Ramesh Krishnamurthy
Most of us who start our study of Vedanta are advised to follow the three steps to learning about and understanding brahmavidyā – śravaṇa, manana and nididhyāsana (श्रवण, मनन & निदिध्यासन). Listening to the lessons, thinking, analyzing, clearing doubts about the lessons and then deep meditation in those lessons learnt.
The most important mention of this comes in the bṛhadāraṇyaka upaniṣad, maharṣi yājñavalkya (बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद, महर्षि याज्ञवल्क्य), ready to renounce all his belongings by giving it away to his wives. When asked by maitreyī what is that which will make him happy if all these riches are not making him happy, he responded that knowing and understanding Atman will lead to true happiness. And there yājñavalkya tells maitreyī the three steps to realize Atman.
ātmā vā arē drașhTavyaĥ șhrōtavyō mantavyō nididhyāsitavyo maitrēyyātmanō vā arē darșanēna șravaṇēna matyā vijnānēnēdagm sarvam viditam (2.4.5)
आत्मा वा अरे द्रष्टव्यः श्रोतव्यो मन्तव्यो निदिध्यासितव्यो मैत्रेय्यात्मनो वा अरे दर्शनेन श्रवणेन मत्या विज्ञानेनेदँ सर्वं विदितम् (२.४.५)
ātmā vai are draṣṭavyaḥ śrotavyaḥ mantavyaḥ nididhyāsitavyaḥ Thus, the Self should be realized; should be heard of, should be reflected upon, should be meditated upon.are maitreyī, ātmanaḥ vai darśanena śravaṇena matyā vijñānena idam sarvam viditam Dear Maitrēyī, by the realization of the Self, through hearing about it, in the mind (intelligence) by full understanding alone, everything else will be understood.
ādi śaṃkara bhagavatpāda (आदि शंकर भगवत्पाद), in his bhāṣya on this, says
śrotavyaḥ – pūrvaṃ acāryataḥ āgamataśca (पूर्वं आचार्येण आगमतश्च), Firstly, the lesson has to be heard from a teacher, and then from the writings in our scriptures.
Then, paścāt tarkataḥ mantavyaḥ (पश्चात् तर्कतः मन्तव्यः), through reasoning the lesson should be thoroughly reflected upon.
After these, tato nididhyāsitavyaḥ niścayena dhyātavyaḥ (ततो निदिध्यासितव्यः निश्चयेन ध्यातव्यः), finally meditated upon with steadfast focus.
Interacting with a Guru, hearing about the lessons comes first, this also includes asking questions all along and clarifying all doubts so that the lesson is clear in one’s mind. A popular subhāṣita claims that what a student learns comes not only from the teacher, but also from other students. By way of discussions with them, by way of the questions they ask and such. Akhyaataaro guravah (आख्यातारो गुरवः). Studying scriptural texts is another way a student learns. All these forms, and more, are śravaṇa.
pustakasthā tu yā vidyā,parahastagataṃ ca dhanam|
kāryakāle samuttapanne na sā vidyā na tad dhanam ||
पुस्तकस्था तु या विद्या परहस्तगतं च धनं |
कार्यकाले समुत्मपन्ने न सा विद्या न तद्धनम् ||
Then while reflecting on the lesson, going over various parts of the lesson will reinforce the lesson learnt and is now firmly established in the mind. When one reviews – repeats and reflects – what was heard from different sources, two outcomes happen. One, a factoid gets reinforced and well understood, or two, there is a question or doubt because there was a difference, exception or contradiction about some aspect. As one follows up on the śaṅkā with the teacher, referring to the texts and discussing them with other students and experts, clarity comes and the doubts are removed. The lesson is now clearly understood. This is manana, the learning now established firmly in the mind.
The final step comes when that lesson is meditated upon regularly, with a focused and steadfast mind, that it becomes completely internalized and is imbibed into the BMI of the student. With repeated and constant thoughts about the tattva, reflecting on it all the time, it starts becoming a part of every aspect of one’s spiritual being, nididhyāsana. There is no wavering thought ever about the tattva.
