Maneesha Panchakam

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• Maneesha Panchakam

Sri Sankara Bhagavat Paadas Immortal Creation
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(No Transcript)
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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?
• Isnt 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 placethe 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) to
• Gachcha Get away
• Gachchaeti Get away etc.
• Kim Whom (out of hatred)
• Vaanchasi You strongly desire to
• Dooree kartum keep at a distance, keep aloof ?
• Annamayaad Is it my body made from food, it is
• Annamayam same as yours nourished by food
• Atha vaa if not, perhaps if it is
• Chaitanyam the inner sentient energy in me
• Yaeva it is also the
• Chaitanyaat 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 its one
  and the same for all !!
• If you mean the internal cosmic energy within us,
  its 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
• Isnt 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
• isnt 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 !
• Arent the Sun and the Sky absolutely the same
  without any difference

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The Five Golden Verses

• Thus the above piercing arrows of questions
  of the Lord are shot at that wise man. These
  immediately made an indelible impression on the
  mind of that holy man and he at once perceived
  Lord Shiva and Mother Parvathi, in the couple
  opposite to him who are in disguise of the
  outcaste. As this enlightenment
  dawned on him, the learned man now expounds the
  true nature of the Self with in all - in these
  FIVE slokas known as Maneesha Panchakam. These
  are recited extempore by the learned man with
  humility as a reply to Lord Shivas the eye
  opener.

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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! Lets 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 chandaalost
u 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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Interpretation

• 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.

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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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Interpretation

• 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.

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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.

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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

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• 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