manaIYaapHcakma\

Man$>§-pa_cakam

(five verses of wisdom)

 

Prologue

Man$>§-pa_cakam was authored by |r$-|a°kara, it is believed.  |r$-|a°kara is criticized by modern scholars for propounding sectarian beliefs in his commentary (bh§>ya) on Brahma-s%tra where he restricts recitation of the Vedas to the upper castes alone.  However, one may note that one has limitations while commenting on a text.  Thus, in independent compositions such as Upade<a-s§hasr$ and this short text, Man$>§-pa_cakam, he expounds Advaita philosophy in all its glory.  Advaita, the non-dualistic philosophy expounded in just five verses by |r$-|a°kara, does not recognize differences between people based on caste, creed, religion, gender etc. since all are manifestations of one and same Brahman.

 

Introduction

Through just five of verses |r$-|a°kara has brought out the essence of Advaita Ved§nta.  These verses were composed on a special occasion, it is believed, by |r$-|a°kara.  (We are of the opinion that |r$-|a°kara has penned three literary works which are collectively known as B&hat-tray$ which comprises Bh§>ya on (nine) principle Upani>ads, Bh§>ya on the G$t§ and Bh§>ya on Uttara M$m§/s§ (popularly known as Ved§nta) authored by

 

Note:  The word ‘M$m§/s§’ is described as ‘m§n vic§re, sv§rthe’.  It means an inquiry, a deep reflection into a thought, a concept and also, to determine the meaning of Vedic scriptures.  It is one of the ‘>a*-dar<ana <§astras’, other schools of Dar<ana <§stras being, S§/khya, Yoga, Ny§ya and, Vai<e>ika.  

M$m§/s§ school of Dar<ana-<§stra was originally divided into two sub-systems, which are P%rva M$m§/s§ and Uttara M$m§/s§.  P%rva M$m§/s§ was propounded by sage ‘Jaimini’ and Uttara M$m§/s§ was by sage ‘B§dar§ya;a’ (also called, ‘Vedavy§sa’).

P%rva M$m§/s§ is also known as ‘Dharma M$m§/s§’ and, ‘Karma M$m§/s§’.  It deals with Sa/hit§ and Br§hma;a sections of Vedic scriptures.  Sa/hit§ and Br§hma;a part together are called ‘Karma K§;*a’.  Uttara M$m§/s§ is also called Ved§nta.  It deals with {ra;yaka and Upani>ad portions of Vedic literature.  These two portions are together called ‘J_§na K§;*a’.

M$m§/s§ literature is very significant.  It serves as a guide to Vedic duties, Nitya Karmas (daily duties, ceremonies, property rights and adoption procedures etc.

 

One day |r$-|a°kara was walking towards the temple of Lord Vi<van§tha after taking bath in the Ga°g§ in the city of K§<$ along with his disciples.  He saw a sweeper walking towards him.  As he was scared of being touched and thus getting defiled, |r$-|a°kara asked the sweeper to move away. Instead of moving away, the sweeper hurled some questions towards |r$-|a°kara.  These questions make the prelude in first two verses of this small work.

On hearing the questions, |r$-|a°kara realized that the person was not an ordinary one.

So, |r$-|a°kara replies to these questions in five verses which collectively are known as Man$>§-pa_cakam,  ‘Man$>§’ stands for wisdom and ‘pa_cakam’ for five (verses). 

According to tradition, the sweeper was none other than Lord |iva.  |r$-|a°kara  too  is considered to be an incarnation of Lord |iva.  Therefore, this work is in essence a dialogue between two forms of the same Lord, intended to convey to the world the essential teachings of Ved§nta.  Questions such as whether even |r$-|a°kara practised untouchability in spite of being an enlightened soul have no place in this context. Moreover, the story by itself is not important.  To derive various conclusions about other matters on the basis of the story would be going off at a tangent. One fact which emerges is that, once a person has attained Self-knowledge, considerations such as his caste, etc., are totally irrelevant.

