Arthapanchaka Jńāṉam
should dawn in a Samsāri
Sēthanan (Householder). The five principles or truths are Svasvarūpa1,
Parasvarūpa2,
Puruṣārthasvarūpa3,
Upāsvarūpa4,
Virōdhisvarūpa5.
(1. Nature of Soul, 2. Nature of God, 3. Nature of Goal, 4.
Nature of Means, 5. Nature of Impediments, obstruction or hostile acts)
1.
Svasvarūpa1
These have
Ātma-svarūpam:
Nityar, Muktar, Bhakthar, Kēvalar, Mumukṣu.
2.
Parasvarūpa2
He has the
Īsvara-svarūpam:
Paratvam, Vyūkam, Vibhavam, Antaryāmitvam,
and Archa-avatāram.
3.
Puruṣārthasvarūpa3
He is the Puruṣa
with five functions: Dharma, Artha, Kāma,
Ātmānubhava,
Bhagavathanubhava.
4.
Upāsvarūpa4
The five modes or ways: Karma, Jńāna,
Bhakthi, Prapatti,
Ācāryanubhava.
5.
Virōdhisvarūpa5
Five elements: Svarūpavirōdhi,
Parathvavirōdhi,
Puruṣārthavirōdhi,
Upāyavirōdhi,
Prāpthivirōdhi.
Arthapanchakam = Five Truths
1.
Sva-svarūpa = Own self or Soul
2.
Para-svarūpa = Supreme
Soul, Highest Self, the God, or the Universal Soul.
3.
Purusārtha-svarūpa
= The meaning of man, Goal of man.
4.
Upāya
-svarūpa = Means to attain the Goal.
5. Virōdhi-svarūpa = The antithesis to these.
1. Sva-sorūpa means Principle or
Nature. We
think in terms I-Mine;You-Thine-It-That-They. Five principles rule the
soul of the ‘I-Mine’ paradigm:
1.
The Nityas, eternally free soul
2.
The Mukta, recently freed soul
3.
The Baddha, the bound impure soul
4.
The Kēvala, Freedom from Rebirth
5. The Mumukshu, the prospective free soul
1.
The Nityas are permanent blessed souls, who are in the company of God
himself: Vishnu’s Consorts, Visvaksēna, Ananta, Garuda and more.
2. The Muktas are recently liberated pure souls living in Vaikuntam,
never ever to return to material existence in a body.
3. The Baddhas: They are the bound souls with a body and ignorance,
living on this earth.
4. The Kēvalars are Soul realized but not God-realized. They still hold
Sattva-Rajas-Tamas Gunas. They are not cleansed of Rajas and Tamas and
so cannot enter Vaikuntam.
5. The Mumuksus are the prospective free souls of three kinds: The Upāsakās
or the strivers, the Prapannas or the one who accepts God as his sole
refuge. The Upāsakās think that liberation is one's effort and concern,
while the Prapannas is at the mercy of God and thinks it is God’s
concern to liberate them.
2. Para-Svarūpa or God Principle
2.1 The para, the Supreme 2.2 The Vyūha: Vasudeva, Sāmkarshana,
Pradyumna, Anirudha. 2.3 Vibhava: The Avatars, 2.4 Antaryāmi:
The Indweller and Inner Controller. 2.5 The Archa: The image form.
1. The para form is transcendent, noumenal, Beyond the beyond, the
Supreme, The Super Supreme (Ne Plus Supra).
2. Vyūha. Progeny of the Supreme: Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Samkarshana…of
multifarious functions on earth and cosmos.
3. Vibhava: The Avatārs:
Rama, Krishna…
4. Antaryāmi:
A. The Inner Soul of souls B. The Mother-Father principle.
5. The Archa form: The Ishta Devatas.
3. Pururushārtha Svarūpa or the Goal of Man
principle
3.1 Dharma = Duty
3.2 Artha = Wealth
3.3 Kāma = Pleasures
3.4
Ātmānubhava = Soul Experience of Bliss
3.5 Bhagavad-anubhava = God Experience of Bliss
1.
Dharma: Duty towards sentient beings. Dharma is unifying, while
Adharma is divisive.
2.
Artha: Material wealth combined with charity in the service of
gods, Pitrs or forefathers, and all other creatures.
3.
Kāma:
Mundane and Ultra-mundane pleasures. Mundane pleasures are the joys of
the world: Sensual pleasures derived from all the senses. The
ultra-mundane pleasures are dwelling in heaven devoid of hunger, thirst,
grief, passion, age, and death and enjoying nectar, company of
celestials… which will come to an end one day.
4.
