Maneesha Panchakam

Sri Sankara Bhagavat Paada’s Immortal Creation

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About This Hymn

• A marvelous creation of Jagad Guru

Sri Adi Sankaracharya

• The message of „Equality‟

• One of most Secular teachings

• Instructs us to love our fellow men

• Irrespective of their nature

• Supplements our Gurwastakam lesson

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Title Interpretation

• Maneesha = The Firm Conviction

• Panchakam = Expressed in five verses

• Who is the eye opener here?

• Lord Siva himself

• The pen of our revered Jagad Guru

Sri Adi Sankaracharya expounds these.

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Who are We ?

• Even the very evolved might have

wrong perception of „Reality‟

• How significant are the extraneous

differences?

• Isn‟t the inner SELF the same!

• The five fold understanding

• Using a scenario

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Satyaachaary asya gamanae

kadaachin mukti daayakam,

Kaasee kshaetram prati saha

Gouryaa maargae tu Sankaram,

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Interpretation

asya In that

mukti daayakam Sacred and fulfilling

Kaasee kshaetram pious city of Varanasi,

kadaachin once upon a time

satyaacharya a sacred & learned man

gamane was on a stroll.

prati Opposite to (the man)

maargae tu on that very street

saha Gourya along with Gouri devi

Sankaram Lord Sankara (had come)

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One day in Varanaasi

• Once, a great godly man is on a stroll in the

famous, heavenly place–the Varanaasi

• During his walk after his ritualistic, sacred

and purified bath he came juxtaposed to

• two people – a man and his consort walking

opposite to him almost bumping into his way.

• The strange couple were none other than

The LORD SIVA and PARVATHI.

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Antya vaesha dharam drushtwaa

gachcha gachchaeti cha abraveet,

Sankarah so api chandaalah

tam punah praaha Sankaram,

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Interpretation

drustwa On seeing

vaesha dharam the couple in the attire of

antya a downtrodden family,

abraveet uttered (the learned man)

gachcha Get away.. You….

cha also ….(scornfully)

gachchaeti Get away.. etc.,

sankarah so api Even though he is Lord Siva

chandaalah in disguise of the downtrodden

tam to that learned man

Sankaram The Lord Sankara

punah praaha In reply said as follows….

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Go Away, Go Away

• The couple is in the disguise of a lowly placed

and unkempt downtrodden family

• This learned and holy man, though very well

versed in Atma Jnaana, not recognizing the

true nature of the persons coming into him

• uttered the words, you…. Go away, Go away,

Go aloof - in some form of scorn and hatred

• Then, Parama Siva in the chandaala roopam

replied to the learned man as follows…

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Annamaayaad annamayam athavaa

chaitanyam yaeva chaitanyaat

yativara dooree kartum vaanchasi

kim broohi gachcha gachchaeti ?

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Interpretation

Yati vara O! Best among the learned!Broohi You shout (scornfully) toGachcha Get away Gachchaeti Get away etc….Kim Whom (out of hatred)Vaanchasi You strongly desire toDooree kartum keep at a distance, keep aloof ?Annamayaad Is it my body made from food, it isAnnamayam same as yours nourished by foodAtha vaa if not, perhaps if it isChaitanyam the inner sentient energy in me Yaeva it is also theChaitanyaat same as your inner sentient energy

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Sir, Whom are you hating ?

• Lord Parama Siva spoke as follows

• Oh ! The perfect man of Self realization -

• Sir, I wish to know, whom are you addressing to

get away from your esteemed presence out of

hatred ?

• Do you mean the physical body of us – it‟s one

and the same for all !!

• If you mean the internal cosmic energy within

us, it‟s all the more same in all !

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pratyag vastuni nistaranga sahaja

ananda avabodha ambudhou vipro

ayam swapacho ayamity api

mahaan ko ayam vibhaedha bhramah ?

