Tuesday, May 7, 2013

NirvanaShatkam- The Essense of Vedanta by Shankaracharya

The Atma_shatkam (Devanāgarī: आत्मषट्कम्) is also known as Nirvana Shatkam (Devanāgarī: निर्वाणषट्कम्) and by other variations of these names. It is a śloka in six stanzas written by the great Ādi Śaṅkara (first Shankaracharya) summarizing the basic teachings of Advaita Vedanta, or the Hindu teachings of non-dualism. It was written around 788-820 CE. He mastered the Vedas by the age of 6. This shows he is a re-incarnation, as Vedas take a whole lifetime to master.
When a young boy of eight (Adi Sankara), while wandering in the Himalayas, seeking to find his Guru, he encountered a sage who asked him, "Who are you?". The boy answered with these stanzas, which are known as "Nirvana Shatakam" or Atma Shatakam".
The sage the boy was talking to was Swami Govindpada Acharya, who was, indeed, the teacher he was looking for. These few verses can be of tremendous value to progress in contemplation practices that lead to Self-Realization.
"Nirvana" is complete equanimity, peace, tranquility, freedom and joy. "Atma" is the True Self.
The speaker of the poem is nominally Śiva, but it is generally seen as a statement by a knowing person of identity with Śiva or Brahmān. The speaker lists in the earlier verses what he (or Brahmān) is not. He is not body or mind, nor the things that attach them to each other and to the world, including the intellect, the senses, the practices of life, the occurrences of life such as birth and death. In the last verse he says that he permeates the universe, and that he is consciousness, bliss and the soul, and by implication, the Atman and Brahmān.
निर्वाण षटकम् (मूल संस्कृत)निर्वाण षटकम् (हिंदी भावानुवाद)NirvanaShatkam (English)
मनोबुद्ध्यहंकारचित्तानि नाहं
न च श्रोत्रजिह्वे न च घ्राणनेत्रे
न च व्योमभूमिर्न तेजो न वायुः
चिदानंदरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम्
    
मैं मन, बुद्धि, अहंकार और स्मृति नहीं हूँ, न मैं कान, जिह्वा, नाक और आँख हूँ। न मैं आकाश, भूमि, तेज और वायु ही हूँ, मैं चैतन्य रूप हूँ, आनंद हूँ, शिव हूँ, शिव हूँ ॥१॥I am not mind, intellect, ego or repository of memories. I am not ear, tongue, nose or the eyes. I am not space, earth, fire or air. I am of the form of aliveness, eternal bliss, auspiciousness. I am Shiva. ॥1॥
न च प्राणसंज्ञो न वै पञ्चवायुः
न वा सप्तधातुर्न वा पञ्चकोशाः
न वाक्पाणिपादं न चोपस्थपायू
चिदानंदरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम्
   
न मैं मुख्य प्राण हूँ और न ही मैं पञ्च प्राणों (प्राण, उदान, अपान, व्यान, समान) में  कोई हूँ, न मैं सप्त धातुओं (त्वचा, मांस, मेद, रक्त, पेशी, अस्थि, मज्जा) में कोई हूँ और न पञ्च कोशों (अन्नमय, मनोमय, प्राणमय, विज्ञानमय, आनंदमय) में से कोई, न मैं वाणी, हाथ, पैर हूँ और न मैं जननेंद्रिय या गुदा हूँ, मैं चैतन्य रूप हूँ, आनंद हूँ, शिव हूँ, शिव हूँ ॥२॥I am not principal life force (prana) or any of the five pranas (Prana, udana, apana, vyan, saman). I am not any of the seven constituents (skin, flesh, fat, blood, muscle, bone, marrow) of the body or any of the five sheaths (annamaya, manomaya, pranamaya, vigyanmaya, anandmaya). I am not speech, hands, feet, genitals or anus. I am of the form of aliveness, eternal bliss, auspiciousness. I am Shiva. ॥2॥
न मे द्वेषरागौ न मे लोभ मोहौ
मदो नैव मे नैव मात्सर्यभावः
न धर्मो न चार्थो न कामो न मोक्षः
चिदानंदरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम्
     
