॥मनीषापञ्चकं॥

 .. मनीषापञ्चकं ..

          Introduction

Please send corrections to Shri Narayanaswami at swami@math.mun.ca 
or Shri S . V . Ganesan deepa@tiac.net . 

Maniishhaa panchakam was written by Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya.
A biography of Shankara and his other compositions of vedic
literature can be found in the shankara.itx document.

Shri Shankara has been criticized by modern western scholars for
propounding sectarian beliefs in his commentary (bhashya) of
Brahma sutra where he restricts the recitation of Vedas to the upper
castes only . However, one should note that one is handicapped when
writing a commentary on a text . Thus in independent compositions like
the upadesasahasri and this short text, maniishhaa panchakam he expounds
his Advaita philosophy in all its glory . Advaita, the non-dualistic
philosophy expounded in detail by Shri Shankara, does not recognize
differences between people based on caste, creed, religion, gender etc
since we are all the manifestations of the same Brahman.

The scene is set in Varanasi (Kashi/Benaras), the ancient sacred city of India,
and the home to the famous kashi visvanatha temple.
Adi shankaraachaarya, the expounder of the advaitic, non-dualistic
philosophy, was on the way to the temple after finishing his bath . Suddenly
he saw a chandaala (an outcaste), on the way, and beckons to him to keep a
distance, as per the practice and custom in those days . That outcaste is
none other than the Lord sha.nkara (Shiva) Himself! At such beckoning, the
Lord addresses his devotee sha.nkarAchArya, in the first two stanzas (the
prologue), as under:

          मनीषापञ्चकं\footnote Please
forward corrections to swami@math.mun.ca



अन्नमयादन्नमयमथवा चैतन्यमेव चैतन्यात् .
यतिवर दूरीकर्तुं वाञ्छसि किं ब्रूहि गच्छ गच्छेति ..


O great ascetic! Tell me .  Do you want me to keep a distance from you, by
uttering 'go away' 'go away' taking me to be an outcaste ?
Is it addressed from one body made of food  to another body made of food,
or is it consciousness from consciousness --- which, O, the
best among ascetics, you wish should go away, by saying
`` Go away, go away''? Do tell me.


प्रत्यग्वस्तुनि निस्तरङ्गसहजानन्दावभोधाम्बुधौ
विप्रोऽयं श्वपचोऽयमित्यपि महान्कोऽयं  विभेधभ्रमः .
किं गङ्गाम्बुनि बिम्बितेऽम्बरमणौ चाण्डालवीथीपयः
पूरे वाऽन्तरमस्ति काञ्चनघटीमृत्कुम्भयोर्वाऽम्बरे ..


Answer me . While the supreme Being
is reflected in every object as the sun's reflecion could be seen in the
placid waveless water bodies why this doubting confusion and
differentiation i.e . whether one is a brahmin or an outcaste ? who is
the superior one etc ?. Is there any difference in the reflection of the sun
in the waters of the Ganges or in the water present in the street
of an outcaste?
Likewise, is there any difference when the water- containers happen to be
golden vessels and earthen pots ?

(Immediately shankaraacharya realises the presence of the Lord Shankara
before him (who has apparently shown Himself with a view to removing the
last vestige of imperfection in His devotee) and reels off the following 5
stanzas-constituting 'maniishhaapa.nchakam.h'-ending with a further stanza
in the form of an epilogue).


जाग्रत्स्वप्नसुषुप्तिषु स्फुटतरा या संविदुज्जृम्भते
या ब्रह्मादिपिपीलिकान्ततनुषु प्रोता जगत्साक्षिणी .
सैवाहं न च दृश्यवस्त्विति दृढप्रज्ञापि यस्यास्ति चे-
च्चाण्डालोऽस्तु स तु द्विजोऽस्तु गुरुरित्येषा मनीषा मम .. १..


If one is convinced firmly, that he is that very Soul which manifests
itself in all the conditions of sleep, wakefulness and dream, in all the
objects from the great Brahma (the creator) to the  tiny ant and which is
also the vibrant, but invisible, witnesser of all, then as per my clear
conclusion, he is the great teacher/preceptor, be he a twice-born
(i.e higher castes) or an outcaste.


ब्रह्मैवाहमिदं जगच्च सकलं चिन्मात्रविस्तारितं
सर्वं चैतदविद्यया त्रिगुणयाऽशेषं मया कल्पितम् .
इत्थं यस्य दृढा मतिः सुखतरे नित्ये परे निर्मले
चाण्डालोऽस्तु स तु द्विजोऽस्तु गुरुरित्येषा मनीषा मम .. २..


I am quite convinced that he is the great Master, be he a Brahmin or an
outcaste,  who, dwelling on the pure and infinite Brahman  thinks of
himself as that very Brahman, of whose manifestation the whole Universe
is,though apparently the Universe is assumed to consist of different
things, due to  ignorance and the three Gunas (Satva, Rajas and Tamas).


शश्वन्नश्वरमेव विश्वमखिलं निश्चित्य वाचा गुरो-
र्नित्यं ब्रह्म निरन्तरं विमृशता निर्व्याजशान्तात्मना .
भूतं भाति च दुष्कृतं प्रदहता संविन्मये पावके
प्रारब्धाय समर्पितं स्ववपुरित्येषा मनीषा मम .. ३..


I am  fully convinced by the Preceptor's words that the entire Universe is
a transitory illusion and that the human body is given to constantly
meditate on the infinite and supreme Being with a serene and unquestioning
mind and thus to burn in that sacred Fire the sins with which the
human is born.


या तिर्यङ्नरदेवताभिरहमित्यन्तः स्फुटा गृह्यते
यद्भासा हृदयाक्षदेहविषया भान्ति स्वतोऽचेतनाः .
तां भास्यैः पिहितार्कमण्डलनिभां स्फूर्तिं सदा भावय-
न्योगी निर्वृतमानसो हि गुरुरित्येषा मनीषा मम .. ४..


In my considered opinion that Yogi is great who has clearly grasped within
himself the truth and quality of the supreme Being through which all our
activities are performed and whose effulgence is hidden by ignorance [of
an ordinary person] even as the sun's halo is covered/hidden by the clouds.


यत्सौख्याम्बुधिलेशलेशत इमे शक्रादयो निर्वृता
यच्चित्ते नितरां प्रशान्तकलने लब्ध्वा मुनिर्निर्वृतः .
यस्मिन्नित्यसुखाम्बुधौ गलितधीर्ब्रह्मैव न ब्रह्मविद्
यः कश्चित्स सुरेन्द्रवन्दितपदो नूनं मनीषा मम .. ५..


I am convinced that whoever has his mind dwelling upon the Great Being
who is being worshipped by Indra and other gods and is thus completely at
peace with himself has  not only understood Brahman but he is himself that
great Brahman!


दासस्तेऽहं देहदृष्ट्याऽस्मि शंभो
जातस्तेंऽशो जीवदृष्ट्या त्रिदृष्टे .
सर्वस्याऽऽत्मन्नात्मदृष्ट्या त्वमेवे-
त्येवं मे धीर्निश्चिता सर्वशास्त्रैः ..


Oh Lord ! In the form of body I am your servant . In the form of life, O
three-eyed one,  I am part of yourself . In the form of soul,  you are
within me and in every other soul.I have arrived at this conclusion through
my intellect and on the authority of the various scriptures.


.. इति श्रीमच्छङ्करभगवतः कृतौ मनीषापञ्चकं संपूर्णम् ..