In a Zoom meeting with Ramana Kendra, Delhi, on 10th April 2022 Michael James the meaning and implications of verses 11 to 15 of Upadēśa Sāraḥ:
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Verse 11
वायु रोधना ल्लीय तेमनः ।
जाल पक्षिव द्रोध साधनम् ॥ ११ ॥
vāyu rōdhanā llīya tēmanaḥ
jāla pakṣiva drōdha sādhanam
पदच्छेद: वायु रोधनात् लीयते मनः जाल पक्षिवत्. रोध साधनम्.
Padacchēda (word-separation): vāyu rōdhanāt līyatē manaḥ jāla pakṣivat. rōdha sādhanam.
English translation: By restraining the breath, the mind subsides, like a bird in a net. A means of restraining.
Explanatory paraphrase: By [or as a result of] restraining the breath, the mind subsides [or dissolves], like a bird [caught] in a net. [This is] a means of restraining [the mind].
Verse 12
चित्त वायव श्चित्क्रि यायुताः ।
शाख योर्द्वयी शक्ति मूलका ॥ १२ ॥
citta vāyava ścitkri yāyutāḥ
śākha yōrdvayī śakti mūlakā
पदच्छेद: चित्त वायवः चित् क्रिया युताः शाखयोः द्वयी. शक्ति मूलका.
Padacchēda (word-separation): citta vāyavaḥ cit kriyā yutāḥ śākhayōḥ dvayī. śakti mūlakā.
English translation: Mind and prāṇas are a pair of branches endowed with knowing and doing. Rooted in power.
Explanatory paraphrase: Mind and vāyus [the five prāṇas, namely breathing and other physiological functions] are a pair of branches endowed with knowing and doing [as their respective function]. [They are] rooted in [or spring from] [one] power [that is, they arise from one source, namely our real nature, which is cit-śakti, the power of pure awareness, ‘I am’].
Verse 13
लयवि नाशने उभय रोधने ।
लयग तंपुन र्भवति नोमृतम् ॥ १३ ॥
layavi nāśanē ubhaya rōdhanē
layaga taṁpuna rbhavati nōmṛtam
पदच्छेद: लय विनाशने उभय रोधने. लयगतम् पुनः भवति. नो मृतम्.
Padacchēda (word-separation): laya vināśanē ubhaya rōdhanē. layagatam punaḥ bhavati. nō mṛtam.
English translation: Laya and vināśana are both stopping. What has gone in laya arises again. What has died does not.
Explanatory paraphrase: Laya [temporary dissolution] and vināśana [destruction or annihilation] are both rōdhana [states in which the mind has been stopped or prevented from rising] [in other words, rōdhana is of two kinds: laya and nāśa]. What has gone in laya arises [or comes into being] again. What has died [in nāśa] does not [ever rise again].
Verse 14
प्राण बन्धना ल्लीन मानसम् ।
एक चिन्तना न्नाश मेत्यदः ॥ १४ ॥
prāṇa bandhanā llīna mānasam
ēka cintanā nnāśa mētyadaḥ
पदच्छेद: प्राण बन्धनात् लीन मानसम् एक चिन्तनात् नाशम् एति अदः.
Padacchēda (word-separation): prāṇa bandhanāt līna mānasam ēka-cintanāt nāśam ēti adaḥ.
English translation: Settled down by restraining the breath, the mind will reach annihilation by thinking of the one.
Explanatory paraphrase: [Having] settled down by [or as a result of] restraining [binding or tying] prāṇa [the breath], the mind will reach [enter, achieve or attain] annihilation by [or as a result of] ēka-cintana [thinking of the one, namely ātma-svarūpa, the real nature of oneself, ‘I am’].
Verse 15
नष्ट मानसो त्कृष्ट योगिनः ।
कृत्य मस्तिकिं स्वस्थि तिंयतः ॥ १५ ॥
naṣṭa mānasō tkṛṣṭa yōginaḥ
kṛtya mastikiṁ svasthi tiṁyataḥ
पदच्छेद: नष्ट मानस उत्कृष्ट योगिनः कृत्यम् अस्ति किम्, स्वस्थितिम् यतः?
Padacchēda (word-separation): naṣṭa mānasa utkṛṣṭa yōginaḥ kṛtyam asti kim, svasthitim yataḥ?
English translation: The mind annihilated, by the exalted yōgi what is there to be done, because of standing as self?
Explanatory paraphrase: [After] the mind has been annihilated, by the exalted yōgi what is there to be done [or is there anything to be done], because [they are] standing as self [or because they have attained their own state]?
While discussing these verses, Michael also discusses the meaning and implications of various passages from Bhagavan’s writings, including Upadēśa Sāraḥ, Upadēśa Undiyār, Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu, Nāṉ Ār?, Aruṇācalaramaṇaṉ, Śrī Aruṇācala Akṣaramaṇamālai and Śrī Aruṇācala Pañcaratnam.
This episode can also be watched as a video, 2022-04-10 Ramana Kendra, Delhi: Michael James discusses Upadēśa Sāraḥ verses 11 to 15, and a more compressed audio cop