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Interpretation

pratyag vastuni The indwelling essence in all is

nis-taranga the wave less and steady

ambudhou ocean called the

sahaja ananda innate, natural Bliss Absolute;

avabodha This is the perfect understanding.

mahaan O! Great soul, (for you too)

ko why is

ayam this (very hatred inducing)

vibhedha bramah illusion of discrimination (that)

ayam vipro one is learned and a Brahmin

ity api and that the other

ayam shwapacho one is an outcaste (Chandaala)

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For You too Sir, This Illusion

• The Parama Siva continues his query

• Isn‟t the indwelling essence in all of us the same

wave-less and steady ocean called the innate and

natural Bliss Absolute;

• While this should be the perfect understanding of

the learned, (for you too)

• O! Great soul, why is this (indeed hatred inducing)

illusion of discrimination (that)

• one is learned and a Brahmin and that the other

one is an outcaste and is untouchable!

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kim gangaambudhi binbitae ambara

manou chandaala veedhee payah

poorae vaa antaramasti kaanchana

ghatee mrit kumbhayorva ambarae?

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Interpretation

Ganga ambudhi Be it in the sacred waters of Ganges

payah poorae vaa or in the cesspools situated in

chandaala veedhi the slum dwellers‟ lanes,

bimbita in reflected and shining

ambara manou the jewel of the sky, the Sun

antaram kim what difference

asthi (vaa) does exist ? and also

kaanchana ghatee be it a golden vessel

mrit kumbha yor or be in an earthen pot,

ambarae vaa in the reflected sky also

antaram kim what difference

asthi does exist !! Absolutely the same !

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What is the difference ?

• The precious jewel of the sky, the Sun

• isn‟t he shining in the same way in this very

sacred and holy waters of this river - the

mother Ganges and

• in the polluted cesspools there in the dirty

lanes of the slum dwellers (outcaste)?

• Will the reflected sky be inferior in an earthen

pot, compared to the one in a golden vessel !

• Aren‟t the Sun and the Sky absolutely the

same without any difference

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The Five Golden Verses

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jaagratswapna sushuptishu sphutataraa yaa sam vidujjrimbhatae

yaa brahmaadi pipeelika anta thanushu prothaa jagat saakshinee,

saiva aham na cha drisya vastwiti drudha prajnaapi yasya asti chaet

chandaalostu sa tu dwijosthu gurur ityaeshaa maneeshaa mama.

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Interpretation

jaagrat In the wakeful state,

swapna in dreaming state and

sushupti shu also in the deep sleep state

sputa taraa that which very clearly

jrumbhatae shines in all beings and

sam vidu perfectly knows every thing;

yaa That which is

protaa embedded and indwelling

Brahma adi from the Creator onwards

pipeelika anta up to the ant,

thanu shu all living bodies and

saakshinee which is the witness

jagat for all worldly activity;

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Interpretation

sa yaeva aham And that which is

na cha drusya not to be perceived by us

vastvu iti as an object to be -

api drudha in spite of firm knowledge

prajnaa of material things;

asthi chaeth It remains verily the same

chandaalo in the down trodden (outcaste)

asthu very much exists

sa tu in the same way as

asthu dwijo it exists in the learned (Brahmin)

maneesha mama My firm understanding is that

yaesha Great one who inculcates this concept

Gurur iti is the real preceptor.

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My Firm Conviction

Oh! Let‟s learn that the indwelling (pratyag) atma

is distinctly shining with in all the three states;

namely the wakeful, the dreaming and the deep

sleep states. It is the invisible thread embedded in

us and it is the witness with in all from the Creator

up to the tiny ant. It is not a cognizable object in

spite of any amount of material intelligence. It is

very much the same in one and all irrespective of

any caste, creed or kind ! My firm understanding is

that the great one who inculcates this concept is

the real preceptor.

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Brahmaivaaham idam jagachcha sakalam chinmaatra vistaaritam

sarwam chaitad avidyayaa trigunayaa saesham mayaa kalpitam,

iththam yasya dridha matih sukhatarae nityae parae nirmalae

chandaalostu sa tu dwijostu gurur ityaeshaa maneeshaa mama.

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Interpretation

Brahmaiva The Brahman indeed is

aham the inner Self or “I”

idam jagat cha in this very universe too,

sakalam in every thing

chinmaatra the subtle conscious form

vistharitam is perfectly unfolding itself.

sarwam chaithath All this sentient world

avidyayaa borne of nescience

thrigunayaa by the play of the three gunas

sesham remains as (divided but it in fact)

mayaa by me

kalipitam imagined to be diverse.

