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Sadhana Chatushtaya Quick Reference Sheet PDF
Sadhana Chatushtaya Quick Reference Sheet PDF
Sadhana Chatushtaya Quick Reference Sheet PDF
Swami Suryadevananda
SADHANA CHATUSHTAYA
The fourfold means for salvation, or the four kinds of spiritual practices, is a prerequisite to
the aspirants on the path of Jnana Yoga, or, for that matter, in any system of evolution
towards Godhead.
Swami Sivananda
1. VIVEKA
Discrimination between the real and unreal or the permanent and the impermanent.
Discrimination dawns through the grace of God, through virtuous actions done in several
past births, through holy company of study of sacred scriptures, through selfless service or
work done without the expectation of fruits and without egoism.
One who has viveka or discriminative wisdom cannot fail to have vairagya or dispassion as
they are interdependent.
2. VAIRAGYA
Dispassion or the absence of passionate longing born of sustained right discrimination. It is
the giving up of passion and desire for all mundane enjoyments.
If and when wisdom begins to act in you, it is no longer academic wisdom but living
wisdom. This prevents you from doing what is not conducive to your highest aspirations
and encourages you to do what is best—this living wisdom is vairagya. If one still continues
to do what is not most conducive to one’s aspiration (whatever be the excuse), viveka or
discrimination has not taken seed.
Without viveka, there can be no vairagya, and without vairagya, no spiritual life is possible.
Both of these are indispensible.
Without vairagya or discrimination and viveka or awakened wisdom that acts, you will not
be able to develop these virtues, as the mind will continue to rush outwards.
The mind is always centered in the self or its source and never given a free reign to wander
about externally. Though difficult to attain, serenity is the single most important
qualification for an aspirant. A mind that loiters will never allow an inner life. Shama is not
suppression, as the mind is not allowed to wander and given an inner train of thought to
work in. It demands incessant and protracted practice, but it must be attained.
Shama keeps the mind centered in the self and dama forms a secondary safety net, as
strong urges could burst to the surface for action till complete self-mastery is attained.
Self-control and self-restraint work together, as one never knows what situations he may
find himself in and this double protection is of immense use.
uparati: is satiation or turning the mind resolutely away from desires by seeing everything
through the awakened wisdom rather than the conditioned mind.
When wisdom has awakened in one, there is a natural inner satisfaction knowing the
defects of the temporal and that fulfillment can only be had in the permanent and
unchanging reality.
sraddha: is unshakeable faith that transcends reason in the words of the preceptor,
teachings of the scriptures and one’s own self. It is not blind faith, as it is based on
Doubts arise in the spiritual path, but sraddha does not allow rising doubts to affect one’s
actions and the pursuit of the truth.
samadhana: is mental balance, equipoise and calm which give a balanced inner life. Perfect
concentration ensues when samadhana comes about as it is the fruit of the other five. The
mind gets settled in its source and does not wander aimlessly, bringing about mental
stability and poise.
4. MUMUKSHUTVA
An intense yearning for liberation, it is the fourth of the main qualifications. If one is
equipped with the other three, this unwavering focus and desire for liberation will be
natural. Mumukshutva should be steady, unflickering and of a burning type. If one feels one
does not have this burning mumukshutva, one should work hard to practice the other three
which will give rise to it naturally.
Swami Sivananda
For these notes and outline, I have drawn much from the teachings of Swami Sivananda and am most grateful
for the tremendous clarity and light.
www.suryadevananda.org