na bhūmirna toyaṁ na tejo na vāyuḥ
na khaṁ nendriyaṁ vā na teṣāṁ samūhaḥ|
anekāntikatvātsuṣuptyekasiddaḥ
tadeko’vaśiṣṭaḥ śivaḥ kevalo’ham||1
na varṇā na varṇāśramācāradharmā
na me dhāraṇādhyānayogādayopi|
anātmāśrayāhaṁ mamādhyāsahānāt
tadeko’vaśiṣṭaḥ śivaḥ kevalo’ham||2
na mātā pitā vā na devā na lokā
na vedā na yajñā na tīrtha bruvanti|
suṣaptau nirastātiśūnyātmakatvāt
tadeko’vaśiṣṭaḥ śivaḥ kevalo’ham||3
na sākhyaṁ na śaivaṁ na tatpāñcarātraṁ
na jainaṁ na mīmāṁsakādermataṁ vā|
viśiṣṭānubhūtyā viśuddhātmakatvāt
tadeko’vaśiṣṭaḥ śivaḥ kevalo’ham||4
na cordhvaṁ na cādho na cāntarna bāhyaṁ
na madhyaṁ na tiryañṅna pūrvā’parā dik|
viyadvyāpakatvādakhaṇḍaikarūpaḥ
tadeko’vaśiṣṭaḥ śivaḥ kevalo’ham||5
na śuklaṁ na kṛṣṇaṁ na raktaṁ na pītaṁ
na kubjaṁ na pīnaṁ na hrasvaṁ na dīrgham|
arūpaṁ tathā jyotirākārakatvāt
tadeko’vaśiṣṭaḥ śivaḥ kevalo’ham||6
na śāstā na śāstraṁ na śiṣyo na śikṣā
na ca tvaṁ na cāhaṁ na cāyaṁ prapañcaḥ|
svarūpāvabodho vikalpāsahiṣṇuḥ
tadeko’vaśiṣṭaḥ śivaḥ kevalo’ham||7
na jāgranna me svapnako vā suṣuptiḥ
na viśvau na vā taijasaḥ prājñako vā|
avidyātmakatvāttrayāṇaṁ turīyaḥ
tadeko’vaśiṣṭaḥ śivaḥ kevalo’ham||8
api vyāpakatvāddhitatvaprayogāt
svataḥ siddhabhāvādananyāśrayatvāt|
jagattucchametatsamastaṁ tadanyat
tadeko’vaśiṣṭaḥ śivaḥ kevalo’ham||9
na caikaṁ tadanyaddvitīyaṁ kutaḥ syāt
na kevalatvaṁ na cākevalatvam|
na śunyaṁ na cāśūnyamadvaitakatvāt
kathaṁ sarvavedāntasiddhaṁ bravīmi||10
I am neither land nor water, neither fire nor wind, neither sky nor the sense-organs, or not even a collection of these; away from the proximity of multiplicity, proved by the existence of sleep, that which is left or remaining from all of the above, I am only that eternal-bliss.[1]
I am neither the social-stratification nor the code of conduct assigned by the social-system, neither I am [the paths of spriritual-learning like] dhāraṇā, dhyāna or yoga; I take the corporeal body and by the cessation of titles like ‘me,’ that which is left or remaining, I am only that eternal-bliss.[2]
I am neither mother nor father, or neither demi-gods nor the worlds, neither the Veda nor the sacrifices, and not even the shrines as many speak. By the banishment and complete cessation of ownership in the deep-sleep, that which is left or remaining from all these, I am only that eternal-bliss.[3]
I am neither Sāṅkhya nor Śaiva, neither Pāñcarātra nor Jaina, or I am not the arguments of Mīmāṁsaka. By the determination of zero-ownership with distinguished experience, that which is left or remaining from all these, I am only that eternal-bliss.[4]
I am neither up nor down, neither inside nor outside, neither middle nor sidewise, neither old nor out of scope dimension; because of omniscience like that of ether and unique single attribute, that which is left or remaining from all these, I am only that eternal-bliss.[5]
I am neither white nor black, neither red nor yellow, neither hunchbacked nor full of flesh, neither small nor big; Because of the attributes, I am formless and supreme-consciousness, which is left or remaining from all these, I am only that eternal-bliss.[6]
I am neither instructor nor instructed, neither disciple nor the knowledge, neither you nor me, or not even this complete creation; aware of the self and not enduring these various manifestations, that which is left or remaining from all these, I am only that eternal-bliss.[7]
I am neither awake nor dreaming nor even sleeping, neither the world (awake) nor the power (dream) nor the intelligence (deep-sleep); distinct from these three states which are due to avidyā, that which is left or remaining from all these, I am only that eternal-bliss.[8]
Indeed by the all-pervasion of that Self, by the recognition of the Self as reality, by the self-proven existence of the Self, and by the independence of the self from anything else, this entire creation is mundane; and that which is left or remaining from all this world, I am only that eternal-bliss.[9]
Neither it is one nor there is anything second distinct from it (literally, where is anything second distinct from it?); neither it can be termed unique nor it is non-unique; neither it is void nor it is non-void by the arguments of Advaita; then how can I speak of that Self which is established by the Vedānta.[10]
Notes:
¹ Ādi Saṅkara summarizes the essence of Vedānta in these ten-verses. The poem is sometimes called as nirvāṇadaśakam. While utmost care has been taken for a faithful translation, if you feel some verse has not been translated properly, please use the contact link below and inform us about the same.
Poet: Ādi Saṅkara
Source:
Translator: Animesh Kumar
© Stutimandal 2007, 13 Apr
