Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya
nama:
The Famous Five--IV
The Fearful Five It is fear of God that prompts most of us to adhere to
correct conduct. This is true not only of we mortals, but of even distinguished
deities, we are told by the Taittireeya Upanishad, which reveals that Five
exalted entities perform their duties out of fear of God. The Wind blows out of
its fear of the Lord, the Sun rises and sets everyday like clockwork at the
appointed time, Agni and Indra do their respective duties perfectly and Mrityu,
the deity of death, promptly reclaims lives whose time on earth has run
out? ?Bheeshaasmaat
vaata: pavate, bheeshodeti Soorya: Bheeshaasmaat
Agnischa Indrascha, Mrityur dhaavati panchama iti? The same mantra is found with slight variation in the
Kathopanishad too? ?Bhayaat asya
Agni: tapati, Bhayaat tapati Soorya: Bhayaat Indrascha Vaayuscha, Mrityur
dhaavati panchama:? Shastras tell us that the King is verily the Lord
Himself. If the Lord has five forms, the King too represents five deities in his
functions, says Srimad Ramayanam. He is verily Agni when dealing with
enemies, resembles Indra in his valour, Soma when he functions as the benefactor
of his subjects, Yama when he deals out just punishment to the wrongdoers and
Varuna, in being pleasant to everyone. Here is the beautiful slokam from
Ramayana? ?Pancha roopaani
Raajaana: dhaarayanti amitoujasa: Agne: Indrasya
Somasya Yamasya Varunasya cha Oushnyam
tathaa vikramam cha soumyam dandam prasannataam? We learn from Vaali that there are five five-nailed animals, the flesh of
which can be eaten by Kshatriyaas? 1.
Porcupine 2.
Pig 3.
Rabbit 4.
Tortoise 5.
Iguana
(Udumbu). Enmity is
normally caused by one of the following five factors, according to Sri Rama? 1.
that which results from one?s
sworn enemies 2.
that which is the result of
property disputes 3.
that resulting from a dispute
over women 4.
that caused by a stinging
insult, which is much more harmful than physical injury,
and 5.
that resulting from an act of
omission or commission. A slightly different version of what causes antagonism
and hostility, is available in the Shanti Parva of Mahabharata, with a wise bird
telling a King the five sources of
enmity- disputes over women, disputes over property, intemperate speech,
enmity subsisting from birth and that caused by an offensive act, however
distant in time. It is again Sri Rama who tells Bharata that sorrow generally arises from five
sources: 1.
Fire 2.
Floods 3.
Famine 4.
Disease,
and 5.
Death. Five more
sources could also be the cause of distress to
citizens: 1.
Corrupt and inefficient
officials 2.
Thieves and
robbers 3.
Aliens 4.
Those close to centres of
political power, and 5.
A miserly and unkind
government. Looking at the current scenario, how true are these
words, though it is thousands of years since they were
uttered! In an argument with Ashtaavakra Maharshi, a vidvaan cites the following quintets as
significant ones: 1.
The Five Fires?Holy Fires are five in number,
viz., a)
Gaarhapatyam b)
Aahavaneeyam c)
Dakshinaagni d)
Sabhyam
and e)
Aavasatyam. We are told that when Bhageeratha performed penance for
bringing down the ?Panchaagni
madhye cha tapastepe samvatsaram nripa:? 2.
Pankti, one
of the beautiful metres in Sanskrit poetry, has five parts 3.
The Principal Yaagas are again Five?Agnihotram, Darsapoornamaasam, Chaaturnmaasyam,
Pasubandham and Somam. 4.
The power that prevails in
the five elements has five
functions- a)
Pramaanam b)
Viparyayam c)
Vikalpam d)
Nidraa
and e)
Smriti. Here is the relative Mahabharata
slokam? ?Pancha
Agnaya: pancha padaa Pankti: Yagyaa: panchaivaapi atha pancha
indriyaani Drishtaa Vede
pancha choodaascha pancha Loke khyaatam
Panchanadam cha punyam? 5.
The Land of Five Sacred Rivers: The aforesaid slokam talks about five sacred rivers. We
are reminded here of two such places in
Bathing these days is a hurried affair, lasting at the
most five minutes and aimed merely at physical cleanliness. However, it is a
much more significant part of our ablutions and deserves greater attention to
detail, if it is to cleanse our inner dirt too. Srimad Azhagiasingar?s Aahnika
grantham tells us that an effective Snaanam consists of five
steps: 1.
Sankalpam 2.
Sookta
Patanam?recitation of Varuna Sooktam 3.
Maarjanam 4.
Aghamarshanam?recitation of the Aghamarshana Sooktam,
and 5.
