Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Arunachalaramanaya
UPADESA UNDIYAR (Tamil) or UPADESA SARAM (Sanskrit)
THE ESSENCE OF TEACHINGS - PART 4 (edited set)
In verses 4 to 7 Sri Bhagavan teaches the various forms of desireless action or nishkamya karma, namely puja (worship of God), japa (repetition of a mantra or a name of God) and dhyana (meditation upon a name or form of God), which are done respectively by the body, speech and mind, and each succeeding one of which is more efficacious than the preceding one.
4. This is certain, puja, japa and dhyana are actions of the body, speech and mind [respectively]; rather than [each preceding] one, [the succeeding] one is superior.
Note: Puja means ritual worship, japa means repetition of a mantra or a name of God, and dhyana means meditation.
In verse 2 of this work Sri Bhagavan teaches that kamya-karmas (actions performed for the fulfillment of desires) will only throw one into an ocean of more and more action and hence cannot lead to liberation, and in verse 3 He teaches that nishkamya-karmas (actions performed without desire for any fruit or result) will purify the mind and show the correct path to liberation. Therefore it is to be understood that the puja, japa and dhyana mentioned in this and the subsequent verses is only nishkamya puja, japa and dhyana, and not kamya puja, japa and dhyana.
5. Worship [any of the eight forms] thinking that all the eight forms are forms of God, is good worship [puja] of God.
Note: The eight forms mentioned in this verse are earth, water, fire, air, space, sun, moon and living beings (jivas), all of which are forms of God, the one reality underlying the appearance of this whole world.
The Tamil words en uruyavum, which are here translated as ‘all the eight forms’, may also mean ‘all (things), which are forms of thought’.
The words vazhipadal (worshipping) in the Tamil version and sevanam (worship or service) in the Sanskrit version may mean either performing ritual worship or rendering appropriate service. But whereas performing ritual worship can be applicable to all the eight forms of God, rendering appropriate service can be applicable only to living beings (jivas) and not to the other seven forms of God. That is, one can worship living beings either by ritual worship or by rendering some appropriate service to them, such as providing them with food, clothing or shelter, but one can worship the other seven forms of God only by ritual worship, since there is no appropriate service which one can render to the five elements, the sun or the moon.
6. Rather than praising [God], japa is good; rather than japa done in a loud voice, japa faintly whispered within the mouth is good; and rather than japa within the mouth, that which is done by mind is good; this mental repetition or manasika japa is what is called meditation [dhyana].
7. Rather than meditation interrupted [by other thoughts], uninterrupted meditation [upon God], like a river or the falling of ghee, is excellent to do.
https://www.davidgodman.org/rteach/Upadesa_Undiyar.pdf
