Archive | Sādhana Pañchakam

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In five verses, Shankaracharya enumerates 40 items that constitute sādhana as per Vedanta

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Sadhana Panchakam – Class 7

Shankaracharya is discussing the last series of Jñāna yoga namely, Nidhithyasanam.  Nidhithyasanam is of two types:  One is withdrawing all transactions and dwelling up on the teachings of Upanishads, especially those aspects which are very relevant to me.  The second type of nidhithyasanam is constantly alert through all my transactions so that my responses and […]

Sadhana Panchakam – Class 6

Having discussed sravanam and mananam part of Jñāna yoga, Sankarachariyar is discussing nidhithyasanam which is meant to convert the knowledge into emotional strength.  This is meant for Jñāna nishta.  Nidhithyasanam is of two types: Withdrawing from all vyākara and dwelling up on vedic teaching.  This is sitting nidhithyasanam .  Always being alert in my day-to-day […]

Sadhana Panchakam – Class 5

Shankaracharya discussing final stages of Jñāna yoga – sravanam, mananam, nidhithyasanam.  Sravanam is nothing but systematic analysis of upaniṣadic statement.  It is called vedanta vichara, vedanta mimamsa etc.  Through systematic analysis we discover consciousness is the essence of individuals, and existence is the essence of the world; consciousness and existence are one and the same.  […]

Sadhana Panchakam – Class 4

Sankarachariyar talked about the first three stages, karma yoga and upasana which are to be practiced in the first three ashramas.  Once the person has successfully gone through the first three stages, then he is ready for Jñāna yoga which is generally pursued in sanyasa ashrama.  Whether a person physically renounces or not is not […]

Sādhana Pañchakam – Class 3

Shankaracharya is dealing with the second stage of life; the first stage of life is learning about the way of life I should be leading.  Having learnt that in the first stage, one has to go to the next stage of gragasthasrama, one should implement the dharma learnt.  In the case of brahma Jñānam, Jñānam […]

Sādhana Pañchakam – Class 2

Sankarachariyar is discussing the grand scheme of ashrama avastha – the four stages of life.  The first stage is called Brahmacharyam where a student learns chanting of vedas, learns auxiliary sciences veda anga vichara and veda artha or mimamsa.  If he is shathriya he learns dhanu sasthram, if he is Vaishnava he learns vedic studies.  […]

Sādhana Pañchakam – Class 1

Sādhana Pañchakam was written by Adhi Shankaracharya.  Sometimes this is also called Sopana Panchakam or Upadesa Panchakam or Advaida Pañchakam.  The word Pañchakam means a text consisting of five verses.  It is called Advaida Pañchakam because these verses deal with advaidic teaching contained in Vedas.  The word upadesa means teachings or instructions; five verses dealing […]