Prakarana Advaita

Swami Tadatmananda — Sadhana Pancakam

Sadhana Pancakam
Vedānta Class by Swami Tadatmananda

Dec 11, 2018

YouTube link: Life’s Spiritual Journey in Forty Steps – Sadhana Panchakam

Swami Tadatmananda’s classes are webcast regularly. Recordings of his teachings—including Bhagavad Gītā, Upaniṣads, and other Vedānta texts—are available here:
🔗 Arsha Bodha Center YouTube Channel

Swamiji’s translations, audio downloads, and podcasts are also available on his website:
🔗 https://arshabodha.org/teachings/

Swami Tadatmananda is a traditionally trained teacher of Advaita Vedānta, meditation, and Sanskrit. For more information:
🔗 https://www.arshabodha.org/

Note about the text:
Sādhana Pañcakam is a short yet profound Vedāntic work by Ādi Śaṅkarācārya, outlining 40 concise instructions for spiritual practice and inner growth. In these classes, Swamiji breaks down each instruction with clarity, Sanskrit insight, and practical relevance.

Note about the transcription:
The transcript is composed with assistance of AI and carefully worked on by volunteers. Swamiji has reviewed and approved these.

This initiative is purely for close study and deeper understanding of his teachings. Please follow along with the original YouTube videos as part of your śravaṇa–manana–nididhyāsana process. This is shared in the spirit of sādhanā and not for any commercial purpose.

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Sadhana Panchakam is a short text composed by Sri Shankaracharya that uniquely outlines a series of steps or spiritual practices that are to be followed by those who seek moksha, liberation or enlightenment.

The word sadhana is generally understood as “spiritual practice,” but literally, sadhana is: the means by which a goal is reached, that is, sadhana is the means to an end.

The end or goal here is moksha, and the means, the sadhana, is explained in this text.

Panchakam means a set of five. Each of this text’s five verses describes eight individual steps, adding up to 40 altogether.

These steps are to be undertaken in order, from first to last. They’re like the steps you climb to enter a temple.

Symbolically, a temple represents your physical body, and the deity on the temple’s altar represents your true, inner self, atma.

Just like you have to climb a number of steps to enter a temple and see the deity inside, in the same way, you have to perform a number of spiritual practices to discover the unchanging, limitless consciousness that is your true nature.

Because this text describes a series of steps, it’s also called Sopana Panchakam, sopana meaning a ladder or staircase. Before you enter a temple, the deity is already inside.

Similarly, before you undergo any kind of spiritual practice, your true nature is already divine.

The purpose of Vedantic sadhana is to discover your true nature, which is already present but hidden by a veil of ignorance, avidya.

The means for removing that veil of ignorance is self knowledge, atma vidya, which can be gained by following the 40 steps in this text.

Following these steps is part of a lifelong spiritual journey, a journey that can be broadly divided into four stages.

The first stage of spiritual life is to become a fully qualified student, prepared for the journey ahead.

The second stage of spiritual life is a profound process of self-inquiry that ultimately leads you to gain self knowledge.

The third stage is to completely assimilate that knowledge by fully integrating it into your daily life.

And the final stage of this spiritual journey is its culmination in moksha.

Sri Shankaracharya breaks these four stages into 40 individual steps, starting with this first verse. 

vedo nityam adhīyatāṁ tad uditaṁ karma

svanuṣṭhīyatāṁ teneśasya vidhīyatām apacitiḥ kāmye matis tyajyatām

pāpaughaḥ paridhūyatāṁ bhavasukhe dośo ’nusandhīyatāṁ

ātmecchā vyavasīyatāṁ nijagṛhāt tūrṇaṁ vinirgamyatām

Many obstacles can block the way during a spiritual journey. But our capacity to overcome those obstacles is limited, and often inadequate. For this reason, a successful journey is impossible without God’s grace, without Ishwara’s blessings. To invoke Ishwara’s blessings, some form of prayer is required. In Shankaracharya’s time, Vedic rituals were a primary mode of prayer.

Since those rituals are prescribed in the Vedas, his text begins, vedo nityam adhiyatam, the Vedas are to be studied, and, tad uditam karma svanushthiyatam, the rituals prescribed by the Vedas are to be performed properly. Since Vedic rituals aren’t so common today, other forms of prayer can be used instead, like devotional singing, reciting hymns, and performing various kinds of worship.

teneshasya vidhiyatam, through those prayers and worship, Ishwara’s grace is invoked.

If your ultimate goal is liberation, apachitih kamye matis tyajyatam, your prayers and worship should not be for the sake of fulfilling worldly desires,

but rather, papaughah paridhuyatam, they should be for the sake of reducing your accumulation of bad karma, because such karmas can create obstacles for your spiritual journey. Worldly pleasures can distract you during that journey,

so, bhavasukhe dosho ‘nusandhiyatam, the limitations of worldly pleasures are to be reflected upon.

