[Chaturamnaya] Upadesa-pancakam of Adi Sankaracharya - 3

[S Jayanarayanan]

 (Continued from previous post)
 
 
The first sloka of upadeSa-pancakam talks about the first two stages; the 2nd and 3rd slokas talk about the 3rd and
4th stages. The 4th and 5th slokas talk about some general instructions to be followed. With this background, we may now
enter in to the text.
 
वेदो नित्यमधीयतां तदुदितं कर्म स्वनुष्ठीयताम् .
तेनेशस्य विधीयतामपचितिः काम्येमतिस्त्यज्यताम् ..
पापौघः परिधूयतां भवसुखे दोषोऽनुसन्धीयताम् .
आत्मेच्छा व्यवसीयतां निजगृहात्तूर्णं विनिर्गम्यताम् ..
 
vedo nityamadhIyatAM taduditaM karma svanuShThIyatAm.h .
teneshasya vidhIyataamapachitiH kaamyematistyajyataam.h ..
paapaughaH paridhuuyataaM bhavasukhe doSho.anusandhIyataam.h .
aatmechchhaa vyavasIyataaM nijagR^ihaattuurNaM vinirgamyataam.h ..
 
वेदो नित्यमधीयताम् Vedo nityam adhIyatAm - the scriptures must be regularly studied.
 
This instruction corresponds to the brahmacharyASrama. However, this should be retained in the other ASramas also;
otherwise they will be forgotten. The study comprises both learning to chant the scriptures - adhyayanam and then their
analysis- meemAmsA. To understand the correct meaning of Vedas, one should learn the auxiliary texts also, known as the
vedAnga1. So the process of leaning in the brahmacharyASrama involves, learning of Vedas, then learning of the vedAngas,
and do the analysis. And such a student, when he comes out of the school, will be a cultured person with a clear
goal of life and how to be part of a society.
 
तदुदितम कर्म स्वनुष्ठीयताम् taduditam karmasvanushThIyatAm – Perform the duties enjoined in them.
 
The Acharya then gives the instruction to a GrihasthASramI. Here one has to start to implement the learning. The stage of
implementation is following the karmas prescribed in the Vedas, in addition to the ten sAmAnya dharmas given earlier.
These karmas can be broadly classified into three, namely,
1. nishkAma karma - these are compulsory duties, regardless of one’s likes and dislikes and are meant for spiritual growth.
These are vedic commandments.
2. sakAma karma - these are based on one’s likes or desires, which means that they are not compulsory, and are meant for
materal well being, and
3. Nishiddha karma – these are actions which are banned or prohibited by the scriptures, and have to be renounced.
 
The Acharya says, may one perform the compulsory duties - the nishkAma karma or svadharma - without fail. Svadharma is
determined by one’s varNa and ASrama and both are almost not followed today. So, the svadharma has to be interpreted
according to the present day needs, which should be practicable for all regardless of varNa and ASrama. For this purpose,
the scriptures prescribe a set of common, practical duties, known as pancamahA-yajnas (five-fold duties) which can be
followed by all. They are:
1) deva-yajna - worship of the Lord in whatever capacity one can with faith
2) pitru-yajna – worship of the forefathers, as an expression of gratitude to them
3) brahma-yajna – worship of the Vedas and the Rishis. It is because of the Rishis that we got the scriptures based
on which the entire tradition is built. So, one has to work for the preservation and propagation of the scriptures.
4) manushya-yajna : our appreciation to every other human being, because of whose contribution to the society, one can lead
a comfortable life.
5) bhUta-yajna – worship of the ecosystem, protection of environment, animals, etc.
These panca-mahA-yajnas are compulsory to all and should be practiced by all regardless of varNa and ASrama.
 
 
(To be Continued)
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