न मुझमें राग और द्वेष हैं, न ही लोभ और मोह, न ही मुझमें मद है न ही ईर्ष्या की  भावना, न मुझमें धर्म, अर्थ, काम और मोक्ष ही हैं, मैं चैतन्य रूप हूँ, आनंद हूँ, शिव हूँ, शिव हूँ ॥३॥I am devoid of aversion, attachment, greed, delusion, pride or jealousy. I am beyond four major goals of life, righteousness, wealth, pleasure or liberation. I am of the form of aliveness, eternal bliss, auspiciousness. I am Shiva. ॥3॥
न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दुःखम्
न मंत्रो न तीर्थ न वेदा न यज्ञाः
अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता
चिदानंदरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम्
न मैं पुण्य हूँ, न पाप, न सुख और न दुःख, न मन्त्र, न तीर्थ, न वेद और न यज्ञ, मैं न भोजन हूँ, न खाया जाने वाला हूँ और न खाने वाला हूँ, मैं चैतन्य रूप हूँ, आनंद हूँ, शिव हूँ, शिव हूँ ॥४॥I am beyond virtues, sins, joy or sorrow. I am beyond mantras, pilgrimage, Vedas or yagyas. I am not food, eatable, or its eater. I am of the form of aliveness, eternal bliss, auspiciousness. I am Shiva. ॥4॥
न मे मृत्युशंका न मे जातिभेदः
पिता नैव मे नैव माता न जन्म
न बन्धुर्न मित्रं गुरुर्नैव शिष्यः
चिदानंदरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम् 
॥५
न मुझे मृत्यु का भय है, न मुझमें जाति का कोई भेद है, न मेरा कोई पिता ही है, न कोई माता ही है, न मेरा जन्म हुआ है, न मेरा कोई भाई है, न कोई मित्र, न कोई गुरु ही है और न ही कोई शिष्य,  मैं चैतन्य रूप हूँ, आनंद हूँ, शिव हूँ, शिव हूँ ॥५॥I have no fear of death or distinction of caste. I have no father or mother. I am unborn. I have no brothers, friends, master or disciples. I am of the form of aliveness, eternal bliss, auspiciousness. I am Shiva. ॥5॥
अहं निर्विकल्पो निराकाररूपः
विभुर्व्याप्य सर्वत्र सर्वेन्द्रियाणाम्
सदा मे समत्वं न मुक्तिर्न बन्धः
चिदानंदरूपः शिवोऽहं शिवोऽहम्
मैं समस्त संदेहों से परे, बिना किसी आकार वाला, सर्वगत, सर्वव्यापक, सभी इन्द्रियों को व्याप्त करके स्थित हूँ, मैं सदैव समता में स्थित हूँ, न मुझमें मुक्ति है और न बंधन, मैं चैतन्य रूप हूँ, आनंद हूँ, शिव हूँ, शिव हूँ ॥६॥I am beyond all doubts, formless, all-pervading, everywhere and surround all sense organs. I am always established in equanimity. There is no liberation or bondage in me. I am of the form of aliveness, eternal bliss, auspiciousness. I am Shiva.॥6॥
English Transliteration:

Mano Budhyahankaar Chitani Naaham, Na Cha Shrotra Jihve Na Cha Ghraana netre
Na Cha Vyoma Bhumir Na Tejo Na Vayuh, Chidananda Rupah Shivoham Shivoham

Na Cha Praana Sanjno Na Vai Pancha Vaayuhu, Na Vaa Sapta Dhaatur Na Va Pancha Koshah
Na Vaak Paani Paadau Na Chopasthapaayuh, Chidaananda Rupah Shivoham Shivoham

Na Me Dvesha Raagau Na Me Lobha Mohau, Mado Naiva Me Naiva Maatsarya Bhaavah
Na Dharmo Na Chaartho Na Kaamo Na Moksha, Chidaananda Rupah Shivoham Shivoham

Na Punyan Na Paapan Na Saukhyan Na Dukham, Na Mantro Na Tirthan Na Vedaah Na Yajnaah
Aham Bhojanan Naiv Bhojyan Na Bhoktaa, Chidaananda Rupah Shivoham Shivoham

Na Mrityur Na Shanka Na Me Jaati Bhedah, Pitaa Naiva Me Naiva Maataa Na Janma
Na Bandhur Na Mitram Guru Naiva Shishyah, Chidaananda Rupah Shivoham Shivoham

Aham Nirvikalpo Niraakaara Rupo, Vibhutvaaccha Sarvatra Sarvendriyaanaam
Na Chaa Sangatan Naiva Muktir Na meyah Chidananda Rupah Shivoham Shivoham

Compact meaning from geetganga.org :

1) I am not mind, nor intellect, nor ego, nor the reflections of inner self. I am not the five senses. I am beyond that. I am not the ether, nor the earth, nor the fire, nor the wind (i.e. the five elements). I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness. 



2) Neither can I be termed as energy (Praana), nor five types of breath (Vaayu), nor the seven material essences (dhaatu), nor the five coverings (panca-kosha). Neither am I the five instruments of elimination, procreation, motion, grasping, or speaking. I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness. 

3) I have no hatred or dislike, nor affiliation or liking, nor greed, nor delusion, nor pride or haughtiness, nor feelings of envy or jealousy. I have no duty (dharma), nor any money, nor any desire (refer: kama), nor even liberation (refer: moksha). I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness. 

4) I have neither virtue (punya), nor vice (paapa). I do not commit sins or good deeds, nor have happiness or sorrow, pain or pleasure. I do not need mantras, holy places, scriptures, rituals or sacrifices (yajna). I am none of the triad of the observer or one who experiences, the process of observing or experiencing, or any object being observed or experienced. I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness. 

5) I do not have fear of death, as I do not have death. I have no separation from my true self, no doubt about my existence, nor have I discrimination on the basis of birth. I have no father or mother, nor did I have a birth. I am not the relative, nor the friend, nor the guru, nor the disciple. I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness. 

6) I am all pervasive. I am without any attributes, and without any form. I have neither attachment to the world, nor to liberation. I have no wishes for anything because I am everything, everywhere, every time, always in equilibrium. I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness. 

Source List:   1. Wikipedia  page
                         2. geetganga.org
                         3. vedicscripturesinc (google site)