Background sAdhana panchakam is set of 5 stanzas written by Adi Shankaracharya. sAdhana means a process or 'means' to do something. It could be interpreted as 'practise' as practise is a process/means to accompish something. The 5th stanza describes what needs to be accomplished. How to remain situated in that para-brahman, in that evolutionary external observing Atman, in a world full of deeds/karma flowing as a chain of bondage from one to another..? Shankara gives five phases to follow one after another for people to move gradually from their current state to the state of remaining situated with Atman, which is the state of being an observer of ourselves and others. sAdhana panchakam talks about the phases through which mental maturity has to be accomplished in us. It's not related to age or celibacy status or stages of life, in my understanding. In my understanding, it's more about moving/evolving from our current state where we perform defect free work wi...