Manisha Panchakam is a quintet of 5 verses on self knowledge, attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. It is a nididhyāsana grantha, a contemplative text which to helps one assimilate what has been studied thus far. 

 How to deal with negative emotions? what is the significance of the three states of waking, dreaming and sleeping? What is freewill?

In this episode, Swaminiji answers all these questions and more.

This episode gives a concise and precise explanation on the meaning and significance of the Gayatri Mantra.

Mantra: Om bhūrbhuvassuvaḥ tatsaviturvareṇyam bhargo devasya dhīmahi dhīyo yo naḥ pracodayāt

How long should one meditate? How does a Jñānī live his/her life? These last verses describe a Jñānī and this Upaniṣad ends here on a grand note on why one strive to gain this knowledge. Om Tat Sat!

This 14 mins meditation is great to quieten the mind and tap into the source of your being, the truth of you as the silent witness of all things. 

Disclaimer: Please do not listen to this mediation while driving or operating machinery.

How to develop a mind ready for this knowledge? Mantras from the Amritabindu Upanishad are discussed here, which tell us how to cultivate chitta shuddhi and chitta nischalyam required in the pursuit of Self knowledge.

This episode expounds on a beautiful verse which state that thoughts alone are saṃsāra, therefore, one has to strive to purify the thoughts. Whatever a person thinks, that is what he/she becomes.

Why is meditation necessary? This verse says that even after a lot of practice there is a way to get derailed. How does one overcome this obstacle?

How to prepare the mind for this knowledge in Kali Yuga? This episode onwards, Swaminiji will be expounding on selected verses from various Upaniṣads which are presented in the Maitri Upaniṣad.

Bhagavan who is Chaitanya ātma, 'created' this whole universe without any desire and manifested as the Jiva, as though caught up in the mechanisms of the mind. This episode sums up this profound verse which is a mahāvākya elucidating the oneness of Jiva with Īśvara.