 

sa%yaacaaya-sya gamanao kdaicanmaui>dayakma\

kaSaIxao~M p`it sah gaaOyaa- maagao- tu SaMkrma\ ॥

An%yavaoYaQarM dRYT\vaa gacC gacCoit caaba`vaIt\

SaMkr: saao|ip caaNDlastM puna: p`ah SaMkrma\ ॥1॥

saty§c§ryasya gamane kad§cin-mukti-d§yakam

k§<$-k>etra/ prati saha gaury§ m§rge tu >a°karam ॥

antya-ve>a-dhara/ d&>+v§ gaccha gaccheti c§brav$t

<a°kara# so’pi c§;*alas-ta/ puna# pr§ha <a°karam ॥1॥

Tr.  One day in K§<$, the city that liberates, <r$<a°kara along with his disciples took bath in the Ga°g§. On returning, they found a c§;*§la, a sweeper (cleaner, considered low-caste) approaching them along with a dog.  {di<a°kara shouted at them to go away, on which the lowly born asked:1.     

The sweeper asked:

Annamayaadnnamayamaqavaa caOtnyamaova caOtnyaat \ ॥

yaitvar dUrIk<a-uM vaaHCisa ikM ba`Uih gacC gacCoit ॥2॥

annamay§d-annamayama-athav§ caitanyam-eva caitany§t ॥

yativara d%r$kart%/ v§°chasi ki/ br%hi gaccha gaccheti ॥2॥

Tr.  ‘O great among Br§hma;as!  What is it that you want to move away from by uttering, ‘move away, move away’?  Do you want the body made up of food to move away from another body made up of food?  Or do you want Consciousness to move away from Consciousness?2.

 

ikM gaMgaambauina ibaimbato|mbarmaNaaO caaNDalavaIqaIpya: ॥

pUro vaantrmaist kaHcanaGaTImaR%kumBayaaovaa-mbaro ॥3॥

ki/ ga°g§/buni bi/bite’/bara-ma;au c§;*§la-v$th$-paya# ॥

p%re v§ntaram-asti k§°cana-gha+$-m&t-ku/bhayor-v§/bare ॥3॥

Tr.  ‘Is there any difference between the reflection of the sun on waters of the Ga°g§ and its reflection in the water in a ditch in the quarters of outcastes?  Or between the space in a gold pot and in a mud pot?3.

 

p`%yagvastuina inastrMgasahjaanandavabaaoQaambauQaaO ॥

ivap`ao|yaM Svapcaao|yaima%yaip mahankao|yaM ivaBaodBa`ma: ॥4॥

pratyag-vastuni nistara°ga-sahaj§nand§vabodh§/budhau ॥

vipro’ya/ <va-paco’yam-ityapi mah§n-ko’ya/ vibhedabhrama# ॥4॥

Tr.  ‘What is this illusion of difference in the form: ‘This is a Br§hma;a and this is an outcaste’ in the indwelling self which is an ocean free of ripples of bliss and pure consciousness?4.

Note:  The indwelling self, which is identical with the Supreme Self whose nature is bliss and Pure Consciousness, is same in all creatures.  The Bh§gavadg$t§.v.18 says, “An enlightened sees the same Self in the Br§hma;a endowed with learning and humility, the cow, the elephant, the dog and the outcaste”.4.

 

jaaga`%svaPnasauYauiPtYau sfuTtra yaa saMivadujjaRmBato ॥

yaa ba`*maaidippIilakanttnauYau p`aota jaga%saaixaNaI ॥5॥

j§grat-svapna-su>upti>u sphu+atar§ y§ sa/vid-ujj&/bhate ॥

y§ brahm§di-pip$lik§nta-tanu>u prot§ jagat-s§k>i;$ ॥5॥

Tr.  ‘If a person has certainly attained the supreme wisdom that one is not an object of perception, but is Pure Consciousness which shines clearly in all the states of waking, dream and deep sleep, and which, as an witness of the entire universe, dwells in all bodies from that of the creator Brahm§ to that of the ant, then he is my Guru, irrespective of whether he is an outcaste or a Br§hma;a.  This is my conviction.5.