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Interpretation

yasya Who so ever, he may be

dhruda matih that person of firm conviction

iththam who understands the Brahman

nityae resides permanently as the

parae the Supreme

nirmale uncontaminated (taint less)

sukhatarae extreme Bliss.

asthu May be he is

chandaalo an outcaste

sa tu in the same way,

asthu dwijo may be he is a Brahmin.

maneesha mama My firm understanding is

yaesha that Great one with this concept

Gurur iti is the real preceptor.

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My Firm Conviction

I am none other than a part and parcel of the Brahman (The

Absolute). I am dwelling on the pure and infinite Brahman

and I am the very Brahman. This universe is glittering with

infinite glow by the power of the chaitanya or unlimited

sentient energy of the Absolute. Apparently the universe is

assumed (by us) to consist of diverse and different things,

due to (our) ignorance (avidya or nescience) borne out of

the three gunas (Sattva, Rajas and Tamas). He who firmly

believes with perfect understanding of this unity in diversity,

for me, he is the adorable great Master, irrespective of

whether he is a brahmin or an outcaste. This is my perfect

understanding.

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saswan naswaramaeva viswam akhilam nischitya vaachaa guroh

nityam brahma nirantaram vimrisataa nirwyaaja saanta atmanaa,

bhootam bhaavi cha dushkritam pradahataa samvinmayae paavakae

praarabdhaaya samarpitam swavapur ityaeshaa maneeshaa mama.

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Interpretation

Viswam akhilam This entire universe

saswat yaeva apparently continuing,

naswaram is perishable and impermanent

nischitya as per the decisive

Guror vaacha proclamation of the Lord.

Brahma The Brahman is (indeed)

nityam permanent and everlasting and

nirantaram is undifferentiated and peerless,

vimrusataa (if one) analyzed carefully with

nirvyaaja an untainted, unaffected,

santa atmanaa peaceful and tranquil intelligence.

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swa vapur Our physical (differences in) bodies,

samarpitam are the products of

prarabdaaya the imprints of all our previous

dushkritam sinful deeds - those

bhootam pertaining to the past

bhaavi cha and to future (and present too).

yaesha The one who

pradahdataa perfectly reduces them to ashes

pavakae in the flaming fire (of knowledge)

sam vinmayae is the one of best understanding.

iti This

maneesha mama is my firm conviction.

Interpretation

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My Firm Conviction

This entire universe, apparently continuing, is perishable and

impermanent as per the decisive proclamation of the Lord.

The Brahman, indeed, is permanent, everlasting and is

undifferentiated and peerless, if one analyzed carefully with

an untainted, unaffected, peaceful and tranquil intelligence.

The differences in our physical bodies are the products of

imprints of all our previous sinful/good deeds - pertaining to

the past, present and future. The one who perfectly reduces

these imprints to ashes in the flaming fire of knowledge is the

best informed. This is my perfect conviction.

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yaa thiryagnara dhaevathaabhirahamithyamthah sphutaa grihyathae

yadhbhaasaa hridhayaaksha dhaehavishayaa bhaanthi swatho chaethanaah,

thaam bhaasyaih pihithaarkamandala nibhaam sphoorthim sadhaa bhaavayan

yogee nirvrithamaanaso hi gururithyaeshaa maneeshaa mama.

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Interpretation

yaa That which (the inner consciousness)

sphutaa very clearly

grihyatae is perceived

aham iti as the „I‟

anthah within

thiryangn all the animals,

nara the human beings

devathaabhir and the gods too.

yad bhaaasa By the effulgence of

swatho this pure self,

chaethanaa the inner consciousness

vishayaa the sense objects are

bhaanthi perceived (illuminated) by

hridaya, daeha the mind, the body and

aksha eyes etc., sense organs.

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thaam The very mind, body and sense organs

bhaasai hi though illuminated by this (consciousness)

pihitha apparently cloud this consciousness,

arka mandala just as the effulgent Sun is

nibham concealed by the clouds (caused by the sun).

yogee That person of perfect realization

nirvrutha with complete and clear understanding

spoorthim due to his wisdom,

sadaa bhhavayan ever meditates on this

Maanaso hi verily in his mind.

maneesha mama My firm understanding is

yaesha that Great one with this concept

Gurur iti is the real preceptor.

