Nirvana satakam

 Sankara ten verses

Dasa Sloki or Nirvana Dasakam

Adhi Sankara Bhagawat Pada

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

(These ten verses of philosophy is the essence of the thoughts of Sankara, the philosopher. 

There are two stories about its origin. One says that when Adhi Sankara approached Sage Govinda Pada and requested him to make him his disciple, then it seems Govinda Pada asked the young boy, “Who are you?” and this is his reply.

 Another story tells that when Sankara said that he is about to leave this earth, his disciples wanted to tell them all his teachings in a summary form and this is the reply.

. 1

Na bhoomir na thoyam na thejo na vayu,

Na Kham nendriyam vaa na thesham samooha,

Anaikanthikathwath suspthyeka siddha,

Thadekovasishta Shiva kevaloham

I  not earth, I am not water.

I am not light, I am not wind,

I am not ether, I am not sense organs,

Nor am I a combination of these,

Because they don’t always exist.

I am simply Shiva the self,

For this remains even in sleep,

After everything is taken out.

Na varna , na varnasramachara dharma,

Na me dharana dhyana yogadhayopi,

Anathmasrayo aham mamadhya sahanath,

Thadekovasishta Shiva kevaloham. 2

I am not the caste, I am not the caste rules,

I am not stages of life,

I am not rules , I am not the just conduct,

I am not meditation, I am not yogic practice,

For the concept of I and me destroy all these.

I am simply Shiva the self,

For this remains even in sleep,

After everything is taken out.

Na matha pitha vaa na deva na loka,

Na veda na yagna na theertham bruvanthi,

Sushupthou nirasthadhi soonyath makathwath,

Thadekovasishta Shiva kevaloham. 3

Neither the mother nor the father.

Neither the celestial gods nor the earth,

Neither the Vedas ,nor the fire sacrifice,

Nor the holy waters, they say, exist in sleep.

But there is no void in sleep, either.

So I am simply Shiva the self,

For this remains even in sleep,

After everything is taken out.

Na sankhyam na saivam na thath pancha rathram,

Na jainam , na meemamskader matham vaa,

Visishtanubhoothya vishudhath maka thwath,

Thadekovasishta Shiva kevaloham. 4

Neither the Sankhya principle,

Nor the doctrine of Shaiva,

Not the principle of pancha rathra,

Nor the doctrine of Jainas,

Nor the principle of Meemasa,

Are Unique experiences,

For the soul is the purest known truth.,

So I am simply Shiva the self,

For this remains even in sleep,

After everything is taken out.

Na shuklam na krishnam na raktham na peetham,

Na peenam na kubjam na hruswam na deergam,

Na roopam thada jyothirakarakathwath,

Thadekovasishta Shiva kevaloham. 5

Neither white nor black,

Neither red nor yellow,

Neither large nor thin,

Neither short , nor tall,

And neither with a form is the soul,

For this soul is the form of the light,

So I am simply Shiva the self,

For this remains even in sleep,

After everything is taken out.

Na jagranna me swapnako vaa sushupthi,

Ne viswo na vaa thaijasa pragnako vaa,

Avidhyathmakathwath trayanam thureeyam,

Thadekovasishta Shiva kevaloham. 6

Neither the state of waking,

Nor the state of dream,

Nor the state of deep sleep is for me,

Neither the earthy feelings,

Nor the glorified feelings of dreams,

Nor the feeling of wakefulness in sleep am I,

For these are the souls of avidya,

And I am the fourth , the thureeya, which is beyond these,

So I am simply Shiva the self,

For this remains even in sleep,

After everything is taken out.

Na sastha na sasthram na sishyo na siksha,

Na cha thwam, na cha aham na cha ayam prapancha,

Swaroopavabadhadhi vikalapa sahishnu,

Thadekovasishta Shiva kevaloham. 7

Neither the origin of knowledge,

Nor the books of knowledge,

Neither he disciple nor the teacher,

Neither you, nor me and nor this world am I,

For this is not tolerated by innate realization,

So I am simply Shiva the self,

For this remains even in sleep,

After everything is taken out.

Na chordhwam na chadho na cha andhar na bahyam,

Na madhyam na thiryang na poorva paraddik,

Viyad vyapakathwath Akandaika roopa,

Thadekovasishta Shiva kevaloham. 8

Neither above , nor below,

Neither inside nor outside,

Neither the middle , nor the across,

Neither the east nor the west am I,

For like the all pervading ether,

I am spread everywhere,

So I am simply Shiva the self,

For this remains even in sleep,

After everything is taken out.

Api vyapakathwadhi Thathwa prayogath,

Swatha sidha bhavananya asrayathwath,

Jagat thuchamethath samastham thadanya,

Thadekovasishta Shiva kevaloham. 9

Being all pervasive and goal oriented,

Being dependent on its own nature,

Than depending on any out side thing,

This world is trivial as it is different from self.

So I am simply Shiva the self,

For this remains even in sleep,

After everything is taken out.

Na chaikam thadanyath dweetheeyam kutha syath,

Na chaa kevalathwam na vaa kevalathwam,

Na soonyam na chaa soonyamadvaidhakathwath,

Kadam sarva vedhatham sidham braveemi 10

It is not even one and how can it be two,

Neither is it unique and nor not unique,

Neither is it a vacuum nor something different from it,

For it is the essence of non dual reality

So how can I tell about what is established by all philosophy?

radha Avatar

radha

Elite Member

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May 23, 2015 at 4:36am

  Quote

HARI OM !

A VERY MEANINGFULL AND PHILOSOPHICAL STOTRAM OF ADI SANKARABAGHAVATPADAAL.

It is similar to Nirvana Shatakam authored by Sri ADI SANKARAR

Title: Nirvana Shatakam

॥ निर्वाण षटकम्॥

मनो बुद्ध्यहंकारचित्तानि नाहम् न च श्रोत्र जिह्वे न च घ्राण नेत्रे

न च व्योम भूमिर् न तेजॊ न वायु: चिदानन्द रूप: शिवोऽहम् शिवॊऽहम् ॥

न च प्राण संज्ञो न वै पञ्चवायु: न वा सप्तधातुर् न वा पञ्चकोश:

न वाक्पाणिपादौ न चोपस्थपायू चिदानन्द रूप: शिवोऽहम् शिवॊऽहम् ॥

न मे द्वेष रागौ न मे लोभ मोहौ मदो नैव मे नैव मात्सर्य भाव:

न धर्मो न चार्थो न कामो ना मोक्ष: चिदानन्द रूप: शिवोऽहम् शिवॊऽहम् ॥

न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दु:खम् न मन्त्रो न तीर्थं न वेदा: न यज्ञा:

अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता चिदानन्द रूप: शिवोऽहम् शिवॊऽहम् ॥

न मृत्युर् न शंका न मे जातिभेद: पिता नैव मे नैव माता न जन्म

न बन्धुर् न मित्रं गुरुर्नैव शिष्य: चिदानन्द रूप: शिवोऽहम् शिवॊऽहम् ॥

अहं निर्विकल्पॊ निराकार रूपॊ विभुत्वाच्च सर्वत्र सर्वेन्द्रियाणाम्

न चासंगतं नैव मुक्तिर् न मेय: चिदानन्द रूप: शिवोऽहम् शिवॊऽहम् ॥

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

Meaning:

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 at

tachment 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.