Ātma-anubhavam: Soul
Bliss or Mōkṣa or liberation from rebirth, sorrow, and
bondage; and restitution of the natural state of the soul implying no
contact with objects (Kaivalyam = Splendid Isolation but not a Divine
association).
5.
Bhagavad-anubhava: Divine or God Bliss. Release from
metempsychosis and acquisition of God-Bliss, Ultima Thule.
Release from all bonds and physical constraints of six kinds:
Conception, delivery, Change, Growth, Decline, and Death, which are
associated with three major miseries:Ādhiātmica,
Ādhibautica and
Ādhidaivica which
hide God from the soul and is the stuff of Samsāra.
The soul released from all these obstructionists and Samsāra passes through
Susumna Nādi, bursts
out of the Brahma Randhra, takes the Arcirārdi path (Path of Light) and the sun,
wades through Viraja River cleansed of material remnants and the triad
of Gunas and attains absolute purity by the touch of Amanavan (presiding
incorporeal deity of Viraja River and Mānasa
lake).
His very touch soothes and placates the pain and
misery from contact with matter. The liberated soul shines with light
and glory.
The soul gains knowledge, Bliss, exclusive service
to God, radiance, spirituality and divinity and taken in a procession to
beatific presence of God with Sri, Bhu, Nīla and other divine hosts. The
God is Vaikuntha Nātha.
4. Upāya Svarūpam = Means
4.1 Karma – Works
4.2 Jńāna – Knowledge
4.3 Bhakti – Devotion
4.4 Parapatti – Surrender
4.5 Acārya-abhimāna – Faith in the mediator
1.
Karma
or Works, are those disciplined activities, that mortify the body
to kill sin. Their performance is called Karma-yōga.
It consists of sacrifice (yajna),
charity (dāna),
austerities
(tapas),
meditation (dhyāna),
prayers (sandhyā-vandana),
the five great sacrifices
(panca-mahāyājna),
fire-sacrifice (agnihōtra),
holy pilgrimage (tīrtha-yātra),
holy residence (punya-ksētra-vāsa),
expiatory and purificatory rites (krcchara and cāndrāyana),
holy river bathings (punya-nadī-snāna),
vows (vrata), the quarterly
sessions (cāturmāsya),
living on fruits and roots
(phala-mūla-s'ana), study of holy works
(sāstrābhyāsya),
holy feeding (samārādhana),
silent holy repetitions (japa),
oblations to ancestors (tarpana),
etc. These constant occupations for the organs of sense and the organs
of action prevent the senses from worldly contacts, and
consciousness is thus weaned from their contemplation. The consciousness
streaming out through the senses to the worldly objects when prevented
from sensuous experiences, stands in need of engagements otherwise, and
these are afforded in the soul itself. In other words, consciousness is
turned away from the Objective, and turned inwards to dwell on the
Subjective - a process entitled inhibition and introspection. This
process is divided into the eightfold stages
yama, niyama, Asana, prānāyāma,
pratyāhāra,
dhyāna,
dhārna,
and samādhi.
This eightfold process is specifically called yōga. This yōga part of
Karma-yōga may be conceived as
the transition between karma-yōga
proper and jnāna-yōga
proper. This karma-yōga is
auxiliary to jńāna-yōga,
and is the chief means of acquiring material prosperity (ais'varya),
i.e. artha and kāna.
Excerpt.
5. Virōdhi-Svarūpa
or Hostile or obstructionist principle under five principles.
5.1 Svarūpa Virōdhi =
Antipathy to soul
5.2 Paratva Virōdhi =
Antipathy to God
5.3 Purushārtha Virōdhi =
Antipathy to man’s goal
5.4 Upāya Virōdhi =
Antipathy to the means
5.5 Prāpti Virōdhi =
Antipathy to gain
Svarūpa Virōdhi
= Antipathy to soul is identification of
the soul with the body,
allegiance to many gods and an attitude of independence of the soul.
Paratva Virōdhi. Antipathy to God
is the mistaken belief that the lesser gods are equal to the Supreme
God, Krishna and Rama are human, and images of the Greatest God are
inert and powerless.
Purushārtha
Virōdhi. Antipathy
to man’s goal is desire for fruits and ends. other than God.
Upāya
Virōdhi. Hostility to true
means and ways. Having doubt about the means, its efficiency and
attainment should be discarded.
Prāpti Virōdhi.
Antipathy to gain. All self-defeating acts.
Conclusion.
The aspirant will live a life of moderation until death,
showing gratitude to his teacher, acknowledging humility towards God,
observing obedience and service to Sri Vaishnavas, staying away from
distraction to liberation, forgoing love of his body, remaining alive to
his spiritual nature and adoration of his mediator. By observing these,
he will ever be near Sriman Narayana.