु हस्त विराजित ।।१।।

तिलक भालपर तेज है मुखपर शिष्यगणोंके गुरुवर शंकर जात रहे शिव मन्दिर सुन्दर ध्यावत मन में ब्रह्म परात्पर ।।२।।

तंग गली में सामने आता इतने में कोई उज्जड दिखता मैली चादर तन कुछ बूढ़ा साथ लिये कुत्तोंका जोड़ा ।।३।।

देख उसे झट पीछे हटते संन्यासी कुछ बोल हैं उठते हट चण्डाल! हो दूर तू हमसे जात रहे हम मिलने शिवसे ॥४॥

किन्तु खड़ा रह बूढ़ा हँसते क्या ही करूँ मैं दूर भी किससे? देह से दूर क्या देह अचेतन? या फिर चेतन तत्त्व से चेतन? ॥५।।

चकित चितव संन्यासी सुनकर ज्ञानी खड़ा कोई ओढ़े चादर पैर पड़े अति विनीत होकर क्षमा करो अभिमान हे गुरुवर! देखें जब संन्यासी उठकर पाते सम्मुख भोले शंकर ।।६।।

• स्वामी तेजोमयानंद

C Central Chinmaya Mission Trust First Edition - 1993 - 15,000 copies Reprint - 1994 - Jan 2006 - 13,000 copies Revised Edition - August 2009 - 3,000 copies First e-Edition - November 2010 Published by: Central Chinmaya Mission Trust Sandeepany Sadhanalaya Mumbai - 400 072. INDIA Tel: 91-22-28572367 Fax: 91-22-28573065 Email: [email protected] Website: www.chinmayamission.com

Distribution Centre in USA: Chinmaya Mission West Publications Division, 560 Bridgetown Pike, Langhorne, PA 19053, USA. Tel: (215) 396-0390 Fax: (215) 396-9710 Email: [email protected] Website: www.chinmayapublications.org

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ISBN: 9788175975026

If brevity is the essence of wit, Bhagwan Adi Shankaracharya has it. And if wisdom is anybody's property, Shri Shankaracharya shows it.

The setting: A Swami with his disciples is on the way to Kashi Vishwanath temple after a sacred dip in the Ganges. He recoils from a sweeper doing his usual round of sweeping and asks him to move away.

The sweeper stuns the Swami with a challenging spirtual poser - one body may move away from another, but can the Atma of one person be separated from another's ?

Only five verses in Manīşā-pañcakam, but enough to keep one thinking for a lifetime ...

® MANEESHA PANCHAKAM

9 788175 975026 ISBN 9788175975026 EBM002

CENTRAL CHINMAYA MISSION TRUST MUMBAI - 400 072