Difference between revisions of "Manana (मननम्)"

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Manana (Samskrit: मननम्) is the deep state of thinking without joy or grief.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Upanishads|author=Srisa Chandra Vasu|publisher=Genesis Publishing|page=30|url= https://books.google.co.in/books?id=QvEfRSnayf0C&pg=RA1-PA30&dq=manana+upanishad&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ICOaVLvgNZGVuATeiIGQCg&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=manana%20upanishad&f=false }}</ref>Yajnavalkya in the context of the ''mahavakya'' – ''Tat Tvam Asi'', told Paingala that whereas ''[[Shravana (hearing)|shravana]]'' ('hearing') is the inquiry into the real significance of this ''vākya'', to inquire in solitude into the significance of ''shravana'' is ''manana'' (consideration or reflection). [[Patanjali]] terms ''manana'' as ''dharana'', <ref>{{cite book|title=The Call of the Upanishads|author=Rohit Mehta|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|page=262|url= https://books.google.co.in/books?id=_aGXsz4C2z8C&pg=PA262&dq=manana+upanishad&hl=en&sa=X&ei=OSiaVKm2IYzmuQTSjYGQBw&ved=0CD8Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=manana%20upanishad&f=false}} </ref> the unshakeable mental conviction.<ref>{{cite book|title=Thought and Faith|author=Vassilis Vitsaxis|publisher=Somerset Hall Press|page=195|url= https://books.google.co.in/books?id=sC0--0ZUfBkC&pg=PA195&dq=manana+upanishad&hl=en&sa=X&ei=8y-aVKiaK9HIuAS6iYD4DA&ved=0CDQQ6AEwBTge#v=onepage&q=manana%20upanishad&f=false}}</ref>In Advaita Vedanta, ''manana'', the deep reflection on what is heard from the teacher, is a part of the three-fold process of ''shravana-manana-nididhyasana'', the three stages of religious life which combined acting as the path of knowledge, lead to the attainment of ''moksha''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Indra’s Net: Defending Hinduism|author=Rajiv Malhotra|publisher=Harper Collins|page=182|url= https://books.google.co.in/books?id=M7TlAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT182&dq=manana+upanishad&hl=en&sa=X&ei=mCmaVPnuKoGzuAS2y4DACA&ved=0CDIQ6AEwBDgK#v=onepage&q=manana%20upanishad&f=false }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Echoes of Ancient Indian Wisdom|author=Shantha S. Nair|publisher=Pustak Mahal|page=333|url= https://books.google.co.in/books?id=OzFvE0IR7rkC&pg=PT333&dq=manana+upanishad&hl=en&sa=X&ei=tyuaVOSwFMSeugSP-IDQCQ&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAzgU#v=onepage&q=manana%20upanishad&f=false }}</ref> According to the Pasupatas ''manana'' is a ''satmaka'' or mastery over the power of seeing and acting; ''manana'' is the supernormal knowing of objects of thoughts.<ref>{{cite book|title=Ancient Indian History and Civilization|author=S.N.Sen|publisher=New Age International|page=96|url= https://books.google.co.in/books?id=Wk4_ICH_g1EC&pg=PA96&dq=manana+upanishad&hl=en&sa=X&ei=tyuaVOSwFMSeugSP-IDQCQ&ved=0CDgQ6AEwBjgU#v=onepage&q=manana%20upanishad&f=false }}</ref>
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Manana (Samskrit: मननम्) is the deep state of thinking without joy or grief.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Upanishads|author=Srisa Chandra Vasu|publisher=Genesis Publishing|page=30|url= https://books.google.co.in/books?id=QvEfRSnayf0C&pg=RA1-PA30&dq=manana+upanishad&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ICOaVLvgNZGVuATeiIGQCg&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=manana%20upanishad&f=false }}</ref>Yajnavalkya in the context of the ''mahavakya'' – ''Tat Tvam Asi'', told Paingala that whereas ''[[Shravana (hearing)|shravana]]'' ('hearing') is the inquiry into the real significance of this ''vākya'', to inquire in solitude into the significance of ''shravana'' is ''manana'' (consideration or reflection). [[Patanjali]] terms ''manana'' as ''dharana'', <ref>{{cite book|title=The Call of the Upanishads|author=Rohit Mehta|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|page=262|url= https://books.google.co.in/books?id=_aGXsz4C2z8C&pg=PA262&dq=manana+upanishad&hl=en&sa=X&ei=OSiaVKm2IYzmuQTSjYGQBw&ved=0CD8Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=manana%20upanishad&f=false}} </ref> the unshakeable mental conviction. In Advaita Vedanta, ''manana'', the deep reflection on what is heard from the teacher, is a part of the three-fold process of ''shravana-manana-nididhyasana'', the three stages of religious life which combined acting as the path of knowledge, lead to the attainment of ''moksha''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Indra’s Net: Defending Hinduism|author=Rajiv Malhotra|publisher=Harper Collins|page=182|url= https://books.google.co.in/books?id=M7TlAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT182&dq=manana+upanishad&hl=en&sa=X&ei=mCmaVPnuKoGzuAS2y4DACA&ved=0CDIQ6AEwBDgK#v=onepage&q=manana%20upanishad&f=false }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Echoes of Ancient Indian Wisdom|author=Shantha S. Nair|publisher=Pustak Mahal|page=333|url= https://books.google.co.in/books?id=OzFvE0IR7rkC&pg=PT333&dq=manana+upanishad&hl=en&sa=X&ei=tyuaVOSwFMSeugSP-IDQCQ&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAzgU#v=onepage&q=manana%20upanishad&f=false }}</ref> According to the Pasupatas ''manana'' is a ''satmaka'' or mastery over the power of seeing and acting; ''manana'' is the supernormal knowing of objects of thoughts.<ref>{{cite book|title=Ancient Indian History and Civilization|author=S.N.Sen|publisher=New Age International|page=96|url= https://books.google.co.in/books?id=Wk4_ICH_g1EC&pg=PA96&dq=manana+upanishad&hl=en&sa=X&ei=tyuaVOSwFMSeugSP-IDQCQ&ved=0CDgQ6AEwBjgU#v=onepage&q=manana%20upanishad&f=false }}</ref>
  
