Part 7 - Important Couplets From Vedanta Panchadasi By Sri Vidyaranya Swami

Translated by Swami Swahananda Published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai

49. The eagle rushes only to its nest hoping to find rest there. Similarly the Jiva eager only to experience the bliss of Brahman rushes to sleep.

55. Just as what happens outside in the street may be called external and what is done inside the house internal, so the experiences of the waking state may be called external and the dreams produced inside the mind and the nervous system may be called internal.

56. The Shruti says: ‘In sleep even a father is no father’. Then in the absence of all worldly ideas the Jivahood is lost and a state of pure consciousness prevails.

58. A text of the Atharva Veda says: ‘In the state of deep sleep, when all the objects of experience have been absorbed and only darkness (Tamas) prevails, the Jiva
enjoys bliss’.

59. A man from deep sleep remembers his happiness and ignorance and says: ‘I was sleeping happily; I knew nothing then’.

60. Recollection presupposes experience. So in sleep there was experience. The bliss
experienced in dreamless sleep is revealed by consciousness itself which also reveals
the undifferentiated ignorance (Ajnana) covering bliss in that state.

69. The self (Chidabhasa) in the waking and dream states, is connected or
associated with various sheaths such as Vijnanamaya and appears as many (i.e.,
plays various roles). In the deep sleep state, however, they get merged and become
latent like a dough of many (powdered) wheat-grains.

72. In the enjoyment of the bliss of Brahman in deep sleep, the consciousness
reflected in ignorance is the means. Prompted by its Karma, good or bad, the Jiva
gives up the enjoyment of bliss and goes out to the waking state.

74. For a short time after the waking up the impression of the bliss of Brahman enjoyed during sleep continues. For he remains for some time calm and happy,without taking any interest in the enjoyment of external objects.

75. Then, impelled by his past actions ready to bear fruits, he begins to think of duties and their implementation entailing sufferings of many kinds and gradually forgets the bliss of Brahman experienced (a few minutes before).

77. (Objection): Well, if a mere state of quietude were enjoyment of the bliss of
Brahman then the lazy and the worldly would achieve the end of their life. What then
is the use of the teacher and the scriptures ?

78. (Reply): Your contention would be correct, if he realised that the bliss that he
experienced was the bliss of Brahman. But who can know Brahman that is so
immensely profound without the help of the teacher and the scripture ?

79. (Objection): I know what Brahman is from what you yourself have said. Why then am I without the bliss of realisation ? (Reply): Listen to the story of a man who like yourself imagined that he was wise.

80. This man, hearing that a large reward was offered to anyone who knew the four
Vedas, said, ‘I know from you that there are four Vedas. So give me the reward’.

81. (Objection): He knew the number, not the text, of the Vedas fully. (Reply): You
too have not known Brahman fully.

82. (Objection): Brahman is by nature indivisible and is bliss absolute, untouched by
Maya and its effects. How can you speak of the knowledge of Brahman as complete
or incomplete ?

83. (Reply): Do you simply say the word ‘Brahman’ or do you see its meaning ? If
you know only the word, it remains for you to acquire knowledge of its meaning.

92. In the waking state the Jiva gets identified with the body, as fire with a red-hot ball of iron. As a result of this he comes to feel with certainty: ‘I am a man’.

116. ‘Mind has been described as of two types, pure and impure. The impure is that which is tainted by desires, the pure is that which is free from desires’.

117. ‘The mind alone is the cause of bondage and release. Attachment to objects leads to bondage and freedom from attachment to them leads to release’.

125. A man carrying a burden on his head feels relief when he removes the load;similarly a man freed from worldly entanglements feels he is in rest.

132. The knower of truth, experiencing the bliss of Brahman in the waking state experiences it also in the dreaming state, because it is the impressions received in the waking state that give rise to dreams.

XII. THE BLISS OF THE SELF

5. Yajnavalkya instructed this by pointing out to his beloved wife, Maitreyi, that ‘a wife does not love her husband for his sake’.

6. The husband, wife or son, riches or animals, Brahmanahood or Kshatriyahood, the
different worlds, the gods, the Vedas, the elements and all other objects are dear to
one for the sake of one’s own Self.

7. A wife shows affection to her husband when she desires his company; the
husband too reciprocates but not when he is engaged in worship or afflicted with
illness, hunger and so forth.

8. Her love is not for her husband’s sake but for her own. Similarly the husband’s
love also is for his own satisfaction and not for hers.

Source: http://www.celextel.org/othervedantabooks/panchadasi.html