Interpretation

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My Firm Conviction

The Self or pure consciousness is experienced clearly within

by all animals, human beings and the gods alike as the „I‟. It is

by the reflection of this pure consciousness that the mind,

sense organs and the body which are insentient, appear to be

sentient. External objects are perceived only because of this.

This Self is, however, concealed by this very mind, senses and

body which are illuminated by it, just as the Sun is concealed

by the clouds. A person of perfect realization and wisdom due

to his complete and clear understanding ever meditates in his

mind on this supreme consciousness. Such a person is the

real preceptor. This is my perfect conviction.

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yathsaukhyaambudhi laesalaesatha imae sakraadhayo nirvrithaa

yachchiththae nitharaam prashaanthakalanae labdhvaa munirnirvrithah

yasmin nithya sukhaambudhau galithadheer brahmaiva na brahmavidh

yah kaschit sasuraendhra vandhithapado noonam maneeshaa mama ||

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Interpretation

yat The Self (Brahman) is

ambudhi the eternal ocean of

soukhya Supreme Bliss.

laesa laesatha A minute fraction of

imae this (Bliss Supreme) is

nirvritha adequate to satisfy

aakra adayo the Indra and other celestials.

prasaantha kalana Meditating with a perfectly calm

chittae mind only

yat on this (Bliss Supreme)

na ithraam and not by any other special means,

munir the sages

labdwaa experience

nirvritha adequate fulfillment.

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Interpretation

Yasmin Whose

dhee mind (intellect) is

nithya always (ever)

galitha identified (unified) with

ambudhao this eternal ocean of

sukha the Bliss Supreme,

na brahmavid is not a mere knower of the Brahman, but

brahmaiva is the Brahman itself.

Sa Such a person (as described above),

yah kaschit whosoever he may be (no matter at all) -

pado his feet are

vanditha worthy to be worshipped

surendra by the Indra (and all other gods).

noonam Certain (definite)

maneesha mama this is my firm understanding.

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Certain, this is my firm conviction

The Self (Brahman) is the eternal ocean of Supreme Bliss. A

minute fraction of this Bliss Supreme is adequate to satisfy

the Indra and other celestials. Only by meditating with a

perfectly calm mind on this Bliss Supreme, and not by any

other special means, the sages experience adequate

fulfillment. Whose intellect is ever unified with the eternal

ocean of this Bliss Supreme, he is not a mere knower of the

Brahman, but he is the Brahman itself. Such a person,

whosoever he may be, and no matter at all, his feet are

worthy to be worshipped by the Indra and all other gods.

Definite, this is my firm understanding.

The Epilogue

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daasasthae aham daehadrishtya asmi Sambho

jaathasthaeso jeeva drishtyaa thri drishtyae

sarvasya athman athma drishtyaa thwamaeva

thwaevam mae dheer nishchithaa sarva saasthraih ||

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The Epilogue

O! Lord, the three eye one (who is the all knower of the

past, present and future)! In the form of this physical

equipment, the body, I am the servant of You and thus of

all. In the form of the life principle with in me, I am the

part and parcel of You and thus of all. In the form the

soul, You are within me and similarly in every other being

or animal or thing that I behold. I have arrived at this

conclusion after thorough reflection in my intellect -

illuminated by all the sacred texts.

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The perfect Realization

• Thus after this perfect instruction about the Atma Jnaana and the shock treatment rendered to him

• The holy man experienced and perfectly understood - what is real and what is unreal

• Surrendered his ego before the feet of the Supreme Consciousness (SIVA)

• Instantaneously, he could visualize the almighty

Parama Siva and Parvathi in front of him.

• From that very moment he perceived GOD in all

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Echoes in Geeta

• Vidya vinaya sampannae brahmanae……..

……………………panditaah sama darsinah |

• Yo mam pasyati sarvatra sarvam cha …….

……..…………… sa cha mae na pranasyati |

• Sarvasya cha aham hridi sannivisto ……..

……vedanta krit veda vidaeva cha aham |

V- 18

VI- 30

XV- 15

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Beware !!

Untouchability is

the greatest sin

……Gandhiji

Are we Greater than any

other in any one aspect ?

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Kaasee panditunaku Sankaruditu

chaesina upadaesamu vinumaa

Vaasigan aatma jnaanamu nepudoo

Vadalaka madilo nidukonumaa ||