Meditation Panchikarna Vaartika

Nowadays the word ‘meditation’ (dhyana) is used very loosely. The practices of japa (repeating orally or mentally the name or mantra of a deity or Ishwara, upasana (repeated thinking of a lower entiity as a higher principle as enjoined by the Vedas or Puranas), and nididhyasana (repeatedly maintaining thoughts conforming to atma to the exclusion of anatma) are referred to as meditation. The meditation begins with a deliberate effort to maintain the flow of similar thoughts of the entity under consideration to the exclusion of dissimilar thoughts. By proper and adequate practice for a sufficiently long period, it results into the absorption of mind in the meditated.

Panchikarna meditation is authored by Adi Shankaracharya and the vartika (poetic exposition) is composed by his disciple Sureshwaracharya. It has its basis in Paingala, Amrutanada, Nrisimhottara-tapaniya, Katha, Taittriya, Mundaka and Mandukya Upanishads. The framework of this meditation is drawn from Mandukyopanishad. Yogavasishta also describes it.

Actually the word ‘Panchikarna’ signifies the description of Creation from the nascent five great elements superimposed in atma/brahman. Interestingly the Panchikarna meditation or nididhyasana does the right opposite. It is a reversal or the regression of Panchikarna (mode of creation) with the means of Om. In this sense the word ‘Apanchikarna’ is the more accurate word for this meditation (Paingalopanishad).
The technique of Panchikarna is meant for those who are intent on aparoksha (direct) atmanubhava/brahmanubhava rather than skimming Vedanta with some curiosity. Samartha Ramadas, a great saint from Maharashtra (the guru of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj) highlights the importance of Panchikarana in his pithy Marathi statement: as suvarna (the gold i.e. money) in the worldly activity, so important is Panchikarna in spirituality (prapanchi paahije suvarna, paramaarthi panchikarana).

But, your attention please. Mere understanding Panchikarna as a means is not enough. Its regular practice (abhyasa) with vairagya as told by Bhagavan Krishna (B.G. Ch.6) is indispensable.

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