Hari Om
'Text-days' are for delving into the
words and theory of Advaita Vedanta
SAADHANA PANCHAKAM.
FIVE VERSES ON SPIRITUAL PRACTICE. Written by Sri Adi
Shankaraachaarya. Please click on the relevant label and ensure to review the
posts till date.
We now arrive at the fourth shloka of this action-packed little
text! The price we pay for having incarnated in the physical form is to have to
care for the BMI matrix.
क्षुद्व्याधिश्च चिकित्स्यतां प्रतिदिनं भिक्षौषधं भुज्यतां
स्वाद्वन्नं न तु याच्य्तां विधिवशात् प्राप्तेन संतुष्यतां।
शीतोष्णादि विषह्यतां न तु वृथा वाक्यं समुच्चार्यतां
औदासीन्यमभीप्स्य्तां जनकृपानैष्ठुर्यमुत्सृज्यताम्॥ ॥४॥
kshudvyaadhishca
cikitsyatAM pratidinaM bhikshauSadhaM bhujyatAM
svAdvannaM
na tu yAcytAM vidhivashAt prAptena saMtuSyatAM.
shItoSNAdi
viSahyatAM na tu vR^ithA vAkyaM samuccAryatAM
audAsInyamabhIpsytAM
janakR^ipAnaiSThuryamutsR^ijyatAm..
..4..
In hunger and disease, get treated
Daily take the medicine of bhishaa (alms food)
Beg no delicious food
Live ocntentedly upon whatever comes to your lot, as ordained by Him
Endure all pairs of opposites, heat and cold and the like
Avoid wasteful talks
Be 'indifferent'
Save yourself from the meshes of others' kindnesses
Shloka Four. Paada One.
In hunger and disease, get treated. In Vedantic understanding, the great disease
of the body IS hunger. It is a chronic
condition, one which is incurable, but can be managed. In this we have the
basis for 'food as medicine'! All modern nutrition is now returning to this
understanding… that you are what you eat. Further, here, Shankaraachary-ji is telling
us that in eating, we must take food as medicine. When the pains (pangs) come,
then address them with whatever is required or available. Likewise, when the
body truly ails beyond hunger itself, seek the appropriate medicine and attempt
to bring back physical balance. Healthy body, healthy mind and as we are here
in the state of properly healing our mind, we had better make sure that the
structure carrying it is up to the task.
Paada Two.
Daily take the medicine of bhiksaa
food. It is a common sight in India (and elsewhere) to see monks of the
Hindu and Buddhist practices moving about the community obtaining alms food.
The fact is, as long as one remains in the body, that same body requires to be
fuelled. Serious sadhaks are not to
think of food in terms of pleasure and ought always to accept the food as a
treatment for the hunger. As might be expected in this situation, 'meal
planning' is not part of the picture! Whatever food is offered must be taken,
with gratitude not only to the giver of the food but to the Lord for ensuring
that someone had enough to share and the heart to give it. Acceptance of what is received in this manner
is called as /prasaadam, which is akin to 'communion'.
Whilst this seems to be for sadhus alone, mistake not! All who would
seek to advance in meditation must be careful to attend to the basic needs of
the physical in order to not distract the mind from its purpose. Eating
lightly, simply is advocated.
Paada Three.
Beg no delicious food.
Following on the theme of spiritual living and austerity, the sadhak ought not
to actively ask for food which looks and tastes better. Bear in mind, though,
that 'food' is not only sustenance for the body. At this level we are also
talking about other sense stimuli which 'feed' the mind and intellect through
all our sense organs. Therefore we can consider the same for sight, sound,
touch… how easily we become hooked on bright things, become disturbed by
silence, are comforted by certain materials...
Living a dynamic inner and spiritual life will reveal flavour, colour
and joy in all that comes our way. Grey
carries the rainbow, if we know how to look, silence is the most profound of
sounds, cotton dresses us equally as well as satin. Even then, we must not get
carried away. The sadhak must deal with
these things without ever loosing spiritual focus.
Paada Four.
Contentedly live upon whatever comes
to your lot, as ordained by Him. Thus, the lesson of moderation and
adjusting one's perception of enjoyment is rounded off with this sentence. No
matter what comes our way, if we are balanced and peaceful internally, all
around us and what comes our way cannot disturb that; indeed we will find that
it is more than enough.
