Manisha Panchakam – Verse 5   «   »

Manisha Panchakam – Verse 5   «   »

यत्सौख्याम्बुधिलेशलेशत इमे शक्रादयो निर्वृता
यच्चित्ते नितरां प्रशान्तकलने लब्ध्वा मुनिर्निर्वृतः।
यस्मिन्नित्यसुखाम्बुधौ गलितधीर्ब्रह्मैव न ब्रह्मवि
द्यः कश्चित्स सुरेन्द्रवन्दितपदो नूनं मनीषा मम।।5।।
Yatsaukhyāmbudhileśaleśata ime śakrādayo nirvṛtā
Yaccitte nitarāṃ praśāntakalane labdhvā munirnirvṛtaḥ.
Yasminnityasukhāmbudhau galitadhīrbrahmaiva na brahmavi
Dyaḥ kaścitsa surendravanditapado nūnaṃ manīṣā mama..5..
5. The Self, which is Brahman, is the eternal ocean of supreme bliss. A minute fraction of that bliss is enough to satisfy Indra and other gods. By meditating on the Self with a perfectly calm mind the sage experiences fulfillment. The person whose mind has become identified with this Self is not a mere knower of Brahman, but Brahman itself. Such a person, whoever he may be, is one whose feet are fit to be worshipped by Indra himself. This is my definite conviction.

Notes from Swami Paramarthananda’s talks

Even the Gods like Indra enjoy a small reflected portion of the Brahmananda (Bimbananda) which is like an ocean. However, the wise own up the Brahmananda as himself in his mind which is free from all disturbances. Such a wise person who is immersed in Brahmananda is no longer a Brahma Jnani but Brahma himself. Whoever has discovered this fact; his feet are adorable even to Indra. This is my firm conviction.

Here, Shanakaracharya points out that atma is ananda swaroopa. It is the very ananda itself. It is not the possessor of ananda. Therefore only, since atmananda is I, it is never an object of experience. The subject can never be objectified. Atma ananda is never experienced being the original I. But if there is a mirror we can see the reflected consciousness in the mirror. The mirror is the mind. Depending on the quality of the mind the purity of the consciousness will be experienced.

Shanakaracharya says ignorant people are after prathibimba ananda, which is of various gradations. The wise however, owns up the consciousness. He may enjoy the prathibimba ananda, but he is never after it. He does not cry when the prathibimba ananda goes away.
Shakra Daya Niryita – People like Indra enjoy the ananda because of reflection of Brahmananda in their mind
Sowkya ambudi – the Original ananda, Brahmananda, the ocean of ananda or bimbananda.
Laesha Laesha –A Small reflected version, a part of part of Brahmananda (small since it is finite) even Gods are enjoying.
Where as
Muni Nirvritaha – A wise person is happy..
How?
Labdva – Having owned up, attained or recognized
Yad – the same Brahmananda the wise person does not experience but owns up as myself.
Where does he own up?
Chitae – In his mind
What type of mind?
Nitaraam – totally
Prashanta – free from
Kalane-disturbances
Thus the wise man owns up Brahmananda in his quite mind with the help of Shastra Upadesha. And,
Yasmin Sukha Nitya Ambudau kalidadheehi – this wise person’s mind is immersed in that Brahmananda. Galitam means fallen. His mind is fallen in Brahmananda meaning it has become one with Brahmananda. Means he has owned up Brahmananda. The wise man who has owned up the Nitya Ambuda Brahmananda is no more a Brahma Jnani.
Na Brahmavid – No more a Jnani
But
Brahmeva – Brahma himself from the stand point of consciousness. He does not identify with the mind but with the consciousness. From worldly angle he is called a Brahma Jnani but for him himself he is not a Jnani. To say he is a Jnani he is identifying with his body-mind. For he himself he is neither a Jnani nor an ajnani but Brahman.
Ya Kaschit – whoever has discovered this fact, that I am ananda, I am Brahmananda…
What will be his attitude towards experiential pleasure? Is he for it or against it? Neither.
If he gets beautiful gulab jamun he will enjoy it. But when he enjoys he remembers that it is only prathibimba ananda and it will go away after some time. When it goes away he does not say ananda is gone. He knows the reflection is gone but the original ananda can never go, since it is I.
When the mirror is broken, do you sit and cry that the face is gone? No. The reflected face is gone but the original face is still there.
Thus for a Jnani every vishayananda is a bonus, when it is there he will enjoy, when it goes away he does not cry. This is called Moksha.

Such a Jeevan Mukta is:
Surendra Vandita Padaha –his feet are adorable to even Indra.
Whether such a Jnani is a chandala or a dvija he is adorable to me also. I will never say Gaccha Gaccha
Eti Noonam Maneesha Mama – this is my conviction.
Phalam is he becomes adorable. He becomes as good as Eshwara. He becomes Ananda.


Manisha Panchakam – Verse 5 – MP – 5-Yatsaukhyāmbudhileśaleśata – In Sanskrit with English Transliteration, Translation and Meaning – Adi Sankaracharya – manisha-panchakam-5