Shankara summarises Advaitha

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

Adhi Shankara has written several books , sloks and stotras

explaining Advaitha. Here is one written by him:-

Athma Panchakam

(The pentet on Soul)

By

Adhi Shankara Bhagavat Pada

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

 

Naham deho, nendriya nyantharangam,

Nahamkara prana vargaa na budhi,

Darapathya kshethra vithadhi dhoora,

Sakshi nithya prathyagathma

shivoham. 1

 

I am neither the body, nor the senses nor the mind,

Neither am I pride, soul nor intellect,

But I am Shiva, who is eternal,

Who is completely unattached.

Who is far , far and far away

From wife, son , lands and assets,

And is the witness for everything.

 

Rajjwagnanath bhathi rajjuryadhai,

Swathma jnanad athmano jeeva bhava,

Aapthokthya hi branthinase sa rajjur,

Jjevo naham desikokthya

shivoham. 2

 

Due to ignorance I think that a rope is a snake,

For due to absence of Jnana .

I ascribe life in to lifeless thing.

And when the realized one points it out,

I wake up from this illusion,

And understand that it is a rope and not a snake.

Similarly I am not the soul but Shiva,

Which I only understand by the teaching of the great teacher.

 

Aabhadhedham vishwamathmanya sathyam,

Sathya jnanananda roope vimohat,

Nidhramohat swapnavath thanna sathyam,

Shuddha poorno nithya eka

Shivoham. 3

 

Due to the veil of ignorance ,

I see this world in the eternal life,

Which has the form of truth and joy,

Similar to the dream which I see due to veil of sleep,

For I am the pure complete , perennial and single Shiva.

 

Mathi nanyath kinchid athrasthi viswam,

Sathyam bahyam vasthu mayopakjnaptham,

Adarsandhar bhasamanasya thulyam,

Mayyadwaithe bhathi thasmad

shivoham. 4

 

This world is in no way different from me,

Similar to everything getting reflected in a mirror,

All the world is within me,

So I am that Shiva which is without two.

 

Naham jatho na pravrudho na nashto,

Dehasyoktha prakrutha sarva dharma,

Karthruthwadhi schinmaya syasthi naham,

Karasyaiva hyathmano may

Shivoham. 5

 

Nor was I born nor grew nor die,

For birth, growth and death are for the body,

The nature of taking up a work is ,

The reflections of pride and not,

For my soul which is eternal,

And so I am the unattached Shiva.

 

Naham jatho janma mruthyu kutho may,

Naham prana kshuth pipase kutho may,

Naham chitham sokamohou kutho may,

Naham kartha bandha mokshou kutho

may. 6

 

I was not born, whence birth and death came to me,

I am not the soul, whence came hunger and thirst to me,

I am not the mind, whence came passion and sorrow to me,

I am not the doer, whence came attachment and detachment to me?

 

Best Wishes, Ramachander