Note:  In the state of waking (j§grad§vasth§), physical body as well as senses and mind function and experience external objects.  In the state of dream (svapn§vath§), there are no objects and the body and senses do not function, but the mind creates objects and events and experiences the same. In deep sleep (svapn§vath§), even mind does not function.  In all these three states consciousness is evenly present.  In the first two states, presence of Consciousness is obvious because of the experience of external objects and creations of mind respectively.  

It may appear as if in deep sleep there is no such experience, but it is an experience of every one that on waking up, one remembers that one slept happily and did not know anything. Remembrance is possible only of what has actually been experienced previously.  It, thus, follows that Consciousness (as witness) existed during deep sleep also and that it was because of this Consciousness, that happiness and ignorance were experienced.  Consciousness is thus the witness of all experiences as well as absence of experiences.  Consciousness is the Self that dwells in every living being.  Everything other than Consciousness is an object.  All external objects are objects of experience for sense organs.  Sense organs are objects for mind.  Mind itself is an object for  Consciousness or Self.  Thus, Self alone is the subject and everything else is an object of experience. One who has realized this, is the Self and not mind or senses or physical body. He is an enlightened one.5.

 

saOvaahM na ca dRSyavais%vait dRZp`&aip yasyaaist ॥

caoccaaNDalaao|stu sa tu iWjaao|stu gauruir%yaoYaa manaIYaa mama ॥6॥

saiv§ha/ na ca d&<ya-vastviti d&*ha-praj_§pi yasy§sti ॥

cec-c§;*§lo’stu sa tu dvijo’stu gurur-itye>§ man$>§ mama ॥6॥

Tr.  ‘If one attains firm knowledge that one is not an object of perception, but is that pure Consciousness which shines brightly in all states of waking, dream and deep sleep, and which, as witness of the whole universe, dwells in all bodies from that of the Creator Brahma to that of an ant, then he is my Guru, irrespective of whether he is an outcaste or a Brahmana.  This is what my conviction is.6.

Note:  During waking state, physical body as well as senses and mind function and they experience external objects.  During state of dream, there are no (external) objects and body and senses do not function, yet mind creates objects and events and experiences them.  In deep sleep state, even mind does not function.  In all these three states, Consciousness remains as mere witness.  During first two states, presence of Consciousness is obvious because of experience of external objects and creations of mind respectively.

It may appear as if during sleep, one does not come across any experience. But it is the experience of every one that on waking up, one recalls that one slept happily, or there were dreams and one did not know ‘anything’.  Remembrance is possible only of what has actually been experienced previously.  It therefore follows that consciousness existed during deep sleep also and that it was because of this consciousness that happiness and ignorance were experienced. Thus, Consciousness is the witness of all experiences as well as absence of experiences.  Consciousness is the Self that dwells in every living being.  Everything other than Consciousness is an object. All external objects are objects of experience for sense organs. Sense organs are objects for human mind. Mind itself is an object for Consciousness or Self. Thus, Self alone is the subject and everything else is an object of experience.  One who has realized that one is the Self and not mind or senses or physical body, is an enlightened one.6.

 

ba`*maOvaahM jagacca saklaM icanmaa~ivastairtma\ ॥

sava-M caOtdivaVyaa i~gauNayaa|SaoYaM mayaa kilptma\ ॥7॥

brahmaiv§ha/ jagac-ca sakala/ cin-m§tra-vist§ritam ॥

sarva/ caitad-avidyay§ tri-gu;ay§’<e>a/ may§ kalpitam ॥7॥

Tr.  I am Brahman (Pure Consciousness).  It is Pure Consciousness that appears as this universe.  All of this is something just conjured up by me because of avidy§ (nescience) which is composed of triad of three gu;as (sattva, rajas and tamas).

Note:  One who has realized Brahman, which is bliss, eternal, supreme and pure, is my Guru, irrespective of whether he is an outcaste or a Br§hma;a.7.

