Sadhana Panchakam, Instruction 16

Translation and Commentary by Jayaram V

2.8. Attentively listen to the statements which are the epitome of the Vedas

śrutiśirovākyaṃ means important statements from the Sruti texts or the Vedas. It also refers to the maha-vakyas or great statements that are found in the Upanishads, such as “aham brahmasmi”, “prajnanam brahma”, “tattvamasi”, etc. They are very useful to practice meditation and concentration and engage the mind in spiritual inquiry.

The Upanishads are the end part of the Vedas. Hence, they are also known as the Vedanta. As you may know, the Vedas are very comprehensive texts, which are divided into four parts, the Samhitas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishds. The first two parts constitute the ritual portion (karma kanda) and the last two knowledge portion (jnana kanda).

From the spiritual perspective, the ritual portion is considered inferior (avidya) and the spiritual part, superior (vidya). For the order and regularity of the world, a householder is supposed to know both. He practices the rituals in worldly life as a part of his obligatory duties since rituals are necessary to nourish gods and others, and pursues spirituality in his later life when he begins to withdraw from his active life to practice renunciation to know himself. It is where the Upanishads prove to be a valuable source.

The Upanishads contain the knowledge of the Atman (self) and Brahman (supreme self) and liberation. It is considered the secret knowledge, which was traditionally taught in person only by a teacher to his students who sat near him. Hence, the texts are called Upanishads, which means sitting near. In ancient times, there was no remote learning or learning through reading. All teaching was done orally in person by teachers and the students had to sit near and mindfully listen to them with complete attention.

The great statements from the Upanishad work like the mantras, which are used in meditation and rituals to invoke gods. They have the power to nourish the mind with the positive energy and elevate the consciousness. By constantly meditating upon them one can gain profound insights into oneself and experience peace and equanimity. Since their ultimate source is Brahman, they have the power and light to guide one on the path of liberation.

Listening (sravanam) is one of the three important means of acquiring knowledge and practicing Jnana yoga. The other two methods are, remembering (mananam) and contemplation (nidhidhyasanam). In the past, when there was no written script and the teaching had to be entirely done orally, attentive listening was the only means by which a student could acquire knowledge.

The knowledge which was acquired thus, had to be reinforced further by remembrance and contemplation. Therefore, the three methods, sravanam, mananam and nidhdhyasanam were considered concurrent and interdependent. Listening is the first step in learning. It has to be done with an open mind, with concentration and without judgment and preconceived notion. Only then, the mind becomes one pointed, and knowledge from the teacher flows into it uninterruptedly.

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