Commentary on the Panchadasi
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COMMENTARY ON THE PANCHADASI SWAMI KRISHNANANDA The Divine Life Society Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, India Website: swami-krishnananda.org PUBLISHERS' NOTE Panchadasi is a comprehensive text of Advaita Vedanta written by Sri Swami Vidyaranya who is regarded highly as a great scholar in Advaita philosophy after Jagadguru Sri Sankaracharya. Sri Swami Vidyaranya has also adorned Sringeri Sharada Peetham established by Sri Sankaracharya as its spiritual head. In his masterpiece work ‘Panchadasi’, he has very beautifully brought out the essence of all Upanishads and intrinsic Vedanta philosophy in sublime ode. This metrical composition has fifteen chapters divided into three sections of five chapters each viz. Viveka Panchaka, Deepa Panchaka and Ananda Panchaka. The 42 discourses that became these two volumes were given by Worshipful Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj to sadhakas and spiritual seekers from August to October 1989. Then there was a break due to Sri Swamiji Maharaj’s ill health, and when Swamiji recovered he thought these lectures are sufficient to understand the crucial import of the Panchadasi. At the beginning of the Sixth Chapter, Chitradipa, Light on the Analogy of a Painted Picture, Swamiji mentions that it is philosophically the most important of all the chapters. We are, therefore, very fortunate to have this chapter in its entirety and to be able to bring it out in print on this most auspicious occasion. May the blessings of Sadgurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj and Worshipful Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj be upon all! TABLE OF CONTENTS Publishers’ Note ..............................................................2 Introduction ....................................................................7 CHAPTER ONE Tattva Viveka Discrimination of Reality Discourse 1: Verses 1-5 .................................................10 Discourse 2: Verses 6-13 ...............................................20 Discourse 3: Verses 14-27 .............................................35 Discourse 4: Verses 28-43 .............................................48 Discourse 5: Verses 44-55 .............................................65 Discourse 6: Verses 54-65 .............................................81 CHAPTER TWO Pancha Mahabhuta Viveka Discrimination of the Elements Discourse 7: Verses 1-18 ...............................................95 Discourse 8: Verses 19-34 ...........................................110 Discourse 9: Verses 33-52 ...........................................124 Discourse 10: Verses 53-66 ..........................................139 Discourse 11: Verses 60-77 ..........................................154 Discourse 12: Verses 78-99 ..........................................167 Discourse 13: Verses 100-109 ......................................180 3 CHAPTER THREE Pancha Kosha Viveka Discrimination of the Five Sheaths Discourse 14: Verses 1-10 ............................................190 Discourse 15: Verses 11-23 ..........................................204 Discourse 16: Verses 21-37 ..........................................218 Discourse 17: Verses 37-43 ..........................................232 CHAPTER FOUR Dvaita Viveka Discrimination of Duality Discourse 18: Verses 1-26 ............................................240 Discourse 19: Verses 26-37 ..........................................260 Discourse 20: Verses 38-57 ..........................................276 Discourse 21: Verses 58-69 ..........................................292 CHAPTER FIVE Mahavakya Viveka Discrimination of the Mahavakyas Discourse 21 (Continued): Verses 1-8 .........................301 CHAPTER SIX Chitradipa Light on the Analogy of a Painted Picture Discourse 22: Verses 1-18 ...........................................308 Discourse 23: Verses 19-35 .........................................322 Discourse 24: Verses 36-54 .........................................335 Discourse 25: Verses 55-72 .........................................350 Discourse 26: Verses 70-77 .........................................365 Discourse 27: Verses 78-100 .......................................380 4 Discourse 28: Verses 99-125 .......................................395 Discourse 29: Verses 125-153 .....................................409 Discourse 30: Verses 154-174 .....................................426 Discourse 31: Verses 175-186 .....................................441 Discourse 32: Verses 187-209 .....................................452 Discourse 33: Verses 209-230 .....................................465 Discourse 34: Verses 231-248 .....................................481 Discourse 35: Verses 248-262 .....................................497 Discourse 36: Verses 263-290 .....................................511 CHAPTER SEVEN Triptidipa Prakaranam Light on Supreme Satsfaction Discourse 37: Verses 1-15 ...........................................531 Discourse 38: Verses 16-22 .........................................541 Discourse 39: Verses 23-40 .........................................556 Discourse 40: Verses 40-56 .........................................569 Discourse 41: Verses 57-67 .........................................582 Discourse 42: Verses 68-81 .........................................594 5 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Aitareya Upanishad . A.U. Amritabindu Upanishad . Am.U. Brahmasutra . B.S. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad . B.U. Chhandogya Upanishad . C.U. Isavasya Upanishad . Isa.U. Katha Upanishad . K.U. Mandukya Upanishad . Ma.U Manusmriti . Manu Mundaka Upanishad . M.U. Nasadiya Sukta . N.S. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras . Y.S. Purusha Sukta . P.S. Svetasvatara Upanishad . S.U. Taittiriya Upanishad . T.U. Unless otherwise specified, all the verses quoted in this book are from the Panchadasi. 6 INTRODUCTION The Panchadasi is a great masterpiece of Swami Vidyaranya. Prior to his sannyasa, he was called Madhava, and his brother was Sayana. They were two brothers. Sayana wrote Sanskrit commentaries on all the Vedas— the Brahmanas, the Aranyakas, and the Upanishads. Superhuman work is Sayana’s Sanskrit commentary. The stupendous scholarship that is behind these commentaries on the Vedas would make anyone feel that Sayana was not a human being. He must have been a superhuman personality, to say the least. Sayana’s brother was Madhava. There is a story about him. As Madhava before his sannyasa, he wrote many books—Madhava Nidanam, medical books, books on Dharmasastra, and so on. It appears that financially they were very poor. All great learned people are financially poor. It is a peculiar irony of fate. They had so much difficulty in maintaining the family. Madhava, it appears, took to Gayatri purascharana a number of times to have darshan of Devi so that he could be freed from financial stress. After completing several purascharanas, he heard a voice: “You shall not have darshan of me in this birth.” He became frustrated and gave up the purascharana. He got initiated into sannyasa and went away. 7 8 COMMENTARY ON THE PANCHADASI Immediately Devi appeared before him and asked, “What was it for which you were thinking of me?” He replied, “How is it that you now give me darshan, when you had said that you will not give me darshan in this birth?” Devi said, “This sannyasa is another birth that you have taken. That is why I have come.” “But anyhow, I don’t want anything. I have taken to sannyasa and I want nothing. You can go.” “No, I will not go,” Devi said. “When I come, I must always give and go.” “But I cannot ask for anything as my needs are no more,” said Vidyaranya. Devi said, “As you want nothing, you shall have everything.” Then she vanished. Vidyaranya became omniscient in his knowledge. There is no subject on which he has not written. Vidyaranya has written on aesthetics, ethics, civics, morality, Dharmasastra, religion, medical science, anatomy, physiology, metaphysics, astrology. There is nothing on which he has not written; and in every field, his book is the best. In every field, his work is the standard. It shows the mastery of both these brothers. Vidyaranya is the person responsible for founding the Vijaynagar Empire. He acted as the minister to Hakka and Bukka, the first kings of Vijaynagar. He actually initiated the founding of the Vijaynagar Empire, and he worked as a minister, as a spiritual guide, to these kings. One of Vidyaranya’s great works is the Panchadasi. It is a masterpiece in Vedanta philosophy and spiritual INTRODUCTION 9 practice. It contains fifteen chapters, which is why it is called the Panchadasi. The book by itself has no name; it is named after the number of chapters.Panchadasa is fifteen, and panchadasi is a work that contains fifteen chapters. These fifteen chapters are classified into three sections of five chapters each, as it is said that the Bhagavadgita, containing eighteen chapters, is also classifiable into three sections: the first six, the middle six, and the last six. The first five chapters of the Panchadasi deal with Existence, or Sat in Sanskrit. The second five chapters deal with Consciousness, or Chit. The last five chapters deal with Ananda, or Bliss. Therefore, the book as a whole is an exposition of Sat-Chit-Ananda—the nature of the Absolute expounded in minute detail in Vidyaranya’s own novel way. I think this is the third time that I am taking up the study and discourse on the Panchadasi. In one course, when I was speaking in the Bhajan Hall, some people were taking down notes, and one of them gave me the typed manuscript of these lectures that he had taken in shorthand. I went