 

[%qaM yasya dRZa mait: sau#atro ina%yao pro inama-lao ॥

caaNDalaao|stu sa tu iWjaao|stu gauruir%yaoYaa manaIYaa mama ॥8॥

ittha/ yasya d&*h§ mati# sukhatare nitye pare nirmale ॥

c§;*§lo’stu sa tu dvijo’stu gurur-itye>§ man$>§ mama ॥8॥

Tr.  ‘One who has developed such firm conviction that Brahman is bliss, eternal, supreme and pure, is my Guru, irrespective of whether he is an outcaste or a Br§hma;a.7.

 

SaSvannaSvarmaova ivaSvamaiKlaM inaiSca%ya vaacaa ॥

gauraoina-%yaM ba`*ma inarntrM ivamaRSata inavyaa-jaSaanta%manaa ॥9॥

<va<van-na<varam-eva vi<vam-akhila/ ni<citya v§c§ ॥

guror-nitya/ brahma nirantara/ vim&<at§ nirvy§ja-<§nt§tman§ ॥9॥

Tr.  ‘Having come to the definite conclusion, under the instruction of his Guru, that the entire universe is always perishable, he who, with a calm and pure mind constantly meditates on Brahman, and who has burnt his past and future sins in the fire of knowledge, submits his present body to the operation of his pr§rabdha karma.  This is my conviction’.9.

Note:  Karma, as a result of actions performed, is divided into four categories such as: (i) sa_cita karma—accumulated consequences of karma conducted during previous lives, (ii) pr§rabdha karma--  results of past actions which have given rise to present body (iii) kriyam§;a karma, action that is being carried on at the present time, and (iii) §g§m$ karma— results of actions being performed  during present life time.

On dawning of Self-knowledge, first category of karma, is completely wiped clean along with  third category acquired up to the time of attainment of  knowledge.  After dawn of Self-knowledge, any karma performed does not produce any consequences which may be of the nature of merit or demerit. The second category, i.e., pr§rabdha karma, is not destroyed on attainment of Self-knowledge, but has to be exhausted by being actually experienced.  On exhaustion of this category of karma, human body of an enlightened person falls and a j$vanmukta becomes a videhamukta.  This is brought out in the above verse by the statement that ‘an enlightened person merely submits his body to the operation of pr§rabdha karma’.9.

 

Note:  The Upani>ads say that happiness experienced by all living beings, including gods, is only a minute fraction of the supreme, infinite bliss of Brahman (B&had§ra;yaka.vi.3.32, Taittir$ya.ii.8). Knowing Brahman means knowing that one is Brahman and not the body-mind complex. He who attains this knowledge is Brahman itself (Mu;*aka.iii.2.9).  Thus, knowing Brahman is same as being Brahman.

It should be noted that this is not an attainment of any new state. Everyone is Brahman, even when one is in bondage and looks upon himself as a limited human being.  Liberation is nothing but removal of false identity with body-mind complex, by realization of one’s real nature as infinite, eternal Brahman.  A rope is mistaken for a snake in dim light, but when it is examined with a light, it is found that there never was a snake and that there was only a rope.  No one would say that there was a snake previously and that it had gone away. Similarly, when a person realizes that one is not body-mind complex, but Brahman, it follows that one has always been Brahman and that only wrong notion about himself has been removed and nothing new has emerged. Thus, there is no real bondage, but an individual (j$va) thinks, wrongly, that he is in bondage, due to ignorance about one’s true nature. As and when this ignorance is removed as a result of <rava;a, manana and nididhy§sana, one becomes j$vanmukta (liberated during present life).9.

 

manaIYaapHcakma\ saaqa-ma\

man$>§-pa_caka/ s§rtham

Meaning of this text

BaUtM Baaiva ca duYkRtM p`dhta saMivanmayao pavako ॥

p`arbQaaya samaip-tM svavapuir%yaoYaa manaIYaa mama ॥10॥

bh%ta/ bh§vi ca du>k&ta/ pradahat§ sa/vinmaye p§vake ॥

pr§rabdh§ya samarpita/ sva-vapur-itye>§ man$>§ mama ॥10॥

Tr.  I am determined that all bad karma of the past or future is offered in the fire of Pure Consciousness. This my body is dedicated to pr§rabdha alone.10.