 
''Manana'' means – 'thinking', 'reflection', 'meditation', 'cogitation';<ref>{{cite book|title=The Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary|author=V.S.Apte|page=1233|url= http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/search3advanced?dbname=apte&query=%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%A8&matchtype=exact&display=utf8 }}</ref> Panchadasi (Sloka I.53) reads as follows:-
 
''Manana'' means – 'thinking', 'reflection', 'meditation', 'cogitation';<ref>{{cite book|title=The Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary|author=V.S.Apte|page=1233|url= http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/search3advanced?dbname=apte&query=%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%A8&matchtype=exact&display=utf8 }}</ref> Panchadasi (Sloka I.53) reads as follows:-

Revision as of 13:03, 24 December 2018

Manana (Samskrit: मननम्) is the deep state of thinking without joy or grief.[1]Yajnavalkya in the context of the mahavakyaTat Tvam Asi, told Paingala that whereas shravana ('hearing') is the inquiry into the real significance of this vākya, to inquire in solitude into the significance of shravana is manana (consideration or reflection). Patanjali terms manana as dharana, [2] the unshakeable mental conviction. In Advaita Vedanta, manana, the deep reflection on what is heard from the teacher, is a part of the three-fold process of shravana-manana-nididhyasana, the three stages of religious life which combined acting as the path of knowledge, lead to the attainment of moksha.[3][4] According to the Pasupatas manana is a satmaka or mastery over the power of seeing and acting; manana is the supernormal knowing of objects of thoughts.[5]

Manana means – 'thinking', 'reflection', 'meditation', 'cogitation';[6] Panchadasi (Sloka I.53) reads as follows:-

इत्थं वाक्यैस्तदर्थानुसन्धानं श्रवणं भवेत् |
युक्त्या संभावितत्वानुसंधानं मन्नन्तु तत् ||
"The finding out or discovery of the true significance of the identity of the individual self and the supreme Universal Self with the great sayings is what is known as shravana; and to arrive at the possibility of its validity through logical reasoning is what is called manana."

In this context, Vidyaranya had previously stated that the Self is untouched by doubts about the presence or absence of associates etc; that are superimposed on it phenomenally. In the afore-cited sloka, Swami Swahananda in his commentary explains that whatever be the relation between two vikalpas ('alternatives'), relation itself has to be understood which even though not an attribute is to be related, for the domain of bheda ('difference') is riddled with contradictions. Vedanta considers vikalpa as kalpana or 'contrary imagination' that invariably leads to anavastha ('infinite regress'). The identity alluded to by the great sayings (mahavakyas) conveyed by a Guru to his disciples i.e. sown in the mind of his sisya, have logical support for their validity which support is revealed through manana which process reveals true knowledge.[7]

It is through deep meditation that the knowledge of Brahman is gained, and Katha Upanishad (I.iii.15) declares that one becomes free from the jaws of death by knowing that which is ever constant; Badarayana states that what is mentioned in that Upanishad is meant for deep meditation on Purusha - आध्यानाय प्रयोजनाभावात् (Brahma Sutras III.iii.14), during which process the differing attributes are not to be combined but only non-different attributes which exist collectively in all the contexts.[8]

References

  1. Srisa Chandra Vasu. The Upanishads. Genesis Publishing. p. 30.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  2. Rohit Mehta. The Call of the Upanishads. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 262.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  3. Rajiv Malhotra. Indra’s Net: Defending Hinduism. Harper Collins. p. 182.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  4. Shantha S. Nair. Echoes of Ancient Indian Wisdom. Pustak Mahal. p. 333.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  5. S.N.Sen. Ancient Indian History and Civilization. New Age International. p. 96.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  6. V.S.Apte. The Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary. p. 1233.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  7. Pancadasi of Sri Vidyaranya Swami. Sri Ramakrishna Math. pp. 25–27.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  8. Brahma Sutra Bhasya of Sankaracarya. Advaita Ashrama. pp. 662–664.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
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