वाक्यार्थश्च् विचार्यतां श्रुतिशिरःपक्षः समाश्रीयतां

दुस्तर्कात्सुविरम्यतां श्रुतिमतस्तर्कोऽनुसंधीयताम्।

ब्रह्मास्मीति विभाव्यतामहरहर्गर्वः परित्यज्यतां

देहेऽहंमतिरुज्झ्यतां बुधजनैवार्दः परित्यज्यताम्॥ ३

vākyārthaśc vicāryatāṁ śrutiśiraḥpakṣaḥ samāśrīyatāṁ

dustarkātsuviramyatāṁ śrutimatastarko'nusaṁdhīyatām |

brahmāsmīti vibhāvyatāmaharahargarvaḥ parityajyatāṁ

dehe'haṁmatirujjhyatāṁ budhajanaivārdaḥ parityajyatām || (3)

Contemplate on the revelations of Upanishads. Take shelter in Brahman. Avoid false reasoning and wrong arguments. Be receptive to the deliberations of Vedanta. Believe and remain in affirmations of Upanishads – I am Brahman. Destroy deceptive ego and pride. Get rid of the idea that you are body. Never argue with learned men.

1. Contemplate on the revelations of Upanishads. Upanishads is the essence of Vedas. They interpret Vedas in a way that common people, like us, can understand. Vedas are to be learnt, whereas Upanishads can be understood and followed. Upanishads reveal Brahman in unambiguous terms. Except Brahman, they negate everything. They say that Brahman is not this and not that. Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upanishad says, “The description of Brahman is “neti neti” (not this, not this). Why neti neti? Because there is no other and more appropriate description than this. Now Its name is “The Truth of truth.” Upanishads do not advocate rituals, which consumes time and money. They simply say to contemplate Brahman within. Rituals are elaborate and nothing will be achieved by performing rituals, except some sort of satisfaction. Therefore, those who want to get away from transmigration should contemplate on Brahman and should not waste their time on rituals. We have to stop our desires for mantras after mantras. Mantras are meant to protect our mind from wandering, for which only one mantra will do and that too, if needed. Muṇḍaka Upanishad says, “When a spiritual aspirant realizes his Self, then he goes beyond good and evil, becomes pure and attains a seep feeling of oneness (with the Self).”

2. Take shelter in Brahman. When we contemplate on the formless Brahman, we become that. Whatever we think, we become that. It is our ego and mind that make us to identify with our body and not with the Self within. What is the benefit of looking within or identifying ourselves with the Self within? Muṇḍaka Upanishad says, “Those seekers who have fully grasped the exact meaning of Vedanta and have attained purity of the mind by practicing the concept of renunciation and surrender, realize Brahman and merge unto It.” This is called taking shelter in Brahman. We should not be associated with our body and mind and should always contemplate Brahman within. Thus, Brahman becomes everything for us and while contemplating so, we lose our ego, which is the worst deterrent factor in Self-realization.

3. Avoid false reasoning and wrong arguments. Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad Gītā, "Those who are afflicted with material prosperity arising out of senses, those who think that the Heaven is the ultimate reality, attach importance to flowery aphorisms of Vedas which suggest various sacrificial rites for material prosperity. The ignorant who get deceived by these deceptive words, get carried away by developing attachments to wealth and other material comforts and enjoyment, causing rebirths, never fix their mind on the Paramātman”. Today, people suggest remedy for every problem for a heavy price. They fail to understand that one has to definitely undergo the pains of karma. When they undergo pains of karma, they want to get rid of their sufferings by approaching those who offer solutions. Nobody can get rid of one’s karma and even Brahman will not remove one’s karma. Such solutions are only deceptive in nature, as nothing can work against Law of Karma. Muṇḍaka Upanishad says that “only foolish people think that this path is superior.” A true Guru will never advocate remedial measures to ward off pains of life, which are due to one’s own karma. We should not argue with such learned people insisting for remedial measures through rituals. We should never argue with men of knowledge, that too, when we remain spiritually ignorant. We should have the patience to listen to the sayings of wise men.

4. Be receptive to the deliberations of Vedanta. Vedānta is derived from Veda. Veda means knowledge and anta means conclusive. Therefore Vedānta means conclusive knowledge. Vedānta is a philosophy that clears doubts about the Brahman. Knowledge here means not the worldly knowledge. Worldly knowledge is materialistic in nature and is acquired for material prosperity. Worldly knowledge is all about temporal and corporeal objects.  Spiritual knowledge is different from worldly knowledge. Spiritual knowledge deals with infinite and eternal Brahman. Worldly knowledge has different dimensions. Spiritual knowledge deals only with Eternity that is beyond normal human comprehension. It does not deal with objects. Worldly knowledge is gained by affirmation and spiritual knowledge is gained by negation. Wise men will always guide us to the path of Liberation by advocating the essence of Vedanta, which is like an ocean. A Guru will guide us by bringing forth the essence of Vedanta. Kaṭha Upanishad says, “Many people do not have the opportunity to hear about the Self. Even among those who hear, do not grasp the meaning. Very few people are competent to teach about the Self. Therefore, only a handful of people attain Self-realization, having been taught by highly accomplished teachers.” Kṛṣṇa says, "Making sacrifices through knowledge is superior to making sacrifices through materials, as the entire action without exceptions culminate in knowledge. Understand the true knowledge by approaching a Self-realized person, by paying obeisance, by rendering service and by seeking clarification from him.  Those seers will teach you that knowledge.” Only such knowledge can lead us to Liberation.

Further Readings:

SADHANA PANCHAKAM - 2

SADHANA PANCHAKAM - 3

SADHANA PANCHAKAM - 4

SADHANA PANCHAKAM - 5