 

yaa itya-=\nardovataiBarhima%yant:sfuTa gaR(to

yad\Baasaa hRdyaaxadohivaYayaa Baaint svatao|caotnaa: ॥

taM BaasyaO: ipihtak-maNDlainaBaaM sfUi<a-M sada Baavayana\

yaaogaI inava-Rtmaanasaao ih gauruir%yaoYaa manaIYaa mama ॥11॥

y§ tirya°-nara-devat§bhir-aham-ityanta#-sphu+§ g&hyante

yad-bh§s§ h&day§k>a-deha-vi>ay§ bh§nti svato’cetan§# ॥

t§/ bh§syai# pihit§rka-ma;*ala-nibh§/ sph%rti/ sad§ bh§vayan

yog$ nirv&ta-m§naso hi gurur-itye>§ man$<§ mama ॥11॥

Tr.  The Self or pure consciousness is experienced clearly within by animals, men, and gods as ‘I’.  It is by the reflection of this pure consciousness that the mind, senses and body, which are all insentient, appear to be sentient.  External objects are perceived only because of this consciousness.  This Self is, however, concealed by the very mind, senses and body which

are illumined by it, just as the sun is concealed by clouds.  The yogi who, with a calm mind, always meditates on this Self is my Guru.  This is my conviction.11.

 

Note: The Self or pure consciousness is what enlivens the mind, senses, etc., which are insentient, and enables them to function. Clouds owe their origin to the heat of the sun which makes the water in the oceans evaporate. The clouds become visible only because of the light of the sun behind them. The same clouds hide the sun from our view. Similarly, the body, mind, and senses, which owe their sentiency to the pure consciousness that is the Self, conceal the Self from us by making us engage ourselves in worldly pursuits all the time. The self can be realized only if the senses and mind are withdrawn from external objects.11.

 

ya%saaO#yaambauiQalaoSalaoSat [mao Sak`adyaao inavaRta:

yaicca<ao inatraM p`Saantklanao labQvaa mauinaina-va-Rt: ॥

yaismainna%yasauKambauQaaO gailatQaIba`-*maOva na ba`*maivad\

ya: kiScat\ sa saurond`vaindtpdao naUnaM manaIYaa mama ॥12॥

yat-saukhy§mbudhi-le<a-le<ata ime <akr§dayo niv&t§#

yac-citte nitar§/ pra<§nta-kalane labdhv§ munir-nirv&ta# ॥

yasmin-nitya-sukh§mbudhau galita-dh$r-brahmaiva na brahmavid

ya# ka<-cit sa surendra-vandita-pado n%na/ man$>§ mama ॥12॥

Tr.  The Self, which is Brahman, is the eternal ocean of supreme bliss.  A minute fraction of that bliss is enough to satisfy Indra and other gods.  By meditating on the Self with a perfectly calm mind, a sage experiences fulfilment. A person whose mind has become identified with this Self is not a mere knower of Brahman, but Brahman itself.  Such a person, whoever he may be, is one whose feet are fit to be worshipped by Indra himself.  This is my definite conviction.12.

 

dasasto|hM dohdRYT\yaa|isma SamBaao jaatstoM|Saao jaIvadRYT\yaa i~dYTo ॥

sava-syaa||%mannaa%madRYT\yaa %vamaovao%yaovaM mao QaIina-iScata sava-Saas~O: ॥13॥

d§sas-te’ha/ deha-d&>+y§’smi <a/bho j§tas-te-/<o j$va-d&>+y§ tri-da>+e ॥

sarvasy§tman-n§tma-d&>+y§ tvam-evetyeva/ me dh$r-ni<cit§ sarva-<§strai# ॥13॥

Tr. O |a/bhu!  I am your servant if considered on mundane outlook.  But as a j$va, I am a part of yours, as {tman, the all-pervading Self, I am non-different from you. This is my firm conviction.13.

 

॥ [it EaImacCMkrBagavat: kRtaO manaIYaapHcakM sampUNa-ma\ ॥

iti <r$mac-cha°kara-bhagavata# k&tau man$>§-pa_caka/ sa/p%r;am ॥

Here ends Man>§pa_caka authored by <r$-mac-cha°kara-bhaga