Five meanings and Upanishad

 Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya talks about five inevitable meanings that anyone interested in their own Mukti should know and know those meanings well. You can call those five confirmed learnings. About Jiva, about Brahman, about the final state of existence to attain, the means to be adopted towards the attaining and the hurdles one must manage on the way. This in Sanskrit is called Artha Panchakam or in Tamil 'anjartham'.

Sri Vidyaranya, while discussing about the meaning of the term 'Upanishad' nearly strikes a resonant card to this concept of five meanings. Sri Vidyaranya says that the term Upanishad itself indicates Brahma Vidya or knowledge about Brahman. Who acquires that knowledge? It is the Jiva or the human being concerned. So of the five meanings only three are remaining - the way, the goal and the hurdles. Sri Vidyaranya beautifully explains that in the very term Upanishad itself all these three meanings are derivable. Only you have to view the word-formation in different ways. In the word Upanishad there are three parts upa + ni + shad. The syllable 'upa' itself indicates nearby or vicinity or near access. That which takes the Jiva near to Brahman is Upanishad. So the meaning of means is indicated. The syllable 'ni' indicates definiteness, verified certainty or confirmation. The syllable 'shad' has three meanings suggestive by the roots. 'shad' means to vex, to loosen out, to deprive of strength. Also 'shad' means becoming the means by which one is made to attain something. Also 'shad' means destroying, eradicating. The root formula which is quoted for this triple meaning is - 'shadl visraNa gati avasAdanEshu'. 'visaraNa' means to loosen out, to tire out, 'gati' means path or means, 'avasAdanEshu' means to destroy. Upanishad does all these three functions to whoever studies it. Upanishad means the goal and Upanishad means the way to attain the goal and Upanishad clears away the hurdles on the path by eradicating the root-cause of all troubles viz., ignorance. Upanishad is indeed an all-comprehensive term!

Srirangam Mohanarangan

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