[Chaturamnaya] Upadesa-pancakam of Adi Sankaracharya - 1

[S Jayanarayanan]

 http://www.svbf.org/journal/vol11/PT-sadahanapanchakam.pdf
 
Upadesa-pancakam of Adi Sankaracharya – Part I
 
S. Yegnasubramanian
 
 
Introduction
 
This work of Adi Sankaracharya is also known by several other names such as, sopAnapancakam or sAdhana-pancakam or
advaitapancakam. The word pancakam is common in all of them indicating that it is a text comprising five verses.
It is called upadeSA-pancakam since the Acharya gives a series of instructions to an aspiring seeker. It is called
sopAna-pancakam because, the teachings are given in a graded manner as a flight of stairs (sopAna). It is called
advaita-pancakam because the verses deal with the advaitic teaching contained in the Vedas. It is called sAdhana-pancakam
because, it deals with a series of disciplines or sAdhanas to be followed by everyone.
 
The sAdhanas prescribed in this work are aimed to address two aspects, namely, 1. Discovering the ultimate goal of
human birth, and 2. Accomplishment of that goal. Keeping this view, the Acharya presents a series of disciplines as
given in our vedic scriptures.
 
The scheme of life as described in the Vedas comprise two aspects known as a) the varNa scheme and b) the ASrama scheme.
In the varNa scheme, the society is divided in to four groups, namely, the brAhmaNa, kshatriya, vaisya and SUdra.
This division is primarily based on the vocation or profession, or the role played in society. This alone later got the
notorious name of the caste system which is almost defunct and no more followed by anyone. While the prescription of the
varNa scheme is for societal harmony and growth, the ASrama scheme is prescribed with the view of the individual harmony
and growth. And in this work Sankaracharya is primarily concerned with the ASrama scheme since he is addressing an
individual seeker with a purpose of life.
 
The four ASramas as prescribed in the scriptures are:
1. Brahmacharya ASrama → student life
2. Grihastha ASrama → house-holder life
3. VAnaprastha ASrama → hermit life
4. SanyAsa ASrama → Monk life
 
This scheme also is not adhered to as much these days and has only a skeletal existence. However, even though this scheme
is not physically followed now, still, mentally everyone has to go through these four stages to achieve the goal.
 
Irrespective of varNa and ASrama, religion etc., there are certain universal disciplines or duties – sAmAnya dharmas –
prescribed by the scriptures. These can be broadly classified as 1) yamA: - in the form of don’ts (avoidance) and
2) niyamA: -in the form of do’s (adherence).
 
yamA: - These are five disciplines, namely,
a. ahimsA avoidance of harm to anyone
b. satyam avoidance of un-truth
c. asteyam avoidance of possession of illegitimate wealth
d. aparigraha avoidance of possession of too much wealth, even though legal
e. brahmacaryam avoidance of illegitimate relationship with opposite sex
 
niyamA: - These are five disciplines, namely,
a. saucam purity – internal and external
b. santosha: contentment
c. tapas: willful self-denial to avoid slavery to sense organs
d. svAdhyAya: study of scriptures
e. Iswara praNidhAnam worship of God
 
These ten are universal disciplines to be followed by all. Then, there are viSesha dharmas – special disciplines – to be
followed based on the varNa and ASrama designation of a person. They are called varNASrama-dharma or viSesha-dharma or
svadharma.
 
 
(To be Continued)
 
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