JNANA YOGA

SADHANA CHATUSHTAYA - QUICK REFERENCE

Or the Fourfold Means for Salvation
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 bestthis living wisdom is vairagya. If one still continues
to do what is not most conducive to ones 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.

Jnana Yoga - Sadhana Chatushtaya Quick Reference

3. SHAD-SAMPAT
The third requisite is a set of sixfold virtues the spiritual seeker must have and are taken as
one requisite.

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.
shama: is serenity or tranquility of mind that is brought about by eradication of vasanas,
which are desires or conditioning in a broader sense.

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.
dama: is control of the senses or self-control, it corresponds to pratyahara in Raja Yoga.
Here too there is no foolish suppression, as the empowered awakened wisdom simply
avoids what is not conducive to discovery of the truth.
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.
One established in uparati is unaffected in the midst of change and distraction as he is
always self-centered.

titiksha: is power of endurance or forbearancepatently bearing all opposites without

caring to redress them. This frees one from any anxieties and stress that can result from
trying to change everything to our taste. In a way, titiksha is an internal and external
adjustment so that there is no lament with ever changing situations.
sraddha: is unshakeable faith that transcends reason in the words of the preceptor,
teachings of the scriptures and ones own self. It is not blind faith, as it is based on
Jnana Yoga - Sadhana Chatushtaya Quick Reference

reasoning, evidence and experience.

Doubts arise in the spiritual path, but sraddha does not allow rising doubts to affect ones
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.
To make the mind obey you is spiritual discipline.

Swami Sivananda

Like the actions of a good farmer or gardener

All your efforts to cultivate virtues and to discipline yourselves
by doing asanas, pranayama etc., are like the actions of a good
farmer or gardener.

A gardener removes the obstacles. The inner light shines

unabated and undimmed all the time, but there seems to be an
obstruction to its functioning.

When the yogi cultivates virtues, eradicates vices and

disciplines himself by practicing asana and pranayama etc., he
merely removes the obstacles.
Swami Venkatesananda

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

Jnana Yoga - Sadhana Chatushtaya Quick Reference