Devata
tarpanam ?Sankalpam
Sookta patanam maarjanam cha Aghamarshanam Devataa tarpanam chaiva snaanam
panchaangam uchyate? Shall we see some more quintets connected with good
conduct, as prescribed by the Scripture? When you sit down to a meal, five of your body parts should be wet,
says the Mahabharata?two hands, two feet and the mouth. The premium placed by
Shastras on basic personal hygiene is evident in most of our scriptural
prescriptions, which, alas, we ignore too often to our own
peril? ? Panchaardhro
bhojanam kuryaat praangmukho mounam aasthtita: Na nindet anna bhakshyaamscha svaadu
asvaadu cha bhakshayet? This piece of wisdom from the Epic tells us to eat in
silence, facing the east and never to comment adversely about the food on your
plate, whether it is tasty or otherwise. (My son and daughter, who were looking
over my shoulder as I was typing this article, have mysteriously vanished,
fearing another lecture on food habits.) Sri Bheeshma tells Yudhishttira that five ?Doshas? plague all
men? 1.
Kaamam or excessive
attachment 2.
Krodham or
anger 3.
Bhayam or
fear 4.
Nidraa or sleepiness
and 5.
Svaasa: or
breath And how do
we overcome these ?Doshas?? 1.
Anger is to be conquered by
cultivating tolerance and forgiveness 2.
Attachment can be overcome by
performing duties without an eye on the fruit thereof 3.
Cultivating good habits and
personal hygiene would help us dispel sleepiness 4.
Perception based on logic and
reason would enable us to conquer fear 5.
Lightening our intake and
overcoming the tendency to eat and drink anything anywhere, would help us
restore the rhythm to the life breath. Five Sources of Himsa While we may consciously refrain from hurting other
creatures, we may be the inadvertent and unwitting source of pain and death for
several lowly creatures like insects, flies, etc. Shastras have identified Five
Himsa Stthanams, which we use in our everyday life, which could cause suffering
and death? 1.
Khandinee?refers to domestic pounding instruments like the ?Ulakkai? 2.
Peshinee?consists of grindstones, etc. 3.
The Stove is another
identified source of death for lowly creatures. 4.
Containers used for carrying
and storing water, and 5.
Cleaning aids like the
broomstick, vacuum cleaner, etc. It is to
rid oneself from the unanticipated sin accruing from the aforesaid five items
that Shastras prescribe the performance of Vaisvadevam, Pancha Maha Yagyaas,
etc. All of us know that speaking untruth is to be avoided
like the plague. It has been dinned into us that under no circumstance should we
speak a lie. However, the Mahabharata enumerates five scenarios in which untruths are permissible and would not
constitute a sin?Untruths told at the time of marriage (we all remember the
Tamizh saying, ?Aayiram poi solli oru
kalyaanam seyyalaam?), telling an untruth for protecting one?s Guru,
uttering a lie for saving one?s life, tampering with the truth while speaking to
women. In case you think I am making this up, (especially the
last item) here is the Mahabharata slokam? ?Na narma yuktam
vachanam hinasti Na streeshu na vivaaha
kale Na Gurvartthe na aatmano
jeevitaartthe Pancha anrutaani aahu:
apaatakaani? The same Epic lists the five holiest of
things? 1.
Yagyam 2.
Daanam 3.
Dayaa or
mercy 4.
Vedas 5.
Satyam ?Yagyo Daanam
Dayaa Vedaa: Satyam cha Prithveepate! Pancha etaani pavitraani shashttam
sucharitam tapa:? The Cow is considered holy. Five products from the Cow,
cumulatively known as Pancha Gavyam, are considered to be
purifying agents, capable of cleansing the physique? 1.
Milk 2.
Curds 3.
Ghee or Clarified
Butter 4.
and 5 Cow?s
excreta For those who are engaged in Yogam, the following five qualities are indispensable, without which their
efforts would be in vain? 1.
Akrodham or
an equable temperament, not prone to anger 2.
Guru
Susrooshaa or serving one?s Guru
with devotion and dedication 3.
Soucham:
Cleanliness of the mind and body 4.
Aahaara
laaghavam: partaking of light
meals, giving up food which excites or incites, eating merely for keeping body
and soul together 5.
Constant learning of the
scripture from one?s Guru, without ever thinking that one has mastered
everything? ?Akrodho Guru
sushrooshaa soucham aahaara laaghavam Nitya svaadhyaaya iti ete niyamaa:
pancha keertitaa: says the Yoga Rahasyam. And the same work prescribes the following five virtues for
Sanyaasis? ?Astheyam
Brahmacharyancha tyaaga: alobha: tathaiva cha Vrataani
pancha bhikshoonaam Ahimsa paramaani vai? 1.
Refraining from taking or
even coveting another?s belongings 2.
Strict observance of Brahmacharyam, with thoughts focused
solely on the Ultimate 3.
