Sadhana Panchakam - Post 1

Sadhana is a conscious performance of disciplined actions in furthering one’s journey on the Path to Perfection, understanding the Seer’s experiences and through that awareness, being conscious of the essence behind the words, symbols and legends which they used to express their experiences of that Supreme Essence, Sath or the Prime Existence, by whatever name they may call That One.

Sadhana Panchakam is testimony and testament of the one who has traversed the Path to Perfection and experienced enlightenment. 

The Teacher knows and the student should also know that ‘sharp as the edge of a razor and hard to cross, difficult to tread is that Path’ therefore, half-hearted attempts would not be encouraged.

The sadhaka has to accept the sincerity of the Teachers with diligence and be assured of their words as their personal experience, neither awed or frightened of their hallowed presence nor skeptical of their enlightened experience. 

Religion becomes real only when one accepts diversity in perceptions since anything like total expression of experiences and unrestrained belief or misplaced devotion to the Teacher, takes away something of the Teachings. 

Sadhana Panchakam was written by Sri Adi Shankaracharya towards the end of his brief 32 year lifespan. A request was made by his disciples that he should write a brief text summarizing his approach to spiritual life. Bringing all his experience to bear, the great teacher wrote the poem- Sadhana Panchakam.

Sadhana Panchakam derives its name from the five verses that comprise the poem, each one dealing with spiritual practices. Each verse contains 8 instructions, making a total of 40 instructions.

In spite of their brevity, they are remarkable for their deep insight to reveal the very essence of Sadhana at every stage of one’s spiritual growth.

 

Love. 

YT - JDW - Sadhana Chatustaya - Part 3 - Shadsampath

Sairam All,

After a heavy dosage of Vairagya, this pour would be relatively palatable. The hot iron which is in the process of turning into gold got some cool showers of joy from the Source. The Shadsampat, the 6 virtues or to go literally, the 6 wealth that we all need to harness within to be able to qualify for Brahma Jnana is now being fed sumptuously to all of you.

This pour prepares an aspirant for the journey ahead for which his birth has happened. With the background of Viveka and the grounding of Vairagya, the 4 qualities taken today are the foundation for any sadhaka. 

Let us all bathe in this part of qualification to treat the rigorous process of passing through fire of Vairagya:

[if the above video does not play, please copy and paste this link in your browser - https://youtu.be/QLBW91yvUcs]

Sama, Dama, Uparati and Titiksha are gradual progressions in taming ones mind to conquer the bull of worldly afflictions and illusions and to turn into that gold which is worthy of offering to HIM. At the end of this learning, understanding, experiencing and living, you would reach to that form in which HE actually created you, thus qualifying to merge unto HIM...

In the next post, the remaining   virtues / wealth of Shraddha, Samadhana and  then the 4th and final culmination of Viveka, Vairagya and Shad Samapth- "Mumukshatva" would be covered.

Love.

Swami Krishnananda

Swami Krishnananda

When we are after something, we must know what it is that we are after. This clarity by which we know what it is that we want, as distinguished from that which is different from what we want—a discrimination that we exercise in knowing what it is that we are after, what it is that we are expecting, other than what is secondary and redundant—this faculty of inner discrimination is called viveka, correct understanding.

What is correct understanding? It is the ability to distinguish between truth and falsehood. What is the truth here, and what is the falsehood? The falsehood is the appearance before us in terms of the variety of objects of sense, this vast creation of space and time which acts as a screen before us, preventing us from visualizing what is behind the screen; and what is behind the screen is Truth. The distinction between these two aspects of experience has to be drawn.