মনীষাপঞ্চকং

.. মনীষাপঞ্চকং ..

Introduction

Maniishhaa panchakam was written by Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya.
A biography of Shankara and his other compositions of vedic
literature can be found in the shankara.itx document.

Shri Shankara has been criticized by modern western scholars for
propounding sectarian beliefs in his commentary (bhashya) of
Brahma sutra where he restricts the recitation of Vedas to the upper
castes only . However, one should note that one is handicapped when
writing a commentary on a text . Thus in independent compositions like
the upadesasahasri and this short text, maniishhaa panchakam he expounds
his Advaita philosophy in all its glory . Advaita, the non-dualistic
philosophy expounded in detail by Shri Shankara, does not recognize
differences between people based on caste, creed, religion, gender etc
since we are all the manifestations of the same Brahman.

The scene is set in Varanasi (Kashi/Benaras), the ancient sacred city of India,
and the home to the famous kashi visvanatha temple.
Adi shankaraachaarya, the expounder of the advaitic, non-dualistic
philosophy, was on the way to the temple after finishing his bath . Suddenly
he saw a chandaala (an outcaste), on the way, and beckons to him to keep a
distance, as per the practice and custom in those days . That outcaste is
none other than the Lord sha.nkara (Shiva) Himself! At such beckoning, the
Lord addresses his devotee sha.nkarAchArya, in the first two stanzas (the
prologue), as under:

মনীষাপঞ্চকং

অন্নমযাদন্নমযমথবা চৈতন্যমেব চৈতন্যাত্ .
যতিবর দূরীকর্তুং বাঞ্ছসি কিং ব্রূহি গচ্ছ গচ্ছেতি ..

O great ascetic! Tell me . Do you want me to keep a distance from you, by
uttering ‘go away’ ‘go away’ taking me to be an outcaste ?
Is it addressed from one body made of food to another body made of food,
or is it consciousness from consciousness — which, O, the
best among ascetics, you wish should go away, by saying
“ Go away, go away”? Do tell me.

প্রত্যগ্বস্তুনি নিস্তরঙ্গসহজানন্দাবভোধাম্বুধৌ
বিপ্রোঽযং শ্বপচোঽযমিত্যপি মহান্কোঽযং বিভেধভ্রমঃ .
কিং গঙ্গাম্বুনি বিম্বিতেঽম্বরমণৌ চাণ্ডালবীথীপযঃ
পূরে বাঽন্তরমস্তি কাঞ্চনঘটীমৃত্কুম্ভযোর্বাঽম্বরে ..

Answer me . While the supreme Being
is reflected in every object as the sun’s reflecion could be seen in the
placid waveless water bodies why this doubting confusion and
differentiation i.e . whether one is a brahmin or an outcaste ? who is
the superior one etc ?. Is there any difference in the reflection of the sun
in the waters of the Ganges or in the water present in the street
of an outcaste?
Likewise, is there any difference when the water- containers happen to be
golden vessels and earthen pots ?

(Immediately shankaraacharya realises the presence of the Lord Shankara
before him (who has apparently shown Himself with a view to removing the
last vestige of imperfection in His devotee) and reels off the following 5
stanzas-constituting ‘maniishhaapa.nchakam.h’-ending with a further stanza
in the form of an epilogue).

জাগ্রত্স্বপ্নসুষুপ্তিষু স্ফুটতরা যা সংবিদুজ্জৃম্ভতে
যা ব্রহ্মাদিপিপীলিকান্ততনুষু প্রোতা জগত্সাক্ষিণী .
সৈবাহং ন চ দৃশ্যবস্ত্বিতি দৃঢপ্রজ্ঞাপি যস্যাস্তি চে-
চ্চাণ্ডালোঽস্তু স তু দ্বিজোঽস্তু গুরুরিত্যেষা মনীষা মম .. ১..