Seeing their shortcomings, atmeccha vyavasiyatam, the true, inner source of happiness, atma, is to be sought.

The next step is to devote yourself wholeheartedly to the pursuit of atma vidya, self-knowledge,so Shankaracharya says, nijagrihat turnam vinirgamyatam. This is a mandate to renounce worldly life, either through sannyasa, by becoming a monk, or through karma yoga, by renouncing worldly goals and carrying out your daily duties prayerfully, as a devotional practice.With this step, the first verse is complete.

saṅgaḥ satsu vidhīyatāṁ bhagavato bhaktir dṛḍhā ‘dhīyatāṁ

śāntyādiḥ paricīyatāṁ dṛḍhataraṁ karmāśu santyajyatām

sad vidvān upasṛpyatāṁ pratidinaṁ tat pādukā sevyatāṁ

brahmaikākṣaram arthyatāṁ śrutiśiro-vākyaṁ samākarṇyatām

Having devoted yourself to gaining self knowledge,

sangas satsu vidhiyatam, the company of saintly people is to be sought,

because, bhagavato bhaktir dridha dhiyatam, their influence will help you develop deep devotion for Ishwara.

Also, shantyadih parichiyatam, certain values are to be cultivated, virtues like tranquility, self-control, dispassion, forbearance, faith, and concentration.

Finally, dṛḍhataraṁ karmāśu santyajyatām, selfish actions are to be given up and your deeds are to be guided by dharma alone.

These 12 steps describe practices that are to be performed in the first stage of spiritual life to help you become a fully qualified student, who is prepared for the next stage of the spiritual journey,

Step 1: Preparation (12 steps)

 which is the process of self-inquiry.

This process requires proper guidance, therefore, sad vidvān upasṛpyatāṁ, a qualified guru, one who knows brahman,

is to be approached,

 and, pratidinaṁ tat pādukā sevyatāṁ, service is to be rendered to support your guru as required.

Then, with your guru’s guidance, 

9brahmaikākṣaram arthyatāṁ, the highest reality, brahman, is to be discovered within yourself.How?

śrutiśiro-vākyaṁ samākarṇyatām, by listening to the teachings of Vedanta as taught by your guru.

Then,

vākyārthaś ca vicāryatāṁ śruti-śiraḥ pakṣaḥ samāśrīyatāṁ

dustarkāt suviramyatāṁ śrutimatas tarko ’nusandhīyatām

brahmāsmīti vibhāvyatām aharahar garvaḥ parityajyatāṁ

dehe ’haṁ matir ujhyatāṁ budhajanair vādaḥ parityajyatām

With your guru’s guidance, vākyārthaś ca vicāryatāṁ,the meanings of mahavakyas like tat tvam asi, are to be carefully examined, 

śruti-śiraḥ pakṣaḥ samāśrīyatāṁ, relying on the scriptures to interpret those mahavakyas properly.

dustarkāt suviramyatāṁ, the improper use of logic and reasoning is to be avoided.

Instead, 

śrutimatas tarko ’nusandhīyatām, the reasoning employed by the scriptures themselves is to be followed.

Then, brahmāsmīti vibhāvyatām, the teaching, “I am brahman,” is to be contemplated upon. Through that contemplation, aharahar garvaḥ parityajyatāṁ, your false ego will gradually be eradicated, 

and dehe ’haṁ matir ujhyatāṁ, identification with your body will be removed. Having gained self-knowledge through these steps,

budhajanair vādaḥ parityajyatām, there is no need for further scholarly debates.

This second group of 12 steps is meant to lead you through a process of self-inquiry that culminates in the acquisition of self-knowledge.

  Step 2: Self Enquiry

The third stage of spiritual life is to fully assimilate that knowledge, to develop the ability to appreciate your divine nature, not just during study and meditation, but even in the midst of your day to day activities.

kṣud vyādhiś ca cikitsyatāṁ pratidinaṁ bhikṣauṣadhaṁ bhujyatāṁ

svādvannaṁ na tu yācyatāṁ vidhivaśāt prāptena santuṣyatām

śītoṣṇādi viṣahyatāṁ na tu vṛthā vākyaṁ samuccāryatāṁ

audāsīnyam abhīpsyatāṁ janakṛpā-naiṣṭhuryam utsṛjyatām

Knowing that your divine nature is not affected by hunger or anything else,

kṣud vyādhiś ca cikitsyatāṁ, hunger is to be treated like any other illness,

and, pratidinaṁ bhikṣauṣadhaṁ bhujyatāṁ, that illness should be remedied by the medicine of food received as alms.It’s generally sannyasis who receive food as alms. Shankaracharya was a sannyasi, as were his disciples,

so he assumed that readers of this text would probably be sannyasis as well.But the principle applies to everyone.

svādvannaṁ na tu yācyatāṁ, your favorite foods need not be sought.

