Panchadasi-Chapter 1-Verses 53 and 54

Hari Aum

Prostrations to my Guru. Prostrations to All.

SLOKA 53:

ittha.n vaakyais tad arthaanusandhaana.n shravaNaM bhavet.h .
yuktyaa sambhaavitatvaanusandhaanaM manana.n tu tat.h .. 53..

The finding out or discovery of the true significance of the identity of the individual self and the Supreme with the aid of the great sayings (like Tattvamasi) is what is known as Sravana. And to arrive at the possibility of its validity through logical reasoning is what is called manana.

SLOKA54:

taabhyaa.n nirvichikitse .arthe chetasaH sthaapitasya yat.h .
ekataanatvam etadd hi nididhyaasanam uchyate .. 54..

And, when by Sravana and Manana the mind develops a firm and undoubted conviction, and dwells constantly on the thus ascertained Self alone, it is called Nididhyasana.

After explaining about the Ultimate Goal of Self, Vidyaranya explains the way to reach that goal or realizing ones own nature of Self. The vedantic sadhana of a seeker are

Sravana
Manana
Nidhidhyaasana

Sravana is learning about the Reality from a Competent Guru for a length of time. The seeker listens from the Guru about the reality with faith and reverence on Guru and Vedanta.

After hearing about the Reality from the Guru, the seeker has to reflect on the teaching and validating the teaching through logical reasoning. When the Guru says “You are neither body nor mind but the ever existent and blissful Self”, the seeker has to logically validate the teaching and thus understand that he is not body, not mind as they are ever changing but the Self. This is Manana.

When all doubts are cleared through Sravana and Manana, the seeker gets the firm conviction that Brahman alone is real and rest are not real. When the seeker gets such a conviction, the seeker then will have constantly contemplates on the Self and thus always revels in the thought of the Self. This is Nidhidhyasanam.

Prostrations to all

Hari Aum

Thanks,
Rajesh