Complete renunciation of
attachment to worldly objects 4.
Avoiding causing any type of
harm to anyone, by word, thought or deed, which is what Ahimsa is all
about 5.
Practicing generosity in
imparting knowledge, especially knowledge that leads to
liberation. For success in this world and in the meritorious worlds
above, the worship of five people is prescribed by the
Mahabharata--One?s Mother, Father, Acharya, Agni and the
Almighty? ?Pitaa Maataa
tathaiva Agni: Guru: Aatmaa cha panchama: Yasya ete poojitaa: Paartha! Tasya lokou ubhou jitou?
Five Types of
Adharmam Having seen the elements of good conduct,
it is essential for us to find out what constitutes Adharmam too. The seventh
Skandham of the Bhaagavata Puraanam guides us as to the five types of Adharma which are to be
avoided at all cost? ?Vidharma: Adharma shaakhaa: pancha imaa dharmaggyo
adharmavat varjayet? These five items refer to conduct which
appears to be righteous, but is not really so according to scriptural
prescriptions? 1.
Acts done under
the impression that they are righteous, but which do not conform to codes of
conduct prescribed for oneself, are known as Vidharmam. 2.
Following rules
of conduct prescribed for others is Paradharmam. For instance, Arjuna
wished to abandon the battlefield, resulting in non-performance of Svadharmam and espousing Paradharmam. Abandoning one?s duty
and espousing that prescribed for others is roundly condemned by Sri Krishna in
the Gita??Svardharme nidhanam shreya:
Paradharmo bhayaavaha:? 3.
Performing acts
which do not have the specific sanction of scriptures (like Chaidya vandanam) is known as Upadharmam or Upamaa. 4.
Acts done
outside the ambit of the code of conduct prescribed for one?s Ashrama are known
as Aabhaasam. Thus, a Brahmachari
consorting with women, a householder wearing ochre robes meant solely for
Sanyaasis and a Sanyaasi performing Agni kaaryam, are guilty of Aabhaasam. 5.
Interpreting
the Vedas in a way contrary to the accepted and traditional manner and bending
scriptural prescriptions to suit one?s own convenience, are known as Cchalam. Five Residences of Kali
Purusha A beautiful narrative is found in the Bhaagavata
Puraanam, where Pareekshit Maharaja defeats the Kali Purusha (the
personification of everything bad and wicked) and banishes the latter from his
empire. Since the entire earth belongs to Pareekshit, the Kali Purusha seeks
some place to reside. Pareekshit tells Kali that he could live in peace at
places where sins like prostitution, gambling, drinking and destruction of life
for pleasure are committed. Not satisfied with these four residences offered to
him, Kali Purusha seeks from Pareekshit a single source of sin, which cumulates
all the four mentioned above. The King said, ?You can reside in Gold?. By doing
so, Pareekshit gave to Kali the right of residence at places where five sources of sin are
practiced?Untruth, Prostitution, Violence, Hatred and
Pride. And now for Romance! Shastras tell us that Manmatha (the Indian equivalent of
Cupid, the God of Love) is also known as Pancha Baana:, because he shoots
five arrows at lovers, to sharpen their romantic feelings. Appropriately, these
arrows are not made of iron or other metal, but of soft and supple
flowers? 1.
Aravindam 2.
Ashokam 3.
Chootam 4.
navamikaa 5.
Neelotpalam Five Funny Practices Acording to Bodhaayana, there are five peculiar
practices prevailing in the South of India and five more in the North, which are
contrary to the scripture: If we take the South first, these
are 1.
Eating in the company of
uninitiated persons (those yet to undergo Upanayanam) 2.
Eating in the company of
one?s wife 3.
Eating stale
food 4.
Marrying the daughter of a
paternal aunt 5.
Marrying the daughter of a
maternal uncle As
far as 1.
Dealing in
wool 2.
Drinking
Rum 3.
Selling animals which have
teeth in the upper and lower jaws 4.
Trading in arms
and 5.
Going to the sea for
their livelihood The trees in
Deva lokam are five in
number? 1.
Mandaaram 2.
Paarijaatam 3.
Santaanam 4.
Kalpavriksham
and 5.
Hari
chandanam Varuna, the
deity of the waters, has five
names? 1.
Prachetas 2.
Varuna: 3.
Pasee (because he wields a
rope) 4.
Yaadasaam
Pati: 5.
Appati: (master of
waters) Similarly, Planet Mars or Chevaai has five names? 1.
Angaarakan 2.
Kujan 3.
Bhouman 4.
Lohitaangan 5.
Maheesutan Another planet, Raahu, too goes by five
names? 1.
Svarbhaanu 2.
Raahu 3.
Saihikeya: 4.
Vidhuntuda: 5.
Tamastu
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