In pañcadaśī (पञ्चदशी), svāmi vidyāraṇya (स्वामि विद्यारण्य) writes –
tābhyāṃ nirvicikitse’rthe cetasaḥ sthāpitasya yat |
ekatānatvametaddhi nididhyāsanamucyate ॥ 1-54 ॥
ताभ्यां निर्विचिकित्सेऽर्थे चेतसः स्थापितस्य यत् |
एकतानत्वमेतद्धि निदिध्यासनमुच्यते ॥ १-५४ ॥
tābhyāṁ nirvicikitse’rthe (ताभ्यां निर्विचिकित्से अर्थे) from those two when all doubts are cleared
cetasaḥ sthāpitasya yat (चेतसः स्थापितस्य यत्) and the mind is firmly fixed (on the Atman)
ekatānatvam etat hi (एकतानत्वम् एतत् हि) and comes to dwell continuously (on the Atman)
nididhyāsanam ucyate (निदिध्यासनम् उच्यते) it is said to be Profound Contemplation.
When by these two – by enquiry and reflection śravaṇa, manana – the mind is cleared of all doubts and ambiguities, and the mind is firmly fixed on the Atman continuously, it is said to be nididhyāsana
In a common variation of another shloka (पाठान्तर) later in pañcadaśī,
तच्चिन्तनं तत्कथनमन्योन्यं तत्प्रबोधनम् ।
एतदेकपरत्वं च ब्रह्माभ्यासं विदुर्बुधाः (पा. निदिध्यासनमुच्यते) ॥ ७-१०६ ॥
taccintanaṃ tatkathanamanyonyaṃ tatprabodhanam |
etadekaparatvaṃ ca brahmābhyāsaṃ vidurbudhāḥ (pā. nididhyāsanamucyate) ॥ 7-106 ॥
tat-cintanam (तत् चिन्तनम्): Thinking constantly on That (Truth)
tat-kathanam (तत् कथनम्): Talking exclusively about That (Truth)
anyonyaṁ tat-prabodhanam (अन्योन्यं तत् प्रबोधनम्): Teaching one another about That Truth
etad-eka-paratvaṁ ca (एतत् एकपरत्वं च): Totally dedicating and absorbing oneself in that alone.
brahmābhyāsaṃ viduḥ budhāḥ (ब्रह्माभ्यासं विदुः बुधाः): Wise men describe the Meditation on Brahman.
nididhyāsanam ucyate (निदिध्यासनम् उच्यते): This is called Nididhyasana.
Wise persons describe meditation on Brahman to consist of one constantly thinking on Brahman, speaking of Brahman and enlightening one-another on the Nature of Brahman and thinking of nothing else.
svāmi sureśvarācārya (स्वामि सुरेश्वरचार्य), one of the students of ādi śaṃkara bhagavatpāda, clarifies it again in his commentary on the bṛ u. In the bhāṣya-kārika (भाष्य कारिका) of the madhu brāhmaṇa (मधु ब्राह्मण), he says,
śāstrācāryānubhavanairhetubhiśca samarthitaḥ |
īdṛgaikātmyasaṃbodho nididhyāsanamucyate ||
शास्त्राचार्यानुभवनैर्हेतुभिश्च समर्थितः |
ईदृगैकात्म्यासंबन्धो निदिध्यासनमुचते ||
īdṛk When, aikātmyasaṃbodhaḥ the lesson of the Singular Atman, (through), śāstra Scriptures, ācārya teacher, anubhavanaiḥ experiences, ca and, hetubhiḥ logical reasoning, samarthitaḥ is confirmed, ucyate it is said, nididhyāsanam profound meditation.
nididhyāsana, the profound meditation, is so called when, the instruction about the Singular Atman is confirmed by scriptures, teachers, experiences and logical reasoning.
(Submitted at the feet of Brni. Shubhani-ji for her review of the first-write and invaluable feedback and suggestions. I take it as my blessings. Hari Om)
Om tat sat.