If one is convinced firmly, that he is that very Soul which manifests
itself in all the conditions of sleep, wakefulness and dream, in all the
objects from the great Brahma (the creator) to the tiny ant and which is
also the vibrant, but invisible, witnesser of all, then as per my clear
conclusion, he is the great teacher/preceptor, be he a twice-born
(i.e higher castes) or an outcaste.

ব্রহ্মৈবাহমিদং জগচ্চ সকলং চিন্মাত্রবিস্তারিতং
সর্বং চৈতদবিদ্যযা ত্রিগুণযাঽশেষং মযা কল্পিতম্ .
ইত্থং যস্য দৃঢা মতিঃ সুখতরে নিত্যে পরে নির্মলে
চাণ্ডালোঽস্তু স তু দ্বিজোঽস্তু গুরুরিত্যেষা মনীষা মম .. ২..

I am quite convinced that he is the great Master, be he a Brahmin or an
outcaste, who, dwelling on the pure and infinite Brahman thinks of
himself as that very Brahman, of whose manifestation the whole Universe
is,though apparently the Universe is assumed to consist of different
things, due to ignorance and the three Gunas (Satva, Rajas and Tamas).

শশ্বন্নশ্বরমেব বিশ্বমখিলং নিশ্চিত্য বাচা গুরো-
র্নিত্যং ব্রহ্ম নিরন্তরং বিমৃশতা নির্ব্যাজশান্তাত্মনা .
ভূতং ভাতি চ দুষ্কৃতং প্রদহতা সংবিন্মযে পাবকে
প্রারব্ধায সমর্পিতং স্ববপুরিত্যেষা মনীষা মম .. ৩..

I am fully convinced by the Preceptor’s words that the entire Universe is
a transitory illusion and that the human body is given to constantly
meditate on the infinite and supreme Being with a serene and unquestioning
mind and thus to burn in that sacred Fire the sins with which the
human is born.

যা তির্যঙ্নরদেবতাভিরহমিত্যন্তঃ স্ফুটা গৃহ্যতে
যদ্ভাসা হৃদযাক্ষদেহবিষযা ভান্তি স্বতোঽচেতনাঃ .
তাং ভাস্যৈঃ পিহিতার্কমণ্ডলনিভাং স্ফূর্তিং সদা ভাবয-
ন্যোগী নির্বৃতমানসো হি গুরুরিত্যেষা মনীষা মম .. ৪..

In my considered opinion that Yogi is great who has clearly grasped within
himself the truth and quality of the supreme Being through which all our
activities are performed and whose effulgence is hidden by ignorance [of
an ordinary person] even as the sun’s halo is covered/hidden by the clouds.

যত্সৌখ্যাম্বুধিলেশলেশত ইমে শক্রাদযো নির্বৃতা
যচ্চিত্তে নিতরাং প্রশান্তকলনে লব্ধ্বা মুনির্নির্বৃতঃ .
যস্মিন্নিত্যসুখাম্বুধৌ গলিতধীর্ব্রহ্মৈব ন ব্রহ্মবিদ্
যঃ কশ্চিত্স সুরেন্দ্রবন্দিতপদো নূনং মনীষা মম .. ৫..

I am convinced that whoever has his mind dwelling upon the Great Being
who is being worshipped by Indra and other gods and is thus completely at
peace with himself has not only understood Brahman but he is himself that
great Brahman!

দাসস্তেঽহং দেহদৃষ্ট্যাঽস্মি শংভো
জাতস্তেংঽশো জীবদৃষ্ট্যা ত্রিদৃষ্টে .
সর্বস্যাঽঽত্মন্নাত্মদৃষ্ট্যা ত্বমেবে-
ত্যেবং মে ধীর্নিশ্চিতা সর্বশাস্ত্রৈঃ ..

Oh Lord ! In the form of body I am your servant . In the form of life, O
three-eyed one, I am part of yourself . In the form of soul, you are
within me and in every other soul.I have arrived at this conclusion through
my intellect and on the authority of the various scriptures.

.. ইতি শ্রীমচ্ছঙ্করভগবতঃ কৃতৌ মনীষাপঞ্চকং সংপূর্ণম্ ..