Traditional text
Sādhana Pañcakam
Adi Sankaracharya · 5 verses quoted
Shloka 1
वेदो नित्यमधीयतां तदुदितं कर्म स्वनुष्ठीयतांतेनेशस्य विधीयतामपचितिः काम्ये मतिस्त्यज्यताम् ।पापौघः परिधूयतां भवसुखे दोषोऽनुसन्धीयता-मात्मेच्छा व्यवसीयतां निजगृहात्तूर्णं विनिर्गम्यताम् ॥ १ ॥
vedo nityamadhīyatāṃ taduditaṃ karma svanuṣṭhīyatāṃteneśasya vidhīyatāmapacitiḥ kāmye matistyajyatām .pāpaughaḥ paridhūyatāṃ bhavasukhe doṣo’nusandhīyatā-mātmecchā vyavasīyatāṃ nijagṛhāttūrṇaṃ vinirgamyatām
Translation Study the Vedas daily. Perform diligently the duties (karmas) ordained by them. Dedicate all those actions (karmas) as worship unto the Lord. Renounce all desires in the mind. Wash away the hoards of sins in the bosom. Recognise that the pleasures of sense-objects (samsar) are riddled with pain. Seek the Self with consistent endeavour. Escape from the bondage of ‘home’.
Shloka 2
सङ्गः सत्सु विधीयतां भगवतो भक्तिर्दृढाऽऽधीयतांशान्त्यादिः परिचीयतां दृढतरं कर्माशु सन्त्यज्यताम् ।सद्विद्वानुपसृप्यतां प्रतिदिनं तत्पादुका सेव्यतांब्रह्मैकाक्षरमर्थ्यतां श्रुतिशिरोवाक्यं समाकर्ण्यताम् ॥ २ ॥
saṅgaḥ satsu vidhīyatāṃ bhagavato bhaktirdṛḍhā’’dhīyatāṃśāntyādiḥ paricīyatāṃ dṛḍhataraṃ karmāśu santyajyatām .sadvidvānupasṛpyatāṃ pratidinaṃ tatpādukā sevyatāṃbrahmaikākṣaramarthyatāṃ śrutiśirovākyaṃ samākarṇyatām
Translation Seek companionship with Men of Wisdom. Be established in firm devotion to the Lord. Cultivate the virtues such as Shanti etc., Eschew all desire-ridden actions. Take shelter at a Perfect Master (Sat-Guru). Everyday serve His Lotus feet. Worship “Om” the Immutable. Listen in depth, the Upanishadic declarations.
Shloka 3
वाक्यार्थश्च विचार्यतां श्रुतिशिरःपक्षः समाश्रीयतांदुस्तर्कात्सुविरम्यतां श्रुतिमतस्तर्कोऽनुसन्धीयताम् ।ब्रह्मास्मीति विभाव्यतामहरहर्गर्वः परित्यज्यतांदेहेऽहम्मतिरुज्झ्यतां बुधजनैर्वादः परित्यज्यताम् ॥ ३ ॥
vākyārthaśca vicāryatāṃ śrutiśiraḥpakṣaḥ samāśrīyatāṃdustarkātsuviramyatāṃ śrutimatastarko’nusandhīyatām .brahmāsmīti vibhāvyatāmaharahargarvaḥ parityajyatāṃdehe’hammatirujjhyatāṃ budhajanairvādaḥ parityajyatām
Translation Reflect upon the meaning of the Upanishadic commandments, and take refuge in the Truth of Brahman. Avoid perverse arguments but follow the discriminative rationale of the Sruti (Upanishads). Always be absorbed in the attitude (bhav) – “I am Brahman”. Renounce pride. Give up the delusory misconception – “I am the body”. Give up totally the tendency to argue with wise men.
Shloka 4
क्षुद्व्याधिश्च चिकित्स्यतां प्रतिदिनं भिक्षौषधं भुज्यतांस्वाद्वन्नं न तु याच्यतां विधिवशात् प्राप्तेन सन्तुष्यताम् ।शीतोष्णादि विषह्यतां न तु वृथा वाक्यं समुच्चार्यता-मौदासीन्यमभीप्स्यतां जनकृपानैष्ठुर्यमुत्सृज्यताम् ॥ ४ ॥
kṣudvyādhiśca cikitsyatāṃ pratidinaṃ bhikṣauṣadhaṃ bhujyatāṃsvādvannaṃ na tu yācyatāṃ vidhivaśāt prāptena santuṣyatām .śītoṣṇādi viṣahyatāṃ na tu vṛthā vākyaṃ samuccāryatā-maudāsīnyamabhīpsyatāṃ janakṛpānaiṣṭhuryamutsṛjyatām
Translation In hunger diseases get treated. Daily take the medicine of Bhiksha-food. Beg no delicious food. Live contentedly upon whatever comes to your lot as ordained by Him. Endure all the pairs of opposites: heat and cold, and the like. Avoid wasteful talks. Be indifferent. Save yourself from the meshes of other peoples’ kindness.
Shloka 5
एकान्ते सुखमास्यतां परतरे चेतः समाधीयतांपूर्णात्मा सुसमीक्ष्यतां जगदिदं तद्बाधितं दृश्यताम् ।प्राक्कर्म प्रविलाप्यतां चितिबलान्नाप्युत्तरैः श्लिष्यतांप्रारब्धं त्विह भुज्यतामथ परब्रह्मात्मना स्थीयताम् ॥ ५ ॥
ekānte sukhamāsyatāṃ paratare cetaḥ samādhīyatāṃpūrṇātmā susamīkṣyatāṃ jagadidaṃ tadbādhitaṃ dṛśyatām .prākkarma pravilāpyatāṃ citibalānnāpyuttaraiḥ śliṣyatāṃprārabdhaṃ tviha bhujyatāmatha parabrahmātmanā sthīyatām
Translation In solitude live joyously. Quieten your mind in the Supreme Lord. Realise and see the All-pervading Self everywhere. Recognise that the finite Universe is a projection of the Self. Conquer the effects of the deeds done in earlier lives by the present right action. Through wisdom become detached from future actions (Agami). Experience and exhaust “Prarabdha” the fruits of past actions. Thereafter, live absorbed in the bhav – “I am Brahman”!
Carried over from the current site’s page care4mind.org/spiritualpractitionerprofiling/, read on 2026-10-27. Not yet reviewed by the Research editor.