By Swami Chidananda
Following right study (shravana) and reflection (manana), a seeker strives to stay in the higher understanding. Backing it all the time with more of required study and reflection, he engages in ‘meditation’. “Till we hit the bed (in daily life) and till we breathe our last (in the entirety of life),” is a famous expression for the call from the Upanishads not to slip and lose our conquered ground.
(Translation below by S Radhakrishnan)
One should meditate on the unchanging, imperishable that is inside, manifesting (the diverse functions). The sage is continuously engaged in meditation till he goes to sleep or is overtaken by death.
(Original mantra)
prakāshayantam-antahstham dhyāyet kootastham-avyayam
dhyāyann-āste munischaiva āsupter-āmrites-tu yah
PAINGALA UPANISHAD, Chapter 3, Mantra 4
[This Upanishad, from Shukla Yajurveda, is a dialogue between the disciple Paingala and the teacher Yājnavalkya.]