aadesa, updesa, anushasanam - Instruction

If any reader reads the description of this blog, just next to the title "Yoga Vedanta" on the top of this page, it reads "An Instruction ........"

Let me clarify the nature of "Instruction" of this blog in this post.

I am going to quote the "Siksha Valli" of Taittariya Upanishad to do so.

INSTRUCTION 2: before quoting anything from any Upanishad one SHOULD recite the "santi mantra" of that upanishad.

ॐ शं नो मित्रः शं वरुणः । शं नो भवत्वर्यमा । शं न इन्द्रो बृहस्पतिः । शं नो विष्णुरुरुक्रमः । नमो ब्रह्मणे । नमस्ते वायो । त्वमेव प्रत्यक्षं ब्रह्मासि । त्वमेव प्रत्यक्षं ब्रह्म वदिष्यामि । ऋतं वदिष्यामि । सत्यं वदिष्यामि । तन्मामवतु । तद्वक्तारमवतु । अवतु माम् । अवतु वक्तारम् ।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः

In this part of taittariya upanishad the upanishad seer having given a set of instructions (11 anuvakas), concludes siksha valli with this statement:

एष आदेशः । एष उपदेशः । एषा वेदोपनिषत् । एतदनुशासनम् । एवमुपासितव्यम् । एवमु चैतदुपास्यम् ॥

ēṣa ādēśaḥ . ēṣa upadēśaḥ . ēṣā vēdōpaniṣat . ētadanuśāsanam . ēvamupāsitavyam . ēvamu caitadupāsyam .

In my own words This is the declaration. This is the advice. This is the essence of vedas. This is the commad. Follow this. Worship this alone.

So,
Q: what is aadesa, what is upadesa, what is anusasanam?

A: They are different types of "instructions"
The adesa and upadesa come from the root "dis" which means "to point" or "to show"
in this current context, aadesa means the primary instruction pointing or directing the seeker in the correct direction.
upadesa means a helping instruction, that helps the seeker to speed-up his journey (an advice).

Where as

the anusasanam comes from the root "sas" which means "to punish"
sasana means the order or law; anyone breaches that law will be punished by maintainer of the law or government.
anusasana means a supporting order / command by following it one can be saved from such punishment.

Even the word "sastra" (scripture) also comes from the same root.

The primary sastra of yoga that was composed by Rishi Patanjali starts with
अथ योगानुशासनम्
atha yogAnushasanam (YS 1.1)

But NO scripture or sastra enforces adherence to what is been declared by the scripture. It merely declare the true nature of the subject under discussion.

This blog intended to give all three types of instructions
1. aadesa - declarative/revealing instruction
2. upadesa - helping instructions
3. anusasanam - practical instructions to follow

It is left to the individual reading the blog to decide the type of each instruction and act according to his/her free will.

om tat sat

mangalacharanam - prayer

ॐ
इश्वरो गुरुरात्मेति मूर्तिभेदविभागिने |
व्योमवद्व्यप्तदेहाय दक्षिणामूर्तये नमः ||

ishwaro gururAtmeti mUrtibhedavibhAgine |
vyomavadvyaptadehAya dakshhiNAmUrtaye namaH ||

On this Prabodhini Ekadasi (or Utthana Ekadasi - Kartika Suddha Ekadasi) I have been instructed to write this blog. This blog largely deals with the view point of sanatana dharma (the eternal law) scriptures about
1. transcendental independence (kaivalya)
2. mastery over life and death (vedanta - the ultimate knowledge)

My work here is just "typing in" what the ancient rishis (the leaders who have practiced what they preached) spoke about the above subjects.

INSTRUCTION 1: Any such work should start with a prayer to Lord Ganesha. (To know "WHY?" follow the link to an earlier blog post)
नितान्तकान्तदन्तकान्तिमन्तकान्तकात्मजम्
अचिन्त्यरूपमन्तहीनमन्तरायकृन्तनम्
ह्र्दन्तरे निरन्तरं वसन्तमेव योगिनां
तमेकदन्तमेव तं विचिन्तयामि संततम्

nitAntakAntadantakAntimantakAntakAtmajam
achintyarUpamantahInamantarAyakR^intanam
hrdantare nirantaraM vasantameva yoginA.m
tamekadantameva taM vichintayaami sa.ntatam

Now a Prayer to Iswara - The Lord of all:

अजं शश्वतं कारणं कारणानां
शिवं केवलं भासकं भासकानाम् |
तुरीयं तमःपारमाद्यन्तहीनं
प्रपद्ये परं पावनं द्वैतहीनम् ||
aja.m shashvata.m kaaraNa.m kaaraNAnA.m
shiva.m kevala.m bhaasaka.m bhaasakaanaam |
turIya.m tamaHpAramAdyantahIna.m
prapadye para.m paavana.m dvaitahInam ||

Lord: never born, eternal, cause of all causes, auspicious, independent, light of all lights, beyond all triads (the forth), beyond all ignorance, who is beginning and endless, eternal cleanser and non-dual. I bow down to that Lord.

नमस्ते नमस्ते विभो विश्वमूर्ते
नमस्ते नमस्ते चिदानन्दमूर्ते |
नमस्ते नमस्ते तपोयोगगम्य
नमस्ते नमस्ते श्रुतिज्ञानगम्य ||
namaste namaste vibho vishvamUrte
namaste namaste chidAnandamUrte |
namaste namaste tapoyogagamya
namaste namaste shrutiGYAnagamya ||

He is the same lord who appears as this world.
He is the same lord who is beyond all this (world) as chidananda murthi.
So, it is the same lord who is the goal of karma yogi's who are in tapas and yoga paths. It is the same lord who is the goal of all the knowledge seekers based on shruti on the path of jnana.

I pray to him repeatedly for the well being of this whole visible world and beyond!!

Note1: All the above prayers are from Sri Adi Sankaracharya's Stotras.
Note2: This blog uses a lot of samskrutam words and some explaination in English to the best of my ability.

om tat sat