On the other hand, vidhivaśāt prāptena santuṣyatām, you can learn to be content with whatever food is available.

Since your true nature remains unaffected by external afflictions, śītoṣṇādi viṣahyatāṁ, discomforts like cold and heat can be endured without complaint, and, vṛthā vākyaṁ samuccāryatāṁ, unnecessary talking can be avoided.

audāsīnyam abhīpsyatāṁ, Indifference to pleasant and painful experiences is to be cultivated, and janakṛpā-naiṣṭhuryam utsṛjyatām, the kind and cruel deeds of people are to be ignored.

These eight practices are to be performed during the third stage of spiritual life

 Step 3: Assimilation

to help you fully assimilate the knowledge of your true nature by integrating it into your daily life. The last verse explains the steps involved in the final stage of your spiritual journey.

ekānte sukham āsyatāṁ paratare cetaḥ samādhīyatāṁ

pūrṇātmā susamīkṣyatāṁ jagad idaṁ tad bādhitaṁ dṛśyatām

prāk karma pravilāpyatāṁ citibalān nāpy uttaraiḥ śliṣyatāṁ

prārabdhaṁ tviha bhujyatām atha parabrahmātmanā sthīyatām

ekānte sukham āsyatāṁ, Sitting comfortably for meditation,

paratare cetaḥ samādhīyatāṁ, your mind is to be absorbed in brahman, and, pūrṇātmā susamīkṣyatāṁ, the fullness of your own true nature is to be clearly recognized.

jagad idaṁ tad bādhitaṁ dṛśyatām, the rest of the world is to be recognized as being false, insubstantial, and incapable of affecting you in any way.

By the strength of your knowledge, prāk karma pravilāpyatāṁ, your prior karmas will be destroyed, 

and citibalān nāpy uttaraiḥ śliṣyatāṁ, further karmas need not be performed, except for those needed to sustain your body.

Living in this manner, prārabdhaṁ tviha bhujyatām, your prarabdha karmas will gradually be exhausted, 

and atha parabrahmātmanā sthīyatām,when your body dies, your true nature will be unaffected by death and remain utterly non-separate from brahman. With this final step, the last stage of the spiritual journey comes to an end.

Step 4: Moksha 

Those who are enlightened experience complete freedom from suffering while they live, and after death, they are never again born into a life of struggle and suffering. They remain eternally indivisible from the limitless source of all, brahman.

Through these 40 steps described in this text, you are led to metaphorically climb the stairs to enter a temple, the temple made of flesh and bone that is your own body. After you enter that temple, with the help of Vedanta’s powerful teachings,

you can discover your own true nature as unchanging, limitless consciousness, sat cit ananda atma, full and complete, utterly unaffected by all the afflictions of worldly life.

 It is life long spiritual journey 

1. Preparation (12 steps)

2. Self Enquiry

3. Assimilation

4. Moksha 

Comments 

40 steps

1. The Vedas are always to be studied or read Gita 

2. Vaidik rituals are to be properly performed or do Pooja  

3. With that ritual ishwara is to be worshipped or do 

4. Worship for fulfilling desire should be given up

5. Collections are to be away

6. The defects of worldly pleasure are to be reflected upon

7. Desire for atma is to be cultivated

8. Quickly your home is to be left

9. Association with saintly people is to be cultivated

10. For the lord firm devotion is to be developed.

11. Virtues like tranquility are to be cultivated.

12. Selfish actions are to be quickly given up

13. One who knows Brahma is to be approached

14. Everyday at his or her feet services to be offered.

15. The one immutable Brahman is to be sought.

16. The highest scriptural teachings are to be heard.

17. The meaning of the mahavakyas are to be inquired into

18. Scriptural interpretations are to be adopted.

19. Erroneous arguments are to be desisted from 

20. Scriptural reasoning is to be adopted.

21. I am Brahma is to be meditated on

22. Day by day ego is to be given up

23. Thinking I am the body is to be abandoned.

24. Debates with the wise are to be given up

25. The illness of hunger is to be treated

26. Everyday medicinal alms are to be taken

27. Delicious food is not to be sought.

28. One should be content with the rightly obtained food.

29. Cold heat etc are to be endured

30. No unnecessary words are to be spoken.

31. Indifference is to be cultivated. 

32. Other people’s kindness and cruelty should be ignored.

33. In seclusion, one should sit comfortably

34. In absolute reality, one’s mind is to be established.

35. The full self is to be discovered.

36. The falsity of this world is to be seen.

37. Prior karmas are to be destroyed.

38. With knowledge no further karmas are to be done.

39. Prarabdh Karma is to be exhausted.

40. Then at death, as Brahman, one is to remain